if thine affections be lukewarm to God thou mayst wish that God might be glorified but if he be not thou canst endure it Thou mayst pray to God for grace to heal thee of thy deadnesse but though he do not thou canst bear it But if thine affections were so farre hereto as to be zealous they would be impatient thou couldest never endure it Zeal is the impatient degree of the affections whereby when the soul does affect a thing it is impatient without it And therefore zeal is due only to God Thus ye discern the evidence of this truth that the zeal of our affection is due properly to God The X. Sermon Colos 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. THE Uses of this are these First Hence we may learn that God demandeth the zeal of our affections If the zeal of our affections be due unto God I beseech you take notice that God demandeth his due Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name and so God demandeth his due in our affections If I be a Father where is my honour if a Master where is my fear Mal. 1. 6. he does not only call for some honour and some love and some fear but he cals for his part where is my part sayes he Where is my fear Gods part of thy fear as I have shewed is the zeal of thy fear Gods part of thy love and thy joy and thy hope and the rest is the zeal of the same This now God demands of thy soul Where is my fear may be thou lovest him a little and his Commandments a little may be thou fearest him a little to offend him and disobey him thou fearest a little this is not Gods part the zeal of thine affection is Gods part and he cals for his part Where is my fear Secondly Hence we may learn that we must upon pain of Gods infinite displeasure give him the zeal of our affections whensoever we pray to pray to him zealously bleeding for our sinnes and melting under our wants and yearning for his graces Whensoever we praise him to praise him thus zealously rejoycing in his mercies and admiring his goodnesse Whensoever we enter his Courts to enter with zeal reverencing his footstool trembling at his Word in all our waies seeking how we may be most zealous of his glory for if God demand the zeal of our affections there is no keeping back Ananias was smitten dead for keeping back a little piece of money when God did demand it Cursed is he that keeps back a blow when God doth call for it God demandeth our zeal and wo is us if we keep back Thirdly Hence we may gather that we are in the state of damnation if we do not give God the zeal of our affections if God require it upon pain of damnation and we are bid to give it him upon pain of his everlasting displeasure then certainly we must needs be in a state of damnation if we do not give it Now this is proved by four Arguments First That man is in the state of damnation that never repents I need not prove that ye know it well enough he is sure to perish that never repents Though thou hast taken up all the outward duties of religion thou never repentest unlesse thou be zealous if thou be zealous then thou hast drawn out of Christ wine-seller as Bernard observes on the Canticles Introduxit me rex in cellam vinariam the King hath brought me into his wine-seller he expounds it of the souls drawing of zeal from Christ but if thou beest not zealous in repentance thou never repentest Be zealous and repent Rev. 3. 19. First he sayes be zealous and then he sayes repent First thou must resolve to be zealous or else thou dost not repent If a man have wronged a neighbour though never so mean he must be sorry for it or else he doth not repent of it if a man have wronged a Noble-man he must be more sorry for as the wrong is the greater the greater the party wronged is so the greater is the sorrow that is required to repentance If a man have wronged the King it must be greater sorrow yet till the sorrow be somewhat answerable to the greatness of the King who is wronged But if a man have wronged a God this must be the greatest sorrow of all sorrows otherwise thou dost not repent Repentance is the rending or breaking of the heart so sayes the Prophet Ioel it is not a lukewarm or a little grief that will break the heart Repentance is the humbling of the soul sayes David it is not a little bowing and a little bending will humble it before God Repentance is the mortifying or the killing of sin as Paul cals it alas sinne is like the heart of Oke that will be a hundred years a dying so sin will be long a dying it is not a little pricking and a little compunction will kill it Repentance is called repentance unto life in the Scripture it is not a little chafing and a little rubbing and a little Aqua-vitae will fetch a man from death untâ— life No no beloved thou never repentest unlesse thou be zealous And therefore the Apostle makes zeal a part of repentance 2 Cor. 7. 11. No zeal no repentance no repentance no salvation 2. That man is in the state of damnation that is not a beleever in Christ If a man be not in Christ by a lively faith he cannot be saved The Prophet prophesying of Christ saith thus Vnto us a childe is born and he shall be called wonderful the Prince of peace and the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this Isa 9 6 7. Never is Christ conceived in any man under heaven but the zeal of the Lord of Hosts doth perform it Doth he enlighten the minde or purge the heart or cleanse the conscience zeal does perform it Can I be so in love with Christ as to deny my self for him and not be zealous to him Can I count all my parts and all my gifts and all that I have as Paul did to be drosse â—nd dung for the worth I finde in Christ and not be zealous of him Can I hunger after him and pant for him and be sick of love till I have him and not be zealous towards him Thus we must doe otherwise we are not in Christ And therefore Moses confounds faith and zeal as if they were all one and both in one Phinehas was zealous for Gods sake Numb 25. 11. That is he was zealous and faithful both for so the Psalmist expounds it that was counted to him for righteousnesse sayes he that was speaking of his zeal in executing of judgement that was counted to him for righteousnesse Now ye know nothing can be counted to a man for righteousnesse but only faith and therefore by zeal there is meant faith This is an undeniable argument If a man have faith he is
zealous otherwise he hath no faith If he have no faith he cannot be saved 3. That man is in the state of damnation that loves not God He that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is let him be accursed and accursed for it is the greatest curse in the world it is the curse of the Gospel Let him be accursed and double accursed that loves not Christ Now a man never loves God if he be not zealous qui non zelat non amat He that is not zealous in love does not love love is termed zeal in the Scripture Iehu indeed the truth was he had no love to God he thought he had though and therefore when he would tell Iehonadab he had love to God he tels it in these words Come and see my zeal I have to the Lord of Hosts 2 King 10 16. That is see the love that I bear to the Lord of Hosts Zelus debet esse non modò in affectu verumetiam in intellectu is a saying zeal must be in the minde and zeal must be in the affections both are required to this zeal that I speak of If thou beest not zealous it is most certain thou hast not a jot of true love Zeal is more seen in that affection then any if there be any and therefore if there be no zeal in thee to God and his wayes there is no love thou art yet under wrath 4. That man is in the state of damation that was never taught of God Christ promises that all that are his shall be taught of God taught of God to be holy as he is holy taught of God to love one another taught of God to walk in all newnesse of life Every man look what he is taught in therein he is zealous Paul before he was converted he was taught in the ceremonies and his Fathers and therefore therein was he zealous I was traditions of taught sayes he according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers and was zealous Act. 22. 3. Alas poor soul had he been better taught he had been better zealous I doe not speak of the outward teaching of the ear only but also of the inward teaching of the heart his very heart such was the policy of Satan his very heart was taught in those things and therefore he was zealous of them The covetous mans heart is taught to be earthly therefore he is zealous for the world The proud mans heart is taught to be proud therefore he is zealous for his credit and esteem The voluptuous mans heart is taught to be vain therefore he is zealous of his pleasures Alas such were never taught of God The devil teaches them and their lusts teach them and the examples of others teach them Alas if thou beest not taught of God how to walk in newnesse of life thou canst not be saved it is better to be unborn then untaught and this as you see cannot be without zeal unto God 5. That man is in the state of damnation that cannot yet be pitied If thou beest zealous for the things of this life and not zealous for heaven zealous for thy pleasure and not for Gods glory thou art not to be pitied and thou wilt have pleasures take them and thou wilt to hell goe who will pity thee Deformitas sceleris aufert misericordiam It is true it would pity a mans heart to see a poor soul weeping and howling for his sinnes and yet go to hell It would pity a man to see a blinde Papist whipping himself praying on his Beads giving all his goods to the poor confessing his sins to his Confessor fasting and afflicting his body zealous in his blinde superstition and all to save his poor soul and yet go to hell it would pity a mans heart I say to see such a man goe to hell as how can he otherwise yet it would pity a man because he is zealous for God in the blindenesse of his zeal As it pitied the Apostle to see his brethren go to hell that were blindely zealous for God Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved for I bear them record they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 1 2. It pitied him that such as were blindely zealous for God should perish But whom will it pity to see thee go to hell thou hast no zeal at all that way No no thou art zealous after the things of this life and after thy lusts as God told Ierusalem Who shall have pity upon thee O Ierusalem Thou hast forsaken me sayes he Ier. 15 5. Who will pity our drunkards and our whoremongers who will pity you that are zealous in your sins and abominations ye are not so much as the objects of pity Is it so that the zeal of our affections is due only to God Is it so that God does demand it and that we are bound upon pain of death and damnation to give it to God Is it so that we never repented we never beleeved never were in Christ never loved God never were taught of God never can be pitied unlesse we give the zeal of our affections unto God Then O then let us consider the lamentable condition we are in as long as the zeal of our affection runs otherwise I beseech you consider these eight things which may convince you what a woful condition ye are in First Zeal is the fire of the soul Look what thou art most zealous upon that sets thy soul in a fire Every man and woman in the world is set on fire of hell or of heaven Now if heaven have not set thee on fire hell hath set thee on fire thou art set on fire of one of these two As it is the blessedest thing that can be to be set on fire of heaven to be zealous for the glory of God and the saving ones soul zealous for the getting of grace and zealous in the duties of religion so on the contrary it is the cursedst thing that can possibly be to be set on fire of hell Thou which art a swearer a lyar a filthy speaker whose mouth talketh of vanity thy tongue is set on fire of hell the tongue is set on fire of hâ—ll sayes the Apostle Iam. 3. 6. Thou which art a voluptuous man that lovest thy pleasures and delightest in vanity more then in better things thy heart is set on fire of hell thou which yeeldest to the temptations of Satan the devil tempts thee to go proudly in thine apparrel and thou yeeldest the devil tempts thee to smother thy conscience and thou consentest The devil tempts thee to put off thy better obedience till another time and the temptation takes hold there is never a temptation of Satan but it is a fiery dart the fiery darts of the devil Eph. 6. 16. Well does the Apostle call them fiery darts of the devil sayes Saint Chrysostome
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such sayes he are the sinfull lusts and affections they are all fiery set on fire of hell this is one misery and this not a small one zeal is the fire of the soul and if it be not set upon God it is set on fire of hell Secondly Zeal is the running of the soul If thou beest not zealous for God thou runnest away after the things of this world thou dost not only go after vanities but thou runnest not only go after thy pleasures and thy profits but thou runnest As the affections are the feet of the soul so zeal is the swift running pace of these feet I will run the way of thy Commandments sayes David that is I will be zealous in it It is a long way to heaven especially now since the fall it is a very long way to heaven and death will overtake us before ever we can get there unlesse we run and therefore Saint Paul commands us to run fast enough lest we never get there So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor 9. 24. Now had we not need to set our zeal right for that way we run that way our zeal stands If the zeal of our affection stand to Godwards we run onwards to heaven but if it stand to the things here below we run onwards to hell I reade of Tiberius Nero who when his brother Drusus lay sick in Germany he ran two hundred miles in twenty four hours to visit him But we may finde tanker runners then so in sinne some in drunkennesse and good fellowship as they call it others in security and hardnesse of heart others in one sin and others in another and as they run themselves so if there be any that are stricter then themselves they wonder that they run not with them to the same excesse of ryot 1 Pet. 4. 4. Mark run not with them where note themselves run into ryot May be sometimes they have sudden and violent affections to good as if they were all on a fire for the present like the young man in the Gospel he came running to Christ and kneeled down to him sayes the Text Mar. 10 17. O he was all upon the haste he does not goe to him but he runs as many men and women have very good moods and violent pangs of goodnesse now and then but alas it was nothing but a flash for by and by he was as ready to be gone as ever he was hasty to come and then he ran on in his security and coveteousnesse of minde Do ye not see how fast many of you run on in arerages with God If we could see Gods debt-book might we not there reade Item ten thousand oaths thou hast sworn Item millions of millions of filthy words thou hast spoken Item a hundred millions of millions of wicked thoughts thou hast thought Item a thousand lazie prayers thou hast made Item 20. hundred Sabbaths thou hast prophaned Item fourty Sacraments thou hast unworthily received Thus ye have run on as if ye thought every day seven years till ye are in hell Thus it is with you when your zeal is set any where else then on God Thirdly Zeal is the predominant element in the soul Look what the soul is zealous unto that is the predominant temper of the soul if thou beest zealous for God Christ is predominant in thee if thou beest zealous for the things of this world the world is predominant in thee Non datur temperamentum ad pondus sayes the Philosopher there is no temper but something is predominant You never heard of a soul that had as much of the world in him as of Christ and of Christ as of the world No as he is zealous to one thing so one thing or other is predominant in him Men-pleasing is predominant in one pride predominant in another and pleasure predominant in a third Whatsoever a man is zealous unto that is his predominant element Now if thine affections if the zeal of them be not set upon God then something or other in the world is predominant in thee O what a misery then is it to be lesse zealous for God then for the world the world is predominant in thee this is the character of one that yet is no better then a reprobate Lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3. 4. when pleasure is predominant and not God He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me c. sayes Christ Mat. 10. 37. when carnal relations are predominant and not spiritual this I say is an evident character of a wicked man for what difference is there between a godly man and wicked man both have sinne in them this is the difference a godly man hath sin in him but grace is predominant and therefore he is called a godly man A wicked man hath many good graces in him but sinne and wickednesse is predominant and therefore he is called a wicked man the denomination is from the part that is predominant The beasts of the earth because the earth is predominant the fishes of the Sea because the water is predominant a brick-house not as though there were no wood in it but because brick is predominant Mark all thy thoughts which is predominant in thee the world or Christ mark all thy speeches which is predominant earth or heaven mark all thy cares which is predominant to busie thee most O what a wofull estate art thou in when sin and corruption is predominant in thee If thou be more zealous after the things of this life then after grace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Thou canst never enter into Gods kingdom because sin is predominant in thee Fourthly Zeal is the self-cruelty of the soul If thou beest most zealous to God thy zeal is a holy cruelty to thy self Master spare thy self sayes Peter to Christ Get thee behinde me Saran sayes Christ he was zealous for the redemption of the world and he would not spare his own life Zeal is a holy cruelty of the soul it will spare nothing nor life nor credit nor living nor any thing M. Fox that was zealous in his love to the poor he was in a holy manner cruell to himself to give the very clothes off his back rather then the naked should not be covered Love is as strong as death and as cruell as the grave Cant. 8. 6. Durus sicut inferi zelus as Ambrose expounds it zeal is as hard as the grave A man that is zealous is a hard man to himself that he may be free unto God not as though true zeal were hard and cruell indeed unto his own soul but I mean to his own fleshly desires and respects he is the mercifullest man to his own soul under heaven Now then see what a woful estate thou art in if thou beest not zealous for God for if the zeal of thine affections gad any where else
thou art the cruellest man to thine own soul in very deed and in truth as possibly can be Thou squandrest away Gods mercies thou treasurest up Gods wrath thou livest in those sins which thine own conscience can tell thee are sins thou bestowest thine affections upon the things of this life which should be given to God thou damnest thine own soul That time which God vouchsafes thee to get grace in thou wastest it away upon vanity thou art more earnest for the good of thy carkasse then for the everlasting weal or thy soul thou partest with Christ rather then with thy lusts O thou art durus ut inferi thou art as cruell as hell to thine own soul Thou knowest that whosoever comes to the Sacrament unworthily or unpreparedly or not a new creature he eats and drinks his own damnation thou knowest this well enough thou knowest that the Lord sayes so in his Word Yet thou art so cruell to thy own soul that for all this thou wilt venture thou knowest that he that comes to this supper without a wedding-garment shall be cast into utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth thou knowest this full well and thou canst not deny it Yet thou art so cruell to thy own soul as to come hither without it thine affections are so eager after the things of this life the very zeal of them all that thou art even cruell to thine own soul Durus ut inferi as cruell as hell it self to thy self O the cruelty of thine earthly zeal it makes thee fearlesse and witlesse to sinne against God which the Angels of heaven durst not doe for a thousand worlds It makes thee sinne against Christ and cast off his yoke without which thou canst be never saved it makes thee choak the motions of Gods Spirit and strangle thine own conscience Durus ut inferi zelus may we well say this zeal is as cruell as hell and yet it is in every one of us all that is not zealous for God Fifthly Zeal is the brand of the soul When a man is zealous in any passion whatever it be we see it sets a brand upon a man we call him a cholerick man that is zealous with anger he is very touchy say we We call him a fretful envious man that is zealously given thereunto We call him a melancholy man that is much in his sadnesse Zeal which is the Much of every affection it sets a brand upon a man So when a man is zealous for good it sets a good brand upon a man as Aemilius for his goodnesse was called Aemilius the good Antoninus for his piety was called Antoninus the pious so in Scripture one Barsabas was called Iustus the just So it should seem too that Simon was a noted man for some passionate and affectionate forwardnesse and therefore he was called Simon Zelotes that is Simon the zealous Luk 6. 15. And so we see though it be counted a mockage by the ignorant world it is observed by them which are without that Gods people are zealous Look whatever a man is zealous in that is able to brand him Now if thou beest zealous for the world or zealous after thy pleasures or any thing else in the world it brands thee in the forehead for a carnal wretch as Elymas the sorcerer Iudas the traytor It stigmatizes thee for a worldling or a drunkard or a company-keeper or voluptuous or whatever it be thy zeal is most in Every man is more zealous for one thing then he is for another either for God or something else in the world the. Question is whether art thou most zealous for if thou beest more zealous for any thing else then thou art for God it brands thee for a wretch Such an one a very worldling such an one a very muck-worm such an one a very spend-thrift such an one a very gamester and a royster such an one a very tatler such an one an Orlando Furioso such an one a hard man Look where thy most is that does truly brand thee before God and good men that are able to discern thee The XI Sermon Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. THe sixth is Zeal is the transportation of the soul out of it self When a man is zealous in a passion he is transported out of himself the passion hath command of him and not he of his passion As a man that is all on fire with anger or with choler it transports him out of himself and he is under the command of his anger his anger rules him it is well for him now if his anger be good but if it be carnal what a woful condition is he in If a mans zeal be good and for God he is happy As David was zealous for God he was transported out of himself he was not his own man No sayes he I am thine Lord save me for I have sought thy precepts Psal 119. 94. he sought Gods precepts with such zeal that he was not his own man he was under the command of his zeal his zeal was to God and it did captivate him to God I am thine sayes he He was at Gods dispose not at his own for his zeal transported him out of himself Himself would transgresse but his zeal would not let him Himself would be carelesse but his zeal would not suffer him He must do as his zeal would have it He had not the command of himself No he was at the command of his gracious zeal It was well for him it was good for now on the contrary if a mans affections be set upon the things of this life he must have pleasures and he must have his living and his maintenance and he must have this his affections are set on it he is zealous after them this man is not his own man he is a servant of his lusts As David said I am thine Lord so he may say on the contrary I am thine World I am thine Pleasure I am thine Satan I am at thy command and thy service As the Text sayes Paul a servant of Jesus Christ Iude a servant of Jesus Christ for they were zealous for Christ and their zeal made them not their own men so I may say of a wicked man Esau a servant of sinful pleasure and delights Demas a servant of this present world Diotrephes a servant of his own ambition for they were zealous of these things and their zeal made them slaves thereto Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin Ioh. 8. 34. sayes Christ to the Jews servant say they we were never servants we are free servants sayes he yea ye are the servants of sinne ye go about to kill me sayes he Are not ye the slaves of sinne when ye will be obedient to your lusts to doe such an ill office as to murther me I know there be two kindes of slaves and servants some that are in arctâ custodiâ close prisoners Such
lesse notable to others it is to be feared ye are not zealous for God The second sign of zeal towards God is to be impatient of sinne Zeal as aforesaid is the impatient part of the affections if a man do affect a thing but a little he can be patient without it but if he affect it very deep and with zeal O his affections are set on it and he is impatient if he speed not So that if thou beest zealous against sin thou art impatient of sin thou canst not suffer it Zeal is impatient of whatever is contrary to it That this is the nature of zeal you may see by the poor blinde zeal that was in Paul before his conversion he was zealous to God as he thought and thinking that the Church of Christ were contrary to all men enemies to God and man therefore now in the blindenesse of his zeal he persecutes that way unto death Concerning zeal I persecuted the Church Phil. 3. 6. It was a woful kinde of zeal to persecute the Church but yet there you may gather the nature of zeal it cannot abide that which is contrary and therefore if thou beest zealous against sin thou canst not abide sinne better journey riding studies prayers exhortations any course thou wilt use rather then abide it thou canst never abide any thing that is displeasing to God but resist it to the utmost and this resisting will be First Universal If thou beest zealous there is no sinne thou canst possibly abide Nothing is cold but the fire does resist it so nothing is sin but zeal does resist it to the utmost I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right I hate every false way Psa 119. 128. This is zeal indeed there is never a false way that a man can abide that is zealous To be zealous against one sinne and lukewarm against another this is not zeal Secondly General in all manner of persons First In a friend as well as in an enemy If thou beest zealous thou wilt finde fault with thy friends when they sin as well as observe a fault when thine enemy offendeth Men are apt to observe when their enemy sinneth O how unconscionable is he thus he hath done and so he hath done but if thou beest zealous when thy friend does transgresse thou wilt not abide it Fire will not only labour to consume the water that comes to put it out but also the wood that comes to maintain it So it is with zeal Do not I hate them that hate thee sayes David to God Psal 139 21. He could not abide to count them his friends that were not friends unto God though otherwise they were very friends unto him and may be saved his life and were patrons and benefactors unto him he could not wink at their sins because they were his friends though thy friend be a swearer or a carnal wretch yet if he be thy friend and thou dependest upon him thou canst see it and not see it but if thou beest zealous all his sins thou wilt count discourtesies to thee Secondly In ones childe as well as a servant you shall have many they are angry at every sin a servant commits but if their children do sin they connive it was no such great fault alas he did it unwittingly and what would ye have a childe do say they they can excuse it in their children and lessen it but if thou beest zealous thou canst not abide sinne in thy son any more then a servant thou wilt correct him and curb him and threaten him and counsell him and never endure he should sin if thou canst possibly help it What my son and be wicked what doe I love God and shall I suffer my loins to dishonour him Son know thou the God of thy father otherwise I count thee a bastard and no son This brake old Elies neck because he suffered his sons to be wicked when he by godly severity might have remedied it A zealous man when his son hath committed things worthy of death will not spare him Zech. 13. 3. Thirdly In ones own wife or husband or father or mother as well as in a neighbour zeal cannot abide it husband thou dost not love me as long as thou livest thus wife thy heart is not with me as long as thou dost thus how canst thou love me when thou dost not love God nor thine own soul this is the meaning of our Saviour If any come to me and hate not father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life he cannot be my Disciple Luk. 14. 26. A zealous man cannot abide to yield to sin for the best of them all Fourthly In a rich man as well as in a poor man if thou beest zealous thou canst not abide sin neither in the rich nor in the poor if poor men offend and if beggars be idle and ungodly then thou wilt complain Oh the poor are so wicked they break down our hedges who would releeve them they will not be orderly they lie drinking in Ale-houses and spend it away on the pot therefore who would releeve them But if the rich be keepers of company and vain in their pleasures thou art not so zealous against their sins alas this is no zeal but let a wicked man be as great as King Ahab Micaiah will deal roundly with him Nehemiah will not spare Lords nor Nobles when they sin Neh. 13. 17. For a Magistrate to punish poor Malefactors and not the Gentry when they do transgresse is this zeal no it is cursed partiality Fifthly In ones self rather then in any body else true zeal is more zealous against sinne in ones self then in all the world besides otherwise sayes our Saviour it is hypocrisie and not zeal Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Mat. 5. 7. Zeal I say is like unto fire it is hot it self first before it heat others may be the fire meets with many other things that it is not able to heat it as the bottom of a kettle of water the fire cannot heat it neverthelesse the fire will be sure to be hot of it self So it is with thee if thou beest zealous against sinne thou wilt be like unto fire rather suffer cold to be in any other then suffer it to be in it self so thou wilt rather suffer sin in any body else then suffer it in thy self thou wilt not suffer sin any where else by thy good will but above all things thou wilt not suffer it in thy self This is the second sign of zeal towards God it is impatient of sin The third sign of zeal towards God is it cannot be quiet till it be assured of Gods favour and of Christ Thou art never earnest for God if thou canst possibly be quiet without assurance of Christ
that he was glad for to hear it would God that all the Lords people were Prophets Num. 11. 29. I confesse a good man may be discontented hereby at the first flesh and blood was stirring in good Ioshua himself at that time Moses forbid them sayes he But a godly soul will check himself and pull down his spirit and force his heart to be glad and rejoyce in the goodnesse of others though it be a seeming disparagement to him A good Minister rejoyceth to hear of another Ministers gifts that out-strips him A good man rejoyces to see others that are better and better beloved then himself though younger and inferiour and meaner otherwise But if thou dost not joy to see men zealous for God it is certain thou art a wretch may be thou thinkest much thine eye is evil because they are so good and so godly and the like this is an argument of a gracelesse heart may be thou art apt to judge hardly of such and such because they are holier and preciser then thy self O but if thou wert zealous thou wouldest rejoyce for to see it Hast thou a better gift then another thou art bound to help him hath he a better gift then thou he is bound to be helpfull to thee It is a good saying of Austin Tolle invidiam tuum est quod habeo tollam invidiam meum est quod habes Take away envy and look wherein I excell thee is thine I will take away envy and then look wherein thou excellest me is mine If thou be zealous thou wilt rejoyce howsoever Be he a childe thou wilt rejoyce that he is better gifted then thy self nay for that may a carnal heart do and be proud he may rejoyce that his childe is better-memoried better-witted better-gifted then himself O thinks he this is my childe this is my sonne this is my daughter never a father or mother hereabouts can say they have such a childe This is nothing but pride But be it a servant yea be it a stranger be it one whom thou countest thine enemy thou wilt rejoyce in his gifts so God may be glorified no matter though I be disgraced yea I count it my honour that my shame in the world may be the stirrup for Gods honour to get up thus thou wilt reason if thou hast a spirit of true zeal It is greatly to be bewailed how many symptomes of Atheism are amongst us in this regard For men are so far from rejoycing in the forwardnesse of others that they grumble and they thunder at nothing so much as that any should be forward and zealous for God they had rather have an hundred boon-companions then one zealous man rather be acquainted with twenty that are carnal then one that is holy in his wayes I thank God sayes one we have never a Puritan in our Parish I am glad we can say we have none of these singular fellows in our town sayes another I speak not of such as the Law doth count Puritans enemies to the State and the Church it is a blessing indeed there be none such but of the godly that are called Puritans by the impure tongues of the wicked the State hath no better friends under heaven the Kingdom no better Subjects in the world then are they for these are they that pray away Gods judgements from the Land that are earnest with the Lord in prayer for the King and Councell and the Church while the men of the world by their drunkennesse and whoredomes and coveteousnes and security and contempt of Gods Word are pulling down vengeance on the Nation and provoke God for to plague us But these are they that most people have little joy in O my brethren where we have ten or twenty such Puritans in our Parish I would to God we had an hundred I tell you the day will come that the worst drunkard in the Town would give a world if he had it he were such a Puritan In this sense the very Heathen man sayes that every good man is a Puritan Integer vitae scelerisque purus An entire man of life and a pure man pure from the sins that others do live in Had ye any zeal towards God ye would be glad that all the Countrey were such Puritans The sixth sign of zeal towards God is zeal to Gods Church and his people Paul before his conversion you may know his zeal was not right because his zeal was against the Church Concerning zeal sayes he I persecuted the Church Phil. 3. 6. His zeal was against the Church and therefore not right but after his conversion he had a zealous care of all the Church his zeal was then to the Church If the Church were not well O how it troubled him If the Church were well O how it comforted him If the Church were any where persecuted or infected with errour and doctrine of devils then he was frequent in prayer for it often would he labour and sigh and mourn for it and be writing for the good of it Now the Saints and the people of God these are the Church Unto the Churches of Galatia Gal. 1. 2. that is unto Gods people in Galatia To feed the Church of God Act. 20. 28. that is the people of God Greet the Church that is in their house Rom. 16. 5. that is the Saints that are in their house In all Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. 33. these are the Church of God Now if thou be zealous for God thou wilt be zealous for Gods Church Examine thy self Dost thou mourn for the troubles and disquietments of Gods Church that the Church is so afflicted in all parts of the world Does it prick thee to the soul Dost thou go to God and put him in remembrance Remember the Children of Edom O Lord how they said down with it down with it even to the ground remember Lord the Tobiahs and Sanballats of these times remember Lord how they cry down with thy people down with them root them out c. This is an infallible sign to try thy heart by If thou be zealous for God thou wilt zealously affect the Church of God Nehemiah cannot smother his grief but it would shew it self in his face even at the Kings elbow when Ierusalem lay waste Vriah cannot finde in his heart to eat and drink freely or take the pleasure of his own house as long as the Ark of God and Israel and Iudah abode in tents Thou must needs be affected with the Church if thou beest zealous for God If thou beest zealous for God thou must needs love there where God loves God loves the very gates of Sion he loves his Church better then he loves all the world besides And so wilt thou if thou beest zealous for him The Church is the whole company of his Saints upon earth One Saint is dearer then a million of other men It is a good saying of Syracides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 16.
3. One just man is better then a thousand others Though he be a beggar in the world he is better then a thousand wicked though they be all Lords and Nobles Because he is one of Christs redeemed and so thou wilt love him and affect him Thou wilt love him if thou beest zealous to Godwards I say thou wilt love a childe of God albeit in a leathern-coat more then father and mother wife and children friend or patron so they be not Saints I mean with more spirituall love then thou lovest them all And therefore much more the Churches of the Saints The seventh is If thou beest zealous for God then thou wilt be most zealous when the Lord threatens to be going away If ever men will buy any thing at the Fair they 'l buy when they are all breaking up standings taking up their wares and packing away If ever they 'l be forward to buy then they will God is now perchance shutting up shop-doors is now packing up his commodities and his graces to be gone The doors of his Sanctuary have been open a long time and the Shop-windows of Heaven have stood broad ope this many a year And we see plainly the dead of the market is come no body buyes almost How long hath he preached and scarse any converted How many Sermons and Market-daies have we had we can hardly see one drunkard converted one adulterer converted one worldling converted one unprofitable professour converted O that we could see it but alas we cannot our commodities stick upon our hands we can have no vent for grace nor Gospel nor Christ nor mercy nor any thing The dead the dead of the market beloved the market is dead God is now shutting up to be gone and as we may justly fear to remove away his Candlestick to take away the power of his Ordinances and to withdraw his Spirit from striving any more with us our stubbornnesse is so great We are grown to despise his reproofs to be incorrigible under his word to be malicious against his rebukes what encouragement hath he to stay Now if ever ye will be zealous now ye will now ye will come in and be wrought on or never now your proud hearts will stoop or never Now ye'l cry hard and pray hard and beg hard or never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's grievous to come a day after the Fair as we say I mean now is the last pinch in all probability it is so either now let us look to it or never It will be grievous to come a day after grace No man can repent without grace of God and therefore if he come a day after grace he cannot repent vid. Eze. 24. 13. The XII Sermon Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. IT may be demanded what means may we use to make us to be zealous I answer briefly First Frequent meditation Meditate of the infinite misery thou art in by nature and by reason of sinne and this will make thee zealously humbled Meditate of thy grievous iniquities whereby thou hast dishonoured God meditate of the unutterable mercy of God that hath not consumed thee meditate of the admirable patience of God that hath spared thee thus long and not damned thee in hell meditate of the inconceivable goodnes of God in Christ that he should give up his own Sonne unto death rather then that thou shouldest perish for ever these truths are all fiery truths While David was meditating I cannot tell now what truths they were that he meditated of but it seems they were all fiery truths they set his soul all afire as he mused and meditated My heart was hot within me and while I was musing the fire kindled Psa 39. 3. The very sight of a fire will warm a man a little Let thy heart look upon God and his waies let his commandments be ever in sight they will heat thee whensoever thou prayest meditate with thy self if I pray lukewarmly God will spue me out of his mouth Whensoever thou hearest the Word meditate with thy self I must take heed how I hear otherwise my hearing is abominable Whensoever the Sabbath is coming meditate with thy self O I must call it my delight and spend it in Gods worship publike and private or else God will consume thee While I was musing the fire kindled saith the Psalmist what 's the reason thou art so lukewarm in good duties as thou art the reason is plain thou usest not to meditate thou canst be content to hear the Word at a Sermon and let the Minister warm thee for an hour thou canst talk of the Word but when thou art alone thou dost not meditate of the Word if thou wouldest put the Law of God in thy thoughts and meditate of it when thou art solitary it is a fiery law From his right hand went a fiery Law Deut. 33. 2. Gods law is a fiery Law and his Gospell too is a fiery Gospel were it often in thy thoughts it would heat thee Know it for a certain we can never have a jot of saving grace or of zeal if we be not frequent in this duty thou makest a Christ of the world if that can have more room in thy thoughts then Gods word thou canst never be zealous nor gracious at all if thou beest not used to meditation thou art carnal and earthly why because thy thoughts are of that sort the thoughts are incentiva vitiorum sayes Hierom they are the incentives and igniâ—les and the bellows to kindle sin in thy heart whereas were they heavenly they would kindle zeal in thy soul The second means is a constant practise of godlinesse Motus est causa caloris saies the Philosopher Motion is the cause of heat Be ever in action if thou wouldest be zealous be alwaies stirring in the works of religion and godlinesse you shall see men labour and toil naked in their shirts in frost and cold and be hot for all that Labour stirs up the spirits and heateth the bloud labour will not suffer a man to be cold if Peter had been rowing in his boat when he stood still in the High-Priests Hall by the chimney-corner he had had little need of that fire to have heated him and therefore if thou desirest to be zealous labour in reading of the Scriptures labour in hearing and applying the Word to thy heart labour in examining thy conscience and repenting of thy sins and labour in praying and calling upon God this will kindle the heat of zeal in thee Ask and ye shall receive that your ioy may be full Joh. 16. 24. mark that your joy may be full your comfort may be full your love may be full and your hope may be full that is that it may be zealous for zeal is the fulnesse of every affections in its kinde O sayes one I am so dull and so dead I pray indeed but my prayers are dead and I hear
sin Secondly It may so draw up ones affections to God as to make one vomit up a dear sinne ones self and be sorry that others too should commit it he may be vext to see other men drunk vext to see them break the Sabbath vext to see how slack they come to Gods house vext to hear any body swear or curse or take on he may be driven to make restitution himself Thus it was with Micah he had stolen a 11. hundred Shekels of silver from his Mother well this man as it appears hears his Mother curse and swear and take on she had lost so much silver some body had stolen it from her when he heard his Mother curse and ban on this fashion he was so deeply moved to hear it that he could not abide it nay it made him be willing to confesse he had stolen it from her and to make restitution of all yea so far as his mother did think O what a blessed convert was her son he was now converted to be of so honest a minde Blessed be thou of the Lord my son saies his Mother He said unto his Mother The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee about which thou cursedst and spakest of also in mine ears behold the silver is with me I took it and his Mother said Blessed be thou of the Lord my son Jud. 17. 2. He had stolen the silver from his Mother and yet when he heard his Mother curse and swear and take on in that wise it should seem his affections did burn him What shall I hear my Mother curse in this sort and rather then he would let her stand swearing and cursing he would vomit up his sweet gettings Nay she thought him so religious as passes because he did so Blessed be thou of the Lord my son but she was deceived for he was a wretched Idolater the Lord cals him an Idolater vers 5. Beloved this is a strange thing indeed yet thus far may a Carnalist go he may be zealous against other mens sins and grieved to hear others transgress and vext to see others offend When David would sin and number the people it vexed the soul of Ioab to see it O my Lord the King why wilt thou be a cause of trespasse to Israel 1 Chron. 21. 3. So thou mayst be vexed to see others offended and yet notwithstanding no better then a Carnalist Thirdly It may so raise up his affections to God and to be so set against sin as to be willing to lose hopes of getting housefuls of silver and gold to lose the favour of Kings and of Princes to lose preferment and all then venture on a sinne This was Balaams case If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the commandment of God to doe lesse or more Numb 24. 13. He durst not go beyond the commandment of God a jot no not for a house full of money which is more then a thousand can say that will go beyond it and beside it and against the commandment of God for a handful of Barley yet he though a Reprobate durst not go beyond the commandment of God to doe good or bad of his own minde not for a house full of coyn Knowest thou not saies King Balak unto him knowest thou not that I can promote thee to honour yea he knew it well enough and yet for all that Balaam would not yeeld to him Balaam if he would have hearkned to carnal arguments he might have found many The Israelites are a people of another Nation I am a Moabite and they are of another generation and what though they be better people then they yet I am a Subject to the King of Moab and I must be true to my Soveraign and count them mine enemies which are the enemies of my Countrey and are come to lick up the land If I do obey my King I may have money by housefuls I may have preferment as much and more then I can wish Thus flesh and bloud might have reasoned but see how his affections were better rectifyed then thus he durst not doe it upon any terms because it was against the commandment of God Thou thinkest thy cause to be happy O thou caust be willing to passe by the wages of sin though thou couldest get by a sin yet thou darest not commit it thou thinkest certainly mine affections are to God and to grace I might get this and I might get that if I would but goe against my conscience a little but I will not for money nor favour nor any thing Well said yet better then millions can say but this thou mayst doe and yet be a Carnalist Fourthly It may elevate his affections so high as to be so forward in religion and godlinesse so strict in his waies as to be persecuted too for the truths sake and for Christs sake he may endure persecution a good while indeed if it go too far he will warp but persecuted he may be and suffer a good while he may and yet be a carnal man This you may see in the stony-ground hearer He heareth the Word and receives it with joy Mat. 13. 20. Mark his affections are raised he receives the Word and the Gospel with joy he is affected with the Word nay saies our Saviour he endureth a while and persecution arises against him then he is offended ver 21. It s true he is offended at this that he should suffer persecution he would be glad to be a professour of the Word so he might professe it in a whole skin as we say he does and he will warp then that 's certain that 's all one neverthelesse ye may observe in the mean time what a great way he goes in religion he trades so farre in it that others will persecute him for it and yet but a carnal man for all that Now of the good ground Fifthly It may lift up his affections so high as to ravish him and enamour him with joys of the Spirit He may be in some extasies of spiritual joy as many examples might be named Were not the Galathians enamoured with the Gospel that would have pluckt out their eyes and given them to Paul were not the people over-joyed when they cryed out in the open Congregation Lord evermore give us this bread O then set your affections c. The III. Sermon Colos 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. THe last thing that I told you was what a great way a carnal man may goe in this point His affections may be wrought on exceedingly I promised to shew you that this was no argument that his affections are set upon God The Apostle does not say let the things that are above work on your affections for so they may do and ye be carnal for all that but he saies Set your affections on things which are above There be four reasons to prove though a
whether Brutus were not a block or a brute because he had no affection at all to his own children whom he could see murthered before him with dry eyes The Lord himself counts that man a very block that hath no affection in his heart Have ye no regard all ye that passe by behold and see if there were any sorrow like my sorrow Lam. 1. 12. q. d. What are ye such blocks and stupid stocks that ye can shew no affections at my sorrow And therefore it 's reckoned among the symptomes of a heart that is desperately hardned not to be affected with any thing to hear the Word and not to be affected therewith to pray unto God and not to be affected with Gods presence to be in affliction and not to be affected with remorse I say this is a symptome of a hard heart And therefore it is a blessing of God that a man hath affections within him Secondly because as Plutarch the very Heathen observes were it not for our affections our nature would be lazy and idle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like a Pilot at sea without winde alas the ship would goe slowly were there no windes stirring to drive it So the affections saies he are to the soul as the winde to the sails of the ship as the ship could not sail apace without windes so the soul would go slowly about any thing if the affections did not carry it When Davids affections were hampered about with worldly fears fears of his enemies and griefs at his persecutions which he suffered he went slowly on in obedience but as soon as his sails were up then he ran like a ship in the sea with a great winde I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart Psa 119. 32. As soon as God would help him to spread the sails of his heart and enlarge his affections then he would run like a Fleet pinnace in the Seas I will then run the way of thy Commandments saies he this is an infinite mercy of God who seeing how dull we are unto good how slack to good duties how slow to holy performances vouchsafes us these windes and these sails for to carry us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies the same Philosopher The affections are like wheels and like Chariots unto reason If a mans reason be never so good he knows he is bound to repent and be godly and obey yet if he have no affections thereto he goes like a chariot without wheels he goes without force he cannot go at all but if he have affections thereto the affections are like wheels and like horses to carry him amain Draw me saies the Christian soul unto Christ draw me and I will run after thee Can. 1. 4. She praies that Christ would draw her by the affections of love for she speaks of love the virgins love thee saies she ver 3. Draw me with thy love too and then I shall run after thee like the Chariots of Aminadab that is drawn by quick Horses she would run as with wheels unto Christ if her affections did once carry her As Cicero saies of the affections of anger it is cos fortitudinis it is the whetstone to valour so I may say of all the affections they are all whetstones to good if a man have any grace Hast thou love It is a whetstone to obedience hast thou grief It is a whetstone to repentance hast thou anger it is a whetstone to zeal c. What is the reason men come so slowly on unto good the reason is this because their affections stand another way Men repent but slowly and amend their lives but slowly encrease in grace but slowly why this is the cause their affections are to the world they run on in their pleasures and their vanities they run on in their earthly employments and businesses why their affections are thereto O beloved it is an infinite mercy of God that we have affections given us of God for these may quicken our dulnesse unto grace Thirdly Because the affections are good channels for grace to run downin Be there never so full a fountain of good water yet if it have not a channel to run all along in the fountain may be ever a bubling but it choaketh it self for want of a channel So though God should put never so much grace into thy heart yet if it should have no channel to run down in it would smother it self Now God hath given thee affections like channels for grace to run down in Art thou covetous and full of desires what a fine channel is that for grace to run down in it is the easier for thee to covet the best things art thou of a cholerick and angry constitution what a fine channel is that for zeal to Gods glory to run down in it is the easier for thee to be zealous in Gods worship art thou melancholy and of a sad disposition what a fine channel is that for repentance to run down in it is the easier for thee to despise the vain pleasures of the world and to sorrow for sin art thou merry and of a cheerful nature what a fine channel is this for delight in the Lord to runne down in it is the easier for thee to joy in the holy Ghost art thou fearful and of a timorous spirit what a fine channel is that for fear of Gods judgements and truth to runne down in it is the easier for thee to tremble before God and fear to offend him Solomon was full of the affections of love it is true he let lust after women and uncleannesse a while run down in that channel but when grace and repentance recovered his soul what an excellent channel was it for love unto Christ to run down in Never was there such a lovesong to Christ as the Canticles since the creation of the world to this day and therefore it is called Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs Cant. 1. 1. Certainly Ieremy was a man of a sad constitution but see what an advantage this bent of affection was to him it was a channel for spiritual sadnesse to run down in Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears to weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people Jer. 9. 1. The woman in the Gospel which was a sinner a whore in plain terms one bewitched with the affections of love to her lovers as soon as ever any grace did look into her heart see how these affections of love did advantage her She loved our Saviour more affectionately then Saint Peter himself She loved much saies the Text Luk. 7. 47. Before no question but she was full of her whorish and strumpet-like tears now the channel was turned she washt Christs feet with her tears and wipt them with the hair of her head and she loved much saies the Text. It is such an admirable advantage to be full of affections that the
the Wesil is so bewitched that she gives up her self to be devoured but of all the bewitchings in the world the bewitching of the affections are the most dangerous Eucilides was in so deep an affection to his own beauty that he was bewitcht with it were not Sampsons affections bewitched with Delilah were not Herods affections bewitcht with Herodias were not Judas his affections bewitcht with the gain of thirty pence that for it he should deny his own Master S. Paul tels the Galatians their affections were bewitcht S. Hierom thinks verily the devil was in them The Drunkard is bewitcht with his cups the Adulterer with his whore the angry man with his choler the vain man with his vanities the carnal man with his flesh that they will damn their own souls rather then be new creatures Beloved are not ye bewitched in your sins when all the preaching and teaching and warning ye have had cannot yet turn you from your sins unto God to set your affections above this is a grievous let that sends millions to hell their affections bewitch them Ye need no Devils to tempt you to sinne if your affections be once set on it they will bewitch you as bad as any devil can bewitch you Nay the devil cannot bewitch you to sin but only by your affections If ever thou save thy soul thou shalt finde it a great task to unbewitch thine affections to set them upon grace Thirdly Another let is that as the affections are the bewitchings of the heart so they are the estimations of the heart If the thing be not good enough to be affected which the affections are set on they esteem it worthy to be affected Quisquis amat ranam ranam putat esse Dianam Many of you know the old Proverb If a man should set his affections on a frog there 's little goodnesse in a Frog why it should be affected but if a man should set his affections on a Frog he would esteem it as comely as another would Diana The affections if they be set upon vanity they do utterly besot one Look upon the Drunkard he thinks it 's a fine life to be potting and piping in the Ale-house which a man in his wits knows to be base and brutish and hellish Look upon the vain Gentleman he thinks it a fine life to be hunting and gamballing and bragging and flanting and challenging and to be sird and to be worshipt at every word Which a wise man knows to be foppish and foolish and devillish The affections blinde the judgement and befool the understanding and make a man to defend himself in a course which in very deed will leade him to hell When the children of Israel had set their affections on their lusts Moses thus speaks to them Do ye thus requite the Lord ye foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father c. Deut. 32 6. Natural affection would leade a childe to be obedient to his father and seeing their affections were crosse set the Lord cals them a foolish people Their sinful affections did besot them and befool them Samosatenus was so besotted with the love of a certain woman that he forsook his faith and religion for her I reade of a pretty parable to this purpose When Vlysses had left his men with Circe the witch she changed them all into diverse sorts of beasts Dogs Swine Lyons Tygers Vlysses complained she had done him great wrong for changing his men into beasts on that fashion wrong saies she I have not done thee nor them any wrong Doe but ask them now whether they doe not like the condition they are in So Vlysses demanded first of the Hogge whether he would be a man again or not He answered no by no means For now he could fill his belly and lie down on the dunghil and sleep And so he demanded of the rest and they all save only the Elephant they all replyed they had rather be beasts as now they were This parable is made to shew how the carnal affections besot one to esteem the pleasures of sin the gains and profits and beggerly things of the World and prefer them before holinesse and righteousnesse and purenesse and strictnesse of living One his affections besot him in a love-lock or long hair that he cannot be perswaded to shave it off another his affections besot him in a Tobacco-pipe another in a filthy gotten custome another in some other base haunt of the heart all the preaching under Heaven cannot disswade them therefore they do so esteem them and prize them and think they are so pleasing a noble minded Christian would wonder how it is possible they can so Fourthly Another let is that as the affections are the estimations of the heart so they are the most natural temperaments of the heart Spiritual and heavenly affections are the good temper of the heart and carnal or earthly affections are the evil temper of the heart and therefore it 's hard to change ones affections because the heart it self must be taken a peeces as it were if one would alter his affections An earthly heart is not a right soyl for the spiritual plants to grow in Gardners have daily experience what a coil they have to keep an herb from dying in their gardens when the garden is not a right soyl for it they are fain for to dig it and dresse it and water it and tend it yet scarce will it grow there when it is not a right soyl for it Men must get themselves new hearts and new mindes if ever they would have their affections renewed Fashion not your selves to the world saies the Apostle but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minde Rom. 12. 2. Unlesse your minde be renewed ye can never spy a pleasing fashion of the world but O your affections will be to it When David had misplaced his affections on Bathsheba another mans wife and his affections had been mad upon adultery and on murther what does he doe He goes to God in praier for a new heart he could never have new affections else Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Psa 51. 10. He could not get new affections till he had gotten a new heart This is a miserable impediment that lets multitudes of men and women from setting their affections upon God because their hearts are not a right for such affections as these May be they trim their affections as the very heathens have done with morality as a Barbor trims and shaves a mans head but the hair grows again because the head is the hairs soyl So the carnal affections will grow again spiritual and heavenly affections will not grow there for the heart is not a right soyl and this is a shrewdlet and you must labour continually to remove it And therefore before I help you with means how to set your affections on God let me give you these two grounds First
a companion It seems he told it so by rote as we say shewing no affection at all in his telling Why sayes Demosthenes hath he beaten thee I do not beleeve he hath beaten hee No sayes the man he was much troubled to hear him deny it and so he spake eagerly and in a chafe I am sure he beat me thus he did and thus he did and do you not call this beating now I beleeve sayes Demosthenes I beleeve now he hath beaten thee indeed now I hear the voice of a man that was beaten So if we should dreamingly utter our voice and reprove our hearers they scarce beleeve they are reproved because they do not hear the voice of a reprover Let us deliver uses of terror to them they hardly beleeve any terrour in it because they do not hear the voice of terrour But when the Minister is affected aright and his affections direct the carriage of the voice along the voice it self does more significantly expresse the matter and this no question is very moving But then let me tell you if this be it ye look for and if ye can be carping at a Minister for the want of this what the Lord accounts of you He sets it as a brand upon the wicked Jews that they were affected with the Prophet Ezekiels pleasant voice when they were affected with little else Ez. 33 32. even a rare and a worthy Moses may be defective in this case and wo is the people that findeth fault But however be the voice of a godly Minister never so mean yet there will be ever some hidden grace in it whereby more or lesse it appears unto the consciences of them that have ears to hear This is the fourth thing whereby a Minister may stir up affections by the due carriage of his voice Fifthly I might adde by a decent action For my part I have little reason to name it but verily it is a blessing of Christ to them that have it for they have a great advantage over the affections of their hearers Cicero sayes some were esteemed viri diserti eloquent and moving men but for want of action they could not put their gifts in practise habiti sunt infantes they were esteemed infants in this profession sayes he Action we see is much employed in the preaching of the Prophets and the holy men of God Ezechiel was commanded to stamp with the feet Isaiah commanded to go naked Ieremy commanded to put a yoke on his neck Iohn Baptist was tota vox he was all-voice the voice of a cryer in the wildernesse Mat. 3. 3. his eyes spake and his face spake his hands spake and his body spake yea his life and dyet and all spake he was all-voice The Prophets streched forth their hands to the people in fulnesse of affection I have spread forth my hands all the day unto a rebellious people Isa 65. 2. S. Paul set his eyes upon Elymas the sorcerer Act. 13. 9. O full of subtlety and all mischief thou childe of the devil thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right waies of the Lord the Lords hand is upon thee and thou shalt be blinde c. It is counted a grand sin in old Eli that he did not frown on his sonnes 1 Sam. 3. 13. why does the Text express Elies not severely threatning his sons by this action of frowning but only because they that do severely threaten do use to frown Thus ye see how that Gods Ministers have used action to move affections The VIII Sermon Colos 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. MUst our affections be set upon God 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 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 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. â—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 Sâ— acuique Deus fit dâ—ra cupido sayes the Poet. The very heathen man saw this that every mans
which he is zealous upon He that is zealous for the world he trusts to the world otherwise he would not be zealous for it He trusts to have pleasures and he trusts to have goods and he trusts to be esteemed that is zealous about them What do you trust to bear all before you as we use to say when we see a man hot and zealous upon any thing the soul would not be zealous but that it verily trusts to prevail Thus shall â—ine anger be accomplished and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal Ezek 5. 13. God was confident of the fullfilling of his wrath why because he had spoken in his zeal Indeed God may well be so were he neverso little angry but the words do expresse the nature of zeal It 's the full trust of the soul to speed A wise man will not be hot upon any thing unlesse he trust to go through stitch If zeal then be the full trust of the soul what a mad man art thou not to be zealous for God Thou trustest to the world and trustest thy pleasures and trustest thy passions thou dost not trust God If thou trustedst the Lord God thou wouldest be zealous for God Alas alas thou canst not trust God thou never labourest to please him He that depends on a man and must be for to trust him for help and assistance he will not offend him Alas what trust can he have to him if he offend him continually when the Sydonians and the Tyrians had offended K. Herod their countrey being nourished by the Kings countrey Act. 12. 20. they laboured to please him again So if thou wouldest trust Almighty God thou wouldst labour to please him and to be zealous for his Name and not make him thine enemy by thy sinnes and iniquities Thou which blasphemest his Name with thine oaths and abusest his creatures with thine intemperance and prophanest his Ordinances with thy carelessenesse and neglect and displeasest him all the year long Alas how canst thou trust him thou makest him thine enemy canst thou trust one that he 'l befriend thee that vows he will hang thee canst thou trust he 'l help thee at all hands that is provok't to undoe thee thou art a damned man if God do not pardon thee Thou art a wofull wretch better thou hadst never been born if God give thee not grace And canst thou trust God he will be good to thee what and displease him day by day offend him every foot No no thou mayst trust him he will confound thee Thou which art a lyar thou mayst trust him what he sayes in the Apocalyps All lyars shall be cast into the lake of brimstone Thou which art a swearer mayst trust him he 'l never hold thee guiltlesse Thou which art a drunkard and a company-keeper and a whore-monger mayst trust him thou shalt never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven thou which talkestidlely and improfitably mayst trust him he 'l call thee to an account at the day of judgement Thou which hardenest thy neck against the reproofs of the word mayst trust him he 'l destroy them without remedy this he hath past his word he will do and herein thou mayst trust him thou canst never trust him for mercy or grace or any good thing thou displeasest him daily and makest him thine enemy And how canst thou trust him what thinkest thou does not he know how little thou carest for his Commandments how little thou respectest his Ordinances how basely thou usest him in thy waies indeed if thou wert zealous for his glory and zealous to please him in holinesse of life and zealous to obey him and seek him then thou mightest trust him Thou canst never trust him otherwise By this time thou mayst see what a woful condition thou art in if the zeal of thine affections be not set upon God But many poor souls may demand how then shall I know whether the zeal of mine affections be set upon God I answer thee There are seven signs whereby thou mayst know it The first If thine affections be notable to God-ward a man may have a little hope and a little grief and a little joy and a little pity and no body see it But if it be zealous it will quickly be notable every one when once it is zealous every one will note it When Epaphras was zealous to save souls in Colosse what sayes Saint Paul of him I bear him record he hath a great zeal for you sayes he Colos 4. 13. Paul could not but note it in him he saw so many strong expressions of it This holinesse and forwardnesse is very remarkable But if on the contrary there be no notable expressions of grace in you alas there may be some goodnesse some pity some grief some motions but this is no zeal it is not remarkable If a man be zealous for the world his scraping and sparing is notable his toyling and studying and talking that way is very notable I will bear him record he is a worldling the world is so much in his speeches the world is so much in his courses and so much in his face Look upon his wayes he is so combred with thoughts of the world Look into his family there be so few good duties of grace and so many tokens of the world Look upon his meetings his discourses of edifying are so scarce and of the world are so copious I will bear him in record he is a worldling Were we zealous for God there would be divers signs and expressions of our zeal unto God Saint Paul when he would make it plain to the Corinthians that he was an Apostle to them he tels them truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you 2 Cor. 12. 12. If we were zealous for God ye might answer Truly the signs of true zelots are wrought among us ye that professe Christ what signs of true zelots are there in you if your brethren be secure and grown-dull do ye labour to quicken them If the Gospel do not thrive do ye labour to further it if grace be little stirring in the Parish does Heaven ring with your groans and your prayers if zeal were existent among you it would be notable and remarkable among you we might say I bear you record it is so nay the wicked without would observe it we bear them record they keep a great stir about heaven our lives would convince them May be they would hate us and reproach us the more but this is certain our lives would convince them as Christ's did the Centurion doubtlesse this is a righteous man Luk. 23. 47. So your lives would convince all their consciences doubtlesse they are strict men doubtlesse they are humble and meek and religious Thus it would be were we zealous But if our religion be not notable hardly notable to our selves we can hardly tell whether we have true faith and repentance and zeal at all yea or no much
look to that pillar Thus it is with thee Thou shalt have little else besides prayer thou must get it out of thy fingers ends Now we that are Gods Ministers study all the week long to quicken you here when ye come to Gods House while ye are thinking of other matters but if God should once take away us from you all the work lies upon your backs and ye have little else besides Prayer and Gods Word for to help you O therefore be not slothfull in this businesse get a sure hold in Christ that ye may be able to hold in the evil day No matter though the world do deride you for if ye have true zeal sayes Chrysostome ye will fear praise or disprase no more then if you were all alone in the world and no man besides you If no perswasions can prevail with thee to the trading for this zeal that I speak of hear what the Lord Jesus doth peremptorily threaten It shall come to passe that I will spue thee out of my mouth The XIII Sermon Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. HItherto I have shewn how the affections must be set upon God and especially the zeal of them I have shewn the wofull estate of that soul that doth not set its affections this way together with sundry uses of the point Now let me perswade you with motives to this duty namely to set your affections on God The Apostle in this place useth five strong perswasions hereto as the words may also be construed First by a strong obtestation as a mother perswades her childe as ever thou art my childe do this for me If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above If ye be risen with Christ set your affection on things above 〈◊〉 as ever ye be risen with Christ do it as he beseeches the Philipians If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy Phil. 2. 1 2. q. d. as ever ye acknowledge any comfort in Christ as ever ye beleeve any communion of the holy Ghost any mercies and bowels in God fulfill this exhortation this is a strong perswasion indeed for if this cannot prevail with you ye deny all the comforts of Christ ye deny all communion of the Spirit ye deny all the mercies of God and therefore it is strong as a mother counts it a strong entreaty to her childe as ever thou art my childe as ever thou takest me to be thy mother obey me in this for if her childe will not yeeld he must needs deny the womb that bare him and the paps that gave him suck Wilt thou deny the Lord Jesus wilt thou deny his resurrection and all interest in it if thou wilt not deny it set thine affections on God as ever thou art risen with Christ be sure for to do it Wilt thou set thine affections upon the things of this world when Christ entreats thee as ever thou art his to set thine affections on him Secondly The Apostle here perswades by a strong argumentation for ye are dead sayes he vers 3. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead ye are dead to the things of this life will ye set your affections to those things ye are dead to ye are dead to the things of this life if ye be Christs and therefore set not your affections on them mortui non mordent as we say dead men bite not one another with slanders and reproaches did ye ever see a dead man go up and down drinking and bowzing whoring and gaming and carking and caring I 'le assoon beleeve that a dead man can do this as a true Christian I confesse that corruption may carry a good Christian into sin but he is dead to these courses he cannot set his affections hereon he is dead and will ye set your affections on the things of this world now ye are dead Bring a childe of God to your drinkings and your whiffings his affections are dead he hath no heart to them bring him to your sportings and your vain merriments and your fooleries you shall see him so dead to them that ye shall have no delight in his company S. Paul makes this an argument ab absurdo How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. How is this possible I shall as soon beleeve it as that a dead man should walk along your streets in a winding-sheet What know you not this sayes he what a Christian and yet his affections on such courses as these this is impossible how shall ye So that this is another strong perswasion because ye are dead therefore set not your affections below Thirdly The Apostle here perswades by a strong reason Christ is your life ver 4. Life is sweet it is true and a mans affections are strong to his life vestes ac omnia vendes thou wilt part with cloaths and part with moneys and part with lands and part with all for thy life thine affections are strong set to life Now Christ is thy life or else thou art but a damned wretch if thou beest a true Christian Christ is thy life and wilt not thou set thine affections on thy life his Commandments are thy life his Word is thy life his ordinances are thy life his promises his favours his bloud are thy life and wilt thou not set thine affections on thy life If thou beest a true Christian thou wilt pray for life and repent for life and sanctifie the Sabbath for life and put up an injury and be obedient to God for life all thine affections conspire together for life thou lovest thy life and thou desirest thy life and thou rejoycest in thy life and thou fearest that which is hurtfull to life and hatest that which is contrary to life all thine affections will be to thy life and therefore set thine affections on Christ for he is thy life Fourthly The Apostle here perswades by a strong deduction When Christ shall appear then ye also shall appear with him in glory ver 4. this is an excellent motive to set thine affections on God because he will bring thee to glory every man affects glory Now all the glory of this world is a blaze as our Proverb is a good Proverb it is it is but a blaze and not worthy thine affections none but base hearts will affect this thou art the childe of wrath and damnation from the cradle to the coffin thou art going to hell and confusion if thou beest not a new creature in Christ and wilt thou affect to be a Gentleman affect to be a Knight or a Lord wilt thou affect to get credit and honour and repute among men to be praised by mens mouths this is even as if a thief should affect credit as he is going to
The fifth motive is taken from the instability of our affections if our affections be set upon the things of this life they must be fain to repent of it at last whatever come of it whether we be saved or damned it is certain we shall repent of it if ever thou go to Heaven God will make thee repent that ever thou hast been so vain so carnall so voluptuous so proud God will make thy heart ake for it I abhor my self sayes Iob and repent in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. O I could even spit in mine own face I could even be content to gnash my teeth at mine own soul that ever I sinned thus and thus now I repent it in dust and ashes O that I had never done so were it to do again I would never do it for a thousand worlds thus if thou go to heaven thou wilt be fain to repent it And if thou go to hell thine own horrour and thine intollerable torments and plagues will force thee to repent it too that ever thou hast set thine affections on earth then thou wilt curse thine own self and ban thine own thoughts and fret and stamp at thine own madnesse that thou shouldest set thine affections upon the things of the world when thou mightest have had a Saviour and a God if thou hadst been wise and wouldest have been ruled Magni emitur poenitentia alas such repentance costeth thee dear When it hath cost thee thy soul and brought thee to hell and utterly undone thee for ever then thou learnest how to repent When Dives was in hell then he repented that ever he was so hard-hearted to Lazarus Send Lazarus c. O he would now ask him forgivenesse send such a poor wretch now I will make him restitution Lord send now thy commandments and now we will obey them Lord now send thy Ministers unto us and we will hear them send us one Sermon more and now we will do it As sure as God is in Heaven you will repent it another day that ever you set your affections thus on the things of this life Beloved were it not better by ods not to set your affections thus at all then when ye have done it repent it when all comes to all Non admiseris cuius postea paeniteat Do not commit that if ye be wise which ye must repent when ye have done it This very Sermon if ye will not hearken now to obey it I say this very Sermon your consciences will be sure to vex you withall Such a Sermon I heard and there I had a warning then I was told of this vengeance I endure but I would not listen O woe is me and my rebellion that I did not I beseech you consider it set your affections otherwise then ye doe set them graciously on God or else ye will be forced to repent for ever The sixth motive is taken from the â—ealousie of the affections Beloved when a Husband suspects his wives affections are not to him there is an affection of jealousie arises in his heart to revenge it a man cannot abide that his wife should give her affections to another So beloved God is a jealous God when he sees he cannot have thy affections to him he hath made thee his creature he hath hired thee for his servant nay he espoused thy soul as a wife and a Spouse to his own Son and if he may suspect that thy affections are otherwise set he will be jealous against thee This will be the grievousest revenge of all revenges that are possible No revenge like the revenge for the turning ones affections awry Let a man be wronged though never so much nothing but anger and choler does arise to revenge it but if he suspect the want of affection in his own wife then it is not an anger alone that arises to revenge it but a jealousie Dost thou not know what jealousie is I tell you it is the revengefullest passion that ever arose in the breast Jealousie is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance he will regard no ransome neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts Pro. 6. 34 35. We have a good Proverb From jealousie the good Lord deliver us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Oppia The heart of jealousie is wilde and all savage A man is not only angry but directly in a rage that is jealous So God expresses himself by a fury and a rage saying my fury shall break out against them and I will not pity them When thine affections go a whoring from God he will be revenged on thee deeply he will take no ransome no ransome by Christ no ransome in the world couldest thou give him a whole world for the sin of thy soul he will not accept it What sayes the Husband when he is jealous what hast thou defiled my bed and played the whore and so forth I will make you an example he eats himself up till he is revenged he will mark every cast of her eye every gesture of her body every tread of her foot every thing now shall be matter of suspicion she shall not speak to any man in the street but he will suspect it is wantonnesse She shall not be able to go one step out of doors but he will suspect it is to her base lovers So if we set our affections wrong upon other things besides God God will never put it up at our hands He will then be extream to mark whatsoever is amisse not one idle word but he will be precise to observe it not one vain thought but he will be curious to note it not one foolish fashion but he will set it down in his note-book he will then be extream with thee Ye have read and heard the Ten Commandments often and often Ye know what is said in the second Commandment Thou shalt not do thus and thus For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children If thou set up these Idols in thy heart to affect the things of this life take heed of this jealousie I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. He will visit not only thy sins upon thee but he will look what thy father hath done and thy grandfather hath done and thy great grandfather hath done If any of them have been drunkards he will visit it on thee if any of them have been swearers and worldlings and wicked he will visit it on thee From his jealousie the good Lord deliver us The seventh motive is taken from the tyranny of our affections if they be not set right If our affections be not set upon God they are the sorest Tyrants that can be to tyrannize over us Philo compares the tyranny of our affections to the four hundred years bondage of the Israelites in Aegypt Ye remember what wofull and slavish bondage they were put to in Aegypt
Reason Because it is an infallible argument of our being or not being in Christ 1 Reason Because it is a matter of reasonable equity Yea of necessity 1. Because God is the principal object of our affections 2. Nothing but God hath that which the affections look for Because nothing is good but God Chrysoft 3. Because nothing is my good but only God 1. The good of the creature not thy good because but the good of the body 2. Because not so long as thou art 3. Because they will not take thy part Iuv. Sat. 13. 4. Nothing can rest the soul but only God 1. Because nothing but God is all good 2. Nothing but God is the ultimate good 3. Nothing is it self without God Vse It is a blessing of God that we have affections Apud Cic Tuscul 4. The affections are not in themselvs sinful 1. Because Adam and Eve had affections in innocency 2. Because Christ took our affections upon him 3. Because God doth command the use of the affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vol. Arâ—â—â— Eth. l. 2. c. 6. Reasons why affections are necessary 1. Because without affections we should be like stocks 2. Because without affections we should be lazie and idle l de virtute morum in fine Plutarch ubi supra 3. Because affections are the channels of grace Iust Mar. Apol. 8. pro Christ ad Antâ—â— The first impediment that hinders the setting the affections on God because it is an hard thing to turn an antipathy or sympathy 2. The 2. impediment Because affections are the bewitchings of the heart Plutarch sympos l. 5 c. 7. Heliodor lib. 3. Hist 2. Del-Rio Disq mag lib. 2. c 3. 3. The 3. impediment Because affections are the estimations of the heart Chrys hom 7. in Iob. 4. The affections are the most natural temperaments of the heart 1. Ground We cannot set our affections on God unlesse we have a new heart Estsimill tudo Angeli Poliâ—iaâ—â— de irâ sed paulo secus applisat 2. Ground Nor unlesse we feed on Christ Means to set our affections on God 1. Pray to God to gether up your affections from the things of the world Hierom in Marcum 2. Light up 2 Candle in thy heart Suetonius 3. Occasion thine affections this way Oâ—casiones faciunt latrones Horat. 4. Let thine affections be often wooed to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. To be sober and temperate in all things A man may be drunk with any passion Hier. Com. in Ezek. cap. 34. 6. To clip the wings of our affections by abstaining from much of our lawful liberty Vid banc regulam apud Greg l. 5. moral hom 3. super Evang. Pet. Mart. Chrysost in 1 Cor. 6. 1. 7. To be abundant in the exercise of godliness 8. Dive down to the bottom of thine affections Means to get up the bottom of the affections 1. Be humbled after thy turning unto God 2. Keep no close lust unmortified Vid. v. 21 22. 3. Consider God will shame thee one day if the bottom be not sound Regula moralis It concerns us to use all these means 1. Because the affections are the bonds of the soul Chrysost 2. Because earthly affections are the fore-stallers of the heart Ministers must labour to stir up the affections of their hearers L. 1. de invent c. 1. Keck Ecc. Rhet. l. 1. c. 3. Reasons 1. Because the Word is full of affections 3. The word looks to be obeyed with affections 3. Men are very dull in affections to embrace the Word A Minister must not stir up affections by the enticing words of mans wisdome 1. A Minister must stirre up affections by preaching to the life A saying of K. Iames 2. By being full of affections himself Summa movendorum affectuum in eo est ut prius ipse sis molus Quin Hor. de art Poet Com. in 1 Cor. 2. 4 Cal. Multâ— sunt clamosi reprehensores qui in vitia deciamitando vel potius fulminando mirum zeli arâ—orem prae se ferunt interea ipsi securi ut videantur per lusum latera guttera â—xercere vesle at Christiani â—astorus est flere secum priusquam alios ad fletum provocet plus apud se retinere doioris quam aliis faciat Dabis voci tuae vo cem virtutis si quod suades prius ipse tibi persuasisse cognoscaris Bern. Simonides apud Arist Epiced Haymo Jer. 9. 1. 3. A Minister may stirre up the affections of others by being godly himself L. 1. Rhet. cap. 2. Quis tulerit Graâ—chos c. Iuvenal L. 1. Sent. Spiritual Tetrast 4. Tit. 2. 7. Gregory 4. A Minister may stirre up affections by his voice Plutarch in Demost 5. By a decent action It is a great sin to set our affections on the earth Four Arguments to convince this truth 1. If a man sets his affections on the earth he sets all his affections on it Gal. 3. 1. 2. Affections hâ—mper and intangle the soul He was in love with his Noverca L. de ludo parvae sphaerae 3. The affections are in a high degree in regard 〈◊〉 the acts of the soul 1. As the affections are so are the thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macâ—r hom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 16. Thinking is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pla. Sophist 2. If thy affections be carnal so are thy lusts They are like stirpiâ— fibrae as Chrysostom compares them like the strings at the roots of the Tree Apud Damascen â— par c. 7. Gregory 3. If thine affections be carnal so are thy purposes Car. in Pro. 15. 22. 4. If thy affections be carnal so are thy devices Qui praeter usâ—â—ata mala alia excogitant â—asil Theodoret alij in loc The extremity of the affections is zeal and it is due only to God Zelus quid 5. Things in zeal 1. A high measure of affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clavasius saith it 's fervor Divinae charitatis 2. Zeal a high measure of all the affections In prol sâ—n dub 3. 3. With all the might of the soul 4. The putting forth of all the affections 5. Upon a thing that the heart doth absolutely affect Zeal is due only to God 1. Because it is the religious part of the affections 2. Because zeal is the most of every affection 3. Zeal is the peculiar pitch of every affection 4. Zeal is the most spending part of the affections 5. Zeal is the impatient part of the affections Vse 1. God demands the zeal of our affections 2. We are bound to give God 〈◊〉 affections Jer 48. 10. 3. On pain of damnation 1. In Cant. Serm. 49. August Saâ—it unus quisque quod didiclt Proverb 1. Zeal is the firâ—â— of the soul Chrysost 2. Zeal is the running of the soul Tiberius Nero. 3. Zeal is the predominant element in the soul 4. Zeal is the self-cruelty of the soul 5. Zeal is the brand of the soul Ambros Act. 1. 23. 6. Zeal is the transporting of the soul out of it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ayes Aristotle servants have no leisure 7. Zeal is the strength of the soul 8. Zeal is the confidence of the soul Sperant omnes quae cupiunt nimis sayes Lucian Rev. 21. 8. Signs whether the zeal of thine â—ffections be set on God 1. Sign If thine affections be notable to God-ward 2. If thou beest impatient of sinne 1. Zeal cannot abide any sinne 2. In any person 1. In friend 2. In childe 3. In wife or husband 4. In a rich man 5. In ones self 3. It cannot be quiet without assurance of Gods favour 4. Glaadness to further and be furthered in the waies of God 5. Rejoycing to see the â—orwardnesse of others Camment in Iob. 6. Zeal to Gods Church and people The 7 sign shewing most zeal when the Lord threatneth to be going away Ferrum quando calet cudere quisque valet Means to make us zealous 1. Frequent Meditation Hier. Ep. ad Deme triadem 2. A constant practise of godliness Philos Seneca Psal 119. Ver. 154. Ver. 156. Ver. 149. Ver. 159. Ver. 88. Ver. 107. 4. Shunning the occasions of sin Gen. 14 23 Nemo diu tuâ—us periculo proximus Terent. 5. Means to eschew the beginnings of sinne VigilanduÌ„ est maximè tentationis initio Greg. Exhortation to be zealous 1. Else you can never be revenged on your worst enemies Iuvenal Sat. 13. 2. Zeal enables us to doe good unto others Theodoret in locum 3. Peoples zeal encourageth Ministers Mic. 7. 1. Ambros Chrysost 4. Zeal makes a man excell Proverb 5. Zeal makes men like Angels Gregor Ambros 6. We have greatneed of zeal In the context are these motives to set our affections on God 1. Because else we deny our interest in Christs resurrection 2. Because we are dead to the things of this world 3. Because Christ is our life Vt vitam redimas Horat. 4. Because Christ will bring us to glory 5. If our affâ—ctions be not let on Christ they are out of order Other motives to set our affections on God 1. Because it is easie to prosecute that we affect L. 4. c. 12. de doctr Christ 1. A man is not ashamed of what he affects Agesilaus Philopaem 3. What the â—ffections be upon they will hanker after that Seneca de tranq 4. Our affections spur uâ—on to what we affect Melan. in Ethic. Lud Viv. l 3 de animâ 5. 6. Affections are the softnesse of the heâ—rt Phi. Iud. l. de sacrif Ab. Cain Quint. Other motives to move the affections 1. From the everlastingnesse of the affections Stilpon Plat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sen in Epist 2. From the infinâ—tâ—nesse of the affections Ca. 7. l. 10 Ethn. ad Nicon Horat. Boeth Luk. 2. 28. 3. From the cloyedness of the affections Hor. Ep. 14 In omnibus rebuâ— magis offendâ—â—nimium quam parum Cic. 4. From the preciousnesse of the affections 5. From the instability of the affections 6. From the jealousie of the affections 7. From the tyranny 〈…〉 affection◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Ezek. 14. 3 4 5. c.
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 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 The IX Sermon â—ol 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. THere remains the fourth head which is the extremity of the affections and that is zeal Zeal is due only to God and the things of his worship and therefore hence we may see how infinitely they sin that set their affections on things here on earth because they rob God of his due zeal which is the extremity of the affections is due only to God and the things of his worship Phinehas was zealous for his God Num. 25. 13. he gave the zeal of his affections to no other but God Now what is zeal Zeal is a high strain of all the affections whereby the heart puts forth all its affections with might upon that which it absolutely affects five things therefore there are which concurre to the making up of zeal First A high measure of the affections Every measure of the affections is not zeal a man may affect a thing coldly and lukewarmly that is not zeal As a covetous man may have lukewarm good affections to the word But this is not zeal I say zeal is a high measure of the affections Zeal is a metaphoricall word in the Original it 's taken from the seething of water over the fire Every measure of heat in the water is not seething No seething hot is a high measure of heating The Apostle confesses how the false Apostles affected the Galatians They zealously affect you sayes he Gal. 4. 17. he confesses they did affect the Galatians and he confesses they did highly affect them in a very high measure if it had been as well as it was high they zealously affect you that is they highly affect you Clavasius a Casuist for the Pope having run through all the Alphabet of questions in the end of his Book concludeth with zeal Zeal sayes he is a high measure of heat of affection such an one sayes he as I have shewn unto Christ in writing this Book It 's a most devillish saying for his Book is little else then a hellish rhapsody of blasphemies to Christ and magnifyings of his holy father the Pope But therein he sayes right that zeal is a high measure of the affection Secondly As zeal is a high measure of the affections so it is of all the affections I do not say any one of the affections alone or of sundry together But it is a high measure of all the affections Bonaventura and other of the School make it only of love Ludovicus Vives makes it to be compounded of two affections indignation and pity Others to be mixed of anger and love this is not so for zeal is a high strain of all the affections And therefore the Apostle sets it as a generall height of the affections in generall It 's good sayes he to be zealously affected in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. he does not only say it 's good to be zealous in love or zealously angry but generally it 's good to be zealously affected in a good thing Sorrow for sin is good and therefore it 's good to be zealously affected with it Desire of grace is good and therefore it 's good to be zealously affected with it So that then we may be said to be zealous for God when our love to him is earnest our desire of him is earnest our joy in him is earnest our indignation against whatever may dishonour him or dislike him is earnest when we think nothing too good nothing too dear nothing too much to bestow upon him A man may love God in a lukewarm measure hate sin in a lukewarm measure grieve for his corruptions desire faith and repentance delight in good duties pity the miseries of others fear to transgresse Gods Commandment a man may have all these affections thus in a lukewarm measure as this is displeasing to God so it is not zeal Zeal is a high measure the highest strain of all the affections Thirdly As zeal is the highest measure of all the affections so it is with all the might of the soul For when a man does zealously affect any thing his affection is mighty upon it Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with â—ll thy soul and with all thy might Deut. 6. 5. that is thou shalt love him zealously
Nimrod was a mighty hunter Gen. 10 9. that is he was zealous at his hunting Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine Isa 5. 22. that is that are greedy and zealous in the pursuit of their appetite in that kinde David danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6. 14. that is he did it zealously Zeal is when the heart raiseth up its affections with all its might on a thing And therefore lukewarmnesse is called negligence in the Scripture Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently As he that fights negligently shews not all his might in his fighting so he that goes about any duty of the Lords service negligently his heart does not shew all his might in it It puts not forth all the might of its affections upon it Lukewarmnesse then is the negligence of the affection and cursed is the man that does the work of the Lord negligently sayes the Text. But zeal is the might of the affection Fourthly As zeal is with all the might so it is the putting forth of all the affections When the heart affects a thing and puts forth all its affections upon it reserving no part of its affections for any thing else this we call zeal Herod affected the preaching of Iohn but he did not affect it zealously he did not put forth all his affection upon it he reserved a main part of his affection for his pleasure And therefore he was not zealous in hearing Hence it is that the Scripture cals lukewarmnesse deceit fulnesse as Divines do observe Cursed is the deceiver Mal. 1. 14. that is cursed is the lukewarm person that offers God lesse then he hath offers somewhat and reserves back somewhat that puts not forth all his affection upon God and his Service Zeal is the putting forth of all the affection As when the heart affects God and affects nothing in competition with him this is to be zealously affected towards God When the Jews had crucified Christ and persecuted Paul and forbidden him to preach the Text sayes the wrath of God was come upon them to the utmost 1 Thes 2. 16. That is the zeal of Gods fury and anger and vengeance was on them He kept nothing back he was not angry a little nor wroth a little but he put forth the affection of his wrath to the utmost upon them So when the heart puts forth the utmost of its love upon God and the utmost of its delights upon his Word and the utmost of its fear on his Name and the utmost of its affection on his Commandments then it is zealous But if he keeps back ought to bestow it elsewhere it 's a deceiver and a lukewarm heart Fifthly As zeal is the putting forth of all the affection so it is upon a thing which the heart does absolutely affect A man may affect a thing when he does not affect it absolutely He affects such or such a thing but he affects it not absolutely He affects it perhaps with a degree of affection as far as twelvepence will go he places may be a groats worth of affection upon a quire of paper If he be askt five pounds of silver for a quire of paper he does not affect it at that rate and therefore he does not affect it absolutely But if a man have a true zeal of affection to a thing he affecteth that thing with absolute affection let it cost what it can he affects it let it cost him all charges and all pains and all difficulties yea though it cost him his life he will have it then he does absolutely affect it So that then is a man zealous for God and for grace when his affections stand absolutely that way May be he will be glad so he may get it at an easie rate but if he cannot alas he must have it he concludes upon that though it cost him sighs groans every daies strivings every daies labour praying meditating repenting parting with all his lusts although never so dear O his soul does affect it on that manner he must and he will have it rather then life This man is zealously affected towards grace and towards God because he affects it absolutely Thus Iob was zealous in affecting Gods Word he esteemed it above his necessary food Iob. 23. 12. He does not say above his daily food for so he might do and not be zealously affected therewith but he affected Gods Word above his necessary food above all food absolutely without which his life could not confist without which a man dies such food as this comes nearest of all outward things to be absolutely affected A man affects it above lands and above livings above his silver and his gold above all his pleasures and his gaming 's a man will part with them all rather then part with his necessary food Yet Iob affected Gods Word above it And therefore he affected it zealously This is the last thing in zeal It is upon that which does absolutely affect Albeit now it may partly appear by the very definition of zeal that it is due only to God a man must not be zealous about any thing nor zealously affected with any thing but only with God and his worship Neverthelesse we may yet further prove it First Because Zeal is the religious part of the affections of the soul Now the religious part of them are due only to God I profited in the Jews Religion being zealous of the traditions of my Fathers sayes Paul Gal. 1. 14. he makes zeal the character of his Religion Seest thou a man zealous then after profits and most earnest to get means and maintenance and the things of this life that man makes gain his Religion Seest thou a man zealous after any thing that 's his Religion Zeal is the religious part of the affections and therefore it 's due only unto God Secondly As zeal is the religious part of our affections so also it is the most of every affection and therefore only due unto God Zeal is the most of every act that a man does That which the minde mindes most and studies most that it mindes zealously that which the memory remembers most which the heart wils most it wils zealously That which a man fears most and loves most and desires most that it does zealously Now if zeal be the most of every act of the soul it must needs be idolatry to place it any where else but in the service of God Dost thou meditate most and think most of the world thy thoughts are idolatrous Dost thou talk most and confer most of the things of the world thy words are idolatrous Dost thou cark most and care most dost thou love most and rejoyce most in any thing of this life thine affections are idolatrous Dost thou sorrow most for crosses and losses and disgraces and the like more then thou grievest for thy sins thy grief is idolatry That 's the hearts Idol which it