The Portraiture of the Image of God in Man, Part 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the diviſion of the Paſsions.
ALl the paſſions may be reduced firſt, foreign. Of the paſſions in the concupiſcible appetite.to the concupiſcible and iraſcible faculties of the Soule. Secondly, there are as many paſſions in the ſoule as there are divers conſiderations of good and evill. Firſt, good and evill are conſidered abſolutely; then love and hatred have reſpect to theſe. Secondly, Paſsio amoris abono, & paſsio odij a malo.good and evill are conſidered, in the good which may be obtained; and in the will which is imminent; the good which is looked for and may be obtained, that wee deſire, Paſsio deſiderii & abeminationis.and it is called deſiderium. The evill if it be imminent hath no proper name, but is called abuſively abomination, ſeu fugamali. Thirdly, when either the good is obtained or the evill preſent; if the good be obtained, Paſsio gaudij & triſtitiae.then it is called gaudi…m, joy: if the evill be preſent, then it is called triſtitia, ſadneſſe: ſo that there are ſixe paſſions in the conpiſcible.
In the iraſcible appetite there are five If the good be to come, and not obtained; Of the paſſions in the iraſcible appetite.either it is poſſible to obtaine it, or impoſſible; if it be poſſible to obtaine it, it ſtirres up two affections in the iraſcible: firſt, hope, Paſsio ſpei & audatiae.which expecteth bonum difficile, that is, when goodneſſe can hardly be obtained. It hath an eye to good; which diſtinguiſheth it from feare; it hath an eye to future good, which diſtinguiſheth it from joy, that enjoyeth the preſent good. Hope lookes to good hardly to be obtained, which diſtinguiſhed it from deſire, that is, of things eaſily to be obtained. If the good may be eaſily obtained, it ſtirres up audaciam boldneſſe, this reſpects evill; but yet ſuch evill which it thinkes it may overcome and it proſecuteth the meanes which tend to the attaining of the good; it reſpects evill by accident, hoping to ſhunne it. Secondly, if the good be thought impoſſible to be attained, then it workes deſperation: Paſsio deſperationis & timoris.this paſſion hath not an eye to evill as evill but by accident, becauſe it ſeeth the good impoſſible to be attained. If the evill be imminent and not preſent, then it workes feare: If the evill be preſent and impoſſible to be eſchewed, then it worketh anger, which hath no contratie. Some of the Moraliſts reduce all theſe paſsions to two, love and deſire; Paſsioirae.for whatſoever thing that is good is either in our preſent poſſeſſion, and this we love; or is abſent and wiſhed for, and this we deſire; ſo that every good thing, we either poſſeſſe it, or deſire to poſſeſſe it. Againe, theſe paſsions may be reduced to foure principall; for every paſsion is a motion to good; and in this kind hope is the laſt; or a motion and turning from evill, and in this kinde feare is the laſt; or it is a reſt and enjoying the good, and in this kinde delight is the laſt; or a reſt leſneſſe in the object, and in this kinde ſadneſſe is the laſt.
Thoſe who write of the winds, Triſtitia dividiturin miſericordiam invidiam anguſtiam poenitentiam, & zelum.ſome make foure of them, ſome eight, ſome ſixteene, ſome thirtie two; ſo theſe who write of the paſsions, ſome make more and ſome make leſſe. Every one of theſe paſsions may be branched out againe into ſeverall branches; as ſadneſſe hath under it; firſt pittie, which is a griefe of the evill which befalls others, as if it befell our ſelves. Secondly, envie which is a ſadneſſe that we conceive, for the good that be falleth others, wiſhing that it were our owne. Thirdly, heavineſſe, which grieves the minde when it ſeeth no way to eſcape. Timor eſt erubeſcentie verecundie, ſtuporis aut agoniae.Fourthly, repentance, which is a ſadneſſe for by-paſt ſinnes. Fifthly, zeale, which is a ſadneſſe ariſing from the diſhonour of that which wee love moſt. So the daughters of feare are; firſt bluſhing which is a feare ariſing from the loſſe of our good name, for ſome filthy thing preſently done. Secondly, ſhamefaſtneſſe, which is a feare ariſing for ſome evill to be committed. Thirdly, aſtoniſhment, which is the feare of ſome evill that ſuddenly befals us not looked for. Fourthly, agonie, when we feare that which we no waies can eſchew; and ſo may the reſt of the paſsions be branched forth.
The paſsions which are disperſed in the inferiour faculties, Prop. are united after a more excellent manner in the ſuperiour.
As ſeeing, hearing and ſmelling, Illuſt. are different in the organs of the body, and yet in the ſoule are united eminen ter. So the paiſsons in the ſenſitive part, are diſtinguiſhed into the iraſcible and concupiſcibile faculties, and upon divers conſiderations ariſe divers paſsions, ſixe in the one and five in the other, but in the will they are united eminenter, and have onelyonly but two conſiderations either of good or evill.
The firſt Adam had theſe paſsions as they are eminenter in voluntate, for he had proſecutionem boni, A collation betwixt the innocent Adam and ſecond Adam and the Angels.& averſionem amalo, purſuite of good, and a turning from evill: but he had not as yet diſtinct objects for them to work upon. Chriſt the ſecond Adam had diſtinct objects to exerciſe his paſſions upon, by takeing the puniſhment of our ſinnes upon him: but Adam had not ſadneſſe, anger, and ſuch actually, but potentially. The Angels have joy, love and that filial reverence, whereby they offend not God but they have not greefe, ſorrow, feare of puniſhment, and ſuch paſſions. Adam had his paſſions without perturbation or turbation. Chriſt had his paſsions with turbation, but not with perturbation Ioh 11.33. hee was mightily troubled in the ſpirit and was troubled in himſelfe▪ But we have our paſſions with perturbation.
Chriſt took our paſsions upon him as he tooke our nature. Prop.
As hee was Ben adam; the ſon of a man for us; Illuſt. ſo he was Ben-enoſh the ſonne of a fraile man, Pſal. 8.5. ſubject to paſſions and miſeries, he tooke our miſerabiles paſsiones, but not deteſtabiles; he tooke not our ſinfull paſſions upon him, as deſpaire or boldneſſe; but he tooke all the reſt; as in the concupiſcible appetite; hee tooke our love upon him, our deſire, our hatred of evill, our abomination or abhorring of ſinne, our joy, our ſadneſſe. Againe in the iraſcible faculty, hee tooke our anger and feare upon him: but he tooke not deſpaire upon him, becauſe he thought not the evill of puniſhment layde before him impoſſible to be overcome: he tooke not audaciam upon him, becauſe it lookes to evill poſſibly to be eſchewed: it lookes directly to good, yet becauſe it lookes accidentally to evill, he could not take it upon him.
Chriſt when hee became man, Illuſt. 2 was not foreign, without all affections, hee was not foreign, impatiens affectionis, he was not foreign, for his affections were not proper to himſelfe, but he was foreign, having his affections well ordered; he was foreign, having his affections like ours; hee was foreign, for hee had a fellow-feeling of our infirmities; hee was foreign, Heb. 4.15. for hee had ſuch a fellow-feeling, that hee can meaſure out to every one of his members, that which is fit for them to ſuffer.
Queſt. How could Chriſt take our paſsions upon him, as our feare and ſadneſſe, ſeeing he was comprehenſor, and beheld the glory of God in the higheſt meaſure of happineſſe?
Anſw. By the fingular diſpenſation and wiſedome of God; for this happineſſe and glory was kept up, within the cloſet of the mind of Chriſt, that it came neither to his body nor ſenſuall part, and ſo hee might be fully happy and glorified in the ſuperior facultie of the Soule, and yet this glory not to ſhew it ſelfe in his body, and inferior faculties, as it doth now in glory.
Chriſts paſſions when he lived here, A collation betwixt the ſecond and old Adam.did not ariſe in him before reaſon directed them, they roſe not contra rationem, aut praeter rationem; contrary or beſides reaſon; wherfore, Ioh. 11.33. it is ſaid that Ieſus foreign, troubled or moved himſelfe, at the death of Lazarus; for his reaſon commanded his ſadneſſe, Math. 26. coepit triſtari, hee began to bee ſad. Hierome ſaith well, Paſsiones Chriſti reſpectu principij ſemper ſequuntur rationem, they alwaies follow reaſon when they ariſe, and as the Centurion, if hee had ſaid to one of his ſouldiers; Goe, and hee goeth and to another come and he commeth; and to the third doe this, and hee doeth it, Math. 8.9. So Chriſts affections were directed by his reaſon, to goe and come at the commandement thereof. In his agonie they never diſturbed his reaſon, for in his agony they were like a glaſſe; which hath pure and cleane water in it, ſtirre the glaſſe and there ariſeth no mudde in it; but our paſsions antevert reaſon, they trouble and blind reaſon, they are like the foule glaſſe, when we ſtirre it, preſently it groweth dimme and the mudde ariſeth. The flowers of Egypt, that are continually watered by the waters of Nilus, (which are groſſe) yeeld not ſuch pleaſant ſmelles as other flowers doe: So our ſinfull paſſions are not ſo pure and cleare, for the vapours and exhalations that ariſe out of them from originall ſinne. Our paſsions are like the beardleſſe Counſellors of Rehoboam, who drew away the King to his deſtruction, 1 King. 12.8 Secondly, the paſsions in Chriſt differed from ours, quoad gradus, for when once his reaſon commanded them to retreate and ſtay, they did proceed no further; therefore in Chriſt they might have rather beene called propaſsiones than paſsiones, becauſe they were the forerunners and beginners of paſsions, and might be ſtayed at pleaſure, and had no power to tranſport his reaſon.
Some things are neither to bee prayſed, in ortu nec progreſſu, in their riſing nor proceeding, as hunger and thirſt, which are not ſubject to reaſon. Some againe are to bee prayſed in ortu, but not in progreſſu, as juſt anger in man ſince the fall: hence the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 4.25. ſaith, be angry but ſinne not, that is, take heed that your anger continue not, for if it doe, it wil turn to ſinne; it is like good Wine which is ſoone turned into Vinegar. Some paſſions are to be praiſed, both in ortu et progreſſu, and theſe were proper unto Chriſt.
There was no contrariety and contradiction amongſt Chriſts paſſions. Inter Chriſti paſſiones nulla fuit contrarietas, inſtabilitas, aut importunitas.Secondly, there was no inſtability in them. Thirdly, there was no importunity in them. But ſince the fall, there is a great contrariety and contradiction amongſt our paſſions, and great inſtabilitie, and great importunitie. In Chriſto fuerunt poenales ſed non culpabiles, in nobis ſunt poenales ſed et culpabiles: In Chriſt the paſsions were a puniſhment, but not a ſinne; but in us they are both a puniſhment and ſinne. Firſt, in their contrariety or contradiction; it is written in the life of An ſelme, when he walked in the field hee ſaw a ſhepheards boy, who had taken a bird and had tyed a ſtone to her legge, and as the bird mounted up, the ſtone drew her downe againe; which moved Anſelme to weepe, lamenting how men indeavoured to flee up to heaven, and yet are ſtill borne downe to the earth by ſinne. Mens paſſions now are like contrary winds or tides; covetous man that is given to adultery, is drawne by two wilde horſes contrary-wayes; for his covetouſneſſe bids him hold in, but his adultery bids him ſpend. Secondly, now our affections are inſtable, like the winds changing from this coaſt to that, like Amnon who now hated Thamar more than ever hee loved her before. Thirdly, now the affections importunate us, for ſometimes they lie ſicke as Ahab did, if they get not Naboths Vineyard, 1 King. 21. or like Rachel who cried to Iacob, Give mee children or elſe I die, Gen. 30. or like the horſeleech which hath two daughters, that cry continually, Give, give, Prov. 30.15.
The regenerate man, A collation betwixt the old and renewed Adam.is renewed in all his paſſions, as we may ſee in Davids love, Pſal. 119 97. How doe I love thy law: In his hatred, I hate thy enemies with a perfect hatred, Pſal. 130.22 In his deſire, mine eyes are dimme for waiting how doe I long for thy ſalvation, Pſal. 35.9. In his feare, his judgements are terrible I tremble and quake. Pſal. 119.120. In his delight, thy teſtimonies are my delight, Pſal 119.16. I rejoyce more in them, then in a rich ſpoile, Pſal. 119.192 In his ſorrow, mine eyes guſh out with rivers of water, Pſal. 119.136, But the unregenerate, are renewed in none of theſe paſſions.
The affections of man ſince the fall are fearefull tormenters of him. Prop.
It is a greater iudgement to be given over to them, Illuſt. than when the people were given up to be ſlaine by Lyons, 2. King. 17.25. and it may ſeeme a greater judgement to be given over to theſe paſſions, than to bee excommunicate and given over to Sathan, for ſundry that have been excommunicate hauehave beene reclaimed and called backe againe, 1. Cor. 5. but very few of theſe who are given over to theſe paſſions are reclaimed.
It is a mercy of God when a man fals, Conſeq. that God hath not given him over to his finfull appetite wholly, but hauehave ſome ſeed of grace working within him, which reſtraines him, that heworke not ſin with greedineſſe, and makes him long to bee at his firſt eſtate againe; as wee ſee in that inceſtuous Corinthian, 1. Cor. 5. when he had committed that beaſtly ſinne in lying with his fathers wife, yet the Spirit that was lurking within him, ſtirred him up to repentance, and made him to long to be at his firſt eſtate of grace againe.
There is a notable apologue ſerving for this purpoſe, when Vlyſſes in his travailes had left his men with Circe that Witch, ſhe changed them all into divers ſorts of beaſts: as into dogges, ſwine, Lyons, Tigers, Elephants. Vlyſſes when he returned, complained that Circe had done him wrong in turning his men into beaſts, Circe replied that the benefite of ſpeech was left unto them all, and ſo hee might demand of them, whether they would be changed into men againe. Hee began firſt with the Hogge, and demanded of him whether he would be a Man againe or not, he anſwered, that he was more contented with that ſort of life then he was before; for when he was a man he was troubled with a thouſand cares, and one griefe came continually after another; but now he had care for to fill the belly, and to lye downe in the dunghill and ſleepe: and ſo hee demanded of all the reſt about: but all of them refuſed to turne men againe, untill he came to the Elephant, who in his firſt eſtate had beene a Philoſopher; he demanded of him, whether or not he would be a man againe; he anſwered that he would with all his heart, becauſe he knew what was the difference betwixt a brutiſh and a reaſonable life. The application of the apologue is this. Theſe beaſtly creatures given over to their ſenſuall appetites, transformed and changed by Sathan into beaſts, in their hearts they deſire never to returne to a better eſtate, but to live ſtill in their ſwiniſh pleaſures, and to follow their ſenſuall appetites.
But theſe who have the Spirit of Grace in them, and are fallen into ſome haynous ſin, having taſted of both the eſtates, like the Elephant they deſire to be backe at their firſt eſtate againe.
Divinitie and morall Philoſophy differ farre in ſhewing Man his ſinfull paſſions; Theologia, & moralis Philoſophia differunt.the moraliſts ſhew nothing but the out-ſide of theſe ſinfull paſsions: they leave them without, like painted Sepulchers, but within full of rottenneſſe and dead mens bones, Math. 23.27. They hold up foreign, a counterfeit glaſſe, which maketh her finfull paſsions looke a great deale better than they are.
This counterfeit cure of the moraliſts curing the paſſions is not unfitly compared to a Barber; for a Barber doth nothing to a Man but trimmes him, waſhes him, and ſhaves him; he goeth not like a skilfull Phyſitian to finde out the cauſe of his diſeaſe, but onelyonly outwardly layes a playſter to the ſore, and the paſſions, mendaciter ſubijciunt ſe tantùm rationi; they neither ſhew the beginning, progreſſe nor remnant of their ſinne. But Divinitie ſheweth this firſt as in a cleare glaſſe, the ground of all our ſinnefull paſſions. Firſt, it lets us ſee in the bottome originall ſinne the fountaine of all the reſt, which the moraliſt knoweth not. Secondly, it lets us ſee the firſt motions of the heart (which are without conſent) to be ſin: and as in a cleare ſun-ſhine wee ſee atomos, the little motes which are the leaſt thing, that the eye of man can perceive: So the Law of God lets us ſee the firſt motions, aryſing from originall ſinne, to be finne before God. Thirdly, Divinitie lets us ſee, that unadviſed anger is a ſinne before God. Fourthly, it lets us ſee, that, Hee who cals his brother raca, is to be puniſhed by the Councell, Mat. 5.22. Fiftly, it lets us ſee what a ſinne the fact it ſelfe is. Sixtly, it lets us ſee that when the revenge is pardoned, yet remaine ſome dregges behind, that we remember not; therefore the Law ſaith, Levit. 19.18. Yee ſhall neither revenge nor remember. This the moraliſt cannot doe.