N13259:364
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 scriptures particularly in•••t upon watchfulness in order to perseverance in the duty of prayer. Watch and pray, saith CHRIST; which implies that we should watch unto prayer, as the apostle Peter says 1. Pet. iv. 7. It implies that we should watch against a neglect of prayer, as well as against other sins. The apostle in places which have been already mentioned, directs us to pray with all prayer, watching thereunto with all perseverance, and to continue in prayer and watch in the same.—Nor is it any wonder that the apostles so much insisted on watching in order to a continuance in prayer with all perseverance; for there are many temptations to neglect this duty; first to be inconstant in it, and from time to time to omit it; then in a great measure to neglect it. The devil watches by temptation to draw us away from GOD, and to hinder us from going to him in prayer. We are surrounded with one and another tempting object, business, and diversion: particularly we meet with many things, which are great temptations to a neglect of this duty.
3. To move you to persevere in the duty of prayer, consider how much you always stand in need of the help of GOD. If persons, who have formerly attended this duty, leave it off, the language of it is, that now they stand in no further need of GOD'S help, that they have no further occasion to go to GOD with requests and supplications: when indeed it is in GOD we live, and move and have our being. We cannot draw a breath without his help. You need his help every day for the supply of your outward wants; and ⟨p. 138⟩especially you stand in continual need of him to help your souls. Without his protection they would immediately fall into the hands of the devil, who always stands as a roaring lion, ready, whenever he is permitted, to fall upon the souls of men and devour them.—If GOD should indeed preserve your lives, but should otherwise forsake and leave you to yourselves, you would be most miserable: your lives would be a curse to you.