A Treatise of the Affections, Treatise · Sermon 8
The VIII. Sermon.
Coloſ. 3. 2.
Set your affections on things that are above, &c.
MUſt our affections be ſet upon God?It is a great ſin to ſet our affections on the earth. Four Arguments to convince this truth. then this reproves them, who ſet their affections on the earth. The matter is reduceable to four heads.
The firſt is the multiplicity of the affections, they are very many in number.
The ſecond is, the foreign, or the Checker-wiſe order of the affections. As they are many, ſo they are complicated and platted one within another, that look what they are ſet on, they knit the heart to it.
The third is, the degree the affections are in, in regard of other acts of the ſoul.
The fourth is, the extremity of the affections, which is zeal. From all theſe four heads I will ſhew you the wofull aggravation of this ſin, not to ſet our affections on God.
Firſt,1. If a man ſets his affections on the earth, he ſets all his affections on it. From the multitude and multiplicity of the affections: a man cannot ſet his affections upon earth, but he muſt ſet them all upon earth: the affections they all go together, and are many. Not only four, as Boethius doth count them: nor only five, as Galen does reckon them: nor only eleven, as Ariſtotle does number them: nor only twenty, as Cardan does ſum them; but they are like a ſwarm of Bees, as Laelius Peregrinus does compare them for multitude. Plato ſayes they are innumerable, without queſtion they are many. Now, what a wofull aggravation is this of this ſin, to ſet thine affections on the earth! Thou ſetteſt all thine affections thereon, if thou ſetteſt one thou ſetteſt all; for they all go together. Like the Angels that ſinned, they all fell together, So when the affections fell off from God, they all fell together. Like the two eyes of the body, they both look one way; like the two ears, one doth not hear one ſound, and another another. If thou loveſt thoſe things that are carnal, it is certain thy deſires are all carnal, thy joys, and delights, and thy hopes are all carnal, thy fears, and thy griefs, and thy ſorrows are all carnall; if one of them be ſet on the things here on earth, all are: were there but one affection that way, it were the leſſe; but if thine affections be ſet upon theſe things, not one, nor two, nor ten, but numberleſſe multitudes, whole ſwarms of affections are all earthly. Thou art altogether brutiſh and fooliſh, Ier. 10. 8. That is, thine affections are altogether brutiſh and beaſtly, altogether filthy or ſtinking, for ſo the word ſignifies, Pſal. 14. 3. That is thine affections are altogether ſtinking and noyſome affections. I proved before, that when the affections are carnal,Gal. 3. 1. they all like ſo many devils do bewitch thee. O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitched you? It is grievous enough to be plagued with one devil, He muſt needs run whom the devil drives: one devil will drive thee faſt enough to hell. One affection if it were ſingle, will hurry thee faſt enough to hell, what then are the whole legions of affections? they are like the legion of devils that entred into the Swine, the herd ran violently down a ſteep place into the ſea, Luk 8. …3. They ran with all violence to be drowned, when a legion of devils did drive them. So thou muſt needs run with all violence down into the lake, when a legion of affections, like a legion of devils doth hurry thee, S… acuique Deus fit d…ra cupido, ſayes the Poet. The very heathen man ſaw this, that every mans evil affection was his devil, and therefore the whole legion of affections are a legion of devils. Do ye not ſee how ye are toſt up and down all the day long, tanquam pila diaboli, as the devils tennis-bals, as Odo ſpeaks: from worldly delights unto wordly deſires, from deſires unto fears, from fears unto melancholies, from melancholies to angers and vexations, from them again unto carnal comforts? theſe are all like a legion of devils that hurry thee up and down till thou art hurried to hell, &c. If thine affections be carnal, they are a legion of devils to drive thee. It is a merry devil that makes thee ſo greedy of pleaſure and of mirth; a ſurly devil, that makes thee ſo cholerick and touchy; a giddy devil, that makes thee ſo fearful and timorous; an unclean devil, that makes thee ſo deſirous of drinking and company-keeping. Anger and wrath is a devil; Let not the ſoul go down upon thy wrath, neither give place to the devil, Eph. 4. 26, 27. That is, do not give way to thy wrath, when thou giveſt way to thy earthly deſires, thou giveſt way to the devil. When thou giveſt way to thine earthly delights, and thy ſorrow, and thy melancholy, thou giveſt way to the devil. Look how many earthly affections thou haſt that thou giveſt the way to, ſo many devils are in thee. Doſt thou think thou art a childe of God, when thy conſcience tels thee, that ſuch and ſuch earthly affections have way in thy heart? alas! thou haſt a devil. Be ſober, for your adverſary the devil, 1 Pet. 5. 8. mark, every giddy affection is a devil, our adverſary the devil comes with it. Yea, ſo many earthly affections, ſo many devils, and wilt thou ſet thine affections upon things that are earthly? if thou doſt, thou haſt a legion of devils within, This is the firſt head, the multitude and the multiplicity of the affections, the affections are many.
The ſecond head is taken from the foreign,2. Affections h…mper and intangle the ſoul. or the checkerwiſe order of the affections. As the affections are many, ſo look where they are ſet, there they are platted, and woven, and hampered together. God that firſt created man upright and good, he gave him affections ſo to twiſt and hamper his heart upon good, that it might be the harder to looſen it. He gave him the affection of love to embrace good. If the good were wanting, he gave him the affection of deſire, to hunger after it. If the good were poſſible to get, he gave him the affection of hope to expect it: if the good were once gotten, he gave him the affection of joy to delight in it. If there were any danger to loſe it, he gave him the affection of fear to be afraid of it. If the good were once loſt indeed, he gave him the affection of grief and of ſorrow to lament it. If he ſhould meet with any thing that would hinder him in the proſecution of good, he gave him the affection of hatred to oppoſe it, &c. Thus God embroydered the affections, and wove them together, that ſtill mans heart might be knit by the affections to good and to God. And wilt thou now ſet thine affections on the things of this life? thou little thinkeſt how thou twiſteſt and hampereſt thy ſoul about theſe things, thine affections will make thee live and die a carnal wretch.He was in love with his Noverca. L. de ludo parvae ſphaerae Had not Eraſiſtratus cured Antiochus of his carnal affection, it had coſt him his life, for he was ſick of it unto death. Galen ſayes, he met with many ſick patients, if he had not cured their affections, he had never recovered them. The affections hamper the ſoul unto death. So if thou ſet thine affections on the things here on earth, they will ſo hamper thy heart, that unleſſe thine affections be cured, thy ſoul is deſperately incurable; they entangle thy ſoul, thou canſt not get free. And therefore S. Peter cals falling into earthly affections, he cals it, entangling. If after they have eſcaped the pollutions of the fleſh they are again entangled, 2 Pet. 2. 20. That is, if after they have once gotten out, they fall in again; becauſe they cannot fall in again, but their luſts and affections will not entangle them again. Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage, Gal. 5. 1. Paul knew if the Galatians were addicted to the Ceremonies of the Law, they would affect them more then the Commandments of Chriſt. And therefore he gives them advice no further to uſe them, becauſe their hearts would be intangled if they did; No man that warreth, intangleth himſelf with the affairs of this life, 2 Tim. 2. 4. A ſouldier had not need to have a new married wife, or a new-born childe, or a new-purchaſed ground, a new-planted vineyard, a new ſuit at Law in the Chancery: Alas! then his affections would be a gadding, when he ſhould be fighting▪ O my wife at home, and O my childe at home, and I would I might taſte of my vineyard at home, and O that I could follow my cauſe in the Court, this were to intangle him in war, he could not fight valiantly. Thus the affections do intangle a man. So if thine affections be earthy, they will entangle thee, thou canſt not be free for the ſeeking of heaven, or of Chriſt; thine affections are ſo complicated and hampered, thou canſt be in no place, in no eſtate nor condition, but ſome affections or other will entangle thee. Thou loveſt thy land and thy living, and thy things in the world; O how are thine affections intangled, what caſe ſoever thou art in? thine affections lie checker-wiſe and will have thee. If thou beeſt rich, the affections of pleaſure or delight, or ſecurity, there they will have thee. If thou beeſt poor, the affections of deſire and diſcontent; this thou deſireſt, and that thou wouldeſt fain have, there thy wiſhings, and wouldings and carkings will have thee. If thou beeſt croſſed, or troubled, or afflicted, the affections of grief and of ſorrow, and of melancholy, theſe there will have thee. If thou beeſt injured, abuſed, or provoked, which fals out very often, the affections of anger and revenge, theſe then will have thee. If thou beeſt in danger of ſickneſſe or diſtreſſe, or loſſe of this or that, the affections of fear and the like, they lie in ambuſh to catch thee. If thou comeſt to the Word, and there thou art told thou art a damned man as long as thou liveſt as thou doſt, the affections of vain hopings and truſtings, they lie in ſcout for to take thee: thus thou art intangled when thine affections are earthy, in what caſe ſoever thou art in, they intangle thee. Sometimes thou art merry and jocond for a pang, anon thou art melancholy and ſad for a fit. Sometimes thou art angry with a ſervant, or a childe, or a wife, or a neighbour, anon thou art pleaſed. Sometime a danger comes, and fears thee, anon it is gone, and thou art ſecure. Sometimes one affection, ſometimes another, Sometimes a hating, and ſometimes a loving, ſometimes deſiring, and ſometimes hoping. Thus thou liveſt, and thus thou dieſt, and periſheſt for ever through the intanglements.
The third head is taken from the degrees the affections are in, 3. The affections are in a high degree in regard … the acts of the ſoul.in regard of other acts of the ſoul. And here is a ſubdiviſion of heads.
1. The affections provoke thoughts, and therefore if the affections be earthy, the thoughts are all earthy.
2. The affections encreaſe luſts, and therefore if the affections be carnal, the luſts are all carnal.
3. The affections inferre purpoſes and reſolutions, and therefore if the affections be to the things of this life, the purpoſes and reſolutions of the heart are ſo too.
4. The affections inferre deviſings and contrivings, and therefore if the affections be vain, ſo are the devices. From all which thou mayſt ſee the infinite miſery thou art in, if the affections be ſet here below. Firſt, Becauſe if thine affections be ſet here below, ſo are thy thoughts. When Saul had a treacherous affection unto David, he made as though he did affect him ſo well, as to make him his ſonne in law; it was a treacherous affection: but the Text ſayes, ſo were his thoughts. Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philiſtims, 1 Sam. 18. 25. As his affections were treacherous, ſo his thoughts were in like manner treacherous. The affections are the feet of the ſoul, as I told you; now when theſe feet run to evil, ſo do the thoughts. Their feet run to evil, their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, Iſa. 59. 7. So that look what thine affections are to, to that are thy thoughts. You may remember what was proved to you of the thoughts: if thou doſt habitually ſet thy thoughts upon the things in this world, to be thinking of thy ſports and thy pleaſures, thine apparrel, and thy faſhions, thy meat, and thy drink, thy means, and thy living; if thy thoughts be ſet hereupon, thou art a man that never haſt repented ſince thou wert born; thou haſt yet no part nor intereſt in Chriſt, thou art yet no better then a damned wretch, heir apparent of hell and everlaſting deſtruction. Thus it is with thee, if thy thoughts be habitually thus ſet; but if thine affections be ſet here below, ſo without queſtion are thy thoughts.
1. Becauſe if thine affections be earthy, 1. As the affections are, ſo are the thoughts.ſo are thy thoughts: the affections provoke thee to be thinking of ſuch things as thou haſt moſt minde to. Haman did mightily affect honour, and therefore his thoughts ran upon his honor and promotion. The King had no ſooner ſaid, what ſhall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour? but preſently his thoughts were agog. Haman thought in his heart, whom would the King honour but me? Eſth. 66. When Haman was affected with wrath againſt Mordecai, inſtantly ſuch were his thoughts. He thought ſcorn, ſayes the Text, Eſt. 3. 6. David ſpeaking of his enemies that were ill-affected againſt him, he ſayes that their thoughts were againſt him,foreign Mac…r. hom. 6. all their thoughts are againſt me for evil, Pſal. 56. 5. So that if thine affections be carnal, thy thoughts are carnal, and thou canſt not think ſeriouſly of the good of thy ſoul. Come and let me think ſeriouſly, how do I think to be ſaved? may not a reprobate pray as well as I pray? hear the Word as well as I hear it? beleeve as well as I beleeve? Did not wicked Eſau that ſought a place for repentance, carefully with tears repent as well as I? Had not curſed Balaam as good meanings as I? he would not for a houſeful of ſilver and gold go beyond the commandment of God. Alas! alas! your carnal affections will not ſuffer you to think ſeriouſly of your ſouls. Haſt thou ever thought ſeriouſly whether thou beeſt a new creature or no? whether Chriſt be in thee yea or no? what if I ſhould die now? have I evidences for Heaven yea or no? The Scripture ſaies thus and thus, ſo and ſo they muſt live that look to be ſaved, do I live ſo? God ſayes, ſuch and ſuch ſhall be damned, namely, all that live in any known ſin; God cannot lie; Is there never a ſin I know I live in? poor woful ſoul, thy carnal affections have not ſuffered thee to think ſeriouſly of theſe things ſince thou wert born. May be now and then thou haſt ſome looſe thoughts of ſome ſuch matters, ſtragling thoughts, glancing, running thoughts of thy ſoul, and of heaven, and of death, but thou never doſt ſeriouſly think of them. No, thine earthly affections doe provoke thy thoughts otherwiſe,foreign. Macar. hom 16. Thinking is foreign. Pla. Sophiſt. thy affections have ſuch influence into thy thoughts, that Macarius cals them affections. Is not this then a pitiful condition to ſet our affections here below? to be drawn away from thinking ſeriouſly of our ſouls; they drive thee to hell, and will not permit thee to think ſeriouſly whither thou goeſt till thou art there. O grievous condition! will a priſoner that is condemned to be hanged to morrow, be thinking how he may get him new clothes, and a new ſuit? will he be thinking how he may purchaſe? how he may have a good ſupper? If he be thinking on ſuch things when he ſhall be hanged to morrow for all that he knows; he is ſure he is condemned, and the gallows is built, and the halter is provided, and if he get not a pardon, it is certain he ſhall be executed, and he knows not yet whether ever he ſhall get it; may be he may if he ſeek hard, if he now be thinking of pleaſures and profits, and the like, when his life lies at the ſtake, you will ſay, he is wofully affected with theſe things: and wilt thou be ſo affected with the things of this life, when thou mayſt be in hell to morrow? thou art ſure the ſentence of damnation is upon thee yet, and thou ſhalt ſurely be damned being as thou art; wilt thou I ſay be thinking of eating, and drinking, and playing, and buying, and ſelling, and trading, and the like? alas! thou art yet but a damned man? Take no thought (ſayes Chriſt) what ye ſhall eat, and what ye ſhall drink, but ſeek ye firſt the kingdom of God, Matth. 6. 33. Let not the condemned priſoner take thought for a ſupper, but take thought how he may ſave his neck from the rope. This is the firſt: if thine affections be carnal, ſo are thy thoughts.
Secondly,2. If thy affections be carnal, ſo are thy luſts. They are like ſtirpi… fibrae, as Chryſoſtom compares them, like the ſtrings at the roots of the Tree. Apud Damaſcen. … par c. 7. Becauſe if thine affections be carnal, ſo are thy luſts. It's true, a godly man hath carnal luſtings, for he is partly fleſh; but then he hath good luſtings too, for he is partly ſpirit; the fleſh luſts againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe two are contrary the one to the other, ſo that he cannot do ſo well as he would, Gal. 5. 17. he hath ſinful luſtings, but he hath ſpiritual luſtings to crucifie them; but if thine affections be earthy, thy luſts be all earthy, nay, thy luſts they are ripened and ſtrengthened. The carnal luſts properly and eſpecially are the firſt offer of the heart unto carnal affections. So that when they are come to be carnal affections, they are ripened. And therefore the Apoſtle does uſually call the carnal affections by the name of luſts. The Gentiles walked in luſts, exceſſe of wine, revellings, &c. 1 Pet. 4. 3. that is, they walked in their carnal affections; becauſe the luſts are then ſtrengthned when they come to be affections. Now beloved conſider what a hideous condition it is, to ſet our affections on the earth, it ſtrengthens our luſts. We give a knife to a cut-throat to ſtab us, cheriſh a company of vipers in our boſome to poyſon us. We encourage fierce enemies to battel againſt our ſouls. So S. Peter can tell us. Dearly beloved, I beſeech you as ſtrangers and pilgrims, abſtain from filthy luſts which warre againſt the ſoul, 1 Pet. 2. 11. they warre againſt the ſoul, they are the devils Infantry, yea, Chivalry too, they are his Souldiers to murder the ſoul with ſpiritual death and eternal damnation. If ever thou lovedſt thine own ſoul, thou wouldeſt kill ſinne in the cradle, ſupplant it and take it by the heel, as Iacob did Eſau in the womb, thou wilt never overcome it elſe. Deny it the firſt entrance, as the Angel ſhut the door upon the Sodomites, caſt out the bond-woman with her brat too, as Sarah did Hagar and her little one,Gregory. as Gregory ſpeaks. Thou wilt never be able to ſubdue it otherwiſe. Thou wouldeſt crucifie thy luſts, and mark the firſt riſings thereof, thus thou wouldſt do, if thou hadſt a care of thy ſoul. But wilt thou let thy luſts grow, and get armour to kill thee? wilt thou let them gather ſtrength and ripeneſſe to damn thee? there is not a luſt of them, but it comes like an armed man to fight againſt thy ſoul; now if thou ſet thine affections too on the things of this life, thou doſt ſtrengthen it and weapon it yet more. What a wretched miſery is this! thy luſts war againſt thy ſoul to undo it, and yet thou doſt ſtrengthen them; yea, thou doſt encreaſe them, helpeſt their forces. O fools, when will ye underſtand? do we not ſee how we are overpowred by our luſts? do they not every day conquer us in the open field? There is not a prayer we make, but deadneſſe of heart gets the day like a Conquerour. Not a duty we perform, but lukewarmneſſe proves victor. Nay, our luſts do not only overcome us, but they leade us in triumph. Some of our luſts carry us up and down from gaming to fretting, from fretting to revenging, from revenging to ſwearing, from ſwearing to lying, from one ſinne to another, as they liſt. And our luſts are ſo ſtrong that war againſt our ſouls, that we are not aſhamed to lay down our bucklers and ſay, we cannot reſiſt. I was angry, alas! it is my nature, and I cannot maſter it. I rap out an oath now and then, alas! I was provoked, and I cannot help it: I muſt ſay and doe as ſuch an one would have me, he is my friend, I cannot deny him. Thus our luſts have given us mortal wounds, and have murdered our ſouls, and all this is,3. If thine affections be carnal, ſo are thy purpoſes. becauſe our affections are earthly, for they encreaſe all our luſts, and make them more able to vanquiſh us.
Thirdly, If thine affections be carnal, ſo be thy purpoſes: Men purpoſe according as they affect. He that affects ſuch a good bargain, will purpoſe to make it: He that affects pleaſure, will purpoſe to take it: He that affects any thing, will purpoſe to have it. Firſt, men conceive a thing to be good, then they affect it, and then they ſpend thoughts of it, and then they purpoſe to have it if they can. Barnabas exhorted them all, that with purpoſe of heart they would cleave unto the Lord, Act. 11. 23. He joyns theſe two together, their purpoſe and their affection to God: becauſe they could never cleave unto the Lord, but it muſt needs be with the purpoſes of the heart. Well now, conſider what enemies we are unto God, what enemies too to our own ſouls, that ſet our affections here below, we can never have reall purpoſes to amend or turn unto God. We may purpoſe and purpoſe a thouſand times over, but ſtill we are broken off from our purpoſes, they all come to nothing, as long as we affect the things of this life. Can the fire have a purpoſe to freeze? can the ſtinking dunghil have a purpoſe to ſmell well? can a Swine have a purpoſe not to wallow in the mire? No, how can this be, when they are affected with contrary qualities? there is no counſel in ſuch purpoſes as theſe. Without counſel purpoſes are diſappointed, Pro. 15. 22. If thou doſt purpoſe to do this or that, and not conſult whether thou be able to doe it yea or no, no wonder though thou beeſt diſappointed of thy purpoſe. Thou art carnal, and haſt a purpoſe to be ſpiritual: thou art full of earthly deſires, and haſt a purpoſe to hunger after Chriſt. Thou art a company-keeper, a worldly and a proud fool, thou haſt a purpoſe to be otherwiſe: Alas! ſuch purpoſes as theſe will ſurely be diſappointed, becauſe they are purpoſes without counſel: thou ſhouldſt firſt take counſel how to crucifie thy affections; if thus thou wouldſt do, thy purpoſes would ſtand. What an egregious ſin is this then, to ſet thine affections on things that are carnal! thou art vain, and haſt no purpoſe to be otherwiſe; thou ſecure, and haſt no purpoſe to ſhake off ſecuriry; no purpoſe to give over thy carnal appetites, and thy cuſtomes, and the luſts that thy conſcience does know of: thy own conſcience can point thee out many luſts that thou liveſt in, and thou haſt no purpoſe to leave them, O how does this provoke the Lord Jeſus to wrath! Which of us does thus purpoſe in his heart? I abſoſutely purpoſe henceforth to uſe all the means under Heaven for the ſaving my ſoul, I have gull'd it to this day, now I purpoſe to do ſo no more; now I will every day examine my conſcience, every day keep company with the godly; I will never ſort with my old company more, I have uſed my body like an Idol, now I purpoſe to mortifie it, &c. Alas! our affections will not let us. It is certain, thou never haſt a good purpoſe to God for thy ſoul, as long as thine affections are earthly. All thy purpoſes are inſtar paleae, Car. in Pro. 15. 22.ſayes a Divine, they laſt for an hour, or a day, or a health, like the chaffe which the winde drives away.
Fourthly,4. If thy affections be carnal, ſo are thy devices. Becauſe if thine affections be carnal, ſo are thy devices and contrivings. When a man ſets his affections on any thing, as he ſpends many thoughts thereupon, and purpoſes to have it if he can, ſo he deviſeth with himſelf whereby to attain it. Davids enemies whoſe affections were ſet againſt him, they deviſed how they might croſſe him. All that hate me, againſt me do they deviſe my hurt, Pſ. 41. 7. What a company of devices hath the glutton to ſatisfie his palate? the revengeful perſon to ſatisfie his wrath? the covetous perſon to ſcrape himſelf maintenance? it's endleſſe to recount what innumerable devices men have to compaſſe what their heart does affect. Phalaris deviſeth new torments: Nero deviſeth new cruelties; Sardanapalus propounds a reward by a cryer to him that could deviſe out new pleaſure, the wicked Lawyer and troubleſome Pariſhioner deviſeth new quillets and put-caſes to fetch over his poor neighbour: the proud minion deviſeth new paintings of the face, new waſhings of the body, new curlings of the hair, new deckings of their neck, new-fangled attires, and the like; the covetous deceiver deviſeth new couſenages, new conny-catchings, pollings, rackings, gullings, &c. The Uſurer new uſuries, new covenants and reaches. It were long to rehearſe what devices are in men to fulfill their unruly affections. Theſe wretches are abhorred of the Lord. Solomon ſayes there be ſix, yea ſeven things, which the Lord hates and abhors, Pro. 6. 16. And in the next verſe ſave one, he ſayes, that a heart that deviſeth wicked imaginations is one of them. Qui praeter uſ…ata mala alia excogitant, …aſil Theodoret. & alij in loc.The Lord numbers theſe men among the damned crew of the Heathen, inventers of evil things, Rom. 1. 30. Wo unto them that deviſe iniquity, ſayes the Prophet, Mic. 2. 1. Now ſee thy wofull condition whoever thou art, whoſe affections are carnal, thy devices are all carnal, thou doſt not deviſe how thou mayſt beſt ſerve Almighty God, how thou mayſt beſt overcome ſinne, how thou mayſt beſt glorifie Chriſt. Which of us does ſet his head a work every day, how he may beſt pray, and beſt repent, and beſt hear, and beſt do every good duty? alas! there is little ſuch deviſing among us, becauſe our affections ſtand not this way. If our affections were ſet upon God, we would be ſtudying and contriving how to purge all our families, how to propagate the glory of God in the Pariſh, how to exhort, and reprove, and provoke one another to godlineſſe. A liberall man deviſeth liberall things, Iſa. 32. 8. he deviſes how he may releeve Gods poor Saints, how he may ſet the poor on work, how he may help forward the Goſpel with his purſe, if he can finde how: An humble man deviſeth humble things, a peaceable man deviſeth peaceable things, a holy man deviſeth holy things: if our affections were ſet right, we would all lay our heads together how the Pariſh may beſt be reformed, how our ſcandalous houſes may beſt be removed, how the Word that we hear from Sabbath to Sabbath, may beſt be put in practiſe among us; thus it would be, if our affections were ſet upon God; but becauſe our affections are not ſet ſo, hence it comes to paſſe our devices are carnal.