Natural Affections and True Virtue

For my Microexegesis of Jonathan Edwards class, we just finished going through Edwards' dissertation on the nature of true virtue. What a stimulating work. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in knowing the epistemology of Edwards more fully, as it concerns the essence of God as beauty and the virtues of man as relishing in that essence.

This is my final short essay for the class. It concerns Edwards' arguments for the natural affections and how they relate to the primary operation of virtue.

Concerning the nature of true virtue, there are natural affections that are commonly mistaken to be truly virtuous. Undoubtedly these affections incline to the general nature of virtue in their primary operation, which is love. Natural pity and natural gratitude have the same influence and effect as true benevolence because they are expressed in a love to others, a tendency of true benevolence. Furthermore, even self-love contains something of the nature of true virtue because it is manifested in love to self. However, these natural affections are naturally defective because they are private in nature and only beautiful within their own private spheres, not with respect to being in general. Therefore, because natural affections only resemble virtue in their benevolence, they are not of the nature of true virtue.

Many human affections are mistaken to be truly virtuous because they employ a form of love, which is the primary operation of virtue. True virtue is benevolence to being in general, and in these natural affections there appears the tendency and effect of benevolence. However, the benevolence of these natural affections is displayed to particular objects and beings.

Pity and gratitude are affections that are natural to all men and incorporate love in some degree. Natural pity is demonstrated in desiring the relief of those in distress, which is an effect of truly virtuous benevolence. However, though this pity has a tendency and effect to love, it is not grounded in the nature of love, for a truly virtuous pity would desire the happiness of its object. Evidently, there are many who naturally pity those in distress and yet are indifferent concerning their positive pleasure. They only express concern in the knowledge of the object’s extreme pain, remaining insensible to their lack of happiness.

Natural gratitude is demonstrated in thankfulness to other beings, which is another effect of truly virtuous benevolence. However, gratitude in many instances is not called love because it can be expressed outside of a proper friendship. In many cases, gratitude is expressed between enemies when mercy is displayed, manifesting a similar operation and effect of friendship, yet not friendship itself. In many other instances, natural gratitude is more inclined to be called by the name of love, for it can be mutual between beings. In this kind of natural gratitude, men, with a kind of benevolence, love those who love them. Therefore, gratitude is manifested in a proper friendship between the beings.

Furthermore, self-love contains something of the nature of true virtue. Self-love is expressed as a love and good will to oneself, which is an effect of true virtue. However, though this love incorporates the primary operation of virtue, it is rarely mistaken to be truly virtuous by itself. Though there is no difference between a private sphere consisting of one and a private sphere consisting of many, men bear a greater proportion and weight to the sphere of many. When natural affections are displayed by a being to a considerable number of people, men congratulate him. It is evident to all that the sphere of self-love is so small and private that unless the man is regulated by a more extensive principle, he will become an enemy to society. This occurs when many consider themselves as if they were all of humanity, letting their pride subdue all other affections. However, there are also many who undoubtedly believe that self-love is truly benevolent. They perceive that self-love is essential to the preservation of human life and therefore have high esteem for it. There are others who deceive themselves as with the other natural affections, that self-love resembles virtue in its act of love and believe it to be truly virtuous.

Though these natural affections have something of the nature of true virtue, they are essentially defective. In their exercises of benevolence, they resemble virtue in their primary operation, but they are not virtuous benevolence, for virtuous benevolence is manifested to being in general and is not limited to a private sphere. The benevolence of these natural affections is only beautiful in its own particular sphere and is appreciated by those who confine their attention to that sphere. Therefore, the reason that many consider these natural affections to be beautiful is because of the narrowness of their views. Furthermore, these men are apt to omit the Divine Being from their minds. Though they may believe in God’s existence, they regard the Divine Being as irrelevant to their natural view of things. It is not natural for men to view things that they cannot see with their natural senses. Men deceive themselves in believing that a particular sphere is universal, creating a false beauty.

These natural affections share something of the nature of true virtue but are inherently defective and unbeautiful, for they do not arise from the principle of virtue, which is the union of heart to being in general. The false beauty that is created by these affections has deceived many into thinking that these affections are truly virtuous. In reality, true virtue and beauty is displayed in benevolence to being in general, and the Divine Being is the center of this benevolence. Natural affections only resemble virtue and beauty in their displays of benevolence and are, therefore, not of the nature of true virtue.