God that he is affected enough by what he has read and heard of the wonderful love of God to rebels, in giving his Son to die for them, and of the dying love of Christ? or will any one pray that he may not be affected by these things in a higher degree, because high religious affections are improper, enthusiastic, and ruinous to true religion?

Our text very evidently refers to high affections, when it speaks of “rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Here the strongest expressions are made use of which language can possibly furnish. The Scriptures very often enjoin high affections. Thus in the first commandment of the law, there is an accumulation of expressions, as though there were not words adequate to express the degree in which we ought to love God: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind." Luke, 10:27. The saints are called upon to exercise a high degree of joy: "Rejoice," says Jesus Christ to his disciples, "and be exceeding glad." Matt. 5: 12. "Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice." Psalm 68: 3. In the book of Psalms the saints are often called upon to shout for joy; and in Luke, 6: 23; to leap for joy. They are often exhorted to exercise a high degree of gratitude; to praise God with all their hearts.

We find the most eminent saints mentioned in Scripture often professing high affections. Thus the Psalmist speaks of his love, as if it were unspeakable: "O how I love thy law!" Psalm 119: 97. He also expresses a high degree of hatred of sin: "Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hatt em with

a perfect hatred." Psalm 139:21, 22. He also professes a high degree of sorrow for sin, as a burden too heavy for him. He likewise expresses a great degree of spiritual desire in many of the strongest terms which can be conceived of. He speaks of his longing, of his thirsting as a land where there is no water, of his soul breaking for the longing it hath, &c. He also mentions the exercise of great and extreme grief for the sins of others: "Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law." Psalm 119 : 136. "Horror hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law." Verse 53. He expresses a high degree of joy: "The king shall joy in thy strength, and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice." Psalm 21: 1. "My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I sing unto thee.” Psalm 71 : 23. "Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." Psalm 63: 3-7.

The Apostle Paul expresses very high affections. He mentions the exercises of pity and concern for the good of others, even to anguish of heart-a fervent love-an ardent desire-an exalted joy. He speaks of the exultation and triumphs of his soul, his earnest expectation, his abundant tears, the travail of his soul, his godiy jealousy, and his fervent zeal. John the Baptist expresses great joy. John, 3:39. Those blessed women who anointed the body of Jesus, are represented as exercising a very high degree of religious affection

at the resurrection of Christ: "And they departed— from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy." Matt. 28: 8.

It is often foretold that the church of God, at some future period of the world, shall exceedingly rejoice: “They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance; in thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted." Psalm 89: 15, 16. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee," &c. Zech. 9:9. As high degrees of joy are the genuine fruits of the Gospel of Christ, the angel calls this Gospel, good tidings of great joy, that should be to all peoplc.

The saints and angels in heaven, who possess religion in its highest perfection, are exceedingly affected with what they behold and contemplate of the perfections of God, and of his work. They are all as a pure flame of fire in the warmth of their love, the elevation of their joy, and the ardency of their gratitude. Their praises are represented as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. Now the only reason why their affections are so much higher than those of the saints on earth, is, that they see the things by which they are affected more according to their real nature and importance. Hence it is that their affections are more conformed to the nature of those things. If, therefore, religious affections, in the present state, are of the same nature with those of the saints in heaven, the nearer they are to theirs in degree, the better.

From these things it evidently appears, that if affections concerning religious things, are raised to a very great height, it is no certain proof that they are not

such as have in them the nature of true religion. Those persons, therefore, greatly err, who condemn others as enthusiasts, merely because their affections are very high.

On the other hand, their being very high, is no certain proof that they are of a spiritual and gracious nature. It is manifest from the Scriptures, that there are very high affections respecting the things of religion, which are not spiritual and saving. The Apostle Paul speaks of affections in the Galatians, which had been exceedingly elevated, but which he feared were in vain, and had totally subsided: "Where is the blessedness ye spake of; for I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me." Gal. 4: 15. And in the 11th verse he tells them that he was afraid of them, lest he had bestowed upon them labor in vain. The children of Israel were greatly affected by the mercy of God, when they saw how wonderfully he had delivered them at the Red Sea, and sang his praises, though they afterward soon forgat his works. So again, they were greatly affected at Mount Sinai, when they saw the marvellous manifestations which God made of himself there; and when he proposed his holy covenant to them, they with great forwardness replied, "All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and be obedient." But how soon were they turned aside after other gods! So great numbers who were affected by the raising of Lazarus from the dead, had their passions excited to a very high degree, and when Christ, immediately after entered into Jerusalem, they exceedingly magnified him. As though the ground was not good enough for even the ass which he rode to walk upon, they cut down branches of palm trees, and strewed them in the

way, and cried with loud voices, "Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest." There was a vast multitude crying Hosanna, so that it gave occasion to the Pharisees to say, "Behold, the world is gone after him.” John, 12:19. But Christ, at that time, had but few true disciples; and all this was at an end when he stood bound, having a mock robe on, and a crown of thorns; when he was derided, spit upon, scourged, condemned, and executed. Indeed, there was a loud outcry respecting him among the multitude then, as well as before; but of a very different kind: it was not "Hosanna, hosanna," but "Crucify him, crucify him."

It is the general opinion of orthodox divines, that there may be very high affections concerning divine things, which have nothing in them of the nature of true religion.

II. That these affections produce strong effects upon the body, is no proof either that they are truly gracious, or that they are not.

All affections have in some respects, or degree, an effect on the body. Such is our nature, and such are the laws of union between the soul and the body, that the mind can have no lively or vigorous exercise without producing some effect upon the body. And if all emotions of the mind have some effect on the body, we may conclude that the greater those emotions are, the greater will be their effects on the animal frame. And since there are great affections, both common and spiritual, it is not to be wondered at, that such great effects should arise from both these kinds of affection; and consequently, these effects are no proof that the affections from which they arise are of one kind or the ~ther.