N13259:317
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.
THE spirit of a true convert is a spirit of faith and reliance on the power, wisdom and mercy of GOD, and such a spirit is naturally expressed in prayer. True prayer is nothing else but faith expressed. Hence ⟨p. 119⟩we read of the prayer of faith; James v. 15. True Christian prayer is the faith and reliance of the soul breathed forth in words. But an hypocrite is without the spirit of faith. He hath no true reliance or dependence on God, but is really self-dependent.
AS to those common convictions and affections, which the hypocrite had, and which made him keep up the duty of prayer for a while; they not reaching the bottom of the heart, nor being accompanied with any change of nature, a little thing extinguishes them. The cares of the world commonly choke and suffocate them, and often the pleasures and vanities of youth totally put an end to them, and with them ends their constant practice of the duty of prayer.
2. WHEN an hypocrite hath had his false conversion, his wants are in his sense of things already supplied, his desires are already answered; and so he finds no further business at the throne of grace. He never was sensible that he had any other needs, but a need of being safe from hell. And now that he is converted, as he thinks, that need is supplied. Why then should he still go on to resort to the throne of grace with earnest requests? He is out of danger: all that he was afraid of is removed: he hath got enough to carry him to heaven, and what more should he desire?—While he was under awakenings he had this to stir him up to go to GOD in prayer, that he was in continual fear of hell. This put him upon crying to GOD for mercy. But since in his own opinion he is converted, he hath no further business about which to go to GOD. And although he may keep up the duty of prayer in the outward form a little while, for fear of spoiling his hope; yet he will find a dull business of continuing it without any need […] necessity, and so by degrees he will let drop the