N04004:304
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 leading of the Spirit which GOD gives his Children, which is peculiar to them, is that teaching them his Statutes, and causing them to understand the Way of his Precepts, which the Psalmist so very often prays for, especially in the 119th Psalm; and not in giving of them new Statutes, and new Precepts: He graciously gives them Eyes to see, and Ears to hear, and Hearts to understand; he causes them to understand the Fear of the Lord, and so bring the Blind by a Way they knew not, and leads them in Paths that they had not known, and makes Darkness Light before them, & crooked Things strait.
So the Assistance of the Spirit in Praying and Preaching seems by some to have been greatly misunderstood, and they have sought after a miraculous Assistance of Inspiration, by immediate suggesting of Words to them, by such Gifts and Influences of the Spirit, in Praying and Teaching, as the Apostle speaks of, 1 Cor. 14. 14, 26. (which many natural Men had in those Days.) Instead of a gracious holy Assistance of the Spirit of GOD, which is the far more excellent Way; (as 1 Cor. 12. 31. & 13. 1.) The gracious, and most excellent kind Assistance of the Spirit of God in Praying and Preaching, is not by immediate suggesting of Words to the Apprehension, which may be with a cold dead Heart, but by warming the Heart, and filling it with a great Sense of those Things that are to be spoken of, and with holy Affections, that that Sense and those Affections may suggest Words. Thus indeed the Spirit of GOD may be said, indirectly and mediately to ⟨p. 235⟩suggest Words to us, to indite our Petitions for us, & to teach the Preacher what to say; he fills the Heart, and that fills the Mouth; as we know that when Men are greatly affected in any Matter, and their Hearts are very full, it fills them with Matter for Speech, and makes 'em eloquent upon that Subject; and much more have spiritual Affections this Tendency, for many Reasons that might be given. When a Person is in an holy and lively Frame in secret Prayer, it will wonderfully supply him with Matter, and with Expressions, as every true Christian knows; and so it will fill his Mouth in Christian Conversation, and it has the like Tendency to enable a Person in public Prayer and Preaching. And if he has these holy Influences of the Spirit on his Heart in an high Degree, nothing in the World will have so great a Tendency to make both the Matter and Manner of his public Performances excellent and profitable. But since there is no immediate suggesting of Words from the Spirit of GOD to be expected or desired, they who neglect and despise Study and Pre-meditation, in order to a Preparation for the Pulpit, in such an Expectation, are guilty of Presumption; tho' doubtless it may be lawful for some Persons, in some Cases, (and they may be called to it,) to preach with very little Study; and the Spirit of GOD, by the heavenly Frame of Heart that he gives them, may enable them to do it to excellent Purpose.