N04004:347
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 Things, of all which there is frequently some Mixture with gracious Experiences, yea with very great and high Experiences, are these three, Human, or natural Affection and Passion; Impressions on the Imagination; and a Degree of Self-righteousness or spiritual Pride. There is very often with that which is spiritual a great Mixture of that Affection or Passion which arises from natural Principles; so that Nature has a very great Hand in those vehement Motions and Flights of the Passions that appear. Hence the same Degrees of ⟨p. 270⟩divine Communications from Heaven, shall have vastly different Effects, in what outwardly appears, in Persons of different natural Tempers. The great Mixture of that which is natural with that which is spiritual, is very manifest in the peculiar Effects that divine Influences have in some certain Families, or Persons of such a Blood, in a distinguishing Manner of the operating of the Passions and Affections, and the Manner of the outward Expressions of 'em. I know some remarkable Instances of this. The same is also evident by the different Effects of divine Communications on the same Person at different Times, and in different Circumstances: The Novelty of Things, or the sudden Transition from an opposite Extreme, and many other Things that might be mentioned, greatly contribute to the raising of the Passions. And sometimes there is not only a Mixture of that which is common and natural with gracious Experience, but even that which is animal, that which is in a great Measure from the Body, and is properly the Result of the animal Frame. In what true Christians feel of Affections towards GOD, all is not always purely holy and divine; every Thing that is felt in the Affections don't arise from spiritual Principles, but common and natural Principles have a very great Hand; an improper Self-Love may have a great Share in the Effect: GOD is not loved for his own Sake, or for the Excellency and Beauty of his own Perfections as he ought to be; nor have these Things in any wise, that Proportion in the Effect that they ought to have. So in that Love that true Christians have one to another, ⟨p. 271⟩very often there is a great Mixture of what arises from common and natural Principles, with Grace; & Self-Love has a great Hand: