THE UNREASONABLENESS OF INDETERMINATION IN RELIGION

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THE UNREASONABLENESS OF INDETERMINATION IN RELIGION

What for Edwards in May was "greatest madness," the possible rejection by the young of the pleasant ways of virtue, becomes in June "infinite madness," the continued ambivalence of their elders in the affair of religion. Caught between two opinions, the young people are variously "halted," "unresolved," "wavering," "unsettled," "undetermined," "in suspense," and "in doubt." Like the Israelites of the text, they are undecided and silent about divinity, whether Jehovah or Mammon; like the Jews of the gospel account, they are wary and uncertain about a redeemer, whether Christ or a "mere impostor" like Christians from childhood on, they are unsure and hesitant about the things of religion, whether fact or fable. Perhaps, Edwards suggests, appetite defines their irresolution: they crave both heaven and earth, salvation and sin; but that, he warns, mistakes the divine will, and the conjunction. God's is the uncompromising or—heaven or earth, salvation or sin—and it occurs in this lecture nearly a hundred times.

The failure of the young to choose leaves unrecognized its consequences, the portion God allots his people: heaven with self-denial, hell with "eternal misery 'tached." Sometimes they choose neither, dividing heaven from holiness to have heaven, and sin from hell to have sin; in "smooth" times they may choose heaven and holiness, only to surrender both to difficulty. Their vacillation "practically" serves Satan, for religion consists in practice, not theory, Edwards reminds them; their indecision fixes them in hell. More baffling is their unreasonableness. Not only are they indifferent to their self-interest, busying their minds with matters at "vast odds" to their welfare, but they refuse their gift of being, reason itself. They neither search nor question arguments infinitely important to them, neither weigh nor consider them, but remain silent and starkly ignorant. Even when their choice is narrowed, in the Deuteronomic phrase, between "life and death, blessing and cursing," and God guides them with "clear sunshine," they stand in "their own light," forsaking his glory. And when they do reason, they reason falsely. Delaying now with the prospect of choosing later, they leave to God their eternal sentence, "and that

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quickly," because any opportunity afforded them in life ends with it; relying on tradition, family, or community as the "main reason" for religion belief, not their heart, they falter before temptation or doubt. They have "no reason" to expect a better offer hereafter, no reason to put off a determination, yet they continue unmoved. So Edwards concludes with a prescription for self-examination, four signs of religious disaffection—keeping duties at a "little distance"; observing some at the expense of others; obeying them only by turns; and shirking those that prove inconvenient—and a warning, that God will cast such dithering souls with "right-down heathens." That, he submits, is the "sad and fatal experience" of uncertainty.

Coming as it does after a winter's talk of declension, the formal explication of the sermon seems to trace more than the biblical context. "It was a time of sore famine in Israel," Edwards begins, "neither rain nor dew" fell upon the land for three and half years; "the folly of idolatry" was abroad. Elijah, God's messenger, brings his offer to "answer by fire" the question of his divinity, but the Israelites, according to the text, "answered him not a word." So in a dead time in Northampton, Edwards, Christ's minister, lays before his people the burning question of faith and the hope of a more reasonable answer, the profound dilemma of their uneasy age.

* * *

The manuscript of twelve duodecimo leaves bears the usual (and frequent) marks of repreaching—the different ink of deletions, additions, and interlineations—but as well some of the specifics of it. At the top right of the first leaf, Edwards writes that he gave it as a lecture in June 1734, and at the top left that he delivered it again to the Stockbridge Indians in July 1752; between these dates is the familiar sorting note, "No. 20, " probably in another hand. Lower on the page, after the text, Edwards enters in shorthand "a second time from Joshua 24:15, " a text about the choice of gods, the god of the fathers and the god of the Amorites, which he delivered in March 1743 and again three years later as the quarterly lecture; to its right and slightly above, spelled out, is "at Windsor" and below that, in another hand, "published."1 The shorthand notation "preached at Northampton a third time" appears on the ninth leaf after the first head of the first use of the Application; there is slight damage to six leaves. In short, the condition of the manuscript confirms its popularity.

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THE UNREASONABLENESS OF INDETERMINATION IN RELIGION
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 1 Kings 18:21

'Tis God's manner, before he bestows any signal or remarkable mercy on a people, first to prepare them for it; and before he removes any awful judgment that he has brought upon them for their sins, first to bring them to forsake those sins that procured those judgments.

We have an instance of it in this chapter wherein is the text.2 It was a time of sore famine in Israel. There had been neither rain nor dew for the space of three years and six months. This famine was brought upon the land for their idolatry; but God was now about to remove that judgment, and therefore to fit and prepare them for it, sends Elijah to convince them of the folly of idolatry, and to bring 'em to repentance of it. In order to that, Elijah by the command of the Lord goes and shows himself to Ahab, and directs him to send and gather to him "all Israel to Mt. Carmel, and all the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves that eat at Jezebel's table, four hundred," in order to determine the matter, and bring the controversy to an issue,3 whether Jehovah or Baal was God. In order to which, Elijah proposes that each should take his bullock, he would take one and the prophets of Baal another, and should "cut it [in] pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under," and that the God that4 should "answer by fire" should be concluded to be God.

The text contains an account of what passed between Elijah and the people at their first meeting. "Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him:

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but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." In which I would observe,

1. How Elijah expostulates with the people about their halting so long between two opinions; in which expostulations may be observed,

(1) What the two opinions were that they halted between, viz. whether the Lord was God, or whether Baal was God. The case in Israel seems to be this: there were some that were altogether for Baal, and wholly rejected the true God, of which number besure5 was Jezebel and Baal's prophets.

And there were some others among them that were altogether for the God of Israel, and wholly rejected Baal; as God tells Elijah, that he had yet left in Israel seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal, and whose mouths had not kissed him (1 Kings 19:18).

But the rest of the people halted as it were between two opinions. They see some were for one and others for the other, and they did not know which to choose. And as is commonly the case when difference of opinions prevails, there were many that had no religion at all: they were not settled in anything: the different opinions that there was in Israel distracted and confounded them. Many that professed the true God were yet very cold and indifferent, and many very wavering and unsettled. They see that the King and the Queen was for Baal, and Baal's party was the prevailing party; but their forefathers had been for the Lord, and they knew not which was right. Thus they halted between two opinions.

(2) In this expostulation is implied the unreasonableness of their thus halting between. "How long halt ye, if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." Which implies that they ought to determine one way or the other. But,

2. We may observe their silence upon it—"And the people answered him not a word"—as being convicted in their own conscience of the unreasonableness of their being so long wavering and unresolved. They had nothing to reply in excuse for themselves.

DOCTRINE.

The unresolvedness of many persons in religion is very unreasonable.

Prop. I. Many persons continue exceedingly undetermined with respect to the things of religion: they are very much undetermined in themselves,

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whether to embrace religion or reject it. Many that are baptized and make a profession of religion, and seem to be Christians, are yet in their own minds halting between two opinions: they never yet come fully to a conclusion whether to be Christians or not.

They are taught the Christian religion in their childhood, and have the Bible and the Word preached, and the means of grace all their days, but continue and grow up, and many grow old, in an unresolvedness in that matter whether to embrace Christianity or no; and many continue unresolved as long as they live.

First. There are some persons that have never come to a settled determination in their own minds, whether there be any truth in religion or no. They hear of the things of religion all their days, from their childhood up but never come to a conclusion in their own minds, whether they are real or fabulous. 

Some never have come to any determination in their own minds, whether there be any such thing as conversion or no. They hear much talk about [it], and know that many pretend to such a thing; but they are never resolved, whether all ben't mere designed hypocrisy and imposture, or the mere notions of whimsical persons. 

Some never have come to any determination in their own minds, whether the Scriptures be the word of God, or whether it ben't the invention of man, and whether the story about Jesus Christ be anything but a fable. They fear it is true, but sometimes very much doubt of it. 

Sometimes when they hear arguments for it, they give an assent to it that it is true; but upon every little objection or temptation that arises, they call it in question, and are always wavering, and never settled about it.

With some, their prevailing thought is that the Scriptures are not the word of God; but yet they never come to a determination about it. Some grow old, and never determine that point.

So it seems to have been with many of the Jews in Christ's time. They were always at a loss what to make of him, whether Christ, or Elias, or one of the old prophets, or a mere impostor. John 10:24–25, "Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not."

Some have never come to a resolution in their own minds so much as whether there be a God or not. They don't know that there is, and oftentimes very much doubt of it.

Second. There are some that never have come to any determination in their minds, whether to embrace religion in the practice of it. Religion don't consist merely or chiefly in theory or speculation, but in practice.

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It is a practical thing. The end of it is to guide and influence us in our practice. And [many] consider it in this view. And there are multitudes that never have come to a conclusion in their {own minds}, whether to embrace religion or no.

'Tis probably pretty general for men to design to be religious sometime or other before they die; for none intend to go to hell. But they keep it at a distance: they put it off from time to time: they never come to any conclusion that shall determine them in their present practice. There are some that never so much as limit any time. They design to be religious sometime before they die, but they don't know when.

There are many that have always hitherto continued unresolved about the necessity of striving, and being earnestly engaged for salvation. They flatter themselves that they may obtain salvation, though they ben't so earnestly set, though they mind the world and worldly affairs more than salvation. 

They are often told how necessary it is that they should make haste and not delay, that they should do whatever their hand finds to do with their might, that they should be violent, that a dull, slack way of seeking salvation is never likely to be effective; but they are never convinced of it. 

Some seem to resolve to be in earnest, and set out with some engagedness of mind, but soon fail, because they never have been fully6 convinced of the necessity of it.

Many never have come to a determination, what to make choice of for their portion. There are but two things that God offers to mankind for their portion: one is this world with the pleasures and profits of sin, together with eternal misery ensuing; the other is heaven and eternal glory, with a life of self-denial and respect to all God's commandments preceding. 

Many continue as long as they live without coming to any settled determination in their own minds which of these to choose. They must have one or the other, and can't have both; but they are always held in suspense, never make their choice. They have a mind to have both: they would have heaven and the world, too; they would have salvation, and the pleasure and profits of sin, too.

But considering heaven and the world as God offers them, they would have neither. 

God offers heaven only with the self-denial and difficulty that is in the way to it, and they ben't willing to have heaven thus. And God offers the world and the pleasures of sin to man not alone, but with eternal misery tached7 to it, and so they ben't willing to have the world neither.

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They would fain divide heaven from the holiness and self-denial that is the way to it, and then they would be glad to have heaven; and they would fain divide sin from hell, and then they will fully determine forever to cleave to sin.

But God won't make such a division for them. 

They must have one or other of these for their portion as God offers, and therefore they never make any choice at all. Indeed they do practically, and in effect, choose sin and hell; but they don't come to any resolution in their own minds, which they will have for their portion, whether heaven and holiness, or the world and hell. 

They are always wavering and halting between two opinions. 

Sometimes they seem to determine for the one, and sometimes for the other. In smooth times, and when they meet with no difficulty or temptation, and can do their duty without hurting themselves, or crossing their carnal inclinations, then they seem to choose heaven and holiness. 

At another time, when they meet with difficulty in the way of duty, and great temptation of worldly profit or pleasure are laid before them, then they choose the world, and let heaven and holiness alone. We have vast multitudes amongst us that, these two things have been set before them hundreds of times, have never to this day come to a determination with themselves which to have.

So they never have determined yet which shall be their master, whether God or Mammon. There are but few that have undertaken the service of God, and are come to a resolution and preparedness of mind, that they would serve God, and follow Christ at all times, and whatever difficulties it might expose them to; and yet at the same time neither are they determined that they will continue to serve Satan. They are afraid to draw up such a conclusion. 

Thus many do spend away their lives without making their choice, putting that off, though they do in the meantime practically choose the service of Satan.

These are the persons that the apostle James speaks of in the James 1:8, "A double-minded8 man is unstable in all his ways."

[Prop.] II. A continuing thus undetermined and unresolved in the things of religion, is very unreasonable; and that upon the following accounts:

First. The things of religion are things that do concern our interest to the greatest degree. The truth or falsehood of the doctrines of religion concerns us to the greatest degree possible. It is no matter of indifference

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to us, whether there be a God or no; or whether the Scriptures be the word of God or no; whether Christ be [the] son of God {or no}; whether [there be] such a thing as conversion {or no}. It makes an infinite odds to us, whether these things are so or not. We are therefore under the greatest obligation in point of interest to resolve in our own minds, whether they are true or false.

How unreasonably are they that are undetermined, whether there be any truth in religion or no, and are contented to be, so don't inquire nor use any thorough means to be determined. They remain in doubt whether there be any such thing as an heaven or hell, and are quiet, and easy to continue ignorant in this matter; ben't engaged in their minds to come to a resolve; don't search and inquire what arguments there are to prove any such thing, nor diligently weigh and consider the force of them; but busy their minds about other things of infinitely less importance; act as if they thought that it did not much concern them, whether there was a future and eternal state.

If they think that there is not, yet it is a matter of so great importance that no wise man would rest till he had satisfied himself; because if there be such a future state as the Scriptures tell us of, then we must have our portion, either in a state of eternal rewards or punishments.

So it is no matter of indifference to us what we have for our portion, whether this world with hell, or a life of holiness and self-denial with heaven. 

These opposite portions don't relate only to a few days in this world, but they relate to eternity. It is infinite madness therefore to neglect to come to a determination. 

So it is no matter of indifference what master we serve, whether God or Mammon; and what interest we will pursue, whether our temporal or eternal; and which we will prefer, whether God's commands or our pleasures, our ease and convenience. Doubtless it makes a vast odds, one way or t'other. We ought therefore to come to some determination which we will choose.

Second. God has made us reasonable creatures, and capable of rationally determining for ourselves. God has made us capable of a good acquaintance with these things that do especially concern our interest. 

Doubtless God has made man capable of discovering the truth in matters of religion, of coming to a good resolve in these questions: whether the Scriptures be the word of God, whether there be a future state, and the like. 

The resolution of these questions that so nearly concerns us to determine, ben't above our reach. God has not set these things above the reach of our faculties.

So God has made us capable of making a wise choice for ourselves. 

He

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has given man so much understanding, as to make him capable of determining which is best; either to [live] a life of self-denial, and enjoy eternal happiness; or to take our swing in sinful enjoyments, and burn in hell forever. The thing is of no difficult determination. 'Tis so far from being a matter too hard for our reason that the reason of a child is sufficient to determine this matter. 

Men therefore in continuing undetermined in these matters, don't act as reasonable creatures, but make themselves like "the horse and the mule, which have no understanding" (Psalms 32:9).

Third. 'Tis a glorious opportunity that God puts into our hands, that we may determine for ourselves. What more glorious opportunity can a man desire for the consulting his own interest, than to have the liberty given him to choose his own portion, to choose his own happiness. 

God sets life and death before us. Deuteronomy 30:19, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed after thee may live." Ezekiel 18:31–32, Ezekiel 33:11.9

What better opportunity can we desire for the making ourselves, than to have eternal life, unchangeable happiness, set before us, and offered to our choice?

Therefore those that neglect coming to a resolution act unreasonably, because they stand so much in their own light, and miss so glorious an opportunity.

Fourth. The things among which we are to make our choice, are but few in number. There are but two portions set before us, one of which must be our portion. 'Tis either life or death, blessing or cursing; either a life of universal and perseverant obedience with eternal glory, or a worldly, carnal, wicked life with eternal misery.

If there were many terms of the offer that are made, many things of near or equal value, one of which we must choose, a continuing long in suspense and undetermined would be more excusable; there would be more reason for our long deliberating, before we could fix. 

But there are but two. 

There are but two states in another world, in one or the other of which we must be fixed to all eternity. And there are but two states in this world, a state of sin and a state of holiness, a natural state and a converted state. 

There is but one way in which we can come to life, which renders the determination of reason much the easier. 

There are but two masters, one of which we must be reputed the servants, either Baal or Jehovah, either

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God or Mammon. 

There are but two that are competitors for the possession of us, either Christ or the devil.

There are but two paths, one of which you are to travel in, either the strait and narrow way that leads to life, or the broad way to destruction. 

This shows the unreasonableness of those who live under light, and have the offers of the gospel made to them, that they continue from year to year unfixed and undetermined, halting between two opinions.

Fifth. God has given us all needed helps to determine us. We have all needed helps to determine our understandings, as to the truth of the things of religion, whether there be a God, and whether {the Scriptures be the word of God}. We ben't left in the dark as to these things as the poor heathen are, who are under great disadvantages to come to the knowledge of the truth, though they ben't under an impossibility; for "they may haply feel after God, and find him" (Acts 17:27). 

But we have a clear sunshine to guide us: we have a particular description of these things that are set before us for truth: And we have a great deal of opportunity to examine [them]. The Scriptures lie open before us, and all the doctrines of the gospel are particularly set forth, with the evidences on which they are built. We may search, and try their force and sufficiency, as we will.

We have great helps to a wise and rational determination in our choice to determine us, whether it be best for us to choose a life of sin or a life of holiness, the service of God or the service of Baal. 

We have very plainly set before us the advantages of both sides. The loss and gain are particularly stated. Christ has dealt faithfully by [us], and has told us what we shall get, and what we shall lose, by being his followers; and he has told us what we shall get, and what we shall lose, by a life of sins. He has not dealt deceitfully by us. He han't pretended greater advantages in godliness than there really is, nor greater disadvantages or danger in sin. 

John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." He has told us plainly that if we will be his disciples, we must take up the cross daily, and follow him; hate [our] father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and our own life also; cut off [our] right hand, and cast it from us. We have a very fair opportunity to count the cost on both sides, and we are directed so to do (Luke 14:28).

How unreasonable therefore is it for persons, when they have all these helps and advantages, to continue {long} in suspense to come to no conclusion, whether they will be Christians or heathens, whether they will be for God or the devil; though they have lived under the preaching of the Word and offers of the gospel for many years.

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Sixth. They have no reason to expect to be under better advantage to determine hereafter than now. They never will have a clearer revelation of gospel truth, never will have the advantages and disadvantages of both sides more plainly set before them, than they are already in the Word of God. They are never like to be under better advantage to know what will be best for them and most for their interest. 

They gain nothing by delays, but only to give Satan more opportunity to darken their minds, to deceive them and lead them astray in their choice. Therefore their delay to come to a resolution is unreasonable. Whilst you have the light, walk in the light, lest darkness come [upon you]. There is a dreadful venture in delaying to come to a determination.

Seventh. If they don't come to a determination while in this life, God will determine for them, and will appoint them their portion with the wicked. If sinners, by refusing to choose either death or life, either heaven or hell, should thereby avoid both, or should have the matter remaining undetermined till they determined, the folly and unreasonableness of delaying a determination would not be so great. 

But that is not the case. 

But if they continue halting between two {opinions}, God will determine for 'em. If the determination ben't theirs, it shall be his, and that quickly. He'll determine where their portion [shall be], and that is among unbelievers in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone forever. God won't wait always upon them to see what they will choose; but he'll put an issue to the matter by his unalterable sentence.

Therefore it behooves persons to come soon to a determination, if they are afraid to have their lot assigned them in hell.

Eighth. Their delaying to {come to a determination} is unreasonable, because they know not how soon their opportunity of choosing for themselves will be at an end. Their opportunity will continue no longer than life. When once life is past, they will no more have the offer made them. 

The sentence will be then past: the matter will be issued.1

Those that delay their choice in this world, they will be glad to choose afterward. They won't be at all at a loss which to choose: they can easily determine then. Their judgments are soon resolved, whether there be any truth in religion or no. They can now determine which is best and most eligible: a life of holiness and self-denial with heaven for a reward, or {a life of sinful enjoyments with hell for a reward}. They don't halt between two opinions any longer now. 

But 'tis too late: their opportunity is past: they are ready too late. {They would} give all the world for another

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opportunity to choose: they would soon come to a determination. But it will not be granted them.

APPLICATION.

Use I, Of Self-Exam. Let this put everyone upon examining himself, whether or no he has ever yet come to a full determination in the affair of religion.

First Inq. Whether or no you ever yet came to a full determination with respect to the truth of the things of religion. Have you ever yet been fully convinced? 

Has it been a question that has been answered and determined with you whether {you have ever yet been fully convinced of the truth of religion} or no? 

Or does it not yet remain a question with you, a thing unresolved? 

Are you not yet to seek whether there be any future state, and whether or no the story about Jesus Christ be any more than a fable? 

Here I would desire you to note two things.

1. If the main reason why you assent to the truth of religion is that others believe so, and you have been so instructed from your childhood, you are one with whom the truth of religion yet remains undetermined. Tradition and education will never fix and settle the mind in a satisfactory and effectual belief of the truth of religion. Though men taking religion upon trust may seem to give a full assent to the truth of religion, and not to call it in question, yet such a faith won't stand a shock. A temptation easily overthrows it. 

Men's reason in a time of trial won't rest on an evidence no better than that. 

There are multitudes that seem to grant the truth of religion, with whom the main foundation of their faith is the tradition of their fathers, or the profession of their neighbors; and 'tis to be feared it is so with many that count themselves good Christians. 

But all such persons as never have seen any other evidence to satisfy [themselves], either of the truth or falsehood of religion, they are they that halt between two opinions.

2. If you are fully come to a determination concerning the things of religion that they are true, they will be of weight with you above all things in the world. If you are really convinced that these things are true, that they are no fable but reality, it is impossible but that you be influenced by them above all things in the world; for these things are so great, so infinitely exceeding all temporal things, that it can't be other.

He that really is convinced that there is a heaven and hell, an eternal judgment that the soul as soon as parted from the body appears before the judgment seat of God, and that the happiness and misery of a future

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state is so great as the Scriptures represent it; or that God is so holy, and just, and jealous a God as {the Scriptures represent it}, and has settled it down with himself that these things are certainly true; he will regard these things and be influenced by them above all things in the world. 

He'll be more concerned how he shall escape eternal damnation, and have the favor of God and eternal life by far, than how to get the world, gratify the flesh, please his neighbor, get honor, or obtain any temporal advantage whatsoever. His main inquiry won't be "What shall I eat, or what shall I drink?"; but he'll seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Examine yourself therefore by this: is not your heart chiefly {in this world}? Is it not more your concern, and care, and endeavor to further your outward interest than to {have eternal life}? And is not this the very reason, because you never have seen the reality of eternal things?

Second [Inq]. Examine whether or no you ever yet came to a full determination about religion with respect to the practice of it; whether or no you have chosen heaven with the way to it, viz. the way of obedience and self-denial before this world or the ways of sin; whether or [no] you have determined upon it as most eligible to devote yourself to the service [of God]. 

I would here mention three or four things that are signs of persons halting between two opinions in this matter.

1. A putting off duty till hereafter is a sign. When persons love to keep their duty at a distance; don't love to engage in it for the present, but choose to keep at a little distance; they think of engaging in religion in better earnest in a little time, when they shall [do] so, and so be under better conveniences for it. [They] don't do it now; they don't make haste without delay. They are very good intenders concerning what they will do tomorrow, but [not] good performers today.

If they say as Felix [in] Acts 24:25, it is a sign they halt between two opinions, however they may be in some considerable measure concerned. They have never yet come to a full determination with respect to the practice of religion. Those that have once fully determined of the necessity and eligibleness of religion, they will not desire to put it off, but will make it their present and immediate business.

2. When persons are strict and conscientious in some things, but not in all; not universal in their obedience {and self-denial}; do some duties, but live in the omission of others; avoid some sins, but allow themselves in others; [it is a sign].

[When persons are] conscientious with respect to duties of worship, going to meeting, but not in their behavior to their neighbor; not just in their dealings {with their neighbor, nor} conscientious in paying debts {to

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them}; don't do as he would have others do to him; has crooked, perverse ways in his dealings among men; [it is a sign].

[When a person] is just in his dealing and trading with men, but not conscientious in other things; indulging sensual appetites; will drink to excess, or allow himself in wanton practices; [it is a sign].

[When a person] is honest and temperate, but licentious in using [his] tongue, backbiting, reproaching; [it is a sign]. James 3:6–7, 2 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind."

3. If you are one that at some times are wont to be considerably engaged in religion, but at others neglect it; sometimes taking up resolutions of {these questions} and then dropping them again; sometimes seems to be engaged in seeking salvation, mighty earnest in religious duties, [and] at other times wholly taken up about the things of [the world], and religion is neglected, religious duties omitted; this shows that you are yet unsettled, never have come to a full determination with respect to religion, but are halting between two opinions, and therefore are then unstable3 in all your ways, proceeding thus by fits and starts in religion. If your determination was fixed with respect to religion, you would be more steady in your practice.

4. If it be your manner to balk your duty, whenever any notable difficulty comes in the way considerably cross to your interest, or very inconsistent with ease, or convenience, or temporal interests; whatever zeal you may seem to have, whatever concern about the things of religion, and however strict you are in ordinary; you have never fully come to a determination, never fully made [a] choice of religion, and the benefits of it, for your only portion; and at best have got no further than King Agrippa, who was almost persuaded to be a Christian (Acts 26:28). I would conclude with an earnest exhortation.

[Use II, Of Exh.] To all no longer to halt between two opinions, but immediately to come to a determination, whether to be Christians or not. Let me insist upon it that you now make a choice, whether you will have heaven with a life of universal and perseverant obedience for your portion {as God offers}, or {a worldly, carnal, wicked life with eternal misery}.

-- 105 --

Consider these things that have been said showing the unreasonableness of continuing in such irresolution about an affair of such infinite importance to you, and that you have so short and uncertain an opportunity to make your choice in. 

Consider two things in addition to what has been already said.

First. Persons that live under the gospel, and thus continue undetermined about religion, are more abominable to God than the heathen. God had rather that men should either be Christians or right-down heathens. He hates those persons that continue from year to year under the calls and warnings, and instructions, and entreaties of God's Word that can be brought to nothing, that will come to no determination at all, will neither be Christians nor heathens. These are they spoken of in Revelation 3:15–16 [as] "neither cold nor hot." Ezekiel 20:39, "Go ye, serve ye everyone his idols, and hereafter also, If ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols." These are they spoken of in 2 Timothy 3:7, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Second. If you still refuse to come to a determination whether to be a Christian or not, how just if God should give you no further opportunity. [If you] refuse to make any choice at all to improve the advantage, and after all that has been done to bring you to it, in setting life and death so often before you, in calling and warning of you; if you still4 refuse to come to {a determination}, how just if God should wait no longer upon you, should determine the case himself by his unalterable sentence, should fix your state with unbelievers, should teach you the truth and eligibleness of religion by sad and fatal experience, when it will be too late for you to choose your portion, and the offer will be no more made to you.

-- 106 --

1. Published as titled in Sermons (1780), pp. 37–56; repr. Worcester rev. ed., 4, 338–46. ↩

2. In his summary, JE quotes from 1 Kings 18:19 and 1 Kings 18:23–24. ↩

3. Archaic: termination, end. ↩

4. MS damaged. ↩

5. Obs.: certainly, surely (OED). In 1808 edition, "to be sure" ↩

6. MS damaged. ↩

7. Obs. or dial.: attach, fix, secure (OED). ↩

8. MS damaged. ↩

9. JE quotes the whole of Deuteronomy 30:19—with the extraneous "after thee"—and then inserts two citations from Ezekiel, drawing an em dash after each before closing the paragraph. It is unclear from the markings whether he meant to read these cited texts. ↩

1. Obs.: terminate, settle. ↩

2. JE cites 2 Timothy 3:6–7, but the text does not support his argument; James 3:6–7 does. ↩

3. MS damaged. ↩

4. MS damaged. ↩ 

Keeping histories and Urim and Thummim

 1808 kindle 12424

1SERMON THIRTEEN
[For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.] Isaiah 51:8

[DOCTRINE]
[The Work of Redemption is a work that God carries on from the fall of man to the end of the world.]2

BEFORE I proceed to the next proposition I would make some few remarks by way of improvement from what has been said under this.

[IMPROVEMENT]3

1. From what has been said we may strongly argue that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Son of God, and the savior of the world, and so that the Christian religion is the true religion, seeing that Christ is the very person so evidently pointed at in all the great dispensations of God's providence from the very fall of man, and was so undoubtedly in such a multitude of instances foretold from age to age, and shadowed forth in a vast variety of types and figures.

If we seriously consider the course of things from the beginning, and observe the motions of all the great wheels of providence from one age to another, we shall discern that they all tend hither. They are all as so many lines that, if they could be observed and accurately followed, it will be found that they, every one, centers here. 

It is so plain in very many things that it would argue stupidity to deny it. This therefore is undeniable, that this person is a divine person that was sent from God, that came into the world with his commission and authority to do his work, and to declare his mind. The great governor of the world in all his great works, before and since the flood, to Jews and Gentiles, down to the very time of Christ's birth, has declared it. 

It cannot be any vain imagination, but a plain and evident truth: that person that was born at Bethlehem, and dwelt at Nazareth, and at Capernaum, and was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, must be the great messiah or anointed of God. And blessed are all they that believe in and confess him, and miserable are all that deny him.6 

This shows the unreasonableness of deists that deny revealed religion, and the Jews that deny that this Jesus is the messiah foretold and promised to their fathers.

Here it may be some ignorant persons may be ready to object, and say that it may be some subtile, cunning persons contrived this history and these prophecies, so as all to point to Jesus Christ on purpose to confirm it that he was the messiah. To such it may be replied, how could such a thing be contrived by cunning men to point to Jesus Christ long before ever he was born, how could they know that ever any such person would be born, and how could their craft and subtilty help them to foresee and point at an event that was to come to pass many ages afterwards.

For no fact can be more evident than the Jews had those writings long before Christ was born, as they have them still in the greatest veneration wherever they are in all their dispersions through the world. And they would never receive such a contrivance from Christianity to point to and confirm Jesus to be the messiah, whom they always denied to be the messiah, and always abhorred, and always much less would they be made to believe that they always had had these books in their hands, when they were first made and imposed upon them.

2.1 What has been said affords a strong argument for the divine authority of the books of the Old Testament, from that admirable harmony there is in them whereby they all point to the same thing.2 For we may see by what has been said how that all parts of the Old Testament, though written by so many different penmen and in ages distant one from another, do all harmonize one with all, agree in one, and all center in the same thing, and that a future thing, an event which it was impossible any one of them should know but by divine revelation, even the future coming of Christ. This is most evident and manifest in them as appears by what has been said.

Now if the Old Testament is not inspired by God, what account can be given of such an agreement; for if those books were only human writings, written without any divine direction, then none of these penmen knew that there would come such a person as Jesus Christ into the world, his coming was only a mere figment of their own brains? 

And if so how came that figment of theirs to come to pass, how came a vain imagination of theirs which they foretold, without any manner of ground for their prediction, to be exactly fulfilled? And especially how did they come all to agree in it, all pointing to exactly the same thing, though many of them lived so many hundred years distant one from another?

["many hundred years" Jacob 4:4; 7:7; Words of Mormon 1:2]

This admirable consent and agreement in a future event is, therefore, a clear and certain evidence of the divine authority of these writings.

3.5 Hence we may learn what a weak and ignorant objection it is that some make against some parts of the Old Testament being the word of God, that they consist so much of histories of the wars and civil transactions of the kings and people of the nation of the Jews. Some say we find here among the books of a particular nation histories that they kept of the state of their nation from one age to another: histories of their kings and rulers, histories of their wars with neighboring nations, and histories of the changes that happened from time to time in their state and government. And so we find that other nations used to keep histories of their public affairs as well as they; and why then should we think that state histories that the Jews had are the word of God more than those that other people [had].

But what has been said shows the folly and vanity of such an objection. 

For hereby it appears that the case of these histories is very different from that of all other histories; this history alone gives us an account of the first original of all things, and this history alone deduces things down in a wonderful series from that original, giving an idea of the grand scheme of divine providence as tending to its great end. 

And together with the doctrines and prophecies contained in the same sacred Bible, gives a view of the whole series of the great events of divine providence, from the first original to the last end and consummation of all things, giving an excellent and glorious account of the wise and holy designs of the governor of the world in all. 

No common history has such penmen as this history, which was all written by men that came with evident signs and testimonies of their being prophets of the most high God, immediately inspired. 

And the histories that were written, as we have seen from what has been said under this proposition, do all contain those great events of providence by which it appears how God has been carrying on the glorious divine Work of Redemption from age to age. 

Though they are histories, yet they are no less full of divine instruction and those things that show forth Christ and contain his glorious gospel, than other parts of the holy Scriptures that are not historical.

To object against a book's being divine merely because it is historical is a silly objection, just as if that could not be the word of God that gives us an account of what is past, or as though it was not reasonable to suppose that God, in a revelation he should give mankind, would go to give us any relation of the dispensations of his own providence. 

If it be so, it must be because his works were not worthy that he should tell us what they are. It must be because the scheme of his government and series of his dispensations towards his church and towards the world that he has made, whereby he has ordered and disposed it from age to age, is not worthy that any record should be kept of it.

The objection that is made, that it is a common thing for nations and kingdoms to write histories and keep records of their wars and the revolutions that come to pass in their territories, is so far from being a weighty objection against the historical parts of Scripture being the word of God that it is a strong argument.

For if reason and the light of nature teaches all civilized nations to keep records of the events of9 their human government, and the facts of their administrations, and to publish histories for the information of others, how much more may we expect that God gives the world a record of the dispensations of his divine government that doubtless is infinitely more worthy of an history for our information. 

If wise kings have taken care that there should be good histories written of the nations they have reigned [over], shall we think it incredible that Jesus Christ would take care his church, that is his nation, his peculiar people, should have in their hands a certain infallible history of their nation and his government of them?

If it had not been for the history of the Old Testament, how woefully should we have been left in the dark about many things that the church of God needs to know. How should we have been ignorant of God's dealings towards mankind, and towards his church, from the beginning, and have been wholly in the dark about the creation of the world, the fall of man, the first rise and continued progress of the dispensations of grace towards fallen mankind, and should have known nothing how God at first set up a church in the world, and how it was preserved, and after what manner he governed it from the beginning, how the light of the gospel first began to dawn in the world, how it increased, and how things were preparing for the coming of Christ. 

If we are Christians, we belong to that building of God that has been the subject of our discourse from this text; but if it had not been for the history of the Old Testament, we should never have known what was the first occasion of God's going about this building, and how the foundation of it was laid at first, and how it has gone on from the beginning. 

The times of the history of the Old Testament on mostly are times that no other history reaches up to, and therefore if God had not have taken care to have given and preserved an account of these things for us, we should have been wholly without them.

They that object against the divine authority of the Old Testament history of the nation of the Jews may as well make it an objection against Moses' account of the creation, that it is historical. For in the other we have a history of a work no less important, viz. the Work of Redemption. 

Yea that this is a far greater and more glorious work; as we observed before, that if it be inquired which of the two works, the work of creation or the work of providence, is greatest, it must be answered the work of providence. But the Work of Redemption is the greatest of the works of providence. 

And let those that make this objection consider what part of the Old Testament history can be spared without making a great breach in that thread or series of events by which this glorious work has been carried on. This leads me to observe,

IV. That, from what has been said we may see much of the wisdom of God in the composition of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, i.e. in the parts of which it consists. By what has been said, we may see how that God hath wisely given us such revelations in the Old Testament as we needed to have given us. 

Let us briefly take a particular view of the several parts of it and of the need there was of them.

Thus it was necessary that we should have some account of the creation of the world, and of our first parents and their primitive state, and of the fall, and a brief account of the old world, and of the degeneracy of it, and of the universal deluge, and some account of the original of nations after this destruction of mankind.

It seems necessary that there should be some account of the succession of the church of God from the beginning. 

And seeing God suffered all the world to degenerate, and only took one nation to be his people to preserve the true worship and religion till the savior of the world should come, that in him the world might be gradually prepared for that great light and those wonderful things that he was to be the author of, and that they might be a typical nation, and that in them God might shadow forth and teach as under a veil all future glorious things of the gospel; it was therefore necessary that we should have some account of this thing, how it was first done by the calling of Abraham, and by their being bond slaves in Egypt, and how they were brought to Canaan.

It was necessary that we should have some account of the revelation that God made of himself to that people in giving the law, and appointing of their typical worship, and those things wherein the gospel is veiled, and of the forming of that people both as to their civil and ecclesiastical state. It seems exceeding needful that we should have some account of their being actually brought to Canaan, the country that was their promised land, and where they always dwelt.

It seems very necessary that we should have an history of the successions of the church of Israel, and of those providences of God towards them that were most considerable and purest of gospel mystery. It seems necessary that we should have some account of the highest promised external glory of that nation under David and Solomon, and that we should have a very particular account of David whose history is so full of gospel, and so necessary in order to introduce the gospel into the world, and in whom began the race of their kings, and that we should also have some account of the building of the temple that was also so full of gospel mystery.

And it is a matter of great consequence that we should have some account of Israel's dividing from Judah, and of the ten tribes' captivity and utter rejection, and a brief account why, and therefore a brief history of them till that time. 

It is necessary that we should have an account of the succession of the kings of Judah, and of the church till their captivity into Babylon, and that we should have some account of the return from the captivity and resettlement in their own land; and so of the original of the last state that church was in before Christ came.

A little consideration will convince everyone that all these things were necessary, and that none of them could be spared; and in the general that it was necessary that we should have a history of God's church till such times as are within the reach of human histories.

And it was of vast importance that we should have an inspired history of these times of the Jewish church wherein there was kept up a more extraordinary intercourse between God and them, and while he used to dwell among them, as it were, visibly revealing himself to them by the Shekinah, by Urim and Thummim, and by prophecy, and so more immediately to order their affairs.

And it was necessary that we should have some account of the great dispensations of God in prophecy that were to be after the finishing of inspired history. 

And so it was exceeding suitable and needful that there should be a number of prophets raised who should foretell the coming of the son of God, and the nature and glory of his kingdom, to be as so many harbingers to make way for him, and that their prophecies should be outlined to the church.

It was also a matter of great consequence that the church should have a book of divine songs, given by inspiration from God, wherein there should be a lively representation of the true spirit of devotion, of faith, hope, and divine love, joy, resignation, humility, obedience, repentance, etc.; and also that we should have from God such books of moral instructions as we have in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. relating to the affairs and state of mankind, and the concerns of human life, containing rules of true wisdom and prudence for our conduct in all circumstances, and that we should have particularly a song representing the great love between Christ and his spouse, the church, particularly adapted to the disposition and holy affections of a true Christian soul towards Christ, and representing his grace and marvellous love to, and delight in, his people, as we have in Solomon's Song; 

and especially that we should have a book to teach us how to conduct ourselves under affliction, seeing the church of God here is in a militant state, and God's people do, through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven, and the church is for so very long a time under trouble and meets with such exceedingly fiery trials and extreme sufferings, before her time of peace and rest in the latter age of the world shall come; 

Therefore God has given a book most proper in these circumstances, even the book of Job, written upon occasion of the afflictions of a particular saint, and was probably was at first given to the church in Egypt under afflictions there, and is made use of by the Apostle to comfort Christians under persecutions, James 5:11. "Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." God was also pleased to give some view of the ancient divinity, before the giving of the law.

Thus from this brief review, I think it appears that every part of the Scripture of the Old Testament is very useful and useful, and no part of it can be spared, without loss to the church. And therefore, as I said, the wisdom of God is conspicuous in ordering that the scriptures of the Old Testament should consist of those very books of which they do consist.

Before I dismiss this particular, I would add, that it is very observable that the history is large and particular, where this great affair of redemption requires it, as where there was most done towards this work, and most to typify Christ and prepare the way for him; 

Thus it is very large and particular in the history of Abraham and the other patriarchs, but very short in the account we have of the time the children of Israel spent in Egypt. So again, it is large in the account of the redemption out of Egypt, and the first settling of the affairs of the Jewish church and nation in Moses' and Joshua's time, but much shorter in the account of the times of the judges. 

So again, it is large and particular in the account of David's and Solomon's times, and then very short in the history of ensuing reigns. Thus the accounts are large or short, just as there is more or less of the affair of redemption to be seen in them.

5. From what has been said we may see here that Christ and his redemption are the great subject of the whole Bible. Concerning the New Testament the matter is plain, but by what has been said on this subject hitherto it appears to be so also with the Old Testament. 

Christ and his redemption is the great subject of the prophecies of the Old Testament, as has been shown. It has also been shown how that he is the great subject of the songs of the Old Testament, and the moral rules and precepts of it are all given in subordination to him. 

And Christ and his redemption is also the great subject of the history of the Old Testament, from the beginning all along, and even the history of the creation is brought as introduction to the history of redemption that immediately follows it. The whole book, both Old Testament and New, is filled up with gospel, only with this difference, that the Old Testament contains the gospel under a veil, but the New contains it unveiled, so that we may see the glory of the Lord with "open face."

6. By what has been said we may see the usefulness and excellency of the Old Testament. Some are ready to look on the Old Testament as being, as it were, out of date and as if we in these days of the gospel had but little to do with it; which is a very great mistake, arising from want of observing the nature and design of the Old Testament, which, if it was observed it would appear full of the gospel of Christ, and would in an excellent manner illustrate and confirm the glorious doctrines and promises of the New Testament. 

Those parts of the Old Testament which are commonly looked upon as containing the least divine instruction are, as it were, as mines and treasures of gospel knowledge, and the reason why they are thought to contain so little is because persons do but superficially read them. 

The treasures that are hid underneath are not observed. 

They only look on the top of the ground, and so suddenly pass a judgment that there is nothing there, but they never dig into the mine; if they did they would find it richly stored with silver and gold, and would be abundantly requited for their pains.

What has been said may show us what a precious treasure God has committed into our hands in that he has given us the Bible. How little do most persons consider how much they enjoy in that they have the possession of that holy book the Bible which they have in their hearts and may converse with as they please. 

What an excellent book is this, and how far exceeding all human writings: that reveals God to us and gives us a view of the grand design and glorious scheme of his providence, from the beginning to the end of the world, either in history or prophecy, that reveals the great Redeemer and his glorious redemption, and the various steps by which God accomplishes it from the first foundation to the topstone! 

Shall we prize a history that gives us a clear account of some great earthly prince or mighty warrior, as of Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar, or the duke of Marlborough, and shall we not prize the history that God has given us of the glorious kingdom of his son, Jesus Christ, the prince and savior of the world, and the wars and other great transactions of that king of kings and lord of armies, the lord mighty in battle, the history of the things he has wrought for the redemption of his chosen people.

7. What has been said may make us sensible how much most persons are to blame for their inattentive, unobservant way of reading the Scriptures. How much does the Scripture contain if it was but observed the Bible is the most comprehensive book in the world. But what will all this signify to us if we read it without observing what is the drift of the Holy Ghost in it. The psalmist, Psalms 119:18, begs of God, that he would enlighten his eyes that he might "behold wondrous things come of his law." 

The Scripture is full of wondrous things. Those histories that are commonly read as if they were only histories of the private concerns of such and such particular persons, such as the histories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph, and the history of Ruth, and the histories of particular lawgivers and princes, as the history of Joshua and the judges, and David and other Israelitish princes, are accounts of vastly greater things, things of greater importance and more extensive concernment than they that read them are commonly aware of. Scripture histories are very commonly read as if they were stories written only to entertain men's fancies, and to while away their leisure hours, when the infinitely great things contained or pointed at in them are passed over and never taken notice of.

Whatever treasures the Scriptures contain we shall be never the better for them if we don't observe what is there. He that has a Bible, and don't observe what is contained [in] it, is like a man that has a box full of silver and gold, and don't know it, don't observe that it is anything more than a vessel filled with common stones. 

As long as it is thus with him, he'll be never the better for his treasure. For he that don't know he has a treasure will never make use of what he had, and so had as good be without it. 

He that has plenty of the choicest food stored up in his house and don't know it, will never taste what he has and will be as likely to starve as if his house were empty.

8. What has been said may show us how great a person Jesus Christ is, and how great an errand he came upon, seeing there was so much done to prepare the way for his coming. God had been doing nothing else but prepare the way for his coming, and doing the work he had to do in the world, through all ages of the world from the very beginning.

If we had notice of a certain stranger's being about to come into a country, and should observe that great preparation was made for his coming, that many months were taken up in it, and great things were done: many great alterations were made in the state of the whole country, and that many hands were employed, and persons of great note engaged therein, and were taken up in making preparation for the coming of this person, and the whole country was overturned, and all the affairs and concerns of that country were ordered so as to be subservient to the design of entertaining that person when he should come, it would be natural for us to think with ourselves, why surely this person is some extraordinary person indeed, and 'tis some very great business that he is coming about.

How great a person then must he be for whose coming into the world the great God of heaven and earth, and governor of all things, spent four thousand years in preparing the way for his coming, going about it soon after the world was created, and from age to age doing great things, bringing mighty events to pass, accomplishing wonders without number, often overturning the world in order to it, and causing everything in the state of mankind, and all revolutions and changes in the habitable world, from generation to generation, to be subservient to this great design. 

Surely this must be some great and extraordinary person indeed, and a great work indeed it must needs be, that he is coming about.

We read, Matthew 21:8–10, that when Christ was coming into Jerusalem, and the multitudes ran before him, and cut down branches of palm trees and strewed them in the way, and others spread their garments in the way, and cried, "Hosannah to the son of David," that the whole city was moved saying, "Who is this." They wondered who that extraordinary person should be; that there should be such an ado made on occasion of his coming into the city, and to prepare the way before him. 

But if we consider what has been said on this subject, what great things had been done in all ages to prepare the way for Christ's coming into the world, and how the world had often overturned to make way for it, much more may we cry out, "Who it is, What great person is this," and say, as Psalms 24:8, Psalms 24:10, "Who is this King of glory" that God should show such respect and put such vast honor upon. 

Surely this person is honorable indeed in God's eyes and greatly beloved of him, and surely it is a great errand upon which he is sent into the world.

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9nZXRvYmplY3QucGw/Yy44OjQud2plby44MjYxNDcuODI2MTUy