N04195:53
The great concern of a watchman for souls, appearing in the duty he has…
The great concern of a watchman for souls, appearing in the duty he has to do, and the account he has to give, represented & improved, in a sermon preached at the ordination of the Reverend Mr. Jonathan Judd, to the pastoral office over the Church of Christ, in the new precinct at Northampton, June 8. 1743. / By Jonathan Edwards, M.A. Pastor of the First Church of Christ in Northampton. ; [Four lines from Ezra]The great concern of a watchman for souls, appearing in the duty he has to do, and the account he has to give, represented & improved, in a sermon preach'd at the ordination of the Reverend Mr. Jonathan Judd, to the pastoral office over the Church of Christ, in the new precinct at Northampton, June 8. 1743. / By Jonathan Edwards, M.A. Pastor of the First Church of Christ in Northampton. ; [Four lines from Ezra]
Boston: printed by Green for N. Procter, 1743
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 Case with you, Sir, is as if the Head of a Family, that was a great Prince, with a Number of Children in a strange Land, when going home to receive ⟨p. 26⟩a Kingdom, should leave his Children behind him, and commit them to the Care of a Servant, safely to conduct them through' a dangerous Wilderness, and bring 'em home to him; in which Case, he has their Health and Lives committed to his Care, as well as their future Glory in his Kingdom. With what Care and Watchfulness would it be expected of a Servant that he should execute his Office in such a Case! And surely if he fails of being thoroughly careful and watchful, after he has taken upon him so great a Charge, and any sad Disaster should be the Consequence of his Unfaithfulness; it will most justly be required of him that he should answer it, and he will inexcusably fall under his Master's heaviest Displeasure.
The Case with you, Sir, is as if the Head of a Family, that was a great Prince, with a Number of Children in a strange Land, when going home to receive ⟨p. 26⟩a Kingdom, should leave his Children behind him, and commit them to the Care of a Servant, safely to conduct them thro' a dangerous Wilderness, and bring 'em home to him; in which Case, he has their Health and Lives committed to his Care, as well as their future Glory in his Kingdom. With what Care and Watchfulness would it be expected of a Servant that he should execute his Office in such a Case! And surely if he fails of being thoroughly careful and watchful, after he has taken upon him so great a Charge, and any sad Disaster should be the Consequence of his Unfaithfulness; it will most justly be required of him that he should answer it, and he will inexcusably fall under his Master's heaviest Displeasure.
And suffer me, Sir, to put you in Mind of the Account you must give to your Master of these Souls he seems this Day to be about to commit to you: You are to watch for these Souls as one that must give Account. If any one of these Souls should be missing hereafter, having been lost under your Ministry, it will be demanded of you another Day, by your great Lord, What is become of such a Soul? Here are not all the Souls that I committed to you to bring home to me; there is such an one missing; What is become of it? Has it perished through' your Neglect! If you are able to say at that Time, Lord, it was not through' my Neglect; I have done what in me lay for his Salvation; I ceased not to warn and counsel and reprove him, and faithfully set before him his Danger, and have not forborne to