DISCOURS1 VI. ygg maypossess : 'thereare some of a much calmer and more sedate constitution ; their passions of desire and joy, of fear and hope, of sorrow and anger, are seldom moved about earthly things; and then it is no wonder that they are not so sensibly impressed with things heavenly. God requires no more than he gives where he has wrought these pathetic principles in the constitu- tion, lie requires the exercise of them in the things of religion : But where persons are of a more dispassionate and a calmer frame, there God will require less of the sensible exercises of affection in the christian life. 2 Cor. viii. 12. " If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not." I confess if you have warm and lively passions for all other things, and none at all for God and religion and heavenly ob- jects ; if your fear, joy, sorrow, and desire are vigorous in their emotions, and are immediately raised by the affairs and occur- rences of this life, and yet lie always asleep with regard to divine things, it is a very bad sign indeed, and has a very unfa- vourable aspect on the case of your soul : For " where much is given, much shall be required ;" Lukexiv. 48. III. " Consider what is your present stage of life : Are you in the fldwer of youth, when all the powers ofnature are active, when the passions are warm and lively : Or are you in the decay of nature, and on the verge of life? Is old age coming upon you, or is it already come, when the animal powers are weakened, when the operations of flesh and blood are more languid ?" An old man cannot have those lively passions and appetites with regard to sensible things as belong to the years of youth and the vigour of nature. Old I3arzillaicould not feel his desires awakened and tempted to dwell at court by all the dishes of a royal table, or the sprightlymusic, or the rich enter- tainments there; 2 Sam. xix. 35. And therefore it is no wonder, if the devout passions be then more languid and unmoved. An aged christian may have the most fixedresolution for God, and thefirmest principles of piety rooted in his soul ; he may do much service for God, and in this sense "may flourish and bring forth fruit in old age ;" Ps. xcii. 14. and may have great advance- ments in real godliness, though there may be few such sensible evidences of it given to himselfor tohis neighbours, in the lively motion of his pathetic powers. Buton the other hand, it is a very sad and melancholysymp- tom, if the evil passions of covetousness, of anger, of revenge, of envy, reign and exert themselves with violence in old age, while there is little or nothing of warm affection exercised in the things of religion. IV. "Let humble and sincere christians remember also for their encouragement, that though, spiritual things may be the rp2
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