N04004:205
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.
It has been acknowledged by all Divines, as a Thing common in all Ages, and all Christian Countries, that a very great Part of those that set under the Gospel, do so abuse it, that it only proves an Occasion of their far more aggravated Damnation, and so of Men's eternally ⟨p. 163⟩murdering their Souls; which is an Effect infinitely more terrible than the Murder of their Bodies. 'Tis as unjust to lay the Blame of these Self-Murders, to those Ministers who have declared the awful Truths of God's Word, in the most lively and affecting Manner they were capable of, as it would be to lay the Blame of hardening Men's Hearts, and blinding their Eyes, and their more dreadful eternal Damnation, to the Prophet Isaiah, or JESUS CHRIST, because this was the Consequence of their Preaching, with respect to many of their Hearers. Isai. 6. 10. Job. 9. 39. Math. 13. 14. Tho' a very few have abused the awakening Preaching that has lately been, to so sad an Effect as to be the Cause of their own temporal Death; yet it may be, to one such Instance, there have been Hundreds, yea Thousands, that have been saved, by this Means, from eternal Death.
It has been acknowledged by all Divines, as a Thing common in all Ages, and all Christian Countrys, that a very great Part of those that set under the Gospel, do so abuse it, that it only proves an Occasion of their far more aggravated Damnation, and so of Men's eternally ⟨p. 163⟩murdering their Souls; which is an Effect infinitely more terrible than the Murder of their Bodies. 'Tis as unjust to lay the Blame of these Self-Murders, to those Ministers who have declared the awful Truths of God's Word, in the most lively and affecting Manner they were capable of, as it would be to lay the Blame of hardening Men's Hearts, and blinding their Eyes, and their more dreadful eternal Damnation, to the Prophet Isaiah, or JESUS CHRIST, because this was the Consequence of their Preaching, with respect to many of their Hearers. Isai. 6. 10. Job. 9. 39.