N13259:347
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.
5. IF you live in the neglect of secret prayer, you show your goodwill to neglect all the worship of GOD. He that prays only when he prays with others, would not pray at all, were it not, that the eyes of others are upon him. He that will not pray where none but GOD seeth him, manifestly doth not pray at all out of respect to GOD, or regard to his all seeing eye, and therefore doth in effect cast off all prayer. And he that casts off prayer, in effect casts off all the worship of GOD, of which prayer is the principal duty. Now what a miserable saint is he, who is no worshipper of GOD! He that casts off the worship of GOD, in effect casts off GOD himself: he refuses to own him, or to be conversant with him as his God. For the way in which men own GOD and are conversant with him as their GOD, is by worshipping him.
6. How can you expect to dwell with GOD forever if you so neglect and forsake him here? This your practice shows, that you place not your happiness in GOD, in nearness to him, and communion with him. He who refuses to come and visit, and converse with a friend, and who in a great measure forsake him, when he is abundantly invited and importuned to come; plainly shows that he places not his happiness in the company and conversation of that friend. Now if this be the case with you respecting GOD, then how can you expect to have it for your happiness to all eternity, to be with GOD, and to enjoy holy communion with him?
LET those persons who hope they are converted, and yet have in a great measure left off the duty of secret prayer, and whose manner it is ordinarily to neglect it, for their own sake seriously consider these ⟨p. 131⟩things. For what will profit them to please themselves with that, while they live, which will fail them at last, and leave them in fearful and amazing disappointment?