Links: History Primary Source Review, Jonathan Edwards
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Religious Affections

Notes

Introduction

• purpose: what are the qualifications or the virtues that mankind that are acceptable to God.
• 1)context: religious revivals
• In Scripture we often find both revivals and people who quickly fall away after such revivals.
  • satan works to spread discouragement in these awakenings
• satan in the garden promised to expand the garden, we too risk having Christ AND.
• Satan can use good Christians to spread false religions teaching
• what is true religion

Part 1: nature of the affections

1 peter 1#8

• 2 things of christians
• 1. They suffer trials
• 2. They rejoice in suffering, their affection grows. It is tested, but ultimately purified.
• therefore this joy implies a sort of religious affection
• the will of the soul, inclinations of the heart
• religious affections are the inclinations of the heart: namely love.
  • there are opposing affections too, such as hate and fear.
• religious affections take place by through regeneration.
  • true regeneration changes, re-orders the heart

Scripture proof for various Christian affections which are the marks of true religion.

• David, Paul, john as biblical examples of believers who show clear examples of religious affections
  • love, hope, grief over sin
• Jesus shows us love, grief over sin, mercy, compassion, sympathy, comforter, councilor,
• heaven has the religious affections in the saints
• 9. the sacraments and ordinances, are ways God has given to express true religion
• 10. true religion finds identity in the heart, while false religion is hardness of heart.
• Conclusion - without holy affection there is no true religion
  1. those who had deep affection for awhile soon return, therefore true affections is a deep rooted temperament, not simply from one extreme to another.
     1. warning against those who judge others affections too harshly, may show that themselves have no true affections.
  2. 121. means of grace are to be desired in furthering the affections.
  3. God has given us these affections through the work of Christ
     1. 123. the true preaching of the word brings about true religious affections

Part 2 Showing what are no certain Signs that Religious Affections are Truly Gracious or that They are Not.

• 127. Warning about having false affections, just because we may look at the previous list and say that we are moved by them, this is not enough of a reason to be content in your state. That is because there can be false affections, therefore JE points out two things: 1) the neutrality of some signs. 2) spiritual signs that are different from those that are not.

1. It is no sign one way or the other, that religious affections are very great, or raised very high.
   • Makes a difference between the spiritual (true religion) and common affections
   • The great commandment calls for great joy, leaping for joy, being exceedingly glad.
     • great love that also compels us to hate sin
   • intense affections can soon fade, hard to judge
     • The example of Christ everyone who was amazed soon cried to crucify
2. 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.
   • There is no clear rule to know what is from a religious affection or a common one when they both are extreme in body and soul
   • bodily effects such as trembling, groaning, being sick, crying out, panting, fainting, can be figurative way to express affections
3. 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.
   • Judging cynically the outward affections of others can lead to un-Christian behavior.
   • False affections are more likely to declare themselves in pride than true affections.
4. 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.
   • These affections do not find their origin in humans, but through the work of God. Yet, not every moving of the Spirit is from God we are to test the spirits.
5. It is no sign that religious affections are truly holy and spiritual, or that they are not, that they come with texts of Scripture, remarkably brought to the mind.
   1. Common affections can lay claim to the Scriptures, but this itself does not prove the genuineness of the affections
6. It is no evidence that religious affections are saving, or that they are otherwise, that there is an appearance of love in them.
   1. Love can be religious in nature, but not with saving grace.
   2. "Their argument is that Satan cannot love; this affection being directly contrary to the devil, whose very nature is enmity and malice. And it is true, that nothing is more excellent, heavenly, and divine, than a spirit of true Christian love to God and men: it is more excellent than knowledge, or prophecy, or miracles, or speaking with the tongue of men and angels. It is the chief of the graces of God's Spirit, and the life, essence and sum of all true religion; and that by which we are most conformed to heaven, and most contrary to hell and the devil. But yet it is in arguing from hence, that there are no counterfeits of it. It may be observed that the more excellent anything is, the more will be the counterfeits of it. Thus there are many more counterfeits of silver and gold, than of iron and copper: there are many false diamonds and rubies, but who goes about to counterfeit common stones?"
7. Persons having religious affections of many kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they have any gracious affections or no.
   1. people can show to have all sorts of religious affections yet fall away, such as Saul in the OT
   2. "love is the fountain, and the other affections are the streams. The various faculties, principles, and affections of the human nature, are as it were many channels from one fountain: if there be sweet water in the fountain, sweet water will from thence flow out into those various channels; but if the water in the fountain be poisonous, then poisonous streams will also flow out into all those channels. So that the channels and streams will be alike, corresponding one with another; but the great difference will lie in the nature of the water."
8. Nothing can certainly be determined concerning the nature of the affections, by this, that comforts and joys seem to follow awakenings and convictions of conscience, in a certain order.
   1. the awareness of sin can happen in those that are regenerated or those who are in dread over their sin. Spirit of God can evoke a reverence, or an awe, while the devil can invoke mad fear.
   2. "As the devil can counterfeit all the saving operations and graces of the Spirit of God"
9. It is no certain sign that the religious affections which persons have are such as have in them the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they dispose persons to spend much time in religion, and to be zealously engaged in the external duties of worship.
   1. True religion manifests itself in external acts of worship: praying, gathering, reading, singing, etc. Yet, it is no sure sign as Israel in the OT did many external signs but many were not justified.
   2. 165. "I once lived, for many months, next door to a Jew (the houses adjoining one to another), and had much opportunity daily to observe him; who appeared to me the devoutest person that I ever saw in my life; great part of his time being spent in acts of devotion, at his eastern window, which opened next to mine, seeming to be most earnestly engaged, not only in the daytime, but sometimes whole nights."
10. Nothing can be certainly known of the nature of religious affections by this, that they much dispose persons with their mouths to praise and glorify God
    1. True religion can have a life long assurance in their redemption through Christ, however false religion can also cause this assurance for a time in those who are not elect.
11. It is no sign that affections are right, or that they are wrong, that they make persons that have them exceeding confident that what they experience is divine, and that they are in a good estate.
    1. Self assurance of salvation can be a false assurance. Yet, in Scripture we can have assurance as we trust in God
    2. "For God's promises and oaths, let them be as sure as they will, cannot give strong hope and comfort to any particular person, any further than he can know that those promises are made to him."
    3. As light and darkness necessarily and unavoidably succeed each other; if light prevails, so much does darkness cease, and no more; and if light decays, so much does darkness prevail; so it is in the heart of a child of God: if divine love decays and falls asleep, and lust prevails, the light and joy of hope go out, and dark fear and doubting arises; and if, on the contrary, divine love prevails and comes into lively exercise, this brings in the brightness of hope, and drives away black lust, and fear with it. Love is the spirit of adoption, or the childlike principle; if that slumbers, men fall under fear, which is the spirit of bondage, or the servile principle; and so on the contrary. And if it be so, that love, or the spirit of adoption, be carried to a great height, it quite drives away all fear, and gives full assurance; agreeable to that of the apostle, 1 John 4#18
12. Nothing can be certainly concluded concerning the nature of religious affections, that any are the subjects of, from this, that the outward manifestations of them, and the relation persons give of them, are very affecting and pleasing to the truly godly, and such as greatly gain their charity, and win their hearts.

Part 3 Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections

I. Affections that are truly spiritual and gracious arise from those influences and operations on the heart, which are spiritual, supernatural, and divine.
Edwards begins his discussion of the distinguishing signs of truly gracious affections by emphasizing their divine origin. He argues that genuine spiritual experiences are not the result of natural causes or human effort but are produced by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. This foundational point sets the stage for understanding what makes truly gracious affections distinct from counterfeit or superficial religious experiences.

1. Spiritual Source:
   Truly gracious affections originate from the Holy Spirit’s work in the heart. They are not the product of human willpower, emotional manipulation, or external circumstances. Edwards stresses that only the Spirit of God can produce the kind of affections that are pleasing to Him.