N13259:568
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.
But with respect to the peace which CHRIST gives, reason is its great friend. The more this faculty is exercised, the more it is established. The more they consider and view things with truth and exactness, the firmer is their comfort and the higher their joy. How vast a difference is there between the peace of a christian and the worldling! How miserable are they who can't enjoy peace any otherwise than by hiding their eyes from the light and confining themselves to darkness; whose peace is properly stupidity; as the ease that a man has, who has taken a dose of stupefying poison, and the ease and pleasure that a drunkard may have, in an house on fire over his head, or the joy of a distracted man in thinking that he is a king, though a miserable wretch confined in Bedlam. Whereas the peace that CHRIST gives his true disciples is the light of life, something of the tranquility of heaven, the peace of the celestial paradise that has the glory of GOD to lighten it.
But with respect to the peace which CHRIST gives, reason is its great friend. The more this faculty is exercised, the more it is established. The more they consider and view things with truth and exactness, the firmer is their comfort and the higher their joy. How vast a difference is there between the peace of a christian and the wordling! How miserable are they who can't enjoy peace any otherwise than by hiding their eyes from the light and confining themselves to darkness; whose peace is properly stupidity; as the ease that a man has, who has taken a dose of stupifying poison, and the ease and pleasure that a drunkard may have, in an house on fire over his head, or the joy of a distracted man in thinking that he is a king, though a miserable wretch confined in Bedlam. Whereas the peace that CHRIST gives his true disciples is the light of life, something of the tranquility of heaven, the peace of the celestial paradise that has the glory of GOD to lighten it.
2. CHRIST'S peace is a virtuous and holy peace. The peace that the men of the world enjoy is vicious; it is a vile stupidity that depraves and debases the mind and makes men brutish. But the peace that the saints enjoy in CHRIST, is not only their comfort, but it is a part of their beauty and dignity. The christian tranquility, rest and joy of real saints, are not only unspeakable privileges, but they are virtues and graces of GOD'S spirit, wherein the image of GOD