N04757:78
An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in…
An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth, pursuant to Scripture-promises and prophecies concerning the last time. By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Northampton. ; With a preface by several ministers.
printed for D. Henchman, 1748
Part 2: MOTIVES to a Compliance with what is proposed in the Memorial.
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.
But the Church of Christ has never yet enjoyed a State of Peace and Prosperity for any long Time; on the contrary, the Times of her Rest, and of the flourishing State of Religion, have ever been very short. Hitherto the Church may say as in Isai. lxiii.17, 18. Return, for thy Servants Sake, the Tribes of thine Inheritance; the People of thy Holiness have possessed it but a little while. The Quietness that the Church of God enjoyed after the Beginning of Constantine's Reign, was very short; the Peace the Empire enjoyed, in Freedom from War, was not more than twenty Years; no longer nor greater than it had enjoyed under some of the Heathen Emperors. After this the Empire was rent in Pieces by intestine Wars, and wasted almost every where by the Invasions and Incursions of barbarous Nations, and the christian World was soon all in Contention and Confusion, by Heresies and Divisions in Matters of Religion. And the Church of Christ has never as yet been for any long Time, free from Persecution; especially when Truth has prevailed, and true Religion flourished. 'Tis ⟨p. 38⟩manifest, that hitherto the People of God have been kept under, and Zion has been in a low afflicted State, and her Enemies have had the chief Sway.
But the Church of Christ has never yet enjoyed a State of Peace and Prosperity for any long Time; on the contrary, the Times of her Rest, and of the flourishing State of Religion, have ever been very short. Hitherto the Church may say as in Isai. lxiii.17, 18. Return, for thy Servants Sake, the Tribes of thine Inheritance; the People of thy Holiness have possessed it but a little while. The Quietness that the Church of God enjoyed after the Beginning of Constantine's Reign, was very short; the Peace the Empire enjoy'd, in Freedom from War, was not more than twenty Years; no longer nor greater than it had enjoyed under some of the Heathen Emperors. After this the Empire was rent in Pieces by intestine Wars, and wasted almost every where by the Invasions and Incursions of barbarous Nations, and the christian World was soon all in Contention and Confusion, by Heresies and Divisions in Matters of Religion. And the Church of Christ has never as yet been for any long Time, free from Persecution; especially when Truth has prevailed, and true Religion flourished. 'Tis ⟨p. 38⟩