N04004:124
Some thoughts concerning the present revival of religion in New-England, and the way in…
Some thoughts concerning the present revival of religion in New-England, and the way in which it ought to be acknowledged and promoted, humbly offered to the public, in a treatise on that subject. : In five parts; Part I. Showing that the work that has of late been going on in this land, is a glorious work of God. Part II. Showing the obligations that all are under, to acknowledge [sic], rejoice in and promote this work, and the great danger of the contrary. Part III. Showing in many instances, wherein the subjects, or zealous promoters, of this work have been injuriously blamed. Part IV. Showing what things are to be corrected or avoided, in promoting this work, or in our behaviour under it. Part V. showing positively what ought to be done to promote this work. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the Church of Christ at Northampton. ; [Two lines from Isaiah]Some thoughts concerning the present revival of religion in New-England, and the way in which it ought to be acknowledged and promoted, humbly offered to the publick, in a treatise on that subject. : In five parts; Part I. Shewing that the work that has of late been going on in this land, is a glorious work of God. Part II. Shewing the obligations that all are under, to acknowlege [sic], rejoice in and promote this work, and the great danger of the contrary. Part III. Shewing in many instances, wherein the subjects, or zealous promoters, of this work have been injuriously blamed. Part IV. Shewing what things are to be corrected or avoided, in promoting this work, or in our behaviour under it. Part V. shewing positively what ought to be done to promote this work. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the Church of Christ at Northampton. ; [Two lines from Isaiah]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland and T. Green, 1742
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
'Tis not unlikely that this Work of God's Spirit, that is so extraordinary and wonderful, is the dawning, or, at least, a Prelude of that glorious Work of God, so often foretold in Scripture, which in the Progress and Issue of it, shall renew the World of Mankind. If we consider how long since, the Things foretold, as what should proceed this great Event, have been accomplished; and how long this Event has been expected by the Church of God, and thought to be nigh by the most eminent Men of God in the Church: and withal consider what the State of Things now is, and has for a considerable Time been, in the Church God, and World of Mankind, we can't reasonably think otherwise, than that the Beginning of this great Work of God must be near. And there are many Things that make it probable that this Work will begin in America. 'Tis signified that it shall begin in some very remote Part of the World, that the rest of the World have no Communication with but by Navigation, in Isai. 60. 9. Surely the Isles shall wait for me, and the Ships of Tarshish first, to bring my Sons from far. It is exceeding manifest that this Chapter is a Prophecy of the Prosperity of the Church, in its most glorious State on Earth, in the latter Days; and I can't think that any Thing else can be here intended but America by the Isles that are far off, ⟨p. 97⟩from whence the First-born Sons of that glorious Day shall be brought. Indeed, By the Isles, in Prophecies of Gospel-Times, is very often meant Europe: It is so in Prophecies of that great spreading of the Gospel that should be soon after Christ's Time, because it was far separated from that Part of the World where the Church of GOD had 'till then been, by the Sea. But this Prophecy can't have Respect to the Conversion of Europe, in the Time of that great Work of GOD, in the primitive Ages of the Christian Church; for it was not fulfilled then: The Isles and Ships of Tarshish, thus understood, did not wait for GOD first; that glorious Work did not begin in Europe, but in Jerusalem, and had for a considerable Time, been very wonderfully carried on in Asia, before it reached Europe.
'Tis not unlikely that this Work of God's Spirit, that is so extraordinary and wonderful, is the dawning, or, at least, a Prelude of that glorious Work of God, so often foretold in Scripture, which in the Progress and Issue of it, shall renew the World of Mankind. If we consider how long since, the Things foretold, as what should preceed this great Event, have been accomplished; and how long this Event has been expected by the Church of God, and thought to be nigh by the most eminent Men of God in the Church: and withal consider what the State of Things now is, and has for a considerable Time been, in the Church God, and World of Mankind, we can't reasonably think otherwise, than that the Beginning of this great Work of God must be near. And there are many Things that make it probable that this Work will begin in America. 'Tis signified that it shall begin in some very remote Part of the World, that the rest of the World have no Communication with but by Navigation, in