The 17th century Puritan John Owen had a few things to say that weren't very Puritan-ish, or at least the stereotypes often placed on them. Tim Keller gives a very interesting summary of his Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ. Of course like every puritan Owen believed in the centrality of biblical doctrine and the light (as he often called it) of the word of God. But beyond this, he never hesitated to emphasize the indispensability of the affections, the feelings of the heart, religious passions.
“Where light [right doctrine] leaves the affections behind, it ends in formality and or atheism; where affections outrun light they sink into the bog of superstition, doting images and pictures or the like.”
This gives a picture of an interesting balance that Owen says is required for healthy spiritual life. But if you had to error on one side of the spectrum or the other, which would it be? Feelings or doctrine? Love or Truth? Genuine affections or true beliefs? What do you think Owen would say?
“In your thoughts of Christ, be very careful that they are conceived and directed according to the rule of the word, lest you deceive your own souls, and give up the conduct of your affections unto vain imaginations... Yet I must say that I had rather be among them who, in the actings of their love and affection unto Christ, do fall into some irregularities and excesses in the manner of expressing it... than among those who disavow their having any thoughts of or affection unto the person of Christ... It is better that our affections exceed our light [right doctrine] from the defect of our understanding, than that our light exceed our affections from the corruption of our wills.”
For someone who cared more about doctrine than probably any of our modern churches, this a remarkable thing to say.
“Where light [right doctrine] leaves the affections behind, it ends in formality and or atheism; where affections outrun light they sink into the bog of superstition, doting images and pictures or the like.”
This gives a picture of an interesting balance that Owen says is required for healthy spiritual life. But if you had to error on one side of the spectrum or the other, which would it be? Feelings or doctrine? Love or Truth? Genuine affections or true beliefs? What do you think Owen would say?
“In your thoughts of Christ, be very careful that they are conceived and directed according to the rule of the word, lest you deceive your own souls, and give up the conduct of your affections unto vain imaginations... Yet I must say that I had rather be among them who, in the actings of their love and affection unto Christ, do fall into some irregularities and excesses in the manner of expressing it... than among those who disavow their having any thoughts of or affection unto the person of Christ... It is better that our affections exceed our light [right doctrine] from the defect of our understanding, than that our light exceed our affections from the corruption of our wills.”
For someone who cared more about doctrine than probably any of our modern churches, this a remarkable thing to say.
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