A Treatise of the Affections, Title page – Table of contents
A TREATISE OF THE AFFECTIONS; OR The Souls Pulſe.
Whereby a Chriſtian may know whether he be living or dying.
Together With a lively deſcription of their Nature, Signs, and Symptomes.
As alſo directing men to the right uſe and ordering of them.
By that Reverend and faithfull Miniſter of Gods Word, M. William Fenner, ſometimes Fellow of Pembroke-Hall, and late Rector of Rochford in Eſſex.
Finiſhed by himſelf.
DEUT. 6. 5.
Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy might.
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for J. Rothwell at the Sign of the Sun and Fountain in Pauls-Church-yard, near the little North-door. 1650.
To the Reader.
GOd made man (as all things elſe) for himſelf, Gods glory is the end for which man was made; the fruition of God is the happineſſe to which he was appointed; that he might be ſubſervient to this end, and obtain this happineſse, he bestowed on him a reaſonable ſoul, conſisting of an underſtanding and a will, that by the one he might contemplate and behold the beauty of the Lord by the other he might embrace him. The underſtanding as the eye of the ſoul to diſcern truth, the will as the feet of the ſoul to carry it to good. The underſtanding (though furniſhed with excellent knowledge in things naturall) was chiefly enriched with the knowledge of God the firſt Truth; the will (though let out to the deſire of good naturall) was eſpecially enamored with God the chiefeſt good; and whileſt theſe faculties continued in thoſe poſtures, man continued in the happy and holy condition of his primaeve creation; the corruption and miſery of the ſoul is the averſion of theſe faculties from this object, the corrup…ion of the understanding, the ignorance of God; the corruption of the will, the abhorring of God; man lost not his faculties by his fall, but their integrity; he hath an underſtanding still, but in regard of heavenly things blinde and vain, quick-ſighted in other things, he hath a will ſtill, but averſe from God, and purſuing with eagerneſse things terrene; the reparation of the ſoul is the reſetling of theſe faculties on their proper objects, and this is that which is required, My ſon, give me thy heart, give me thy underſtanding to know me, give me thy will to cleave to me, by loving and fearing me, by delighting and hoping in me. Theſe acts of loving, fearing, &c. commonly called by the name of Affections (I ſpeak with ſubmiſsion to better judgements) are only the motions of the will, by which it goeth forth to the embracing of its object which is Good; which conſidered in the general nature is loved, conſidered as in the fruition is delighted in; conſidered in the future as attainable, if with eaſe, is deſired; if with difficulty, is hoped for. If the will or theſe Affections be fixed on their proper object, there is no danger in the exceſse; God cannot be loved, or feared, &c. overmuch; the only danger in them, is either in miſplacing upon a wrong object, or their looſe adhering to the right; both theſe the Apoſtle rectifies, Be not drunk with Wine, in which is exceſſe, but be filled with the Spirit, Covet the best gifts. Thus Christ invites his Church, Drink ye, be drunk, O my beloved. This drunkenneſse, ſaith Ambroſe, makes men ſober: And this the ſubject of this enſuing Diſcourſe publiſhed for thy benefit. Reade, conſider, pray, and the Lord give thee underſtanding to conceive of it, and a will to conform unto it.
The Table.
THe right uſe and ordering of the Affections. Page 1.
Doctr. A naturall man cannot ſet his affections on God, or upon things above. 3
What the affections are, ibid.
1 They are motions. ibid.
2 They are motions of the will. 4
3 They are forcible motions of the heart. 5
4 They are ſenſible motions. 6
5 They are according to the apprehenſions of good and evill. 7
Reaſons 1 They are the wings of the ſoul. ibid.
2 They are the inclination of the ſoul. 8
3 They are the paſſion of the ſoul. 9
4 They are the perturbation of the ſoul. 11
Nine degrees wherein the affections may be wrought on: In 5. of them a carnall man may have his affections wrought on, but in the laſt four he cannot. 13
1 The heart is enticed by them. ibid.
2 The heart is ſomewhat touched therewith. 14
3 The heart is ſomewhat bowed by them. ibid.
4 The heart is ſtolen away with them. 15
5 The heart is inflamed upon them. ibid.
6 The heart is overturned from what it was. 16
7 That the heart be engaged for God. 17
8 The heart is glued to a thing by them. ibid.
9 The heart may be quite given up to the thing it affects. 18
Affections of the wicked cannot be ſet on Chriſt, but may be raiſed towards Chriſt. ibid.
Proved by five Arguments.
1 By the ſparks of right reaſon. ibid.
2 By the knowledge out of the Word. 19
3 By knowledge and conſcience quickned. 20
4 By the horrour of their eſtate. 21
5 By ſelf-love. 21
Affections may work the wicked to do ſome ſpeciall duties, as appears in five inſtances. 27
Fourth Reaſon, though a carnal mans affections be wrought on, yet they are not kindely wrought on. 28
Firſt, they are not 1 kindely, 2 judiciouſly, 3 regularly, 4 univerſally, Examine whether your affections are right or no 31
Demonſtrated by four ſigns. ibid.
It ſtands us infinitely in hand to have our affections ſet right, proved by eight arguments. 35
It is a Chriſtians duty to ſet his affections on God, two reaſons. 45
The neceſſity of it for three Reaſons. ibid.
All the good of the creature is not thy good; proved by 4 arguments. 48
It is beſt to ſet our affections on God for 3. reaſons. 52
Vſe. It is a bleſſing to have affections. 54
Affections not ſinfull for three reaſons. ibid.
Affections are neceſſary, and why. 57
Four impediments, our affections are not ſet on God. 62
Two grounds to ſet our affections on God. 67
Means to ſet our affections on God. 69
Means to get up the bottom of the affections. 85
Miniſters muſt labour to ſtir up the affections of the hearers. 90
How a Miniſter muſt ſtir up affections. 95
It is a great ſinne to ſet our affections on earth, proved by 4. arguments. 105
The degrees of the affections. ibid.
The extremity of the affections is zeal. 118
Zeal what it is, in five demonſtrations. ibid.
Zeal is due only to God for five reaſons. 122
God demands the zeal of the affections. 127
Very dangerous to deny God the zeal of the affections in holy duties. 132
It is a lamentable condition we are in, when our affections run contrary to God, by eight arguments. ibid.
Seven ſigns whether the zeal of our affections be ſet on God. 145
Zeal cannot abide any ſin. 147
Not in any perſon, childe, wife, rich, &c. ibid
Five means to make us zealous. 170
Be exhorted to be zealous againſt thy worſt enemies, Sin, Satan, &c. ib.
Without zeal thou muſt never do good to others. ibid.
Nor encourage the Miniſters of God. ibid.
Nor can you be excellent. ibid.
Zeal makes us like Angels. ibid.
Zeal as fire againſt coldneſſe and lukewarmneſſe. ibid.
Seven motives to ſet your affections on God. 175