N04004:74
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.
When these Persons are extraordinarily affected with a new Sense, and recent Discovery they have received, of the Greatness and Excellency of the divine Being, the Certainty and infinite Importance of eternal Things, the Preciousness of Souls, and the dreadful Danger and Madness of Mankind, together with a great Sense of GOD's distinguishing Kindness and Love to them; no Wonder that now they think they must exert ⟨p. 46⟩themselves, and do something extraordinary for the Honour of GOD and the Good of the Souls of their Fellow-Creatures, and know not how to sit still, and forbear speaking and acting with uncommon Earnestness and Vigour. And in these Circumstances, if they ben't Persons of more than common Steadiness & Discretion, or han't some Person of Wisdom to direct them, 'tis a Wonder if they don't proceed without due Caution, and do Things that are irregular, and that will, in the Issue, do much more Hurt than Good.
Censuring others is the worst Disease with which this Affair has been attended: But yet such a Time as this is indeed a Time of great Temptation to this sinful Error. When there has been such a Time of great and long continued Deadness, and many are brought out of a State of Nature into a State of Grace, in so extraordinary a Manner, and filled with such uncommon Degrees of Light, 'tis natural for such to form their Notions of a State of Grace wholly from what they experience; many of them know no other Way; for they never have been taught much about a State of Grace, and the different Degrees of Grace, and the Degrees of Darkness and Corruption that Grace is consistent with, nor concerning the Manner of the Influences of the Spirit in converting a Soul, and the Variety of the Manner of his Operations: They therefore forming their Idea of a State of Grace only by their own Experience, no Wonder that it appears an insuperable Difficulty to them to reconcile ⟨p. 47⟩such a State, of which they have this Idea, with what they observe in Professors that are about them. 'Tis indeed in it self a very great Mystery, that Grace should be consistent with so much and such Kind of Corruption as sometimes prevails in the truly godly; and no Wonder that it especially appears so to uninstructed new Converts, that have been converted in an extraordinary Manner.