N03467:572
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.
Yea, so great is his Condescension, that it is not only sufficient to take some gracious Notice of such as these, but sufficient for every Thing that is an Act of Condescension. His Condescension is great enough to become their Friend: 'Tis great enough to become their Companion, to unite their Souls to him in spiritual Marriage: 'Tis great enough to take their Nature upon him, to become one of them, that he may be one with them: Yea, it is great enough to abase himself yet lower for them, even to expose himself to Shame and Spitting; yea, to yield up himself to an ignominious Death for them. And what Act of Condescension can be conceived of greater? Yet such an Act as this, has his Condescension yielded to, for those that are so low and mean, despicable and unworthy!
Such a Conjunction of such infinite Highness, and low Condescension, in the same Person, is admirable. We see by manifold Instances, what a Tendency an high Station has in Men, to make them to be of a quite contrary Disposition. If one Worm be a little exalted above another, by having more Dust, or a bigger Dunghill, how much does he make of himself! What a Distance does he keep from those that are below him! And a little Condescension, is what he expects should be made much of, and greatly acknowledged. Christ condescends to wash our Feet; but how would great Men, (or rather the bigger Worms,) account themselves debased by Acts of far less Condescension!
Such a Conjunction of such infinite Highness, and low Condescension, in the same Person, is admirable. We see by manifold Instances, what a Tendency an high Station has in Men, to make them to be of a quite contrary Disposition. If one Worm be a little exalted above another, by having more Dust, or a bigger Dunghill, how much does he make of himself! What a Distance does he keep from those that are below him! And a little Condescension, is what he expects should be made much of, and greatly acknowleged. Christ condescends to wash our Feet; but how would great Men, (or rather the bigger Worms,) account themselves debased by Acts of far less Condescension!