Logic on Fire

"[A divine and supernatural light] not only removes the hinderances of reason, but positively helps reason. It makes even the speculative notions the more lively. It engages the attention of the mind, with the fixedness and intenseness to that kind of objects; which causes it to have a clearer view of them, and enables it more clearly to see their mutual relations, and occasion it to take more notice of them. The ideas themselves that otherwise are dim and obscure, are by this means impressed with the greater strength, and have a light cast upon them; so that the mind can better judge of them." ~Jonathan Edwards, A Divine and Supernatural Light

It is no wonder that the Stoics were so drawn to the idea of fire in relation to logic and reason. To see something beautiful, something that captures the imagination, is then to think. Your mind does not let go of the object, but pursues it and its relationships with all other objects. Your heart races as you do so, for at this point, when logic is on fire, you cannot well distinguish between the two. Wonderfully, this does not lessen the function of your reason, but rather improves it, as Edwards contends in the quote above. And is not even romantic love, in the best cases, not an aspect of this logic on fire? You perceive beauty, and then fix your mind on it. There is little in human experience to compete with this, for we were made for it. We are to be the Bride of Christ, captivated with Him.

There is a great correspondence between Edwards and the Apostle Paul here, which is no surprise, but there is a correspondence between them and Justin Martyr, as well. His whole aim, as was that of Paul and Edwards, was to take the ideas of his day (2nd century after Christ) captive for Christ; to dismantle the philosophy that prevailed and show the surpassing worth of Christ to his people. Such a man would I be, to push the fire of Gospel into all of life and so be consumed with it. Every man who is so consumed dies in his pursuit; Justin and Paul through martyrdom, but even Edwards and the rest of us must give our lives, if not so violently. To be such a man! to say:

The outer man may burn and be consumed,
But let the flame is kindled within;
The flesh may be fail and fall to ash,
If the inner man be consumed already.