THUS there is a Difference between having an Opinion that GOD is holy and gracious, and having a sense of the Loveliness and Beauty of that Holiness and Grace. There is a Difference between having a rational Judgment that Honey is sweet, and having a sense of its sweetness. A Man may have the Former, that knows not how Honey tastes; but a Man can’t have the Latter, unless he has an Idea of the taste of Honey in his Mind. So there is a difference between believing that a Person is Beautiful, and having a sense of his Beauty. The Former may be obtain’d by hear-say, but the Latter only by seeing the Countenance. There is a wide difference between meer speculative, rational Judging any thing to be excellent, and having a sense of its Sweetness, and Beauty. The Former rests only in the Head, Speculation only is concern’d in it; but the Heart is concern’d in the Latter. When the Heart is sensible of the Beauty and Amiableness of a Thing, it necessarily feels Pleasure in the Apprehension. It is implied in a Persons being heartily sensible of the Loveliness of a thing, that the Idea of it is sweet and pleasant to his Soul; which is a far different thing from having a rational Opinion that it is excellent.
Jonathan Edwards
