CHAPTER IV.

The Disorders which attended the Revival of Religion. - The Treatise on Religious Affec

tions. - Memoirs of Brainerd.

Correspondence continued.

European

Ir has been seen, in the preceding chapter, that the disorders, which, unhappily, crept in to grieve the pious, and disturb the peace of some of the churches, in the course of the revival of religion which has been described, gave rise to a number of ecclesiastical difficulties. Troublesome individuals, actuated by enthusiasm, or by spiritual pride, became schismatics, and greatly weakened the hands of ministers. Dissatisfied and turbulent minorities withdrew from the ministry of their pastors, and set up rival congregations. In these, and in a variety of other forms, weak, rash, and enthusiastic persons became instrumental in producing discord, strife, and division in churches before peaceful and happy.

In such difficulties, no man was resorted to for counsel more frequently, or had more influence in restoring peace and order, than Mr. Edwards. He became the counsellor and guide, not only of those who addressed him by letter from distant congregations, but also of many who came to Northampton to consult him in person. Perhaps on no occasions do his ardent piety, his knowledge of human nature, and his practical wisdom and prudence appear more conspicuous, than in the manner in which he gave counsel in such perplexing cases. Lifted, by the grace of his Master, above the morbid excitement with which he was called to deal, he addressed both aggrieved and offending parties with such "meekness of wisdom," as seldom failed to produce a beneficial effect. In perusing the specimens that remain of these counsels, it is difficult to say, which ought most to be admired, - the calm and heavenly spirit which pervades them, or the comprehensive and judicious views of the laws and interests of the church of God, which constantly appear.

But this great and good man now felt himself called to attempt a more extensive and permanent service to the great cause of vital piety. The seasons of religious attention through which he had passed, and the various forms of delusion which he had witnessed, convinced him that there was an urgent demand for some popular treatise, more clear and discriminating than he had yet seen, for distinguishing true religion from its various counterfeits. On this subject he was aware that great diversity of opinion prevailed. Some, who adopted the formal and frigid Arminian system of Dr. Whitby, scarcely admitted the need, or even the reality, of any thing which Edwards regarded as genuine heart religion. Others attached essential importance to strong impulses and visible excitement; and whenever they saw great apparent zeal and ardor of affection, whatever countervailing evils might appear, recognised the evidence of conversion as a matter of course. Some taught that real religion did not consist at all in the affections, but wholly in the external conduct; while others were not willing to sanction any evidence of piety but that which included, not merely internal exercises, but also the precise time, place, and order of certain prescribed feelings, which they were pleased to consider as indispensable. In fine, there were those who considered every thing which they had witnessed in the religious attention around them, however disorderly, as worthy of approbation, and nothing to be condemned; while not a few, disgusted by the irregularities which had occurred, pronounced the whole enthusiasm and delusion.

Amidst this diversity of opinion, it seemed desirable that some "master spirit," who had been "taught of God," and who to ardent piety added great natural discernment and rich experience, and who enjoyed a large measure of public confidence, should step forward, and enlighten and guide the religious public. Though Mr.

Edwards did not claim this character for himself, yet such he really was. Being firmly persuaded, on the one hand, that the religious attention, in which he had been allowed to participate, was a genuine work of God, in which the friends of piety had reason to rejoice; and, on the other, that much of a spurious and fatally deceptive character had, in various places, mingled with the work of the Holy Spirit; he resolved to devote particular attention to the distinguishing marks and evidences of true religion.

For this purpose, while the religious attention was still going on, he commenced in 1742, and finished early in 1743, a series of Sermons, founded on 1 Peter, i. 8. These were successively delivered in his own pulpit. Soon afterwards, the substance of these discourses was divested of its original dress, and thrown into the form of a continued and connected "Treatise concerning Religious Affections." This volume was first published in 1746. It was immediately republished in England and Scotland, and drew from the friends of enlightened, Scriptural piety, on both sides of the Atlantic, the warmest praises and thanks.

This work, as most of the friends of vital piety agree, is not only entitled to a place in the very first rank of treatises on practical religion, but many consider it as occupying the first place in the list. It is certainly a noble monument of spiritual skill, wisdom, and fidelity. As a thorough, systematic, comprehensive, and richly instructive view of the subject of which it treats, it may be safely said, it has no superior. The first principles, as well as the practical details of vital piety, are delineated as by a workman that "needed not to be ashamed," and qualified "rightly to divide the word of truth." It is probable that the discriminating marks of true and false religion were never found drawn with a stronger, or a more distinct and faithful hand, in any uninspired volume, than in this work. The degree of favor which it has received for nearly a century among all evangelical denominations, and which, amidst all the changes of fashion and taste in reading, it retains to the present hour, and that in a measure rather increasing than diminishing, is certainly a very extraordinary attestation of its excellence.

The intimate friendship which subsisted between Mr. Edwards, and the celebrated Mr. David Brainerd, missionary to the Indians, is well known. Their acquaintance began in September, 1743, when Mr. Edwards was at New Haven, attending the annual Commencement. Mr. Brainerd had fallen under the severe discipline of the college, in consequence of some indiscreet remarks, uttered in the ardor of his religious zeal, respecting the opposition of two of the faculty to the preach