(Phil. 1:8; Phil. 5: 12, 20;) of his earnest care for others, (2 Cor. 8: 16;) of his bowels of pity or mercy toward them, (Phil. 2 : 1,) and of his concern for them even to anguish of heart. 2 Cor. 2: 4. He speaks of the great conflict of his soul for them, (Col. 2: 1,) of great and continual grief in his heart from compassion to the Jews, (Rom. 9:2,) and of his mouth being opened, and his heart enlarged toward the Christians. 2 Cor. 6:11. He often speaks of his affectionate and longing desires. 1 Thess. 2:8; Rom. 1: 11; Phil. 1 : 8, and 4: 1; 2 Tim. 1: 4. He very often, in his epistles, expresses the affection of joy. 2 Cor. 1: 12, and 7:7, 9, 16; Phil. 1:4; 2: 1, 2, and 3:3; Col. 1: 2, 4; 1 Thess. 39. He speaks of his rejoicing with great joy, (Phil. 4: 10, and 1 : 7,) of his joying and rejoicing, (Phil. 2: 1, 7,) of his rejoicing exceedingly, (2 Cor. 7: 13,) of his being filled with comfort, and being exceedingly joyful. 2 Cor. 7: 4. He speaks of himself as always triumphing, or rejoicing, (2 Cor. 2: 14,) and of his glorying in tribulation. 2 Thess. 1: 4; and Rom. 53. He also expresses the affection of hope: in Phil. 1 : 20, he speaks of his earnest expectation and of his hope. He likewise expresses the affection of godly jealousy. 2 Cor. 11 : 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, continually urging him to those great and arduous labors 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, con

tinually 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. 2: 4, and Acts, 20: 19, he speaks of his many tears; and in verse 31, of his tears which he shed night and day.

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 favored above them all in 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 toward his church to the end of time. He was selected to shut up 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 fervent love. The proofs of this cannot be given without disadvantage, unless we should transcribe the whole of his writings.

7. 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, vigor, 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. 5:7. 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 sore amazed, and his soul was exceeding 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 69th Psalm: "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." John, 2: 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, 3: 5. See also Luke, 19: 41. We often read of the affection of pity, or compassion in Christ, (Matt. 15: 32; Luke, 7: 13;) and of his being moved by compassion, (Matt. 9: 36; 14: 14; Mark, 6: 34.) How 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, 11. And how ineffably affectionate was the last discourse which Jesus had with his eleven disciples the evening before he was crucified, 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 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th chapters of John. Of all the discourses ever penned, or uttered, this was the most tender and affectionate.

8. The religion of heaven consists very much in holy affections.

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. 4: 18. John, 4: 14; 6: 40, 47, 50, 54, 58. 1 John, 3: 15. 1 Cor. 13: 8-12. Hence, therefore, the religion of heaven, consisting chiefly of holy love and joy, consists very much in affection; and therefore, undoubtedly, true religion consists very much in affection.

9. It appears, from the nature and design of the ordinances and duties which God has appointed as means and expressions of true religion, that true religion lies 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 behavior in the worship of God, as custom has made significant of humility and reverence, can be of no further use than as it has 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 preaching, was evidently that divine things might be thus impressed upon the affections of men. 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 sin