N03467:729
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.
This has also appeared to be a very extraordinary Dispensation, in that the Spirit of God has so much ⟨p. 17⟩extended not only his awakening, but regenerating Influences both to elderly Persons, and also those that are very young. It has been a thing heretofore rarely to be heard of, that any were converted, past middle Age; but now we have the same Ground to think, that many such have in this time been savingly changed, as that others have been so in more early Years. I suppose there were upwards of fifty Persons in this Town above 40 years of Age; and more than twenty of them above 50, and about ten of them above 60, and two of them above 70 years of Age.
This has also appeared to be a very extraordinary Dispensation, in that the Spirit of God has so much ⟨p. 17⟩extended not only his awakening, but regenerating Influences both to elderly Persons, and also those that are very young. It has been a thing heretof••e rarely to be heard of, that any were converted, past middle Age; but now we have the same Ground to think, that many such have in this time been savingly changed, as that others have been so in more early Years. I suppose there were upwards of fifty Persons in this Town above 40 years of Age; and more than twenty of them above 50, and about ten of them above 60, and two of them above 70 years of Age.
It has heretofore been looked on as a strange Thing, when any have seemed to be savingly wrought upon, and remarkably changed in their Childhood; but now I suppose, near thirty were to Appearance so wrought upon between 10 and 14 Years of Age, and two between 9 and 10, and one of about 4 years of Age; and because I suppose this last will be most difficultly believed, I will hereafter give a particular Account of it. The Influences of God's Spirit have also been very remarkable on Children in some other Places, particu•••ly at Sunderland and South-Hadley, and the West part of Suffield. There are several Families in this Town that are all hopefully pious; yea, there are several numerous Families, in which, I think we have reason to hope that all the Children are truly godly, and most of them lately become so: And there are very few Houses in the whole Town, into which Salvation has not lately come, in one or more Instances. There are several Negroes, that from what was seen in them then, and what is discernible in them since, appear to have been truly born again in the late remarkable Season.