It’s Reformation Week! And that means a bonus Tuesdays with Edwards!
A Treatise Concerning
Religious Affections is one of Edwards’ most widely read and influential works, and has come to be viewed as a classic in Christian literature; its popularity and influence attested to by the fact that since its original publication in 1746 it has never been out of print.
In the second part of his book, Edwards outlines twelve signs which neither prove nor disprove one’s affections to be truly gracious. For each of these signs, Edwards shows why a spiritually healthy Christian would and even should exhibit these signs; and then shows why it should not be looked at as a certain sign that it is a proof of saving grace…though sometimes he reverses the order and does the negative before the positive.
So far we have seen that it doesn’t prove one way or the other that religious affections are truly spiritual because:
- They are raised very high.
- They have great effects on the body.
Now we get to number 3, “that they cause those who have them, to be fluent, fervent and abundant, in talking of the things of religion.”
You can read Religious Affections in its entirety at www.edwards.yale.edu. This selection is from Religious Affections, ed. John E, Smith, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 2 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1959) Pages 135-137.
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3. ‘Tis 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 an 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” [Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45]: 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 shew that earnestness in their talk and behavior; as the greater part of the Jews, in all Judea 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, and mighty engagedness of spirit, in everything that was external, about Christ and his preaching and miracles, being astonished at his doctrine [Matthew 7:28], anon with joy receiving the Word [Matthew 13:20], 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; sometimes crying him up to the clouds, saying, “Never man spake like this man!” [John 7:46], being fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did these things come to, in the greater part of ’em?
A person may be overfull 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 overfull 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 shew of religion with the mouth, without answerable fruit in the life: “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain” (Proverbs 25:14). 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, were for a while not suspected, “These are clouds” (says he) “without water, carried about of winds” (Jude 4 and 12). And the apostle Peter, speaking of the same, says, “These are clouds without water, carried with a tempest” (2 Peter 2:17).
False affections, if they are equally strong, are much more forward to declare themselves, than true. Because ’tis the nature of false religion, to affect show and observation; as it was with the Pharisees.
That famous experimental divine Mr. Shepard, says, “A Pharisee’s trumpet shall be heard to the town’s end; when simplicity walks through the town unseen. Hence a man will sometimes covertly commend himself (and “myself” ever comes in) and tells you a long story of conversion: and an hundred to one if some lie or other slip not out with it. Why the secret meaning is, ‘I pray admire me.’ Hence complain of wants and weaknesses; ‘Pray think what a broken-hearted Christian I am.'” Thomas Shepard. The Parable of the Ten Virgins (London, 1660, rep. 1695), pt. I, pp. 179–80.
And holy Mr. Flavel says thus, “O reader, if thy heart were right with God, and thou didst not cheat thyself with a vain profession, thou wouldst have frequent business with God, which thou wouldst be loath thy dearest friend, or the wife of thy bosom should be privy to. Non est religio, ubi omnia patent. Religion doth not lie open to all, to the eyes of men. Observed duties maintain our credit; but secret duties maintain our life. It was the saying of an heathen, about his secret correspondency with his friend, ‘What need the world be acquainted with it? Thou and I art theater enough to each other.’ There are enclosed pleasures in religion, which none but renewed spiritual souls do feelingly understand.” John Flavel, Touchstone of Sincerity (London, 1679), ch. 2, sec. 2, p. 21.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 