death, wholly destitute of the powerful, quickening, saving influences of the Spirit of God upon his heart. As there is no true religion where there is nothing else but affection, so there is no true religion where there is no religious affection. As on the one hand there must be light in the understanding, as well as warmth in the affections, for where there is heat without light, there can be nothing divine or heavenly; so, on the other hand, where there is a kind of light in the understanding, without warmth in the affections, a head stored with notions and speculations, with a cold, unaffected heart, there can be nothing divine: that knowledge is not true spiritual knowledge of divine things. If the things of religion are rightly understood, they will affect the heart. The reason why men are not affected by such infinitely great, important and glorious things, as they often hear and read of, in the word of God, is undoubtedly because they are spiritually blind; if they were not so, it would be impossible, and utterly inconsistent with the principles of human nature, that their hearts would be otherwise, than very powerfully impressed.

Slighting all religious affections, is the way to harden the hearts of men, to encourage them in their perverseness, to keep them in a state of spiritual death; and to bring them at last to death eternal.

2. If it is true that religion resides very much in the affections; we may infer, that such scriptural means are to be desired, as have a tendency to move the affections. Such a manner of preaching and administering the ordinances, such a mode of worshipping God in prayer, and singing praises, is much to be desired, as possesses a tendency

deeply to affect the hearts of those persons who attend upon the means of grace.

There may, indeed, be such means adopted, as have a powerful tendency to stir up the passions of weak and ignorant persons, which in reality are not adapted to benefit their souls; for though they may have a tendency to excite affections, they have little or none to excite gracious ones, or any affections tending to grace. But undoubt

edly, if divine things are treated, in the public exercises of religion, according to their nature, and exhibited in such a manner as tends to convey just apprehensions, and a right judgment of them; the more they have a tendency to move the affections, the better.

3. If true religion resides very much in the affections, we may learn what abundant cause we have to be ashamed and confounded before God, that we are no more affected by the great and momentous concerns of religion. It appears from what has been said, that this arises from our baying so little of true religion.

God has given to mankind affections for the same purpose that he has given all the faculties and principles of the human soul, that they might be subservient to the great business for which man was created,-the business of religion; and yet how common is it among mankind, to have their affections much more exercised and engaged in other matters, than in religion! As to those things which concern their worldly interest, the desires of men are eager, and their love warm and affectionate. In reference to these objects they are much impressed, and very deeply concerned. They are much affected with grief at worldly losses, and much elated with joy at worldly prosperity. But how insensible and unmoved

are most men, about the great things of another world! How languid are their affections, as to these things! How insensibly they can sit and hear of the infinite love of God, in giving his dear Son to be offered up a sacrifice for the sins of men; and of the unparalleled love of the innocent and holy Lamb of God, manifested in his dying agonies, his bloody sweat, his bitter cries and bleeding heart. They can hear that all this was done for his enemies, to redeem them from deserved, eternal burnings, and to bring them to unspeakable and everlasting joys; and yet be cold, insensible, and regardless! Where are the exercises of our affections proper, if not here? what is there, that more requires them? and what can be a fitter occasion of their vigorous and lively exertions ?, Can any thing of greater importance be presented to our view? any thing more wonderful? or any thing more intimately connected with our interest? Can we suppose that the infinitely wise Creator, implanted such principles in the human nature as the affections, to be of some use to us, and to be exercised on certain objects, but to be totally inactive in reference to those things which are of the very first importance?

If we ought ever to exercise our affections at all, and if the Creator has not unwisely constituted the nature of man, in making these principles a part of it, they ought to be exercised about those objects which are most worthy of them. But is there any thing which Christians can find, so worthy of their admiration and love, their desires and hopes, their zeal and their joy, as those things which are exhibited in the gospel of Jesus Christ? The glory of the blessed JEHOVAH is there presented to view in the most affecting light, displaying all its lustre, in the face of an incar

nate, and infinitely compassionate Redeemer. All the virtues of the Lamb of God, his humility, his patience, his meekness, his submission, his obedience, his love and his compassion, are presented to our contemplation, in a manner the most adapted to move our affections. There also the hateful nature of sin, together with the inflexible justice of God, which will by no means allow iniquity to go unpunished, are exhibited in the clearest, and most affecting light; so that God has disposed all things in the glorious dispensation of the gospel, so as most powerfully to impress the affections. What abundant cause have we therefore to be humbled in the dust, that we are no more affected with the infinitely momentous concerns of religion!

PART SECOND.

ON THOSE THINGS WHICH AFFORD NO DECISIVE EVI, DENCE, EITHER THAT OUR AFFECTIONS ARE TRULY GRACIOUS, OR THAT THEY ARE NOT,

IF any one, on the reading of what has been already said, is disposed to acquit himself, by saying, "I am not one of those who have no religious affections; I am often powerfully moved by the consideration of the important things of religion:" let him not satisfy himself from this circumstance, that his affections are truly gracious; for, as it was observed before, we ought not to reject and condemn all emotions of the mind arising from a view of divine things, as though true religion did not at all consist in affection; so, on the other hand, we ought not to approve of all, as though every one who was affected by the things of religion, had true grace, and was the subject of the saving influences of the Spirit of God.-We should endeavour to discriminate between true and false religious affections.--In order that I may assist in that important work,

1. I will mention some things which are no proofs, either that affections are such as true religion consists in, or that they are not; and then, in a succeeding part,