Description
First edition of A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards, Pastor of the first Church in Northampton, published in Boston in 1746.
Octavo, [2], vi, 343, [9]. Includes errata statement and booksellers advertisement at rear. Contemporary full calf, raised bands, flexible boards. Some loss at top of spine, general wear to all boards, solid text block. Contemporary ownership inscription front free endpaper of “Joseph Pecke / AD 1769 / Bridgtown, Barbados.” Mispagination of page 215 as 115, as issued.
(Sabin 21967) (Evans 5767) (ESTC W29564)
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a central figure in the First Great Awakening, profoundly influenced American evangelicalism through his theological works, most notably this work, Religious Affections. In this seminal treatise, Edwards examines the nature of true religious experience, arguing that genuine faith is characterized by deep, heartfelt affections rather than mere intellectual assent. He delineates between superficial emotionalism and authentic spiritual transformation, emphasizing that true affections arise from the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s heart. “Religious Affections” is celebrated for its rigorous analysis of the signs of genuine Christian piety and remains a crucial text in understanding the interplay between emotion and faith in evangelical thought.
