N03467:368
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.
It seems, by God's Providence, as tho' God had yet an elect Number amongst old Sinners in this Place, that perhaps he is now about to bring in. It looks as tho' there were some that long lived under Mr.Stoddard's Ministry, that God has not utterly cast off, tho' they so stood it out under such great Means as they then enjoyed. 'Tis to be hoped that God will now bring in a Remnant from among them. But 'tis the more likely that God is now about finishing with them, one Way or the other, for their having been so long the Subjects of such extraordinary Means. You have seen former T•mes of the pouring out of God's Spirit upon the Town, when others were taken and you left, others were called out of Darkness into marvellous Light, and were brought into a glorious and happy State, and you was one that saw not Good when Good came. How dark will your Circumstances appear, if you shall also stand it out through this Opportunity, and still be left behind! Take heed that you be not one of those spoken of, Heb 6. 7. 8. that are like the Earth that has Rain coming o•t upon it, ⟨p. 170⟩and only bears Briars and Thorns. As we see there are some Pieces of Ground, the more Showers of Rain fall upon them, the more fruitful Seasons there are, the more do the Briars, and other useless and hurtful Plants, that are rooted in them, grow and flourish. Of such Ground the Apostle says, It is rejected, and is high unto cursing, whose End is to be burned. The Way that the Husbandman takes with such Ground, is to set Fire to it, to burn up the Growth of it.—If you miss this Opportunity, there is Danger that you will be utterly rejected, and that your End will be to be burned. And if this is to be, it is to be feared, that you are not far from, but nigh unto Cursing.
Those of you that are already grown old in Sin, and are now under Awakenings, when you feel your Convictions begin to go off, if ever that should be, then remember what you have now been told: It may well then strike you to the Heart!