In this sermon by an unknown speaker, the focus is on the exercise and fruit of religious affections in Christian practice. It is argued that holy affections should lead to a practice that is universally conformed to and directed by Christian rules. The sermon explores the necessity of men being universally obedient and highlights the importance of a change of nature in influencing one's behavior. The moral excellency of divine things is shown to be the foundation of all holy affections, leading to a holy and persevering practice. The sermon also emphasizes the role of humility, spiritual appetite, and sincerity in shaping one's Christian walk.

A treatise on the religious affections by Jonathan Edwards, positive sign 12. Gracious and holy affections have their exercise and fruit. In Christian practice. I mean, to have that influence and power on him who is the subject of them? Did they cause that a practice which is universally conformed to, and directed by Christian rules, should be the practice and business of his life?

This implies three things. 1. Did his behavior or practice in the world be universally conformed to and directed by Christian rules? 2. Did he make a business as such a holy practice above all things?

Did it be a business which he is chiefly engaged in and devoted to, and pursues with highest earnestness and intelligence, so that he may be said to make this practice of religion imminently his work and business. And number three, that he persists in it to the end of life, so that it may be said not only to be his business at certain seasons, to business at Sabbath days, or certain extraordinary times, or to business of a month or a year, or of seven years, or his business under certain circumstances. But It is the business of its life, it be in that business, which it perseveres in through all changes and under all trials as long as he lives. The necessity of each of these and all true Christians is most clearly and fully taught in the Word of God. 1.

It is necessary that men should be universally obedient. 1 John 3. 3. Every man that has this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure, and you know that he was manifested to take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

Whosoever abides in him does not sin. Whosoever sins has not seen him, neither known him. He that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commits sin is of the devil. Chapter 5, 18.

We know that whosoever is born of God sins not, but he that is begotten of God keeps himself and that wicked one touches him not. John 15 14. You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. If one member only be corrupt, and we do not cut it off, it will carry the whole body to hell." Matthew 29 and 30. Saul was commanded to slay all God's enemies, the Amalekites, and he slew all but Agag, and had saved him alive proved his ruin.

Caleb and Joshua entered into God's promised rest, because they wholly followed the Lord, Numbers 14, verse 24, Number 32, 11 and 12, Deuteronomy 1, verse 36, Joshua 14, verses 6, 8, 9 and 14. Naaman's hypocrisy appeared in that. However, ever he seemed to be greatly affected with gratitude to God for healing his leprosy, and engaged to serve him, yet, in one thing he desired to be excused. In Herod, Doy feared John and observed him, and heard him gladly, and did many things, yet was condemned, and that in one thing he would not hearken to him, even in parting with his beloved Herodias, so that it is necessary that men should part with their dearest iniquities, which are as their right hand and right eyes. Sins that most easily beset them, and which they are most exposed to by their natural inclinations, evil customs, or particular circumstances as well as others, as Joseph would not make known himself to his brethren who had sold him until Benjamin, the beloved child of the family that was most hardly parted with, was delivered up.

No more will Christ reveal his love to us, until we part with our dearest lusts, and until we are brought to comply with the most difficult duties, and know that we have the greatest aversion too. And it is of importance that it should be observed, and in order to a man's being truly said to be universally obedient. His obedience must not only consist in negatives, or in universally avoiding wicked practices, consisting in sins of commission, but he must also be universal in the positives of religion. Sins of omission are as much breaches of God's commands. It's sins of comission.

Christ in Matthew 25 represents those on the left hand as being condemned and cursed to everlasting fire for sins of omission. I was then hungered, and you gave me no meat, and so on, and man therefore cannot be said to be universally obedient, and of a Christian conversation only because he is no thief, nor oppressor, nor fraudulent person, nor drunkard, nor tavern-hunter, nor horror-master, rioter, night-walker, unclean, profane in his language, slanderer, liar, furious, malicious, reviler, is falsely said to be of a conversation that becomes the Gospel who goes thus far and no further. But in order to this, it is necessary that he should also be of a serious religious, devout, humble meek, forgiving, peaceful, respectful, condescending, benevolent, merciful, charitable and beneficent walk in conversation without such things as these. He does not obey the laws of Christ, and laws that he and his apostles did abundantly insist on. It's of the greatest importance and necessity, number two in order to mend being true Christians.

It is necessary that they prosecute the business of religion and the service of God with great earnestness and diligence. It's a work which they devote themselves to, and make, the main business of their lives. All Christ's peculiar people not only do good works, but are zealous of good works. Titus 2 verse 14. No man can do the service of two masters at once, day that our God's true servants give up themselves to his service, and make it as it were their whole work, daring and employing their whole hearts, and the chief of their strength.

Philippians 3.13. This one thing I do. Christians in their effectual calling are not called to idleness, but to labour in God's vineyard and spend their day in doing a great and laborious service. All true Christians comply with this call, as is implied in its being an effectual call, and do the work of Christians, which is everywhere in the New Testament compared to those exercises wherein men are wont to exert their strength, with the greatest earnestness, is running, wrestling, fighting. All true Christians are good and faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ, and fight the good fight of faith, for none but those who do so, to ever lay hold on eternal life.

Those who fight, and those who beat the air, never win the crown of victory. They that run in a race run all, but one wins the prize, and they that are flak and negligent in their course do not so run, as that they may obtain. The kingdom of heaven is not to be taken, but by violence. Without earnestness, there is no getting along in that narrow way that leads to life, and so no arriving at a state of glorious life and happiness which it leads to, without earnest labor. There is no ascending the steep and high hill of Zion, and so no arriving at the heavenly city on the top of it.

Without a constant laboriousness, there is no stem in the swift stream in which we swim, so as ever to come to that fountain of water of life that is at the head of it, there is need that we should watch and pray always, in order to our escaping those dreadful things that are coming on to ungodly, and are being counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man. There is no need of our putting on the whole armor of God and doing all to stand, in order to our avoiding a total overthrow. And being utterly destroyed by the fiery darts of the devil, there is need that we should forget the things that are behind, and be reaching forth to the things that are before, and pressing towards a mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In order to our obtaining that prize, Slothfulness in the service of God and his professed servants is as damning as open rebellion, for the slothful servant is a wicked servant. It shall be cast into outer darkness among God's open enemies.

Matthew 25, 26, 30. Dater slothful are not followers of them who through faith and patient inherit the promises. Hebrews 6 11 and 12. And we desire that every one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end. That you be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises, and all they who follow that cloud of witnesses that are gone before to heaven, do lie aside every weight, and ascend that easily besets them, and run with patience the race that is set before them, Hebrews 12.1, the true faith by which persons rely on the righteousness of Christ, and the work that he has done for them, and to truly feed and live upon him, is ever more accompanied with such a spirit of earnestness than the Christian work and course, which was typified of old by the manner of the children of Israel's feeding on the Paschal lamb, who were directed to eat it, as those that were in haste, with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hand.

Exodus 12-11. Number Three. Every true Christian perseveres in this way of universal obedience, intelligent and earnest service of God to all the various kinds of trials that he meets with. To the end of life, to all true saints, all those that do obtain eternal life, do thus persevere in the practice of religion and the service of God. Is the doctrine so abundantly taught in the scripture that particularly to rehearse all the texts which imply it would be endless, I shall content myself with referring to some in the margin.

But, the perseverance and obedience which is clearly insisted on in the Scripture, as a special note of the truth of grace is the continuance of professors and the practice of their duty in being steadfast in a holy walk through the various trials that they meet with. My trials here, I mean no things that occur, and that a professor meets with, and is coarse, did to especially render his continuance and his duty and faithfulness to God. Difficult, to human nature, these things are from time to time called in scripture by the name of trials or temptations, which are words of the same signification. These are of various kinds. There are many things that render persons' continuance in the way of their duty difficult by their tendency to cherish and foment, or to stir up and provoke their lusts and corruptions.

Many things make it hard to continue in the way of their duty by their being of an inheriting nature, and having a tendency to entice persons to sin, or by their tendency to take off restraints and embolden them in iniquity. Other things are trials of the soundness and steadfastness of professors by their tendency to make their duty appear terrible to them, and so to frighten and drive them from it, such as the sufferings which their duty will expose them to. Pain, ill will, contempt and reproach, or loss of outward possessions and comforts, if persons, after they have made a profession of religion live in any considerable time in this world, which is so full of changes and so full of evil, It cannot be otherwise in that they should meet with many trials of their sincerity and steadfastness. Besides, it is God's manner in His providence to bring trials on His professing friends and servants decidedly, that he may manifest them, and may exhibit sufficient manner of conviction of the state which they are in, to their own consciences, and oftentimes to the world as appears by innumerable scriptures. True saints may be guilty of some kinds and degrees of backsliding, and may be foiled by particular temptations that may fall into sin.

Yea, great sins, but they never can fall away so as to grow weary of religion, and the service of God, and habitually to dislike it, and neglect it, either on its own account, or on account of the difficulties that attend it, as is evident by Galatians 6 verse 9, Romans 2 verse 7, Hebrews 10 verse 36, Isaiah 43 verse 22, and Malachi 1 Verse 13. They can never backslide, so as to continue no longer in a way of universal obedience, or so that it shall cease to be their manner to observe all the rules of Christianity, and to all duties required even in the most difficult circumstances. This is abundantly manifest by the things that have been observed already, nor can they ever fall away so as habitually to be more engaged in other things than in the business of religion, or so that it should become their way and manner to serve something else more than God, or so as statedly to cease to serve God. With such earnestness and diligence is still to be habitually devoted and given up to the business of religion, unless those words of Christ can fall to the ground, you cannot serve two masters.

And those of the Apostle, he that will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. And unless a saint can change his God, and yet be a true saint, nor can a true saint ever fall away so, that it shall come to this, that ordinarily there shall be no remarkable difference in his walk and behavior since his conversion from what it was before. Today, dinner truly converted are new men. New creatures. New.

Not only within, but without. They are sanctified drought and spirit, soul and body. Old things are passed away, all things are become new. They have new hearts, and new eyes, new ears, new tongues, new hands, new feet, and so on. In other words, a new conversation and practice, and a walk, and newness of life, and continue to do so to the end of life, and need to fall away and cease visibly to do so.

It is a sign that they were never risen with Christ, and especially with men's opinion of their being converted. And so in a safe state, it s the very cause that they re coming to this. It is the most evident sign of their hypocrisy, and that, whether they re fallen away being to their former sins, or into some new kind of wickedness, having the corruption of nature only turned into a new channel, instead of its being mortified, as when persons that think themselves converted, though they do not return to former profaneness and lewdness, yet, from the high opinion they have of their experience graces and privileges, gradually settle more and more in a self-righteous and spiritual proud temper of mind, and in such a manner of behavior as naturally arises therefrom. When it is thus with men, however far they may seem to be from their former evil practices, just so long as enough to condemn them, it may render their past aid far worse than the first. For this seems to be the very case of the Jews of that generation that Christ speaks of, Matthew 12, verse 43 to 45, who, being awakened by John the Baptist's preaching and brought to a reformation of their former licensed courses, were by the unclean spirit was, as it were, turned out, and the house swept and garnished.

Yet, an empty of God and of grace became full of themselves and were exalted in an exceeding high opinion of their own righteousness and eminent holiness, became habituated to unanswerably self-exalting behavior, so changed in the sense of publicans and harlots, for those of the Pharisees, and in issue, had seven devils worse than the first. Thus I have explained what exercise and fruit I mean when I say that gracious affections have their exercise and fruit. In Christian practice, the reason why gracious affections have such a tendency and effect appears from any things that have already been observed, in the preceding parts of this discourse. The reason of it appears from this, that gracious affections arise from those operations and influences which are spiritual, and at the inward principle from whence they flow as some thing divine, a communication of God, a participation of the divine nature, Christ, living in the heart, the Holy Spirit dwelling there, in union with the faculties of the soul, is an internal vital principle, exerting its own proper nature in the exercise of those faculties. This is sufficient to show us why true grace should have such activity, power and efficacy.

No wonder that which is divine is powerful and effectual, for it has omnipotence on its side. If God dwells in the heart and be vitally united to it, He will show that he is a god. By the efficacy of his operation, Christ is not in the heart of a saint, is in a sepulcher, or as a dead savior that does nothing, but as in his temple, and is one that is alive, from the dead, from the heart where Christ savingly is, there he lives, and exerts himself, after the power of that endless life that he received in his resurrection. Just every saint, that is the subject of the benefit of Christ's sufferings, as made to no one experience the power of his resurrection. The Spirit of Christ, which is the immediate spring of grace and heart, is all life, all power, all act.

1 Corinthians 2, 4, in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. 1 Thessalonians 1 5, Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 4.20. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power, hence saving affections, though oftentimes they do not make so great a noise and show as others, yet have in them a secret solidity, life, and strength, whereby they take hold of and carry away the heart, leading it into a kind of captivity. 2 Corinthians 10.5, gaining a full and steadfast determination of the will for God and holiness.

Psalm 110 verse 3. Thy people shall be willing in a day of thy power. Thus it is that holy affections have a governing power in the course of a man's life. A statue may look very much like a real man, and a beautiful man, yet it may have in its appearance to the eye the resemblance of a very lively, strong and active man. But yet, an inward principle of life and strength is lacking, and therefore it does nothing, it brings nothing to pass, there is no action or operation to answer the show.

False discoveries and affections do not go deep enough to reach and govern the spring of men's actions and practice. The seed and stony ground had not depth-knot of earth, and the root did not go deep enough to bring forth fruit. But gracious affections go to the very bottom of the heart, and take hold of the very inmost springs of life and activity, herein chiefly appears the power of true godliness, namely, in its being a factual practice. And the efficacy of godliness in this respect is what the Apostle has respect to, and He speaks of the power of godliness in 2 Timothy 3 5, as is very plain. He there is particularly declaring how some professors of religion would notoriously fail in the practice of it.

And then in the fifth verse observes, that in being thoughts of an unholy practice, they deny the power of godliness, so they have the form of it. Indeed, the power of godliness is exerted in the first place within the soul, in the sensible, lively exercise of gracious affection there, yet the principal evidence of this power of godliness. It's in those exercises of holy affections that are practical, and in their being practical in conquering the will, in conquering the lusts and corruptions of men, and carrying men on in a way of holiness through all temptations, difficulty, and opposition. Again, the reason why gracious affections have their exercise and effect in Christian practice appears from this, which has also been before observed. The diverse objective around gracious affections is the transcendently excellent and amiable nature of divine things, as they are in themselves, and not in any conceived relation they bear to self or self-interest.

This shows why holy affection will cause men to be holy in their practice universally. What makes men partial in religion is, that they seek themselves and not God in their religion, and close with religion not for its own excellent nature, but only to serve a turn. He that closes with religion only to serve a turn will close with no more of it than he imagines serves that turn. But he that closes with religion for its own excellent and lovely nature, closes with all that has that nature, he that embraces religion for its own sake, embraces the whole of religion. This also shows why gracious affections will cause men to practice religion perseveringly, and at all times religion may alter greatly in process of time, as to its consistence with men's private interest in many respects, and therefore he that complies with it only for selfish views is liable in chance at times to forsake it.

But the excellent nature of religion, as it is in itself, is invariable. It is always the same, at all times, and through all changes. It never alters in any respect. The reason why gracious affections issue in holy practice, also further appear from the kind of excellency of divine things that has been observed, is the foundation of all holy affections, namely their moral excellency or the beauty of their holiness, no wonder bet a love to holiness. For holiness' sake, inclines persons to practice holiness, and to practice everything that is holy.

Seeing holiness as the main thing that excites, draws, and governs all of gracious affections, no wonder did all such affections tend to holiness. That which men love, they desire to have and to be united to and possessed of. That beauty which men delight in, they desire to be adorned with. Those acts which men delight in, they necessarily incline to do. And what has been observed of that divine teaching and leading of the Spirit of God, which there is in gracious affection, shows the reason of this tendency of such affections to a universally holy practice.

For, as has been observed, The Spirit of God in this, his divine teaching and leading, gives the soul a natural relish of the sweetness of that which is holy, and of everything that is holy. So far as it comes in view and excites the dis-relish and disgust of everything that is unholy, the same also appears from what has been observed of the nature of that spiritual knowledge, which is the foundation of all holy affection. It is consisting, in a sense, in view of that excellence in divine things, which is supreme and transcendent. For by this, the things appear above all others, worthy to be chosen and adhere to, but decided the transcendent glory of Christ, who Christians see unworthy, to be followed, and so are powerfully drawn after him. They seem worthy that they should forsake all for him, by the sight of that superlative amiableness.

They are thoroughly disposed to be subject to him, and engaged to labor with earnestness and activity in his service, and made willing to know through all difficulties for his sake. And it is the discovery of this Divine Excellency of Christ that makes him constant to him, for it makes a deep impression upon their minds that they cannot forget him, and they will follow him wherever he goes, and it is in vain for any to endeavor to draw them away from him. The reason of this practical tendency and issue of gracious affections further appears from what has been observed of such fections being attended with a thorough conviction of the judgment of the reality and certainty of divine things. No wonder that they who are never thoroughly convinced that there is any reality in the things of religion will never be it the labor and trouble of such an earnest universal and persevering practice of religion, to all difficulties, self-denials and sufferings and the dependence on that which they are not convinced of. But on the other hand, they who are thoroughly convinced of the certain truth of those things must needs be governed by them in their practice.

For the things revealed in the Word of God are so great, and so infinitely more important than all other things, that it is inconsistent with the human nature that a man should fully believe the truth of them, and not be influenced by them, above all things, in his practice. Again, the reason of this expression and effect of holy affections in the practice appears in what has been observed. Of a change of nature, accompanying such affections, without a change of nature men's practice will not be thoroughly changed, until the tree be made good, The fruit will not be good. Men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles. The swine may be washed and appear clean for a little while, yet.

Without a change of nature he will still wallow in the mire. Nature is a more powerful principle of action than anything that opposes it, though it may be violently restrained for a while. It will finally overcome that which restrains it. It is like the stream of a river. It may be stopped a while with the dam, but if nothing be done to drive the fountain it will not be stopped always.

It will have a course, either in its old channel or a new one. Nature is a thing more constant and permanent than any of those things that are the foundation of carnal men's reformation and righteousness. When a natural man denies his lust, and lives a strict religious life, and seems humble, painful, and earnest in religion. It is not natural. It is all a force against nature, as when the stone is violently thrown upwards.

But that force will gradually be spent, yet nature will remain in its full strength, and so prevails again, and the stone returns downwards. As long as corrupt nature is not mortified but the principle left whole in a man, it is a vain thing to expect, that it should not govern. But if the old nature be indeed mortified, and a new and heavenly nature infused, then may it well be expected that men will walk at newness of life, and continue to do so to the end of their days. The reason of this practical exercise and effect of holy affections may also be partly sane. From what had been said of the spirit of humility which attends them, humility is that in which a spirit of obedience much consists.

A proud spirit is a rebellious spirit, but a humble spirit is a yieldable subject, obediential spirit. We see among men that the servant who is of a haughty spirit is not apt in everything to be submissive and obedient to the will of its master, but it is otherwise with that servant who is of a lowly spirit, an ant, lamb-like, dove-like spirit. It has been spoken of which accompanies all gracious affections, fulfills as the Apostle observes in Romans 13, 8, 9, and 10, in Galatians 5, 14, all the duties of the second table of the law, wherein Christian practice does very much, consist, and in which the external practice of Christianity chiefly consists. And the reason why gracious affections are attended with that strict universal and constant obedience which has been spoken of further appears, from what has been observed, an untenderness of spirit, which accompanies the affections of true saints, causing in them so quick and lively a sense of pain to the presence of moral evil, and such a dread of the appearance of evil. And one great reason why the Christian practice which flows from gracious affections is universal and constant, and persevering, appears from that that it has been observed that those affections themselves, from whence this practice flows, being universal and constant, in all kinds of holy exercises, and towards all objects, and in all circumstances, and in all seasons, and a beatiful symmetry and proportion, And much of the reason why holy affections are expressed and manifested in such an earnestness, activity, and engagedness, and perseverance in holy practice, as has been spoken of, appears from what has been observed, of the spiritual appetite, and longing after further attainments, and religion, which evermore attends true affection, and does not decay but increases as those affections increase.

So we see how the tendency of holy affections to such a Christian practice as has been explained, appears from each of those characteristics of holy affection that have been before spoken of, and his point may be further illustrated and confirmed if it be considered that the holy scriptures abundantly place sincerity and soundness in religion, and making a full choice of God as our only Lord and portion, forsaking all for Him, and in a full determination of the will for God and Christ, uncounting the cost, and our hearts closing and complying with the religion of Jesus Christ, with all that belongs to it, embracing it with all of its difficulties as it were hating our dearest earthly enjoyments, and even our own lives for Christ, giving up ourselves with all that we have, holy and forever, to Christ, without keeping back anything or making any reserve for any one word, in the great duty of self-denial for Christ, or in denying, i.e., as it were, disowning and renouncing ourselves for Him, making ourselves nothing that He may be all. See the text of this purpose referred to in the margin. Now, Surely, having a heart to forsake all for Christ tends to actually forsake an all for hire, so far as there is occasion, and we have the trial.

Having a heart to deny ourselves for Christ tends to a denying ourselves indeed when Christ's self-interest and a competition, giving up of ourselves with all that we have in our hearts without making any reserve there, tends to our behaving ourselves universally as His, as subject to His will, And devoted to his sins, our hearts entirely closing with the religion of Jesus, with all that belongs to it, and is attended with all of its difficulties upon a deliberate counting the cost tends to a universal closing with the same an act and deed, and actually going through all the difficulties that we meet with in the way of religion, and so, holding out with patience and perseverance.