Religious Affections (Abridged Edition)

Pastor Jonathan Edwards, the most prominent theologian in the Americas, wrote "A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections" during the time of the first Great Awakening in the Americas, also known in England as the Evangelical Revival. Pastor Edwards preached a series of sermons in 1742-1743 addressing the issue of how to distinguish between true and false religious experience. The treatise came from the text of these sermons, edited for publication in 1746. For today's churches that know the revival of the Holy Spirit, it is also a very important and useful book.

"This mixture of false religion with true religion has been Satan's most powerful weapon against the cause of Christ. That is why it is urgent for us to learn to distinguish between false and true religion; between emotions and experiences that truly arise from salvation, and imitations that, although externally attractive and credible, are false. For these reasons, it is vital that we do everything possible to understand the nature of true religion. Until we have done so, we cannot expect revivals to last long, nor will we derive much benefit from our religious discussions and debates, since we will not even know what to argue for. My purpose in this book is to contribute as much as I can to the understanding of true religion. I intend to show the nature and signs of the work of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of sinners. I will also seek to explain how we can distinguish the work of the Spirit from everything that is not a true salvific experience. If I succeed, I hope this book will help promote the interests of genuine Christianity." Jonathan Edwards