N03467:417
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.
4. Consider how earnestly desirous they that have obtained are, that you should follow them, and that their People should be your People, and their God your God. They desire that you should partake of that great Good that God has given them, and that unspeakable and eternal Blessedness that he has promised them: They wi•h and long for it. If you don't go with them, and are not still of their Company, it won't be for Want of their Willingness, but your own. That of Moses to Hobab, is the Language of every true Saint of your Acquaintance to you. Numb. 10 29. We are journeying unto the Place, of which the Lord said, I will give it you: Come thou with us, and we will do thee Good; for the Lord hath spoken Good concerning Israel. As Moses, when on his Journey through the Wilde•ness, following the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, invited Hobab, that he had been acquainted with, and nearly allied to, out of the Land of Midian, where Moses had formerly dwelt with him, to go with him and his People to Canaan, to partake with them in the Good that God had promised them; so do those of your Friends and Acquaintance, invite you out of a Land of Darkness and Wickedness, where they have formerly been with you, to go with them to the heavenly Canaan. The Company of Saints, the true Church of Christ invite you. The lovely Bride calls you to the Marriage Supper. She hath Authority to invite Guests to her own Wedding; and you ought to look on her Invitation and Desire, as the Call of Christ the Bridegroom; for it is the Voice of his Spirit in her, Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit, and the Bride say come. Where seems to be a Reference to what had been said, Chap 19 7, 8, 9. The Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her self ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine Linen, clean and white; for the fine Linen is the Righteousness of Saints. And he •aith unto me, […]; Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 'Tis with Respect to this her Marriage Supper, that she, from the ⟨p. 190⟩Motion of the Spirit of the Lamb in her, says, Come So that you are invited on all Hands; all conspire to call you. God the Father invites you: This is the King that has made a Marriage for his Son; and he sends forth his Servants, the Ministers of the Gospel, to invite the Guests. And the Son himself invites you: 'Tis he that speaks,