N03467:671
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.
It is worthy also of our further Notice, that when many profane Sinners, and formal Professors of Religion have been affrighted out of their present Carelessness and Stupidity by some astonishing Terrors approaching them, those religious Appearances have not been so durable, nor the real Change of Heart so thoroughly effected: Many of these sort of sudden Converts have dropped their religious Concerns in a great Measure when their Fears of the threatening Calamity are vanished. But it is a blessed Confirmation of the Truth of this present Work of Grace, that the Persons who were divinely wrought upon in this Season continue still to profess serious Religion, and to practice it without returning to their former Follies.
It is worthy also of our further Notice, that when many profane Sinners, and formal Professors of Religion have been affrighted out of their present Carelesness and Stupidity by some astonishing Terrors approaching them, those religious Appearances have not been so durable, nor the real Change of Heart so thoroughly effected: Many of these sort of sudden Converts have dropt their religious Concerns in a great Measure when their Fears of the threat'ning Calamity are vanish'd. But it is a blessed Confirmation of the Truth of this present Work of Grace, that the Persons who were divinely wrought upon in this Season continue still to profess serious Religion, and to practice it without returning to their former Follies.
It may not be amiss in this Place to take Notice, that a very surprising and threatening Providence has this last Year attended the People of Northampton, among whom this Work of divine Grace was so remarkable: Which Providence at first might have been construed by the unthinking World to be a signal Token of God's Displeasure against that Town, or a Judgment from Heaven upon the People; but soon afterwards, like Paul's shaking the Viper off from his Hand, it discovered the astonishing Care and Goodness of God expressed towards a Place where such a Multitude of his young Converts were assembled: Nor can we give a better Account of it than in the Language of this very Gentleman, the Revd Mr. Edwards, Minister of that Town, wh• wrote the following Letter, which was published in New-England.