N04004:155
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.
Let us take Heed that we ben't like the Son of the Bond-Woman, that was born after the Flesh, that persecuted him that was born after the Flesh, that persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, and mocked at the Feasting and Rejoicings that were made for Isaac when he was weaned; left we should be cast out of the Family of Abraham, as he was. Gen. 21. 8, 9. That Affair contained spiritual Mysteries, and was typical of Things that come to pass in these Days of the Gospel; as is evident by the Apostles Testimony, Gal. 4. 22. to the End. And particularly it seems to have been typical of two Things. 1. The Weaning of the Church from it's Milk of carnal Ordinances, Ceremonies, Shadows, and beggarly Elements, upon the Coming of CHRIST, and pouring out of the Spirit in the Days of the Apostles. The ⟨p. 119⟩Church of CHRIST, in the Times of the Old-Testament, was in it's Minority, and was a Babe; and the Apostle tells us that Babes must be fed with Milk, and not with strong Meat; but when GOD weaned his Church from these carnal Ordinances, on the ceasing of the legal Dispensation, a glorious Gospel Feast was provided for Souls, and GOD fed his People with spiritual Dainties, and filled them with the Spirit, and gave 'em Joy in the Holy Ghost. Ishmael, in mocking at the Time of Isaac's Feast, by the Apostles Testimony, represented the carnal Jews, the Children of the literal Jerusalem, who when they beheld the Rejoicings of Christians, in their spiritual and evangelical Privileges, were filled with Envy, deriding, contradicting and blaspheming. Act. 2. 13. and Chap. 13. 45. and 18. 6. And therefore were cast out of the Family of Abraham, and out of the Land of Canaan, to wander through the Earth. 2. This Weaning of Isaac's seems also to represent the Conversion of Sinners, which is several Times represented in Scripture by the weaning of a Child; as in Psal. 131. and Isai. 28. 9. Because in Conversion, the Soul is weaned from the Enjoyments of the World, which are as it were the Breast of our Mother Earth; and is also weaned from the Covenant of our first Parents, which we as naturally hang upon, as a Child on it's Mother's Breasts: And the great Feast that Abraham made on that Occasion, represents the spiritual Feast, the heavenly Privileges, and holy Joys and Comforts, which GOD gives Souls as their Conversion.