N04004:191
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.
One Thing that has been complained of, is Ministers addressing themselves, rather to the Affections of their Hearers, than to their Understandings, and striving to raise their Passions to the utmost Height, rather by a very affectionate Manner of speaking, and a great Appearance of Earnestness, ⟨p. 150⟩in Voice and Gesture, than by clear Reasoning, and informing their Judgment: By which Means, it is objected, that the Affections are moved, without a proportionable enlightening of the Understanding.
To which I would say, I am far from thinking that it is not very profitable, for Ministers in their Preaching, to endeavour clearly and distinctly to explain the Doctrines of Religion, and unravel the Difficulties that attend them, and to confirm them with Strength of Reason and Argumentation, and also to observe some easy and clear Method and Order, in their Discourses, for the Help of the Understanding and Memory; and 'tis very probable that these Things have been of late, too much neglected, by many Ministers; yet, I believe that the Objection that is made, of Affections raised without enlightening the Understanding, is in a great Measure built on a Mistake, and confused Notions that some have about the Nature and Cause of the Affections, and the Manner in which they depend on the Understanding. All Affections are raised either by Light in the Understanding, or by some Error and Delusion in the Understanding; for all Affections do certainly arise from some Apprehension in the Understanding; and that Apprehension must either be agreeable to Truth, or else be some Mistake or Delusion; if it be an Apprehension or Notion that is agreeable to Truth, then it is Light in the Understanding. Therefore the Thing to be enquired into is, Whether the Apprehensions or Notions of divine and eternal Things, that are raised in Peoples Minds, ⟨p. 151⟩by these affectionate Preachers, whence their Affections are excited, be Apprehensions that are agreeable to Truth, or whether they are Mistakes. If the former, then the Affections are raised the Way they should be, viz. By informing the Mind, or conveying Light to the Understanding. They go away with a wrong Notion, that think that those Preachers can't affect their Hearers, by enlightening their Understandings, that don't do it by such a distinct, and learned handling of the doctrinal Points of Religion, as depends on human Discipline, or the Strength of natural Reason, and tends to enlarge their Hearers Learning, and speculative Knowledge in Divinity. The Manner of Preaching without this, may be such as shall tend very much to set divine and eternal Things, in a right View, and to give the Hearers such Ideas and Apprehensions of them as are agreeable to Truth, and such Impressions on their Hearts, as are answerable to the real Nature of Things: