of true religion resides in the affections; for love is not only one of the affections, but the chief and fountain of all the other. From love arises hatred of those things which are contrary to what we love, or which oppose and thwart us in those things in which we delight. 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, necessarily arise other religious affections; a dread of the displeasure of God, gratitude to him for his goodness, complacency and joy in him when he is sensibly present, grief and anxiety when he appears to be absent, &c. And in like manner, from a fervent love to men, arise all other virtuous affections towards them.

VI. The religion of the most eminent saints of whom we read, in the scriptures, consisted much in holy affections.

I shall take particular notice of three eminent saints, who, in the writings which they have left us, have expressed their sentiments on this subject, and so described their own religion, and the manner of their intercourse with God.

The first of whom I shall take notice, is David; who has given us a lively portrait of his religion in the book of Psalms. Those divine songs are the expressions of devout and holy affections; such as humble, fervent love to God, admiration of his glorious perfections and wonderful works, earnest desire of soul after him, unfeigned gratitude to him for his great goodness, a holy exultation and triumph of soul in his favour, sufficiency and faithfulness. They express also his love to the saints, the

excellent of the earth; his delight in the word and ordinances of God; his grief for his own, and for the sins of others; and his fervent zeal in opposing the enemies of God, and the enemies of his church. And these expressions of holy affection, of which the Psalms of David are every where full; are the more to our present purpose as they are not only the expressions of the religion of so eminent a saint; but were, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, penned for the use of the church of God in its public worship, purposely to express the religion of the saints in all ages of the world. It

is likewise 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 her worship and praises. In many of the Psalms, he speaks in the name of Christ; and in many others, in the name of the church.

The second eminent saint of whom I shall take notice, is the Apostle Paul, who was in many respects, the chief of the ministers of the New Testament; above all others, a chosen vessel unto Christ, to bear his name before the Gentiles; made the chief instrument of establishing the Christian church in the world, and of distinctly revealing the glorious mysteries of the gospel for the instruction of his people in all future ages. By what is said of him in the scriptures, he appears to have been full of affection; and it is manifest, that the religion he expresses in his epistles, consists very much in holy affections; it appears that he was actuated by a most ardent love to his glorious Lord, esteeming all things as loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. He represents himself as overpowered by this holy affection; and as it were compelled by it to go forwardin his service,through

all difficulties and sufferings. See 2 Cor. v 14, 15. His epistles are full of expressions of ardent affection towards the people of God. He speaks of his dear love to them, 2 Cor. xxii 19, Phil. iv. 1. 2 Tim. i. 2;--of his abundant love, 2 Cor. ii. 4; and of his affectionate and tender love, such as a nurse possesses towards her children, 1 Thes. ii. 7,8. He speaks of his bowels of love, Phil. i. 8. Phil. v, 12, 20, of his earnest care for others, 2 Cor. viii. 16, of his bowels of pity or mercy towards them, Phil. ii. 1. and of his concern for them even to anguish of heart, 2 Cor. ii. 4. He speaks of the great conflict of his soul for them, Col. ii. 1. of great and continual grief in his heart from compassion to the Jews, Rom. ix. 2. and of his mouth being opened, and his heart enlarged towards the Christians, 2 Cor. vi. 11. He often speaks of his affectionate and longing desires, 1 Thess ii. 8. Rom. i. 11. Phil. i. 8, and iv. 1. 2 Tim. i. 4. He very often, in his epistles, expresses the affection of joy, 2 Cor. i. 12, and vii. 7, 9, 16. Phil. i. 4, ii. 1, 2, and iii. 3. Col. i. 2, 4. 1 Thess. iii. 9. He speaks of his rejoicing with great joy, Phil iv. 10, and i. 7, of his joying and rejoicing, Phil. ii. 1, 7, of his rejoicing exceedingly, 2 Cor. vii. 13, of his being filled with comfort, and being exceedingly joyful, 2 Cor. vii. 4. He speaks of himself as always triumphing, or rejoicing, 2 Cor. ii. 14, and of his glorying in tribulation, 2 Thess. i. 4. and Rom. v.

3.

He also expresses the affection of hope: in Phil. i. 20, he speaks of his earnest expectation and of his hope. He likewise expresses the affection of godly jealousy, 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. And it appears from his whole history, after his conversion, that the affection of zeal, as having the cause of his Master, and the interest and prosperity of the church for its object; was mighty in him, contin

ually urging him to those great and arduous labours, in which he was engaged, in instructing, exhorting, warning, and reproving others; contending with those powerful and numerous enemies, which continually opposed him; wrestling with principalities and powers, not fighting as one who beats the air; running the race set before him, continually pressing forward through a variety of difficulties and sufferings. And how full of affection he was, appears further from his being so full of tears in 2 Cor. ii. 4, and Acts, xx. 19, he speaks of his many tears; and in ver. 31, of his tears which he shed night and day.

Now if any person can consider these accounts of this great Apostle, and yet not perceive that his religion consisted very much in affection, he must shut out the light which shines full in his face.

The other eminent saint whom I shall mention, is the Apostle John, the beloved disciple, who was the dearest to his Master, and by him admitted to the greatest privileges of any of the twelve. He was not only one of the three who were allowed to be present with him on the mount at his transfiguration, at the raising of the daughter of Jairus, and whom he took with him when he was in his agony; but was favoured above them all, being permitted to lean on his Master's bosom, at his last supper, and being chosen by him as the person to whom he would reveal his wonderful dispensations towards his church to the end of time. He was selected to shut the canon of the scriptures, being preserved much longer than any of the other Apostles.

It is evident, from his writings, that he was a person remarkably full of affection. His addresses to those to whom he wrote,are inexpressibly tender and pathetic, breathing nothing but the most fer

vent love. The proofs of this cannot be given without disadvantage, unless we should transcribe the whole of his writings.

VII. He whom God sent into the world, to be the light of the world, and the perfect example of true religion and virtue, even the Lord Jesus Christ, was remarkably affectionate. He presented the most striking instance of the ardency, vigour and strength of love, both to God and to man, that ever existed. It was this principle which obtained the victory, in that mighty struggle and conflict of his affections, when he "prayed more earnestly, and offered up strong crying and tears." Heb. v. 7.—Such was the power of his holy love, that it was stronger than death, and in the mighty conflict, overcame those powerful exercises of fear and grief, when he was sorely amazed, and his soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. He also appears to have been full of affection, during the whole of his life. We read of his great zeal, fulfilling what is written in the lxix. Psalm: "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." John, ii 17. We read of his grief for the sins of men: "He looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts." Mark iii.5. See also Luke, xix. 41. We often read of the affection of pity, or compassion in Christ, Matt.xv.32 Luke, vii. 13, and of his being moved by compassion, Matt. ix 36, xiv. 14. Mark, vi. 34. And bow tenderly affectionate was he, when Mary and Martha, mourning for their brother, came to him with their complaints and their tears! He was affected by their grief, and wept with them; though he knew that their sorrow would soon be turned into joy. See John, xi. And how ineffably affectionate was the last discourse, which Jesus had with his eleven disciples, the evening before he was cruci