N03467:487
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.
Your Ingratitude has been the greater, that you have not only abused the Attribute of God's Mercy, taking Encouragement from it to continue in Sin, but you have thus abused this Mercy, under that very Notion of its being exercised towards you, in a Supposition that God would exercise infinite Mercy to you in particular; which Consideration should have especially endeared God to you.—You have taken Encouragement to sin the more, from that Consideration that Christ came into the World and died to save Sinners; That Thanks has Christ had from you, for enduring such a tormenting Death for his Enemies! Now, how justly might it be so, that God should refuse that you should ever be the better for his Son's laying down his Life!—It was because of these Things that you put off seeking Salvation: You would take the Pleasures of Sin still longer, hardening your self with that, that Mercy was infinite, and it would not be too late, if you sought afterwards; Now, how justly may God disappoint you in this, and order it so that it shall be too late!
7. How have some of you risen up against God, and in the Frame of your Minds opposed him in his sovereign Dispensations! And how justly upon that Account, might God oppose you, and set himself against you! You never yet would submit to God; never could willingly comply with it that God should have Dominion over the World, and that he should govern it for his own Glory, according to his own Wisdom. You a poor Worm, a potsherd, a broken Piece of an earthen Vessel, have da•ed to find Fault, and quarrel with God. Isai. 45. 9. Woe to him that strives with his Maker. Let the Potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth: Shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it, what makest thou? But yet you have venture• to do it. Rom. 9. 20. Who are thou, O Man, that repliest against God? But yet you have thought you was big enough; You have taken upon you to call God to an Account, why he does thus and thus; you have said to Jehovah, What dost thou?