N03467:736
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.
Persons are first awakened with a Sense of their miserable Condition by Nature, the Danger they are in of perishing eternally, and that it is of great Importance to them that they speedily escape, and get into a better State. Those that before were secure and senseless, are made sensible how much they were in the way to ruin in their former Courses. Some are more suddenly seized with Convictions; it may be, by the News of others Conversion, or something they hear in public, or in private Conference, their Consciences are suddenly smitten, as if their Hearts were pierced through with a Dart: Others have Awakenings that come upon them more gradually, they begin as first to be something more thoughtful and considerate, so as to come to a Conclusion in their Minds, that 'tis their best and wisest way to delay no longer, but to improve the present Opportunity; and have accordingly set themselves seriously to meditate on those Things that have the most awakening Tendency, on purpose to obtain Convictions; and so their Awakenings have increased, till a Sense of their Misery, by God's Spirit setting in therewith, has had fast hold of them. Others that, before this wonderful time, had been something religious and concerned for their Salvation, have been awakened in a new manner, and made sensible that their slack and dull way of seeking was never like to attain their Purpose, and ⟨p. 20⟩so have been roused up to a greater Violence for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Persons are first awaken'd with a Sense of their miserable Condition by Nature, the Danger they are in of perishing eternally, and that it is of great Importance to them that they speedily escape, and get into a better State. Those that before were secure and senseless, are made sensible how much they were in the way to ruin in their former Courses. Some are more suddenly seized with Convictions; it may be, by the News of others Conversion, or something they hear in publick, or in private Conference, their Consciences are suddenly smitten, as if their Hearts were pierced through with a Dart: Others have Awakenings that come upon them more gradually, they begin as first to be something more thoughtful and considerate, so as to come to a Conclusion in their Minds, that 'tis their best and wisest way to delay no longer, but to improve the present Opportunity; and have accordingly set themseves seriously to meditate on those Things that have the most awakening Tendency, on purpose to obtain Convictions; and so their Awakenings have increased, till a Sense of their Misery, by God's Spirit setting in therewith, has had fast hold of them. Others that, before this wonderful time, had been something religious and concern'd for their Salvation, have been awaken'd in a new manner, and made sensible that their slack and dull way of seeking was never like to attain their Purpose, and