N18020:52
A sermon preached at New-Ark, in New-Jersey, before the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia,…
A sermon preached at New-Ark, in New-Jersey, before the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia, by the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, late president of the college in New-Jersey: ; entitled, True grace, distinguished from the experience of devils. ; [Two lines from James]
printed by Loring Andrews, 1791
Title page typeset from the transcription.
TRUE GRACE, Distinguished from the EXPERIENCE OF DEVILS. › IMPROVEMENT.
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.
Indeed there will be no submission in them. Their conscience will be fully convinced, that GOD is just in their condemnation; but yet their wills will not be bowed ⟨p. 21⟩to GOD's justice. There will be no acquiescence of mind, in that divine attribute; no yielding of the soul to GOD's sovereignty, but the highest degree of enmity and opposition. A true submission of the heart and will, to the justice and sovereignty of GOD, is therefore allowed to be something peculiar to true converts, being something which the Devils and damned souls are, and ever will be far from; and which a mere work of the law, and convictions of conscience, however great and clear, will never bring men to.
Indeed there will be no submission in them. Their conscience will be fully convinced, that GOD is just in their condemnation; but yet their wills will not be bowed ⟨p. 21⟩to GOD's justice. There will be no acquiescence of mind, in that divine attribute; no yielding of the soul to GOD's sovereignty, but the highest degree of enmity and opposition. A true submission of the heart and will, to the justice and sovereignty of GOD, is therefore allowed to be something peculiar to true converts, being something which the Devils and damned souls are, and ever will be far from; and which a meer work of the law, and convictions of conscience, however great and clear, will never bring men to.
When sinners are the subjects of great convictions of conscience, and a remarkable work of the law; 'tis only a transacting the business of the day of Judgment, in the conscience before hand: GOD sits enthroned in the conscience, as at the last day he will sit enthroned in the cloud of heaven; the sinner is arraigned, as it were, at GOD's bar; and GOD appears in his awful greatness, as a just and holy, sin-hating and sin revenging GOD, as he will then. The sinners iniquities are brought to light; his sins set in order before him; the hidden things of darkness, and the counsels of the heart are made manifest; as it will be then: Many witnesses do, as it were, rise up against the sinner under convictions of conscience; as they will against the wicked at the day of judgment: And the books are opened, particularly the book of GOD's strict and holy law, is opened in the conscience, and its rules applied for the condemnation of the sinner; which is the book that will be opened at the day of Judgment, as the grand rule of Judgment, to all such wicked men as have lived under it: And the sentence of the law is pronounced against the sinner; and the justice of the sentence made manifest; as it will be at the day of Judgment. The conviction of a sinner at the day of Judgment, will be a work of the law, as well as the conviction of conscience in this world And the work of the law (if the work be merely legal) be sure, is never carried further in the consciences of sinners now, than it will be at that day, when it's work will be perfect, in thoroughly stopping the sinner's