N13259:561
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. THIS peace which CHRIST has left as a legacy to his true followers, is his peace. It is the peace which himself enjoys. This is what I take to be that which is principally intended in the expression. It is the peace that he enjoyed while on earth, in his state of humiliation; though he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and was every where hated and persecuted by men and devils, and had no place of rest in this world; yet in GOD his father he had peace. We read of his rejoicing in spirit, Luke x. 21. SO CHRIST'S true disciples, though in the world they have tribulation, yet in GOD have peace.
WHEN CHRIST had finished his labours and sufferings and rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven; then he entered into his rest, and into a state of most blessed perfect and everlasting peace: delivered by his own sufferings from our imputed guilt, acquitted and justified of the father on his resurrection; having obtained a perfect victory over all his enemies; was received of his father into heaven, the rest which he had prepared for him, there to enjoy his hearts desire fully and perfectly to all eternity. And then were those words in the six first verses of the 21st Psalm, which have respect to CHRIST, fulfilled. This peace and rest of the Messiah is doubtless exceeding glorious. Isai. xi. 10. And his rest shall be glorious. This rest is what CHRIST has procured not only for himself, but also his people, by his death; and has bequeathed it to them that they may enjoy it with him, imperfectly in this world and perfectly and eternally in another world.
THAT peace, which has been described, which believers enjoy, is a participation of the peace which their glorious Lord and master himself enjoys, by virtue of the same blood of CHRIST, by which CHRIST himself has entered into rest; it is in a participation of this same justification: for believers are justified with CHRIST. As he was justified when he rose from the dead, and as he was made free from our guilt which he had as our surety; so believers are justified in him and through him. It is as being accepted of GOD in the same righteousness: It is in the favour of the same GOD and heavenly father, that they enjoy peace. I ascend to my father and your father, to my GOD and your GOD. It is in a participation of the same spirit; for believers have the spirit of CHRIST. He had the spirit given to him not by