N05520:87
True grace, distinguished from the experience of devils; in a sermon, preached before the…
True grace, distinguished from the experience of devils; in a sermon, preached before the Synod of New-York, convened at New-Ark, in New-Jersey, on September 28. N.S. 1752. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the Church of Christ in Stockbridge in New-England. ; (Printed by the desire of the synod.) : [Four lines from II. Corinthians]
New-York: printed by James Parker, 1753
Title page typeset from the transcription.
TRUE GRACE, Distinguished from the EXPERIENCE OF DEVILS. › IMPROVEMENT.
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.
Let the Things which have been observed, put all on examining themselves, and enquiring whether they have any better Evidences of saving Grace, than such as have been mentioned.
We see how the infallible Spirit of GOD, in the Text, plainly represents the Things the Devils are the Subjects of, as no sure Sign of Grace. And we have now, in some Instances, observed how far the Devils, and damned Men go, and will go in their Experience, their Knowledge of divine Things, their Belief of Truth, their Awakenings and Terrors of Conscience, their Conviction of Guilt, and of the Justice of GOD, in their eternal dreadful Damnation, their Longings after Salvation, their Sight of the external Glory of CHRIST, and heavenly Things; their Sense of the vast Importance of the Things of ⟨p. 31⟩Religion, and another World; their Sense of the awful Greatness and terrible Majesty of GOD, yea, of all GOD's Attributes. These Things may well put us on serious Self-Examination, whether we have any Thing to Evidence our good Estate, beyond what the Devils are the Subjects of. CHRIST said to his Disciples, Except-your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no Case, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: So the Spirit of CHRIST, in his Apostle James, does in Effect, say, in my Text, except what you Experience in your Souls, go beyond the Experiences of Devils, ye shall, in no Case, enter into the Kingdom of GOD.
Here, it may be, some will be ready to say, I have something besides all these Things, which have been mentioned; I have Things which the Devils have not, even Love and Joy.