N13259:283
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.
THEREFORE GOD'S means, the means which he hath instituted for us, are doubtless the best, and most conducive to lead men to repentance and salvation. They are doubtless far better than any other, which we can devise.
2. HENCE we learn the dreadful hardness of men's hearts, as the word of GOD hath no more influence upon them, and as they are no more moved and wrought upon by those best means, which infinite wisdom hath provided. The warnings of the word of GOD are, as you have heard, better and more powerful means, than if one should rise from the dead to warn us, and tell us our danger, and the dreadfulness of the wrath of GOD. You have also heard that if these means will not answer the end of awakening and leading sinners to repentance, no other will, neither the working of miracles, nor the hearing of GOD speak with an audible voice from heaven, nor any thing else.—Yet how few are there, who are effectually wrought upon by the word of GOD! They are very thinly sown; there is but here and there one.
WHEN we read how the children of Israel conducted themselves in the wilderness, how often they murmured and offended; we are ready to wonder at the hardness of their hearts. And when we read the history of CHRIST, and how the Jews halted and rejected him notwithstanding his many miracles; we are ready to wonder how they could be so (doubt)hard-hearted. But we have as much reason to wonder at ourselves; for we have naturally the same sort of hearts that they had; and sinners in these days manifest a• hardness of heart as much to be wondered at, in that they are not influenced by the word of GOD; for they who will not hear Moses and the prophets, ⟨p. 108⟩JESUS CHRIST and his apostles, neither would be persuaded, if one should rise from the dead, or if an angel should come from heaven.