N04004:69
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.
A great deal of Noise and Tumult, Confusion and Uproar, and Darkness mixed with Light, and Evil with Good, is always to be expected in the beginning of something very extraordinary, and very glorious in the State of Things in human Society, or the Church of GOD. As after Nature has long been shut up in a cold dead State, in Time of Winter, when the Sun returns in the Spring, there is, together with the Increase of the Light and Heat of the Sun, very dirty and tempestuous Weather, before all is settled calm and serene, and all Nature rejoices in its Bloom and Beauty. It is in the New-Creation as it was in the Old, the Spirit of GOD first moved upon the Face of the Waters, which was an Occasion of great Uproar and Tumult, and Things were gradually brought to a settled State, 'till at length all stood forth in that beautiful, ⟨p. 40⟩peaceful Order, when the Heavens and the Earth were finished, and GOD saw every Thing that he had made, and behold it was very good. When GOD is about to bring to pass something great and glorious in the World, Nature is in a Ferment and Struggle, and the World as it were in Travail. As when GOD was about to introduce the Messiah into the World, and that new and glorious Dispensation that he set up, he shook the Heavens and the Earth, and shook all Nations. There is nothing that the Church of GOD is in Scripture more frequently represented by than Vegetables; as a Tree, a Vine, Corn, &c.—which gradually bring forth their Fruit, and are first green before they are ripe. A great Revival of Religion is expressly compared to this gradual Production of Vegetables, Isa. 61. 11. As the Earth bringeth forth her Bud, and as the Garden causeth the Things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause Righteousness and Praise to spring forth before all the Nations. The Church is in a special Manner compared to a Palm-Tree, Cant. 7. 7, 8. Exod. 15. 27. 1 King. 6. 29. Psal. 92. 12. Of which Tree this peculiar Thing is observed, That the Fruit of it, tho' it be very sweet and good when it is ripe, yet, before it has had Time to ripen, has a Mixture of Poison.