RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS
JONATHAN EDWARDS
II.
The second thing proposed, which was to observe some things that render it
evident, that true religion, in great part consists in the affections.
And here,
1.
What has been said of the nature of the affections makes this evident, and may
be sufficient, without adding anything further, to put this matter out of
doubt; for who will deny that true religion consists in a great measure, in
vigorous and lively actings of the inclination and will of the soul, or the
fervent exercises of the heart?
That
religion which God requires, and will accept, does not consist in weak, dull,
and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference:
God, in his word, greatly insists upon it, that we be good in earnest,
"fervent in spirit," and our hearts vigorously engaged in religion:
Rom. 12:11, "Be ye fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Deut.
10:12, "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but
to fear the Lord the God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to
serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul?" and
chap. 6:4, 6, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy might."
It is such a fervent vigorous engagedness of the heart in religion, that is
the fruit of a real circumcision of the heart, or true regeneration, and that
has the promises of life; Deut. 30:6, "And the Lord thy God will
circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."
If
we be not in good earnest in religion, and our wills and inclinations be not
strongly exercised, we are nothing. The things of religion are so great, that
there can be no suitableness in the exercises of our hearts, to their nature
and importance, unless they be lively and powerful. In nothing is vigour in
the actings of our inclinations so requisite, as in religion; and in nothing
is lukewarmness so odious. True religion is evermore a powerful thing; and the
power of it appears, in the first place in the inward exercises of it in the
heart, where is the principal and original seat of it. Hence true religion is
called the power of godliness, in distinction from the external
appearances of it, that are the form of it, 2 Tim. 3:5: "Having a
form of godliness, but denying the power of it." The Spirit of
God, in those that have sound and solid religion, is a spirit of powerful holy
affection; and therefore, God is said "to have given the Spirit of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind," 2 Tim. 1:7. And such, when they
receive the Spirit of God, in his sanctifying and saving influences, are said
to be "baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire;" by reason of
the power and fervour of those exercises the Spirit of God excites in their
hearts, whereby their hearts, when grace is in exercise, may be said to
"burn within them;" as is said of the disciples, Luke 24:32.
The
business of religion is from time to time compared to those exercises, wherein
men are wont to have their hearts and strength greatly exercised and engaged,
such as running, wrestling or agonizing for a great prize or crown, and
fighting with strong enemies that seek our lives, and warring as those, that
by violence take a city or kingdom.
And
though true grace has various degrees, and there are some that are but babes
in Christ, in whom the exercise of the inclination and will, towards divine
and heavenly things, is comparatively weak; yet everyone that has the power of
godliness in his heart, has his inclinations and heart exercised towards God
and divine things, with such strength and vigour that these holy exercises do
prevail in him above all carnal or natural affections, and are effectual to
overcome them: for every true disciple of Christ "loves him above father
or mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, houses and lands: yea,
than his own life." From hence it follows, that wherever true religion
is, there are vigorous exercises of the inclination and will towards divine
objects: but by what was said before, the vigorous, lively, and sensible
exercises of the will, are no other than the affections of the soul.
2.
The Author of the human nature has not only given affections to men, but has
made them very much the spring of men's actions. As the affections do not only
necessarily belong to the human nature, but are a very great part of it; so
(inasmuch as by regeneration persons are renewed in the whole man, and
sanctified throughout) holy affections do not only necessarily belong to true
religion, but are a very great part of it. And as true religion is of a
practical nature, and God hath so constituted the human nature, that the
affections are very much the spring of men's actions, this also shows, that
true religion must consist very much in the affections.
Such
is man's nature, that he is very inactive, any otherwise than he is influenced
by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other.
These affections we see to be the springs that set men agoing, in all the
affairs of life, and engage them in all their pursuits: these are the things
that put men forward, and carry them along, in all their worldly business; and
especially are men excited and animated by these, in all affairs wherein they
are earnestly engaged, and which they pursue with vigour. We see the world of
mankind to be exceeding busy and active; and the affections of men are the
springs of the motion: take away all love and hatred, all hope and fear, all
anger, zeal, and affectionate desire, and the world would be, in a great
measure motionless and dead; there would be no such thing as activity amongst
mankind, or any earnest pursuit whatsoever. It is affection that engages the
covetous man, and him that is greedy of worldly profits, in his pursuits; and
it is by the affections, that the ambitious man is put forward in pursuit of
worldly glory; and it is the affections also that actuate the voluptuous man,
in his pursuit of pleasure and sensual delights: the world continues, from age
to age, in a continual commotion and agitation, in a pursuit of these things,
but take away all affection, and the spring of all this motion would be gone,
and the motion itself would cease. And as in worldly things, worldly
affections are very much the spring of men’s motion and action; so in
religious matters, the spring of their actions is very much religious
affection: he that has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without
affection, never is engaged in the business of religion.
3.
Nothing is more manifest in fact, than that the things of religion take hold
of men's souls, no further than they affect them. There are multitudes that
often hear the word of God, and therein
hear of those things that are infinitely great and important, and that most
nearly concern them, and all that is heard seems to be wholly ineffectual upon
them, and to make no alteration in their disposition or behaviour; and the
reason is, they are not affected with what they hear. There are many that
often hear of the glorious perfections of God, his almighty power and
boundless wisdom, his infinite majesty, and that holiness of God, by which he
is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity, and the
heavens are not pure in his sight, and of God's infinite goodness and mercy,
and hear of the great works of God's wisdom, power and goodness, wherein there
appear the admirable manifestations of these perfections; they hear
particularly of the unspeakable love of God and Christ, and of the great
things that Christ has done and suffered, and of the great things of another
world, of eternal misery in bearing the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God,
and of endless blessedness and glory in the presence of God, and the enjoyment
of his dear love; they also hear the peremptory commands of God, and his
gracious counsels and warnings, and the sweet invitations of the gospel; I
say, they often hear these things and yet remain as they were before, with no
sensible alteration in them, either in heart or practice, because they are not
affected with what they hear; and ever will be so till they are affected. –
I am bold to assert, that there never was any considerable change wrought in
the mind or conversation of any person, by anything of a religious nature,
that ever he read, heard or saw, that had not his affections moved. Never was
a natural man engaged earnestly to seek his salvation; never were any such
brought to cry after wisdom, and lift up their voice for understanding, and to
wrestle with God in prayer for mercy; and never was one humbled, and brought
to the foot of God, from anything that ever he heard or imagined of his own
unworthiness and deserving of God's displeasure; nor was ever one induced to
fly for refuge unto Christ, while his heart remained unaffected. Nor was there
ever a saint awakened out of a cold, lifeless flame, or recovered from a
declining state in religion, and brought back from a lamentable departure from
God, without having his heart affected. And in a word, there never was
anything considerable brought to pass in the heart or life of any man living,
by the things of religion, that had not his heart deeply affected by those
things.
4.
The holy Scriptures do everywhere place religion very much in the affection;
such as fear, hope, love, hatred, desire, joy, sorrow, gratitude, compassion,
and zeal.
The
Scriptures place much of religion in godly fear; insomuch, that it is often
spoken of as the character of those that are truly religious persons, that
they tremble at God's word, that they fear before him, that their flesh
trembles for fear of him, and that they are afraid of his judgments, that his
excellency makes them afraid, and his dread falls upon them, and the like: and
a compelation commonly given the saints in Scripture, is "fearers of
God," or, "they that fear the Lord.” And because the fear of God
is a great part of true godliness, hence true godliness in general, is very
commonly called by the name of the fear
of God; as everyone knows, that knows anything of the Bible.
So
hope in God and in the promises of his word, is often spoken of in the
Scripture, as a very considerable part of true religion. It is mentioned as
one of the three great things of which religion consists, 1 Cor. 13:13. Hope
in the Lord is also frequently mentioned as the character of the saints: Psal.
146:5, "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope
is in the Lord his God." Jer. 17:7, "Blessed is the man that
trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." Psal. 31:24, "Be
of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the
Lord." And the like in many other places. Religious fear and hope are,
once and again, joined together, as jointly constituting the character of the
true saints; Psal. 33:18, "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that
fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy." Psal. 147:11, "The Lord
taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy."
Hope is so great a part of true religion, that the apostle says, "we are
saved by hope," Rom.
8:24
. And this is spoken
of as the helmet of the Christian soldier. 1 Thess. 5:8, "And for a
helmet, the hope of salvation;"
and the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, which preserves it from being
cast away by the storms of this evil world.” Heb. 6:19, "Which hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth
into that within the vail." It is spoken of as a great fruit and benefit
which true saints receive by Christ's resurrection: 1 Pet. 1:3, "Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his
abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead."
The
Scriptures place religion very much in the affection of love,
in love to God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and love to the people of God, and
to mankind. The texts in which this is manifest, both in the Old Testament and
New, are innumerable. But of this more afterwards.
The
contrary affection of hatred also,
as having sin for its object, is spoken of in Scripture as no inconsiderable
part of true religion. It is spoken of as that by which true religion may be
known and distinguished; Prov.
8:13
, "The fear of
the Lord is to hate evil." And accordingly the saints are called upon to
give evidence of their sincerity by this; Psal. 97:10, "Ye that love the
Lord hate evil." And the Psalmist often mentions it as an evidence of his
sincerity; Psal. 2, 3, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that turn
aside." Psal. 119:104, "I hate every false way." So ver. 127.
Again, Psal. 139:21, "Do I not hate them, O Lord, that hate thee?"
So
holy desire, exercised in longings, hungerings, and thirstings after God and
holiness, is often mentioned in Scripture as an important part of true
religion; Isa. 26:8, "The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the
remembrance of thee." Psal. 27:4, "One thing have I desired of the
Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in
his temple." Psal. 42:1, 2, "As the hart panteth after the water
brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; my soul thirsteth for God, for
the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Psal. 63:1, 2,
"My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and
thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have
seen thee in the sanctuary." Psal. 84:1, 2, "How amiable are thy
tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the
courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God."
Psal. 119:20, "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy
judgments at all times." So Psal. 73:25, and 143:6, 7, and 130:6. Cant.
3:1, 2, and 6:8. Such a holy desire and thirst of soul is mentioned, as one
thing which renders or denotes a man truly blessed, in the beginning of
Christ’s sermon on the mount, Matt. 5:6: "Blessed are they that do
hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." And
this holy thirst is spoken of, as a great thing in the condition of a
participation of the blessings of eternal life; Rev. 21:6, "I will give
unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
The
Scriptures speaks of holy joy, as a great part of true religion. So it is
represented in the text. And as an important part of religion, it is often
exhorted to, and pressed, with great earnestness; Psal. 37:4, "Delight
thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Psal. 97:12, "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous." So Psal. 33:1,
"Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous." Matt. 5:12, "Rejoice,
and be exceeding glad." Phil. 3:1, "Finally, brethren, rejoice in
the Lord." And chap. 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I
say, Rejoice." 1 Thess. 5:16, "Rejoice evermore." Psal. 149:2,
"Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; let the children of
Zion
be joyful in their
king." This is mentioned among the principal fruits of the Spirit of
grace; Gal.
5:21
, "The fruit of the Spirit is love,"
&c. The Psalmist mentions his holy joy, as an evidence of his sincerity.
Psal. 119:14, "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as
in all riches."
Religious
sorrow, mourning, and brokenness of heart, are also frequently spoken of as a
great part of true religion. These things are often mentioned as
distinguishing qualities of the true saints, and a great part of their
character; Matt. 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be
comforted.'' Psal. 34:18, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a
broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Isa. 61:1, 2,
"The Lord hath anointed me, to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all
that mourn." This godly sorrow and brokenness of heart is often spoken
of, not only as a great thing in the distinguishing character of the saints,
but that in them, which is peculiarly acceptable and pleasing to God; Psal.
51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Isa. 57:15, "Thus
saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I
dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and
humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of
the contrite ones." Chap. 66:2, "To this man will I look, even to
him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit."
Another
affection often mentioned, as that in the exercise of which much of true
religion appears, is gratitude;
especially as exercised in thankfulness and praise to God. This being so much
spoken of in the book of Psalms, and other parts of the holy Scriptures, I
need not mention particular texts.
Again,
the holy Scriptures do frequently speak of compassion or mercy, as a very
great and essential thing in true religion, insomuch that good men are in
Scripture denominated from hence; and a merciful man and a good man are
equivalent terms in Scripture; Isa. 57:1, "The righteous perisheth, and
no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away." And the
Scripture chooses out this quality, as that by which, in a peculiar manner, a
righteous man is deciphered; Psal. 37:21, "The righteous showeth mercy,
and giveth;" and ver. 26, "He is ever merciful, and lendeth."
And Prov.
14:21
, "He that
honoureth the Lord, hath mercy on the poor.” And Col. 3:12, "Put ye on,
as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies," &c. This
is one of those great things by which those who are truly blessed are
described by our Saviour; Matt. 5:7, "Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall obtain mercy." And this Christ also speaks of, as one of the
weightier matters of the law; Matt.
23:23
, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted
the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." To the
like purpose is that, Mic. 6:8, "He hath showed thee, O man, what is
good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and love
mercy, and walk
humbly
with thy God?" And also that, Hos. 6:6 "For I desired mercy, and not
sacrifice." Which seems to have been a text much delighted in by our
Saviour, by his manner of citing it once and again, Matt. 9:13, and 12:7.
Zeal
is also spoken of, as a very essential part of the religion of true saints. It
is spoken of as a great thing Christ had in view, in giving himself for our
redemption; Tit.
2:14
, "Who gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." And this is spoken of,
as the great thing wanting in the lukewarm Laodiceans, Rev. 3:15, 16, 19.
I
have mentioned but a few texts, out of an innumerable multitude, all over the
Scripture, which place religion very much in the affections. But what has been
observed, may be sufficient to show that they who would deny that much of true
religion lies in the affections, and maintain the contrary, must throw away
what we have been wont to own for our Bible, and get some other rule, by which
to judge of the nature of religion.
5.
The Scriptures do represent true religion, as being summarily comprehended in
love, the chief of the affections, and fountain of all other affections.
So
our blessed Saviour represents the matter, in answer to the lawyer, who asked
him, which was the great commandment of the law Matt. 22:37-40: "Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Which last
words signify as much, as that these two commandments comprehend all the duty
prescribed, and the religion taught in the law and the prophets. And the
apostle Paul does from time to time make the same representation of the
matter; as in Rom. 13:8, "He that loveth another, hath fulfilled the
law." And ver. 10, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." And
Gal.
5:14
, "For all the
law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself." So likewise in 1 Tim. 1:5, "Now the end of the commandment
is charity, out of a pure heart," &c. So the same apostle speaks of
love, as the greatest thing in religion, and as the vitals, essence and soul
of it; without which, the greatest knowledge and gifts, and the most glaring
profession, and everything else which appertains to religion, are vain and
worthless; and represents it as the fountain
from whence proceeds all that is good, in 1 Cor. 13 through out; for that
which is there rendered charity, in
the original is
agaph,
the proper English of which is love.
Now,
although it be true, that the love thus spoken of includes the whole of a
sincerely benevolent propensity of the soul towards God and man; yet it may be
considered, that it is evident from what has been before observed, that this
propensity or inclination of the soul, when in sensible and vigorous exercise,
becomes affection, and is no other than affectionate love. And surely it is
such vigorous and fervent love which Christ speaks of, as the sum of all
religion, when he speaks of loving God with all our hearts, with all our
souls, and with all our minds, and our neighbour as ourselves, as the sum of
all that was taught and prescribed in the law and the prophets.
Indeed
it cannot be supposed, when this affection of love is here, and in other
Scriptures, spoken of as the sum of all religion, that hereby is meant the
act, exclusive of the habit, or that the exercise of the understanding is
excluded, which is implied in all reasonable affection. But it is doubtless
true, and evident from these Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion
lies in holy love; and that in this divine affection, and an habitual
disposition to it, and that light which is the foundation of it, and those
things which are the fruits of it, consists the whole of religion.
From
hence it clearly and certainly appears, that great part of true religion
consists in the affections. For love is not only one of the affections, but it
is the first and chief of the affections, and the fountain of all the
affections. From love arises hatred of those things which are contrary to what
we love, or which oppose and thwart us in those things that we delight in: and
from the various exercises of love and hatred, according to the circumstances
of the objects of these affections, as present or absent, certain or
uncertain, probable or improbable, arise all those other affections of desire,
hope, fear, joy, grief, gratitude, anger, &c. From a vigorous,
affectionate, and fervent love to God, will necessarily arise other religious
affections; hence will arise an intense hatred and abhorrence of sin, fear of
sin, and a dread of God's displeasure, gratitude to God for his goodness,
complacence and joy in God, when God is graciously and sensibly present, and
grief when he is absent, and a joyful hope when a future enjoyment of God is
expected, and fervent zeal for the glory of God. And in like manner, from a
fervent love to men, will arise all other virtuous affections towards men.
6.
The religion of the most eminent saints we have an account of in the
Scripture, consisted much in holy affections.
I
shall take particular notice of three eminent saints, who have expressed the
frame and sentiments of their own hearts, and so described their own religion,
and the manner of their intercourse with God, in the writings which they have
left us, that are a part of the sacred canon.
The
first instance I shall take notice of, is David, that "man after God's
own heart;" who has given us a lively portraiture of his religion in the
book of Psalms. Those holy songs of his he has there left us, are nothing else
but the expressions and breathings of devout and holy affections; such as an
humble and fervent love to God, admiration of his glorious perfections and
wonderful works, earnest desires, thirstings, and pantings of soul after God,
delight and joy in God, a sweet and melting gratitude to God, for his great
goodness, a holy exultation and triumph of soul in the favour, sufficiency,
and faithfulness of God, his love to, and delight in the saints, the excellent
of the earth, his great delight in the word and ordinances of God, his grief
for his own and others' sins, and his fervent zeal for God, and against the
enemies of God and his church. And these expressions of holy affection, which
the psalms of David are everywhere full of, are the more to our present
purpose, because those psalms are not only the expressions of the religion of
so eminent a saint, that God speaks of as so agreeable to his mind; but were
also, by the direction of the Holy Ghost, penned for the use of the church of
God in its public worship, not only in that age, but in after ages; as being
fitted to express the religion of all saints, in all ages, as well as the
religion of the Psalmist. And it is moreover to be observed, that David, in
the book of Psalms, speaks not as a private person, but as the Psalmist of
Israel, as the subordinate head of the church of God, and leader in their
worship and praises; and in many of the psalms speaks in the name of Christ,
as personating him in these breathings forth of holy affection; and in many
other psalms he speaks in the name of the church.
Another
instance I shall observe, is the apostle Paul; who was in many respects, the
chief of all the ministers of the New Testament; being above all others, a
chosen vessel unto Christ, to bear his name before the Gentiles, and made a
chief instrument of propagating and establishing the Christian church in the
world, and of distinctly revealing the glorious mysteries of the gospel, for
the instruction of the church in all ages; and (as has not been improperly
thought by some) the most eminent servant of Christ that ever lived, received
to the highest rewards in the heavenly kingdom of his Master. By what is said
of him in the Scripture, he appears to have been a person that was full of
affection. And it is very manifest, that the religion he expresses in his
epistles, consisted very much in holy affections. It appears by all his
expressions of himself, that he was, in the course of his life, inflamed,
actuated, and entirely swallowed up, by a most ardent love to his glorious
Lord, esteeming all things as loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of
him, and esteeming them but dung that he might win him. He represents himself,
as overpowered by this holy affection, and as it were compelled by it to go
forward in his service, through all difficulties and sufferings, 2 Cor. 5:14,
15. And his epistles are full of expressions of an overpowering affection
towards the people of Christ. He speaks of his dear love to them, 2 Cor.
12:19, Phil. 4:1, 2 Tim. 1:2; of his "abundant love," 2 Cor. 2:4;
and of his "affectionate and tender love," as of a nurse towards her
children, 1 Thess. 2:7, 8: "But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse
cherisheth her children; so, being affectionately desirous of you we were
willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our
own souls, because ye were dear unto us." So also he speaks of his
"bowels of love," Phil. 1:8, Philem. 5, 12, and 20. So he speaks of
his "earnest care" for others, 2 Cor.
8:16
, and of his
"bowels of pity, or mercy towards them, Phil. 2:1; and of his concern for
others, even to anguish of heart," 2 Cor. 2:4: "For out of much
affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears; not that
you should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more
abundantly unto you." He speaks of the great conflict of his soul for
them, Col. 2:1. He speaks of great and continual grief that he had in his
heart from compassion to the Jews, Rom. 9:2. He speaks of "his mouth's
being opened, and his heart enlarged" towards Christians, 2 Cor. 6:11:
"O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is
enlarged." He often speaks of his "affectionate and longing
desires," 1 Thess. 2:8, Rom.
1:11
, Phil. 1:8, and
chap. 4:1, 2 Tim. 1:4. The same apostle is very often, in his epistles,
expressing the affection of joy, 2
Cor. 1:12 and chap. 7:7, and ver. 9. 16. Phil. 1:4, and chap. 2:12, and chap
3:3.
Col.
1:34. 1 Thess. 3:9.
He speaks of his "rejoicing with great joy," Phil
4:10
, Philem. 1:7; of
his "joying and rejoicing," Phil. 2:1, 7, and "of his rejoicing
exceedingly," 2 Cor.
7:13
, and of his being
"filled with comfort, and being exceeding joyful," 2 Cor. 7:4. He
speaks of himself as "always rejoicing," 2 Cor. 6:10. So he speaks
of the triumphs of his soul, 2 Cor.
2:14
, and of his
glorying in tribulation," 2 Thess. 1:4, and
Rom.
5:3. He also
expresses the affection of hope; in
Phil. 1:20, he speaks of his "earnest expectation, and his hope." He
likewise expresses an affection of godly
jealousy, 2 Cor. 11:2, 3. And it appears by his whole history, after his
conversion, in the Acts, and also by all his epistles, and the accounts he
gives of himself there that the affection of zeal,
as having the cause of his Master, and the interest and prosperity of his
church, for its object, was mighty in him, continually inflaming his heart,
strongly engaging to those great and constant labours he went through, in
instructing, exhorting, warning, and reproving others, "travailing in
birth with them;" conflicting with those powerful and innumerable enemies
who continually opposed him, wrestling with principalities and powers, not
fighting as one who beats the air, running the race set before him,
continually pressing forwards through all manner of difficulties and
sufferings; so that others thought him quite beside himself. And how full he
was of affection, does further appear by his being so full of tears: in 2 Cor.
2:4, he speaks of his a many tears;" and so Acts
20:19
; and of his "tears that he shed
continually night and day," ver. 31.
Now
if anyone can consider these accounts given in the Scripture of this great
apostle, and which he gives of himself, and yet not see that his religion
consisted much in affection, must have a strange faculty of managing his eyes
to shut out the light which shines most full in his face.
The
other instance I shall mention, is of the apostle John, that beloved disciple,
who was the nearest and dearest to his Master, of any of the twelve, and was
by him admitted to the greatest privileges of any of them; being not only one
of the three who were admitted to be present with him in the mount at his
transfiguration, and at the raising of Jairus's daughter, and whom he took
with him when he was in his agony, and one of the three spoken of by the
apostle Paul, as the three main pillars of the Christian church; but was
favoured above all, in being admitted to lean on his Master's bosom at his
last supper, and in being chosen by Christ, as the disciple to whom he would
reveal his wonderful dispensations towards his church, to the end of time; as
we have an account in the Book of Revelation; and to shut up the canon of the
New Testament, and of the whole Scripture; being preserved much longer than
all the rest of the apostles, to set all things in order in the Christian
church, after their death.
It
is evident by all his writings (as is generally observed by divines) that he
was a person remarkably full of affection: his addresses to those whom he
wrote to being inexpressibly tender and pathetical, breathing nothing but the
most fervent love; as though he were all made up of sweet and holy affection.
The proofs of which cannot be given without disadvantage, unless we should
transcribe his whole writings.
7.
He whom God sent into the world to be the light of the world, and head of the
whole church, and the perfect example of true religion and virtue, for the
imitation of all, the Shepherd whom the whole flock should follow wherever he
goes, even the Lord Jesus Christ, was a person who was remarkably of a tender
and affectionate heart; and his virtue was expressed very much in the exercise
of holy affections. He was the greatest instance of ardency, vigour and
strength of love, to both God and man, that ever was. It was these affections
which got the victory, in that mighty struggle and conflict of his affections,
in his agonies, when "he prayed more earnestly, and offered strong crying
and tears," and wrestled in tears and in blood. Such was the power of the
exercises of his holy love, that they were stronger than death, and in that
great struggle, overcame those strong exercises
of
the natural affections of fear and grief, when he was sore amazed, and his
soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. And he also appeared to be full
of affection in the course of his life. We read of his great zeal, fulfilling
that in the 69th Psalm, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up,"
John 2:17. We read of his grief for the sins of men, Mark 3:5: "He looked
round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their
hearts;" and his breaking forth in tears and exclamations, from the
consideration of the sin and misery of ungodly men and on the sight of the
city of
Jerusalem
, which was full of
such inhabitants, Luke 19:41, 42: "And, when he was come near, he beheld
the city, and wept over it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least
in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid
from thine eyes." With chap.
13:34
, "O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem
, which killest the
prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have
gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her
wings, and ye would not!" We read of Christ's earnest desire, Luke 22:15:
"With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I
suffer." We often read of the affection of pity or compassion in Christ,
Matt. 15:32, and
18:34
. Luke
7:13
, and of his
"being moved with compassion," Matt.
9:36
, and
14:14
, and Mark
6:34
. And how tender did
his heart appear to be, on occasion of Mary's and Martha's mourning for their
brother, and coming to him with their complaints and tears! Their tears soon
drew tears from his eyes he was affected with their grief, and wept with them;
though he knew their sorrow should so soon be turned into joy, by their
brother's being raised from the dead; see John 11. And how ineffably
affectionate was that last and dying discourse, which Jesus had with his
eleven disciples the evening before he was crucified; when he told them he was
going away,
and foretold them the great difficulties and sufferings they should meet with
in the world, when he was gone; and comforted and counselled them as his dear
little children; and bequeathed to them his Holy Spirit, and therein his
peace, and his comfort and joy, as it were in his last will and testament, in
the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of John; and concluded the whole with
that affectionate intercessory prayer for them, and his whole church, in chap.
17. Of all the discourses ever penned, or uttered by the mouth of any man,
this seems to be the most affectionate and affecting.
8.
The religion of heaven consists very much in affection.
There
is doubtless true religion in heaven, and true religion in its utmost purity
and perfection. But according to the Scripture representation of the heavenly
state, the religion of heaven consists chiefly in holy and mighty love and
joy, and the expression of these in most fervent and exalted praises. So that
the religion of the saints in heaven, consists in the same things with that
religion of the saints on earth, which is spoken of in our text, viz., love,
and "joy unspeakable and full of glory." Now it would be very
foolish to pretend, that because the saints in heaven be not united to flesh
and blood, and have no animal fluids to be moved (through the laws of union of
soul and body) with those great emotions of their souls, that therefore their
exceeding love and joy are no affections. We are not speaking of the
affections of the body, but of the affections of the soul, the chief of which
are love and joy. When these
are in the soul, whether that be in the body or out of it, the soul is
affected and moved. And when they are in the soul, in that strength in which
they are in the saints in heaven, the soul is mightily affected and moved, or,
which is the same thing, has great affections. It is true, we do not
experimentally know what love and joy are in a soul out of a body, or in a
glorified body; i.e., we have not had experience of love and joy in a soul in
these circumstances; but the saints on earth do know what divine love and joy
in the soul are, and they know that love and joy are of the same kind with the
love and joy which are in heaven, in separate souls there. The love and joy of
the saints on earth, is the beginning and dawning of the light, life, and
blessedness of heaven, and is like their love and joy there; or rather, the
same in nature, though not the same with it, or like to it, in degree and
circumstances. This is evident by many Scriptures, as Prov.
4:18
; John
4:14
, and chap. 6:40,
47, 50, 51, 54, 58; 1 John 3:16; 1 Cor. 13:8-12. It is unreasonable therefore
to suppose, that the love and joy of the saints in heaven, not only differ in
degree and circumstances, from the holy love and joy of the saints on earth,
but is so entirely different in nature, that they are no affections; and
merely because they have no blood and animal spirits to be set in motion by
them, which motion of the blood and animal spirits is not of the essence of
these affections, in men on the earth, but the effect of them; although by
their reaction they may make some circumstantial difference in the sensation
of the mind. There is a sensation of the mind which loves and rejoices, that
is antecedent to any effects on the fluids of the body; and this sensation of
the mind, therefore, does not depend on these motions in the body, and so may
be in the soul without the body. And wherever there are the exercises of love
and joy, there is that sensation of the mind, whether it be in the body or
out; and that inward sensation, or kind of spiritual sense, or feeling, and
motion of the soul, is what is called affection: the soul when it thus feels
(if I may say so), and is thus moved, is said to be affected, and especially
when this inward sensation and motion are to a very high degree, as they are
in the saints in heaven. If we can learn anything of the state of heaven from
the Scripture, the love and joy that the saints have there, is exceeding great
and vigorous; impressing the heart with the strongest and most lively
sensation of inexpressible sweetness, mightily moving, animating and engaging
them, making them like a flame of fire. And if such love and joy be not
affections, then the word affection
is of no use in language. Will any say, that the saints in heaven, in
beholding the face of their Father, and the glory of their Redeemer, and
contemplating his wonderful works, and particularly his laying down his life
for them, have their hearts nothing moved and affected by all which they
behold or consider?
Hence,
therefore, the religion of heaven, consisting chiefly in holy love and joy,
consists very much in affection; and therefore, undoubtedly, true religion
consists very much in affection. The way to learn the true nature of anything,
is to go where that thing is to be found in its purity and perfection. If we
would know the nature of true gold we must view it, not in the ore, but when
it is refined. If we would learn what true religion is, we must go where there
is true religion, and nothing but true religion, and in its highest
perfection, without any defect or mixture. All who are truly religious are not
of this world, they are strangers here, and belong to heaven; they are born
from above, heaven is their native country, and the nature which they receive
by this heavenly birth, is a heavenly nature, they receive an anointing from
above; that principle of true religion which is in them, is a communication of
the religion of heaven; their grace is the dawn of glory; and God fits them
for that world by conforming them to it.
9.
This appears from the nature and design of the ordinances and duties, which
God hath appointed, as means and expressions of true religion.
To
instance in the duty of prayer: it is manifest, we are not appointed in this
duty, to declare God's perfections, his majesty, holiness, goodness, and
all-sufficiency, and our own meanness, emptiness, dependence, and
unworthiness, and our wants and desires, to inform God of these things, or to
incline his heart, and prevail with him to be willing to show us mercy; but
suitably to affect our own hearts with the things we express, and so to
prepare us to receive the blessings we ask. And such gestures and manner of
external behaviour in the worship of God, which custom has made to be
significations of humility and reverence, can be of no further use than as
they have some tendency to affect our own hearts, or the hearts of others.
And
the duty of singing praises to God seems to be appointed wholly to excite and
express religious affections. No other reason can be assigned why we should
express ourselves to God in verse, rather than in prose, and do it with music
but only, that such is our nature and frame, that these things have a tendency
to move our affections.
The
same thing appears in the nature and design of the sacraments, which God hath
appointed. God, considering our frame, hath not only appointed that we should
be told of the great things of the gospel, and of the redemption of Christ,
and instructed in them by his word; but also that they should be, as it were,
exhibited to our view, in sensible representations, in the sacraments, the
more to affect us with them.
And
the impressing divine things on the hearts and affections of men, is evidently
one great and main end for which God has ordained that his word delivered in
the holy Scriptures, should be opened, applied, and set home upon men, in
preaching. And therefore it does not answer the aim which God had in this
institution, merely for men to have good commentaries and expositions on the
Scripture, and other good books of divinity; because, although these may tend
as well as preaching to give men a good doctrinal or speculative understanding
of the things of the word of God, yet they have not an equal tendency to
impress them on men's hearts and affections. God hath appointed a particular
and lively application of his word to men in the preaching of it, as a fit
means to affect sinners with the importance of the things of religion, and
their own misery, and necessity of a remedy, and the glory and sufficiency of
a remedy provided; and to stir up the pure minds of the saints, and quicken
their affections, by often bringing the great things of religion to their
remembrance, and setting them before them in their proper colours, though they
know them, and have been fully instructed in them already, 2 Pet. 1:12, 13.
And particularly, to promote those two affections in them, which are spoken of
in the text, love and joy: "Christ gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; that the body
of Christ might be edified in love," Eph. 4:11, 12, 16. The apostle in
instructing and counselling Timothy concerning the work of the ministry,
informs him that the great end of that word which a minister is to preach, is
love or charity, 1 Tim. 3, 4, 5. And another affection which God has appointed
preaching as a means to promote in the saints, is joy; and therefore ministers
are called "helpers of their joy," 2 Cor.
1:24
.
10.
It is an evidence that true religion, or holiness of heart, lies very much in
the affection of the heart, that the Scriptures place the sin of the heart
very much in hardness of heart. Thus the Scriptures do everywhere. It was
hardness of heart which excited grief and displeasure in Christ towards the
Jews, Mark 3:5: "He looked round about on then, with anger, being grieved
for the hardness of their hearts." It is from men's having such a heart
as this, that they treasure up wrath for themselves: Rom. 2:5, "After thy
hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the
day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." The
reason given why the house of
Israel
would not obey God,
was, that they were hardhearted: Ezekiel 3:7, "But the house of
Israel
will not hearken
unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of
Israel
are impudent and
hard-hearted." The wickedness of that perverse rebellious generation in
the wilderness, is ascribed to the hardness of their hearts: Psal. 95:7-10,
"To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart, as in the
provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your
fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work: forty years long was I grieved
with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their
heart," &c. This is spoken of as what prevented Zedekiah's turning to
the Lord: 2 Chron. 36:13, "He stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart
from turning to the Lord God of
Israel
." This
principle
is spoken of, as that from whence men are without the fear of God, and depart
from God's ways: Isa. 63:17, "O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from
thy ways and hardened our heart from thy fear?" And men's rejecting
Christ, and opposing Christianity, is laid to this principle: Acts 19:9,
"But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that
way before the multitude." God's leaving men to the power of the sin and
corruption
of the heart is often expressed by God's hardening their hearts: Rom.
9:18
, "Therefore
hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth."
John
12:40
, "He hath
blinded their minds, and hardened their hearts." And the apostle seems to
speak of "an evil heart that departs from the living God, and a hard
heart," as the same thing: Heb. 3:8, "Harden not your heart, as in
the provocation," &c.; ver. 12, 13, "Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God: but exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you
be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." And that great work of God
in conversion, which consists in delivering a person from the power of sin,
and mortifying corruption, is expressed, once and again, by God's "taking
away the heart of stone, and giving a heart of flesh," Ezek. 11:19, and
chap. 36:26.
Now
by a hard heart, is plainly meant an unaffected heart, or a heart not easy to
be moved with virtuous affections, like a stone, insensible, stupid, unmoved,
and hard to be impressed. Hence the hard heart is called a stony
heart, and is opposed to a heart of flesh, that has feeling, and is
sensibly touched and moved. We read in Scripture of a hard heart, and a tender
heart; and doubtless we are to understand these, as contrary the one to the
other. But what is a tender heart, but a heart which is easily impressed with
what ought to affect it? God commends Josiah, because his heart was tender;
and it is evident by those things which are mentioned as expressions and
evidences of this tenderness of heart, that by his heart being tender is
meant, his heart being easily moved with religious and pious affection: 2
Kings 22:19, "Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled
thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place,
and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and
a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me, I also have heard
thee, saith the Lord." And this is one thing, wherein it is necessary we
should "become as little children, in order to our entering into the
kingdom of God," even that we should have our hearts tender, and easily
affected and moved in spiritual and divine things, as little children have in
other things.
It
is very plain in some places, in the texts themselves, that by hardness of
heart is meant a heart void of affection. So, to signify the ostrich's being
without natural affection to her young, it is said, Job 39:16, "She
hardeneth her heart against her young ones, as though they were not
hers." So a person having a heart unaffected in time of danger, is
expressed by his hardening his heart: Prov. 28:14, "Happy is the man that
feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief."
Now,
therefore, since it is so plain, that by a hard heart, in Scripture, is meant
a heart destitute of pious affections, and since also the Scriptures do so
frequently place the sin and corruption of the heart in hardness of heart; it
is evident, that the grace and holiness of the heart, on the contrary, must,
in a great measure, consist in its having pious affections, and being easily
susceptive of such affection. Divines are generally agreed, that sin radically
and fundamentally consist in what is negative, or privative, having its root
and foundation in a privation or want of holiness. And therefore undoubtedly,
if it be so that sin does very much consist in hardness of hearts and so in
the want of pious affections of heart, holiness does consist very much in
those pious affections.
I
am far from supposing that all affections do show a tender heart: hatred,
anger, vainglory, and other selfish and self-exalting affections, may greatly
prevail in the hardest heart. But yet it is evident, that hardness of heart
and tenderness of heart, are expressions that relate to the affection of the
heart, and denote the heart's being susceptible of, or shut up against certain
affections; of which I shall have occasion to speak more afterwards.
Upon
the whole, I think it clearly and abundantly evident, that true religion lies
very much in the affections. Not that I think these arguments prove, that
religion in the hearts of the truly godly, is ever in exact proportion to the
degree of affection, and present emotion of the mind: for undoubtedly, there
is much affection in the true saints which is not spiritual; their religious
affections are often mixed; all is not from grace, but much from nature. And
though the affections have not their seat in the body; yet the constitution of
the body may very much contribute to the present emotion of the mind. And the
degree of religion is rather to be judged of by the fixedness and strength of
the habit that is exercised in affection, whereby holy affection is habitual,
than by the degree of the present exercise; and the strength of that habit is
not always in proportion to outward effects and manifestations, or inward
effects, in the hurry and vehemence, and sudden changes of the course of the
thoughts of the mind. But yet it is evident, that religion consists so much in
affection, as that without holy affection there is no true religion; and no
light in the understanding is good, which does not produce holy affection in
the heart: no habit or principle in the heart is good, which has no such
exercise; and no external fruit is good, which does not proceed from such
exercises.
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