--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since holiness is the main thing that…" description: "\"“Since holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and governs all gracious affections, it is no wonder that all such affections tend to holiness. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/jonathan-edwards-770_affection_since-holiness-is-the-main-thing-that-ex_1727376.png" --- # Since holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and… ![“Since holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and governs all gracious affections, it is no wonder that all such affections tend to holiness. That which men love, they desire to have and to be united to, and possessed of. That beauty which men delight in, they desire to be adorned with…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/jonathan-edwards-770_affection_since-holiness-is-the-main-thing-that-ex_1727376.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/jonathan-edwards-770_affection_since-holiness-is-the-main-thing-that-ex_1727376.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/jonathan-edwards-770_affection_since-holiness-is-the-main-thing-that-ex_1727376.png) > ““Since holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and governs all gracious affections, it is no wonder that all such affections tend to holiness. That which men love, they desire to have and to be united to, and possessed of. That beauty which men delight in, they desire to be adorned with. Those acts which men delight in, they necessarily incline to do.”” [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holiness attracts all noble feelings; love seeks unity with what is beautiful and good, guiding actions toward virtue. **In simple terms:** Holiness draws love and good deeds. Key Takeaway Seek holiness to align love and actions. Themes holiness love beauty virtue Mood reverent inspirational Type theological ethical When to use this quote - personal devotion - community worship - ethical decision making Key Concepts theology moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does holiness shape daily choices? - What barriers prevent aligning love with virtue? A Different Perspective Holiness alone may not address practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affections/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [Humid seal of soft affections, Tend'rest pledge of future bliss, Dearest tie of young connections, Love's first snow-drop, virgin kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/humid-seal-of-soft-affections-tend-rest-pledge-of-future-bliss/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Such is man's nature, that he is very inactive and lazy unless he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/such-is-man-s-nature-that-he-is-very-inactive-and-lazy-unless-he-is/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“It does not answer the aim which God had in this institution, merely for men to have good commentaries and expositions on the Scripture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/it-does-not-answer-the-aim-which-god-had-in-this-institution-merely/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“This was how it was with travel: one city gives you gifts, another robs you. One gives you the heart’s affections, the other destroys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/this-was-how-it-was-with-travel-one-city-gives-you-gifts-another-robs/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Minimizing the importance of transformed feelings makes Christian conversion less supernatural and less radical. It is humanly manageable to make decisions of the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/minimizing-the-importance-of-transformed-feelings-makes-christian/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [I sometimes wish I had been educated a Catholic, in order to unite the poetry of religion with its higher principles. Are they necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenimore-cooper/i-sometimes-wish-i-had-been-educated-a-catholic-in-order-to-unite-the/) [James Fenimore Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenimore-cooper/) > [Virginians were no more angels or philanthropists than people to the north or to the south of them. They were moved by their affections,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sergeant-wise/virginians-were-no-more-angels-or-philanthropists-than-people-to-the/) [John Sergeant Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sergeant-wise/) > [That is the great mistake about the affections. It is not the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of kings, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/that-is-the-great-mistake-about-the-affections-it-is-not-the-rise-and/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [The principle we call self-love never seeks anything external for the sake of the thing, but only as a means of happiness or good:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/the-principle-we-call-self-love-never-seeks-anything-external-for-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [When the affections so kindly break loose, Joy, is another name for Religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/when-the-affections-so-kindly-break-loose-joy-is-another-name-for/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [“Necessity is very often the mother of romance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sebag-montefiore/necessity-is-very-often-the-mother-of-romance/) [Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sebag-montefiore/) > [A woman's whole life is a history of the affections. The heart is her world: it is there her ambition strives for empire; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-woman-s-whole-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections-the-heart-is-her/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [A woman's whole life is a history of the affections. - Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-s-whole-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections-washington-irving/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A woman's life is a history of the affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-woman-s-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-difference-of-taste-in-jokes-is-a-great-strain-on-the-affections/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jonathan Edwards > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Every saint in heaven is as a flower in that garden of God, and holy love is the fragrance and sweet odor that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/every-saint-in-heaven-is-as-a-flower-in-that-garden-of-god-and-holy/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [God is glorified not only by His glory being seen, but by its being rejoiced in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/god-is-glorified-not-only-by-his-glory-being-seen-but-by-its-being/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-is-no-way-that-christians-in-a-private-capacity-can-do-so-much/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/godliness-is-more-easily-feigned-in-words-than-in-actions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Let the main thing that we prize in God’s house be, not the outward ornaments of it, or a high seat in it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/let-the-main-thing-that-we-prize-in-god-s-house-be-not-the-outward/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“But that is the nature of true grace and spiritual light, that it opens to a person's view the infinite reason there is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-that-is-the-nature-of-true-grace-and-spiritual-light-that-it/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“The most determining external influence on his style was unquestionably the old, so-called King James version of the English Bible. His language is saturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-most-determining-external-influence-on-his-style-was/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Edwards sought to impose a new test of qualification. He required, namely, that the candidate for full communion should give evidence of being converted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/edwards-sought-to-impose-a-new-test-of-qualification-he-required/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [ “But it is doubtless true, and evident from \[the\] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-from-the-scriptures-that-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Evangelical faith has the gospel of Christ for its foundation;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/evangelical-faith-has-the-gospel-of-christ-for-its-foundation/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Prop. II. There are many mansions in the house of God. By many mansions is meant many seats or places of abode.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/prop-ii-there-are-many-mansions-in-the-house-of-god-by-many-mansions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I resolve to live with all my might while I do live. I resolve never to lose one moment of time and to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/i-resolve-to-live-with-all-my-might-while-i-do-live-i-resolve-never/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/and-now-you-have-an-extraordinary-opportunity-a-day-wherein-christ/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Christ gives peace to the most sinful and miserable that come to Him. He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/christ-gives-peace-to-the-most-sinful-and-miserable-that-come-to-him/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) [Explore all 375 Jonathan Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Since holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and governs all gracious affections, it is no wonder that all such affections tend to holiness. 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