4. His affections were in an orderly tractableness to the rule of reason and holiness. Reason and holiness gave not only direction to the affections, but moderation in all things, and upon all occasions The affections would not be carried out of order ⟨p. 159⟩nor measure upon any thing, nor stay longer then they should upon any object. An Ambassador goes no farther then his Commission, stays no longer then his Commission gives leave: so reason and holiness were the commanders of Adams affections; they received a command therefrom, and went no further then reason and holiness allowed them. It is lawful for a man to love the world; but no more then reason and holiness allows: if God should say, I will take away these things from thee, love and joy should willingly part with them. The soldier, if he be loyal, when the Commander biddeth battle, he goes; when he soundeth a retreat, he returns home again: so ⟨p. 160⟩the reason and will sanctified, were the commanders of Adams course. When reason and holiness saith it, a man may delight in the things of this life; but when they say, grieve no more for the loss of them, the affections should yield to the command of reason. It is quite contrary in us; a mans affections, though they are set upon a lawful object, yet they go so amain like unruly colts, that they cast the rider: delight and desire out-bid reason, and sometimes transgress the bounds of honesty, most commonly of holiness. It is marvellous hard to have our affections at command. Lot goes into Sodom, and God could not get him out again, but that the Angel was fain to carry him ⟨p. 161⟩out by force: so when a man gets into Sodom, lets loose his affections on shop, or children, or the like, oh what an hard matter is it to say, No more of that! But Adams affections were so ordered, that if reason should say, Love that now, and then leave it; he would love it now, and leave it then. Philip. 4.12. I know how to abound, and how to be poor; his meaning is, if God would bestow these things, he had an heart to love them; if he would take them away, he was content to leave them. Job 1.21. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord; whereas we sit Rachel-like, disquieted, because our comforts are not.
4. His affections were in an orderly tractablenesse to the rule of reason and holinesse. Reason and holinesse gave not only direction to the affections, but moderation in all things, and upon all occasions The affections would not bee carried out of order ⟨p. 159⟩nor measure upon any thing, nor stay longer then they should upon any object. An Embassador goes no farther then his Commission, stayes no longer then his Commission gives leave: so reason and holinesse were the commanders of Adams affections; they received a command therefrom, and went no further then reason and holinesse allowed them. It is lawfull for a man to love the world; but no more then reason and holinesse allowes: if God should say, I will take away these things from thee, love and joy should willingly part with them. The souldier, if he be loyall, when the Commander biddeth battell, hee goes; when hee soundeth a retrait, he returnes home againe: so ⟨p. 160⟩the reason and will sanctified, were the commanders of Adams course. When reason and holinesse saith it, a man may delight in the things of this life; but when they say, grieve no more for the losse of them, the affections should yeeld to the command of reason. It is quite contrary in us; a mans affections, though they are set upon a lawfull object, yet they goe so amaine like unruly colts, that they cast the rider: delight and desire out-bid reason, and sometimes transgresse the bounds of honesty, most commonly of holinesse. It is marvellous hard to have our affections at command. Lot goes into Sodom, and God could not get him out againe, but that the Angel was faine to carry him ⟨p. 161⟩out by force: so when a man gets into Sodom, lets loose his affections on shoppe, or children, or the like, oh what an hard matter is it to say, No more of that! But Adams affections were so ordered, that if reason should say, Love that now, and then leave it; hee would love it now, and leave it then. Philip. 4.12. I know how to abound, and how to bee poore; his meaning is, if God would bestow these things, he had an heart to love them; if hee would take them away, he was content to leave them. Job 1.21. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord; whereas wee sit Rachel-like, disquieted, because our comforts are not.
