ABSTRACT
What does the word heart signify when used in this sense, either towards God or man? “The Scripture,” says Cocceius, “attributes to the heart thoughts, reasonings, understanding, will, judgment, designs, affections, love, hatred, fear, joy, sorrow, anger; because when these things are in a man a motion is perceived about the heart.”1 We are to understand by this quaint yet expressive sentence, that the word heart is used in Scripture, when either of the above attributes is implied; and indeed if we carefully consider the sacred writings we shall find that it is so. Moses makes use of it, in the mandate we are regarding, as the seat of the affections, the deepest, strongest, dearest shrine of love, including zeal, memory, thought, imagination, reverence, all that would exalt, purify, endear the feeling and its object. And who is there that knows not the full meaning of the term, to love with all his heart, when that term is applied to human beings, mortals like himself? Do we not look upon their smallest action with delight, with admiration, believe them gifted with rare excellence, with extraordinary virtue, so dwell upon the perfections of those we thus love, that we feel we ourselves sink into nothing before them? Would we not do any thing to preserve their affection? Nay, we lose not these ardent feelings, even when for a time the beloved countenance is darkened towards us. Are there indeed those, who know not what it is, thus to love? Surely not amongst the young, the warm-hearted, be they the loving bride, the youthful mother, the faithful friend. Nay, even the sterner sex are capable of such emotion; they love not, indeed, with the deep clinging devotedness of woman, whose very helplessness calls for such strong feeling; but there are some, even amongst them, who might not think we have sketched love too strongly. And if such can be excited towards a fellow being,—O shall we deny it to our God?
