p. 19 | RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 8, 1859

RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS.

RELIGIOUS affections of the right kind can never be too strong. The following remarks of president Edwards on this subject are worthy of attention:

“Though there are false affections in religion and in some respects raised high; yet undoubtedly there are also true, holy and solid affections; and the higher these are raised, the better. And where they are raised to an exceeding great height they are not to be suspected merely because of their degree, but on the contrary, to be esteemed. Charity, or divine love, is in Scripture represented as the sum of all the religion of the heart; but this is only a holy affection. And, therefore, in proportion as this is firmly fixed in the soul, and raised to a great height, the more eminent a person is in holiness. Divine love or charity is represented as the sum of all the religion in heaven, and that wherein mainly the religion of the church in its more perfect state on earth shall consist, when knowledge, and tongues, and prophesying shall cease; and therefore the higher this holy affection is raised in the church of God, or in a gracious soul, the more excellent and perfect is the state of the church or a particular soul. If we take the Scriptures for our rule, then the greater and higher our exercises of love to mankind, brokenness of heart, abhorrence of sin, and self-abhorrence for it, the more we have of the peace of God which passeth all understanding, and joy in the Holy Ghost unspeakable and full of glory; the higher our admiring thoughts of God, exulting and glorying in him, so much the higher is Christ's religion, or that virtue which he and his apostles taught, raised in the soul.”—Sel.