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
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
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
servants of sinne are they that are kept so close that they cannot go one step beyond prophanesse Some in libera custodia are false prisoners When a mans lusts hold him in a longer chain like birds in a larger Cage which may be is free to be a professour and come to Church and hear and pray and be civill and when he is once at the length of his chain his lusts pull him back the former are affections Gallislaves chained to their seats and their oars the latter are their sluggish messengers to go up and down of their errand And therefore the devil which takes all advantages of a mans affections is said to hold him captive at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2. 26. O sayst thou I am not the devils captive at his pleasure I will not swear nor swagger nor be drunken as some will alas alas it is not the devils pleasure to have thee a drunkard or a swearer it is his pleasure to use his servants some for one service some for another it is not his pleasure to employ thy tongue in swearing No he 'l employ thy tongue only in talking civilly of the things of the world It is not his pleasure to use thee for drunkennesse and whoredom but to go on in security and formality and presumption O what a hideous case art thou in the zeal of whose affections is not set upon God! What will not thine affections command and then if they command thou art not thine own man thou must obey Let coveteousnesse command how wilt thou curtail thy prayers to God in the morn how seldom wilt thou be thinking of God all the day how wilt thou cark and pinch and spare Let mirth and jollity command thee how wilt thou jest and fool and hoit and play and giggle and mock any thing for pastime Let revenge command thee how angerly wilt thou look how snappishly wilt thou speak how churlishly wilt thou bend thy fist or how basely wilt thou study to do a displeasure how apt to misconstrue what thy neighbour doth how ready to entertain any flying rumour of him thus thou art not thine own man but harased and hurried up and down by thine unruly affections till they have undone thy soul for ever O consider then the wofulnesse of this thy slavery when the zeal of thine affections is thus disjoyned from God Consider quickly if thine affections keep thee in service long they 'l keep thee ever the longer a man stays in service the more fool he is Alterius ne sit qui suus esse potest In the Law of God it is written that if a servant after seven years bondage did still love his Master the Law sayes thus let his Master boar his ears and make him serve for ever Exod. 21. 5. well take heed thou lovest to live on as thou dost and thou likest thy slavish courses too too well take heed I say lest thine ears be nayled to thine affections and thou be made a slave for ever I fear me we have many of such slaves their ears boar'd with an awl and their souls then bound prenâ—ice for ever to the waies of Death Seventhly Zeal is the strength of the soul zeal carries all the strength of the soul with it leaves none behinde And therefore the Scripture puts these two things together ones zeal and his strength Lord where is thy zeal and thy strength sayes the Prophet Isa 63. 15. If he ask where his zeal is he asks where his strengh is for zeal is the strength of the soul Ye know Iacob wrestled with God for a blessing and his effectuall fervent prayer prevailed but how does God expresse it he expresses his zeal thus By his strength he had power with God Hos 12. 3. his prayer was a zealous prayer and therefore it was a prayer with strength by his strength he had power with God He prayed and he prayed with strength he laid all his strength that he could on the duty and by his strength he had power with God Look what a man is zealous unto all his strength goes to it he leaves none behinde O the misery of a carnal heart that is not zealous for God he hath no strength at all left for God or the saving of his soul Would he pray alas he hath no strength to pray with His prayers are as weak as bul-rushes Would he resist sin he hath no strength to resist it with His striving to resist it is nothing able O how hardy is be to commit sin the charges and the cost that is in drinking does not terrifie the drunkard from his drunkennesse the cost that is in garish apparrell does not terrifie the proud from their vanity in cloaths The disgrace that is in sinne does not terrifie the Adulterer from his lust The fear of fathers and mothers displeasure does not terrifie the spend-thrift from his ryot No wicked men are hardy that way because their zeal goes that way But to that which is good how weak is thy heart Ezek. 16. 30. nihil metuendum vidit metuit tamen the least crosse look of a father or a mother or a great man scares him One twelve-penny charges affrights him One petty difficulty damps him because his zeal stands towards another point take him at the plough there he can be strong to labour he 'l toyl he 'l sweat he 'l hold out Take him at prayer he is as weak as water take him at a Tale or a Story he 'l remember it well and repeat it after you his memory is strong take him at a Sermon his memory fails him take him in a businesse to manage his wit is strong his parts strong he hath an excellent reach but take him in mortification he is as weak as a man without understanding This is the misery of thy soul when thy zeal is not set upon God The devil is the strong man Mat. 12. 29. and thou hast no strength to encounter him thy lusts are strong to inthrall thee and thou hast no strength to be free and yet thou pishest at these things Men think nothing of the devil as though he were nothing but a scare-crow they defie him every hour in the day they jest at him saying the devil is a fool they 'l paint him on their wals and call for him as though they would give him a challenge I remember a pretty Proverb that I reade the Germans have Non pingendus est Diabolus in pariete quia sponte sua venit Paint not the devil on the wall he 'l come soon enough of his own accord I am sure he comes too soon to beguile men too soon to bewitch and befool men too soon to disarm men from all strength to that which is good If he can once set thine affections on the things of this life he hath gotten the victory and thou art not able to recover Eighthly Zeal is the full confidence of the soul that does a man chieflyest trust to
thou must never do good to others ibid. Nor encourage the Ministers of God ibid. Nor can you be excellent ibid. Zeal makes us like Angels ibid. Zeal as fire against coldnesse and lukewarmnesse ibid. Seven motives to set your affections on God 175 A TREATISE OF THE AFFECTIONS The I. Sermon COLOS. 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above and not on things which are on the earth THe subject of the Text and this Treatise is the affections shewing the right use and ordering of them which is a thing of continual and great concernment for they will never be idle but still running out and bringing into the soul either healing or hurtful objects and so authours either of our woe or welfare and certain signs either of our happinesse that we are risen with Christ or misery that we are still dead And concerning these the Apostle First Implies a disease and distemper that they are disjoyned from God and that desperately Secondly Applies a medicine a way to cure them to bring them back and place them upon their first and right object God and things above The first he intimates to us in three things First By calling them inordinate affections and such as can never be set right without they be mortifyed Mortifie your earthly members Fornication Vncleannesse Inordinate affection c. ver 5. He terms them inordinate and masterlesse affections and he commands us to mortifie them Secondly By shewing they are buried in the things of the world and never can be raised up again but only by the power of the resurrection of Christ If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above ver 1. Ye can never be able to make your affections seek upwards unlesse ye be risen with Christ Thirdly By supposing they are naturally as Solomon saies of a fools wrath as heavy as a stone the affections are so naturally as heavy as a stone which fals down to the earth and cannot ascend except it be heaved up Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth They naturally sagge downwards on things that are earthly but let them not doe so no heave them up and set them upon things that are heavenly If you be risen with Christ These words are to be construed with all the exhortations Saint Paul doth here give If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above If ye be risen with Christ set your affections on things that are above If ye be risen with Christ mortifie your earthly members and your inordinate affections c. If ye be not risen with Christ it is but a folly for me to bid you do this ye cannot mortifie your affections nor raise up your affections to God ye cannot possibly do this except ye be risen with Christ The point then is this which I will handle by way of coherence A natural man cannot set his affections upon God or upon things above For our more intelligible proceeding in this Doctrine as likewise in the whole treatise of the affections which I desire to goe through let me tell you First What the affections be The affections are the forcible and sensible motions of the heart or the will to a thing or from a thing according as it is apprehended to be good or to be evill There be four things to be considered herein First The affections are motions They are the motions of the heart The motions of sinne saies Saint Paul Rom. 7. 5. that is the affections of sin for so it is in the original so that then are a mans affections set upon God when the heart hath its out-goings to God and therefore the Scriptures call the affections the feet of the soul for as the body goes with its feet to that which it loves so the soul goes out with its affections to that which it loves I thought upon my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psal 119. 59. that is I turned mine affections to thy Testimonies Look to thy feet when thou comest into the house of the Lord. I have refrained my foot from every evil way Psal 119. 101. Their feet are swift to shed bloud Rom. 3. 15. The Soul hath no other way to come at that which it loves but only by its affections can the muck-worm bring his bags and his coffers to his Soul can the voluptuous man bring his dogges and his hounds and his bowls to his Soul No though his Soul loves such vanities as these it cannot move to them but only by its affections Currui similes sunt equis pernicibus affectus saies Lactantius The affections are the Souls horses that draw her as it were in a Coach to the thing that she affects a man is moved by his affections By Anger he moves out to revenge by Desire he moves out to obtain by Love he moves out to enjoy by Pity he moves out to relieve the affections are the motions of the Soul When the unbeleeving Jews had an affection of envy at Saint Paul the Text saies They were moved with Envy Act. 17. 5. so the Soul of the godly is moved with affection to God This is the first thing the affections are motions Secondly As the affections are motions so they are the motions of the will I know Aristotle and most of our Divines too doe place the affections in the sensitive part of the Soul and not in the will because they are to be seen in the beasts But this cannot be so for a mans affections do most stirre at a shame or disgrace which could not be if the affections were in the unreasonable sensitive part the unreasonable sensitive part of a man is not sensible of credit or esteem call the desires of the appetite greedy and gluttonish the appetite is senselesse of any disgrace and therefore the affections must needs be in the heart the Scripture places the affections in the heart or the will Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing 1 Thes 2 8. Saint Paul couples his affections and his will together in one and his affection that he had to the Thessalonians he seats in his will How could the Apostle command us to set our affections on God and the things that are above if the affections were in the sensitive and unreasonable part can a man make his material stomack to hunger after God or the thirst of his sentitive appetite to thirst after Christ alas the sentitive part is not capable of a command or precept No if the affections were only in the sensitive and material part of the soul then how could they be in the Angels the good Angels have affections all the essential parts of the affections and so have the bad The good Angels Which things the Angels desire to look into 1 Pe. 1. 12. The evil Angels or Devils The Devils beleeve and tremble Jam. 2. 19. I confesse there be certain animal and analogical affections that are
stone to her legge and as the bird would be offering to mount the stone pulled her down she had such a weight on her leg she could not fly up this good father fell a weeping to consider that so it was with men carnal men though perhaps they think to flie up to God by many good purposes they are still born down with their sinnes their affections are clog'd security deadnesse of heart self-love and love of the things here below like milstones made fast to their heels their affections cannot mount up to God Hast thou more affection to a game then a Sermon more affection to sit drinking in Ale-houses then to be reproved for thy sins more affection to a good booty then a good duty alas how canst thou set thine affections upon God thine affections are earthly affections and therefore they cannot be placed upon God Rom 1. 26. there reade of vile affections God gave up the Heathen to base and vile affections so these are base and vile and carnal affections that thou art given unto thine affections are malice and envy and revenge which cannot be set upon God they are worldly fears and worldly sorrows and worldly joys and worldly pleasures and worldly delights these are thine affections these can never be placed upon God They are vile affections too base and dishonourable to God Thine affections are lime-twig'd by Satan they cannot sore up unto God This is the first reason why a carnal man cannot set his affections upon God because his affections which are the wings of his soul are glued to the earth Secondly Affectus sunt inclinationes animae The affections are the inclinations of the Soul as a man is affected so he is inclined and therefore the affections in Scripture are called the bent of the soul My people are bent to backsliding from me Hos 11. 7. that is their affections to me are unstable unconstant and fickle How stands such a one bent as we say that is how stands he affected A man is bent to that which his affections are on now then is it possible that a carnal man should set his affections on God when his heart does not stand bent unto God the muck-worm his heart stands bent to the world the voluptuous his heart stands bent to his pleasures the proud man his heart stands bent to get credit and be well thought on the natural man stands bent to be carnal and earthy and how can such men set their affections on God when their hearts stand that way bent are thy affections bent that way that thy bent goes that way do thine affections go Thou art merry and jocond and joyful to day tell me what is it for is it because God is glorified by thee No No thy mirth and thy joy stand otherwise bent Thou hast been angry and revengeful what was it for was it because God is dishonoured and thy lusts have been violent Alas no thy anger and thy wrath stand otherwise bent thine affections are the bent and inclinations of thy heart and therefore if thou be inclined to things that are earthy thou canst not place thine affections upon God nothing can go against its own bent and inclination unlesse by the omnipotent power of the Spirit of Christ David knew this well enough that his affections could never be to God and his righteousnesse if his heart did not that way stand bent and therefore he praies God Incline not my heart to any evil thing Psal 141. 4. Let not mine affections be on any evil thing for then I should be that way inclined This is the second reason why a carnal men cannot set his affections upon God because the affections of the heart are the bent of the heart Thirdly Affectus sunt passiones animae saies Damascen The affections are the passions of the Soul When the heart is affected with a thing it lets in that thing and it suffers a change by that thing when a man is affected with anger at a wrong or an injury we say he is in a passion that is he lets in the wrong and there does his heart bite upon the wrong and chafe at it thus he is passionate When a man is affected with love to a pleasure he lets in the pleasure and suffers it to prevail on the heart now then a carnal man cannot set his affections upon God nor his Grace because he cannot let it in to prevail over his Soul he will not suffer it to enter can he be in a good passion for God can he be angry and cholerick to see how Gods Spirit is grieved can he be grieved at the lusts of his heart which he joyes in can he be zealous for Gods truth and for the beauty of holinesse Alas alas no He cannot let in these things into his heart nor Christ nor grace nor holinesse nor humility nor self-denyal nor any saving grace that is Christs can get entrance into his heart and therefore he cannot set his affections upon God When the Apostle had exhorted the Hebrews and now was concluding that he could exhort them no further he concludes on this manner And I beseech you brethren suffer the word of exhort ation Heb. 13. 22. He labours to work on their affections that they would let in his exhortations into their hearts he does not say Suffer me to exhort you for he had exhorted them already and had taken their leave but suffer it to enter into your hearts now if you be carnal thou wilt never suffer Gods counsels to enter you will never suffer the word of reproof neither will ye suffer a resignation Suppose we should pull down all the unnessary Ale-houses in the Parish would ye suffer it Suppose we should root out all your game-houses and the like would ye suffer it Suppose we should make every man pay his 12. pence a day for every time he is absent from Church and have all disorders punisht in the Town would ye suffer it Suppose we should come to your houses and exhort you and reprove you and tell you of your sins and labour to reform you and your families alas would ye suffer it No your passions will rise ye would be so farre from affecting these things as that your affections would be against them nay ye would be in passion against me carnal hearts cannot set their affections upon God why because the affections are passions as I have proved already and the soul doth suffer its affections The affections do alter the heart but a carnal heart will not be altered by the word nor by Christ nor suffer his graces to enter Fourthly Put the case a man set himself wrong Affectus sunt perturbationes animae The affections are the perturbations of the Soul if once they go wrong and the reins be laid on their necks they are like wilde horses to the soul to carry her whether she would not they are the disturbers of judgement and violent tyrants over the
that he hath unto Christ It 's true no wicked man in the earth hath his affections thus farre wrought on but it is marvellous to think how far a mans affections may be wrought on for Christ and yet be a carnal man It 's proved already he cannot set his affections on Christ but he may raise up his affections a good way towards Christ and now I will prove it First the ignicles and embers of right reason that God hath made natural to his heart may regulate his affections to be chast and sober and kinde and liberal and just and morally humble and patient and merciful c. and to observe the things contained in the Law Natural reason directs men to love their parents and their children and one another thus the very Heathen themselves guided their affections with Religion as it were the vertues of morality saies Aristotle they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They finde out a Medium or a golden mean in the affections and hold them unto it And therefore S. Paul knoweth thus much and how that some of the Heathen were so wicked that they would put out the light of their own reason and be drunk and lustful and proud and mercilesse and disobedient to parents he condemns them especially for this that they were without understanding and without natural affection Rom. 1 31. that is because they put out that natural reason and that natural affection that were in them Because their affections might have been naturally set upon those things Their very natural reason might have ruled their affections and set them upon vertues of morality So that thus farre thou maist go and yet be a carnalist thine affections may run to be civil and morally honest and the like natural reason may raise up thine affections from drunkennesse and lust and from natural injustice and from swearing and lying and filthinesse of speaking and the like I say natural reason may raise up thine affections from these Indeed it may be thine affections are violent and greedy and sensual to tempt thee to some of these sinnes but natural reason may take them off from such sinnes as these Are thine affections so vile as to follow thy blowzing and thy company-keeping we need not quote Scripture to convince thee thy material stomack cries out it is a sinne for it grumbles at it Thine eyes and thy legges and thy heels cry out it s a sinne for they doe betray it Look upon thy purse it cries against thee for it thou hast emptied Look upon thy Children and thy Wife they cry against it for them thou hast beggard Look upon thy fields and thy land and thy inheritance they cry against it for them thou hast morgaged and impaired Look upon the stinking dunghil it bids thee hold thy nostrils at the stinkingnesse of this sinne for there is thy spewing and thy vomiting and so of the rest of these sinnes natural reason may easily raise up thine affections from these Which if thou hast done already and art civil and moral thou art yet gone no further then a Naturian may go Thou maist do that and yet be a Carnalist Secondly Because thou hast more means then the means of bare nature thy knowledge out of the Word may raise up thy affections exceedingly knowledge may awe the heart and move it with the affection of fears that it go not against its own knowledge Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a just man Mar. 6. 20. Herod his affection was stirred with fear at the hearing of Iohn why he knew he was a good man and he knew it was just as he preached he knew it was God Word And therefore he feared not to obey him he was afraid to go against him Nay his affections were more raised then so he heard John gladly and did many things He was affected with joy at his Sermons and his affections were wrought on to break out into act and to doe many things I do not reade he struck at any thing but only his darling corruption His affections were so wrought on that it should seem he reformed many sins in his Court and many of his Courtiers he began to set up some worship of God in his Palace All this was by reason of knowledge he knew Iohn was a good Preacher he knew he preached the truth and the truth overpowred his affections Now he had no such elbow-room for to sinne as he had in his ignorance Now he fears to do many sinnes that before he feared not why because his knowledge was enlightned This is no argument that thou art a childe of God because thou reformest many things Alas thy knowledge is convinced thou must so the very devil himself was overpowred by his knowledge when the devil knew Christ was Christ â—e could not but confesse We know thee who thou art the holy one of God Mar. 1. 24. Happily thou fearest to go flatly against the Sermons thou hearest thou fearest to live so bad as thou didst happily thou rejoycest to hear the Bell ring to a Sermon and art glad to hear the preaching of a Minister happily thine affections are so wrought on that thou art moved to do many things not to suffer such potting and cupping in thy house as thou usedst not to endure such disorders in thy family as thou wert wont alas alas this is good yet and O that others were proficients thus farre this is further then many doe go but this thou mayst doe and yet be a Carnalist Thou knowest this is the truth of God and this stirres thine affections a little Thirdly God may be he hath quickned thy knowledge a little and quickned thy conscience and made it tell thee the horrour of thy sins and this may raise up thine affections many steps higher not only to mourn for thy sinnes and be full of the affections of sorrow but also to goe mournfully and sadly up and down to pull down thy proud looks to take on lamentably because of thy former iniquities As Ahab Thus the word made Ahab rend the very clothes off his back and fling off his royal robes and put on sackcloth in their room it made him have no minde to his meat but to fast yea to go softly too saies the Text 1 King 21. 27. When Ahab heard these words he tore off his clothes he abstained from his meat and went softly Ambulabat demisso capite that is he did not goe so proudly up and down with such a carere in the streets as before No he hung down his looks he went sadly and softly up and down as he went Thus farre too thou maist go in raising thine affections and yet be a Carnalist Thou maist be smitten in thy soul for thy sins as to go softly and sadly and mournfully up and down to have little lust to eat thy meat for thinking of thy sinnes to go poorly and meanly and have little minde to go bravely I say thine
and must we set them on God this may teach us one lesson by the way we that are Gods Ministers must take notice from hence how to qualifie our preaching namely to stir up the affections of mens hearts Every man sayes Rodolphus Agricola that hath any learning at all is able to teach but concutere affectibus audientem to shake mens affections and turn mens hearts he is an extraordinary man that can doe this after this manner was the preaching of our Saviour he did so move the affections of his hearers that the Text sayes they were astonished at his doctrine Mat. 7. 28. Why so the Exangelist makes answer in the next verse for he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes that is non ita frigidus ut Pharisaei he was not such a frigid and cold Teacher as the Pharisees and Scribes were the people sate like immoveable stocks in their seats when the Scribes were a teaching they were not moved a jot but our Saviour was a powerful Teacher he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes his Sermons were moving and forceable Iohn the Baptist wrought strongly on the affections of his Auditors they could not possibly hold but cryed outrâ—ght as they heard him The people askt him What shall we do the Publicans cryed out Master what shall we do the Souldiers also whose affections are as hard to be moved as any yet they cried out too and what shall we do Luk. 3. 14. This use is plainly grounded on my Text. Gods Ministers ye know are Gods Instruments to bring men to faith and repentance and reconcile them to God and therefore if this be your duty to set your affections on God we must labour to work on your affections to provoke you to doe it The reasons of it are these First Because the Word is full of affections full of affections of love to wooe a man to God full of affections of pity to yern upon men in their misery full of affections of terrour to terrifie the wicked and therefore that Minister that preaches not affectionately preaches but one half of the Word he preaches but the dead corps of the Truth as I may call it he does not preach the life and the soul of the truth The affections of a speech are the soul of a speech both make up the whole of the Word Is not my Word like unto fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rocks in peeces Ier. 23. 29. If the Word be a fire he that delivers it coldly delivers the Word otherwise then it is Would you not say that a man were ridiculous who when his neighbours house is on fire should go and coldly advise the Parish in this manner O my dear neighbours you should do well to look to your houses lest fire fall upon them as now of late I understood it hath done I pray let me perswade you to provide water otherwise all your goods and mine too will be consumed to ashes it is true that this man sayes but would not men deem him a fool the truth is the truth of affection and he leaves out the affection of the truth Nature hath taught us another course in such a case He would run crying into the street fire fire help help for the Lords sake water water in all haste alas alas we are undone quickly speedily run for ladders pull down this rafter here cut down that beam there untile the house what mean you stir hands arms legs hie thee for water run thee for iron crooks crows hooks buckets haste haste we are all undone Here now is the affection of the truth the like must a Minister do who knowing his people wallow in sin in the state of hell and damnation as many as go on in their courses he ought not with filed phrases and mellow-mouthed words nor with cold exhortations admonish his hearers but he must put in the affection of the Word in his Sermons he must cry fire fire the fire of hell is among you the fire is kindled sin is entred into the soul O the water of tears tears repentance repentance help your selves for Gods sake the devil stands ready to devour you death watches unawares to strike you hell-mouth gapeth to swallow you look about you stirre your selves and consider or ye perish in a moment Leave off your ryots down with your pleasures away with your vanities put on Christ quickly work out your salvation with fear and trembling See ye not men die daily before you on a sudden falling to hell haste haste flatter not your souls time is uncertain the danger is too certain the punishment eternal damnation is intolerable Thus must a Minister preach this truth It is a truth full of affection the affection must be delivered as well as the body of the truth All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are only evil c. Gen 6. 5. As this is a truth so there is a great deal of affection in this truth the affection of loathing Do we think when the Lord said it he said it coldly and nakedly all the imaginations c. No he said it with a great deal of affection of loathing c. O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. O that thou hadst known c. As this is a truth so there is a great deal of affection in this truth affection of pity There is a great deal of affection in every threatning a great deal of affection in every command a great deal of affection in every promise in every truth Christ does not bid us preach the letters and syllables and propositions of his Word but his Word Now my Word is like fire sayes God fire is the stirringest element of all elements and therefore if there be any feeling at all in you the Word is able to stir you even as if ye had a fire in your bowels Beloved either we that are Gods Ministers are unskilful to handle the Word or else ye are senselesse and stupid if ye do not sit upon hot coals for to hear it it will make the drunkards heart ake to hear what this Word sayes to him it will make the worldlings heart ake and the secure Christians heart ake The Word is fire Did not our hearts burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures Luk. 24. 32. The Word did so inflame their affections that their hearts burned to hear it Does not the godly heart burn to hear the sweetnesse of Gods promises and burn when the Scriptures are opened to direct thee And so on the other side does not the Usurers heart burn when the Scriptures are opened that rip up his sins Does not the carnal professors heart burn now and then as he sits when the Scriptures are opened to shew him his rottennesse there be such scorching texts in the Word texts of death texts of judgement texts of hell and damnation they may well make a wicked heart
desiring and sometimes hoping Thus thou livest and thus thou diest and perishest for ever through the intanglements The third head is taken from the degrees the affections are in in regard of other acts of the soul And here is a subdivision of heads 1. The affections provoke thoughts and therefore if the affections be earthy the thoughts are all earthy 2. The affections encrease lusts and therefore if the affections be carnal the lusts are all carnal 3. The affections inferre purposes and resolutions and therefore if the affections be to the things of this life the purposes and resolutions of the heart are so too 4. The affections inferre devisings and contrivings and therefore if the affections be vain so are the devices From all which thou mayst see the infinite misery thou art in if the affections be set here below First Because if thine affections be set here below so are thy thoughts When Saul had a treacherous affection unto David he made as though he did affect him so well as to make him his sonne in law it was a treacherous affection but the Text sayes so were his thoughts Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistims 1 Sam. 18. 25. As his affections were treacherous so his thoughts were in like manner treacherous The affections are the feet of the soul as I told you now when these feet run to evil so do the thoughts Their feet run to evil their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity Isa 59. 7. So that look what thine affections are to to that are thy thoughts You may remember what was proved to you of the thoughts if thou dost habitually set thy thoughts upon the things in this world to be thinking of thy sports and thy pleasures thine apparrel and thy fashions thy meat and thy drink thy means and thy living if thy thoughts be set hereupon thou art a man that never hast repented since thou wert born thou hast yet no part nor interest in Christ thou art yet no better then a damned wretch heir apparent of hell and everlasting destruction Thus it is with thee if thy thoughts be habitually thus set but if thine affections be set here below so without question are thy thoughts 1. Because if thine affections be earthy so are thy thoughts the affections provoke thee to be thinking of such things as thou hast most minde to Haman did mightily affect honour and therefore his thoughts ran upon his honor and promotion The King had no sooner said what shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour but presently his thoughts were agog Haman thought in his heart whom would the King honour but me Esth 66. When Haman was affected with wrath against Mordecai instantly such were his thoughts He thought scorn sayes the Text Est 3. 6. David speaking of his enemies that were ill-affected against him he sayes that their thoughts were against him all their thoughts are against me for evil Psal 56. 5. So that if thine affections be carnal thy thoughts are carnal and thou canst not think seriously of the good of thy soul Come and let me think seriously how do I think to be saved may not a reprobate pray as well as I pray hear the Word as well as I hear it beleeve as well as I beleeve Did not wicked Esau that sought a place for repentance carefully with tears repent as well as I Had not cursed Balaam as good meanings as I he would not for a houseful of silver and gold go beyond the commandment of God Alas alas your carnal affections will not suffer you to think seriously of your souls Hast thou ever thought seriously whether thou beest a new creature or no whether Christ be in thee yea or no what if I should die now have I evidences for Heaven yea or no The Scripture saies thus and thus so and so they must live that look to be saved do I live so God sayes such and such shall be damned namely all that live in any known sin God cannot lie Is there never a sin I know I live in poor woful soul thy carnal affections have not suffered thee to think seriously of these things since thou wert born May be now and then thou hast some loose thoughts of some such matters stragling thoughts glancing running thoughts of thy soul and of heaven and of death but thou never dost seriously think of them No thine earthly affections doe provoke thy thoughts otherwise thy affections have such influence into thy thoughts that Macarius cals them affections Is not this then a pitiful condition to set our affections here below to be drawn away from thinking seriously of our souls they drive thee to hell and will not permit thee to think seriously whither thou goest till thou art there O grievous condition will a prisoner that is condemned to be hanged to morrow be thinking how he may get him new clothes and a new suit will he be thinking how he may purchase how he may have a good supper If he be thinking on such things when he shall be hanged to morrow for all that he knows he is sure he is condemned and the gallows is built and the halter is provided and if he get not a pardon it is certain he shall be executed and he knows not yet whether ever he shall get it may be he may if he seek hard if he now be thinking of pleasures and profits and the like when his life lies at the stake you will say he is wofully affected with these things and wilt thou be so affected with the things of this life when thou mayst be in hell to morrow thou art sure the sentence of damnation is upon thee yet and thou shalt surely be damned being as thou art wilt thou I say be thinking of eating and drinking and playing and buying and selling and trading and the like alas thou art yet but a damned man Take no thought sayes Christ what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink but seek ye first the kingdom of God Matth. 6. 33. Let not the condemned prisoner take thought for a supper but take thought how he may save his neck from the rope This is the first if thine affections be carnal so are thy thoughts Secondly Because if thine affections be carnal so are thy lusts It 's true a godly man hath carnal lustings for he is partly flesh but then he hath good lustings too for he is partly spirit the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrary the one to the other so that he cannot do so well as he would Gal. 5. 17. he hath sinful lustings but he hath spiritual lustings to crucifie them but if thine affections be earthy thy lusts be all earthy nay thy lusts they are ripened and strengthened The carnal lusts properly and especially are the first offer of the heart unto carnal affections So that when they
to enlarge his kingdom and his power the reason is this he affects it One would wonder how Baals Priests cut themselves after their manner with knives and with lancers till the bloud gushed out upon them 1 Kin. 18. 28. the reason was this they affected will-worship Any thing is easie when a man does affect it wouldst thou perswade a man to any hardship under heaven do but turn his affections unto it and thou hast prevailed Flectere est victoriae sayes Austin do but bend a mans affections and thou hast prevailed with him O sayst thou I finde it so hard to be heavenly so hard to be zealous so hard to depend upon God what is the reason of this thine affections are earthly if thine affections were set right it would be the easiest of ten thousand My heart hath such a haunt and I finde it so hard to break my self of it I am cholerick and I finde it so hard for to bridle it I am poor and afflicted and I finde it so hard for to bear it alas alas it is the easiest thing in the world if thine affections were to it Wouldest thou not be glad to count it to be easie to serve God easie to walk in all holinesse no such treasure as to live at ease as we say I know thou wouldest be glad to finde it easie to abandon thy corruptions and please God better then thou dost O labour then to set thine affections on God and all things are easie Should we perswade thee to part with thy geegaws thou art so loth it is a hard task to perswade thee that is because thou wilt be proud still should we perswade thee to discard wicked company out of thy house thou keepest an Alehouse and thou art loth to thrust them forth of thy house that is because thou wouldest fain have their custome thine affections are that way and therefore it is not easie to perswade thee but set thine affections aright and every difficulty is easie The second motive is taken from the shamelessenesse of the affections If thou beest once deeply affected with any thing thou wilt never be ashamed of it See a proud phantasticall fool that affecteth his long locks and his love-lock Every one that is sober-minded and sees him is ready to say what a humerous fool is yonder man what a ruffian he is how like a Mastiffe or a Bedlam does he look yet the fool is not ashamed thereof because he affects it See a light-headed wretch that is ever a fooling and ever a jesting and ever a toying and playing and this sport and that sport Every grave man that beholds him is apt for to say what a vain man is this I never saw such a light-headed sot in my life yet the wretch is not ashamed thereof because he affects it The swearer swears and is not ashamed the worldling covets and is not ashamed the mocker mocks and is not ashamed though every man in his wits that does view them marvels at their madnesse and how desperate they be all cry shame on them yet they are not ashamed because they affect it Thou hast a whores forehead thou refusest to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. The whore whose affections are set on her lovers and her adulterers cannot be ashamed but she dares go on for all the shame of the earth why because she affects them Nero was not ashamed of his villanies in the open market of Rome Vespasian was not ashamed of his stinking coveteousnesse by urine If it be thus O why dost thou not set thine affections on God and on Christ and his laws thou couldest never be ashamed hereof if once thou didst truly affect them When Davids affections were stirred to dance before the Ark of God and put off his garment to do it the better fie upon thee fie upon thee sayes Micol fie for shame what art thou not ashamed to make thy self vile on this fashion I will be more vile yet sayes he if this be vilenesse to rejoyce before God if this be esteemed a vilenesse I will be more vile yet he could not be ashamed because his affections were set upon Gods Ark. Out you Puritan you are a vile companion to be so precise as you are you must be reproving and talking of the Scripture upon every occasion out you hypocrite you are you not ashamed to do thus No no he is not ashamed he can never be ashamed if this be to be a Puritan to be holy and strict against sin I will be more a Puritan yet If this be to be an hypocrite to be labouring to draw others from their lusts I will be a more hypocrite yet If this be singularity not to do as the men of this world do I will be more singular yet I will speak of Gods testimonies and it were before Kings and I will not be ashamed Psal 119. 46. Impudence and not to be ashamed is a very great matter if it be in sin it is desperate it is a sign a man is desperately affected towards sinne but if it be in good it is admirable it is a holy kinde of impudence it is a sign a man is deeply affected towards good so affected that nothing can make him ashamed Never will a man be ashamed of that which he affects fie for shame will you be rich and take in such profits will you be in such credit fie will you be a Lord and a Nobleman in such honor will you be learned and gather so much knowledge He conceives they are all fools that say so though peradventure they do not affect such things yet he does and therefore he will not be ashamed of them So if thine affections be set upon Christ thou wilt never be ashamed of his crosse never ashamed of his badge never ashamed of his Word The children of the devil are not ashamed of their abominations they can drink and be drunken and vomit and reel and not be ashamed they can be proud and carnal and have no more religion in them then the stock and not be ashamed Agesilaus will not be ashamed of his halting Philopaemenes will not be ashamed of his deformednesse when they hold it their credit to be thus as they were O therefore set thine affections on God and thou shalt never be ashamed of his waies The third motive is taken from the hankeringnesse of the affections Look what thou settest thine affections upon that thou wilt hanker after If thou set thine affections on the things of this life thy heart will so hanker after them that they will haunt thee whatever thou goest about they will haunt thee at prayer time and haunt thee at Church time they will haunt thee in the Sabbath and haunt thee at the Sacrament like the Fly in Albertus that was ever hankring after the bald head though he flapt it off again and again yet still it would be hankring he could never be rid of it it would still be a
hankring Who would be thus troubled with his affections he cannot go by an Alehouse but his affections water to go in he cannot see a pair of Tables but his affections hanker after a game he cannot meet with an injury but his affections itch to revenge he cannot speak well nor do any thing which is commendable but his affections must be swelling with pride Who I say would be thus troubled with his affections Though God had forbid Lots wife to look back upon pain of his heavy displeasure neverthelesse her affections did so hanker after her house and her countrey and her ancient acquaintance that she looked behinde her Gen. 19. 26. Her carnall affections did so haunt her every step she took that they never lind till that she lookt back They are greedy dogs they look to their own way Isa 56. 11. Thine affections if they be not set right they are like greedy dogs in the Kitchin that are ever looking to the platters be the Mistresse eye never so little off they are licking instantly So thine affections are ever hankering after that which thou affectest and therefore thou art best to set thine affections on God for look where they are set there they will be hankering If ever thy heart be turned to God and thine affections converted to him they will ever be hankring and looking after God At that day shall a man look to his maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel Isa 17. 7. At that day that is when God shall convert them then their hearts shall ever be hankring and looking after God O then set thine affections on God if thou desirest thy heart should hanker after God Thou art yet no better then a wretch till thus it be with thee If thine affections be ever hankering after thy pleasures and thy copesmates and thy vanities thou art never well but when thou art at them The Sermon is quickly tedious and prayer tedious and godly discourses are tedious unto thee why because thy minde hankers about othergates matters as long as it is thus thou canst not be saved Look unto me sayes Christ and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45. 22. Ye can never be saved unlesse ye hanker and look after me sayes the Lord as the Heliotrope or the turn-sol that ever looks towards the Sun so a gracious heart does after the Lord. God counts it an honour unto him that the soul should be ever a hankering and ever a looking after him Aestimari nos put amus toties quoties aspici sayes Seneca it is a true saying we think we are esteemed when men do look after us So God counts it an honour to his Majesty when our souls do hanker and look after him It is true the things of this life may chance to draw away our mindes now and then and make us look after them but if we have any grace so much as a grain of mustard-seed our souls will ever be hankering and looking after God So it was with Ionas though his corruptions had made him to look off from God neverthelesse he could not abide to be in that case his heart is again looking and hankering after God oh for the light of his countenance oh for his grace and his Spirit oh for power and strength yet to be resolute for God Yet will I look again towards thy holy Temple Ionah 2. 4. Let God afflict me I cannot but look to him let God fling me into the Whales belly I cannot but hanker after him let him cast me into the belly of hell yet will I look again sayes he his affections were set upon God and therefore did his heart ever hanker and look after God This is a sweet motive to perswade us if we would once set our affections on God our souls would ever hanker and look after God The fourth motive is taken from the spurrings of the affections they spur a man to that he affects they are animi calcaria as Melancthon does call them they are as it were the spurs of the soul What is the reason that men go on in any businesse like lazie jaded Asses sayes Vives because they have no affection to it What is the reason they go so sluggishly on to good duties they sit so senselesly still in seats at a Sermon they kneel so lumpishly and dead-heartedly in prayer to God because they have no spurs in their sides they have no affection to these things Now if we would set our affections on God we would feel in our bosomes a certain spur that spurs us to every good word and work a gracious heart is said to stir up it self Exod. 36. 2. God counts those prayers no prayers that are not full of these spurrings and stirrings there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee Isa 64. 7. Dost thou call upon God and hast thou no spurrings nor stirrings in the duty dost thou not spur up thy self to pray with good life the Lord sayes thou dost not call upon his name at all As ever thou desirest to be stirred up and spurred on to good exercises set thine affections on God they are the spurs of the soul the soul goes cheerfully on when it goes with affection The fifth motive is taken from the heartinesse of the affections and therefore the heart is many times and often in Scripture put for the affections My heart sayes Deborah is towards the Governours of Israel Iud. 5 9 that is mine affection is towards them O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged 2 Cor. 6. 11. that is our affections are enlarged Look whatever thou affectest thy heart is set upon it this motive is strong to perswade for if the affections be in a manner the very heart of the soul this may well move us to set our affections upon God wilt thou settle thy heart any where else but only upon God O how hainously does the Lord take it at thy hands that thou hast no more heart unto him He gives thee his Word and thou hast no heart to it he gives thee his Sabbath and thou hast no heart to it he gives thee his Sacrament and his Ordinances and his Sanctuary and his Commandments and thou hast no heart to them O the Lord is so angry with thy soul that he cals thee a fool and a sot and he repents that ever he hath vouchsafed these things to such wretches as thou art Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisedom seeing he hath no heart to it Prov. 17. 16. Wherefore sayes God and to what end is a price put into your hand to get wisedom Ye might have gotten wisedom a long time or ere now how to be new creatures and in Christ how to get grace and peace and mercy with God ye have had abundance of prices put into your hands a price
doth affect most How often is God in Scripture called the most High the most High Act. 7. 48. if he be the most high then the most high of every act and of every affection must be for him The very Heathen call God Deus optimus maximus God the most good and the most great so likewise he is the most terrible and the most holy and the most just and therefore the most of our affections must needs be due unto him Zeal is the most of every one of the affections and that only is sutable to God The affections must be sutable to the thing we affect but nothing of all the affections is sutable to God besides zeal for zeal is the most of every one of them Thirdly As zeal is the most of every affection so it is the peculiar pitch of every affection There cannot be two mosts The superlative degree cannot be two Doctissimus properly is a term peculiar to one body the most learned man in the world is a peculiar word peculiar to one There may be ten learned a thousand learned there may be many learned but most learned is a peculiar title So zeal being the most of the affections it must needs be peculiar to some one thing which cannot be any other but God Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purchase to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. Those people that are zealous of good works ye see they are people peculiar to Christ They can be no other people but Christs people that are zealous of good works No people under heaven are truly zealous of good works but only his people This is peculiar to Christ to have such people because zeal is peculiarly due unto him Thou canst not possibly be one of Gods people if thou beest not zealous for God A zealous beleever and a zealous repenter and a zealous professor zealous in praying and zealous in hearing the Word Zealous people are peculiar people to Christ Under love and under joy and under hope and under fear are not peculiarly due unto God For I may love my health too and I may delight in the blessings of this life and I may fear a temporary evil I may lend mine under affections to some things else besides God but my zeal being the most of my affections must be given to God zeal is peculiar to him Thou art a worldling then thou art none of Gods if thou beest not zealous for him Thou art of thy father the devil thou art none of Gods unlesse thou be zealous to him Zeal is his peculiar Fourthly As zeal is the peculiar pitch of every affection so it is the most spending part of the affections A man must spend himself upon nothing but God nothing else will quit charges Now zeal is the spendingest strain of every affection It most spendeth the spirits it most busieth the body you may gather what a spending thing zeal is by the passage in the Psalmist David sayes thus My zeal hath consumed me because my enemies have forgotten thy words Psa 119. 139. David was so zealous for God that he did even spend himself to see how his enemies dishonoured his God A childe of God is like a faithful servant to his Master he is willing to spend himself in his service So he is content to spend himself in his employments for God Paul when God employed him for the souls of the Corinthians he sayes thus I will gladly spend and be spent for you why what was the reason I abundantly love you sayes he 2 Cor. 12. 15. that is he was zealous in his love to their souls God had employed him for the good of their souls and he was so zealous in this employment that he could even spend himself and be spent for them And indeed zeal it self is a very spending thing Thou art the devils Martyr that spendest thy self upon the things of this life thou art so wedded thereto that thou spendest thy parts and thy wits hereabouts thou spendest thy thoughts and thy time hereupon thou spendest thy self and thy spirits this way The voluptuous man spends himself as much at his sports as a Minister spends himself in a Pulpit as a godly man spends himself in good duties As for Gods Service thy prayers are so cold and so negligent that thou spendest thy self not at all in them Thy repentance is so overly it spends thee never a jot to go thorow it thou art so eager after thy pleasures they spend thee so earnest after the world that spends thee because thou art zealous about such things But it is otherwise with thee in the Service of God This is another strong reason why zeal is due properly to God because a man must spend himself upon nothing so much as upon pleasing of God and doing his will and seeking his glory It is true he may spend himself in his calling But the greatest part of the spending lieth in this that he may walk with God in his calling He spendeth himself in be labouring his heart to work in obedience to follow his businesses with faith to go about his earthly employments as before God to glorifie God in all his waies A man may ground himself upon nothing so much as upon God Zeal to God makes him a kinde of Martyr for Christ Fifthly As zeal is the spending part of all the affections so likewise zeal is the impatient part of all the affections It is true we may desire a good report among men but our affections must not be impatient if we cannot have it without bating an inch of a good conscience our desire must be patient without it We may grieve for a losse or a trouble but our affection must not be impatient if we see Gods providence hath sent it our grief must be patient under it We may affect these outward blessings of God but our affections must be patient of a privation but our affections must be zealous to God because zealous affections are impatient of the contrary We must so hate sinne against God as to be impatient to endure it so fear to offend him as to be impatient of any boldnesse that way So love the glory of God as to be impatient of any dishonour to his Name so zealous to reprove sinne in a neighbour as not to suffer sinne in him Thou shalt rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne on him Lev. 19. 7. that is thou shalt be zealous in rebuking A high look and a proud heart I will not suffer Psa 101. 5. that is I will be zealous against it I have not suffered my mouth to sin Iob. 13. 30. that is I have been zealous in the ruling of my tongue Zeal is the impatient part of all the affections look what thine affections do zealously affect they will not suffer the contrary And therefore the zeal of thine affections must be unto God Indeed