N13259:185
Sermons, on the following subjects
Sermons, on the following subjects; The manner in which salvation is to be sought. The unreasonableness of indetermination in religion. Unbelievers contemn the glory of Christ. The folly of looking back in fleeing out of Sodom. The warnings of Scripture in the best manner adapted to the awakening and conversion of sinners. Hypocrites deficient in the duty of prayer. The future punishment of the wicked unavoidable and intolerable. The eternity of hell-torments. The peace which Christ gives his true followers. The perpetuity & change of the Sabbath. / By the late Reverend Mr. Jonathan Edwards, president of the College of New-Jersey.
Hartford: printed by Hudson and Goodwin, 1780
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.
3. You may hence be led to see how worthless many of those things in yourselves are, that you have been ready to make much of. Particularly, if it be so that you set nothing by all the glory of Christ, then what are those desires that you have after Christ, good for? and that willingness that you think you find, to come to Christ?—Sinners are often wont to excuse themselves in their unbelief with this, that they see not but that they are wiling to come to Christ, and would gladly come to him if they could, and have great desires to come to him. And they make much of such a willingness and such desires, as though GOD were unjust to punish them for not coming to Christ, when they would gladly come to Christ if they could. But this doctrine shows that your willingness and desires to come to Christ, are not worthy to be mentioned as any excuse: for they are not ⟨p. 71⟩from any respect to Christ, but are merely forced▪ you at the same time set Christ at nought; or set nothing by all his excellency and glory.
SO you may hence learn the worthlessness of all your pains and endeavours after Christ. When sinners have taken a great deal of pains to get an interest in Christ, they are wont to make a righteousness of it; little considering that at the very time they are taking so much pains to get an interest in Christ, they set nothing at all by Christ, for any glory or excellency that there is in him; but set him wholly at nought, and seek him out of respect to their own interest.
4. HENCE learn how justly GOD might for ever refuse to give you an interest in Christ. For why should GOD give you any part or interest in him whom you set at nought, all whose glory and excellency you value not in the least, but rather trample it under your feet, and prefer the dirt before it.