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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.
you never cared to put your self out of your Way for Christ: Whenever any Thing cross or difficult came in your Way, that the Glory of God was concerned in, it has been your Manner to shun it, and Excuse your self from it: You did not care to hurt your self for Christ; that you did not see worthy of it: And why then must it be looked upon such a hard and cruel Thing, if Christ has not been pleased to spill his Blood, and be tormented to Death for such a Sinner.
2. You have slighted, and made light of God; and why then may not God justly slight you? When Sinners are sensible in some Measure of their Misery, they are ready to think it hard that God will take no more Notice of them; that he will see them in such a lamentable distressed Condition, beholding their Burdens and Tears, and seem to slight it, and manifest no Pity to them. Their Souls they think are precious: it would be a dreadful Thing, if they should perish, and burn in Hell for ever. They don't see through it, that God should make so light of their Salvation. But then ought they not to consider that as their Souls are precious, so is God's Honour precious? The Honour of the infinite God, the great King of Heaven and Earth, is a Thing of as great Importance, (and surely may justly be so esteemed by God,) as the Happiness of you a poor little Worm But yet you have slighted that Honour of God, and valued it no more than the Dirt under your Feet. You have been told that such and such Things were contrary to the Will of an holy God, and against his Honour; but you cared not for that. God called upon you, and exhorted you to be more tender of his Honour; but you went on without regarding him. Thus have you slighted God! ⟨p. 213⟩And yet, is it hard that God should slight you? Are you more honourable than God, that he must be obliged to make much of you, how light soever you make of him, and his Glory?