N13259:303
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.
2. AFTER they have obtained an hope, and have made profession of their good estate, they often continue for a while in the duty of secret prayer. For a while they are affected with their hope: they think that GOD hath delivered them out of a natural condition and given them an interest in CHRIST, thus introducing them into a state of safety from that eternal misery, which they lately feared. With this supposed kindness of GOD to them, they are much affected, and often find in themselves, for a while, a kind of love to GOD, excited by his supposed love to them. Now while this affection towards GOD continues, the duties of religion seem pleasant to them; it is even with some delight that they approach to GOD in their closets; and for the present, it may be, they think of no other than continuing to call upon GOD, as long as they live.
YEA they may continue in the duty of secret prayer for a while after the liveliness of their affections is past; partly through the influence of their former intentions: They intended to continue seeking GOD always; and now suddenly to leave off, would therefore be too shocking to their own minds. And partly through the force of their own preconceived notions, and what they have always believed, viz. that godly persons do continue in religion, and that their goodness is not like the morning cloud. Therefore, ⟨p. 114⟩though they have no love to the duty of prayer and begin to grow weary of it; yet as they love their own hope, they are some-what backward to take a course, which will prove it to be a false hope, and so deprive them of it.
IF they should at once carry themselves so as they have always been taught is a sign of a false hope, they would scare themselves. Their hope is dear to them, and it would scare them to see any plain evidence that it is not true. Hence, for a considerable time after the force of their illuminations and affections is over, and after they hate the duty of prayer, and would be glad to have done with it, if they could, without showing themselves to be hypocrites; they hold up a kind of attendance upon the duty of secret prayer.—This may keep up the outside of religion in them for a good while, and occasion it to be some what slowly, that they are brought to neglect it. They must not leave off suddenly, because that would be too great a shock to their false peace. But they must come gradually to it, as they find their consciences can bear it, and as they can find out devices and salvo's to cover over the matter, and make their so doing consistent, in their own opinion, with the truth of their hope. But