N04004:211
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.
The great Complaint that is made against so much Time spent in Religion, can't be in general from a real Concern that GOD may be honoured, and his Will done, and the best Good of Men promoted; as is very manifest from this, that now there is a much more earnest and zealous Out-cry made in the Country, against this extraordinary Religion, than was before, against so much Time spent in Tavern-haunting, vain Company-keeping, Night-walking, & other Things, which wasted both our Time and Substance, and injured our moral Virtue.
The great Complaint that is made against so much Time spent in Religion, can't be in general from a real Concern that GOD may be honoured, and his Will done, and the best Good of Men promoted; as is very manifest from this, that now there is a much more earnest and zealons Out-cry made in the Country, against this extraordinary Religion, than was before, against so much Time spent in Tavern-haunting, vain Company-keeping, Night-walking, & other Things, which wasted both our Time and Substance, and injured our moral Vertue.
The frequent Preaching that has lately been, has in a particular Manner been objected against as unprofitable and prejudicial. 'Tis objected that when Sermons are heard so very often, one Sermon tends to thrust out another; so that Persons loose the Benefit of all: They say, two or three Sermons in a Week is as much as they can remember and digest. Such Objections against frequent Preaching, if they ben't from an Enmity against Religion, are for Want of duly considering the Way that Sermons usually profit an Auditory. The main Benefit that is obtained by Preaching, is by Impression made upon the Mind in the Time of it, and not by any Effect that arises afterwards by a ⟨p. 169⟩Remembrance of what was delivered. And tho' an after Remembrance of what was heard in a Sermon, is oftentimes very profitable; yet, for the most Part, that Remembrance is from an Impression the Words made on the Heart in the Time of it; and the Memory profits, as it renews and increases that Impression; and a frequent inculcating the more important Things of Religion in preaching, has no Tendency to raze out such Impressions, but to increase them, and fix them deeper and deeper in the Mind, as is found by Experience. It never used to be objected against, that Persons, upon the Sabbath, after they have heard two Sermons that Day, should go home, and spend the remaining Part of the Sabbath in reading the Scriptures, and printed Sermons; which, in Proportion as it has a Tendency to affect the Mind at all, has as much of a Tendency to drive out what they have heard, as if they heard another Sermon preached. It seems to have been the Practice of the Apostles to preach every Day, in Places where they went; yea tho' sometimes they continued long in one Place,