fied; when he informed them that he was going away, and foretold the great difficulties and sufferings they would meet with in the world, after he was gone; when he comforted and counselled them, as his dear children, and bequeathed to them his Holy Spirit. See the xiii. xiv. xv. xvi. and xvii. chapters of John. Of all the discourses ever penned, or uttered, this was the most tender and affectionate.

VII. The religion of heaven consists very much in holy affection.

In order to learn the true nature of any thing, we should go where the subject of our inquiry is to be found in its greatest purity and perfection. If we would acquaint ourselves with the nature of gold, we must view it not in the ore, but when refined. If we would ascertain the nature of true religion, we must go where true religion is possessed without any defect or mixture.

There is, doubtless, true religion in heaven, and true religion in its utmost purity and perfection. But according to the scripture representation, the religion of a future state consists chiefly in holy love and joy, and the expression of these in the most fervent and exalted praises. So that the religion of the saints in heaven, consists in the same things, as the religion of the saints on earth,-joy unspeakable and full of glory.

The love and joy of the saints on earth, constitute the dawning of the light, life, and blessedness, of heaven; they are the same in nature, though not in degree and circumstances. This is evident from many passages of scripture. See Prov. iv. 18. John, iv. 14, vi. 40, 47, 50, 51, 5ł, 58. 1 John, iii. 15. 1 Cor. xiii. 8--12. Hence, therefore, the religion of heaven, composed chief

ly of holy love and joy, consists very much in affection; and therefore, undoubtedly, true religion consists very much in affection.

IX. It appears from the nature and design of the ordinances and duties, which God hath appointed, as means and expressions of true religion, that true religion resides very much in the affections.

For instance the duty of prayer. It is evident that we do not in this duty, declare our wants and desires, in order to inform God, or to incline his heart to show mercy; but suitably to affect our own hearts, and so to prepare ourselves for the reception of the blessings we ask. Such external behaviour in the worship of God, as custom has made significant of humility and reverence, can be of no further use, than as they have some tendency to affect our own hearts, or the hearts of others.

And the duty of singing praises, seems to be appointed wholly to excite and express religious affections. No reason can be assigned, why we should express ourselves to God in verse, rather than in prose, and do it with music; but only, that such is our nature and frame, that these things have a tendency to move the affections.

The same may be said also of the nature and design of those sacraments, which God has appointed. Our heavenly Father, considering our frame, has not only appointed that we should be told of the great things of the gospel, and by his word, be instructed in reference to the redemption of Christ; but also that they should be exhibited to our view, in sensible representations, in the sacraments, in order the more deeply to affect us.

One of the main ends for which God has ordained, that his word, delivered in the holy scriptures, should be explained and applied in preach

ing; was evidently, that divine things might be thus impressed upon the affections of mer. It is, therefore, not sufficient for us to have good commentaries and expositions on the scriptures, and other valuable books of divinity; because, although these may tend, as well as preaching, to give us a doctrinal and speculative knowledge of the things of religion, yet they have not an equal tendency to impress them on our affections. God has appointed a particular, and lively application of his word, in the preaching of it, as fit means to affect sinners with the importance of the things of religion; and to stir up the minds of the saints, by often bringing these things to their remembrance. Preaching is particularly intended to promote the two affections mentioned in the text,-love and joy: "And he" (Christ) " gave some apostles,--and some evangelists, and some pasters and teachers, for the edifying of the body of Christ -in love," Eph. iv. 11, 12, 16. The Apostle, instructing Timothy, concerning the work of the ministry, informs him, that the great end of that word which a minister is to preach, is "love or charity," 1 Tim. i. 3, 4, 5. Another affection for the promotion of which God has appointed pteaching, is joy; and therefore ministers are called helpers of our joy, 2 Cor. i. 24.

X. It is evident that true religion, or holiness, resides very much in the affections, because the scriptures place sin very much in bardness of heart. It was hardnes of heart, which excited grief and displeasure in Christ towards the Jews:

He looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts." Mark, iii. 5. The reason given why the house of Israel would not obey God, was, that they were hard-hearted. Ezek. iii 7. The wickedness of

Psa. xcv.

that perverse, rebellious generation in the wilderness, is ascribed to the same cause. 7-10. This is spoken of as what prevented Zedekiah's turning to the Lord; "He hardened his heart." 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13. The rejecting of Christ, and the opposing of Christianity are ascribed to this principle, Acts, xix. 9. When men are left to the power of their depravity and sin, they are mentioned as having their hearts hardened, Rom. ix. 18. The Apostle speaks of an evil heart, that departs from the living God, and a hard heart, as the same thing, Heb. iii. 8, 12, 13. And that great work of God, conversion, which consists in delivering a person from the power of sin, is often mentioned as the taking away of the heart of stone; and as the giving of a heart of flesh. See Ezek. xi. 19. and xxxvi. 26.

Now, by a hard heart, is undoubtedly meant, a perverse, unaffected heart; a heart not easily moved by virtuous affections, but like a stone, insensible, and difficult to be impressed. Hence, the hard heart is called a stoney heart, and is opposed to a heart of flesh. We read, in scripture, of a hard heart, and a tender heart; and doubtless we are to understand these as contrary to each other. But what is a tender heart, but a heart easily affected with what ought to affect it? God commends Josiah, because his heart was teader; and it is evident from what are mentioned as expressions and proofs of this state of mind, that by his heart being tender, is meant its being easily moved by religious and pious affection: "Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord,--hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord." 2 Kings, xxii 19.

It is very evident that in some texts, by hard

ness of heart, is meant a heart void of affection. Of the ostrich it is said, "She hardeneth her heart against her young ones, as though they were not hers." Job, xxxix. 16. So a person, unaffected in time of danger, is said to harden his heart. Prov. xxviii. 14.

Now, since it is evident, that by a hard beart in scripture, is meant a heart destitute of pious affections; and since also the scriptures so frequently denominate our sin and depravity by the terms "hardness of heart;" it is evident that grace and holiness must, in a great measure, consist in our being easily susceptible of such impressions. Divines are generally agreed, that sin radically and fundamentally consists in what is negative or privative, in a privation, or want of holiness. And therefore, undoubtedly, if sin very much consists in hardness of heart, and so in the want of pious affections, holiness must consist very much in those pious affections.

I am far from supposing that all affections show a tenderness of heart : hatred. anger, &c. may prevail in the hardest heart. Yet it is evident, that hardness of heart, and tenderness of heart, relate to the affections, and denote a mind susceptible, or insusceptible, of certain emotions.

Upon the whole, I think it abundantly evident, that true religion consists very much in the affections. I do not, however, think that religion in the hearts of the truly godly, is ever in exact proportion to the degree of affection, and present emotion of the mind; for undoubtedly there is much affection in real saints, which is not spiritual. Their religious affections are often mixed; all is not from grace, but much from nature; and though the affections have not their seat in the body, yet the constitution of the body may vị

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