Part One
Former days in Church History brought forth weightier writings than we are reading from the pens of professing scholars today. The typical titles evident in our times are "How To Be A Christian Without Really Trying"; "Simple Ways To Study Greek"; "Planting A Church In Six Easy Steps"; and the frolicsome list continues. But in the days surrounding our country's two Awakenings both the preaching and the writing of its leaders were selectively marked by the word "treatise." Noah Webster, Father of American Education and part of the Second Great Awakening, gives the definition of "treatise" in his first dictionary (1828) as "a tract; a written composition on a particular subject, in which the principles of it are discussed or explained. A treatise is of an indefinite length; but it implies more form and method than an essay, and less fullness or copiousness than a system." These earlier writers would honorably "treat" a subject matter at hand.
One such "treatise" that was marked in the providence of God was penned by the eminent pastor Jonathan Edwards, the title being "A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections." It was written in 1743, in the middle of the First Great Awakening (1740-45). This Treatise presented a biblical appraisal of the revivals which were sweeping the New England colonies at that time. One of Mr. Edwards' contemporaries, and sympathizer of the Great Awakening, stated
In its style it is the least correct of any of the works of Mr. Edwards, published in his lifetime; but, as a work exhibiting genuine Christianity in distinction from all its counterfeits, it possesses such singular excellence, that were the books on earth destined to be a destruction so nearly universal, that only one beside the Bible could be saved; the church of Christ, if aiming to preserve the volume of the greatest value to man, that which would best unfold to a bereaved posterity the real nature of true religion, would unquestionably select for preservation, the `Treatise on the Affections.'
This treatise was immediately republished in England and Scotland during the Great Evangelical Revival there and greatly assisted in those countries the understanding of the workings of God in revival as well as here in America.
What was the purpose for such a "treatise" from this Northampton pastor? Jonathan Edwards has discovered early that there was a radical difficulty attending not only every revival of religion, but also in every instance of supposed conversion. This difficulty arose from erroneous conceptions generally accepted concerning: "What is the nature of true religion?" "What are the distinguishing marks of that holiness, which is acceptable in the sight of God?" Edwards had observed during these years that "much false religion prevails during a powerful revival of true religion, and that at such a time, multitudes of hypocrites might spring up among real Christians." He saw clearly the mixture of counterfeit religion with the true which brought the Devil the greatest advantage against the kingdom of Christ. He stated,
By this he hurt the cause of Christianity, in and after the apostolic age, much more, than by all the persecutions of both Jews and heathens. By this he prevailed against the Reformation, to put a stop to its progress, more than by all the bloody persecutions of the church of Rome. By this he prevailed against the revivals of religion, that have occurred since the Reformation. By this he prevailed against New England, to quench the love of her espousals, about a hundred years ago. And I think I have had opportunity enough to see plainly, that by this the devil has prevailed against the late great revival of religion in New England, so happy and promising it its beginning. I have seen the devil prevail in this way, against two great revivings of religion in this country. By perverting us from the simplicity that is in Christ, he that suddenly prevailed to deprive us of that fair prospect we had a little while ago, of a kind of paradisiac state of the church of God in New England.
Mr. Edwards fully believed that men had to learn to distinguish accurately between true and false religion WITHIN Christianity and between the fine line of true and false revival. It was to this desired end that Mr. Edwards prepared and published his "Treatise on Religious Affections." The great design of this "treatise" was to show what was true religion, and what are its distinguishing marks and evidences. It was through this worthy contribution that assistance was given to professing Christians to truly see, if he was honest and faithful with himself, to decide whether he was, or was not, a real Christian. A minister in the Connecticut River Valley stated,
Every minister should take effectual care that it is well dispersed among the people of his own charge (The Treatise), and that none of them is admitted to a profession of religion, until, after a thorough study of this treatise, he can satisfy both himself and his spiritual guide, not only that he does not rely upon the mere NEGATIVE SIGNS of holiness, but that he finds within himself those distinguishing marks and evidences of its POSITIVE existence, which the Divine Author of holiness has pronounced sure and unerring..."
Mr. Edwards wrote the Treatise as a check during what he called "a revival of religion." The minister who used the principles as he ought would find it like a fan in his hand, winnowing the chaff from the wheat. For Mr. Edwards would further state:
Every revival of religion will open a great and effectual door, through which the enemies as well as the friends of God, will gain an admission into the house of God. And when they are thus admitted, and the ardour of felling has once subsided, the minister will generally find not only that he has wounded Christ in the house of his friends, but that he has destroyed his own peace, and that of his church, and prepared the way for his own speedy separation from his people.
It was to this end that he wrote the Treatise: to aid the leadership in biblically judging the fruit and professing offspring of revivals.
It is amazing to observe how close the Devil is on the heels of God when workings of revival come from heaven to the Lord's people! It should be the earnest, daily prayer of the Fundamentalists for God to bring a mighty, biblical revival to our families and churches; it truly is the antidote for many of our growing problems and failures! But if and when God honors us with such a provision in His Son's atonement we must simultaneously be on guard for the trippings and falsities of the Devil worming their way in to pervert, distort, and weaken, and undermine Truth and its desired preeminence. Some men may preach it in such a way that it will bring confusion to the camp of God and yet who would question the preaching for revival. Yes, amidst our hunger and hope for an awakening among God's OWN people we likewise pray for the "treatise" to be on guard so that the genuine fire from the Lord would be evident and the "strange fire" would be put out.
A number of years ago, a conference superintendent in a denomination was speaking to me of why he did certain things in services. In my questioning him about such matters he responded, "I would rather have a little wild fire than no fire at all." My nineteen year old heart at that time made no response, but I have come to realize that a little wild fire not extinguished can bring more deceptive damage to a congregation than a full-blown wild fire. Yes, we are always in need of God's men with a "Treatise" to protect the genuine from the false. Otherwise, the good may end up in error.