And take heed of passion, and prejudice; of carnal affections,4 that stir up passion; for they will make the soul that it cannot see Mysteries that are plain in themselves: As we are strong in any passion, so we judge; and the heart, when it is given up to passion, it transforms the Truth to it own self,2 as it were. Even as where there is a suffusion of the eye, as in the Jaundice, or the like, it apprehends Colours like it self; so when the taste is vitiated, it tastes things not as they are in themselves, but as it self is; so the corrupt heart transforms this sacred Mystery to it own self, and oft times forceth Scripture to defend its own sin, and the corrupt state it is in: it will believe what it list; what it loves, it will force it self to believe (although it be contrary to divine Mysteries) when the heart is ⟨p. 31⟩deeply engaged in any passion or affection. Let us labour therefore to come with purged hearts (it is the exhortation of the Apostles James and Peter) to receive these Mysteries; they will lodge only in clean hearts: Let us labour to see God and Christ with a clear eye, free from passion, and covetousness, and vain-glory. We see a notable example of this, in the Scribes: When they were not led with passion, and covetousness, and envy against Christ, how right they could judge of the Gospel, & the unfolding of the Prophesies to the Wise-men; they could tell aright, that he should be borne in Bethlehem: but when Christ came among them, & opposed their lazy proud kind of life, that kept people in awe with their vain Ceremonies, &c. then they sinned against the Holy-Ghost, and against their own light, and maliced Christ, and brought him to his end. So it is with men, when their minds be clear; before they be over-cast with passion, and strong affections to the world, they judge clearly of divine things: but when those passions prevail with them, they are opposite to that Truth that before they saw, (in Gods just judgement,) such is the antipathy & emulation of the heart against this sacred Mystery: The heart of it self is an unfit Vessel for these holy Mysteries; let us desire God, to purge and to cleanse them. It is said of the Pharisees in the Gospel, that when Christ spake great matters, they scoffed at him: But what saith the Text? Luke 16.3 They were covetous.
And take heed of passion, and prejudice; of carnall affections,4 that stirre up passion; for they will make the soule that it cannot see Mysteries that are plaine in themselves: As we are strong in any passion, so we judge; and the heart, when it is given up to passion, it transformes the Truth to it owne selfe,2 as it were. Even as where there is a suffusi•n of the eye, as in the Jaundis, or the like, it apprehends Colours like it selfe; so when the taste is vitiated, it tasts things not as they are in themselves, but as it selfe is; so the corrupt heart transformes this sacred Mysterie to it owne selfe, and oft times forceth Scripture to defend its owne sinne, and the corrupt state it is in: it will beleeve what it list; what it loves, it will force it selfe to beleeve (although it be contrarie to divine Mysteries) when the heart is ⟨p. 31⟩deepely engaged in any passion or affection. Let us labour therefore to come with purged hearts (it is the exhortation of the Apostles Iames and Peter) to receive these Mysteries; they will lodge onely in cleane hearts: Let us labour to see God and Christ with a cleare eye, free from passion, and covetousnesse, and vaine-glory. We see a notable example of this, in the Scribes: When they were not led with passion, and covetousnesse, and envie against Christ, how right they could judge of the Gospel, & the unfolding of the Prophesies to the Wise-men; they could tell aright, that he should be borne in Bethlehem: but when Christ came among them, & opposed their lazie proud kind of life, that kept people in awe with their vaine Ceremonies, &c. then they sinned against the Holy-Ghost, and against their owne light, and maliced Christ, and brought him to his end. So it is with men, when their mindes be cleare; before they be over-cast with passion, and strong affections to the world, they judge clearely of divine things: but when those passions prevaile with them, they are opposite to that Truth that before they saw, (in Gods just judgement,) such is the antipathy & emulation of the heart against this sacred Mysterie: The heart of it selfe is an unfit Vessell for these holy Mysteries; let us desire God, to purge and to cleanse them. It is said of the Pharises in the Gospel, that when Christ spake great matters, they scoffed at him: But what sayth the Text? Luke 16.3 They were covetous.
- 4To avoid passion, and prejudice.To avoyd passion, and prejudice.
- 2Simile.
- 3Luke 16.
