N03467:744
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.
The Corruption of the Heart has discovered it self in various Exercises, in the time of legal Convictions; sometimes it appears in a great Struggle, like something roused by an Enemy, and Satan the old Inhabitant seems to exert himself, like a Serpent disturbed and ⟨p. 23⟩enraged. Many in such Circumstances, have felt a great Spirit of Envy, towards the Godly, especially towards those that are thought to have been lately converted, and most of all towards Acquaintance and Companions, when they are thought to be converted: Indeed, some have felt many Heart-risings against God, and murmurings at his ways of Dealing with Mankind, and his Dealings with themselves in Particular. It has been much insisted on, both in public and private, that Persons should have the utmost dread of such envious Thoughts, which if allowed tend exceedingly to quench the Spirit of God, if not to provoke him finally to forsake them. And when such a Spirit has much prevailed, and Persons have not so earnestly strove against it as they ought to have done, it has seemed to be exceedingly to the hindrance of the Good of their Souls: but in some other Instances, where Persons have been much terrified at the Sight of such Wickedness in their Hearts, God has brought Good to them out of Evil; and made it a Means of convincing them of their own desperate Sinfulness, and bringing them off from all Self-confidence.
The Corruption of the Heart has discover'd it self in various Exercises, in the time of legal Convictions; sometimes it appears in a great Struggle, like something roused by an Enemy, and Satan the old Inhabitant seems to exert himself, like a Serpent disturbed and ⟨p. 23⟩enraged. Many in such Circumstances, have felt a great Spirit of Envy, towards the Godly, especially towards those that are thought to have been lately converted, and most of all towards Acquaintance and Companions, when they are thought to be converted: Indeed, some have felt many Heart-risings against God, and murmurings at his ways of Dealing with Mankind, and his Dealings with themselves in Particular. It has been much insisted on, both in publick and private, that Persons should have the utmost dreard of such envious Thoughts, which if allowed tend exceedingly to quench the Spirit of God, if not to provoke him finally to forsake them. And when such a Spirit has much prevailed, and Persons have not so earnestly strove against it as they ought to have done, it has seem'd to be exceedingly to the hindrance of the Good of their Souls: but in some other Instances, where Persons have been much terrified at the Sight of such Wickedness in their Hearts, God has brought Good to them out of Evil; and made it a Means of convincing them of their own desperate Sinfulness, and bringing them off from all Self-confidence.