N03467:770
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.
And indeed it appears very plainly in some of them, that before their own Conversion they had very imperfect Ideas what Conversion was: It is all new and strange, and what there was no clear Conception of before. 'Tis most evident as they themselves acknowledge, that the Expressions that were used to describe Conversion, and the Graces of God's Spirit, such as a spiritual Sight of Christ, Faith in Christ, Poverty of Spirit, Trust in God, Resignedness to God, &c. were Expressions that did not convey those special and distinct Ideas to their Minds, which they were intended to signify, in some respects no more than the Names of Colours are to convey the Ideas to one that is blind from his Birth.
This Town is a Place where there has always been a great deal of Talk of Conversion, and spiritual Experiences; and therefore People in general had before formed a Notion in their own Minds what these things were; but when they come to be the Subjects of them themselves, they find themselves much confounded in ⟨p. 36⟩their Notions, and overthrown in many of their former Conceits. And it has been very observable, that Persons of the greatest Understanding, and that had studied most about things of this nature, have been more confounded than others. Some such Persons that have lately been converted, declare that all their former Wisdom is brought to nought, and that they appear to have been mere Babes, who knew nothing It has appeared that none have stood more in need of Enlightening and Instruction, even of their Fellow Christians, concerning their own Circumstances and Difficulties, than they: and it has seemed to have been with delight, that they have seen themselves thus brought down and become nothing, that free Grace, and divine Power may be exalted in them.
This Town is a Place where there has always been a great deal of Talk of Conversion, and spiritual Experiences; and therefore People in general had before form'd a Notion in their own Minds what these things were; but when they come to be the Subjects of them themselves, they find themselves much confounded in ⟨p. 36⟩