Chapter 24

Of the deceitfulness of our love, anger, joy.

Now to come to the deceit of some particular affections. And first to begin with love.

The deceit of the affection of love is, when we think we love men's persons, as they are God's creatures in Adam, and his new creatures in Christ; when yet indeed we love not their persons, but their riches, honors, reputation in the world, and such like adjuncts of their persons. In loving of ourselves, we prefer our persons before our goods, or anything else; as the Devil observed, Skinne for skin, and all that a man has, will he give for his life. Now the law is, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. And so we should love him, and not his. But quite contrary is it with many of us in the loving of others. We prefer their purses, and portions, before their persons. Whatever we may persuade ourselves, the truth is, that we love specially in them these outward things, and know them according to the flesh. The discovery of this deceit is in the change of estate.

When riches are turned into poverty, honor into ignominy; if then we leave our friend, it is evident we loved not his person before. For that is still the same, his piety, his parts are the same, that when he was rich, happily more. When the corn is spent, the rats leave the barn, and yet the room is the same. It was not then the room they loved. Here was the trial of the sincerity of John's love to our Savior, that he forsook him not on the cross, as his fellows did. For indeed Christ was the same on the cross, that in the pulpit, in the temple, Christ suffering was the same, that he was working miracles. Thus was the deceitful love of many professors at Rome towards Paul discovered, in that they stood not to him when he was convened before Nero. Herein also appeared some unsoundness in Job's wife her love, when she began to loathe him because of his boils, and botches. If she had loved his grace, botchy Job and poor Job was as gracious, as hale Job, and rich Job. The like may be said of their love, who depending upon him in his flourishing estate, afterward despised him in his fall.

When also our estate is changed from worse to a better, here also is a discovery of deceitful love. For as in the former change unsound love will turn into hatred, so in this into envy. Here was the discovery of Saul's false heart to David, when, seeming to love him dearly, and entirely before, he could not yet endure him, when he saw him grow greater than himself, and heard his ten thousands and but his own thousands. And here was a notable trial of the sincerity of Jonathan's love to David, when, for all he knew he was to be preferred to the kingdom, and so the only man to put him by that dignity, yet still he continued constant in love. Whereas, if he had loved him only for outward respects, as because of the similitude of their dispositions, that he was a man of a martial spirit, and not chiefly for his piety, he could not, but, upon this occasion, have most bitterly hated him. This must teach us, in loving others to examine our own hearts, what it is we love in them; whether the image of God, or the deceivable shadows of the world. And those that have much love, and many friends, must learn wisdom not to take all for friends, that pretend affection. And because the heart of man is thus deceitful in love, as in nothing more, it must teach us in the multitude of greatest, and strongest friends to fly to God, and to make his love our chief stays. His love I say, which is without deceit, without repentance, without the least shadow of turning. For whom he once loves, he loves to the end. Man's love is often deceitful, that we may justly complain with Job, My friends have deceived me as a brook, and with the Church in the Lamentations, My lovers stand far off from me, and with Paul, All have forsook me. Lean not then on this broken staff. Secure not yourself, no not in the favor of princes. Trust not in them, says the Psalmist, because they are mortal, and their breath is in their nostrils. Much more then may I say, trust not in their love, because their love is mortal, and may quickly turn into mortal hatred. Their love may die before themselves, they may survive their love, breathing out their love, before their breath. So much for love.

The second affection is anger, and hatred, an inveterate anger. The deceit is, when we think we hate men's sins, when indeed it is their persons, and that we are angry for sin against God, when indeed it is for some injury done to ourselves. For so it is, that God's cause, and our own often meet together. And wherein we are wronged, therein also is God. Now hence, by reason of this company, and concurrence of God's cause, and our own, we are very apt, and ready to deceive ourselves; thinking our anger is directed against the dishonor of God, whereas, in truth, it has reference only to that which is but an appurtenance, and hangs by thereto, namely our own offense.

The discovery therefore of this deceit is,

1 In the partition of God's cause, and our own, let us mark how we are affected, either when God is dishonored without our injury, or we injured without any great impeachment of God's honor. Now if we can be as hot as toast in our own private injuries, where God's glory is not called in question, and yet as cold as ice, when most dishonorable indignities are offered to the Lord without any touch of ourselves: then it is evident, that in those cases, where God's cause and our own are joined together, our anger was only for our own, not for God's. When our servants, or children have neglected their duty to us, there is just cause of anger. For God's commandment is broken by them. But deceive not yourself, when under this pretense you let loose the bridle to your rage. For how often have you yourself failed far more in your duty to God, how often have you seen your children, and servants dishonor the name of the Lord many ways, and yet were never half so angry? Here was the trial of Moses his anger. When the people murmured, and when Korah rebelled against him, here was just cause of anger. But here God's cause, and his own were coupled. Let us therefore mark Moses his behavior, when they were singled. Numbers 12: Aaron, and Miriam offer him a private injury. It is said his meekness was such that he gave them not a word. Again Exodus 32, the people had fallen to idolatry, and had made a calf, and Aaron had his hand therein. Here God's quarrel was severed from his own. And how carries he himself here? He spares neither Aaron, nor the people, but in a godly fit of zeal takes on, breaks the two tables in pieces, etc. A meek lamb in his own injury: a fierce lion in God's. Here was pure anger, free from guile, and gall.

2 If our anger be properly against sin, then it will keep us from sinning grossly in being angry. For what likelihood is there, that he is truly angry against sin, that commits a greater sin in his anger, than the sin at which he is angry? Thus many are angry for small offenses, which indeed are sins also against God: but in their anger they are so distempered, that they break out into cursing, raging, railing, etc., which are far greater sins, than that with which they are discontent. Here was David's anger against Nabal discovered to be faulty. He might happily persuade himself he had cause to be offended. For Nabal's churlish unthankfulness was odious to God. Yet that was not it which angered David. For then how came it to pass that his anger provoked him to swear, to conceive a bloody purpose of murder? Grace begets not sin, but holds back from sin. Grace is never a pair of bellows to blow up in us the fire of corruption; so as is often our anger. And therefore our anger then is not of grace, but of corruption.

3 Holy anger, that is conceived against sin, does not at all unfit us for duties, we owe either God, or man, no not that man, with whom we are angry. As Moses was angry with the Israelites, and chided them sharply, yet withal prayed for them heartily. As when our children through their own fault have got some sickness, for all our angry speeches, we go to the physician for them. Christ, when he was angry with the Pharisees (Mark 3:5), at the same time mourned for their sin. Jonathan was angry with his father for vowing David's death: yet his anger made him speak nothing unbecoming the duty, either of a son to his father, or of a subject to his sovereign. Anger against sin is always joined with love of the sinner. Sincere anger is a loving anger, a devout anger. It fits a man for the duties of love to men, of devotion to God. This anger is a whetstone to prayer, and by help of it, you shall pray better than before. If then your anger so disguises you, and puts you out of frame, that you cannot tell, either how to pray to God, or look, or speak lovingly to man, not only the person angering you, but scarcely any other, it is a conviction of the deceitfulness of your anger.

3 Affection is joy. In which there is a double deceit. 1 When we think we rejoice in God's outward benefits, only as pledges of his love, when indeed we rejoice more in the benefits themselves, than in the benefactor.

The discovery is 1 by our drooping, and dejection under the cross. If it had been God's favor only we had rejoiced in in our prosperity, why then is the complexion of our countenance changed? For God's favor is still the same to his in affliction, which in prosperity, perhaps greater.

2 By the effect of our joy, which is the saddening, and grieving of God's Spirit. From which arises a heavy listlessness, and unwillingness to God's service.

2 Deceit is, when we think we rejoice in the graces of God's Spirit in our brothers, for themselves, when we rejoice in them, only as they are some way beneficial to ourselves; as in the matter of liberality. Here the trial is, to mark whether we rejoice as much in other graces, which are not so profitable to us, or in the same graces, when it falls out that they are profitable to others, not to ourselves. Excellently Paul to Philemon (Philemon 7): We have great joy in your love. For by you, brother — not my, but — the saints' hearts are refreshed. Many rejoice only in that love which refreshes their own hearts. Which is indeed to rejoice rather in their own profit, than in the grace of God itself. For that love which refreshes other saints' hearts, and not mine, is love, as well as that, which refreshes mine. If I rejoice in love, because it is love, because it is grace, I shall rejoice as well in the one, as in the other. Indeed and when this grace is beneficial to us, rather yet in his benefit whose it is, because of the fruit furthering his own account (Philemon 4:17), shall we rejoice, than in our own.