N04004:258
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.
God's own People should be the more jealous of themselves, with respect to this Particular, at this Day, because the Temptations that many have to this Sin are exceeding great: The great and distinguishing Privileges to which God admits many of his Saints, and the high Honours that he puts on some Ministers, are great Trials of Persons in this Respect. 'Tis true that great Degrees of the spiritual Presence of God tends greatly to mortify Pride and all Corruption; but yet, tho' in the Experience of such Favours there be much to restrain Pride one Way, there is much to tempt and provoke it another; and we shall be in great Danger thereby without great Watchfulness and Prayerfulness. There was much in the Circumstances that the Angels that fell, were in, in Heaven, in their great Honours & high Privileges, in beholding the Face of GOD, and View of his infinite Glory, to cause in them Exercises of Humility, and to keep 'em from Pride; yet through want of Watchfulness in them, their great Honour and heavenly Privilege proved to be to them, an undoing Temptation to Pride, tho' they had no Principle of Pride in their Hearts to expose 'em. Let no Saint therefore, however eminent, and however near to GOD, think himself out of Danger ⟨p. 202⟩of this: He that thinks himself most out of Danger, is indeed most in Danger. The Apostle Paul, who doubtless was as eminent a Saint as any are now, was not out of Danger, even just after he was admitted to see GOD in the third Heavens, by the Information he himself gives us, 2 Cor. 12. Chap. And yet doubtless, what he saw in Heaven of the ineffable Glory of the divine Being, had a direct Tendency to make him appear exceeding little and vile in his own Eyes.
God's own People should be the more jealous of themselves, with respect to this Particular, at this Day, because the Temptations that many have to this Sin are exceeding great: The great and distinguishing Priviledges to which God admits many of his Saints, and the high Honours that he puts on some Ministers, are great Trials of Persons in this Respect. 'Tis true that great Degrees of the spiritual Presence of God tends greatly to mortify Pride and all Corruption; but yet, tho' in the Experience of such Favours there be much to restrain Pride one Way, there is much to tempt and provoke it another; and we shall be in great Danger thereby without great Watchfulness and Prayerfulness. There was much in the Circumstances that the Angels that fell, were in, in Heaven, in their great Honours & high Priviledges, in beholding the Face of GOD, and View of his infinite Glory, to cause in them Exercises of Humility, and to keep 'em from Pride; yet through want of Watchfulness in them, their great Honour and heavenly Priviledge proved to be to them, an undoing Temptation to Pride, tho' they had no Principle of Pride in their Hearts to expose 'em. Let no Saint therefore, however eminent, and however near to GOD, think himself out of Danger