N04004:204
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.
I know of but one Case, wherein the Truth ought to be withheld from Sinners in Distress of Conscience, and that is the Case of Melancholy: And 'tis not to be withheld from them then, because the Truth tend to do 'em hurt, but because if we speak the Truth to them, sometimes they will be deceived, and led into Error by it, through that strange Disposition there is in them, to take Things wrong. So that, that which as it is spoken, is Truth, as it is heard and received, and applied by them, is Falsehood; as it will be, unless the Truth be spoken with Abundance of Caution and Prudence, and Consideration of their Disposition and Circumstances. But the most awful Truths of GOD's Word, ought not to be withheld from public Congregations, because it may happen that some such melancholic Persons may be in it many more, than the Bible is to be withheld from the Christian World, because it is manifest that there are a great many melancholic Persons in Christendom, ⟨p. 162⟩that exceedingly abuse the awful Things contained in the Scripture, to their own wounding. Nor do I think that to be of Weight, which is made use of by some, as a great and dreadful Objection against the terrifying Preaching that has of late been in New-England, viz. That there have been some Instances of melancholic Persons that have so abused it, that the Issue has been the Murder of themselves. The Objection from hence is no stronger against awakening Preaching, than it is against the Bible it self: There are Hundreds, and probably Thousands of Instances, might be produced, of Persons that have murdered themselves, under religious Melancholy: These Murders, probably never would have been, if it had not been for the Bible, or if the World had remained in a State of heathenish Darkness. The Bible has not only been the Occasion of these sad Effects, but of Thousands, and I suppose Millions, of other cruel Murders, that have been committed, in the Persecutions that have been raised, that never would have been, if it had not been for the Bible: Many whole Countries have been, as it were deluged with innocent Blood, which would not have been, if the Gospel never had been preached in the World. 'Tis not a good Objection against any Kind of Preaching, that some Men abuse it greatly to their Hurt.
I know of but one Case, wherein the Truth ought to be witheld from Sinners in Distress of Conscience, and that is the Case of Melancholy: And 'tis not to be witheld from them then, because the Truth tend to do 'em hurt, but because if we speak the Truth to them, sometimes they will be deceived, and led into Error by it, through that strange Disposition there is in them, to take Things wrong. So that, that which as it is spoken, is Truth, as it is heard and received, and applied by them, is Falshood; as it will be, unless the Truth be spoken with Abundance of Caution and Prudence, and Consideration of their Disposition and Circumstances. But the most awful Truths of GOD's Word, ought not to be witheld from public Congregations, because it may happen that some such melancholick Persons may be in it many more, than the Bible is to be witheld from the Christian World, because it is manifest that there are a great many melancholick Persons in Christendom,