N13259:279
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.
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.
The scripture is full of instances, which are sufficient to convince us, that if the word of GOD will not awaken and convert sinners, nothing will.—And we see enough in these days to convince us of it. Men sometimes meet with those things, by which we should not imagine, if we did not see it, and were not used to it, but that they would be thoroughly awakened and reformed. They sometimes hear the warnings of dying men, men who are expecting to go to hell. One would think, this would be enough to awaken them; and it may be they are affected with it for the present: but it does but just touch them; vanishes away and is gone like a puff of wind.
SOMETIMES sinners themselves are laid upon beds of sickness, and their lives hang in doubt before them. They are brought to the sides of the grave, and to ⟨p. 106⟩the very mouth of hell, and their hearts are full of terror and amazement. Yet if they recover they soon forget it and return to the ways of folly and wickedness.—Sometimes this is repeated; they are taken sick again, are again in extreme peril of death, their hearts are full of amazement, and they make many promises and vows; yet being recovered they again soon forget all and return to sin and folly. Such things are enough to convince us, that if the word of GOD be not sufficient to convince men, and make them break off their sins, no external means would be sufficient.