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Title
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| Part I. |
Concerning the Nature of the Affections
and Their Importance in Religion. |
Part I.
Section I. |
Introductory remarks respecting the
affections. |
Part I.
Section II. |
True religion, in great part consists
in the affections. |
Part I.
Section III. |
Some inferences deduced from the doctrine. |
| Part II. |
Showing What are No Certain Signs
That Religious Affections are Gracious, or That They are Not. |
Part II.
Section I. |
It is no sign one way or the other,
that religious affections are very great, or raised very high. |
Part II.
Section II. |
It is no sign that affections have
the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they have great
effects on the body. |
Part II.
Section III. |
It is no sign
that affections are truly gracious affections, or that they are not, that
they cause those who have them to be fluent, fervent, and abundant, in talking
of the things of religion. |
Part II.
Section IV. |
It is no sign that affections are
gracious, or that they are otherwise, that persons did not make them themselves,
or excite them of their own contrivance and by their own strength. |
Part II.
Section V. |
It is no sign that religious affections
are truly holy and spiritual, or that they are not, that they come with
texts of Scripture, remarkably brought to the mind. |
Part II.
Section VI. |
It is no evidence that religious affections
are saving, or that they are otherwise, that there is an appearance of love
in them. |
Part II.
Section VII. |
Persons having religious affections
of many kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine
whether they have any gracious affections or no. |
Part II.
Section VIII. |
Nothing can
certainly be determined concerning the nature of the affections, by this,
that comforts and joys seem to follow awakenings and convictions of conscience,
in a certain order. |
Part II.
Section IX. |
It is no certain
sign that the religious affections which persons have are such as have in
them the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they dispose
persons to spend much time in religion, and to be... |
Part II.
Section X. |
Nothing can
be certainly known of the nature of religious affections by this, that they
much dispose persons with their mouths to praise and glorify God. |
Part II.
Section XI. |
It is no sign that affections are
right, or that they are wrong, that they make persons that have them exceeding
confident that what they experience is divine, and that they are in a good
estate. |
Part II.
Section XII. |
Nothing can be certainly concluded
concerning the nature of religious affections, that any are the subjects
of, from this, that the outward manifestations of them, and the relation
persons give of them, are very... |
| Part III. |
Showing What
are Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections. |
Part III.
Section I. |
Affections that are truly
spiritual and gracious, do arise from those influences and operations on
the heart, which are spiritual, supernatural and divine. |
Part III.
Section II. |
The first objective
ground of gracious affections, is the transcendently excellent and amiable
nature of divine things as they are themselves; and not any conceived relation
they bear to self, or self-interest. |
Part III.
Section III. |
Those affections
that are truly holy, are primarily founded on the loveliness of the moral
excellency of divine things. Or (to express it otherwise) a love to divine
things for the beauty and sweetness of their... |
Part III.
Section IV. |
Gracious affections arise from the
mind being enlightened, richly and spiritually to understand or apprehend
divine things. |
Part III.
Section V. |
Truly gracious
affections are attended with a reasonable and spiritual conviction of the
judgment, of the reality and certainty of divine things. |
Part III.
Section VI. |
Gracious affections
are attended with evangelical humiliation. Evangelical humiliation is a
sense that a Christian has of his own utter insufficiency, despicableness,
and odiousnesss, with an answerable frame of heart. |
Part III.
Section VII. |
Another thing,
wherein gracious affections are distinguished from others, is, that they
are attended with a change of nature. |
Part III.
Section VIII. |
Truly gracious
affections differ from those affections that are false and delusive, in
that they tend to, and are attended with the lamblike, dovelike spirit and
temper of Jesus Christ; or in other words, they... |
Part III.
Section IX. |
Gracious affections
soften the heart, and are attended and followed with a Christian tenderness
of spirit. |
Part III.
Section X. |
Another thing
wherein those affections that are truly gracious and holy, differ from those
that are false, is beautiful symmetry and proportion. |
Part III.
Section XI. |
Another great
and very distinguishing difference between gracious affections and others
is, that gracious affections, the higher they are raised, the more is a
spiritual appetite and longing of soul after spiritual... |
Part III.
Section XII. |
Gracious and
holy affections have their exercise and fruit in Christian practice. |
Part III.
Section XIII. |
Christian practice
or holy life, as a manifestation and sign of the sincerity of a professing
Christian, to the eye of his neighbors and brethren. |
Part III.
Section XIV. |
Christian practice
as a distinguishing and sure evidence of grace to persons' own consciences. |