Thoughts on Revival in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - VIII - Part IV continued

Required readingThoughts on Revival in Volume I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Part IV by reading Section III.

My summary.

This week Edwards continues discussing errors that have attended the great revival of religion.

The third cause of errors in conduct during revivals is being ignorant or unobservant of some things by which the devil has special advantage.

Firstly Edwards deals with three things with regard to inward experiences of Christians by which the devil has many advantages:

(i) the mixture of unspiritual with spiritual experiences (e.g. pride mixed in with joy);

(ii) the defects that are sometimes in the experiences of Christians (too much of one thing and not enough of another);

(iii) the degeneration of experiences.

Secondly Edwards examines the external effects of experiences during revival, e.g. abounding in talk.

What grabbed me

I appreciated the importance of a balanced comprehension of God: 'For the better understanding of this matter, we may observe, that God, in the revelation that he has made of himself to the world by Jesus Christ, has taken care to give a proportionable manifestation of two kinds of excellencies or perfections of his nature, viz. those that especially tend to possess us with awe and reverence, and to search and humble us; and those that tend to win, to draw, and encourage us. By the one, he appears as an infinitely great, pure, holy, and heart-searching judge; by the other, as a gentle and gracious father and a loving friend. By the one, he is a pure, searching, and burning flame; by the other, a sweet, refreshing light. These two kinds of attributes are as it were admirably tempered together in the revelation of the gospel. There is a proportionable manifestation of justice and mercy, holiness and grace, majesty and gentleness, authority and condescension. God hath thus ordered that his diverse excellencies, as he reveals himself in the face of Jesus Christ, should have a proportionable manifestation, herein providing for our necessities. He knew it to be of great consequence that our apprehensions of these diverse perfections of his nature should be duly proportioned one to another. A defect on the one hand, viz. having a discovery of his love and grace, without a proportionable discovery of his awful majesty, his holy and searching purity, would tend to spiritual pride, carnal confidence, and presumption; and a defect on the other hand, viz. having a discovery of his holy majesty, without a proportionable discovery of his grace, tends to unbelief, a sinful fearfulness and spirit of bondage. And therefore herein chiefly consists that deficiency of experiences that I am now speaking of. The revelation God has made of himself in his word, and the provision made for our spiritual welfare in the gospel, are perfect; but the actual light and communications we have, are many ways exceeding imperfect and maimed. And experience plainly shows, that Christians may have high manifestations in some respects, and yet their circumstances may be unhappy in this regard, that their discoveries are no more general. There is a great difference among Christians in this respect; some have much more general discoveries than others, who are upon many accounts the most amiable Christians. Christians may have experiences that are very high, and yet there may be very much of this deficiency and disproportion. Their high experiences are truly from the Spirit of God, but sin comes in by the defect, (as indeed all sin is originally from a defective, privative cause,) and in such a case high discoveries, at the same time that they are enjoyed, may be and sometimes are the occasion, or causa sine qua non, of sin. Sin may come in at the back door, the gap that is left open; as spiritual pride often does. And many times the Spirit of God is quenched by this means, and God punishes the pride and presumption that rises, by bringing such darkness, and suffering such awful consequences and horrid temptations, as are enough to make one's hair stand on end to hear them.—Christians therefore should diligently observe their own hearts as to this matter, and should pray to God that he would give them experiences in which one thing may bear a proportion to another, that God may be honoured and their souls edified thereby; and ministers should have an eye to this, in their private dealings with the souls of their people.'

God is honoured when we are seeking to have a full understanding of his attributes, not just indulging in the ones we like.

Next week's reading

Conclude Part IV by reading Sections IV, V and VI.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.