N03467:778
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.
In some, converting Light is like a glorious Brightness suddenly shining in upon a Person, and all around him: They are in a remarkable manner brought out of Darkness into marvellous Light. In many others it has been like the dawning of the Day, when at first but a little Light appears, and it may be is presently hid with a Cloud; and then it appears again, and shines a little brighter, and gradually increases, with intervening Darkness, till at length, perhaps, it breaks forth more clearly from behind the Clouds. And many are, doubtless, ready to date their Conversion wrong, throwing by those lesser Degrees of Light that appeared at first dawning, and calling some mo•• remarkable Experience, they had afterwards, their Conversions; which often in great measure arises from a wrong Understanding of what they have always been taught, that Conversion is a great Change, wherein old Things are done away, and all Things become now, or at least from a false arguing from that Doctrine.
Persons commonly at first Conversion, and afterwards, have had many Texts of Scripture brought to their Minds, that are exceeding suitable to their Circumstances, which often come with great Power, and as the Word of God or Christ indeed; and many have a multitude of swee• Invitations, Promises, and Doxologies flowing in one after another, bringing great Light and Comfort with them, filling the Soul brim f•ll, enlarging the Heart, and opening the Mouth in Religion. And it ⟨p. 41⟩seems to me necessary to suppose, that there is an immediate Influence of the Spirit of God, oftentimes in bringing Texts of Scripture to the Mind: Not that I suppose 'tis done in a way of immediate Revelation, without any manner of use of the Memory; but yet there seems plainly to be an immediate and extraordinary Influence, in leading their Thoughts so such and such Passages of Scripture, and exciting them in the Memory. Indeed in some God seems to bring Texts of Scripture to their Minds no otherwise than by leading them into such Frames and Meditations, as harmonize with those Scriptures; but in many Persons there seems to be something more than this.