N04004:349
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.
Another Thing that is often mixed with what is spiritual in the Experiences of Christians, are, Impressions on the Imagination; whereby godly Persons, together with a spiritual understanding of divine Things, and Conviction of their Reality and Certainty, and a strong and deep Sense of their Excellency or great Importance upon their Hearts, ⟨p. 272⟩have strongly impressed on their Minds external Ideas or Images of Things. A Degree of Imagination in such a Case; as I have observed elsewhere, is unavoidable, and necessarily arises from human Nature, as constituted in the present State; and a Degree of Imagination is really useful, and often is of great Benefit; but when it is in too great a Degree it becomes an impure Mixture that is prejudicial. This Mixture very often arises from the Constitution of the Body. It commonly greatly contributes to the other Kind of Mixture mentioned before, viz. of natural Affections & Passions; it helps to raise them to a great Height.
Another Thing that is often mixed with what is spiritual in the Experiences of Christians, are, Impressions on the Imagination; whereby godly Persons, together with a spiritual understanding of divine Things, and Conviction of their Reality and Certainty, and a strong and deep Sense of their Excellency or great Importance upon their Hearts, ⟨p. 272⟩have strongly impress'd on their Minds external Ideas or Images of Things. A Degree of Imagination in such a Case; as I have observ'd elsewhere, is unavoidable, and necessarily arises from human Nature, as constituted in the present State; and a Degree of Imagination is really useful, and often is of great Benefit; but when it is in too great a Degree it becomes an impure Mixture that is prejudicial. This Mixture very often arises from the Constitution of the Body. It commonly greatly contributes to the other Kind of Mixture mentioned before, viz. of natural Affections & Passions; it helps to raise them to a great Height.
Another Thing that is often mixed with the Experiences of true Christians, which is the worst Mixture of all, is a Degree of Self-righteousness or spiritual Pride. This is often mixed with the Joys of Christians; the Joy that they have is not purely the Joy of Faith, or a Rejoicing in Christ Jesus, but is partly a rejoicing in themselves; There is oftentimes in their Elevations a looking upon themselves, and a viewing their own high Attainments; they rejoice partly because they are taken with their own Experiences and great Discoveries, which makes 'em in their own Apprehensions so to excel; and this heightens all their Passions, and especially those Effects that are more External.