N13259:277
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.
WOULD it be sufficient, if you could hear GOD speak from heaven, with your bodily ears? How was it, when there were such things? How was it in Moses's time, when they heard GOD speak out of the midst of the fire, and heard the voice of words exceeding loud and full of majesty, so that they exceedingly trembled? When they saw mount Sinai all covered with smoke, and shaking exceedingly? And when some of them saw GOD, saw the GOD of Israel and did eat and drink?—How did they be have themselves? Did they all of them turn from their sins, and after that walk in the ways of GOD?—It is true, they were very much affected at first, while it was a new and strange thing to them; but how hard-hearted and rebellious were they soon after? They did not scruple to rebel against this same great and glorious GOD. Yea they made a golden calf, while Moses was in the mount conversing with GOD, just after they had seen those dreadful appearances of divine majesty.
THUS they did from time to time rebel against the LORD, although they had seen so many miracles and ⟨p. 105⟩wonders in Egypt, at the red sea, and in the wilderness; although they continually saw the pillar of cloud and of fire going before them, were continually fed in a miraculous manner with manna; and in the same miraculous manner made to drink water out of the rock.
MEN are apt to think, that if they had lived in CHRIST'S time, and had seen and heard him, and had seen his miracles; that they would have effectually convinced and turned them from sin. But how was it in those times? How few were there brought to repentance, by all his discourses and miracles? How hard-hearted were they? Some were very much affected for a little while; but how few constant, steady followers had he! He was notwithstanding his miracles, rejected, despised and even murdered by the people, among whom he dwelt. And they were men of the same natures, of the same sort of hearts, as sinners in these days.