Religion and affections (emotions)

4. The holy Scriptures do everywhere place religion very much in the affections; such as fear, hope, love, hatred, desire, joy, sorrow, gratitude, compassion and zeal.

The Scriptures place much of religion in godly fear; insomuch that 'tis often spoken of as the character of those that are truly religious persons, that they tremble at God's Word, that they fear before him, that their flesh trembles for fear of him, and that they are afraid of his judgments, that his excellency makes them afraid, and his dread falls upon them; and the like: and a compellation commonly given the saints in Scripture, is, fearers of God, or they that fear the Lord. 

And because the fear of God is a great part of true godliness, hence true godliness in general, is very commonly called by the name of the fear of God; as everyone knows, that knows anything of the Bible.

So hope in God and in the promises of his Word, is often spoken of in the Scripture, as a very considerable part of true religion. '

Tis mentioned as one of the three great things of which religion consists (I Corinthians 13:13). Hope in the Lord is also frequently mentioned as the character of the saints: Psalms 146:5, "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God."  Jeremiah 17:7, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, whose hope the Lord is." Psalms 31:24, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." And the like in many other places. Religious fear and hope are, once and again, joined together, as jointly constituting the character of the true saints. Psalms 33:18, "Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy." Psalms 147:11, "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." Hope is so great a part of true religion, that the Apostle says we are saved by hope (Romans 8:24). And this is spoken of as the helmet of the Christian soldier: I Thessalonians 5:8, "and for an helmet, the hope of salvation"; and the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, which preserves it from being cast away by the storms of this evil world, Hebrews 6:19. "Which hope we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." 'Tis spoken of as a great fruit and benefit which true saints receive by Christ's resurrection, I Peter 1:3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

The Scriptures place religion very much in the affection of love, in love to God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and love to the people of God, and to mankind. The texts in which this is manifest, both in the Old Testament, and New, are innumerable. But of this more afterwards.

The contrary affection of hatred also, as having sin for its object, is spoken of in Scripture, as no inconsiderable part of true religion. It is spoken of as that by which true religion may be known and distinguished, Proverbs 8:13. "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil." And accordingly the saints are called upon to give evidence of their sincerity by this, Psalms 97:10, "Ye that fear the Lord hate evil." And the Psalmist often mentions it as an evidence of his sincerity; Psalms 101:2–3, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart; I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside." Psalms 119:104, "I hate every false way." So v. 128. Again, Psalms 139:21, "Do I not hate them, O Lord, that hate thee?"

So holy desire, exercised in longings, hungerings and thirstings after God and holiness, is often mentioned in Scripture as an important part of true religion; Isaiah 26:8, "The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee." Psalms 27:4, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." Psalms 42:1–2, "As the heart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" Psalms 63:1–2, "My soul thirsteth for thee; my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary." Psalms 84:1–2, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." Psalms 119:20, "My soul breaketh for the longing it hath unto thy judgments, at all times." So Psalms 73:25 and Psalms 143:6–7 and Psalms 130:6, Canticles 3:1–2 and Canticles 6:8. Such a holy desire and thirst of soul is mentioned, as one of those great things which renders or denotes a man truly blessed, in the beginning of Christ's Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:6. "Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." And this holy thirst is spoken of, as a great thing in the condition of a participation of the blessings of eternal life, Revelation 21:6. "I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely."

The Scriptures speak of holy joy, as a great part of true religion. So it is represented in the text. And as an important part of religion, it is often exhorted to, and pressed, with great earnestness; Psalms 37:4, "Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." 

Psalms 97:12, "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous." So Psalms 33:1, "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous." Matthew 5:12, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." Philippians 3:1, "Finally brethren, rejoice in the Lord." And ch. 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice." I Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice evermore." Psalms 149:2, "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King." This is mentioned among the principal fruits of the spirit of grace, Galatians 5:22. "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy," etc. The Psalmist mentions his holy joy, as an evidence of his sincerity, Psalms 119:14, "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches."

Religious sorrow, mourning, and brokenness of heart, are also frequently spoken of as a great part of true religion. These things are often mentioned as distinguishing qualities of the true saints, and a great part of their character; Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." Psalms 34:18, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Isaiah 61:1–2, "The Lord hath anointed me . . . to bind up the broken-hearted, . . . to comfort all that mourn." 

This godly sorrow, and brokenness of heart is often spoken of, not only, as a great thing in the distinguishing character of the saints, but that in them, which is peculiarly acceptable and pleasing to God; Psalms 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Isaiah 57:15, "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Ch. 66:2, "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit."

Another affection often mentioned, as that in the exercise of which much of true religion appears, is gratitude; especially as exercised in thankfulness and praise to God. This being so much spoken of in the Book of Psalms and other parts of the Holy Scriptures, I need not mention particular texts.

Again, the Holy Scriptures do frequently speak of compassion or mercy, as a very great and essential thing in true religion; insomuch that good men are in Scripture denominated from hence; and a merciful man, and a good man, are equivalent terms in Scripture; Isaiah 57:1, "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away." 

And the Scripture chooses out this quality, as that by which, in a peculiar manner, a righteous man is deciphered; Psalms 37:21, "The righteous showeth mercy, and giveth"; and v. 26, "He is ever merciful, and lendeth." And Proverbs 14:31, "He that honoreth the Lord, hath mercy on the poor." And Colossians 3:12, "Put ye on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies," etc. This is one of those great things, by which those who are truly blessed are described by our Savior, Matthew 5:7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." And this Christ also speaks of, as one of the weightier matters of the law, Matthew 23:23. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." To the like purpose is that, Micah 6:8, "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God?" And also that, Hosea 6:6, "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice." Which seems to have been a text much delighted in by our Saviou, by his manner of citing it once and again (Matthew 9:13 and Matthew 12:7).

Zeal is also spoken of, as a very essential part of the religion of true saints. 'Tis spoken of as a great thing Christ had in view, in giving himself for our redemption; Titus 2:14, "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  And is spoken of, as the great thing wanting in the lukewarm Laodiceans (Revelation 3:15–16, 19).

I have mentioned but a few texts, out of an innumerable multitude, all over the Scripture, which place religion very much in the affections. But what has been observed, may be sufficient to show that they who would deny that much of true religion lies in the affections, and maintain the contrary, must throw away what we have been wont to own for our Bible, and get some other rule, by which to judge of the nature of religion.