N04004:309
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.
And there is no Reason at all to doubt, but that God does some Times especially enable to the Exercises of Faith, when the Minds of his Saints are engaged in Thoughts of, and Prayer for some particular Blessing they greatly desire; i. e. GOD is pleased especially to ⟨p. 239⟩give 'em a believing Frame, a Sense of his Fullness, and a Spirit of humble Dependence on him, at such Times as when they are thinking of and praying for that Mercy, more than for other Mercies; he gives 'em a particular Sense of his Ability to do that Thing, and of the Sufficiency of his Power to overcome such and such Obstacles, and the Sufficiency of his Mercy, and of the Blood of CHRIST for the Removal of the Guilt that is in the Way of the Bestowment of such a Mercy, in particular. When this is the Case, it makes the Probability still much greater, that God intends to bestow the particular Mercy sought, in his own Time, and his own Way. But here is nothing of the Nature of a Revelation in the Case, but only a drawing rational Conclusions from the particular Manner and Circumstances of the ordinary gracious Influences of GOD's Spirit. And as GOD is pleased sometimes to give his Saints particular Exercises of Faith in his Sufficiency, with Regard to particular Mercies they seek, so he is sometimes pleased to make Use of his Word in order to it, and helps the Actings of Faith with Respect to such a Mercy, by Texts of Scripture that do especially exhibit the Sufficiency of GOD's Power or Mercy, in such a like Case, or speak of such a Manner of the Exercise of GOD's Strength & Grace. The strengthening of their Faith in GOD's Sufficiency in this Case, is therefore a just Improvement of such Scriptures; it is no more than what those Scriptures, as they stand in the Bible, do hold forth just Cause for. But to take them as new Whispers or Revelations from Heaven, is not making a just Improvement ⟨p. 240⟩of them.—If Persons have thus a Spirit of Prayer remarkably given them, concerning a particular Mercy, from Time to Time, so as evidently to be assisted to act Faith in GOD, in that Particular, in a very distinguishing Manner, the Argument in some Cases, may be very strong that GOD does design to grant that Mercy, not from any Revelation now made of it, but from such a Kind and Manner of the ordinary Influence of his Spirit, with respect to that Thing.
And there is no Reason at all to doubt, but that God does some Times especially enable to the Exercises of Faith, when the Minds of his Saints are engaged in Tho'ts of, and Prayer for some particular Blessing they greatly desire; i. e. GOD is pleased especially to