Required reading
The Great Awakening: A history of the revival of religion in the time of Edwards & Whitefield by Joseph Tracy (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 20 (The results) by reading up to the paragraph 'This great revival should teach the Christian world some salutary lessons, which it would be improper to close this work without mentioning.'
My summary
This week Tracy continues to look at the results of the great awakening.
We see that the great awakening resulted in:
(i) a better knowledge of the nature of religious experience;
(ii) the restoration of the true doctrine concerning church membership.
Tracy particularly notes the importance of Edwards in spearheading both of these effects of the revival.
What grabbed me
I was interested to read this confession from Edwards: 'One thing that has contributed to bring things to such a pass at Northampton was, my youth and want of more judgment and experience at the time of that extraordinary awakening about sixteen years ago. Instead of a youth, there was want of a giant in judgment and discretion, among a people in such an extraordinary state of things. In some respects, doubtless, my confidence in myself was a great injury to me ; but in other respects, my diffidence of myself injured me. It was such that I durst not act my own judgment, and had no strength to oppose received notions and established customs, and to testify boldly against some glaring false-appearances and counterfeits of religion, till it was too late. And by this means, as well as others, many things got a footing, which have proved a dreadful source of spiritual pride, and other things that are exceedingly contrary to true Christianity. If I had had more experience and ripeness of judgment and courage, I should have guided my people in a better manner, and should have guarded them better from Satan's devices, and prevented the spiritual calamity of many souls, and perhaps the eternal ruin of some of them.'
I have been listening to the Strange Fire conference talks from a few weeks ago and the speakers there emphasised what Edwards calls for here: there should be a public rebuke of false appearances of religion.
Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter 20 (The results).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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