Clarke - BV4500_C46_1659_v1

Chap, ó Queftions,andCafes ofConfcience about Afeaions,&c. that it affeas. Thus Solomon gave his heart to feek, wifdome, Eccl. i. 53. 1 Nowicked man can have his affeLions thus wrought on, yet his affe&ions may be raifedagood way towards Chrifl. For, r. By the fparks o£ right Reafon, naturally implantedby God in the heart, he may fo regulate his aff.6tions that he maybe chafte, fober, kinds', liberal, jufl, patient, &c. and to obferve the things contained in the Law. 2. Their knowledge by the Word may mite up their affe&lions exceedingly : Knowledge may awe the heart with feare that it gonot again(} its o wn know ledge : Herod feared, Mark 6.2c. and didmany things. 3Godmay quicken their knowledge andconfcience, and tell them the hor- rout of their fins, which may raife up their affections many Reps higher, to mourn and be forry for their fine : As in ahab, z Kings 25. 27. He rent kw clothes,fvfed, and wentfoftly. 4. They may have a deep fenfe and horrour for their eftate : they may be a- fraid tobe damned, and, of Gods judgements, which may make themweep, and ugh, and groan. So Mal. 2. 13. They covered the altar of God with tears, with weeping, and crying our ; andyet werehypocrites. 5. Self-love may winde up their affections yet higher : For whena man knows thathe cannot be laved unlefle he doth thus and thus ; Oh how affeetionare may he be to do it that he may be faved. For, a. He may be loth cocommit fin : He may with affeRionarely to leave it. He may ufe tome means to leave it. As Darias did to have delivered Daniel from the Lions Den, Dan.6. t.I. and Pilate ro deliver Chrifl. a. He may vomit up his dear fins, and be forty that other men fhould com- mit them. so cí3'licha confeflèdthe filver that he had fiolne, andprofer- ed to make refliturion, andwas troubled when he heardhis Mother curie and (wear, fndg.z7.2. e 3-gab was vexed when David would number the people, I Chron. a 5. 3. 3. He may be fo fer againil fin, that money, favour, honours, &c. may not prevail with him to commit it, as in Balaam, Numb. 24.5 3. 4. Hemay be forward in Religion, and fo fide( in his wayes, that he may be perfecuted for the truth-fake, and for Chrilts fake, and may endure perfe- cutiona goodwhile. ç. He maybe ravifhed and enamouredwith the joyes of the Spirt. Hemay be in forceextafies of fpiritual joy, Heb. 6. ç. Be may tafe the good Word of God, and `Powers oftheworld to come. Queft. P7Thy maywicked wens e/fffeaionsbefofarwroughton, and yet come Jhort ? Alpo. Becaufe they are not kindly wrought on : theGalatians aífed?ions were flrongly wrought on when they would have pulled out their eyes for Paul, but they werenot kindly wrought on. Its only the love of God flied abroad in the heart that kindly affeeis us. They arenot udicioufly wrought on : theyare wrought on in a fit, but not with judgement, the heart mullfirft be wrought on, and the fpirit moved be- fore the affe&ions can bejudiçíoufly wrought on. They are not wrought on regularly : He isaffeeled with £care ; but its with the feareof (hods judgements, not of his goodneffe and mercy, as Hof. 3. ç. the true Ifrael of God arc there Paid to fears the Lord and his good- nefe. They arenot wrought on univerfally : Some affe&ionsare wrought on, but notall : Some fins he grieves under, force he rejoyceth in : Some command- ments he delights in, others he diflikes. Quefti How then £hall we knowwhether wearerightlyafetêed towardsChriff or ne ? E anw. -5

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