N03467:498
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.
1. There is a great Deal of Difference between a Willingness not to be damned, and a being willing to receive Christ for your Saviour. You have the former; there is no doubt to be made of that; no Body supposes that you love Misery so well, as to choose an Eternity of it: And so doubtless you are willing to be saved from eternal Misery. But that is a very different Thing from being willing to come to Christ: Persons very commonly mistake the one for the other, but they are quite two Things: You may love the Deliverance, but hate the Deliverer. You tell of a Willingness; but consider what is the Object of that Willingness: It don't respect Christ; the Way of Salvation by him is not at all the Object of it; but 'tis wholly terminated on your Escape from Misery: The Inclination of your Will goes no further than self, it never reaches Christ. You are willing not to be miserable; that is you love your self; and there your […] Choice terminates: And 'tis but a vain Pretence, and Delusion, to say or think that you are willing to accept of Christ.
1. There is a great Deal of Difference between a Willingness not to be damned, and a being willing to receive Christ for your Saviour. You have the former; there is no doubt to be made of that; no Body supposes that you love Misery so well, as to chuse an Eternity of it: And so doubtless you are willing to be saved from eternal Misery. But that is a very different Thing from being willing to come to Christ: Persons very commonly mistake the one for the other, but they are quite two Things: You may love the Deliverance, but hate the Deliverer. You tell of a Willingness; but consider what is the Object of that Willingness: It don't respect Christ; the Way of Salvation by him is not at all the Object of it; but 'tis wholly terminated on your Escape from Misery: The Inclination of your Will goes no further than self, it never reaches Christ. You are willing not to be miserable; that is you love your self; and there your 〈…〉 Choice terminates: And 'tis but a vain Pretence, and Delusion, to say or think that you are willing to accept of Christ.
2. There is certainly a great Deal of Difference between a forced Compliance, and a free Willingness. Force and Freedom can't consist together. Now that Willingness that you tell of, whereby you think you are willing to have Christ for a Saviour, is merely a forced Thing. Your Heart does not go out after Christ of it self; but you are forced and driven to seek an Interest in him Christ has no Share at all in your Heart; there is no Manner of closing of the Heart with him. This forced Compliance is not what Christ seeks of you; […] seeks a free and willing Acceptance,