N05272:130
A farewell-sermon preached at the first precinct in Northampton, after the people's public rejection…A farewel-sermon preached at the first precinct in Northampton, after the people's publick rejection…
A farewell-sermon preached at the first precinct in Northampton, after the people's public rejection of their minister, and renouncing their relation to him as pastor of the church there, on June 22, 1750. : Occasioned by difference of sentiments, concerning the requisite qualifications of members of the church, in complete standing. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. ; [Twelve lines of Scripture texts]A farewel-sermon preached at the first precinct in Northampton, after the people's publick rejection of their minister, and renouncing their relation to him as pastor of the church there, on June 22, 1750. : Occasion'd by difference of sentiments, concerning the requisite qualifications of members of the church, in compleat standing. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. ; [Twelve lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland over agianst the prison, 1751
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.
1. One Thing that greatly concerns you, as you would be an happy People, is the maintaining of Family Order.
We have had great Disputes how the Church ought to be regulated; and indeed the Subject of these Disputes was of great Importance: But the due Regulation of your Families is of no less, and in some Respects, of much greater Importance. Every Christian Family ought to be as it were a little Church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced & governed by his Rules. And Family Education and Order are some of the chief of the Means of Grace. If these fail, all other Means are like to prove ineffectual. If these are duly maintained, all the Means of Grace will be like to prosper and be successful.
We have had great Disputes how the Church ought to be regulated; and indeed the Subject of these Disputes was of great Importance: But the due Regulation of your Families is of no less, and in some Respects, of much greater Importance. Every Christian Family ought to be as it were a little Church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced & governed by his Rules. And Family Education and Order are some of the chief of the Means of Grace. If these fail, all other Means are like to prove ineffectual. If these are duly maintain'd, all the Means of Grace will be like to prosper and be successful.
Let me now therefore, once more, before I finally cease to speak to this Congregation, repeat and earnestly press the Counsel, which I have often urged on Heads of Families here, while I was their Pastor, to great Painfulness, in teaching, warning and directing their Children; bringing them up in the Nurture & Admonition of the Lord; beginning early, where there is yet Opportunity; and maintaining a constant Diligence in Labours of this Kind: Remembering that, as you would not have all your Instructions and Counsels ineffectual, there must be Government as well as Instructions, which must be maintained with an even Hand, and steady Resolution; as a Guard to the Religion and Morals of the