N04004:82
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.
more careful to guard against Temptations, more watchful over their own Hearts, earnestly desirous of being informed what are the Means that GOD has directed to, for their Salvation, and diligent in the Use of the Means that GOD has appointed in his Word, in order to it. Many very stupid, senseless Sinners, and Persons of a vain Mind, have been greatly awakened. There is a strange Alteration almost ⟨p. 53⟩all over New-England amongst young People: By a powerful, invisible Influence on their Minds, they have been brought to forsake those Things in a general Way, as it were at once, that they were extremely fond of, and greatly addicted to, and that they seemed to place the Happiness of their Lives in, and that nothing before could induce them to forsake; as their Frolicking, vain Company-keeping, Night-walking, their Mirth and Jollity, their impure Language, and lewd Songs: In vain did Ministers preach against those Things before, and in vain were Laws made to restrain them, and in vain was all the Vigilance of Magistrates and Civil Officers; but now they have almost every where dropped them as it were of themselves. And there is a great Alteration amongst Old and Young as to Drinking, Tavern-haunting, profane speaking, and Extravagance in Apparel. Many notoriously vicious Persons have been reformed, and become externally quite New-Creatures: Some that are wealthy, and of a fashionable, gay Education; some great Beaus and fine Ladies, that seemed to have their Minds swallowed up with nothing but the vain Shows and Pleasures of the World, have been wonderfully altered, and have relinquished these Vanities, and are become serious, mortified and humble in their Conversation. 'Tis astonishing to see the Alteration that is in some Towns, where before was but little Appearance of Religion, or any Thing but Vice and Vanity: and so remote was all that was to be seen or heard amongst them from any Thing that savoured ⟨p. 54⟩of vital Piety or serious Religion, or that had any Relation to it, that one would have thought, if they had judged only by what appeared in them, that they had been some other Species from the serious and religious, that had no Concern with another World, and whose Natures were not made capable of those Things that appertain to Christian Experience, and pious Conversation; especially was it thus among young Persons:
more careful to guard against Temptations, more watchful over their own Hearts, earnestly desirous of being informed what are the Means that GOD has directed to, for their Salvation, and diligent in the Use of the Means that GOD has appointed in his Word, in order to it. Many very stupid, senseless Sinners, and Persons of a vain Mind, have been greatly awakened. There is a strange Alteration almost