N05520:95
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.
This the Devils, and Damned in Hell are, and forever will be entirely destitute of. This the Devils once had, while they stood in their Integrity; but this they wholly lost, when ⟨p. 34⟩they fell: And this is the only Thing that can be mentioned, pertaining to the Devil's Apprehension and Sense of the divine Being, that he did lose. Nothing else belonging to the Knowledge of GOD, can be devised, that he is destitute of. It has been observed, that there is no one Attribute of the divine Nature, but what he is sensible of, and knows, and has a strong and very affecting Conviction of; and this I think is evident, and undeniable. But the supreme Beauty of the divine Nature, he is altogether blind to: He sees no more of it, than a Man born perfectly blind does of Colours. The great Sight he has of the Attributes of GOD, gives him an Idea, and strong Sense of his awful Majesty, but no Idea of his Beauty and Comeliness. Tho' he has seen so much of GOD's wonderful Works of Power, Wisdom, Holiness, Justice and Truth, and his wonderful Works of Grace to Mankind, this so many Thousand Years, and has had Occasion to observe them with the strongest Attention: Yet all serves not to give him the least Sense of his divine Beauty. And tho' the Devils should continue to exercise their mighty Powers of Mind, with the strongest Intention; and should take Things in all possible Views, in every Order and Arrangement; yet they never will see this. So little akin, is the Knowledge they have to this, that the great Degrees of that Knowledge, bring them no nearer to it. Yet, the more Knowledge they have of GOD, of that Kind, the more do they hate GOD. That wherein the Beauty of the divine Nature, does most essentially consist, viz. his Holiness, or moral Excellency, appears, in their Eyes, furthest from Beauty: 'Tis on that very Account chiefly that he appears hateful to 'em. The more Holiness they see in him, the more hateful he appears: The greater their Sight is of his Holiness, the higher is their Hatred of him raised. And because of their Hatred of his Holiness, they hate him the more, the more they see of his other Attributes. They would hate a holy Being, whatever his other Attributes were; but they hate such a holy Being the worse, for his being infinitely wise, and infinitely powerful, &c. more than they would do, if they saw in him less Power, and less Wisdom.
This the Devils, and Damned in Hell are, and forever will be entirely destitute of. This the Devils once had, while they stood in their Integrity; but this they wholly lost, when