N03467:300
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.
Hence we are not to judge of the Hopefulness of the Way that Persons are in, or of the Probability of their Success in seeking Salvation, only by the Greatness of the Concern and Distress that they are in; for many Persons have needless Distresses that they had much better be without. 'Tis thus very often with Persons that are over run with the Distemper of Melancholy; whence the Adversary of Souls is wont to take great Advantage. But then are Persons in the most likely Way to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, when the Intent of their Minds, and the Engagedness of their Spirits, is about their proper Wor•• and Business, and all the Bent of their Souls is to attend on God's Means, and to do what he commands and directs them to. The Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 9 26. that he did not fight as those that beat the Air. Our Time is short enough; we had not need to spend it in that which is nothing to the Purpose. There are real Difficulties and Enemies enough for Persons to encounter▪ to employ all their Strength; they had not need to waste it in fighting with any Phantoms.
Hence we are not to judge of the Hopefulness of the Way that Persons are in, or of the Probability of their Success in seeking Salvation, only by the Greatness of the Concern and Distress that they are in; for many Persons have needless Distresses that they had much better be without. 'Tis thus very often with Persons that are over run with the Distemper of Melancholly; whence the Adversary of Souls is won't to take great Advantage. But then are Persons in the most likely Way to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, when the Intent of their Minds, and the Engagedness of their Spirits, is about their proper Wor•• and Business, and all the Bent of their Souls is to attend on God's Means, and to do what he commands and directs them to. The Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 9 26. that he did not fight as those that beat the Air. Our Time is short enough; we had not need to spend it in that which is nothing to the Purpose. There are real Difficulties and Enemies enough for Persons to encounter▪ to employ all their Strength; they had not need to waste it in fighting with any Phantoms.