N13259:361
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. IN order to your own perseverance in the way of duty, your own care and watchfulness is necessary. For though it be promised that true saints shall persevere, yet that is no argument that their care and watchfulness is not necessary in order to it; because their care to keep the commands of GOD, is the thing promised. If the saints should fail of care, watchfulness ⟨p. 136⟩and diligence to persevere in holiness, that failure of their care and diligence would itself be a failure of holiness. They who persevere hot in watchfulness and diligence, persevere not in holiness of life, for holiness of life very much consists in watchfulness and diligence to keep the commands of GOD. It is one promise of the covenant of grace, that the saints shall keep GOD'S commandments. Ezek. xi. 19, 20.—Yet that is no argument that they have no need to take care to keep these commandments, or to do their duty. So the promise of GOD that the saints shall persevere in holiness is no argument that it is not necessary, that they should take heed left they fall away.
THEREFORE the scriptures abundantly warn men to watch over themselves diligently, and to give earnest heed least they fall away. 1 Cor. xv. 13. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 1 Cor. x. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. Heb. iii. 12, 13, 14. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living GOD; but exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of CHRIST, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.