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Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England, 1740
Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England 1740 Author:Jonathan Edwards Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: REVIVAL OF RELIGION NEW ENGLAND, A.D. 1740, THE WAY IN WHICH IT OUGHT TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROMOTED. "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in... more » the desert a highway for our God."—Isaiah 40: 3 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, ISO NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. AD VERTISE MEN T, INSERTED III THE WORCESTER EDITION OF PRES. EDWARDS WORKS. The occasion of the following treatise will be seen, in part, in the preceding narrative. The gracious influences of the Holy Spirit with which Northampton was so abundantly enriched, and which spread through many towns in its vicinity, were soon followed with a very extensive revival over the land. An extraordinary zeal was excited in many gospel ministers. Itinerants travelled the country and preached daily. They addressed their crowded audiences not in the dull monotony of a mere moral lecture, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power. Their indefatigable labors were crowned with the most desirable succes. Zion put on her robes of salvation. Converts to Jesus were multiplied as the drops of the morning dew. Religion became almost the only subject of concern. Many indulged the hope that the millennial glory was commencing. This glorious work had its opposers. Advantage was taken of the errors of some of its most zealous promoters to cry it down and render it altogether suspicious. Mr. Edwards' design was to vindicate it as undoubtedly a work of God, and among the most admirable of his triumphs over the hearts of his enemies ; to correct errors which attended it, and to excite augmented efforts for its increase. The scene which he describes is past. Let it live however in our memories. Let it excite our fervent gratitude, and call forth the devout aspirations of our souls for the spread of the v...« less