THis Name Affec­tion, Affection, what it sig­nifies. in our com­mon Occasions, vsually impor­teth these three things.

First, either those De­sires and Motions to such seuerall Obiects as are of­fered in the world, whe­ther [Page] they be good, or bad, and so it is a terme con­uertible with Appetite. Genes. 3. 16.

Secondly, or else it is vsed in a more restrayned sense, to expresse our de­sires to good things.

Or, thirdly it extends it selfe, to expresse those ma­nifold passions of the mind which are the fuell to our desires, & bellowes there unto, which by the Sto­ikes were called perturba­tions, as conceiuing them not to stand with the tranquilitie of the minde, to interrupt and disgrace the same. By others, are called the Passions thereof: as discouering a more vio­lent working of the same, [Page 2] or some great violence offered thereunto. And are vsually called Affecti­ons, as expressing the seue­rall affects and desires of the mind, in the outward man. In which sense the holy Ghost calls them Members (Mortifie there­fore your earthly members: Col. 3. 4.) as by a figura­ [...]iue speech signifying, that these affections exercise Meta [...]mia subiecti. [...]hemselues in our earthly [...]embers, as vsing them [...] the expressing thereof; [...] Ioy and Sorrow by the Countenance; Feare and Hope, by the Hands and [...]eet; Anger by the whole Body, &c. And in this [...]ense we take them in this Treatise, and so doe pro­secute [Page] them, first generally in this first Booke, & the [...] particularly, according to their seuerall Distinctions hereafter.

AFfections are distin­guished, The diuisi­on of Affe­ctions, 1. in respect of the Obiect. in regard o [...] the Obiect, or Extent.

Touching the Obiect all Affections and Pertur­bations may be reduced to two Heads: eyther Simple, such as haue no mixture of any other per­turbations; [Page 3] or Compound, such as are deriued of o­ther.

The simple Affections are of two sorts.

First, Primitiue, which are the ground of all the rest.

Secondly, Deriuatiue, such as are deriued from those Primitiues.

The Primitiue Affecti­ons are two: namely,

Loue, whereby wee ve­hemently 1. Loue. affect a thing; and

Hate, being a vehement 2. Hate. affection of disliking.

The simple deriuatiue Affections arise from the Primitiue: as,

From Loue, and liking of Good,

[Page] If it be present, procee­deth Ioy. 3. Ioy.

If it be to come, Hope. 4. Hope.

From Dislike, and hate of Euill,

If it be present, ariseth Griefe, and heauinesse of 5. Griefe. heart.

If it be a future Euill, then Feare riseth from 6. Feare. the mislike of Hate. And these I take to be all the simple Perturbations.

The Compound are such as haue part of the simple, by mixture, and that ei­ther of the Primitiue sim­ple, or the Deriuatiue, and of the Primitiues, with sim­ples onely, or mixed with Deriuatiues.

Such as are mixed of Primitiues onely, are ey­ther [Page 4] vnequally mixed, of Loue, and Liking, or of Mislike, and Hate: or mixed equally of them.

Of the first sort, taking more part of liking, is the 7. Laugh­ter. Affection of Laughter: Wherewith, wee with some discontentmēt, take pleasure at that, which is done or said ridiculously: of which sort, are Deeds and Words vnseemely, or vnmeet, and yet moue no compassion: as when one scaldeth his mouth with an hot Pie, &c. Wee are discontented with the hurt, yet ioy at the Euent vnexpected by the party, and that we haue escaped it: from whence com­meth Laughter. Which, [Page] because it exceedeth the mislike of the Thing that hurteth, bursteth out into vehemencie on that side, and procureth that merry Gesture.

If on the other side, the thing be such, as the mi­slike exceedeth the Ioy we haue of our freedome from that euill, then ari­seth Pitie, and Compassi­on. And these Perturba­tions take their beginnings 8. Pitie. of the Primitiues, vne­qually mixed: whereby one of them doth after a sort obscure the other.

The other, are such as haue equall Mixture, and those are Enuie and Iea­lousie.

If the thing we loue, be [Page 5] such, as we haue not part of, then springeth an Hate or mislike of the party, who inioyeth that we want, and like of, and so breedeth Enuy, a griefe 8. Enuie whar. for the prosperitie of ano­ther, or good successe what­soeuer, wherein we haue no part.

If it be such a benefit as we enioy, and are grieued it should be communica­ted to others, and where­un we refuse a partner, this is called Iealousie, incident 9. Ielousie. to Amorettoes, and aspi­ring Natures: and these are compounded of the Primitiues alone, like, or mislike, loue, or hate.

Those which are mixed of Primitiues and Deriua­tiues, [Page] are of two sorts, ac­cording as the Primitiues, that is to say, mixed of loue, or hate.

Now loue mixed with 10. Trust. 11. Distrust Hope, breedeth Trust: With Loue and Feare, Di­strust.

Hate, or Mislike, com­pounded with Hope, bree­deth Anger: whereby we 12. Anger. are displeased with that which misliketh vs, and in hope of being satisfied of that which offered the mislike: are driuen to Anger, the Affection of Reuenge.

If it bee any thing, wherein wee haue dis­pleased our selues, it is called Shame. 13. Shame.

If it bee compounded [Page 6] with Feare, it is called 14. Bashful­nesse. Bashfulnesse.

If the dislike bee taken from another, the com­position is of Hate and Anger, and thereof spring­eth Malice. 15. Malice.

These are Perturbati­ons, compounded of Pri­mitiue passions, with their deriuatiues.

Of Deriuatiues betwixt themselues, arise Despaire, 16. Despaire and confident Assurance.

Despaire is compoun­ded of Heauinesse, Griefe, and Feare.

Confidence, of Ioy and 17. Confi­dence. Hope.

Out of Hope, and Faith, Patience. 18. Pati­ence.

Thus in generall of the distribution of Affections, [Page] in regard of their seuerall grounds, nature, and com­parison betweene them­selues.

Secondly, Affections may be deuided, in regard of 2: In re­spect of the Extent. their Extent: as some con­cerne only this life.

As first, all such as con­cerne Euill, as Hate, Feare, Griefe, Iealousie, Pitie, Laughter, Enuie, Anger, Shame, Bashfulnesse, Ma­lice, Despaire, &c.

Secondly, some such as concerne Good: which be­cause it cannot be perfect­ly attayned in this life, therefore some Affections there are, which tend to the obtaining thereof, and perfitting of the same: as Faith, Hope, Patience, and Compassion.

[Page 7] Others concerne both his life and the life to come, as Ioy and Loue.

COncerning the Cau­ses 1. Of Phi­losophers, which de­riue from the Humors of Perturbations, there are two contrarie O­pinions: One of the Philo­sophers, that conceiued all perturbations to arise frō the Complexions, or Hu­mours, that is, from the bodie and carnall part of man.

The other is of Diuines, 2. Diuines, from the Soule. that hold all perturbati­ons, howsoeuer they may [Page] be occasioned, from the diuers Temperatures of Nature, yet to proceede immediately from the dis­position of the Diuine Soule, either qualified with grace, and so expressing the same in the further ayme and imployment of such Af­fections, as tend to good, or else oppressed with cor­ruption, and so discoue­ring it selfe in those Affec­tions of Malice, Enuie, &c.

This latter to be true, appeareth first by the O­peration From the Soule pro­ued. of the Soule in these perturbations, with­out the vse of Senses, as in dreams: secōdly, as also by the cōtrary temper of Dis­eased parties, whē such hu­mours [Page 8] doe most abound, as in the Iaundize, though Choller abound, yet there [...]s least signe vsually of An­ger: thirdly, & especially seeing these are Euils of sinne, therefore seeing the Soule is the immediate subiect of sinne, and not the Body, the Body acci­dentally sinnes for the Soules sake: it must needs follow, that these Affecti­ons proceede from the Soule, and not the Bo­die, not the Humours, &c.

And therefore, though Answ. to Obiect. the Soule seeme to follow the temperature of the bo­dy, in regard, that the bo­dy being out of temper, the minde also fareth ac­cordingly: [Page] yet neither is this generall, but onely in some persons, and vpon some occasions. Neither that, that it may only at all be so referred to the bo­dy, as that it doth actually worke vpon the soule, ma­king it suffer thereby. But either this falls out, in re­gard How the Soule suf­fers from the Body. of the neere coniun­ction of the soule and bo­dy, the soule sympathi­zing herein with the bo­dy, as a louing compa­nion: or the Iustice of the Lord, by this out­ward chastisement of the body, arrests the soule, to giue vp it account, or af­fects the same in mercie, to renue repentance: It being a certaine ground, [Page 9] that the soule is the onely [...]d prime mouer of the [...]ody, and all the actions [...]hereof: so that it were [...]onstrous and preposte­ [...]ous, that the body should [...]oue any such Affections [...] the soule, contrary to it [...]mmortall and impassible [...]ature.

And therefore howsoe­ [...]er the wisedome of flesh was enforced to acknow­ [...]edge the Immortalitie of [...]he soule, both in that the [...]nward power thereof, in [...]ccusing, and excusing sinne, necessarily reacheth beyond this life: And it [...]aturall light soaring a­ [...]oue these earthly things, doth argue plainely some further happinesse to be­long [Page] thereto, then to this life is incident: yea, th [...] not satisfaction thereof in any earthly thing what­soeuer, doth plainely eui­dence, that there is some further happinesse to con­tent the same: yet seeing this Light serueth onely to make inexcusable, as appeareth by the contrary practise of men to their knowledge, therefore hath it beene iustly giuen vp to such dotages, and bloc­kish imaginations: which, though they crosse euen naturall light, yet they may serue to the satisfacti­on of the flesh, that so en­ioying herein a shew of happinesse, they might be preuented of the search of [Page 10] [...]he true happinesse, which [...]oncernes the Life to [...]ome.

And hence arose these [...]range and contrarie O­ [...]inions Ground of these false Conceits, concerning Affections. concerning the Affections, according to [...]hose diuers Models and [...]deas of happinesse which [...]he wise men of the world [...]amed to themselues. For whereas the Stoikes placed 1. Stoikes. [...]heir happinesse in such a [...]ind of tranquilitie, and [...]eace of the mind, which [...]ight rather be senselesse [...]f euill, then sensible of any [...]ood, because they had no [...]se, nor experience of Grace, to the subduing of [...]heir affections, and orde­ [...]ing them to the true ob­ [...]ects and ends: therefore [Page] in their carnall wisedome they coniected such a kind of senselesse happinesse, as might be free from all af­fections: As esteeming them to be no better then Perturbations, tending to disturbe the peace of their minds, that so they might put out that light of con­science, expressed in the Affections, and accusing them of Enill, whereby they were bound to the punishment of another life, and so thereby con­firme their imaginarie happinesse in the things of this life. VVherein, though they did not ob­scurely discouer their no­tion of the soules immor­talitie, in that they labou­red [Page 11] hereby to preuent that vse of conscience which conuinced the same, by the sense of future punish­ment due thereto: so here­in also did they plainely proue the wisedome of the flesh to be enmitie a­gainst God, & their owne saluation, in that they pla­ced happinesse in such a benummed and senselesse an estate, which of all o­ther was farthest from true happinesse, as hauing no feeling nor comfort there­of, and by it sense lessenes in euill prooued necessarily the high way to most cer­taine condemnation, as seruing to make vp the measure of sinne. And like vnto these, is the con­ceit [Page] of the Libertines, who mis-conceiuing the powe [...] and application of Christ, as if he came to take away onely the sense of sinne, and not the power and guilt of it, doe therefore hereby measure their inte­rest in Christ, that they are senselesse in sinne, com­mit it most greedily with­out any remorse, and wal­low most securely and desperately therein.

Thus as the Stoike and Libertine placed their happinesse in meere stu­piditie and blockishnesse, so the Epicure on the con­trary, placing happinesse in the sense, and in such things as might best affect the same, for the enioying [Page 12] of present delight, and car­ [...]all appetite, as esteeming it no happinesse, which is [...]ot by sense enioyed: [...]onceiued therefore so [...]nely of the soule, that it [...]erued onely as salt, to keepe the body from pu­ [...]rifying, and make it sen­ [...]ible of delight, and so [...]oncluded of the Affecti­ [...]ns, as to be onely the ef­ [...]ects of the Complexions [...]nd Humors of the body, [...]eruing onely to expresse [...]heir naturall inclinations [...]nd operations, to the sa­ [...]isfying of the Flesh: 2. Epicure, and his confusion. Wherein, as they plainely discouered their estrang­ing from the life of God, through the ignorance that was in them, in their confi­ning [Page] their Affections to [...] carnall and senselesse pa [...] of nature: I meane, th [...] body, separated from th [...] soule, whereby they v [...] ­terly excluded themselue [...] from all true notion o [...] the Deitie, from all tru [...] fellowship with Him which is onely attayne [...] by the Mind and Affect [...] ­ons thereof: so in thi [...] their prostituting of thes [...] noble affects of the diuin [...] soule to the guide & lur [...] of corruptible flesh: eue [...] wherein they seemed t [...] bee wise, they becam [...] fooles, cōfounding them­selues in their owne ima­ginations, and ouerthrow­ing that sensuall happi­nesse which they fancied [Page 13] herein. For whereas they placed their chiefe happi­nesse in the sense & feeling of carnall delights, Let vs [...]at and drinke, for to mor­ [...]ow 1. Cor. 15 we shall die; they did vtterly depriue them­selues of that which they most aymed at, namely, [...]o enioy the sense & com­ [...]ort of these sensuall meanes: in that they deri­ [...]ed and placed these af­fections only from and in [...]he complexions and hu­ [...]ours, which of them­selues are altogether void of sense, and appetite. Wherein, as they altoge­ [...]her bewrayed their igno­ [...]ance of the true happi­ [...]esse, and so iustly depri­ [...]ed themselues thereof, in [Page] that they placed it onely in the enioying of suc [...] corruptible things, which end with this life: so, how­soeuer their mayne ayme herein was, that by impu­ting these perturbations to complexions and humours, they might hereby con­clude a determining of sinn [...] with this life, and so a [...] hope of the determining [...] punishment. (seeing these affections ending heere the other which proceede [...] therefrom, must necessa­rily end also:) or else, see­ing these humours are im [...] ­patible, senselesse, &c. therefore sinne procee­ding hereof, must neede [...] be a meere priuation, a nullitie, &c.

[Page 14] Yet as herein they dis­couered themselues to be without God, and so with­out hope of the life of Glo­rie: so hereby they made vp more speedily the mea­sure of their sinne, and so were led like fooles vnto the Stocks, and Oxen to the Shambles.

Wherein, that they might make vp the mea­sure of their damnation.

Behold herein a further delusion of the Sadduces, 4. Sadduces. imagining, that these car­nall Affections shal accom­panie vs to Heauen; that the Happinesse thereof consists onely in satisfy­ing our carnall appetites, that so we need not make scruple of them; nay, that [Page] we may giue the bridle most freely vnto them: as beeing the next way to haue an Heauen vppon Earth, to prepare our selues on Earth vnto Hea­uen.

Thus the Wisdome of the Flesh, as it is enmitie against God, so it iustly proues i [...] Rom. 8. 7. owne confusion. And therefore it being appa­rant by that which hath beene said before, that our Affections cannot pro­ceed immediately from the Complexions, or Humours, but from the Diuine Spirit; these grounds may be further added, by way of conclu­sion, for the confirmation hereof.

[Page 15] As first, that the Affec­tions in wicked Men, euen 3. Reasons proouing, that they arise from the mind. in the best complexions, and temper of the body, euen when they are fur­thered with all outward contentments, to the sa­tisfying of the flesh, as in the best measure of health and outward prosperitie, are then most vile & out­ragious. Whether wee consider such Affections as concerne the acting of sinne; as appeares in the pursuit of our Lust, Re­uenge, or such like: or take notice of such as con­cerne the punishment there­of, as Feare, Horror, and the like. As appeared in Bel­shazz [...]r, Dan. 5. in the midst of his greatest riot, and pom­pous [Page] Excesse. Which plainely argues, that they follow the temper of the Minde, and not the con­dition of the Body.

As also, on the other side, the Affections of the godly, in the worst consti­tution, and condition of the Body, and Outward Estate, are yet notwith­standing, by the grace of God ruling in the heart, made more pure and tem­pera [...]e, more conformable to the will of God, more fitted to the right end.

Secondly, vnto which if wee adde, that it is the Tit. 2. 11. Grace of God only (where­of the Soule is only capa­ble) that altereth and pur­geth our affections of their [Page 16] corrupt and pestilent qua­lities, and so turneth them to their contrary and pro­per Obiects; as, Slauish Feare, into Filiall Feare, Carnall loue, into the loue of God, and goodnesse, &c. By this it necessarily fol­loweth, that our Affecti­ons proceed immediately from the Soule, and haue their residence therein.

Thirdly, if wee shall consider, that our most principall and noblest Af­fections, of Loue and Ioy, are not determined and perfited in this life, but doe accompanie vs after death; as whereby we ex­presse our enioying of e­ternall Happinesse, euen when the body lyes rot­ten [Page] in the Graue: this is a plaine euidence, that they arise out of the Soule, as their proper Fountaine.

ANother speciall helpe to constant Obedi­ence.

Here obserue First these generall Rules concerning Affections, in Rules for iudging hereof. regard of iudging there­of.

That they are not sim­ply to bee discerned by 1. Their condition. themselues, as being in themselues, for the most [Page 17] part, not simply good, or euill: but as they depend vpon their true Grounds, affect their proper Ob­iects, and ayme at their right Ends.

And therefore Know wee, that the true 2. Their true ground ground of all holy Affecti­ons, is sound Knowledge of Prou. 19. 2. the thing wee affect, and of our estate and right to and in the thing wee doe affect: so that no Know­ledge, no sound Affecti­on, no Right therein, no Hope for well-ordering of them.

Secondly, obserue wee, That all holy Affections 3. Touch­ing their Obiects. haue generally one maine Obiect, namely, Our God in Christ Iesus, and so sub­ordinate, [Page] The saluation of 1. Generall. the Soule.

But particularly, each of 2. Particu­lar. them hath it seuerall and proper Obiect, whereon it is bent, and conuersant therein; so that here the Rules are.

That the particular Ob­iects With their Rules. must be subordinate to the generall, and inclu­ded therein, both for di­rection 1. Rule. and Limitation also: all must bee from the Lord, in him, and for him, Rom. 11. for the ob­tayning of saluation.

The particular Obiects must bee the Bounds to 2. Rule. each particular Affection; as shall appeare afterward. Our hatred must properly be against sinne, not good­nesse; [Page 18] our loue to Good, and not Euill, &c.

Our Affections must so 3. Rule. bee squared to the Obiects, as that it onely leuell therein at that which is proportionable thereun­to. That whereas there is in the Obiect the person, or thing, wherein the qualitie is, and the Qualitie it selfe; and the person, or thing, is to be diuersly affected, in regard of the different qua­litie thereof. Therefore the sinceritie of the Affec­tion appeares, in ayming at the Qualitie, and so, for it, respecting the person, or thing. As to affect a thing for it goodnesse, to hate it, for the euill. And yet so, as whereas the substance is [Page] of God, and the qualitie of Satan. Therefore heere may be a concurrence of contrarie Affections in one maine Obiect. As that the person of a sinner (being Gods workmanship) is to be beloued; though wee hate the sinne of the per­son: the good of the same person may bee loued, though we hate the con­trarie euil in him.

And therefore, where­as 4. Rule. the Ground, next vnto Faith, as of our worship of God, and dueties vnto Men, is Loue; howsoeuer our affections are different in themselues, yet they must all be deriued from this principall affection of Loue: Wee must hope, [Page 19] grieue, reioyce, &c. because wee loue; and loue must be the end and ayme of [...]ll: Therefore wee are angrie, we feare, we hope, we ioy, that we may still loue, and make better way for the manifestation thereof.

And so, as loue is an af­fection, 5. Rule. that is the ground and end of all other affec­tions, and therefore all must be subordinate ther­unto: so also is there a subordination of other contrarie affections one to another, that they may end in this loue: as hatred is subordinate to loue, griefe to ioy, feare to hope, &c. as being not contra­ries in diuers subiects, but [Page] all the same generall: as no otherwise respecting diuers subordinate Obiects, but that they ayme at one Principall, as furthering each other in their parti­cular contrarie, and diffe­rent Obiects to that one Principall, namely, the glorie of God, and saluation of the Soule.

Hereby shall we know 6. Rule. the sinceritie of our Affec­tions, if they are proportio­nable to the Obiect, and measure thereof: as, If the sinnes of the Times be grieuous, and extraordi­narie, so our griefe be su­table: If the mercies of God, and his deliuerances, be wonderfull, so our Ioy and Thankfulnesse be an­swerable. [Page 20] And this may serue for the iust conuicti­on of our Times.

First, In that though Vse 1. there be some feare of God, yet it is not proportiona­ble to the meanes.

Wee haue beene better taught, then to feare God so little.

Wee haue had greater Iudgements, then that we should be so secure.

Secondly, In that wee 2. set not our Affections high enough in good things, and yet racke them too farre in euill things.

Wee feare not God e­nough, and yet feare the World too much.

We loue the World too scantly, and loue our pro­fits [Page] too excessiuely: And so there is a iarre in both. Our Feare in spirituall things, is defectiue; in worldly things, exces­siue.

So, in this proportion, if wee loue God without limitation, as the most ex­cellent Obiect, and our Neighbour as our selues; this is to proportion the Affection to the Obiect.

Our Affections are good Seruants, but bad Ma­sters; 7. Rule. Limitation. that is, they must not beare rule, but still be in subiection to their se­uerall Limitations of the Word, our Callings, the common Good: without which, the best Affection, euen of Zeale and Loue, [Page 21] may be euill: Not onely [...]ill Affections, or such as [...]re more inclinable there­ [...]o; but euen the best must [...]hus be tryed, if they make [...]s fitter for Gods seruice: [...]s Anger, if we can fall to [...]ray; Zeale, if we can re­ [...]it priuate Offences, &c.

First I say, our Affecti­ons 1. By the Word. must be informed and [...]imitted by the Word: that is, Whereas the Lord hath giuen vs a sure Word, both as a Light shining in a darke place, to en­lighten the darkenesse of our nature, and so as a Guide, to the well-or­dering thereof: If our Affections now follow, and not runne before our Knowledge.

[Page] We first know what to loue, and then affect the same: and if our Affecti­ons are proportionable to our knowledge, we affect so farre, as wee are infor­med and perswaded of the truth; and according to the particular truth we know, so our particular affection is leuelied at, and confined thereunto. This is a certain euidence of the true light and or­dering thereof: Hereby wee shall hold out, and continue therein.

Whereas otherwise, if wee affect what wee know not, this may eyther arise from some tickling delight of the flesh, from Vaine­glorie, and such like, or [Page 22] else from some outward [...]casion of the World, as [...]leasure, Profit, &c. or it [...]ay bee some illusion of [...]atan, to deceiue vs with Error, in stead of Truth. Or at the best, it will [...]rooue no better then some sudden flash of the [...]ll-lightning Spirit, to make vs more inexcusable. Our Heb. 6. 4. 5. affections, in all these re­spects, will vanish and de­cay, according to the fay­ling of those seuerall Oc­casions.

And secondly, if our af­fections exceed our Iudge­ment, and knowledge of the Truth, wee shall not onely be driuen to questi­on the truth of our Iudge­ment: but also by our [Page] affections, exceeding our knowledge, wee may ey­ther bee caused to doe things doubtfully, with­out found information, and so sinne therein, Rom. 14. Or else, by the strength and violence of our Affections, wee may bee drawne to doe that which is contrary to our Iudgement; and so there­in also offer violence to our Consciences.

And thirdly, if our Af­fections onely ayme at ge­neralls, 2. To the Obiects. and are not con­fined to their particular Obiects; We conceiue wee loue God, and yet cannot seeke him onely in Iesus Christ; and in such Or­dinances as reueale him [Page 23] vnto vs, cannot rest there­in, for the quieting of our Consciences, and ena­bling vs to Obedience. Our Affections are not in Faith, and so cannot be acceptable vnto God, be­cause all our affections vn­to God must arise from the knowledge and ap­prehension of his loue vnto vs in Iesus Christ: Wee loue him, because hee loued vs first, 1. Ioh. 4. 17. Not as if wee could de­serue his Loue, by louing him first; or could an­swere his Loue with e­quall measure: but be­cause hee hath freely, and infinitely loued vs, therefore we labour, in our weake measure, to [Page] loue him againe, to ap­proue hereby our thanke­fulnesse vnto him, and so to giue him the glorie of his free goodnesse.

Secondly, I say, that our 3. To our Callings. affections must be squared and limitted according to our seuerall Callings, in re­gard of the execution of them. I say, in regard of the execution thereof out­wardly, That though eue­rie Christian is equally bound to loue God aboue all, and so to testifie his loue, not onely by affec­ting his glorie, grieuing at his dishonour, but also by all outward occasions, as may expresse the same: yet seeing the Lord hath ordayned seuerall Callings [Page 24] in the Church and Com­monwealth, and these both distinct, by their seuerall Offices and Duties, and so also subordinate to each o­ther, for the maintenance of the common peace and publike good. Therefore also, according to these distinct and subordinate Callings, there must be a different and subordinate execution of our affections. As, that though all must equally affect the glory of God, according to the in­ward measure of grace the Lord hath vouchsafed, Rom. 12. 3. yet each must seuerally expresse their af­fection herein, as their Callings doe limit or en­large the same. As that [Page] the Magistrate may testifie his zeale to Gods glorie, not onely in being angrie at sinne, but in punishing the same; which a priuate man may not doe: His onely Weapons heerein, must be Prayers & Teares. And so the Minister may testifie his zeale to God by his publike Calling, in reproouing, conuincing, and censuring publikely: all which, a priuate man may not doe, because God is the God of Order, and requires no more at our hands, then he allots vnto vs. 1. Cor. 14. 40.

Thirdly, I say our af­fections 3. The Oc­casions. must be sutable to the occasions and condi­tion of the Times and [Page 25] Church where wee liue, and so to our owne parti­cular Occasions. As that wee must weepe with them that weepe, and reioyce with them that reioyce. Rom. 12. 15. 16. In ge­nerall calamities or sinnes threatning them, we must be mourners, Ezech. 9. Ierem. 13. 17. Howsoe­uer the Multitude are senselesse, and carelesse, Prou. 14. 16. In generall Blessings, we must reioyce and abound in Thankes­giuings to our God, Psal. 126. 34. Psal. 118. How­soeuer the Wicked may gnash their Teeth, and pine away, Psal. 112. 10, 11.

And yet seeing there is 9. [Page] an holy Order to be ob­serued in our Affections, according to the more excellent Obiects: As that our God and his Glorie must haue the chiefe place; the publike Good, the next, before our owne priuate: Therefore our [...]ctions must be suited and mixed accordingly. As if it stand with Gods Glorie, to punish Nadab and Abihu with fire from Heauen, for offering strange fire vnto God; Aaron, their Father, must preferre Gods glorie be­fore the good of his Fa­mily, Leuit. 10. and in silence sub­mit to the will of God. Though Nehemiah for his owne priuate be in good [Page 26] case; yet because the house of his God lyes waste: therefore, though he stand before such a Monarch, as would not endure any such melancholy passion; yet his sad countenance Nehem. 2. must needes bewray his Affection to his God, and compassion with his distressed and desolate Church.

Yea, such must be our holy wisedome and tem­per herein; as that seeing the publike must be prefer­red before the priuate: Therefore, though our priuate case be safe, and yeeld vs sound matter of reioycing; yet wee must withall be sorrowfull for the publike: yea, our par­ticular [Page] ioy must giue way thereto: And though in priuate it goe ill with vs; yet wee must reioyce in the publike good, and be comforted in our particu­lar distresse, by the confi­deration of the publike welfare of the Church of God.

Thus of the Obiect of our Affections, and Rules there­in.

Now, concerning the The End. End of all our holy De­sires; this is sutable to the Obiect, Euen the glorie of God, and saluation of the Soule, subordinate there­unto: And so the Rules are also accordingly.

A second generall Rule there is concerning our [Page 27] Affections; That as they must bee informed by Knowledge, so they must be bounded thereby: rea­ching onely so farre vnto their obiects, aa the Word alloweth. Our Desires must bee subordinate to the Will of God, all ten­ding to Holinesse, and building forward to Hea­uen.

And hence ariseth a Aff [...]ions [...] [...] [...]pirituall Thrift. third Rule, That as ou [...] Affections are, so wee shall profit in the Word, and holy Duties. And therefore wee should la­bour not so much for Knowledge, which may puffe vp, as for good affec­tions, which may so hum­ble vs in our selues, as [Page] withall they may quicken to well-doing.

And hence ariseth a fourth Rule, That as the affection is, so will be the acceptance of our seruice. It is not the thing done, but the chearefull minde that God accepts, 2. Cor. 8. 12. 2. Cor. 9. 11.

And this affordeth also another comfortable Rule, 5. That as God accepteth the will for the deed; so though wee faile in the outward Act, yet it is the good affection, that shall stand in stead thereof. It is enough for Abraham, Genes. 22 11, 12. to be willing to sacrifice his Sonne. This is the Triall of his Faith; this is the Deliuerance of his [Page 28] Sonne, and the confirma­tion of the Couenant, Ge­nes. 22. & 2. Cor. 8. 12.

And hence also ariseth 6. How to iudge of the sinceritie of Affections, in the cor­ruption of them. another sweet and com­fortable Rule, That where­as our Affections, as all o­ther parts, are but in part regenerate; so that in the best temper and measure of Grace, in the well-or­dering of any of them, there will be a mixtu [...] of that which is [...] with that which is [...] ­tuall: Heere therefore wee must be wise, to dis cerne betweene thinges that differ: And so to iudge of the sinceritie of our Affections; not as they are not mingled at all with contrary tincture [Page] (for this it must be, for the Euidence and Tryall of their sinceritie, in discer­ning and mastering of them:) but rather by that which is predominant in this mixture, which pre­uayles in the end; first, by drawing vs neerer vnto God in holinesse; second­ly, by most abasing vs in our selues; thirdly, by enabling vs to more con­scionable practice of Di­uine worship; fourthly, by making vs more pro­fitable to the Saints, for the encrease of Christs Kingdome.

As for example: All our Affections must ayme at Loue, and be ordered thereby; That must bee [Page 29] predominant: And so Sor­row must be subordinate to Ioy, Feare to Hope, &c.

A seuenth Rule concer­ning How to di­stinguish betweene Affections, and their Tentations our Affections, is, That wee bee wise to di­stinguish betweene our Affections themselues, and the seuerall Tentations that doe accompanie them, and are shrowded vnder them.

Because, as in the wic­ked Note. euery affection being wholly impure, is nothing else but a masse of Tenta­tions; all inciting to euill, all hindering from good­nesse: So also in the god­ly, being but partly rege­nerate, the purest Affecti­ons want not their mix­ture, [Page] as of Corruption, so of Tentation arising thereup­on: Which vsually is ey­ther so like the affection it selfe, or so ouer-shadow­eth the same, as wee can hardly discerne the Ten­tation, and Colour, from the affection and puritie thereof, in the time of Tentation.

And therefore learne wee thus to distinguish betweene the affection and tentation, accompanying the same.

First, as it was in the Rules here­to 1. Trauaile of Rebecca, that Esau came out first, and Iacob afterward; so vsu­ally it falleth out in the Trauaile of our affecti­ons.

[Page 30] The prophane motion The Ten­tation first breakes out will vsually peepe out first: The flesh will first seeke it selfe, that so it may preuent the onset of grace, and quash it in the begin­ning and first quickening of the Affection.

And this falleth out ei­ther And why. 1. Want of preparation. for want of due prepa­ration to the dutie, in cur­bing the Flesh, and tying the Asse, when we goe to sacrifice.

Or though we be neuer 2. Satans Policie. so well prepared, Satan will now put in, by stir­ring vp Corruption, to dampe the Fruit in the first peeping out thereof.

And the wise and gra­cious 3. Gods prouiden [...]e. God, by this impu­dencie of the flesh, stirres [Page] vp the Spirit to a more glorious resistance, by an earnest setting of the heart on God, and crauing his assistance, by confoun­ding the flesh, and strip­ping it of all confidence and partnership in the w [...]ke, that so hee may haue all the glorie.

And therefore the Rules Vse hereof. herein are, first, to distrust our Affections in the first motions to Good; se­condly, to examine and trie them by the Word, to refine, and quicken them in the Bloud of Christ.

A second Rule, to dis­cerne 2. Rule. Constancie in Affecti­ons. the tentation from the affection, is the Con­stancie thereof. For if the [Page 31] affection hold one to the Obiect; and is the more inflamed thereon, the more it is opposed: if it recouer it coolings, and faintings, and so encrease and hold out, to the accomplishment of the worke; this is a signe of the sinceritie thereof. But if it faint and vanish, and yeeld to the Opposition, then it is carnall, & swal­lowed vp of the Tentati­on; vnlesse it be in time of Tentation.

A third Rule herein is, 3. Rule. Encrease in power. That if the affection begin in weakenesse, and so en­creaseth by practise of ho­linesse; then it is spiritu­all: but if be sudden and hote at the first, and feele [Page] no encrease by the Ordi­nances of God, but ra­ther quayleth in the vse of them; then it is rather the Tentation, then the power of the Affection.

A fourth Rule herein is, That if the Affection out­last 4. Rule. Out-lasting the Action. the Action: eyther if it be accomplished, yet still we desire to better it; or if it fayle, yet still it is more kindled to recouer againe; this is a signe of the inward Life thereof. But if it giue ouer with the Action, eyther ending in the thing done, or quayling, because of the thing vndone; this rather is the power of Tentati­on, doting vpon the out­ward Action, then the [Page 32] power of Affection, ap­prouing it selfe vnto God, and not measuring it selfe by the successe of the Ac­tion, eyther way, but by the loue of God discerning inward and generall obe­dience.

A fift Rule hitherto is, That if our Affection hath 5. Rule. Sound Ground. a sound Ground, and rely on the Word; then are they spirituall: but if ey­ther ignorantly or super­stitiously they are carried to any Obiect; this is ra­ther the power of Tenta­tion, then the Rectitude of the Affection.

6. And so if our Affecti­on 6. Rule. Direct meanes. carries vs by indirect meanes, here we may sus­pect the strength of Ten­tation.

[Page] 7. Especially, if they 7. Rule. Right Ends draw vs to contrary ends, this argueth plainely the power of Tentation, and conuinceth manifestly the corruption of the Affec­tion.

Thus may we discerne betweene the Tentation, and Affection.

And these are the Rules concerning the Right Iudgement of our Affec­tions.

And so of such Direc­tions as concerne the right ordering of them.

VNto which we may adde these Rules, for the more holy ordering, and so benefiting, by them: as also for the Try­all of Sinceritie therein.

Whereof some con­cerne How to or­der Affecti­ons for our selues. our selues: as that,

First, When the case concerneth our selues, we must euer learne to sus­pect our owne Opinion, and Affection: as being ouer-weened with eon­ceit of our selues, and so subiect to much selfe-loue and deceit in our selfe­iudgement.

[Page] Secondly, We must la­bour more for Affection, then for Knowledge; be­cause Knowledge puffeth vp, and so causes barren­nesse; but Affections hum­ble, and prouoke to obe­dience: by the one, wee may rule others, but by these, rule our selues.

Thirdly, We must make In compa­nie. our Affections as little knowne in companie as may be; so did Ioseph: be­cause the discouerie of Af­fection causeth imputation of Hypocrisie from others vnto vs, and causeth occa­sion of offence, by peruer­ting them to the flesh from vs vnto others.

Fourthly, We must trie By vse, our affections hereby, that [Page 34] if they make vs lesse fit to pray, more vnable to doe the good we should, lesse careful to auoid sinne, then they are euill: But when on the contrary, they can prouoke vs to well doing, preuent sinne; thē they are quickned frō Gods grace.

Fiftly, If whatsoeuer we haue in the Iudgement, we and Prac­tise. haue also in the Affection, endeuouring to practise as we know, and so desiring still to know more that we may practise; this ar­gues the sinceritie of our Affections. Thus they are to be ordered: Because this implyes the subiection of the will and heart, and so of the whole man, to the obedience of Christ Iesus.

[Page] Sixtly, Hereby also we By contrary Bent. shal discerne the sinceritie of our Affections: If as by nature wee enclined to one Vice more then a­nother; so now wee are more affected to the con­trarie Vertue. As if by na­ture we were more dispo­sed to Choler and Fumes; so now we are more affec­ted to peaceablenesse and meekenesse. If naturally wee were more enclined to Slouth; so now wee are more actiue and dili­gent in good things.

Seuenthly, Yea this is By contrary measure. a notable Tryall hereof, That whereas naturally we were furious, and vio­lent to euill, wee can be now more zealous and [Page 35] feruent in good: whereas before we were more ob­stinate and desperate in euill, we can be now more constant and resolute for good: whereas before we were more desperate, in vnnecessarie and wilfull troubles, we can be now more couragious and vic­torious in those that are layd vpon vs, for good things. If the more vio­lent our affections were to euill by nature, the more feruent they shall be in the worke of Grace; this is a certaine token of the true change of them.

The reason hereof is, be­cause vsually whom the Lord conuerteth from a more desperate estate of [Page] sinne: as hereby they are more bound vnto him; so shal they expresse what he aymeth at herein: namely, to be more iealous of his glory, to labour more a­bundantly therefore.

Thus as the Apostle Paul was more violent in per­secuting the Saints; so was hee more zealous for the glory of his God: so did he labour more abundantly then the rest, for the ad­uancement thereof, 1. Tim. 1. Cor. 15. 1. 17. Thus, because much was forgiuen to that great Sinner, therefore much more did shee loue; the more shee had offended her God before, the more did shee labour to please him afterward, Luk. 7. 47.

[Page 36] Eightly, Whereas the By their sin­ceritie. triall of Sinceritie in gene­rall is, That God must be preferred aboue all things, aboue all earthly things whatsoeuer, yea aboue all heauenly things, as they concern vs, or any interest we haue therein: We must respect God simply for himselfe, & for that good­nes that is in him, without any respect of whatsoeuer benefit may redound to vs thereby. Therefore by this Rule also we may trie the sinceritie of our Affecti­ons: That as they come more neerly to the nature and absolutenesse of God; so they are more pure and heauenly: that as God lo­ued vs for his own sake, & [Page] not for ours; so wee can loue him for his owne sake, and not for any be­nefite redounds vnto vs hereby: nay, rather then we will fayle in our loue vnto him, and his Glorie, wee can be contented to renounce all loue vnto our selues; not onely to suffer whatsoeuer afflicti­ons for his sake, but euen to bee accursed, rather then he should be dis-ho­noured, Rom. 9. 12. Ex­od. 32.

So because our sinne it is, which displeaseth God, and it is the punishment that may displease vs: If therefore wee can grieue simply for our sinnes, be­cause our God is grieued [Page 37] with them, and not rather for the punishment wher­by we are like to smart: being rather willing, if it could be put to our choise, to vndergoe euen Hellish torments, so we might be free from sinne, whereby we may offend our God; then to enioy Heauen, with condition of impu­ritie: so, that though there were no Hell to pu­nish, nor Heauen to re­ward vs; yet wee could hate sinne, and loue righ­teousnesse. This is a very gracious Euidence of the sinceritie of our Affecti­ons: Hereby wee may know a great measure of Gods grace in the mor­tifying of our Affections, [Page] and quickening of them to the life of Glory.

Ninthly, Concerning Concer­ning euill and good. our Affections to euill: be­cause they are like the wa­ters, that if the floud-gates be open, grow headstrong and vnresistable; therefore we are to nip them in the blade, nay, if it be possi­ble, stifle them in the Wombe, lest they grow so violent, as that they cannot be mastered. But touching good Affections, because they are like the [...]. 4. 19. Morning Light, that shi­neth more and more vnto the perfect Day; therefore they are to bee cherished dayly, and quickened by the Word, and Prayer: that so they may master [Page 38] not onely our corrupt de­sires, but also bring in sub­iection all our gifts of Illu­mination.

Yea, all other sauing Note. Graces may be turned as it were into Affections; that the zeale of Gods House may euen eate vs vp: Nothing may bee seene, in comparison of our Affections; these may preuayle and raigne ouer all.

7. As wee must take notice of this, That wee are subiect to one Affection more then another.

First, in regard of our different Condition: as in Prosperitie, to Pride, An­ger, Vncharitablenesse, &c. and so in Aduersitie, [Page] to Feare, Impatiencie, Despaire, &c.

Secondly, and so in regard of our Naturall different disposition, by rea­son of Complexion and Education, Societie, &c.

Thirdly, as also in re­gard of our different Cal­lings, as to Couetousnesse, Ambition, Deceit, &c.

So in regard hereof Rule heere­in. know we, that it is a good signe of Grace to discerne the predominancie of the speciall affection, so that we labour principally against the same, auoyding the Occasions lawfully, and strengthening our selues, by the contrarie meanes to subdue and weaken the power thereof.

[Page 39] 8. If we can turne all the Graces of God into affections, as to heare with Feare and Ioy, to pray with Feruencie and Zeale, to giue Almes cheereful­ly; so that indeede the whole action is swallow­ed vp of the Affection, and conuerted thereunto.

Tenthly, Whereas e­uery In regard of the com­bate. regenerate man con­sists of two contrary parts, namely, the New Man, which is renewed accor­ding to the Image of Christ; and the Old Man, that remainder of Cor­ruption which wee haue receiued from Adam: the Condition of both which is, that they are alwayes striuing against each o­ther; [Page] The Spirit lusteth a­gainst the Flesh; and, the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit: so according to this continuall Combate, the Affections are to be or­dered, and tried.

As first for the ordering of them: The Affections For orde­ring. of the vnregenerate part must be alwayes led and ordered by those of the Regenerate; our loue of Earthly things, directed by, and subordinate to our loue of the Hea­uenly; our feare of Pu­nishment ordered and sub­dued to our feare of God and his goodnesse.

Secondly, For the tri­all And Triall. of our Affections, here also the Rule is, That [Page 40] seeing wee are but in part regenerate; therefore our Affections are then most sutable, when wee can expresse contrarie Affecti­ons about the same Ac­tion.

As first, That we can re­ioyce Note. in our God, and his goodnesse, and yet grieue that we are not answera­ble thereto; that we can­not comprehend the mea­sure thereof, that we can­not walke worthie the same.

Secondly, That we can so grieue for sinne, as that wee can also reioyce in this, that wee doe by vn­fained sorrow testifie our Obedience vnto God, our hatred of sinne, and [Page] our endeuour to Repen­tance: That wee can so feare our God, and his Goodnesse, as withall we can hope and trust in his mercie, and rely there­upon.

The reason hereof is, that as by the one affection we iustifie our Regenera­tion in part; so by the other contrarie, wee con­uince and mortifie the vnregenerate. By both, thus contending with each other in the same ac­tion, we approue the truth thereof in the presence of God, and so labour for the acceptance of it aboue the worth thereof, in the me­rit of Christ, and we also maintaine the Spirituall [Page 41] Combate betweene the Flesh and the Spirit.

9. If our affections run In regard of the Ob­iect. more vpon heauenly then earthly things, and wee can begin our desires for earthly things from a spiri­tuall ground, and so can vse them with a spirituall de­sire, still to thriue in grace, and to a spirituall end, namely, to further vs to Heauen; this is an argu­ment of the circumcising thereof: thus may wee learne to order them a­right.

10. Our affections must In respect of reflection begin from our selues to others; and from others, returne vnto our selues a­gaine.

11. Wee must labour [Page] to quicken and order our Affections, by Prayer, Singing, and Meditation especially.

12. In most weightiest Occasions, we must espe­cially Note. watch ouer our af­fections, because now Sa­tan will by them peruert vs herein.

13. Our affection must be sutable to the qualitie of the Obiect, and hence to be rightly iudged.

Concerning others, Our affections are to bee orde­red thus towards Men.

First, According to the diuersitie of Gods graces in them, so must wee affect accordingly, and not ac­cording to outward en­dowments of Nature, or [Page 42] Worldly Happinesse. For this is to haue respect of Persons; and so is con­demned, Iam. 2, 3, 4. Act. 10. 34, 35.

Secondly, According to present Necessitie; so wee must affect those that are in greatest pre­sent Want, howsoeuer farre inferiour in Grace to others, that are not in such extremitie: and out of our tender compassi­on, minister present re­liefe vnto them; that so it may appeare, wee doe it for Gods sake, and not vpon any goodnesse in them: expecting our re­compence from the Lord; which we are like to loose from men.

[Page] Thirdly, Whereas there Affections vnited to the most ex­cellent Ob­iect. are some Callings on Earth which doe in some sort represent the Maiestie and Office of God: as the Calling of the Magistrate, Minister, &c. Therefore herein also there must be a wise ordering of our Af­fections. As that, howso­euer, in generall, we must affect where there be best Graces; yet now, if the case stand betweene a Magistrate, though wic­ked, and a priuate Chri­stian: wee must more af­fect the Magistrate, be­cause he is the Image of Gods Maiestie, Power, &c. and in regard of his Place and Office, is to execute the Will of God, [Page 43] whether for good or euill, and so is an image of Gods free and absolute Power. I say, in these respects we must more lone, feare, and regard the Magistrate, then any priuate Christian howsoeuer, superiour in spirituall Graces.

The Reasons are:

First, Because the out­ward Reasons hereof. Calling of the Magi­strate, and such Gifts as may concerne the same, is that which the Lord in wisdome hath set ouer not onely the persons of pri­uate men, but euen their best Gifts also, either to re­ward them for the Good they doe, or else to punish them for the Euill they doe: yea, to correct them [Page] also for the good they may doe, because they haue fayled in the measure thereof: so that, wherein we thinke we haue most cause to spurne at gouern­ment, because happily it layes the burthen vpon the wrong horse, vexing the Doues, and acquitting the Crowes, as hee sayth. Yet herein we haue grea­test cause to loue the Ma­gistrate: As not onely be­ing herein an Image of the Diuine Prouidence, in bearing with the wicked in great patience, and cor­recting his children; but also expressing herein the Diuine Goodnesse: first, of his generall Prouidence to the Wicked, in sparing [Page 44] them; and therein, his speciall Prouidence to the Godly, in sparing the Wic­ked, for the triall of his Children; and so of his Goodnesse herein to his Saints, in correcting them here, that they may not be condemned hereafter; and so of his speciall Prouidence to the Wicked, in hardning them by his patience to the Day of Slaughter.

The like may bee said concerning the Faithfull Minister: That whereas hee is the Interpreter, one of a thousand, to declare vn­to Man his Righteousnesse, Iob. 33. 22. Yea, is so gra­cious with God, as both to be the Mouth of God vnto the people, the Lord [Page] reuealing his Will for our saluation, by their Mini­sterie; aa also to bee the Mouth of the People vnto God, both to obtaine Bles­sings for them, and also Iam. 5. 17. to remooue Iudgements from them, Exod. 32.

So that if hee doe not pray for them, the Lord will not heare their pray­ers, Ierem. 14. 11, 12. If he pray for them, the Lord will be gracious, and par­don their Offences. And so hee is, as the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel, to preserue the Land from desolation, and maintaine the peace thereof. There­fore as these are worthie of double honour, 1. Tim. 5. 17. so wee must affect [Page 45] them accordingly, as those which watch ouer our Soules, and must giue vp their account for vs, that so they may giue it vp with Ioy, and not with Griefe, Heb. 13. 18.

Yea, howsoeuer the per­son Note. of the Minister may be exorbit [...]t and scandalous; yet in regard of his Cal­ling, wee are bound to heare him: And if wee affect him not, we cannot Matth. 23. 1 profite by him; [...]hee may benefite vs, though him­selfe be reproued, 1. Cor. 9. Yea, with the Apostle: If Christ be preached, whe­ther Phil. 1. 16. of Enuie, or Uaine­glorie, or any such by-re­spects; yet wee must re­ioyce in the Truth, and [Page] the rather embrace the same, as hauing herein a gracious triall of our Sin­ceriti [...]: that wee receiue the Word, not with re­spect Iam. 2 4. of Persons, for the Uessels sake; but as from the Lord, 1. Thess. 2. 13. and in Obedience to his Ordinance. As also, ha­uing matter to exercise our spirituall Wisdome, in discerning things that dif­fer: to seuer the truth of the Word from the scan­dals of the Parson; to trie all things, and hold that which is good, 1. Thess. 5.

Yea, herein wee haue singular matter to exer­cise our Loue; both in praying for his Parson, [Page 46] that God may make him more profitable: and so mourning for his Defects, as that by our Meeke­nesse and Humilitie wee seeke by all holy meanes to winne him to more faithfulnesse, by being faithfull in the obedience of that Truth which hee hath deliuered: as know­ing, that our sinne is the cause that our Pastour is so defectiue.

And therefore mourne wee especially for our owne Sinnes; so wee may giue him example to doe the like, or else make him herein inex­cusable.

Which as it reproueth the Vse. giddinesse of our people, [Page] which heape vp Teachers 1. Tim. 4. 2. vnto themselues, accor­ding to their owne Lusts, forsaking and disgracing those whom God hath set ouer them, vpon pretence of their insufficiencie of Gifts, or other defects; so it ought to aduise vs, to be humbled for our owne sinnes, when any such stumbling blockes are of­fered.

Assuring our selues, Note. That if wee can truely examine and compare, not out vaine and presump­tuous Affections after the most eminent Gifts, but our measure of profiting answerable to the meanest Gifts in truth, wee shall find, if wee deale truely [Page 47] with our owne Hearts (may I not speake of those that presume most in this case) that wee are generally to learne the very first grounds of Re­ligion, Heb. 5. 11. and so are short of answering the meanest Gifts.

And so may iustly feare, that whereas we would be Note. generally thought better then wee are, as being a­shamed that we haue been so short in answering so long and gracious time of our Visitation: there­fore God hath giuen vs vp to this Presumption, to iudge of our Teachers, that wee may iustifie our selues, and so to this wan­dring and hunting after [Page] those, as we take it, of the best Gifts; that so, by fol­lowing them inordinate­ly, wee may be conceited to be that wee are not, men of greater vnderstan­ding, of more spirituall experience, as being able to reach and attayne to their measure, and so thereby be further harde­ned in our owne igno­rance and corruptions.

Thirdly, Our Affections to others, must be deriued from our Affection to our selues: we must begin at home, and so be enlarged abroad; so loue others, out of loue to our selues; so to be zealous against others sinnes, as to begin at home, &c.

[Page 48] And secondly, Our Af­fections to others must re­turne home againe: if by grieuing for others sinnes, we can doe little good vp­on them, let our griefe re­turne home for our owne sinnes; yea, let vs be grie­ued, that they are not grie­ued.

Fourthly, Our Affections to others must be alwayes bounded within the Rules of the Word, & the glory of God: We must so affect the saluation of others, as may stand with Gods glo­rie, with the good of his Church, according to his Word. We must so grieue for their sinnes, as that we submit to Gods will, and not hinder our Callings, 1. Sam. 16. 1.

[Page] We must so pitie them, as not to harden them in sinne, not to pamper them in wantonnesse, &c.

Secondly, Towards God.

For the right ordering of our Affections toward Order of Affections towards God. God, this generall Rule must be obserued, That there are some Affections which properly and only belong vnto him: as Trust and Hope; these are pe­culiar onely to the Lord: so that it is high Treason to that supreme Maiestie, to transferre them to any other.

As for Trust: Onely in the Lord; Not in Princes, not any, Psal. 146. 2, 3.

[Page 49] So for Hope: Onely in God; not in Man.

The meaning is, not that wee must not trust them, that is, yeeld some ciuile credit to them, as to their words, to their actions, &c. in regard of tempo­rall things, nor that wee must not hope well of them in charitie, 1. Cor. 13. in regard of spirituall, because we know not the contrarie: but wee must not repose any religious confidence in them con­cerning saluation; ney­ther hope in them, as be­ing able to effect the s [...]me: in which sense wee here speake of these Affecti­ons.

A second Rule is, That [Page] though some Affections re­spect our selues & others, yet they must be subordi­nate to our respect of God. Our Affections to God must be without Li­mitation: Wee cannot loue him enough, we can­not feare him too much; so farre as possibly wee may, our affections must be enlarged proportiona­bly to the Obiect; they must be boundlesse, and endlesse, as the Obiect is. But those to our neighbor must be confined within their Limits, both subor­dinate to God; and se­condly, as our Callings, and the condition of the party doth require, with reference still to Gods glory.

FIrst, Hereby wee shall be sure to profit and thriue in all well-doing: for as the thing is affected, so it is encreased and con­tinued.

Secondly, Hereby wee shal discerne vndoubtedly the true worke of Grace be­gun in vs; for as is the Af­fection, so is the truth of the heart: Looke what we loue, what we feare, what we reioyce in, what we are sorrie for; these will dis­cerne the vprightnesse of the heart.

[Page] Thirdly, Hereby also wee shall approoue our selues in the growth of Grace: for as our Affecti­ons are more quickened to holy duties, as we more loue and reioyce in them, as we more feare and hope in the continuance of them, as wee are more grieued in our selues for our fayling, are more zea­lous against sinne, more angrie against it; so wee doe thriue in well-doing. And

Fourthly, So also by our Affections wee may discerne our perseuerance, and constancie, in well­doing; each of them being furtherances thereunto, and assurances thereof.

[Page 51] Fiftly, Our Affections rightly ordered, will en­able vs to haue more com­fortable fellowship with God in Prayer, Medita­tion, &c. as quickening our zeale of his Glorie, our loue vnto his Maie­stie; procuring our more free and bold accesse in­to his glorious presence, our more entire and cheerefull societie with him, our better content­ment in his prouidence; enabling vs with more pa­tience to wait vpon him, and so to striue more ef­fectually with him, that we may not be sent emp­tie away.

Sixtly, These also well ordered, will proue graci­ous [Page] helpes for our more comfortable societie with men, to our mutuall pro­fite and aduantage: As whereby,

First, wee are enabled and enlarged to doe them most good.

Secondly, and so here­by fitted to maintaine the fellowship, as being ena­bled to ouercome what­soeuer euills may arise, to the breach thereof, with our Patience and Meekenesse: And so fit­ted to further each other to the Heauenly Commu­nion.

Seuenthly, Especially whereas there are three speciall Times, wherein our Affections are not one­ly [Page 52] much distempered, but euen quite peruerted, so farre as wee can perceiue, from their right Obiects, and vse; namely,

First, The Time of De­sertion; when our God with-draweth the Light of his Countenance from vs.

Secondly, The Time of violent Distresse; by reason of acute Diseases: as in Feuers, power of Melan­choly, &c.

Thirdly, The Time of vehement Tentation; by the Malice of Satan.

In all these, as wee must bee wise to iudge of our Affections, and our selues by them; so wee may reape sound [Page] comfort thereby, both to preuent distraction and despaire, as also giue hope of recouerie thereout.

As first, generally, That our Affections must not be measured by any of these extraordinarie Conditi­ons; wee may not bee iudged by the distem­per of our Affection in them.

First, because the di­stemper is contrarie to the maine bent of our hearts, in our ordinarie course of Sanctification: and,

Secondly, When wee come to our selues againe, and can iudge rightly of things, wee are the first that iudge our selues, and [Page 53] condemne our folly and ignorance in such distem pers: and Ps. 73. 22.

Thirdly, Our God lookes vpon vs, not as wee are transported with these distempers, but as he hath from euerlasting loued vs in Christ, and in his singular wisedome and mercie, hath inten­ded to turne our distem pers, as to the manifesta­tion of our priuie corrup­tion; as it was in Iob, Cap. 3. so to the purging out of more inward and dangerous euils; of Pride, Vaineglorie, &c. And so to the aduancing of his free mercie, and good­nesse, not onely in su­stayning vs by his migh­tie [Page] power, in these Deser­tions; but in ouer-com­ming our Distempers, by his wonderfull lenitie and goodnesse: as hee dealt with Ionas; and making Ch. 11. way hereby, for the better quieting and settling of our vnruly and carnall heat and affections, for the time to come, by ca­sting vs wholly out of our selues vpon his free mer­cie in Christ Iesus, and so renewing vs in him to more constant and sin­cere obedience. And so not so much respecting the present disorder of the Affection, as prepa­ring it hereby to that comfortable issue of con­formitie to his Will, that [Page 54] so hee may crowne and perfect his owne worke in vs; meerely, for his owne sake, by his owne mightie Arme, that hee may haue the onely glory of all his mercies.

Particularly, We may obserue a speciall hand of God in each of these Occasions:

As first, In the Case of Desertion. And here let the examples of Iob and Dauid be the instance of our Case.

It pleased God for a time to withdraw the sense of his mercy from them, and so to exercise them with contrarie buffettings and sense of his displeasure, Iob. 6. 2. Ps. 38. 4, 5. Ps. 77. 8.

[Page] Hereupon followes a strange distemper of their Affections: in stead of Ioy, bitter Sorrow; yea, sorrow prouoking to rage, and Ps. 77. repining against the pro­uidence of God: where­by they encreased the Iob. 3. Iob. 62. 12. burthen, and were readie to sinke vnder the same, by despaire.

Yet we see how mer­cifully the Lord sustaines them in the midst of these Terrors.

First, It befalls not them as they foolishly feare, and wish.

Secondly, They are kept in some measure of Sobrietie, to leaue the se­cret worke to God: yea, in some measure of Fatth, [Page 55] as to relye on the power of God: yea, in some measure, nay, in an ex­cellent measure of Loue; though hee forsaketh, yet he is still my God, Ps. 22. And therfore Dauid con­cludeth, Will the Lord forsake for euer? Not so Ps. 77. 7, 9, 10. much doubting, that he will forsake; as wrestling with God by Faith, that hee may not forsake for euer: as gathering from the former times, that he hath beene gracious; and so concluding, from the faithfulnesse of God, that he will not forsake for e­uer. Yea, victorious Iob professeth confidently his loue vnto God, euen in the greatest extremitie, [Page] Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him, Iob. 16. 13. And lastly, when the Lord hath tryed them in the Furnace, and their drosse is purged out, their Affections returne to their right kind againe, yea, much more refined; to the denyall of themselues, and so to their more sober and constant furtherance in the worke of Grace, Iob. 42. 2, 3, 4.

Secondly, Concerning the distemper of our Af­fections in acute Diseases: wherein if Satan hath not vsually an hand, to en­crease the fire; yet the violence of the Disease is sufficient to disorder and peruert the Iudgement [Page 56] for a time, and so to di­stract and distemper the Affections. Yet seeing wee speake and doe that in these extremities, which is contrarie to our for­mer constant course; and when wee are recouered, wee eyther haue forgot­ten what wee did, or spake, or else doe con­demne our selues for the same: herein is our com­fort, that our God will not impute vnto vs what hath fallen out in this case.

And so wee may also conclude of the Time of Tentation, That whatsoe­uer distempers fall out in this case, as they are mer­cifully bounded within [Page] the generall Condition, That nothing hath be­fallen vs herein, but what is incident to Man; so their disorder shall not be imputed to vs, but to the 1. Cor. 10. 13. malice of Satan. And the Lord in mercy will giue that issue, as that we shall both beare the burthen without groaning vnder it, and be freed thereof so farre, as shall make for his Glorie, and our good. But of this else-where, God willing, more at large.

Eightly, Whereas it is a most desperate Policie in Poperie, to detayne vn­stable and deceiued soules in their damnable Errors, and so to draw such like [Page 57] Nouices to their Lure: That if it please God to affoord light vnto any, whereby they haue some inckling of their Deceits, and so haue some inward motion, or affection, to renounce the same, and embrace the Truth; they presently suggest vnto them, that this is a dan­gerous tentation, and di­uellish illusion: that so they might hereby deterre them from embracing the same, and so detayne them in their Egyptian Bondage. This triall of Affections will proue an excellent meanes to re­solue them herein.

For as by those Rules formerly layd downe, to [Page] discerne the Affection from the Tentation, they may easily discerne the truth of Affection from the power of Delusion: so especially, in that sa­uing knowledge, is layd downe both to bee the ground and bounds of all holy Affections; here­by they shall be sure to discerne the efficacie of Delusion from an vpright Affection.

And so also, by a wise obseruation of these dif­ferences, may the weake Christian bee preserued graciously from Aposta­sie; as hereby knowing what hee holdeth, and so holding that which is good.

[Page 58] To conclude, there is not a better euidence of the sinceritie of the heart, then the well-ordering of the Affections: because howsoeuer wee may bri­dle from outward grosse Actions, yet our Affecti­ons will discouer the cor­ruption of our heart, and in [...]lination thereto.

And on the other side, howsoeuer wee may be hindered from the out­ward action of well-do­ing, by many occasions, as want of opportunitie, violence of tentation, in­abilitie, and the like; yet our Affection thereto, ei­ther by grieuing that we cannot doe it, or going so farre as our abilitie will [Page] serue, or endeuouring a­boue our abilitie, is a gra­cious euidence of the sin­ceritie of our hearts.

Nay, we shall find, that there is not a better spurre to prouoke vs to well-do­ing; not any more effec­tuall bridle to restrayne from sinne, then are our Affections.

For as if wee doe any good, we must first be af­fected with the loue of it, before we can attempt the same: or else if wee doe vndertake it vpon by-re­spects, as to please men, to satisfie carnall ends; we shall easily giue ouer when these proppes fayle, onely it is the loue of Goodnesse, for it selfe, [Page 59] will make vs constant therein: So, on the con­trarie, wee shall neuer for­sake euill conscionably, vnlesse wee first hate it for it selfe, and loathe as wel the corruption there­of, as feare the danger of the same. If vpon any other respects wee shall leaue sinne, as for feare of punishment, for credite, &c. these respects will proue meanes sometimes euen to returne to such sinnes, or worse; which haue beene the occasions to lay them aside for a season.

And therefore as it is the mercie of our God to shew vs oft times in our Affections what we may [Page] doe in our Actions: so it is also his singular good­nesse, to forewarne vs of many euills which wee may otherwise fall into, euen by the sway of our Affections leading there­unto.

What should I say? Can we haue a better E­uidence of the truth of our Conuersion, then the alteration of our Affecti­ons? Can wee now de­light in such thinges, which before wee loa­thed? And can we grieue especially at that, which heretofore was our prin­cipall reioycing? Can we delight in the mortifying of the flesh? and reioyce that wee can sorrow for [Page 60] sinne? and can we so re­ioyce in all spirituall com­forts, as that we can also be sorrowfull for our a­buse of them? so that we can be alwayes sorrow­ing, and alwayes reioy­cing: reioycing in our God, and his Goodnesse; sorrowing, that wee can­not reioyce as we should; that we cannot doe the good we would: reioy­cing in this, that wee haue got the masterie of some sinnes; and yet sor­rowing for our many fay­lings, and faintings euen in those conquests, & for that body of sin, that han­geth so fast vpon vs? Can we discerne our Affections thus turned vpside down? [Page] out ioy into sorrow, our sorrow into ioy, that so our carnall ioy in sinne may bee first swallowed vp of carnall sorrow for the punishment thereof: And our carnall sorrow may be preuented of ex­treame despaire, by the glad Tidings of Gods mercie in Iesus Christ, speaking peace vnto our soules, and breeding spi­rituall ioy by the euidence of our adoption. And so our ioy in the good­nesse of our God may still worke in vs a spirituall sorrow and repentance of all our secure wayes, that so wee may cleaue vnto our God in new o­bedience: And so still as [Page 61] wee can now reioyce in the truth of our ende­uours; so wee can also mourne for the imper­fection of them; that so wee may still labour to be found in Christ. Sure­ly, by these changes and contrarieties of our Af­fections, wee may vn­doubtedly conclude a truth of our Conuer­sion, and procee­ding there­in.