A TREATISE CONCERNING RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS
     
                        IN THREE PARTS.
     
     
                              BY
     
     
                       JONATHAN EDWARDS
     
     


            Scanned and edited by Harry Plantinga
               from the 1851 Worcester edition
              This text is in the public domain
     


     
                         INTRODUCTION.
     
THERE is no question whatsoever, that is of greater importance to 
mankind, and what is more concerns every individual person to be 
well resolved in, than this: What are the distinguishing 
qualifications of those that are in favor with God, and entitled 
to his eternal rewards? Or, which comes to the same thing, What is 
the nature of true religion? And wherein do lie the distinguishing 
notes of that virtue and holiness that is acceptable in the sight 
of God? But though it be of such importance, and though we have 
clear and abundant light in the word of God to direct us in this 
matter, yet there is no one point, wherein professing Christians 
do more differ one from another. It would be endless to reckon up 
the variety of opinions in this point, that divide the Christian 
world; making manifest the truth of that declaration of our 
Savior, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, that leads to 
life, and few there be that find it."
     The consideration of these things has long engaged me to 
attend to this matter, with the utmost diligence and care, and 
exactness of search and inquiry, that I have been capable of. It 
is a subject on which my mind has been peculiarly intent, ever 
since I first entered on the study of divinity. But as to the 
success of my inquiries it must be left to the judgment of the 
reader of the following treatise.
     I am sensible it is much more difficult to judge impartially 
of that which is the subject of this discourse, in the midst of 
the dust and smoke of such a state of controversy, as this land is 
now in, about things of this nature. As it is more difficult to 
write impartially, so it is more difficult to read impartially. 
Many will probably be hurt in their spirits, to find so much that 
appertains to religious affection, here condemned: and perhaps 
indignation and contempt will be excited in others by finding so 
much here justified and approved. And it may be, some will be 
ready to charge me with inconsistency with myself, in so much 
approving some things, and so much condemning others; as I have 
found this has always been objected to by some, ever since the 
beginning of our late controversies about religion. It is a hard 
thing to be a hearty zealous friend of what has been good and 
glorious, in the late extraordinary appearances, and to rejoice 
much in it; and at the same time to see the evil and pernicious 
tendency of what has been bad, and earnestly to oppose that. But 
yet, I am humbly but fully persuaded, we shall never be in the way 
of truth, nor go on in a way acceptable to God, and tending to the 
advancement of Christ's kingdom till we do so. There is indeed 
something very mysterious in it, that so much good, and so much 
bad, should be mixed together in the church of God; as it is a 
mysterious thing, and what has puzzled and amazed many a good 
Christian, that there should be that which is so divine and 
precious, as the saving grace of God, and the new and divine 
nature dwelling in the same heart, with so much corruption, 
hypocrisy, and iniquity, in a particular saint. Yet neither of 
these is more mysterious than real. And neither of them is a new 
or rare thing. It is no new thing, that much false religion should 
prevail, at a time of great reviving of true religion, and that at 
such a time multitudes of hypocrites should spring up among true 
saints. It was so in that great reformation, and revival of 
religion, that was in Josiah's time; as appears by Jer. 3:10, and 
4:3, 4, and also by the great apostasy that there was in the land, 
so soon after his reign. So it was in that great outpouring of the 
Spirit upon the Jews, that was in the days of John the Baptist; as 
appears by the great apostasy of that people so soon after so 
general an awakening, and the temporary religious comforts and 
joys of many: John 5:35, "Ye were willing for a season to rejoice 
in his light." So it was in those great commotions that were among 
the multitude, occasioned by the preaching of Jesus Christ; of the 
many that were then called, but few were chosen; of the multitude 
that were roused and affected by his preaching, and at one time or 
other appeared mightily engaged, full of admiration of Christ, and 
elevated with joy, but few were true disciples, that stood the 
shock of the great trials that came afterwards, and endured to the 
end. Many were like the stony ground, or thorny ground; and but 
few, comparatively, like the good ground. Of the whole heap that 
was gathered, great part was chaff; that the wind afterwards drove 
away; and the heap of wheat that was left, was comparatively 
small; as appears abundantly, by the history of the New Testament. 
So it was in that great outpouring of the Spirit that was in the 
apostles' days as appears by Matt. 24:10-13. Gal. 3:1, and 4:11, 
15. Phil. 2:21, and 3:18, l9, and the two epistles to the 
Corinthians, and many other parts of the New Testament. And so it 
was in the great reformation from Popery. It appears plainly to 
have been in the visible church of God, in times of great reviving 
of religion, from time to time, as it is with the fruit trees in 
the spring; there are a multitude of blossoms, all of which appear 
fair and beautiful, and there is a promising appearance of young 
fruits; but many of them are but of short continuance; they soon 
fall off, and never come to maturity.
     Not that it is to be supposed that it will always be so; for 
though there never will, in this world, be an entire purity, 
either in particular saints, in a perfect freedom from mixtures of 
corruption; or in the church of God, without any mixture of 
hypocrites with saints, and counterfeit religion, and false 
appearances of grace with true religion, and real holiness: yet it 
is evident, that there will come a time of much greater purity in 
the church of God, than has been in ages past; it is plain by 
these texts of Scripture, Isa. 52:1. Ezek. 44:6, 7, Joel 3:17. 
Zech. 14:21. Psal. 69:32, 35, 36. Isa 35:8, 10, chap. 4:3, 4. 
Ezek. 20:38. Psal. 37:9, 10, 21, 29. And one great reason of it 
will be that at that time God will give much greater light to his 
people, to distinguish between true religion and its counterfeits. 
Mal. 3:3, "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: 
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and 
silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in 
righteousness." With ver. 18, which is a continuation of the 
prophecy of the same happy times. "Then shall ye return, and 
discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that 
serveth God, and him that serveth him not."
     It is by the mixture of counterfeit religion with true, not 
discerned and distinguished, that the devil has had his greatest 
advantage against the cause and kingdom of Christ, all along 
hitherto. It is by this means, principally, that he has prevailed 
against all revivings of religion, that ever have been sheen the 
first founding of the Christian church. By this, he hurt the cause 
of Christianity, in and after the apostolic age, much more than by 
all the persecutions of both Jews and Heathens. The apostles, in 
all their epistles, show themselves much more concerned at the 
former mischief, than the latter. By this, Satan prevailed against 
the reformation, began by Luther. Zwinglius, &c., to put a stop to 
its progress, and bring it into disgrace; ten times more, than by 
all those bloody, cruel, and before unheard of persecutions of the 
church of Rome. By this, principally, has he prevailed against 
revivals of religion, that have been in our nation since the 
reformation. By this he prevailed against New England, to quench 
the love and spoil the joy of her espousals, about a hundred years 
ago. And I think, I have had opportunity enough to see plainly 
that by this the devil has prevailed against the late great 
revival of religion in New England, so happy and promising in its 
beginning. Here, most evidently has been the main advantage Satan 
has had against us; by this he has foiled us. It is by this means, 
that the daughter of Zion in this land now lies on the ground, in 
such piteous circumstances as we now behold her; with her garments 
rent, her face disfigured, her nakedness exposed, her limbs 
broken, and weltering in the blood of her own wounds, and in no 
wise able to arise, and this, so quickly after her late great joys 
and hopes: Lam. 1:17, "Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there 
is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, 
that his adversaries shall be roundabout him: Jerusalem is as a 
menstruous woman among them." I have seen the devil prevail the 
same way, against two great revivings of religion in this country. 
Satan goes on with mankind, as he began with them. He prevailed 
against our first parents, and cast them out of paradise, and 
suddenly brought all their happiness and glory to an end, by 
appearing to be a friend to their happy paradisaic state, and 
pretending to advance it to higher degrees. So the same cunning 
serpent, that beguiled Eve through his subtlety, by perverting us 
from the simplicity that is in Christ, hath suddenly prevailed to 
deprive us of that fair prospect, we had a little while ago, of a 
kind of paradisaic state of the church of God in New England.
     After religion has revived in the church of God, and enemies 
appear, people that are engaged to defend its cause, are commonly 
most exposed, where they are sensible of danger. While they are 
wholly intent upon the opposition that appears openly before them, 
to make head against that, and do neglect carefully to look all 
around them, the devil comes behind them, and gives a fatal stab 
unseen; and has opportunity to give a more home stroke, and wound 
the deeper, because he strikes at his leisure, and according to 
his pleasure, being obstructed by no guard or resistance.
     And so it is ever likely to be in the church, whenever 
religion revives remarkably, till we have learned well to 
distinguish between true and false religion, between saving 
affections and experiences, and those manifold fair shows, and 
glistering appearances, by which they are counterfeited; the 
consequences of which, when they are not distinguished, are often 
inexpressibly dreadful. By this means, the devil gratifies 
himself, by bringing it to pass, that that should be offered to 
God, by multitudes, under a notion of a pleasing acceptable 
service to him, that is indeed above all things abominable to him. 
By this means he deceives great multitudes about the state of 
their souls; making them think they are something, when they are 
nothing; and so eternally undoes them; and not only so, but 
establishes many in a strong confidence of their eminent holiness, 
who are in God's sight some of the vilest of hypocrites. By this 
means, he many ways damps and wounds religion in the hearts of the 
saints, obscures and deforms it by corrupt mixtures, causes their 
religious affections woefully to degenerate, and sometimes, for a 
considerable time, to be like the manna that bred worms and stank; 
and dreadfully ensnares and confounds the minds of others of the 
saints and brings them into great difficulties and temptation, and 
entangles them in a wilderness, out of which they can by no means 
extricate themselves. By this means, Satan mightily encourages the 
hearts of open enemies of religion, and strengthens their hands, 
and fills them with weapons, and makes strong their fortresses; 
when, at the same time, religion and the church of God lie exposed 
to them, as a city without walls. By this means, he brings it to 
pass, that men work wickedness under a notion of doing God 
service, and so sin without restraint, yea with earnest 
forwardness and zeal, any with all their might. By this means he 
brings in even the friends of religion, insensibly to themselves, 
to do the work of enemies, by destroying religion in a far more 
effectual manner than open enemies can do, under a notion of 
advancing it. By this means the devil scatters the flock of 
Christ, and sets them one against another, and that with great 
heat of spirit, under a nation of zeal for God; and religion, by 
degrees degenerates into vain jangling; and during the strife, 
Satan leads both parties far out of the right way, driving each to 
great extremes, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, 
according as he finds they are most inclined, or most easily moved 
and swayed, till the right path in the middle is almost wholly 
neglected. And in the midst of this confusion, the devil has great 
opportunity to advance his own interest, and make it strong in 
ways innumerable, and get the government of all into his own hands 
and work his own will. And by what is seen of the terrible 
consequences of this counterfeit religion, when not distinguished 
from true religion, God's people in general have their minds 
unhinged and unsettled in things of religion, and know not where 
to set their foot, or what to think or do; and many are brought 
into doubts, whether there be anything in religion; and heresy, 
and infidelity, and atheism greatly prevail.
     Therefore it greatly concerns us to use our utmost endeavors 
clearly to discern, and have it well settled and established, 
wherein true religion does consist. Till this be done, it may be 
expected, that great revivings of religion will be but of short 
continuance; till this be done, there is but little good to be 
expected of all our warm debates in conversation and from the 
press, not knowing clearly and distinctly what we ought to contend 
for.
     My design is to contribute my mite, and use my best (however 
feeble) endeavors to this end, in the ensuing treatise; wherein it 
must be noted, that my design is somewhat diverse from the design 
of what I have formerly published, which was to show the 
distinguishing marks of a work of the Spirit of God, including 
both his common and saving operations; but what I aim at now, is 
to show the nature and signs of the gracious operations of God's 
Spirit, by which they are to be distinguished from all things 
whatsoever, that the minds of men are the subjects of, which are 
not of a saving nature. If I have succeeded, in this my aim, in 
any tolerable measure, I hope it will tend to promote the interest 
of religion. And whether I have succeeded to bring any light to 
this subject or no, and however my attempts may be reproached in 
these captious and censorious times, I hope ins the mercy of a 
gracious God, for the acceptance of the sincerity of my endeavors; 
and hope also for the candor and prayers of the true followers of 
the meek and charitable Lamb of God.
     




                     RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS.
     
                            PART 1.
     
     
           CONCERNING THE NATURE OF THE AFFECTIONS 
               AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IN RELIGION.
     
     
1 Peter 1:8: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye 
see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and 
full of glory.
     
IN these words, the apostle represents the state of the minds of 
the Christians he wrote to, under the persecutions they were then 
the subjects of. These persecutions are what he has respect to, in 
the two preceding verses, when he speaks of the trial of their 
faith, and of their being in heaviness through manifold 
temptations.
     Such trials are of threefold benefit to true religion. Hereby 
the truth of it is manifested, and it appears to be indeed true 
religion; they, above all other things, have a tendency to 
distinguish between true religion and false, and to cause the 
difference between them evidently to appear. Hence they are called 
by the name of _trials_, in the verse nextly preceding the text, 
and in innumerable other places; they try the faith and religion 
of professors, of what sort it is, as apparent gold is tried in 
the fire, and manifested, whether it be true gold or no. And the 
faith of true Christians being thus tried and proved to be true, 
is "found to praise, and honor, and glory," as in that preceding 
verse.
     And then, these trials are of further benefit to true 
religion; they not only manifest the truth of it, but they make 
its genuine beauty and amiableness remarkably to appear. True 
virtue never appears so lovely, as when it is most oppressed; and 
the divine excellency of real Christianity, is never exhibited 
with such advantage, as when under the greatest trials: then it is 
that true faith appears much more precious than gold! And upon 
this account is "found to praise, and honor, and glory."
     And again, another benefit that such trials are of to true 
religion, is, that they purify and increase it. They not only 
manifest it to be true, but also tend to refine it, and deliver it 
from those mixtures of that which is false, which encumber and 
impede it; that nothing may be left but that which is true. They 
tend to cause the amiableness of true religion to appear to the 
best advantage, as was before observed; and not only so, but they 
tend to increase its beauty, by establishing and confirming it, 
and making it more lively and vigorous, and purifying it from 
those things that obscured its luster and glory. As gold that is 
tried in the fire, is purged from its alloy, and all remainders of 
dross, and comes forth more solid and beautiful; so true faith 
being tried as gold is tried in the fire, becomes more precious, 
and thus also is "found unto praise, and honor, and glory." The 
apostle seems to have respect to each of these benefits, that 
persecutions are of to true religion, in the verse preceding the 
text.
     And, in the text, the apostle observes how true religion 
operated in the Christians he wrote to, under their persecutions, 
whereby these benefits of persecution appeared in them; or what 
manner of operation of true religion, in them, it was, whereby 
their religion, under persecution, was manifested to be true 
religion, and eminently appeared in the genuine beauty and 
amiableness of true religion, and also appeared to be increased 
and purified, and so was like to be "found unto praise, and honor, 
and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.Ó And there were two 
kinds of operation, or exercise of true religion, in them, under 
their sufferings, that the apostle takes notice of in the text, 
wherein these benefits appeared.
     1. Love to Christ: "Whom having not yet seen, ye love." The 
world was ready to wonder, what strange principle it was, that 
influenced them to expose themselves to so great sufferings, to 
forsake the things that were seen, and renounce all that was dear 
and pleasant, which was the object of sense. They seemed to the 
men of the world about them, as though they were beside 
themselves, and to act as though they hated themselves; there was 
nothing in their view, that could induce them thus to suffer, and 
support them under, and carry them through such trials. But 
although there was nothing that was seen, nothing that the world 
saw, or that the Christians themselves ever saw with their bodily 
eyes, that thus influenced and supported them, yet they had a 
supernatural principle of love to something unseen; they loved 
Jesus Christ, for they saw him spiritually whom the world saw not, 
and whom they themselves had never seen with bodily eyes.
     2. Joy in Christ. Though their outward sufferings were very 
grievous, yet their inward spiritual joys were greater than their 
sufferings; and these supported them, and enabled them to suffer 
with cheerfulness.
     There are two things which the apostle takes notice of in the 
text concerning this joy. 1. The manner in which it rises, the way 
in which Christ, though unseen, is the foundation of it, viz., by 
faith; which is the evidence of things not seen: "In whom, though 
now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice." 2. The nature of 
this joy; "unspeakable and full of glory." Unspeakable in the kind 
of it; very different from worldly joys, and carnal delights; of a 
vastly more pure, sublime, and heavenly nature, being something 
supernatural, and truly divine, and so ineffably excellent; the 
sublimity and exquisite sweetness of which, there were no words to 
set forth. Unspeakable also in degree; it pleasing God to give 
them this holy joy, with a liberal hand, and in large measure, in 
their state of persecution.
     Their joy was full of glory. Although the joy was 
unspeakable, and no words were sufficient to describe it, yet 
something might be said of it, and no words more fit to represent 
its excellency than these, that it was _full of glory_; or, as it 
is in the original, _glorified joy_. In rejoicing with this joy, 
their minds were filled, as it were, with a glorious brightness, 
and their natures exalted and perfected. It was a most worthy, 
noble rejoicing, that did not corrupt and debase the mind, as many 
carnal joys do; but did greatly beautify and dignify it; it was a 
prelibation of the joy of heaven, that raised their minds to a 
degree of heavenly blessedness; it filled their minds with the 
light of God's glory, and made themselves to shine with some 
communication of that glory.
     Hence the proposition or doctrine, that I would raise from 
these words, is this:
     DOCTRINE. True religion, in great part, consists in holy 
affections.
     We see that the apostle, in observing and remarking the 
operations and exercises of religion in the Christians he wrote 
to, wherein their religion appeared to be true and of the right 
kind, when it had its greatest trial of what sort it was, being 
tried by persecution as gold is tried in the fire, and when their 
religion not only proved true, but was most pure, and cleansed 
from its dross and mixtures of that which was not true, and when 
religion appeared in them most in its genuine excellency and 
native beauty, and was found to praise, and honor, and glory; he 
singles out the religious affections of _love_ and _joy_, that 
were then in exercise in them: these are the exercises of religion 
he takes notice of wherein their religion did thus appear true and 
pure, and in its proper glory. Here, I would,
     1. Show what is intended by the affections.
     2. Observe some things which make it evident, that a great 
part of true religion lies in the affections.
     1. It may be inquired, what the affections of the mind are?
     I answer: The affections are no other than the more vigorous 
and sensible exercises of the inclination and will of the soul.
     God has endued the soul with two faculties: one is that by 
which it is capable of perception and speculation, or by which it 
discerns, and views, and judges of things; which is called the 
understanding. The other faculty is that by which the soul does 
not merely perceive and view things, but is some way inclined with 
respect to the things it views or considers; either is inclined 
_to_ them, or is disinclined and averse _from_ them; or is the 
faculty by which the soul does not behold things, as an 
indifferent unaffected spectator, but either as liking or 
disliking, pleased or displeased, approving or rejecting. This 
faculty is called by various names; it is sometimes called the 
_inclination_: and, as it has respect to the actions that are 
determined and governed by it, is called the and the _will_: and 
the mind, with regard to the exercises of this faculty, is often 
called the _heart_.
     The exercise of this faculty are of two sorts; either those 
by which the soul is carried out towards the things that are in 
view, in approving of them, being pleased with them, and inclined 
to them; or those in which the soul opposes the things that are in 
view, in disapproving of them, and in being displeased with them, 
averse from them, and rejecting them.
     And as the exercises of the inclination and will of the soul 
are various in their kinds, so they are much more various in their 
degrees. There are some exercises of pleasedness or 
displeasedness, inclination or disinclination, wherein the soul is 
carried but a little beyond the state of indifference.--And there 
are other degrees above this, wherein the approbation or dislike, 
pleasedness or aversion, are stronger, wherein we may rise higher 
and higher, till the soul comes to act vigorously and sensibly, 
and the actings of the soul are with that strength, that (through 
the laws of the union which the Creator has fixed between the soul 
and the body) the motion of the blood and animal spirits begins to 
be sensibly altered; whence oftentimes arises some bodily 
sensation, especially about the heart and vitals, that are the 
fountain of the fluids of the body: from whence it comes to pass, 
that the mind, with regard to the exercises of this faculty, 
perhaps in all nations and ages, is called the _heart_. And it is 
to be noted, that they are these more vigorous and sensible 
exercises of this faculty that are called the _affections_.
     The will, and the affections of the soul, are not two 
faculties; the affections are not essentially distinct from the 
will, nor do they differ from the mere actings of the will, and 
inclination of the soul, but only in the liveliness and 
sensibleness of exercise.
     It must be confessed, that language is here somewhat 
imperfect, and the meaning of words in a considerable measure 
loose and unfixed, and not precisely limited by custom, which 
governs the use of language. In some sense, the affection of the 
soul differs nothing at all from the will and inclination, and the 
will never is in any exercise any further than it is affected; it 
is not moved out of a state of perfect indifference, any otherwise 
than as it is affected one way or other, and acts nothing any 
further. But yet there are many actings of the will and 
inclination, that are not so commonly called _affections_: in 
everything we do, wherein we act voluntarily, there is an exercise 
of the will and inclination; it is our inclination that governs us 
in our actions; but all the actings of the inclination and will, 
in all our common actions of life, are not ordinarily called 
affections. Yet, what are commonly called affections are not 
essentially different from them, but only in the degree and manner 
of exercise. In every act of the will whatsoever, the soul either 
likes or dislikes, is either inclined or disinclined to what is in 
view: these are not essentially different from those affections of 
love and hatred: that liking or inclination of the soul to a 
thing, if it be in a high degree, and be vigorous and lively, is 
the very same thing with the affection of love; and that disliking 
and disinclining, if in a greater degree, is the very same with 
hatred. In every act of the will for, or towards something not 
present, the soul is in some degree inclined to that thing; and 
that inclination, if in a considerable degree, is the very same 
with the affection of desire. And in every degree of the act of 
the will, wherein the soul approves of something present, there is 
a degree of pleasedness; and that pleasedness, if it be in a 
considerable degree, is the very same with the affections of joy 
or delight. And if the will disapproves of what is present, the 
soul is in some degree displeased, and if that displeasedness be 
great, it is the very same with the affection of grief or sorrow.
     Such seems to be our nature, and such the laws of the union 
of soul and body, that there never is in any case whatsoever, any 
lively and vigorous exercise of the will or inclination of the 
soul, without some effect upon the body, in some alteration of the 
motion of its fluids, and especially of the animal spirits. And, 
on the other hand, from the same laws of the union of the soul and 
body, the constitution of the body, and the motion of its fluids, 
may promote the exercise of the affections. But yet it is not the 
body, but the mind only, that is the proper seat of the 
affections. The body of man is no more capable of being really the 
subject of love or hatred, joy or sorrow, fear or hope, than the 
body of a tree, or than the same body of man is capable of 
thinking and understanding. As it is the soul only that has ideas, 
so it is the soul only that is pleased or displeased with its 
ideas. As it is the soul only that thinks, so it is the soul only 
that loves or hates, rejoices or is grieved at what it thinks of. 
Nor are these motions of the animal spirits, and fluids of the 
body, anything properly belonging to the nature of the affections, 
though they always accompany them, in the present state; but are 
only effects or concomitants of the affections that are entirely 
distinct from the affections themselves, and no way essential to 
them; so that an unbodied spirit may be as capable of love and 
hatred, joy or sorrow, hope or fear, or other affections, as one 
that is united to a body.
     The affections and passions are frequently spoken of as the 
same; and yet in the more common use of speech, there is in some 
respect a difference; and affection is a word that in its ordinary 
signification, seems to be something more extensive than passion, 
being used for all vigorous lively actings of the will or 
inclination; but passion for those that are more sudden, and whose 
effects on the animal spirits are more violent, and the mind more 
overpowered, and less in its own command.
     As all the exercises of the inclination and will, are either 
in approving and liking, or disapproving and rejecting; so the 
affections are of two sorts; they are those by which the soul is 
carried out to what is in view, cleaving to it, or seeking it; or 
those by which it is averse from it, and opposes it.
     Of the former sort are love, desire, hope, joy, gratitude, 
complacence. Of the latter kind are hatred, fear, anger, grief, 
and such like; which it is needless now to stand particularly to 
define.
     And there are some affections wherein there is a composition 
of each of the aforementioned kinds of actings of the will; as in 
the affection of _pity_, there is something of the former kind, 
towards the person suffering, and something of the latter towards 
what he suffers. And so in zeal, there is in it high approbation 
of some person or thing, together with vigorous opposition to what 
is conceived to be contrary to it.
     There are other mixed affections that might be also 
mentioned, but I hasten to,
     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 vigor 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 fervor 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 vigor 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 vigor. 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 menÕs 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 behavior; 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 compellation commonly given the saints in 
Scripture, is "fearers of God," or, "they that fear the Lord.Ó 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.Ó 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?Ó 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 ChristÕs 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.Ó
     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 honoreth the Lord, hath mercy 
on the poor.Ó 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 
Savior; 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 Savior, 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 Savior 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 neighbor 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 neighbor 
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 neighbor 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 favor, 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 labors 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 favored 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, vigor 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 
counseled 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 behavior 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 colors, 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 
counseling 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.
     Having thus considered the evidence of the proposition laid 
down, I proceed to some inferences.
     1. We may hence learn how great their error is, who are for 
discarding all religious affections, as having nothing solid or 
substantial in them.
     There seems to be too much of a disposition this way, 
prevailing in this land at this time. Because many who, in the 
late extraordinary season, appeared to have great religious 
affections, did not manifest a right temper of mind, and run into 
many errors, in the time of their affections, and the heat of 
their zeal; and because the high affections of many seem to be so 
soon come to nothing, and some who seemed to be mightily raised 
and swallowed up with joy and zeal, for a while, seem to have 
returned like the dog to his vomit; hence religious affections in 
general are grown out of credit with great numbers, as though true 
religion did not at all consist in them. Thus we easily and 
naturally run from one extreme to another. A little while ago we 
were in the other extreme; there was a prevalent disposition to 
look upon all high religious affections as eminent exercises of 
true grace, without much inquiring into the nature and source of 
those affections, and the manner in which they arose: if persons 
did but appear to be indeed very much moved and raised, so as to 
be full of religious talk, and express themselves with great 
warmth and earnestness, and to be filled, or to be very full, as 
the phrases were; it was too much the manner, without further 
examination, to conclude such persons were full of the Spirit of 
God, and had eminent experience of his gracious influences. This 
was the extreme which was prevailing three or four years ago. But 
of late, instead of esteeming and admiring all religious 
affections without distinction, it is a thing much more prevalent, 
to reject and discard all without distinction. Herein appears the 
subtlety of Satan. While he saw that affections were much in 
vogue, knowing the greater part of the land were not versed in 
such things, and had not had much experience of great religious 
affections to enable them to judge well of them, and distinguish 
between true and false: then he knew he could best play his game, 
by sowing tares amongst the wheat, and mingling false affections 
with the works of God's Spirit: he knew this to be a likely way to 
delude and eternally ruin many souls, and greatly to wound 
religion in the saints, and entangle them in a dreadful 
wilderness, and by and by, to bring all religion into disrepute.
     But now, when the ill consequences of these false affections 
appear, and it is become very apparent, that some of those 
emotions which made a glaring show, and were by many greatly 
admired, were in reality nothing; the devil sees it to be for his 
interest to go another way to work, and to endeavor to his utmost 
to propagate and establish a persuasion, that all affections and 
sensible emotions of the mind, in things of religion, are nothing 
at all to be regarded, but are rather to be avoided, and carefully 
guarded against, as things of a pernicious tendency. This he knows 
is the way to bring all religion to a mere lifeless formality, and 
effectually shut out the power of godliness, and everything which 
is spiritual, and to have all true Christianity turned out of 
doors. For although to true religion there must indeed be 
something else besides affection; yet true religion consists so 
much in the affections, that there can be no Hue religion without 
them. He who has no religious affection, is in a state of 
spiritual death, and is wholly destitute of the powerful, 
quickening, saving influences of the Spirit of God upon his heart. 
As there is no true religion where there is nothing else but 
affection, so there is no true religion where there is no 
religious affection. As on the one hand, there must be light in 
the understanding, as well as an affected fervent heart; where 
there is heat without light, there can be nothing divine or 
heavenly in that heart; so on the other hand, where there is a 
kind of light without heat, a head stored with notions and 
speculations, with a cold and unaffected heart, there can be 
nothing divine in that light, that knowledge is no true spiritual 
knowledge of divine things. If the great things of religion are 
rightly understood, they will affect the heart. The reason why men 
are not affected by such infinitely great, important, glorious, 
and wonderful things, as they often hear and read of, in the word 
of God, is undoubtedly because they are blind; if they were not 
so, it would be impossible, and utterly inconsistent with human 
nature, that their hearts should be otherwise than strongly 
impressed, and greatly moved by such things.
     This manner of slighting all religious affections, is the way 
exceedingly to harden the hearts of men, and to encourage them in 
their stupidity and senselessness, and to keep them in a state of 
spiritual death as long as they live, and bring them at last to 
death eternal. The prevailing prejudice against religious 
affections at this day, in the land, is apparently of awful effect 
to harden the hearts of sinners, and damp the graces of many of 
the saints, and stun the life and power of religion, and preclude 
the effect of ordinances, and hold us down in a state of dullness 
and apathy, and undoubtedly causes many persons greatly to offend 
God, in entertaining mean and low thoughts of the extraordinary 
work he has lately wrought in this land.
     And for persons to despise and cry down all religious 
affections, is the way to shut all religion out of their own 
hearts, and to make thorough work in ruining their souls.
     They who condemn high affections in others, are certainly not 
likely to have high affections themselves. And let it be 
considered, that they who have but little religious affection, 
have certainly but little religion. And they who condemn others 
for their religious affections, and have none themselves, have no 
religion.
     There are false affections, and there are true. A man's 
having much affection, does not prove that he has any true 
religion: but if he has no affection it proves that he has no true 
religion. The right way, is not to reject all affections, nor to 
approve all; but to distinguish between affections, approving 
some, and rejecting others; separating between the wheat and the 
chaff, the gold and the dross, the precious and the vile.
     2. If it be so, that true religion lies much in the 
affections, hence we may infer, that such means are to be desired, 
as have much of a tendency to move the affections. Such books, and 
such a way of preaching the word, and administration of 
ordinances, and such a way of worshipping God in prayer, and 
singing praises, is much to be desired, as has a tendency deeply 
to affect the hearts of those who attend these means.
     Such a kind of means would formerly have been highly approved 
of, and applauded by the generality of the people of the land, as 
the most excellent and profitable, and having the greatest 
tendency to promote the ends of the means of grace. But the 
prevailing taste seems of late strangely to be altered: that 
pathetical manner of praying and preaching, which would formerly 
have been admired and extolled, and that for this reason, because 
it had such a tendency to move the affections, now, in great 
multitudes, immediately excites disgust, and moves no other 
affections, that those of displeasure and contempt.
     Perhaps, formerly the generality (at least of the common 
people) were in the extreme, of looking too much to an 
affectionate address, in public performances: but now, a very 
great part of the people seem to have gone far into a contrary 
extreme. Indeed there may be such means, as may have a great 
tendency to stir up the passions of weak and ignorant persons, and 
yet have no great tendency to benefit their souls: for though they 
may have a tendency to excite affections, they may have little or 
none to excite gracious affections, or any affections tending to 
grace. But undoubtedly, if the things of religion, in the means 
used, are treated according to their nature, and exhibited truly, 
so as tends to convey just apprehensions, and a right judgment of 
them; the more they have a tendency to move the affections the 
better.
     3. If true religion lies much in the affections, hence we may 
learn, what great cause we have to be ashamed and confounded 
before God, that we are no more affected with the great things of 
religion. It appears from what has been said, that this arises 
from our having so little true religion.
     God has given to mankind affections, for the same purpose 
which he has given all the faculties and principles of the human 
soul for, viz., that they might be subservient to man's chief end, 
and the great business for which God has created him, that is, the 
business of religion. And yet how common is it among mankind, that 
their affections are much more exercised and engaged in other 
matters, than in religion! In things which concern men's worldly 
interest, their outward delights, their honor and reputation, and 
their natural relations, they have their desires eager, their 
appetites vehement, their love warm and affectionate, their zeal 
ardent; in these things their hearts are tender and sensible, 
easily moved, deeply impressed, much concerned, very sensibly 
affected, and greatly engaged; much depressed with grief at 
worldly losses, and highly raised with joy at worldly successes 
and prosperity. But how insensible and unmoved are most men, about 
the great things of another world! How dull are their affections! 
How heavy and hard their hearts in these matters! Here their love 
is cold, their desires languid, their zeal low, and their 
gratitude small. How they can sit and hear of the infinite height, 
and depth, and length, and breadth of the love of God in Christ 
Jesus, of his giving his infinitely dear Son, to be offered up a 
sacrifice for the sins of men, and of the unparalleled love of the 
innocent, and holy, and tender Lamb of God, manifested in his 
dying agonies, his bloody sweat, his loud and bitter cries, and 
bleeding heart, and all this for enemies, to redeem them from 
deserved, eternal burnings, and to bring to unspeakable and 
everlasting joy and glory; and yet be cold, and heavy, insensible, 
and regardless! Where are the exercises of our affections proper, 
if not here? What is it that does more require them? And what can 
be a fit occasion of their lively and vigorous exercise, if not 
such a one as this? Can anything be set in our view, greater and 
more important? Any thing more wonderful and surprising? Or more 
nearly concerning our interest? Can we suppose the wise Creator 
implanted such principles in the human nature as the affections, 
to be of use to us, and to be exercised on certain proper 
occasions, but to lie still on such an occasion as this? Can any 
Christian who believes the truth of these things, entertain such 
thoughts?
     If we ought ever to exercise our affections at all, and if 
the Creator has not unwisely constituted the human nature in 
making these principles a part of it, when they are vain and 
useless; then they ought to be exercised about those objects which 
are most worthy of them. But is there anything which Christians 
can find in heaven or earth, so worthy to be the objects of their 
admiration and love, their earnest and longing desires, their 
hope, and their rejoicing, and their fervent zeal, as those things 
that are held forth to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ? In which 
not only are things declared most worthy to affect us, but they 
are exhibited in the most affecting manner. The glory and beauty 
of the blessed Jehovah, which is most worthy in itself, to be the 
object of our admiration and love, is there exhibited in the most 
affecting manner that can he conceived of, as it appears, shining 
in all its luster, in the face of an incarnate, infinitely loving, 
meek, compassionate, dying Redeemer. All the virtues of the Lamb 
of God, his humility, patience, meekness, submission, obedience, 
love and compassion, are exhibited to our view, in a manner the 
most tending to move our affections, of any that can be imagined; 
as they all had their greatest trial, and their highest exercise, 
and so their brightest manifestation, when he was in the most 
affecting circumstances; even when he was under his last 
sufferings, those unutterable and unparalleled sufferings he 
endured, from his tender love and pity to us. There also the 
hateful nature of our sins is manifested in the most affecting 
manner possible: as we see the dreadful effects of them, in that 
our Redeemer, who undertook to answer for us, suffered for them. 
And there we have the most affecting manifestation of God's hatred 
of sin, and his wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see his 
justice in the strictness and inflexibleness of it; and his wrath 
in its terribleness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in one 
who was infinitely dear to him, and loving to us. So has God 
disposed things, in the affair of our redemption, and in his 
glorious dispensations, revealed to us in the gospel, as though 
everything were purposely contrived in such a manner, as to have 
the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most 
tender part, and move our affections most sensibly and strongly. 
How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to the dust, that 
we are no more affected!
     
     



                           PART II.
     
       SHOWING WHAT ARE NO CERTAIN SIGNS THAT RELIGIOUS 
        AFFECTIONS ARE GRACIOUS, OR THAT THEY ARE NOT.
     

IF anyone, on the reading of what has been just now said, is ready 
to acquit himself, and say, "I am not one of those who have no 
religious affections; I am often greatly moved with the 
consideration of the great things of religion:" let him not 
content himself with this, that he has religious affections: for 
as we observed before, as we ought not to reject and condemn all 
affections, as though true religion did not at all consist in 
affection; so on the other hand, we ought not to approve of all, 
as though everyone that was religiously affected had true grace, 
and was therein the subject of the saving influences of the Spirit 
of God; and that therefore the right way is to distinguish among 
religious affections, between one sort and another. Therefore let 
us now endeavor to do this; and in order to do it, I would do two 
things.
     I. I would mention some things, which are no signs one way or 
the other, either that affections are such as true religion 
consists in, or that they are otherwise; that we may be guarded 
against judging of affections by false signs.
     II. I would observe some things, wherein those affections 
which are spiritual and gracious, differ from those which are not 
so, and may be distinguished and known.
     First, I would take notice of some things, which are no signs 
that affections are gracious, or that they are not.
     It is no sign one way or the other, that religious affections 
are very great, or raised very high.
     Some are ready to condemn all high affections: if persons 
appear to have their religious affections raised to an 
extraordinary pitch, they are prejudiced against them, and 
determine that they are delusions, without further inquiry. But if 
it be, as has been proved, that true religion lies very much in 
religious affections, then it follows, that if there be a great 
deal of true religion, there will be great religious affections; 
if true religion in the hearts of men be raised to a great height, 
divine and holy affections will be raised to a great height.
     Love is an affection, but will any Christian say, men ought 
not to love God and Jesus Christ in a high degree? And will any 
say, we ought not to have a very great hatred of sin, and a very 
deep sorrow for it? Or that we ought not to exercise a high degree 
of gratitude to God for the mercies we receive of him, and the 
great things he has done for the salvation of fallen men? Or that 
we should not have very great and strong desires after God and 
holiness? Is there any who will profess, that his affections in 
religion are great enough; and will say, "I have no cause to be 
humbled, that I am no more affected with the things of religion 
than I am; I have no reason to be ashamed, that I have no greater 
exercises of love to God and sorrow for sin, and gratitude for the 
mercies which I have received?" Who is there that will bless God 
that he is affected enough with what he has read and heard of the 
wonderful love of God to worms and rebels, in giving his only 
begotten Son to die for them, and of the dying love of Christ; and 
will pray that he may not be affected with them in any higher 
degree, because high affections are improper and very unlovely in 
Christians, being enthusiastical, and ruinous to true religion?
     Our text plainly speaks of great and high affections when it 
speaks of "repining with joy unspeakable, and full of glory:" here 
the most superlative expressions are used, which language will 
afford. And the Scriptures often require us to exercise very high 
affections: thus in the first and great commandment of the law, 
there is an accumulation of expressions, as though words were 
wanting to express the degree in which we ought to love God: "Thou 
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, 
with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." So the saints are 
called upon to exercise high degrees of joy: "Rejoice," says 
Christ to his disciples, "and be exceeding glad," Matt. 5:12. So 
it is said, Psalm 68:3, "Let the righteous be glad: let them 
rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice." So in the 
book of Psalms, the saints are often called upon to shout for joy; 
and in Luke 6:23, to leap for joy. So they are abundantly called 
upon to exercise high degrees of gratitude for mercies, to "praise 
God with all their hearts, with hearts lifted up in the ways of 
the Lord, and their souls magnifying the Lord, singing his 
praises, talking of his wondrous works, declaring his doings, &c."
     And we find the most eminent saints in Scripture often 
professing high affections. Thus the Psalmist speaks of his love, 
as if it were unspeakable; Psal. 119:97, "O how love I thy law!" 
So he expresses a great degree of hatred of sin, Psal. 139:21, 29: 
"Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieved 
with them that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect 
hatred." He also expresses a high degree of sorrow for sin: he 
speaks of his sins "going over his head as a heavy burden that was 
too heavy for him: and of his roaring all the day, and his 
moisture being turned into the drought of summer," and his bones 
being as it were broken with sorrow. So he often expresses great 
degrees of spiritual desires, in a multitude of the strongest 
expressions which can be conceived of; such as "his longing, his 
soul's thirsting as a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, his 
panting, his flesh and heart crying out, his soul's breaking for 
the longing it hath," &c. He expresses the exercises of great and 
extreme grief for the sins of others, Psal. 119:136, "Rivers of 
water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law." And 
verse 53, "Horror hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked 
that forsake thy law." He expresses high exercises of joy, Psal. 
21:1: "The king shall joy in thy strength, and in thy salvation 
how greatly shall he rejoice." Psal. 71:23 "My lips shall greatly 
rejoice when I sing unto thee." Psal. 63:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, "Because 
thy loving kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise 
thee, Thus will I bless thee, while I live: I will lift up my 
hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and 
fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I 
remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night 
watches. Because thou hast been my help; therefore in the shadow 
of thy wings will I rejoice."
     The Apostle Paul expresses high exercises of affection. Thus 
he expresses the exercises of pity and concern for others' good, 
even to anguish of heart; a great, fervent, and abundant love, and 
earnest and longing desires, and exceeding joy; and speaks of the 
exultation and triumphs of his soul, and his earnest expectation 
and hope, and his abundant tears, and the travails of his soul, in 
pity, grief, earnest desires, godly jealousy, and fervent zeal, in 
many places that have been cited already, and which therefore I 
need not repeat. John the Baptist expressed great joy, John 3:39. 
Those blessed women that anointed the body of Jesus, are 
represented as in a very high exercise of religious affection, on 
occasion of Christ's resurrection, Matt. 28:8: "And they departed 
from the sepulcher with fear and great joy."
     It is often foretold of the church of God, in her future 
happy seasons here on earth, that they shall exceedingly rejoice: 
Psal. 89:15, 16, "They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy 
countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in 
thy righteousness shall they be exalted." Zech. 9:9, "Rejoice 
greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: 
behold thy King cometh," &c. The same is represented in 
innumerable other places. And because high degrees of joy are the 
proper and genuine fruits of the gospel of Christ, therefore the 
angel calls this gospel, "good tidings of great joy, that should 
be to all people."
     The saints and angels in heaven, that have religion in its 
highest perfection, are exceedingly affected with what they behold 
and contemplate of God's perfections and works. They are all as a 
pure heavenly flame of fire in their love and in the greatness and 
strength of their joy and gratitude: their praises are 
represented, "as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a 
great thunder." Now the only reason why their affections are so 
much higher than the holy affections of saints on earth, is, they 
see the things they are affected by, more according to their 
truth, and have their affections more conformed to the nature of 
things. And therefore, if religious affections in men here below, 
are but of the same nature and kind with theirs, the higher they 
are, and the nearer they are to theirs in degree, the better, 
because therein they will be so much the more conformed to truth, 
as theirs are.
     From these things it certainly appears, that religious 
affections being in a very high degree, is no evidence that they 
are not such as have the nature of true religion. Therefore they 
do greatly err, who condemn persons as enthusiasts merely because 
their affections are very high.
     And on the other hand, it is no evidence that religious 
affections are of a spiritual and gracious nature, because they 
are great. It is very manifest by the holy Scripture, our sure and 
infallible rule to judge of things of this nature, that there are 
religious affections which are very high, that are not spiritual 
and saving. The Apostle Paul speaks of affections in the 
Galatians, which had been exceedingly elevated, and which yet he 
manifestly speaks of, as fearing that they were vain, and had come 
to nothing: Gal. 4:15, "Where is the blessedness you spoke of? For 
I bear you record, that if it had been possible, you would have 
plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me." And in the 
11th verse, he tells them, "he was afraid of them, lest he had 
bestowed upon them labor in vain." So the children of Israel were 
greatly affected with God's mercy to them, when they had seen how 
wonderfully he wrought for them at the Red Sea, where they sang 
God's praise; though they soon forgot his works. So they were 
greatly affected again at mount Sinai, when they saw the marvelous 
manifestations God made of himself there; and seemed mightily 
engaged in their minds, and with great forwardness made answer, 
when God proposed his holy covenant to them, saying, "All that the 
Lord hath spoken will we do, and be obedient." But how soon was 
there an end to all this mighty forwardness and engagedness of 
affection! How quickly were they turned aside after other gods, 
rejoicing and shouting around their golden calf! So great 
multitudes who were affected with the miracle of raising Lazarus 
from the dead, were elevated to a high degree, and made a mighty 
ado, when Jesus presently after entered into Jerusalem, 
exceedingly magnifying Christ, as though the ground were not good 
enough for the ass he rode to tread upon; and therefore cut 
branches of palm trees, and strewed them in the way; yea, pulled 
off their garments, and spread them in the way; and cried with 
loud voices, "Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that 
cometh in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest;" so as to 
make the whole city ring again, and put all into an uproar. We 
learn by the evangelist John, that the reason why the people made 
this ado, was because they were affected with the miracle of 
raising Lazarus, John 12:18. Here was a vast multitude crying 
Hosanna on this occasion, so that it gave occasion to the 
Pharisees to say, "Behold, the world has gone after him," John 
12:19, but Christ had at that time but few true disciples. And how 
quickly was this ado at an end! All of this nature is quelled and 
dead, when this Jesus stands bound, with a mock robe and a crown 
of thorns, to be derided, spit upon, scourged, condemned and 
executed. Indeed, there was a great and loud outcry concerning him 
among the multitude then, as well as before; but of a very 
different kind: it is not then, Hosanna, hosanna, but Crucify, 
crucify.
     And it is the concurring voice of all orthodox divines, that 
there may be religious affections, which are raised to a very high 
degree, and yet there be nothing of true religion.[1]
     II. It is no sign that affections have the nature of true 
religion, or that they have not, that they have great effects on 
the body.
     All affections whatsoever, have in some respect or degree, an 
effect on the body. As was observed before, such is our nature, 
and such are the laws of union of soul and body, that the mind can 
have no lively or vigorous exercise, without some effect upon the 
body. So subject is the body to the mind, and so much do its 
fluids, especially the animal spirits, attend the motions and 
exercises of the mind, that there cannot be so much as an intense 
thought, without an effect upon them. Yea, it is questionable 
whether an imbodied soul ever so much as thinks one thought, or 
has any exercise at all, but that there is some corresponding 
motion or alteration of motion, in some degree, of the fluids, in 
some part of the body. But universal experience shows, that the 
exercise of the affections have in a special manner a tendency to 
some sensible effect upon the body. And if this be so, that all 
affections have some effect upon the body, we may then well 
suppose, the greater those affections be, and the more vigorous 
their exercise (other circumstances being equal) the greater will 
be the effect on the body. Hence it is not to be wondered at, that 
very great and strong exercises of the affections should have 
great effects on the body. And therefore, seeing there are very 
great affections, both common and spiritual; hence it is not to be 
wondered at, that great effects on the body should arise from both 
these kinds of affections. And consequently these effects are no 
signs, that the affections they arise from, are of one kind or the 
other.
     Great effects on the body certainly are no sure evidences 
that affections are spiritual; for we see that such effects 
oftentimes arise from great affections about temporal things, and 
when religion is no way concerned in them. And if great affections 
about secular things, that are purely natural, may have these 
effects, I know not by what rule we should determine that high 
affections about religious things, which arise in like manner from 
nature, cannot have the like effect.
     Nor, on the other hand, do I know of any rule any have to 
determine, that gracious and holy affections, when raised as high 
as any natural affections, and have equally strong and vigorous 
exercises, cannot have a great effect on the body. No such rule 
can be drawn from reason: I know of no reason, why a being 
affected with a view of God's glory should not cause the body to 
faint, as well as being affected with a view of Solomon's glory. 
And no such rule has as yet been produced from the Scripture; none 
has ever been found in all the late controversies which have been 
about things of this nature. There is a great power in spiritual 
affections: we read of the power which worketh in Christians,[2] 
and of the Spirit of God being in them as the Spirit of power,[3] 
and of the effectual working of his power in them.[4] But man's 
nature is weak: flesh and blood are represented in Scripture as 
exceeding weak; and particularly with respect to its unfitness for 
great spiritual and heavenly operations and exercises, Matt. 
26:41, 1 Cor. 15:43, and 50. The text we are upon speaks of "joy 
unspeakable, and full of glory." And who that considers what man's 
nature is, and what the nature of the affections is, can 
reasonably doubt but that such unutterable and glorious joys, may 
be too great and mighty for weak dust and ashes, so as to be 
considerably overbearing to it? It is evident by the Scripture 
that true divine discoveries, or ideas of God's glory, when given 
in a great degree have a tendency, by affecting the mind, to 
overbear the body; because the Scripture teaches us often, that if 
these ideas or views should be given to such a degree as they are 
given in heaven, the weak frame of the body could not subsist 
under it, and that no man can, in that manner, see God and live. 
The knowledge which the saints have of God's beauty and glory in 
this world, and those holy affections that arise from it, are of 
the same nature and kind with what the saints are the subjects of 
in heaven, differing only in degree and circumstances: what God 
gives them here, is a foretaste of heavenly happiness, and an 
earnest of their future inheritance. And who shall limit God in 
his giving this earnest, or say he shall give so much of the 
inheritance, such a part of the future reward as an earnest of the 
whole, and no more? And seeing God has taught us in his word, that 
the whole reward is such, that it would at once destroy the body, 
is it not too bold a thing for us, so to set bounds to the 
sovereign God, as to say that in giving the earnest of this reward 
in this world, he shall never give so much of it, as in the least 
to diminish the strength of the body, when God has nowhere thus 
limited himself?
     The Psalmist, speaking of the vehement religious affections 
he had, speaks of an effect in his flesh or body, besides what was 
in his soul, expressly distinguishing one from the other, once and 
again: Psal. 84:2, "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the 
courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the 
living God." Here is a plain distinction between the heart and the 
flesh, as being each affected. So Psal. 63:1, "My soul thirsteth 
for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, 
where no water is." Here also is an evident designed distinction 
between the soul and the flesh.
     The prophet Habakkuk speaks of his bodies being overborne by 
a sense of the majesty of God, Hab. 3:16: "When I heard, my belly 
trembled: my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness enter into my 
bones, and I trembled in myself." So the Psalmist speaks expressly 
of his flesh trembling, Psal. 119:120: My flesh trembleth for fear 
of thee."
     That such ideas of God's glory as are sometimes given in this 
world, have a tendency to overhear the body, is evident, because 
the Scripture gives us an account, that this has sometimes 
actually been the effect of those external manifestations God has 
made of himself to some of the saints which were made to that end, 
viz., to give them an idea of God's majesty and glory. Such 
instances we have in the prophet Daniel, and the apostle John. 
Daniel, giving an account of an external representation of the 
glory of Christ, says, Dan. 10:8, "And there remained no strength 
in me; for my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I 
retained no strength." And the apostle John, giving an account of 
the manifestation made to him, says, Rev. 1:17, "And when I saw 
him, I fell at his feet as dead." It is in vain to say here, these 
were only external manifestations or symbols of the glory of 
Christ, which these saints beheld: for though it be true, that 
they were outward representations of Christ's glory, which they 
beheld with their bodily eyes; yet the end and use of these 
external symbols are representations was to give to these prophets 
an idea of the thing represented, and that was the true divine 
glory and majesty of Christ, which is his spiritual glory; they 
were made use of only as significations of this spiritual glory, 
and thus undoubtedly they received them, and improved them, and 
were affected by them. According to the end for which God intended 
these outward signs, they received by them a great and lively 
apprehension of the real glory and majesty of God's nature, which 
they were signs of; and thus were greatly affected, their souls 
swallowed up, and their bodies overborne. And I think they are 
very bold and daring, who will say God cannot, or shall not give 
the like clear and affecting ideas and apprehensions of the same 
real glory and majesty of his nature, to any of his saints, 
without the intervention of any such external shadows of it. 
     Before I leave this head, I would farther observe, that it is 
plain the Scripture often makes use of bodily effects, to express 
the strength of holy and spiritual affections; such as 
trembling,[5] groaning,[6] being sick,[7] crying out,[8] 
panting,[9] and fainting.[10] Now if it be supposed, that these 
are only figurative expressions, to represent the degree of 
affection: yet I hope all will allow, that they are fit and 
suitable figures to represent the high degree of those spiritual 
affections, which the Spirit of God makes use of them to 
represent; which I do not see how they would be, if those 
spiritual affections, let them be in never to high a degree, have 
no tendency to any such things; but that on the contrary, they are 
the proper effects and sad tokens of false affections, and the 
delusion of the devil. I cannot think, God would commonly make use 
of things which are very alien from spiritual affections, and are 
shrewd marks of the hand of Satan, and smell strong of the 
bottomless pit, as beautiful figures, to represent the high degree 
of holy and heavenly affections.
     III. It is no sign that affections are truly gracious 
affections, or that they are not, that they cause those who have 
them to be fluent, fervent, and abundant, in talking of the things 
of religion.
     There are many persons, who, if they see this in others, are 
greatly prejudiced against them. Their being so full of talk, is 
with them a sufficient ground to condemn them, as Pharisees, and 
ostentatious hypocrites. On the other hand, there are many, who if 
they see this effect in any, are very ignorantly and imprudently 
forward, at once to determine that they are the true children of 
God, and are under the saving influences of his Spirit, and speak 
of it as a great evidence of a new creature; they say, "such a 
one's mouth is now opened: he used to be slow to speak; but now he 
is full and free; he is free now to open his heart, and tell his 
experiences, and declare the praises of God; it comes from him, as 
free as water from a fountain;" and the like. And especially are 
they captivated into a confident and undoubting persuasion, that 
they are savingly wrought upon, if they are not only free and 
abundant, but very affectionate and earnest in their talk.
     But this is the fruit of but little judgment, a scanty and 
short experience; as events do abundantly show: and is a mistake 
persons often run into, through their trusting to their own wisdom 
and discerning, and making their own notions their rule, instead 
of the holy Scripture. Though the Scripture be full of rules, both 
how we should judge of our own state, and also how we should be 
conducted in our opinion of others; yet we have nowhere any rule, 
by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good estate, from 
any such effect: for this is but the religion of the mouth and of 
the tongue, and what is in the Scripture represented by the leaves 
of a tree, which, though the tree ought not to be without them, 
yet are nowhere given as an evidence of the goodness of the tree.
     That persons are disposed to be abundant in talking of things 
of religion, may be from a good cause, and it may be from a bad 
one. It may be because their hearts are very full of holy 
affections; "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth 
speaketh:" and it may be because persons' hearts are very full of 
religious affection which is not holy; for still out of the 
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It is very much the 
nature of the affections, of whatever kind they be, and whatever 
objects they are exercised about, if they are strong, to dispose 
persons to be very much in speaking of that which they are 
affected with: and not only to speak much, but to speak very 
earnestly and fervently. And therefore persons talking abundantly 
and very fervently about the things of religion, can be an 
evidence of no more than this, that they are very much affected 
with the things of religion; but this may be (as has been already 
shown) and there be no grace. That which men are greatly affected 
with, while the high affection lasts, they will be earnestly 
engaged about, and will be likely to show that earnestness in 
their talk and behavior; as the greater part of the Jews, in all 
Judah and Galilee, did for a while, about John the Baptist's 
preaching and baptism, when they were willing for a season to 
rejoice in his light; a mighty ado was made, all over the land, 
and among all sorts of persons, about this great prophet and his 
ministry. And so the multitude, in like manner, often manifested a 
great earnestness, a mighty engagedness of spirit in everything 
that was external, about Christ and his preaching and miracles, 
"being astonished at his doctrine, anon with joy receiving the 
word," following him sometimes night and day, leaving meat, drink, 
and sleep to hear him: once following him into the wilderness, 
fasting three days going to hear him; some times crying him up to 
the clouds, saying, "Never man spake like this man!" being fervent 
and earnest in what they said. But what did these things come to, 
in the greater part of them?
     A person may be over full of talk of his own experiences; 
commonly falling upon it, everywhere, and in all companies; and 
when it is so, it is rather a dark sign than a good one. As a tree 
that is over full of leaves seldom bears much fruit; and as a 
cloud, though to appearance very pregnant and full of water, if it 
brings with it overmuch wind, seldom affords much rain to the dry 
and thirsty earth; which very thing the Holy Spirit is pleased 
several times to make use of, to represent a great show of 
religion with the mouth, without answerable fruit in the life: 
Prov. 25:24, "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like 
clouds and wind without rain." And the apostle Jude, speaking of 
some in the primitive times, that crept in unawares among the 
saints, and having a great show of religion, where for a while not 
suspected, "These are clouds (says he) without water, carried 
about of winds," Jude ver. 4 and 12. And the apostle Peter, 
speaking of the same, says, 2 Pet. 2:17, "These are clouds without 
water, carried with a tempest."
     False affections, if they are equally strong, are much more 
forward to declare themselves, than true: because it is the nature 
of false religion, to affect show and observation; as it was with 
the Pharisees.[11]
     It is no sign that affections are gracious, or that they are 
otherwise, that persons did not make them themselves, or excite 
them of their own contrivance and by their own strength. 
     There are many in these days, that condemn all affections 
which are excited in a way that the subjects of them can give no 
account of, as not seeming to be the fruit of any of their own 
endeavors, or the natural consequence of the faculties and 
principles of human nature, in such circumstances, and under such 
means; but to be from the influence of some extrinsic and 
supernatural power upon their minds. How greatly has the doctrine 
of the inward experience, or sensible perceiving of the immediate 
power and operation of the Spirit of God, been reproached and 
ridiculed by many of late! They say, the manner of the Spirit of 
God is to co-operate in a silent, secret, and undiscernable way 
with the use of means, and our own endeavors; so that there is no 
distinguishing by sense, between the influences of the Spirit of 
God, and the natural operations of the faculties of our own minds.
     And it is true, that for any to expect to receive the saving 
influences of the Spirit of God, while they neglect a diligent 
improvement of the appointed means of grace, is unreasonable 
presumption. And to expect that the Spirit of God will savingly 
operate upon their minds, without the Spirit's making use of 
means, as subservient to the effect, is enthusiastical. It is also 
undoubtedly true, that the Spirit of God is very various in the 
manner and circumstances of his operations, and that sometimes he 
operates in a way more secret and gradual, and from smaller 
beginnings, than at others.
     But if there be indeed a power, entirely different from, and 
beyond our power, or the power of all means and instruments, and 
above the power of nature, which is requisite in order to the 
production of saving grace in the heart, according to the general 
profession of the country; then, certainly it is in no wise 
unreasonable to suppose, that this effect should very frequently 
be produced after such a manner, as to make it very manifest, 
apparent, and sensible that it is so. If grace be indeed owing to 
the powerful and efficacious operation of an extrinsic agent, or 
divine efficient out of ourselves, why is it unreasonable to 
suppose it should seem to be so to them who are the subjects of 
it? Is it a strange thing, that it should seem to be as it is? 
When grace in the heart indeed is not produced by our strength, 
nor is the effect of the natural power of our own faculties, or 
any means or instruments, but is properly the workmanship and 
production of the Spirit of the Almighty, is it a strange and 
unaccountable thing, that it should seem to them who are subjects 
of it, agreeable to truth, and not right contrary to truth; so 
that if persons tell of effects that they are conscious to in 
their own minds, that seem to them not to be from the natural 
power or operation of their minds, but from the supernatural power 
of some other agent, it should at once be looked upon as a sure 
evidence of their being under a delusion, because things seem to 
them to be as they are? For this is the objection which is made: 
it is looked upon as a clear evidence, that the apprehensions and 
affections that many persons have, are not really from such a 
cause, because they seem to them to be from that cause: they 
declare that what they are conscious of, seems to them evidently 
not to be from themselves, but from the mighty power of the Spirit 
of God; and others from hence condemn them, and determine what 
they experience is not from the Spirit of God, but from 
themselves, or from the devil. Thus unreasonably are multitudes 
treated at this day by their neighbors.
     If it be indeed so, as the Scripture abundantly teaches, that 
grace in the soul is so the effect of God's power, that it is 
fitly compared to those effects which are farthest from being 
owing to any strength in the subject, such as a generation, or a 
being begotten, and resurrection, or a being raised from the dead, 
and creation, or a being brought out of nothing into being,