N04004:336
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.
Let a Company that are very zealous against the Enemy, go forth to War, without any Manner of Order, every one rushing forward as his Zeal shall drive him, all in Confusion, if they gain something at first Onset, by surprising the Enemy, yet how soon do they come to nothing, and fall an easy helpless Prey to their Adversaries? Order is one of the most necessary of all external Means of the ⟨p. 263⟩spiritual Good of GOD's Church; and therefore it is requisite even in Heaven it self, where there is the least Need of any external Means of Grace; Order is maintained amongst the glorious Angels there. And the Necessity of it in order to the carrying on any Design, wherein a Multitude are concerned, is so great, that even the Devils in Hell are driven to something of it, that they may carry on the Designs of their Kingdom. And 'tis very observable, that those Kinds of irrational Creatures, for whom it is needful that they should act in Union and join a Multitude together, to carry on any Work for their Preservation, they do by a wonderful Instinct that GOD has put into them, observe and maintain a most regular and exact Order among themselves; such as Bees and some others. And Order in the visible Church is not only necessary to the carrying on the Designs of CHRIST's Glory and the Church's Prosperity, but it is absolutely necessary to its Defence; without it, it's like a City without Walls, and can be in no Capacity to defend it self from any Kind of Mischief: And so however it be an external Thing, yet is not to be despised on that Account; for tho' it ben't the Food of Souls, yet it is in some Respect their Defence.—The People of Holland would be very foolish to despise the Dikes that keep out the Sea from overwhelming them, under the Names of dead Stones and vile Earth, because the Matter of which they are built is not good to eat.
Let a Company that are very zealous against the Enemy, go forth to War, without any Manner of Order, every one rushing forward as his Zeal shall drive him, all in Confusion, if they gain something at first Onset, by surprizing the Enemy, yet how soon do they come to nothing, and fall an easy helpless Prey to their Adversaries? Order is one of the most necessary of all external Means of the ⟨p. 263⟩spiritual Good of GOD's Church; and therefore it is requisite even in Heaven it self, where there is the least Need of any external Means of Grace; Order is maintained amongst the glorious Angels there. And the Necessity of it in order to the carrying on any Design, wherein a Multitude are concerned, is so great, that even the Devils in Hell are driven to something of it, that they may carry on the Designs of their Kingdom. And 'tis very observable, that those Kinds of irrational Creatures, for whom it is needful that they should act in Union and join a Multitude together, to carry on any Work for their Preservation, they do by a wonderful Instinct that GOD has put into them, observe and maintain a most regular and exact Order among themselves; such as Bees and some others. And Order in the visible Church is not only necessary to the carrying on the Designs of CHRIST's Glory and the Church's Prosperity, but it is absolutely necessary to its Defence; without it, it's like a City without Walls, and can be in no Capacity to defend it self from any Kind of Mischief: And so however it be an external Thing, yet is not to be despised on that Account; for tho' it ben't the Food of Souls, yet it is in some Respect their Defence.—The People of Holland would be very foolish to despise the Dikes that keep out the Sea from overwhelming them, under the Names of dead Stones and vile Earth, because the Matter of which they are built is not good to eat.