RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS -PT. 11-BY JONATHON EDWARDS

JONATHON EDWARDS WAS THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN NORTH HAMPTON MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE THE GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENIMG WAS IGNITED IN 1734. AT THAT TIME GEORGE WASHINGTON, JOHN ADAMS AND THOMAS JEFFERSON WERE LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD IN 1740 AND THUS GREW UP AMIDST THE GREAT AWAKENING FOR GEORGE WHITEFIELD FURTHERED THE GREAT AWAKENING FOR HE PREACHED OVER 18000 SERMONS, ABOUT 15/WEEK FROM 1740-1770. BENJAMIN FRANKL RECORDS IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THAT ONE TIME GEORGE WHITEFIELD CAME INTO PHILADELPHIA AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 30,000 WERE IN ATTENDANCE. BUT BY 1746 JONATHON EDWARDS DETERMINED THAT SATAN HAD SOWED MANY TARES AMONGST THE WHEAT AND SO HE WROTE THE BOOK, ENTITLED RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS, TO HELP THE COLONISTS DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TRUE CHRISTIAN AND A PROFESSING CHRISTIAN. THE DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS DURING THAT PERIODOF TIME WERE MUCH MORE DETAILED THAN THEY ARE TODAY, BUT EVEN WITH THOSE DETAILED DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS IT WAS NOT ENOUGH AND THUS JONATHON EDWARDS FELT COMPELLED TO WRITE RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS TO HELP THE COLONISTS MORE EASILY DIFFERENTIATE THE TRUE CHRISTIAN FROM THE PROFESSING CHRISTIAN. IN AMERICA TODAY THE DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS ARE SO WEAK AND WIDE OPEN THAT YOU COULD DRIVE A SEMI THROUGH THEM. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW MUCH MORE DETAILED THE DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS WERE AT THE TIME OF OUR AMERICAN REVOLUTION LET US LOOK AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DOCTRINAL STATEMENT WHICH IS CALLED THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION AND PRINCETON WAS PRESBYTERIAN. HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW DETAILED AND COMPREHENSIVE IT WAS. 
The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF, 1646)
Table of Contents
Chapter I. Of the Holy ScriptureChapter II. Of God, and of the Holy TrinityChapter III. Of God's Eternal DecreeChapter IV. Of CreationChapter V. Of ProvidenceChapter VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereofChapter VII. Of God's Covenant with ManChapter VIII. Of Christ the MediatorChapter IX. Of Free WillChapter X. Of Effectual CallingChapter XI. Of JustificationChapter XII. Of AdoptionChapter XIII. Of SanctificationChapter XIV. Of Saving FaithChapter XV. Of Repentance Unto LifeChapter XVI. Of Good WorksChapter XVII. Of The Perseverance of the SaintsChapter XVIII. Of the Assurance of Grace and SalvationChapter XIX. Of the Law of GodChapter XX. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of ConscienceChapter XXI. Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-dayChapter XXII. Of Lawful Oaths and VowsChapter XXIII. Of the Civil MagistrateChapter XXIV. Of Marriage and DivorceChapter XXV. Of the ChurchChapter XXVI. Of the Communion of the SaintsChapter XXVII. Of the SacramentsChapter XXVIII. Of BaptismChapter XXIX. Of the Lord's SupperChapter XXX. Of Church CensuresChapter XXXI. Of Synods and CouncilsChapter XXXII. Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the DeadChapter XXXIII. Of the Last Judgment
CHAPTER IX.
Of Free Will.
III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
CHAPTER III.—Of God's Eternal Decree. VI. As God has appointed the ELECT unto glory, so has He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation. NEITHER are ANY OTHER redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.