A Sons Patrimony and Daughters Portion, Part 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 2
§. 2. Our darling ſinne.
The next ſinne, which we ſhould be armed againſt, I cannot preſently name; that belongs to every ones owne heart to do, for I meane that ſinne, which every man may more properly call his iniquitie pPſal. 18. 23.; not, but that every ſinne is properly ours, and we muſt own it, except that, which the divell doth caſt in (and that we make ours alſo, if we give it lodging, or ſuffer our hearts to brood upon it, as an hen upon eggs) every ſinne, I ſay, is ours, for we have within us the root of all. But this is ours more peculiarly, our heart is more endeared unto it; it is its beloved ſinne and darling corruption, as hardly parted with, as a right eye, or arme; ſuch maſtery it hath in the ſoule, ſo it beſets our nature, and ſo hotly chargeth the ſame; And then moſt likely it is, that ſinne, which one calls, The great qHiſt. of the World B. 2. chap. 4 ſect. 13. pag. 239.Enchantreſſe of mankinde, he means ſenſuall pleaſure; for the moſt are bewitched with it; how have the ſtrong falne by it? It is that which makes the wiſe become fooles; Nay, it is folly in the Abſtract rGen. 34. 7. 2 Sam. 13. 13; folly in Iſrael, and as one of the fooles in Iſrael; So we reade, where we read of one, that would drink the poyſon of this Sorcereſſes cup; which, being firſt preſented, infatuates a man (unleſſe the watch within be the ſtronger) and gives him not ſo much time as to thinke ſOmnis acics & quaſi vigilia cogitationis obruitur. Aug. de civ. 14. 16.what do I? and ſo having put out the light of a man, which is his reaſon and underſtanding, like ſome murtherers I have read of, ſhe kills with embracings tAmplexu ſtrangulant Phil…tae. Sen. ep. See Hiſt. of the World B. 5. chap. 4. ſect. 10. pag. 532.: or if not ſo (but ſo it is) ſhe ſends forth man, that lordly creature, to feed on husks, among ſwine, ſuch emptie things; or (to give it the fayreſt interpretation) ſhe ſends forth man (a wiſe and diſcerning creature, when he is himſelfe) to gather uIbid. 2. Book. 4. 6.garlands in the May game of the world, whoſe flowers wither, while he doth diſcourſe of their colour, or is in gathering them.
It is likely, could we take but ſo much time as to aske, what do I? what is the bait I am now ſwallowing? That quiet and peace I am now forfeiting? what is the ſhame I am now drawing on me? we would reſiſt and thruſt it from us, with as much earneſtneſſe, as Paul did ſhake the viper from his hand, and as we would a ſpider creeping up our breaſt. But ſhe deales with man, as Delilah with Sampſon, ſhee cloſeth his eyes firſt, then weakneth him; or rather, as the Philiſtines afterwards, they pluck out his eyes, and then they put him to the Mill.
Were it not, That juſt ſo, pleaſure did firſt quite ſtupifie the judgement, and put reaſon out of office, ſo taking away our crown, & putting out our candle, it were not poſſible, that a reaſonable creature, ſad and ſerious in other things, ſhould give his xforeign. P…t de educat.life for his pleaſure; his part in Paradiſe for his preſent ſatisfaction in Paris, yet ſo, we read, ſome have ſpoken, ſo we know ſome have done yforeign. &c. foreign. Hom. Hym. in V…. p. 423.; for pleaſure is deceitfull, it promiſeth faire, but deceiveth, or changeth our wayes.
Every ſinne, except one; The aHiſt. of the World. 2. B. 4. 13. p. 239.taking of Gods Name in vaine (And yet nothing more common, though it hath no profit to allure, unleſſe the hate of good men, and Gods curſe be accounted an advantage, nor pleaſure to intice, for it ſatisfies no one appetite, except everlaſting ſorrow, and hell dwell in our deſire) every ſinne I ſay, but that one, pleaſure more ſpecially, comes diſguiſed and ſophiſticated, like a pill of poyſon, guilded over, or a ſugered cup, ſo it goes down ſweetly, but it kindles a fire in the bowels, it tickleth the heart in the beginning, but frets and pricks it in the end: It is pleaſure in the doing, ſorrow when it is done bforeign. Chryſoſt. ad pop. Ant. Hom. 15.(And that is the beſt fruit that can be expected) Thence it is we reade of the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne cHeb. 3. 13.: The wicked worketh a deceitfull worke dProv. 11. 18.; Deceitfull luſts. And all this we know, and are as ſure of, as we certainly know, That worm wood is bitter, and honey is ſweet, it is not conceit only, but the nature of the thing it ſelfe, we know it to be ſo, in the iſſue, it will be ſo: univerſall experience hath ſo concluded it, and aſſureth us; That, as they ſay of the Scorpion, eEpheſ. 4. 22.being taken into the hand, it will ſeeme to play about it, and make pretty ſport by its wrigling, then ſuddenly ſtingeth to death; ſo pleaſure, it will be bitterneſſe, it will ſting like a ſerpent in the latter end, and we know it will do, ſo when we are our ſelves; we know it, I ſay, as certainly, as we know that coales in the boſome will burn, and pitch in the hand defile, for it is the nature of the thing: And yet ſuch is the diſtemper of fancy, and ſo it darkeneth, that we cannot judge ſoberly of things, we cannot conſider them as they are; For ſinne, coming ſo diſguiſed, and upon advantage of our diſtemper, is much more plauſible then vertue, and goodneſſe; And meere falſhood, having a better outward appearance fLege Hom. S. Baſilii in Pſal. primum, p. 114., (at leſt more pleaſing to ſuch, who regard but the preſent) takes more advantage over us by ſubtiltie of Argument, and cunning perſwaſion, then truth doth: for our corrupt nature gives us nothing towards the entertainment of this, but very much for that.
And therefore the counſel is to be followed; fly from fooliſh and hurtfull luſts; There is motive enough, that they are youthfull, fooliſh, hurtfull; we muſt not come neare them; at the firſt encounter they ſtrike at the eye. There is no parling with them, then we muſt come too neare. We muſt not be carefull what to anſwer; if we come to that, we come too neare. He that parleth with ſuch an enemie, will yeeld at laſt; And then he that before might have given his enemy law, muſt now take it from his enemie. Its eaſier not to taſte of this cup at all, then taſting not to drink gforeign. He that lips of this ſorceres cup will drink deep; it is a wonder elſe and a mighty hand reſtraining. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 7. pag 539.deep; eaſier to keep from the pits brink then to keep our ſelves from falling in; or, being in, from falling infinitely; it is hard ſtaying down the hill, to refrain the minde in a precipice. It is eaſier to give a peremptory anſwer, then to ſtand out in continuall ſolicitation. Every ſinne, as well as that ſpecially mentioned by the Apoſtle, Acts hforeign13. verſe 10. is eaſie to corrupt nature, and being once committed, is more eaſily repeated, and purſued; The firſt act drawing on the ſecond, the ſecond the third, &c. ſtill with more eagerneſſe towards ſatisfaction, but never attaining the ſame. A fall into ſinne, is like a fall down a ladder, it is hard to ſtop. A little fall iAvila's Spir. epiſt. 13. p. 92.ſaith one, in relation to a great one, lieth as cloſe, as doth the Eve to the Holy day. Whereby we learn to withſtand the beginnings, firſt aſſault or incroachment Chap. 4 §. 4 of this ſubtill enemie. I will ſpeak confidently, ſaith kIn Matt. 27. hom 87.Chryſoſtome, though you will think it a ſtrange ſpeech; We muſt be more circumſpect and cautelouſly wary, we muſt more fortifie and immure our ſouls againſt ſmall, foreign.triviall ſinnes, ſinnes of no account with us, then we need to do againſt great and mighty ſinnes: For theſe latter, ſuch is the nature of them, and ſuch our natures, that, as a ſick ſtomack, we turn away at the naming of them. But our ſmall *foreign.and light ſinnes (if we may call them ſo, as ſo we may in compariſon, though in it ſelf, no ſinne is little, being committed againſt a great God and an holy *Nihil eſt parvum in lege Dei, ſed omnia magna: quia magnus l…gislator.law) our light ſinnes, I ſay, make us ſlack and *foreign. Lege Hom. S. Baſilii Pſal. 1. p. 115.negligent, we may do ſo, and ſo, is it not a very little ſinne, and yet our ſouls may live? ſo we ſay, and ſo we do, not conſidering how farre a little and a little may leade us: We ſee much folly committed in Iſrael; fornication and adultery both (in this the Father doth inſtance, as in ſome more horrible ſinnes, but this to our purpoſe here) whence had this uncleanneſſe its originall? From a very ſmall beginning in our account (lNon jam leve eſt periculum ſi leve videatur. though nothing is to be accounted a ſmall thing, which leads to great) A wanton caſt of the eye, or a vain word, whereof we make no account. By all meanes withſtand the beginnings, immure thy ſelf well againſt them, for the devil by inſenſible degrees, will leade thee from very ſmall ſinnes to very great. Therefore we muſt firſt prevent all occaſions and becks of pleaſure; we muſt not go to ſuch *A golden rule of Chryſoſt. ad Pop. Ant. Hom 15. foreign &c.places, nor frequent ſuch company, where we are ſure to meet with her ſolicitations. If Balaam (I mean him, who layeth a ſtumbling block before mRevel 2. 14.Iſrael) if he do but counſell onelyonly and no more, and obtain ſo farre by his counſell, that the nOccaſion and nature, are like two inordinate lovers: They ſeldome meet, but they ſinne together. Feltham. Reſol. p. 203. praeparatoria, & praenuncia Adul. &c. Tacit. Annal. 14. chap. 1.occaſion be offered, ſo as Iſrael and Moab may come to an interview, that they may ſee each others faces, and be preſent at each others ſacrifices; Then folly will be committed by Iſrael, there is no doubt of it.
He that doth not avoid occaſions, what may be, doth, as I may ſay, tempt oforeign &c. Chryſ. Tom. 6. pag. 598.temptation; he doth provoke his luſts & the devil to tempt him; he makes his own deſires and ſuffers evil to be prepared, which is a great point of folly pN…ſcit anima quando pe…iſtos introitus ſur in greditur; ſuper eum id…ò vigilare debet, & cl…udere omnes illos imroitus. O…narrationibus ſanctis; aur…s auditionibus piis; oculos conſideratione mirandorum operum Dei▪ mentem cogitationibus occupare coeleſtibus, &c. Chryſ. in Matt. hom. 22. lat. tantum. The delivering of Ioſeph out of the hands of his miſtreſſe giving the occaſion, was as admirable every whit, as the reſcuing of the three children from the fire; And this that we may avoid the occaſions, the harbing…rs and ſpokeſmen for ſinne. Chryſoſt. ibid..
And if I muſt avoid occaſion, I muſt avoid idleneſſe, for It is the devils occaſion; I muſt not ſit ſlothfully at home, or walk negligently, when others are gone forth or elſe preparing for battell q2. Sam. 11.; if I would not ſleep, I muſt not ſit down. Idleneſſe is the very houre of temptation; The devils tide▪ time, when he carrieth the ſoul downward, and with eaſe. We muſt up and be doing; Labour is the pickle of Vertue, it keeps our faculties of body and minde ſweet and freſh, as the pickle keeps fiſh and fleſh, but hereof before.
But it may be we cannot poſſibly avoid the occaſions; As it is ſaid of offences, occaſions will be; how then? Then we muſt avoid them, what is poſſible. It is a great rLege Iſid. Peluſ. lib. 4. ep. 2. 3. 4. & 12. 24.mockery (but God is not mocked, we are deceived) to pray, Lead us not, when we leade our ſelves, into temptation, by making deſires and matter of trouble to our ſelves; It is as if we ſhould pray to the Lord to keep our houſe, while we leave ſJanuae …untos & aur…s; ſeneſtrae autem oculi. Chryſoſt. Hom. 51. in Matt. lat. tantum▪ p…ne ſeram januae tuae, ſivis eſſe ſecurus, id eſt, legem Divini timoris, &c. Ibid. Sed quoniam fragiles ſunt noſtrae ſerae niſi Deus, &c Ibid. foreign &c. The eyes our guardians are firſt corrupted. We had better wander with our feet then with our eyes. Clem. Alex. Paed. lib. 3. cap. 11. p. 1841. foreign.windowes, doores, gates, all open.
Therefore in the ſecond place, though I cannot alwayes avoid the occaſion; yet alwayes I muſt look to my covenant, and the keeping the watch ſtrong over my outward ſenſes eſpecially my t eye, which is the light of the body. And I muſt be very carefull to look unto my imagining facultie, or fancie, for that hath great power to darken and put out my inward light of Reaſon, and Iudgement; firſt then;
1. I muſt keep a ſtrong watch over my ſenſes; eſpecially my leading ſenſe, uforeign; &c. Chryſ. ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 15.for that is a gadding inſtrument, and loves to be looking into every corner of the xProv. 17. 24. Inconſtantes & vagi ſunt, adeo u… animorum inſta…ilitatem indicent & vacu… tatem ſapi…iae. Trem.world. I muſt ſhut the windowes at which ſinne enters; And (as there is great reaſon) I muſt ſuſpect my ſuccours within, for there is the Sinon I mean the Traitor. The eie is a ſenſe of the greateſt certaintie; that it is, & of the greateſt deceit too. There began the firſt temptation, & from thence evil hath had its firſt riſe ever ſince. There are two maine reaſons of this deceit (The Opticks reckon 20) 1. The object is full of deceit; A thing may ſeeme crooked and be ſtrait; ſo may a thing ſeeme right, and be evill. 2. This organ or inſtrument may have its ſuffuſions, and then it will be deceived ſure, for it is in no caſe to judge. Our charge then is, and it concludes our rule too; Ye ſhall do that, which is right, according to your rule, Gods will revealed in His word; ye ſhall not do that, which is right in your own eyes yDeut. 12. 10., for that ſtands moſt crooked to your rule. There is no ſenſe you can worſe truſt then your eye, ſpecially when pleaſure hath corrupted it, caſt duſt into it, and it is full of it, even quite over caſt with it. We muſt then with all our obſervation, obſerve our eye, for it is pleaſures great Leader, and Commander; And from the roofe he ſaw z2 Sam. 11. 2.: I will not looke up on that, which I may not touch▪ ſaid one, who made good uſe of Eves eating the forbidden fruit, And Achans taking the accurſed thing aJoh. 7. 21.. If I reſtraine not mine eye, it is likely I cannot reſtraine mine hand, nor my heart; for now that ſinne, like a teare bStrad. Pro…u. 3. p. 119., hath dropt from my eye to my breaſt▪ it is likely it hath, though not by force, yet by cunning and plauſible perſwaſion, and ſubtle complying, taken that fort, or framed it to a readineſſe of yeelding ere long. He muſt be more then a man, whoſe heart doth not walk after his eyes cJob 31. 7..
It is very evident; That our ſenſes do deceive reaſon, and beguile the underſtanding; Great authoritie they have over us, elſe we would not turne them away, when we are to be let bloud or launced; And the falls of great men have told us, That the ſenſe being left at randome, hath vanquiſht and quite overcome all former reſolutions, of vertue and patience; Therefore looke to thoſe out windowes dLege Chryſoſt. in ep. Ad Rom. cap. 7. Hom. 12., and keep out from entring there; An enemy is better kept out then driven out. It is a point of wiſdome, to make our ſelves ſtrong againſt the firſt encounter: but a point of vanitie and folly, to open the doore upon his enemy, to try maſteries upon the threſhold. There is a kinde of honey (ſaith Zenophon) which works according to the degrees of compariſon; A little maketh drunk, more maketh mad, the moſt killeth. Beware of this little, it will draw on to the taſting of more, and if more, the working thereof will be very like this we heard off, deadly.
This letting in of this little, by the eye or eare, is like the letting in of a little thiefe by a little window, who opens the doore and gates, for the greater theeves to enter and to make ſpoyle. Looke we carefully to this covenant with our eyes, or elſe all former reſolutions will be broken, for the eyes are Panders for pleaſure, Purveyers and Caterers for luſts: As in ſome caſes our eyes watch for us, ſo, in this caſe, we muſt watch our eyes.
2. And we muſt look well too, and keep a ſtrong watch over our imagination: That is a gadding facultie alſo; and we muſt follow it with our beſt obſervation, as a mothers eye doth her little childe, which is newly out of her armes, full of action, and ſtill in harmes way, ſo we muſt obſerve our fancy; That works day and night; when the eye is bound up, that is waking, and buſily employed. This imaginative facultie is the ſouls firſt wheele, ever turning, and naturally to evill; and yet, as that moves, ſo the other wheeles ſtirre.
But it is ſaid; That it is impoſſible to have command of Object. the fancy. It is the old and common objection; few are morally able to apply themſelves all the day to exerciſes becomming the day: And then when darkneſſe commeth, to command the fancie, to buſie it ſelfe about that, which, according to rule, was done in the day time, impoſſible this.
It is ſo. Few are able: none are able: Few morally able; no man poſſible able to do as was ſpoken, and, when darkneſſe comes, as we heard. Moſes hand, though a ſervant of the Lord, and mightie through Him, will quickly be wearied and hang down; It is the propertie of the Lords Arme to have it ſtretched out ſtill. And this Arme of His can do, what He pleaſeth; He can make a brittle glaſſe to hold together, though knockt againſt a ſtone; This He can do, and this He hath done, but it is very extraordinary. He can make Moſes endure fortie dayes together, and keepe his thoughts, as his body was, in the Mount all that time. But theſe are extraordinaries, and they ſerve like ſcaffolds at the firſt founding, and raiſing of a Church; and when the building is up, the ſcaffolds go down; we ſay then; That none are able to do as we heard; A man is ſuppoſed in a Chriſtian eHomo ſupponitur in Chriſtiano.. And yet we ſay, and we ſay truth, that a man may command his fancy. It hath great power over us, and we ſome over it, if we have not, we ſhall be as the ſwine. We muſt not deſpiſe what the Philoſopher teacheth in his Ethicks; That a juſt fforeign Honeſtorum hominum honeſta etiam ſunt ſomnia… Ariſt.man is differenced from a man unjuſt, not by ſleep, but by dreames. And we muſt not deny that to the fancy, in moralls, which Ariſtotle thought poſſible. The words immediately before, were once well weighed, though by ſome, now found light. They are theſe, or to this purpoſe. It is poſſible that our fancy in the night, may hold ſome conformitie with the dayes employment, for if our minde in the day-time be intent upon good employment, and well fixed thereon, our ſleepe may relliſh of the ſame employment alſo; and our fancy may make return of ſomething, whereof we ſo faſtened on in the day, as well as it will do in other vanities. The fancy indeed is a wild and ranging thing: As it may be affected by the eye, and from the ſtomack, we can command it no more then a flock of geeſe in a meadow, or of birds in the skie: if there be a diſtemper in the belly or gCujus cerebrum eſt in ventre, ingenium in Patinis. Agrip. ep. 18brain, the fancy follows it; and by the repreſentations thence, we ſhall ſee plainly it doth; if the guts be in the head, and the braines in the belly (ſo it is with ſome men, as Agrippa to his friend) the fancy will be out of order, as it is certainly out of place, for it will be in the belly too, ſtill where the brains are. The Poet kClaud. lib. 3. Praeſat. foreign. Chryſ…ſt. in Gen S r. 6. ω.hath reſolved the caſe long ſince, what we think on in the day, we dreame on in the night. He that eagerly ſeeks preferment in the day, may perhaps think his bed the Court, and ſo ſolicite the buſineſſe in his ſleepe. The fancy moves, as the dayes employment acteth it; As we practice in the day, we fancy in the night. If a man follow vanitie in the daytime, his fancy will repreſent it on the bed; But he whoſe practiſe is contrary, ſhall finde a contrary working. The Preacher iEccles. 5. 7.gives us a good leſſon. In the multitude of dreames, and many words there are alſo divers vanities: But feare thou God. If thou feareſt God, thou needeſt not feare thy fancy, nor thy dreames; Thou ſhalt not be afraid yea thou ſhalt lye downe, and thy ſleepe ſhall be ſweet kCloſe thy eyes with thoughts of God, and His goodneſſe, and thou ſhalt have ſweet dreames, Thy fancie ſhall not be troubled. Ch…yſoſt. Ibid foreign. Prov. 3. 24..
Briefly then and directly to conclude the Anſwer, we cannot, when darkneſſe comes, and we are cloſing our eyes, we cannot then determinate our fancy to this or that object ſpecifically: This were a conceit and fancy indeed too light to trouble our tongue or pen withall. It is as impoſſible ſo to do, as to preach ſleeping, as one made beleeve he could, and all beleeved him, who knew not; That Anſw. preaching was a worke of a waking man. But this we ſay alſo, That we may ſo imploy and exerciſe our imagining facultie in the day-time, that the ſame facultie may reliſh and taſte of the dayes employment. This is poſſible, nay it is not poſſible to be otherwiſe. Therefore, I ſay not, we may, but we muſt give all diligence to watch, and wake over our fancy, thereby to determinate it to good, which is poſſible, through Him we can do all things: for this determination makes ſuch an impreſſion, and ſets, as I may ſay, a Bias upon the fancy in the day-time, that accordingly it runs, when the outward ſenſes are bound.
We allow for humane infirmities, and know, through grace, they are diſpenſed with; And we may grant alſo, what the Philoſopher hath ſaid and concluded: If a man could be cōmanded to think nothing by himſelf, but what he ſhould preſently ſpeak out, he nor no man were able to endure it, though but for one day lM. A. Ant. Med. lib. 12. lin. 3. p. 198.. But becauſe we cannot attain to ſuch a puritie as we ſhould ſtrife after, juſt with the Copie, we may not wallow with the Swine: And what we cannot have an abſolute command over, we will not caſt away our power wholly, as who will take no charge over it at all. There are many in the world, who ſay they cannot, when indeed they will not; they queſtion their power, when they ſhould their will, and they take from their power beſtowing it upon their luſts.
So much to ſhew, we may have power over our imagination if we have not loſt the power over our ſelves; Now it follows, That we muſt exerciſe the ſaid power and charge, or elſe we ſhall loſe our ſelves in the emptie conceits and Mazes thereof. Imagination ſeemes an emptie windy thing, but hath reall effects; for there is a mutuall working and reflux, between the will and the imagination; Imagination ſtirs up the will, and as the will is affected, ſo imagination worketh; And therefore they whoſe will is guided by their fancies, live more like beaſts then men (in whom phantaſie is the chiefe ruling power) and ſo we fall lower then the beaſt. For if we roule wickedneſſe about in our imaginations, like a ſweet Morſell under the tongue, we do, in ſo doing, perſonate theſe mforeign. Clem. Alex. Protrept. p 30. A ſpark of wickedneſſe neglected, or dallied with in the fancy, may quickly beget a flame of wickedneſſe in the heart. Corpus opere ſordidatur, animus voluntate. Chryſoſt. in Matt. Lat. tantum. Hom. 52.pleaſures, which we have not opportunitie outwardly to performe, which is called ſpeculative wickedneſſe, and greatly defileth the man, and diſhonoureth God, and ſo anſwerably provoketh Him, even to give us up to our imaginations, and to caſt us looſe into the lap of our Delilahs, or luſts, which is the greateſt judgement in the world: for when ſinne is let into the ſoule by the eye, and rouled about by the imagination, it will quickly, like a canker, eat out all the grace in the ſoule; and then what follows, but a filling of our hearts with Satan, and in the end a reaping the fruit of our own wayes?
If we ſuffer our fancy to brood upon luſts, we ſhall hatch Cockatrice egges, or weave Spiders webbs, the iſſue will be miſchiefe or vanitie, and ſo we ſhall weave the web of our own ſorrow and ſhame. Therefore we muſt watch over our thoughts, if we regard our peace, whereof watchfulneſſe is the preſerver. They may make a through▪fare in our minde, they muſt not get entertainment nor lodging there nFrom ſinne lighting upon our thoughts, it is impoſſible: from making a n…ſt there, or hatching, that we may do, and are charged ſo to do. We muſt keep our heart from reſolving and ſaying, content. Bp. And. p. 190.. And that we may be afraid to think before God, what we are aſhamed to do before men, we muſt conſider; firſt,
1. That we have to do with an holy God, who ſpecially ſees the heart, and requires puritie there; It is our ſpirits with whom God, who is a ſpirit, hath moſt communion with all; And the leſſe freedome we take to ſinne here, the more argument of oVo… ſcelera admiſſa punitis; Apud nos & cogitare, peccare eſt: Vos conſcios timetis; nos etiam conſcientiam ſolam. M. Minut. Fael p. 25. lin. 3. in ſol. Summum praeſidium Regni eſt juſtitia ob opertos tumultus, & Religio ob occultos. Card. de ſap. lib. 3. … Incentiva vi…orum ſtatim in mente iugulabis, & parvulos Babyl…is allides ad P…tram, &c. Hier. lib▪ 2. ep. …8. p. 216. … Succub… Incubi. Zanch. de oper. Dei. lib. 4 cap. 16. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 2.ſinceritie, becauſe there is no Law to binde the inner-man, but the law of the Spirit of Grace, whereby we are a law to our ſelves. But on the contrary, the more way we give to wicked imaginations, the more we ſhew, what our actions would be, if we dared o, for if we forbeare doing evill out of conſcience, we ſhould as well forbeare imagining evill, for both are alike open to God and hateful to Him; And therefore oft, where there is no conſcience of the thought, God gives men up to the deed.
The chiefe leſſon then is this; As we deſire and expect to have communion with God, we muſt addreſſe our ſpirits before Him p; we muſt be pure not in body only, but in heart alſo; nay we muſt be in our meaſure pure and holy as He is, if we look to ſee Him as He is.
We muſt conſider withall; That our unclean ſpirits, make us like that Spirit, who, though he commits no corporall uncleanneſſe (ſome tell us of ſexes in divels, or aſſumed by them, and of their filthineſſe that way q) yet he is called an uncleane ſpirit; And as he is, he is called, which tells us, That the uncleanneſſe of our ſpirits and hearts, as it is the greateſt defilement, ſo it doth make us moſt like the divell. And therefore if this uncleane ſpirit, or our ſelves have ſtirred a ſinke in our ſoules, we muſt not ſtirre it more by our imagination, but, as we uſe to do, when a ſink is ſtirred, we go into a ſweeter roome; ſo we muſt remove our thoughts, and take off our imagination, from ſtirring and puddering in that filth. And this we may do, by finding it ſome ſweeter, more cleanly and befitting work. It is certain, that the imagination hath a power, if it be put forth (but that requires an other power) to raiſe it ſelfe as ſwiftly, and as quick (which is the excellency of it) to heaven, to the high and great things there, as it will deſcend to hell, though it be a naturall deſcent, to thoſe black things there: And it is certain too, that hopes on high, will lead to thoughts on high; The nobleneſſe of the ſoule, and thoughts thereof, and of great things prepared for it, will remember our imaginative ſacultie of noble work, of high and weightie conſiderations.
If our affections be indeared to any ſenſuall delight, they will drown our fancies therein: and on the other ſide, our fancies, quicke and nimble though they be, yet will they move heavily, and die in their exceſſive motion to the things below, if the ſoule be taken up with the Love of the beſt things. And this leads me to the laſt thing, which is a more ſpeciall and ſoveraign vertue, to help and fortifie our ſoule againſt her ſenſuall appetites; I meane ſuch helps which reaſon can ſuggeſt. I know if the Eye of the Lord awe us; Job 31.if deſtruction from God be a terrour unto us; if the ſpirit of holineſſe comes into the heart, then the work is done.
2. In the laſt place then, becauſe our imagination hurteth, and betrayeth our ſuccours within, by falſe repreſentations, and by preventing reaſon, uſurping a cenſure of things before our judgements try them; whereas, the office of imagination is, to miniſter matter to our underſtanding to work upon, not to lead it, much leſſe to miſ-lead it; ſith, I ſay, our caſe is ſo, and ſo depraved our facultie is; we muſt take great heed, and give all diligence, That, (as one excellently adviſeth) we ſuffer not things to paſſe ſuddenly from the imagination to our will, and affection; we muſt aske adviſe firſt of our judgement (That is the light, and eye of the inward man, and we muſt pray for the inward anoynting) whoſe office it is to weigh things in the ballance and ſo to diſcerne. This judgement doth acquaint the minde to ballance reaſons on both ſides, and to turne backe the firſt offers, and conceits of the minde, and to accept of nothing but firſt examined and tryed.
There is a ſickneſſe of fancy, and there is no way to cure it, but by adviſing with judgement. We ſhall (as Saul in another caſe) account the wayes of ſinne and death, even the ſhedding our own ſouls bloud, in the purſuit of our own appetites, and the libertie to ſatisfie the ſame; All this we ſhall account a compaſſion r1 Sam. 23. 21., if judgement do not come betwixt our imaginations, and will. The tumults, and diſtempers of the ſoul, though they rage in ſilent darkneſſe, would be in a great meaſure quieted, if ſummon'd before ſtrength of judgement and reaſon.
Therefore when any deſireable object, preſents it ſelfe to our imagination, and ſolicites for admittance, we muſt not open before reaſon and judgement have done their office: We muſt take off our ſelves, upon what ground we entertain ſuch a conceit; Soules Conſ. p. 284.whether we ſhall have the ſame judgement, after we have yeelded to it as now we have? and whether we will have the ſame judgement of it in ſickneſſe, and death, and at the day of reckoning, as we have for the preſent? That which is of it ſelfe evill, is alwayes ſo, at one time as well as another: if the time will come, when we ſhall think thoſe things to be vain, which now we are ſo eagerly ſet upon, as if there were ſome great good in them; why ſhould we not thinke ſo of them now, when as the reforming of our judgement may do us good, rather then to be lead on with a pleaſing errour untill that time, wherein the ſight of our errours will fill our hearts with horrors and ſhame, without hope of ever changing our condition.
Think we hereon, before we have ſwallowed the bait. It is of ſpeciall uſe to awaken the ſoule, and to ſtirre up reaſon, caſt aſleepe by over-powring luſts, and Satans charmes; of great uſe it is to ſcatter the clouds, through which things ſeeme otherwiſe then they are, that ſo we may diſcerne and judge of things, according to their true and conſtant nature.
Is it a known and noted ſtory; That a great Commander being ready to periſh with thirſt, delivered up himſelf and his command into his enemies hands for a cup of drink; who, ſo ſoon as he had quenched his thirſt, had theſe words, For how ſhort a ſatisfaction, have I forfeited all my former contentments! The morall of it is as well known; It ſeems to imply thus much; That he did (as we all are ready to do in deſireable things) ſuffer the thing he deſired, to paſſe too ſoon from the imagination, to affection; and he made choice before his Iudgement had done its office; and thereby loſt the command of himſelf. But indeed, though there is uſe in it, yet in this caſe, it doth not preſſe home, nor is it full to the purpoſe; for, if we ſhould ſuppoſe Kingdomes in one ſcale, and a diſh of water in an other, we know which would weigh down ſo low, that it would be great folly to make the compariſon.
But now again, if we ſhall but conſider, how dependent a creature man is, (which doth engage his ſervice to his God) and to how weak ſupports his life is beholding, and that he is, in his beſt eſtate, but vanitie, and that his Crown cannot help or eaſe the head-ach, nor can all the pomp and glory of a kingdome refreſh his fainting ſpirit, which yet (as the caſe may be) a diſh of water may do: In this caſe I cannot tell whether a diſh of water, though it be dearly bought, may yet be well purchaſed with a kingdome.
Satan might ſpeak true, All that a man hath will he give for his life aJob 2.. And had there bin no more but an earthly & temporary bleſſing lapt up in Eſau's birthright, Eſau had reaſon'd well. I am at the point to die, and what profit ſhall this birthright do to me bGen. 25. 32. But the extreamitie was not ſo (which is very obſervable) he was ſhort ſpirited, all for the preſent. The eagerneſſe of his ſpirit, and his ſlighting the bleſſing (he deſpiſed his cVerſe 34.birthright.) preſented it ſo: And beſides, there was an heavenly bleſſing wrapt up in the earthly. And therefore this example o… Eſau comes home, and preſſeth to the quick; That we follow peace with all men, and holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord *Heb. 12.; looking diligently, leſt any root of bitterneſſe ſpringing up, trouble us, leſt there be any fornicatour or prophane perſon, as Eſau, who for one morſell of meat ſold his birth-right. This preſſeth home; and therefore from this example, we muſt, before that things paſſe from our imagination to affection; now that pleaſure ſolicits for admittance, we muſt thus reaſon; we do, in hearkening unto it, adventure more then a temporall contentment, though what can countervaile that damage? In yeelding here and giving admittance, we may bring in a Worme, which will never die: If then judgement do its office, it will reaſon thus; Here are a few bitter ſweet pleaſures, and here is an inch of time, in this vale of teares to take them in; I know not how ſoon my day may ſet, perhaps I may ſuddenly ſink down as others have done, even in an eager purſuit after a ſhadow (my preſent ſatisfaction) and ſo, at once, die twice; but ſooner or later, long it cannot be, (there is not much ſpace in an inch or ſpan of time) long it cannot be, before I go hence, and ſhall be ſeen no more; And then, when I go hence, I enter into eternitie (the thought whereof ſwallowes us up, as a drop in the ocean) where I ſhall meet with everlaſting burnings, a periſhing for ever; or with pleaſures at Gods right hand for evermore. Shall I then (ſo judgement reaſoneth) preferre a ſhort ſatisfaction (which will leave in the ſoul a very ſad farewell) before an ever ſpringing fountain of glory, and everlaſting bliſſe? A few bitter-ſweet pleaſures, and theſe laſting but a ſpan or inch of time, at the longeſt, before unmixt and unmeaſurable joyes through all eternitie in thoſe glorious manſions above? So our judgement debating, thus concludeth.
What then is this ſading, periſhing, and at length tormenting contentment unto me? It is but like a flaſh of lightning before everlaſting fire. Carnall joy is like the crackling of thorns, ſoon out like a lightſome flaſh, but ſpirituall joy is like the light of the Sun; what then is this poore, ſhort, and at length tormenting pleaſure unto me? When dJames 1. 15.Luſt hath conceived, it brings forth ſinne; and ſinne, when it is finiſhed, brings forth death. The world paſſeth away, and the luſts thereof, but he that doth Gods will abideth for ever e1 John 2. 17..
Thus farre in the diſcovery of this ſinne alſo; The ſpring of it we know; The iſſues therefrom are as diſcerneable; how to ſtop it at the ſpring head, commands our care and diligence; if we be wanting at this point, our heart will wander after our eyes, and then we ſhall be carried like a ſhip in a tempeſt without a pilot, or like a colt that hath ſlipt his bridle: All will be out of frame within, and then nothing can be in order without. There will be a winking with the eyes, and a ſpeaking with the feet, and a teaching with the fingers: for, wickedneſſe is in the heart, and the mouth will be an open ſepulchre, much corrupt communication will proceed from thence; But to them, who maintain their watch, all will work contrary: They will be framed to an orderly and ſweet comportment; They ſhall have command over themſelves, and their deſires ſhall be made ſubject to an higher Law of reaſon and true judgement; They ſhall not rule but be ruled and commanded.
The ſumme of what hath been ſaid may be thus gathered, and put together; Pleaſure is a great Enchantreſſe; at the firſt encounter, ſhe charmes our ſenſes, therefore we muſt be the more prepar'd againſt her; firſt, we muſt avoid all occaſions; they are the becks of pleaſure, and panders for luſts; eſpeciaby we muſt avoid idleneſſe; it is pleaſures pillow, the houre of temptation, the devils tide time. An unemployed life is a burden to it ſelf, and vexation; It is like the Dead ſea, or a raging ſea, raging rather. We muſt make a covenant with our eyes, they are alſo caterers for luſts; and watch our fancy, finding it work ſuitable to ſo noble a faculty. We muſt remember, That the Father of Spirits hath communion with our ſpirits, if after Him kept pure and holy, like a room perfumed and prepared for ſuch an entertainment. But if unclean, then like that houſe, which was empty, ſwept, fMatt. 12. …4.and garniſhed for that ſpirit, who is moſt unclean, though he commit no corporall uncleanneſſe. And this our uncleannes, which ſo debaſeth man that noble Creature, happeneth by the ſickneſſe of the fancy; The way to cure it, is to go to our judgement for counſell before we ſuffer our thoughts to paſſe from the imagination to the affection; This is the ſumme.
I adde; we all hunt after pleaſure, and ſtrive after peace, we would finde reſt to our ſouls, and ſatisfaction therein; This is naturall to us, though nature can never hit on the right way, that leads thereunto. If we follow the bent and bias of nature, we ſhall ſeek the living among the dead. But now tread we the paths of holineſſe, of righteouſneſſe, they are the wayes of pleaſantneſſe, all thoſe paths peace gProv. 3.. Certainly were the beauty of holineſſe diſcovered unto us in any meaſure, our affections would be ſtrong towards it, we ſhould mount up with wings of Eagles, h we ſhould 1. Eſay 40. 3.run after it, and not be weary, we ſhould walk and not faint. The ſtraitneſſe and wearineſſe we finde in theſe wayes is cauſed through our indiſpoſition, and unto wardneſſe to thoſe wayes, through our want of giving all diligence. *foreign, &c. Eurip. Oreſt. 23. A vain conceit to think of doing great things with little pains. foreign.It is the concluſion of all that are truely wiſe, That thoſe great and inſuperable difficulties that we uſually pretend to meet with in the way that leads unto vertue, and godlineſſe, are rather vain pretences, want of heart, ſloth, and litherneſſe (as St. Chryſoſtome in many places, specially in his iforeign Chryſoſt. Ibid.19. Hom. to the people of Antioch) that is, meere want of courage and reſolution, then difficulties really hard and inſuperable. We ſee ſaith he, what your wonder-workers can do, what ſtrange feats: They will run upon the ground like a wheel circularly; They will run up and down a rope with as much ſteadineſſe as another in Ad Pop. Ant. H. 19.plain ground. They will caſt up ſwords like Tennis-balls and catch them again with the like eaſe; yet ſtranger things he tells of, and all attained unto by diligence and cuſtome, provoked by a little gain.
What then, ſaith the ſame Father, can we think the way or practiſe of vertue and holineſſe more difficult? and the end of that way to have leſſe gain, and peace? overcome we the ſtubbornneſſe of our Will, gain that; winde up our ſelves to a reſolution (i we cannot by our own ſtrength) chooſe we the wayes of holineſſe; give we all diligence to Chap. 4 §. 3 walk in thoſe paths, then we are aſſured, cuſtome will make our paths eaſie, and pleaſant, and at the end we ſhall have peace.
The concluſion then is, Awake thy ſoul, give all diligence, and with the ſame diligence keep thy heart, for out of it are the iſſues of life. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy wayes be eſtabliſhed kProv. 4. 23. and 26..