November 3, 2017

Religious Affections in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - II - Part 1

Required readingReligious affections in Volume I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Part 1.


My summary.
Today Edwards teaches us the nature of the affections and their importance in religion.

In Section I, he defines the affections as 'the more vigorous and sensible exercises of the inclination and will of the soul'.

In Section 2, Edwards demonstrates, from many parts of Scripture, that true religion consists in the affections.

In Section 3, Edwards gives some inferences.  If true religion lies much in the affections we may infer:

(i) how great their error is, who are for discarding all religious affections, as having nothing solid or substantial in them;
(ii) that such means are to be desired as have much tendency to move the affections;
(iii) what great cause we have to be ashamed and confounded before God, that we are no more affected with the great things of religion.

What grabbed me
Today's reading was excellent.  I'm starting to see why this book has such prominence in Edwards' corpus.

I really enjoyed the point about the need for affection as well as knowledge: '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 who often hear the word of God, of things infinitely great and important, and which most nearly concern them, yet all seems to be wholly ineffectual upon them, and to make no alteration in their disposition or behaviour; the reason is, they are not affected with what they hear. There are many who often hear of the glorious perfections of God, his almighty power, boundless wisdom, infinite majesty, and that holiness by which he is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity; together with his infinite goodness and mercy. They 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 what Christ has done and suffered. They hear 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 love. They also hear the peremptory commands of God, his gracious counsels and warnings, and the sweet invitations of the gospel. Yet they remain as before, with no sensible alteration, either in heart or practice, because they are not affected with what they hear. I am bold to assert, that there never was any considerable change wrought in the mind or conversation of any person, by any thing of a religious nature that ever he read, heard, or saw, who 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 any thing that ever he heard or imagined of his own unworthiness and deservings 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 frame, 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 any thing 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.'

Yes, you've heard all about Christ.  But do you love him?

Next week's reading
Commence Part 2 by reading Sections I to VII.


Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.


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