Inferences from the Usefulness of the Passions
The last discourse has informed us, that the passions are not useless things, even in the important affairs of religion and godliness. We have seen how many and glorious are the advantages that we may derive from the right use of the affections in the christian life. Let us not suffer so momentous a theme to pass away, without drawing some inferences, or remarks from it.
Remark L May the passions of our nature be made so serviceable to the interests of our religion? then “surely the doctrine of the Stoics is a very unreasonable opinion, for it teaches us to suppress all our passions entirely, and if possible,. to root them out of our natures.” It is evident from what we have heard, that our pursuit of tle important things of religion, in this present state, would be very faint and cold; and feeble, if it were not animated by some of these vigorous principles, these affecdonate powers and sensations. And shall we abandon and destroy all these assistants CO piety and goodness, which are wrought into the very frame of our beings?
It is granted, that our passions in this fallen state, have their unhappy share of the general corruption of our nature: It is granted they are sometimes made the mischievous incentives to vice, and lead us astray from the path of holiness; and, if they could never be reformed, they ought to be rooted out. But when they are once sanctified by a touch of the finger of God, and tinctured with a savor of piety, they become very pleasant and powerful springs of duty, both to God and man.
A holy fear of the great God our Creator, and a solicitous concern what shall become of us when we die, is the first and most general spring of religion: This awakens us to inquire “what we must do to please the God that made us.” When we arrive at some comfortable hope of our acceptance with God, then divine love promotes our piety and virtue: Then religion works within us by nobler principles, and it is advanced to higher degrees, than a mere principle of fear could raise it: All the passions of the man are subject to the government of holy love, and are employed by it for heavenly purposes. When we love
God supremely, we shall love men also, who are made after the image of God: From a due benevolence to men, spring a thousand words and deeds of charity and pity, and godlike goodness. When our refined affections work in this manner toward God and men, we come by degrees to delight in all that is holy; we arrive at the true taste of religious pleasure, and make near approaches to the joys of the upper world, where holiness and pleasure are perfect and everlasting.
Thus it may be said that after some general foundations laid in the knowledge of God and ourselves, “Keligion begins in fear, it is carried on by love, and it ends in joy.” Erroneous and unhappy is that philosophy that would banish these affections from human nature, which have so power-” ful an influence on the religious life, and assist our preparation for death and heaven.
Remark II. “How happily has the blessed God suited his various revelations in scripture to the powers of our nature?” How. well are they fitted to work upon our affections, and to engage- those active powers of the soul in the interests of religion and godliness! God himself, by his own methods of address to men, from one end of scripture to the other, proves the truth of this discourse, and the advantage of the passions in things of religion.
If God speaks of himself, how bright are the displays of his majesty and grandeur, to awaken our reverence and religious fear? He is the holy One that inhabits eternity, who created all things by his word, the Lord of lords, and the King of kings: “He speaks, and the earth trembles, and the pillars of heaven are astonished at his reproof,” Job ix. 6, xxvi. 11. “He is a God fearful, or tremendous, even in his praises,” Exod. xv. 11.
How surprising are the discoveries of his power and knowledge, to raise our wonder! “He ranks the stars in their order, and calls them all by their names, and not one fails to appear at his call: “Psalm cxlvii. 4. ‘His eye surveys all the creation, and oiows the thoughts of the heart afar off;” Psalm cxxxix. 2. “He takes up the isles is a little thing,” Isa. xl. 15. “He touches the mountains and they smoke,” Psalm iiv. 32. Who can stand before hinv, or lift ip the hand against him and prosper?
If he manifest the riches of his mercy and yoodness, how is the divine language suited o strike upon all the springs of our hope md love, and to allure our hearts to him? How excellent is thy loving kindness, O iod?” Psalm xxxvi. 7. “In his favour life, and his love is better than life,” Psalm ii lxiii. 3. He has magnified his love towards us, and the exceeding riches of his grace, that while we were enemies and rebels, he sent his Son to die, in order to redeem us from death.
If he reveal to us Christ Jesus, his beloved Son, in what a glorious light does he place him before our eyes, to command our veneration and honour, our faith and our fervent affection? He “is the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person,” Heb. i. 3. “He was with God before the foundation of the world, for by him. the worlds were created, “John i. 3. He is the man ‘’ in whom dwells all the fulness of the godhead bodily,” Col. il. 9. He is “God manifest in the flesh,” 1 Tim. iii. 16. He came down from the Father’s bosom, not to condemn the world, but to expose his owm life and blood for our sakes, to make his soul an offering for our sins, and to sustain unknown anguish and sorrows, in the room and stead of such rebels as we are.
If he opens heaven in the gospel, and brings life and immortality to light, what thrones of glory, what crowns of righteousness does he set before us? What mansions of paradise, what rivers of pleasure flowing from the throne of God, what rich fruits of the tree of life, what blissful visions in the presence of God and Christ, what blessed society of angels and holy souls are described, as the enjoyments of this heaven, on purpose to draw out our strongest desires towards it, and our joyful hope, and our .; warmest zeal in the pursuit of it!
When he gives us a view of hell, how
dreadfully are the executions of divine
wrath described there? What a gnawing
worm in the conscience that never dies,
what a fire that is never quenched? What
burning lakes pf fire and brimstone, kindled
by the breath of an angry God? What
troops of devils and damned spirits must
be our companions there,” and the smoke
I of their torment ascending forever and
jever?” Kev. xiv. 11. How happily are
these divine descriptions suited to awaken
us out of security, and to excite in us the
I passion of fear in the highest degree, that
I knowing the terrors of the Lord, we may
j stir up all our powers to flee from the wrath
I to come, and seek reconciliation to God by
I the blood of Christ?
I If sin be mentioned in scripture, in what odious colours is it set before us? It ] was sin that ruined our first parents, and (drove them out of paradise, and spread [death and misery through all this lower world: It is the unrighteousness of men that has awakened and revealed the wrath of God, in all the terrible instances of it, from the ancient apostacy and fall of angels in heaven, to the final destruction of this world by fire, and the punishment of men and devils in hell forever: And all this that sin might appear exceeding sinful, and raise in us the highest hatred, and utmost aversion.
The great and blessed God, who formed us at first, perfectly knows our frame; he is well acquainted with all the powers and passions of human nature, and the design and use of them all: And therefore when he wrote those holy messages to us by his apostles and his prophets, he does not only reveal things to our understandings, which reason could not find out, and then leave us to make the best of them; but he warmly and powerfully addresses himself to the affectionate principles within us, in order to make the discoveries of his grace pierce deeper into our souls, that he might recover us from our guilt and misery, and per- [ suade us to partake of his salvation.
Remark III, We may learn from this discourse, “how much it is the business of a minister of the gospel, to engage the af- .. fections of his hearers, and to bring them over to the service of God and religion.” It is granted that the first work is to inform the understanding, to teach mankmd what they are to believe concerning the great God, and what duties they owe to him. To this end the preacher must not only draw his doctrines from the light of nature, but from the Word of God, and bring them down to the capacities of his hearers. It is his constant business to explain the word of God to men, to propose the naked truth with the strongest reasons to support it: He must endeavour to strike light into the mind, and convince the reason and judgment of men; he must make it appear that they are guilty before God, and that there is no way of relief or hope, but in and by Jesus, the great Mediator; and thus lead sinful and perishing men into the knowledge and faith of Christ, as an all sufficient Saviour: All this is a necessary and indispensable part of this work; but jt is not the whole of it. When the understanding is enlightened, the passions must also be ‘addressed; for God has wrought thesfe pow<9^. ers into human nature, that they might le the vital and vigorous springs of action and duties.
If the judgment be never so much convinced, yet while the affections remain unmoved, the work of religion yvill be begun with difficulty, and will drive on but very heavily. This the prophets atidjhe japos*^. ^.. ^^^^’^t ties well knew; and the great God, who employed them, knew it too, and therefore Jie sent them armed with the powers of natural and divine oratory, to reach the inmost affections, to penetrate the heart, and to raise holy commotions in the very centre of the soul. What mean all the promises of the gospel, but to work upon our hope, and to raise our highest expectations? What means the dreadful language of sp many severe threatenings, but to shake us out of our security, and to rouse our fears? If there had been no such principles as hope and fear, in man, I am persuaded there would scarce have been any such things as promises and threatenings in the book of God. The word of the Lord is compared to a fire and hammer, Jer. xxiii. 29. “Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces.” Audit ought to be delivered and pronounced by the preachers of it, in such a manner, as may break the rocky hearts of stubborn sinners, as may fright them from their beloved iniquities, by the terror of everlasting burnings.
The holy scripture is a cabinet of divine cliriosities, full of admirable allurements to invite and entertain awakened minds: It shotrM be so happily unfolded and displayed by the preachers of it, as to represent, in a noble manner, the amazing grace and love of God, and the blessings of the gospel; and that with such a holy fervor, as to light up a divine flame of desire, hope and love, in the souls of all that hear it.
To what purpose were the fancies of the holy writers enriched from heaven with so bright and various a treasure of sacred” images, but to raise the devout passions of their readers, by flashing upon their imagination with divine light? Their words are sun-beams, that not only difTuse a sacred illumination around the eye of the soul, but kindle the heart into life and zeal. To what end doth all the pomp and oratory display itself in their writings: To what end do they use all the arts of trope and figure, all the beauteous, the alluring and the terrible colours that nature can afford, and that metaphor can borrow? Is it not all with a design to strike the soul of man in its most passionate powers, and spread vital religion through the inmost recesses of the heart.
Let the ministers of the word, who ar zealous for the honour of God, for the glory of Christ, and for the success of then labours, read the writings of the holy prophets, night and day, and make them theit pattern, transferring the beauties of the law to the ministry of the gospel. The prd phets do not merely tell us in a dry and cold manner, that sin is an evil thing, but they terribly denounce the thunder of the wrath of God against it, and pour down his vengeance on the heads of guilty rebels, to work upon our fear, to affright us from sin, and hasten us to fly to the arms of divine mercy. Nor do they merely say to us, that God is merciful; but in a most delightful and inviting manner, they display the boundless mercies of God, and the workings of his bowels of compassion, in all the pathetic language of tenderness, as though he were made of flesh and blood as we are. When our blessed Lord himself came down on earth, to become a preacher of his Father’s wrath and mercy, what eternal woes does he denounce against hypocrites and impenitent wretches? How gently does he invite the weary and heavy-laden sinners to come to him, that they may find rest? Matt. xi. 28. How widely does he unfold the gates of his Father’s mercy, and 4hat even to murderers, and adulterers, and thieves, and blasphemers, that sinners of the largest size may enter in and be partakers of divine salvation. How happily does St. Paul imitate his blessed Master! “Knowing the terrors of the Lord he persuaded men, arid he beseeches them in the moBt endearing language, in Christ’s stead, to be reconciled to God,” 2 Cor. v. 11. — 18 — 20. In wlat pathetic language doth he set before us the glorious love of God, in contriving the recovery of fallen men, and providing grace for them in Christ Jesus, before the world began; and in saving them by such a surprising method of mingl-ed severity and mercy, as the death and agonies of his most beloved Son! And all this on purpose to melt or soften our aifections into repentance, love, and gratitude! How wonderfully do the sacred writers attack the passions on all sides, if by any means they may save a soul from hell? Happy preachers, who approach this divine pattern!
Can any of us now content ourselves to bring cold and languid discourses into the pulpit, with this bible under our hands? Will not all the sacred fervors of these inspired preachers reproach us to our faces, while we read and explain their sermons? Shall we go on to affect a calm and stupid politeness of phrase, in the very face of these warm and heavenly orators? Can we be content any longer to be the cold and lifeless rehearsers of the great and glorious things of our religion? Can we go on to speak to perishing sinners, who lie drowsy and slumbering on the brink of hell, in so soft, so calm and gentle a manner, as though we were afraid to awaken them? What shall we say to these thingib? Does divine love send dreaming preachers to call dead sinners to life? Preachers that are content to leave their hearers asleep on the precipice of eternal destruction? Have they no such thing as passion belonging to them? Have they no pity? Have they no fear? Have they no sense of the worth of souls? Have they no springs of affection within them? Or do they think their hearers have none? Or is passion so vile a power, that it must be all devoted to things of flesh and sense, and must never be applied to objects divine and heavenly? Who taught any of us this lazy and drowsy practice? Did God or his prophets, did Christ or his apostles instruct us in this modish art of still life, this lethargy of preaching, as it has been called by a late writer: Did the great God ever appoint statues for his ambassadors, to invite sinners to his mercy? Words of grace, written upon brass or marble, would do the work almost as well. Where the preachers become stone, no wonder if the hearers are moveless: But let the ministers of the living word, who address men upon matters of infinite concernment, show if possible, that they are infinitely concerned about them.
This leads my thoughts to the next remark.
B^mark IV.” How kindly has the grace and wibdom of God dwelt with us, in appointing meiv of like passions with ourselves, to beconm his ministers, and our teachers in the things of religion! Men, who have the same natural affections, who can feel within themselves all the train of devout passions, and express it in their holy ministrations! Men, who are subject to the same sins and follies, and are capable of the same religious feai, and penitent sorrow! Men, who stand in need of the same salvation, and must be trained up to heaven by the exercise of the same faith, and love, and hope.
If angels had been made the only messengers of the gospel, angels, who have no flesh and blood, ho communion in the same animal nature, no share of our fears and sorrows, no interest in the ^ame redeeming mercy and pardon, they could not have expressed all the same passions, nor given us such an example of them in themselvesi But a minister of the word, taken from! among men, has been in a sinful state, and is now become a sincere christian, or h should be so.. He is supposed to have his iiown soul filled with love to God; he has felt his own fears awakened by the terrors of the Lord, and the threatenings of eternal misery; he has found his trembling so«i ejicouraged to hope by the rich prom’^es of grace; he has felt his own hp-^ied rising against sin, his delight raisp by the views and expectations of the I’avour of God, and eternal happiness i?i his presence. How well is such a teacher suited to set the terrors of hell, the evil of sin and the riches of divine grace in Christ Jesus, before the eyes of sinful men, who have the same natural passions with himself; and to turn these affectionace powers of his hearers into a religious channel, by representing these awful objects in a pathetic manner.
The preacher should be an example to the hearers, and then he preaches with most power and success. It is a well known saying, “If you would draw out my tears, you must first weep yourself.” How cold and dull and unaffected with divine things, is mankind by nature? How careless and indolent is a, whole assembly, when the preacher appears like a lifeless engine, pronouncing words of law or grace! When he speaks of divinie things, in such a dry, in such a cold and formal manner, as though they had no influence on his own heart! When the words freezes upon his lips, the hearts of his hearers are freezing also: But where we find devout affection t mingled with solid argument in the discourse, there the lips of the preacher seem to speak light and life at once, and he helps to communicate the holy passion all around him, by feeling it first himself.
And here I am sure, we, who are honoured with sacred employment, have reason to examine our hearts, to reflect on our indolence, our lifeless conduct, and our cold labours in the pulpit; and mourn to think how imperfectly, and how ineffectually we perform the awful work of the ministry. And shall our own affections still be so unraised and unmoved, while we speak of the great and momentous things of God, and Christ, and religion, of death and judg- ]iient, of heaven and hell? Shall we always preach with such a deadness of spirit, such a shameful absence of divine fervour! May the blessed God forgive your preacher, and may you forgive him; and may sovereign grace raise a warm flame of vital rfeligioain his heart, and communicate it to all yOur souls!
Remark V. If the passions are so useful in the solemn affairs of religion,” there is yet further occasion to admire the msdom wind grace of God, that he has appointed several such institutions or parts of worship to belong to our holy religion, as are suited i to work upon our senses, and thereby to awaken pious passions within us?
Besides the voice of public prayer, and the affectionate speech and language of preaching the gospel, we are also taught and exhorted to sing the praises of God with holy melody. What a multitude of exhortations are found in the book of Psalms, to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, and to sing new songs before him in*^ the kingdom of the Messiah. The advice of St. Paul in the New Testament, echoes to the harp of David, and calls upon us to speak to one another, as well as to ourselves, “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and to sing and make melody with grace in our hearts to the Lord.” Eph. v. 19. and Col. iii. 16. St. James gives the same encouragement: “If any be merry or cheerful,” let this passion of joy express itself in a devout manner, by singing psalms, James v. 13. How happily suited is this ordinance to give a loose to the de-» vout soul in its pious and cheerful affections? What a variety of sanctified desires,’ and hopes, and joys, may exert themselves in this religious practice, may kindle the souls of christians into a holy fervour, may raise them near to the gates of heaven, and the harmony of the blessed inhabitants there ?^ Nor are pious sorrows utterly exeluded from this ordinance: There are tunes and songs of mournful melody to solace the humble penitent, and to give a sweetness to his tears.
And besides all this, there are the two glorious and sacred ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, wherein divine things are exhibited to us in a sensible manner by figures and emblems, which are designed to impress animal nature, and by the eyes to awaken the passions of the heart.
How proper an emblem is Baptism, to represent our being washed in the blood of Christ? and the pouring out of water on the face or head, how well is it suited to represent the pouring out of the Spirit of God on men, and by this means to awaken the holy affections of hope and joy?
How happily is the Lord’s Supper contrived by divine wisdom, to represent the death and love of our blessed Saviour, and the benefits that we derive from his sufferings? “Jesus Christ crucified is evidently set forth before our eyes:” Gal. iii. L He is represented even in his bleeding and dying love, while the bread is broken, and the wine poured out before us. OhoW’ should we loose the springs of pious passion at such a season! How should our love to our Redeemer kindle and rise high at the sight of the sufferings vof the Son of God, who took our flesh and blood, that he might be capable of dying! that his flesh might be torn, and cut, and bruised, that his blood might be spilled for our sakes, that he might bear such agonies as belonged to sinful creatures, with a gracious design to deliver us from misery and everlasting death? For ever blessed be the name of Jesus, who has suffered such pangs and sorrows in our stead; and blessed be his wisdom and grace, who has appointed the continual repetition of such an ordinance, such a lively memorial of his dying love, to touch all the springs of religious affection within us.
Remark VL Since the passions of human nature have so considerable an influence in matters of religion, then we may justly infer that youth is the proper time to set about the important work of religion, when the passions are warm, and lively, and active. After we have been well instructed in the principles of Christianity, if we can but engage these sprightly powers of our natures betimes, on the side of God and godliness, we lay a happy foundation for the practice of piety all our lives. It is of admirable and unknown advantage, to have all the passions of the heart tinctured deep with heaven and religion in our early days. By this means :virtue and piety will be fixed and rooted in the soul; it will stand the blasts
m of violent temptation, and bring forth the divine fruits of holiness through the following years. We shall be better prepared to combat every opposition; we shall be better secured against the snares that beset our youth; we shall resist the gay allurements of the world, and the flattering vanities that attack our senses and our souls in this dangerous season of life. It is the great cunning and the design of the devil and the world to work upon the warm passions of youth, to engage them in the service of sin and folly: Happy are those who are possessed of a divine antidote against this poison! who have their passions all watchful and armed, ready to resist the assaults of hell, and to disappoint every attack that is made on virtue and religion!
Remark VIL Is there so much advantage to be expected from the passions in th practice of religion? Then “how much do we lose both of the profit and the pleasure of religion, for want of the engagement of our passions therein!” Therefore it is that virtue and godliness seem to carry with them so dull and heavy an aspect in the world; therefore they appear so little inviting, because there are so few christians, in this degenerate age, that have these affectionate powers of the soul deeply tinctured with the things of God. We live at a poor, low, cold rate, when we only talk of Christianity as a matter of dispute, and practice the outward devoirs and ceremonies of it, as a matter of custom and form, while the heart and the passions of it have little share in our Christianity.. If our love and desire, our hope and our joy, are all laid out on the things of sense and time, and we leave only a few cold reasonings to be employed in the most awful and sublime things of God, and heaven and eternity, it is no wonder we find so little of the pleasure of godliness, and that religion gains so little reputation, and so few followers. O what blessed lives did the primitive disciples of Christ enjoy! What divine satisfaction, what heavenly glory, what convincing power attended their practice, whe.n their whole souls, with ail their affections, were devoted to God and Christ, and engaged in the affairs of the upper world! They lived on earth like the children of heaven, and brought a foretaste of the pleasures of the upper world, into these lower regions. O when shall these holy seasons return again? When shall the noble principles of the christian faith animate all the powers of nature, and make us live as becomes the followers and the worshippers of the holy Jesus.
MEDITATION,
*’ Many and useful are the lessons, which I have now learned from the happy influence of the passions, in the important affairs of my salvation. Blessed be God that I was not born in heathenism, and left merely to the teachings of the philosophers. Even the Stoics, who were some of the best of them, deprive us of all the advantage of pious affections, and all the pleasurable sensations that may be derived from religion; while they teach us to root the passions, if possible, out of our natures. My soul shall mourn in secret for my sins, and be ashamed of my follies: My heart shall fear and love the Lord my God, and rejoice and hope in Jesus my Saviour: My spirit with all its warmest affections are thine, O my God, for ever and ever!
“Let all the sects of philosophy hide their heads, and lie silent: give me the bible, where God himself speaks to me by his prophets and apostles: How divinely excellent are their writings! With what sovereign influence do they address my fear and my hope, by the discoveries of a hell and a heaven! How powerfully do ihey awaken my repentance for past sins, and melt my soul into holy sorrow! In what an illustrious light do they set the majesty of the blessed God, and command my humble adoration! How do they display the wonders of his wisdom, and the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus, to attract all my powers of desire and love! What a blessed foundation have the scriptures laid for an infinite variety of devout inferences and pathetic meditations, suited to my own case? There I find the divine truths that can relieve my soul under every distress; and there I learn the affectionate and devout method of applying them. In every needful hour I will go to the book of God: God and his holy book are my life, and my exceeding joy: Let my soul abide and live upon the divine or awful variety and transporting objects, which are set before me in those sacred pages. Let me be taught with sacred skill to spread abroad my thoughts on the right-hand and on the left, and to expatiate on these holy and heavenly themes: They are fountains of life, and every stream flows with holiness and consolation. O mey all my affections be under the command and influence of these sacred writings; and while they give me intense delight, let them animate me to uncommon zeal in the practice of e /ery duty!
“And why should not our minister? in all their labours of the sanctuary, imitate their inspired predecessors, the apostles and the prophets, in rising the pious passions of all that hear them? Why should they not talk to men in such warm and pathetic language as God himself uses! Doth not the great God, the author of our nature, know what methods are most effectual to fill our hearts with divine sentiments, to draw us near to himself, and prepare us for heaven? Has he condescended to give us so many glorious patterns of preaching in his word, and shall not all that are employed in the divine work copy out the spirit and fervor, the life and power of these inspired examples? O may this dull and heavy heart of mine, ever enjoy the happiness of a fervent and lively ministry, that may not only enlighten my understanding, but warm my heart!
“And since God has ordained that I should be instructed in divine things by men of like passions with myself, may those whom providence has appointed to instruct me, be also examples of pious affection; that while I see their hearts filled with religious feir and holy love, and joy in the Lord, I may also be smitten .with the same religious passions, may catch the holy fire, and find all the train of sprightly and devout sensations conveyed to the very centre of my soul!
“Blessed be the wisdom and grace of my God, that has added sensible signs and emblems to the articles of the christian faith. Let me remember, that I was washed with water, the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit; and let me be ever jealous, lest I defile myself again: And when I attend the sacred institution of the supper, let all the springs of pious passion be let loose, while I view the Son of God, suffering for my sins: Let me feel the meltings of holy sorrow and the highest and strongest efforts of gratitude and love, to that gracious and divine person, who gave himself to death for me.
“Have I heard that youth is a proper season for lively religion, because the passions of nature are then vigorous; Lord, seize all my affectionate powers in this season of youth, and sanctify them to thyself. Prevent the influence of the wicked world by the early impressions of thy grace, that I may resist the vain allurements of flesh and sense, by having those sprightly powers of nature engaged first on the side of religion.
“Or if my years of youth have enjoyed this rich and divine favour, I would remember the early loving-kindness of my God, and praise his name in my advanced years with joy and thankfulness.
“Grant, O Lord, that I may never lose the pleasure, of religion, by suffering my affections to grow cold and languid. Quicken this lifeless spirit of mine by daily influences from above: Shine upon my soul, O sun of righteousness: awaken my drowsy powers to active piety and zeal, and let all my passions conspire with my reasoning faculties to promote the interests of religion in my own heart and life, and to diffuse the favour of godliness all around me.” Amen.