# “The tallest and strongest saint” by Jonathan Edwards

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2016/03/03/the-tallest-and-strongest-saint-by-jonathan-edwards/
- Published: 2016-03-03T19:00:11-06:00
- Author: tollelege

“All gracious affections have a tendency to promote this Christian tenderness of
heart, that has been spoken of: not only a godly sorrow; but also a gracious joy;
Psalms 2:11, ‘Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.’

As also a gracious hope; Psalms 33:18, ‘Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them 
that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.’ And Psalms 147:11, ‘The Lord taketh
pleasure in them that fear him, and in them that hope in his mercy.’

Yea the most confident and assured hope, that is truly gracious, has this tendency.
The higher an holy hope is raised, the more there is of this Christian tenderness.

The banishing of a servile fear, by a holy assurance, is attended with a proportionable
increase of a reverential fear.

The diminishing of the fear of the fruits of God’s displeasure in future punishment,
is attended with a proportionable increase of fear of his displeasure itself: the
diminishing of the fear of hell, with an increase of the fear of sin.

The vanishing of jealousies of the person’s state, is attended with a proportionable
increase of jealousy of his heart, in a distrust of its strength, wisdom, stability,
faithfulness, etc.

The less apt he is to be afraid of natural evil, having “his heart fixed, trusting
in God,” and so, “not afraid of evil tidings” [Psalms 112:7]; the more apt is he
to be alarmed with the appearance of moral evil, or the evil of sin.

As he has more holy boldness, so he has less of self-confidence, and a forward assuming
boldness, and more modesty. As he is more sure than others of deliverance from hell,
so he has more of a sense of the desert of it.

He is less apt than others to be shaken in faith; but more apt than others to be
moved with solemn warnings, and with God’s frowns, and with the calamities of others.

He has the _firmest_ comfort, but the _softest_ heart: _richer_ than others, but
_poorest_ of all in spirit: the _tallest_ and _strongest_ saint, but the _least_
and _tenderest_ child amongst them.”

–Jonathan Edwards, _[A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (1754)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0300158416?tag=toletaupanre-20),_
in _[The Works of Jonathan Edwards](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0300158416?tag=toletaupanre-20)_,
Vol. 2, Ed. Paul Ramsey (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1957), 364.

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