RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS
JONATHAN EDWARDS
V.
It is no sign that religious affections are truly holy and spiritual, or that
they are not, that they come with texts of Scripture, remarkably brought to
the mind.
It is no sign that affections are
not gracious, that they are occasioned by Scriptures so coming to mind;
provided it be the Scripture itself, or the truth which the Scripture so
brought contains and teaches, that is the foundation of the affection, and not
merely, or mainly, the sudden and unusual manner of its coming to the mind.
But on the other hand, neither is
it any sign that affections are gracious, that they arise on occasion of
Scriptures brought suddenly and wonderfully to the mind; whether those
affections be fear or hope, joy or sorrow, or any other. Some seem to look
upon this as a good evidence that their affections are saving, especially if
the affections excited are hope or joy, or any other which are pleasing and
delightful. They will mention it as an evidence that all is right, that their
experience came with the word, and will say, "There were such and such
sweet promises brought to my mind: they came suddenly, as if they were spoken
to me: I had no hand in bringing such a text to my own mind; I was not
thinking of anything leading to it; it came all at once, so that I was
surprised. I had not thought of it a long time before; I did not know at first
that it was Scripture; I did not remember that ever I had read it." And
it may be, they will add, "One Scripture came flowing in after another,
and so texts all over the Bible, the most sweet and pleasant, and the most apt
and suitable which could be devised; and filled me full as I could hold: I
could not but stand and admire: the tears flowed; I was full of joy, and could
not doubt any longer." And thus they think they have undoubted evidence
that their affections must be from God, and of the right kind, and their state
good: but without any manner of grounds. How came they by any such rule, as
that if any affections or experiences arise with promises, and comfortable
texts of Scripture, unaccountably brought to mind, without their recollection,
or if a great number of sweet texts follow one another in a chain, that this
is a certain evidence their experiences are saving? Where is any such rule to
be found in the Bible, the great and only sure directory in things of this
nature?
What deceives many of the less
understanding and considerate sort of people, in this matter, seems to be
this; that the Scripture is the word of God, and has nothing in it which is
wrong, but is pure and perfect; and therefore, those experiences which come
from the Scripture must be right. But then it should be considered, affections
may arise on occasion of the Scripture, and not properly come from the
Scripture, as the genuine fruit of the Scripture, and by a right use of it;
but from an abuse of it. All that can be argued from the purity and perfection
of the word of God, with respect to experiences, is this, that those
experiences which are agreeable to the word of God, are right, and cannot be
otherwise; and not that those affections must be right, which arise on
occasion of the word of God coming to the mind.
What evidence is there that the
devil cannot bring texts of Scripture to the mind, and misapply them to
deceive persons? There seems to be nothing in this which exceeds the power of
Satan. It is no work of such mighty power, to bring sounds or letters to
persons' minds, that we have any reason to suppose nothing short of
Omnipotence can be sufficient for it. If Satan has power to bring any words or
sounds at all to persons' minds, he may have power to bring words contained in
the Bible. There is no higher sort of power required in men, to make the
sounds which express the words of a text of Scripture, than to make the sounds
which express the words of an idle story or song. And so the same power in
Satan, which is sufficient to renew one of those kinds of sounds in the mind,
is sufficient to renew the other: the different signification, which depends
wholly on custom, alters not the case, as to ability to make or revive the
sounds or letters. Or will any suppose, that texts or Scriptures are such
sacred things, that the devil durst not abuse them, nor touch them? In this
also they are mistaken. He who was bold enough to lay hold on Christ himself,
and carry him hither and thither, into the wilderness, and into a high
mountain, and to a pinnacle of the temple, is not afraid to touch the
Scripture, and abuse that for his own purpose; as he showed at the same time
that he was so bold with Christ, he then brought one Scripture and another, to
deceive and tempt him. And if Satan did presume, and was permitted to put
Christ himself in mind of texts of Scripture to tempt him, what reason
have we determine that he dare not, or will not be permitted, to put wicked
men in the mind of texts of Scripture, to tempt and deceive them? And
if Satan may thus abuse one text of Scripture, so he may another. Its being a
very excellent place of Scripture, a comfortable and precious promise, alters
not the case, as to his courage or ability. And if he can bring one
comfortable text to the mind, so he may a thousand; and may choose out such
Scriptures as tend most to serve his purpose; and may heap up Scripture
promises, tending, according to the perverse application he makes of them,
wonderfully to remove the rising doubts, and to confirm the false joy and
confidence of a poor deluded sinner.
We know the devil's instruments,
corrupt and heretical teachers, can and do pervert the Scripture, to their own
and others' damnation, 2 Pet. 3:16. We see they have the free use of
Scripture, in every part of it: there is no text so precious and sacred, but
they are permitted to abuse it, to the eternal ruin of multitudes of souls;
and there are no weapons they make use of with which they do more execution.
And there is no manner of reason to determine, that the devil is not permitted
thus to use the Scripture, as well as his instruments. For when the latter do
it, they do it as his instruments and servants, and through his instigation
and influence: and doubtless he does the same he instigates others to do; the
devil's servants do but follow their master, and do the same work that he does
himself.
And as the devil can abuse the
Scripture, to deceive and destroy men, so may men's own folly and corruptions
as well. The sin which is in men, acts like its father. Men's own hearts are
deceitful like the devil, and use the same means to deceive.
So that it is evident, that any
person may have high affections of hope and joy, arising on occasion of texts
of Scripture, yea, precious promises of Scripture coming suddenly and
remarkably to their minds, as though they were spoken to them, yea, a great
multitude of such texts, following one another in a wonderful manner; and yet
all this be no argument that these affections are divine, or that they are any
other than the effects of Satan's delusions.
And I would further observe, that
persons may have raised and joyful affections, which may come with the word of
God, and not only so, but from the word, and those affections not be from
Satan, nor yet properly from the corruptions of their own hearts, but from
some influence of the Spirit of God with the word and yet have nothing of the
nature of true and saving religion in them. Thus the stony ground hearers had
great joy from the word; yea, which is represented as arising from the word,
as growth from a seed; and their affections had, in their appearance, a very
great and exact resemblance with those represented by the growth on the good
ground, the difference not appearing until it was discovered by the
consequences in a time of trial: and yet there was no saving religion in these
affections.[18]
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