N03467:475
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.
And you have not only slighted God in Time past, but you slight him still. You indeed now make a Pretence and Show of honouring him, in your Prayers, and Attendance on other external Duties, & by a sober Countenance, and seeming Devoutness in your Words and Behaviour; but it is all mee• Dissembling. That downcast Look, and seeming Reverence, is not from any Honour you have to God in your Heart; tho' you would have it go so, and would have God take it so. You that have not believed in Christ, have not the least Jot of Honour to God; that Show of it is merely forced, and what you are driven to by Fear, like those mentioned in Psalm 66 ▪ 3. Through the Greatness of thy Power, shall thine Enemies submit themselves to thee. In the Original it is, shall lie unto thee; that is, yield feigned Submission, and dissemble Respect and Honour to thee. There is a Rod held over you, that makes you seem to pay such Respect to God. This Religion and Devotion, even the very Appearance of it, would soon be gone, & all vanish away, if that were removed. Sometimes it may be you weep in your Prayers, & in your hearing Sermons, and hope God will take Notice of it, and take it for some Honour; but he sees it to be all Hypocrisy. You weep for your self; you are afraid of Hell; and do you think that that is worthy that God should take much Notice of you, because you can cry when you are in Danger of being damned; when at the same Time you indeed care nothing for God's Honour?
And you have not only slighted God in Time past, but you slight him still. You indeed now make a Pretence and Shew of honouring him, in your Prayers, and Attendance on other external Duties, & by a sober Countenance, and seeming Devoutness in your Words and Behaviour; but it is all mee• Dissembling. That downcast Look, and seeming Reverence, is not from any Honour you have to God in your Heart; tho' you would have it go so, and would have God take it so. You that have not believed in Christ, have not the least Jot of Honour to God; that Shew of it is meerly forced, and what you are driven to by Fear, like those mentioned in Psalm 66 ▪ 3. Through the Greatness of thy Power, shall thine Enemies submit themselves to thee. In the Original it is, shall lie unto thee; that is, yield feigned Submission, and dissemble Respect and Honour to thee. There is a Rod held over you, that makes you seem to pay such Respect to God. This Religion and Devotion, even the very Appearance of it, would soon be gone, & all vanish away, if that were removed. Sometimes it may be you weep in your Prayers, & in your hearing Sermons, and hope God will take Notice of it, and take it for some Honour; but he sees it to be all Hypocrisy. You weep for your self; you are afraid of Hell; and do you think that that is worthy that God should take much Notice of you, because you can cry when you are in Danger of being damned; when at the same Time you indeed care nothing for God's Honour?