Edwards emphasises Spirit-wrought knowledge (heart knowledge) over mere intellectual understanding. A spiritual grasp of truth is at the root of genuine virtue. He rejects the anti-intellectual bias often associated with revival-type religion that elevates emotional experience above knowledge and understanding of truth. Edwards does not view the heart as merely representing emotion but as integral to understanding, involving inclination and judgment.

The American Puritan, Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), is renowned as a revival preacher. His preaching is considered to be one of the catalysts for the Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s. A sermon such as Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God brought him international recognition as a revivalist preacher and is arguably still one of the most famous and widely read sermons ever preached.

The widespread revival that occurred in the Connecticut Valley during this time led to a highly productive writing period in Edwards’s life. He used the opportunity to study and document the conversion process during the Great Awakening in publications such as Charity and Its Fruits (1738); Concerning the End for Which God Created the World (published posthumously, in 1765); and On the Nature of True Virtue (also published posthumously in 1765); Closely related to these are his publications in which he discusses the marks of true virtue: A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God (1737); The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God (1741); and Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England (1742).

Though not convinced that all conversions were equally genuine, he was less skeptical than some of his contemporaries. Edwards was deeply aware that the gospel’s effect on people’s lives should not be confused with affection (loving devotion to God). Consequently, he puts great effort into distinguishing between true and false forms of religiosity, which he also called virtue or piety.

Appearance Versus Reality

In his works, Edwards draws a distinction between what he calls negative and positive signs of true holiness or virtue. In his Religious Affections, Edwards writes: “There are false affections, and there are true. A man’s having much affection, don’t [sic] prove that he has any true religion: but if he has no affection, it proves that he has no true religion. The right way is not to reject all affections, nor to approve all; but to distinguish between affections, approving some, and rejecting others; separating between the wheat and the chaff, the gold and the dross, the precious and the vile” (p121).

Edwards urges believers to practice discernment. Although virtuous, not all affections should be considered signs of regeneration and true faith. Some affections are false in the sense that they can be mistaken for the real thing. They do not offer a proper standard to determine true faith. In order to understand the nature of true virtue, according to Edwards, it is important to firstly explain what it is not (negative signs) before moving on to its true meaning (positive signs).

Edwards’ Negative Signs

Edwards does not mean that negative signs should be absent in true believers or that they are devoid of value. Rather, he argues that these signs should not be used as definitive indicators of Spirit-wrought virtue. To illustrate: Many people possess the skill of driving. While this is essential if one wants to become a racecar driver, we cannot conclude that everyone who can drive is a racecar driver. Likewise, negative signs are qualities often found among Christians, but their presence alone does not prove that someone is truly a Christian.

The first negative sign he mentions is raised affections—that is, heightened emotions or feelings.

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