Which of the following historical persons would have likely supported these ideas?
A. Cotton Mather
B. George Whitefield
C. Martin Luther
D. William Penn
the passage:
Excerpt from Jonathan Edwards’ The Great Awakening, 1758
When there has been such a time of great and long continued deadness, and many are brought out of a state of nature into a state of grace, in so extraordinary a manner, and filled with such uncommon degrees of light, 'tis natural to form their notions of a state of grace wholly from what they experience; many of them know no other way, for they never have been taught much about a state of grace, and the different degrees of grace, and the degrees of darkness and corruption that grace is consistent with, nor concerning the manner of the influences of the Spirit in converting a soul, and the variety of the manner of his operations. . . .
Thus I think the errors and irregularities that attend this work, may be accounted for, from the consideration of the infirmity and weakness and common corruption of mankind, together with the circumstances of the work, though we should suppose it to be the work of God. And it would not be a just objection in any to say, if these powerful impressions and great affections are from the Spirit of God, why don't the same Spirit give strength of understanding and capacity in proportion, to those persons that are the subjects of them; so that strong affections may not, through their error, drive them to an irregular and sinful conduct? For I don't know that God has anywhere obliged himself to do it. The end of the influences of God's Spirit is to make men spiritually knowing, wise to salvation, which is the most excellent wisdom; and he has also appointed means for our gaining such degrees of other knowledge as we need, to conduct ourselves regularly, which means should be carefully used: but the end of the influence of the Spirit of God is not to increase men's natural capacities, nor has God obliged himself immediately to increase civil prudence in proportion to the degrees of spiritual light.
To determine which of the historical persons would have likely supported the ideas expressed in the passage, we need to understand the context of the passage and the beliefs of each individual listed.
The passage is a excerpt from Jonathan Edwards' "The Great Awakening," written in 1758. The Great Awakening was a religious revival movement that spread throughout the American colonies in the 18th century. It emphasized the importance of personal religious experiences and the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit in the lives of individuals.
Now let's look at the four historical figures mentioned and their beliefs:
A. Cotton Mather was a Puritan minister and theologian who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his involvement in the Salem witch trials. Mather believed in the strict adherence to Puritan doctrine and practices, and he would have been more likely to support a traditional interpretation of religious experiences rather than the more emotional and experiential approach described in the passage.
B. George Whitefield was an English Anglican cleric who played a key role in the Great Awakening. He preached with great passion and emphasized the need for personal conversion and spiritual rebirth. Whitefield would likely have supported the ideas expressed in the passage as he believed in the powerful impact of the Holy Spirit on an individual's spiritual journey.
C. Martin Luther was a German theologian and key figure in the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Luther emphasized the importance of faith and grace alone for salvation, rejecting the idea of earning salvation through good works. While he may have supported some aspects of the passage's ideas, Luther's theological focus was more on the concept of justification by faith rather than specifically addressing the role of the Holy Spirit in personal experiences.
D. William Penn was an English Quaker and the founder of the American colony of Pennsylvania. Quakers placed a strong emphasis on the inner light of the Holy Spirit and personal religious experience. They believed in the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit and the potential for individuals to have a direct relationship with God. Therefore, William Penn would have likely supported the ideas expressed in the passage.
Based on the beliefs and historical context of each figure, George Whitefield and William Penn would be the most likely to support the ideas expressed in the passage.