36 Quefiions, andCafesof Confcience about Jf 6fien.r,&c. Chap.6 Quell. For the fecond, Inwhat cafes may ftrong Chriflianwant firong affe. bons ? I Anjw. Firft, if they have leffe fin in duties, though they have leffe affeótions : YoungConverts haveoft-times muchaffeeions in holy duties,but withal much corruption : they are fubjeét to rafhnefle, and precipitancie in their prayers, to beproud oftheir graces, and to be too apt to have carnal dependance upon their duties ; but oldexperienced Chri[tians, as they have oft kite affeetion, fo they have leffe fin in holy duties, and exercife more g:acein them. So after duties, a weak Chriflian is apt to indul,ehis corruptions, thinking that he hath made acompenfation for his fins by his duties ; but an experienced grown Chrifli- an, though he be not fo affeEtionate in duty, yet he is careful afterwards not CO fpoil all by fin. II. Secondly, A f+rongChriflian may wane (Iron; affeétions , in cafe that he hath firen_thof judgement to recompence the want [hereof. Young trees aremore fappy,but old trees are more folid.Hence Paul prays for the Philippians, nor only that their love [night abound, but that their jydgntent might abound alfe, Phil'. 1. 9. Though old experienced Chritiians have not fomuch affeetion ; yet they have more folidity and clearnefle of judgment, more experimental knowledge in the profound myfteries of the Gefpel, and more dillinet apprehenfionof the deep thin'sofChrift ; whereas affe&ion without knowledge will be but rafh- nefir, yet fuch have a Promife made unto them, Ira. 32.4. The heart of the ra knot Itvge III. Tbirdly,A thongChriflian may want ßrongaffeetions,in cafeit proceed from a natural temper, and not from a finful careleflè diftemper. Some are naturally of a foft and tender difpofitiot5, and thefe are naturally more affeetionate : and of this temper are molt women. Others are naturally more bound upin their aff. &ions, and are of a more referved temper, who naturally fhewnogreat [ affeftions, neither of joy nor forrow. At Chrif+s death they that expreffed moil affeftions werewomen, Luke 23. 27. Some mens temper is like ice that eafily thawes ; others are like iron, and it mutt be a hot fire thatwill melt themdown ; But the leffe affe&innate, arethe more judicious. IV. Fourthly,In cafe of ficknefle.olda,e,and bodily weaknefle,he that bath [+rength of rráce,may yetwant ftrength ofaffaìion : a :.he ebbing and flowingof theSea depends upon the motion and influenceof theMoon ; fo our affe&ionsdo ebbe and flowmuch what, as the flrength or weakneffe of the body bath an influence upon them. OQett. Whence is it that they that hav-firenoth ofGrace, may yet want chafe, j fl rong aphonr whichthey had at their firft CoaverTon. Aeifw. Fir[+, Becaufe at first Converfion, grace wasbut particularly employed, which afterwards is more diffufed,and generaly employed.Whenmuch water runs in one channel, it makes the (beam to run the fironger : but when there are many rivulets cut out, though there be as much or more water, yet there is not the fame Rrength of the ftream ; So it is at our first Converfion, then all our affe&ions made upbut one (+ream, and therefore feemed the ftronger. A newConvert hathnot fo many duties to perform as a grown Chriflian, becaufe he dock notknow fo many. It may be at fir(+, all his affe&ions runout topray, to heare, to reade, andwhile(+ all the affe&ions run in this one channel, they feem tobe very ftrong a whereas a grown Chriflian hath, befides thefe, many particular duties ofhis calling, and relations tofollow, and therefore its nomar- vel thoughhis affe&ions feem weaker. II. Secondly,This is from theneivneffeof the condition.Naturallywe are much af- fe&ed with new things; as a man that hath beenmanyyears in adark dungeon, whenhe is fuddenly brought into the light,is much affe&ed with it.This is the flare of our fouls at our fir(+Converfion ; weare thenbroughtfrem darkneffe ro light, and
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