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

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

My summary.

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

This week's error is the notion that it is God's manner in these days, to guide his saints, at least some that are more eminent, by inspiration, or immediate revelation.

Edwards cites examples of such error, including people who:

(i) follow impulses because of an impression made with a text of Scripture that comes to their mind;

(ii) always do whatsoever the Spirit of God (though but indirectly) inclines them to;

(iii) think that whatsoever is found to be of present and immediate benefit, may and ought to be practised, without looking forward to future consequences;

(iv) believe in the necessity of suffering persecution;

(v) have wrong notions that they have an attestation of Divine Providence to persons, or things;

(vi) lightly regard external order in matters of religion;

(vii) assume the same style and speak as with the same authority that the prophets and Jesus himself did.

What grabbed me

Sadly today's error didn't end with the Great Awakening.

I appreciated this series of interrogatives: 'Why cannot we be contented with the divine oracles, that holy, pure word of God, which we have in such abundance and clearness, now since the canon of Scripture is completed? Why should we desire to have any thing added to them by impulses from above? Why should we not rest in that standing rule that God has given to his church, which the apostles teaches us, is surer than a voice from heaven? And why should we desire to make the Scripture speak more to us than it does? Or why should any desire a higher kind of intercourse with heaven, than by having the Holy Spirit given in his sanctifying influences, infusing and exciting grace and holiness, love and joy, which is the highest kind of intercourse that the saints and angels in heaven have with God, and the chief excellency of the glorified man Christ Jesus?'

Why, indeed!

Next week's reading

Continue Part IV by reading Section III.

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