N03467:294
Discourses on various important subjects, nearly concerning the great affair of the soul's eternal…
Discourses on various important subjects, nearly concerning the great affair of the soul's eternal salvation, viz. I. Justification by faith alone. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. III. Ruth's resolution. IV. The justice of God in the damnation of sinners. V. The excellency of Jesus Christ. : Delivered at Northampton, chiefly at the time of the late wonderful pouring out of the spirit of God there. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the Church of Christ in Northampton. ; [Three lines from Deuteronomy]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland and T. Green, 1738
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I. I would show what Manner of seeking Salvation seems to be denoted by pressing into the Kingdom of God.
I. I would shew what Manner of seeking Salvation seems to be denoted by pressing into the Kingdom of God.
1. This Expression denotes Strength of Desire. Men in general, that live under the Light of the Gospel, and be not Atheists, do desire the Kingdom of God; that is, they desire to go to Heaven rather than to Hell; but most of them are not much concerned about it; but on ⟨p. 135⟩the contrary live a secure and careless Life. And there are those that are many Degrees above these, that are under some Degrees of the Awakenings of God's Spirit, that yet are not pressing into the Kingdom of God. But they that may be said to be truly so have strong Desires to get out of a natural Condition, and to get an Interest in Christ: They have such a Conviction of the Misery of their present State, and of the extreme Necessity of obtaining a better, that their Minds are as it were possessed with, and wrapped up in Concern about it: To obtain Salvation is desired by them above all Things in the World: This Concern is so great that it very much shuts out other Concerns: They used before to have the Stream of their Desires after other Things, or it may be had their Concern divided between this and them; but when they come to answer the Expression in the Text, of pressing into the Kingdom of God, this Concern prevails▪ above all others; it lays other Things low, and does in a Manner engross the Care of the Mind.—This seeking eternal Life should not only be one Concern that our Souls are taken up about, with other Things; but Salvation should be sought as the one Thing needful, Luke 10. 42. And as the one Thing that is desired, Psalm 27.4.