The Expulsive Power of a New Affection

In “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection” all the gifts that animated the effectiveness of Chalmers in ministry are readily apparent. His powerful explanation of Gospel transformation in this sermon became an immediate sensation—thousands of copies were printed and distributed all throughout the English-speaking world. And, it has been heralded as a classic ever since, both for its picturesque literary quality and for its unstinting declaration of sovereign grace. Charles Haddon Spurgeon would declare that it was “among the greatest sermons preached since the time of the Apostle Paul.”Initial efforts to read Chalmers by modern Chris- tians is more often than not an arduous and elusive pursuit. Though he was widely heralded as the greatest preacher in the English-speaking world during the first half of the nineteenth century: he is notoriously difficult to read. His vocabulary was vast, his Scots syntax is peculiar to those of us accustomed to the less circuitous English spoken south of the Tweed, and his pre-Victori- an, Regency era rhetorical formalism is quite alien to modern readers and speakers of the King’s Tongue. But, plowing through his dense style is very much worth the effort. And just as in reading the old Puritans and Covenanters, once a modern Christian becomes acclimated to the cadences of his prose, the richness of both his message and his style will offer unbounded rewards.The voluminous writing of Chalmers is a veritable treasure trove of spiritual and literary delights. But, “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection” is the place to start exploring his legacy. My prayer for you is that it will be just a start, and like me, you will find in Chalmers a lifelong mentor and discipler.