Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Of the Particular Affections.
SOme affections are chearing and comforting, as Love, Joy, Hope; some disquieting,Affectus, u… optimè Thomas Aquinas disserit, vel locum habent in facultate concupiscibili, vel irasctbili. In concupiscibili sedem obtinent sex affectus; nam si offerat se res bona, oritur ejus amor: ac si absens sit, desiderium cjus existit: ubi verò iliud consecuti sumus; gaudium exsurgit, seu delectatio. It idem si quid se obtulerit sub specie mali, ejus nascitur odium, quod amori opponitur: si malum absit, fuga seu aversatio ejus erit, quae repugnat desiderio: sin malum praes…ns erit, exoritur dolor sinc tristitia, quae gaudio adversatur. At affectus, qui in irascibili sedem habeant, quinque numero sunt: duo ratione boni, tres ratione mali. Nam bonum arduum (quod irascibilis facultas respicit) vel ejusmodi est, ut aliquis se credat illud consequi posse; atque exoritur spes: vel tale est, ut credat aliquis, se id non valere adipisci, ac nascitur desperatio. Ratione verò boni ardui praesentis, nulius in irascibili est motus, quia, quod quis jam obtinet ardui habere rationem defiit. Ratione autem mali ardui, tres exsurgunt affectus: quia autem malum arduum est absens, aut praesens. Si absens, vel refugimus, & est metas sive formido: vel obviam ei imus, & est audacia. Sin praesens sit, fuerit ira, qua exardescimus ad malum depellendum. Voss. Institut. orat. l. 2 c. 1, Sect. 3. afflicting, as Anger, Sorrow, Fear, Despair: to afflict the soul at a Fast is to awaken some or all of these afflicting passions, the soul is only afflicted by it self; in heaven all afflicting affections cease in their acting, in hell they are all exercised.
According to their subject they are divided into those of the concupiscible andVide Aquin. 1a 2ae Quaest. 23. Art. 1, 2. Objecta passionum appetitus concupiscibilis sunt bonum & malum absolutè, objecta autē passionum appetitus irascibilis sunt bonum & malum cum quadam elevatione & arduitate. Aquin. 1a, 2ae, Quaest. 46. Artic. 3. irascible appetite.
Concupiscible, whereby the soul is carried to that which is good.
When the object is good, the desiring faculty draws the heart toward it: if it be present good it is joy, if the present good be near at hand it is called love, if easie to be obtained desire, if difficult hope, if impossible despair.
Irascible or shunning faculty from evil, if the evil be present it is grief, if it make an attempt on the heart, if it be vincible it is courage, if invincible horrour.
Mans affections are linked together in their working. Love is the chiefest, next is desire of attaining the thing loved, after comes joy if one have it, grief if he have it not, anger against those that crosse us of it, kindenesse toward those which further us in it, fear to lose it, and courage to keep it, shame if he have it not, boldnesse if he have it.
The chief of the Affections are of two sorts:
1. Some simple, which are exercised upon Good or Evil it self, viz.
I. On Good, considered
1. Simply in it self, Love, a motion of being united to it, of complacency and liking.
2. Respectively to its
1. Presence, Joy a motion of injoying it, an inlargement of the heart to receive good.
2. Absence, both in regard of
1. The good it self, Desire, a stirring of the heart to use means to get it.
2. The likelihood of attaining or not attaining it, which are
1. Hope, a moving and lifting up of the minde toward it.
2. Despair, a falling from the future good.
II. On Evil, considered
1. Simply, Hatred a motion of separating from that which is counted evil, as when we see a Toad.
2. Respectively, to its
1. Presence, Sadnesse, a pulling together of the heart in the sense of a present evil.
2. Absence, consideredThe simple affections are 1. Love, Hatred. 2. Joy, Sorrow. 3. Desire, Flight. 4. Hope, Despair. 5. Fear, Courage.
1. In it self, Flight, Detestation if it come, a motion of flying from it.
2. In its likelihood of being shunned or suffered.
1. If we conceive it avoidable, Courage, a motion of rising against it, and making resistance.
2. As it is likely not to be escaped but suffered, fear, a kinde of perplexednesse or shrinking from it.
2. Some compound, being the divers workings of two or more of these together, and they respect other things for good or evil, viz.
1. The possessors thereof, whether
I. Our selves,
1. Shame for evil or turpitude, in regard of evil working by motions of Fear, Hatred, Grief.
2. Boldnesse for good we have done or got in regard of the good esteem of it, motions of the contrary affections.
II. Others,
1. For Good we think we see in them, reverence differing from simple fear, looking to a thing conceived as excellent, a joynt working of Fear, Love, Desire, Joy.
2. For Evil, contempt, a motion of vilifying and abasing, disdaining one by joynt working of contrary passions to those fore-named.
2. The furtherances or hinderances thereof, viz.
I. The things which further Good hinder Evil, viz.
1. Kindenesse, well-pleasednesse, a melting of the heart toward the thing or person which hath done us good, or kept us from evil by the joynt motions of Love, Desire, Joy.
2. Confidence, staying of the heart upon any thing or person for good, or deliverance from evil, by a mixt work of Love, Courage, and Desire supporting Hope.
II. The things which further Evil and hinder Good from us, viz.
1. Anger, a motion of punishing or hurting that thing so to remove it, or put it away in Hatred, Grief, Desire.
2. Diffidence, a shaking and wavering of the soul from any thing which should but cannot help him to Good or against Evil, and is mixt of Fear, Abomination and Hatred, overthrowing Hope and pulling away the heart from them.
All these affections which respect good, and the furtherances to it, and possessors of it, should be exercised on God, and one also which doth look to evil, because God considered as angry, is the creatures greatest evil of misery.
I shall handle them thus, among the simple Affections I shall rank three pairs under the concupiscible Appetite:
1. Love and Hatred.
2. Desire and Flight.
3. Joy and Sorrow.