N03467:499
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.
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, Psalm 110. 3. ⟨p. 223⟩Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power. He seeks not that you should receive him against your Will, but with a free Will: He seeks Entertainment in your Heart and Choice.— And,
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 meerly 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, Psalm 110. 3. ⟨p. 223⟩Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power. He seeks not that you should receive him against your Will, but with a free Will: He seeks Entertainment in your Heart and Choice.— And,
If you refuse thus to receive Christ, how just is it that Christ should refuse to receive you! How reasonable are Christ's Terms, who offers to save all those that willingly, or with a good Will, accept of him for their Saviour! Who can rationally expect that Christ should force himself upon any Man, to be his Saviour? Or what can be looked for more reasonable, than that all that would be saved by Christ, should heartily and freely entertain him? And surely it would be very dishonourable for Christ to offer himself upon lower Terms.