Let all hearken to the call of Christ

Jonathan Edwards,  from Sermons, Series II, July-December 1740 

So let all hearken to the call of Christ, 

by his word, 

and in his providence, 

and by his spirit, this day: 

young men and maids, old men, middle aged, and little children, both male and female, both black and white, high and low, rich and poor together; 

great sinners, sinners against great light, against convictions of conscience, backsliders, old sinners and old seekers, self-righteous murmurers, and quarrelers with God; 

those that are under convictions, and those that are senseless and secure, moral and vicious, good and bad, poor, maimed, halt, and blind, prodigals eating husks with swine, vagabonds and beggars in the highways and hedges, 

persons of every condition, 

and all parties, 

and every denomination whatsoever.

A contentious people will be a miserable people.

 Second. As you would seek the future prosperity of this society, 'tis of vast importance that you should avoid contention.

A contentious people will be a miserable people. The contentions which have been among you, since I first became your pastor, have been one of the greatest burdens I have labored under in the course of my ministry: not only the contentions you have had with me, but those which you have had one with another, about your lands, and other concerns.2 Because I knew that contention, heat of spirit, evil speaking, and things of the like nature, were directly contrary to the spirit of Christianity, and did in a peculiar manner tend to drive away God's Spirit from a people, and to render all means of grace ineffectual, as well as to destroy a people's outward comfort and welfare.

Let me therefore earnestly exhort you, as you would seek your own future good, hereafter to watch against a contentious spirit. "If you would see good days, seek peace and ensue3 it" (1 Peter 3:10–11). Let the contention which has lately been about the terms of Christian communion, as it has been the greatest of your contention, so be the last of them. I would, now I am preaching my farewell sermon, say to you as the Apostle to the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 13:11, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect: be of one mind: live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

And here I would particularly advise those, that have adhered to me in the late controversy, to watch over their spirits, and avoid all bitterness towards others. Your temptations are in some respects the greatest; because what has been lately done, is grievous to you. But however wrong you may think others have done, maintain, with great diligence and watchfulness, a Christian meekness and sedateness of spirit: and labor, in this respect, to excel others who are of the contrary part: and this will

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be the best victory: for "he that rules his spirit, is better than he that takes a city." Therefore let nothing be done through strife or vainglory: indulge no revengeful spirit in any wise; but watch and pray against it: and by all means in your power, seek the prosperity of this town: and never think you behave yourselves as becomes Christians, but when you sincerely, sensibly and fervently love all men of whatever party or opinion, and whether friendly or unkind, just or injurious, to you, or your friends, or to the cause and kingdom of Christ.

November 14, 2021

 Life of David Brainerd.

Thursday, August 4. Was enabled to pray much, through the whole day; and through divine goodness found some intenseness of soul in the duty, as I used to do, and some ability to persevere in my supplications: Had some apprehensions of divine things that were engaging, and that gave me some courage and resolution. 'Tis good, I find, to persevere in attempts to pray, if I can't "pray with perseverance", i.e. continue long in my addresses to the divine being. I have generally found that the more I do in secret prayer, the more I have delighted to do, and have enjoyed more of a spirit of prayer: and frequently have found the contrary, when with journeying or otherwise, I have been much deprived of retirement. 

A seasonable steady performance of secret duties in their proper hours, and a careful improvement of all time, filling up every hour with some profitable labor, either of heart, head, or hands, are excellent means of spiritual peace and boldness before God. "Christ" indeed is "our peace", and "by him we have boldness of access to God"; but a "good conscience, void of offence", is an excellent preparation for an approach into the divine presence. 

There is difference between self-confidence and a self-righteous pleasing ourselves (with our own duties, attainments, and spiritual enjoyments) which godly souls sometimes are guilty of, and that holy confidence arising from the testimony of a good conscience, which good Hezekiah had when he says, "Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart" parenthetical. "Then" (says the holy Psalmist) "shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments". Filling up our time with and for God is the way to rise up and lie down in peace.

...

There were sundry persons of the Indians newly come here, who had frequently lived among Quakers; and being more civilized and conformed to English manners than the generality of the Indians, they had imbibed some of the Quakers' errors; especially this fundamental one, viz., that if men will but live soberly and honestly, according to the dictates of their own consciences (or the light within) there is then no danger or doubt of their salvation, etc. 

These persons I found much worse to deal with than those who are wholly under pagan darkness, who make no pretenses to knowledge in Christianity at all, nor have any self-righteous foundation to stand upon. 

However, they all, except one, appeared now convinced that this sober honest life, of itself, was not sufficient to salvation; since Christ himself had declared it so in the case of the young man; and seemed in some measure concerned to obtain that change of heart which I had been laboring to show them the necessity of.

November 7, 2021

 Mr. Williams says (p. 8b, c), "'Tis a received rule among mankind […] in all public judgments […] to interpret words in the most extensive and favorable sense, that the nature of the words or expressions will bear." 

I know not what he means: but if he means (as he must, if he means anything to the purpose) that 'tis a received rule amongst mankind, to trust, or accept, or at all regard any professions or declarations that men make, with professed design, in words of double and indiscriminate meaning, without any marks of difference by which their meaning can be known, for that very end that they may be used with a safe conscience, though they have no dictates of their own consciences, that they have that which others are to believe they have; I say, if this be a received rule among mankind, 'tis a rule that mankind has lately received from Mr. Williams. 

Heretofore mankind, societies or particular persons, would have been counted very foolish for regarding such professions. Is this the way in earthly kingdoms, in professions of allegiance to temporal princes, in order to their admission to the privileges of good subjects? 

Do they choose equivocal terms to put into their oaths of allegiance, to that end that men may use 'em and speak true, though they are secret enemies? 

There are two competitors for the kingdom of this world, Christ and Satan; the design of a public profession of religion is, to declare on which side men are. 

And is it agreeable to the custom of mankind in such cases, to make laws that no other than ambiguous words shall be used, or to accept of such in declarations of this kind? 

There are two competitors for the kingdom of Great Britain, King George, and the Pretender: is it the constitution of King George and the British Parliament, that men should take oaths of allegiance, contrived in words of indeterminate signification, to the end that men who are in their hearts enemies to King George, and friends to the Pretender, may use them and speak true? And certainly mankind, those of 'em that have common sense, never in any affairs of life look on such professions worth a rush. 

Would Mr. Williams himself, if tried, in any affair wherein his temporal interest is concerned, trust such professions as these? If any man that he has dealings with, should profess to him that he had pawned for him, in a certain place, an hundred pounds, evidently, yea professedly using the expression as an ambiguous one, so that there is no understanding by it, what is pawned there, whether an hundred pound in money, or an hundred weight of stones: if he should inquire of the man what he meant, and he should reply, you have no business to search my heart, or to go to turn my heart inside out; you are obliged in charity to understand my words in the most favorable sense; would Mr. Williams in this case stick to his own received rule? 

Would he regard such a profession, or run the venture of one sixpence upon it? 

Would he not rather look on such a man as affronting him, and treating him as though he would make a fool of him? 

And would not he know, that everybody else would think him a fool, if he should suffer himself to be gulled by such professions, in things which concern his own private interest? 

And yet it seems, this is the way in which he thinks he ought to conduct himself as a minister of Christ, and one intrusted by him in affairs wherein his honor and the interests of his kingdom are concerned.

The rising generation

You were, many of you, as I well remember, much alarmed with the apprehension of the danger of the prevailing of these corrupt principles, near sixteen years ago. But the danger then was small in comparison of what appears now.

These doctrines at this day are much more prevalent than they were then: The progress they have made in the land, within this seven years, seems to have been vastly greater than at any time in the like space before.

And they are still prevailing and creeping into almost all parts of the land, threatening the utter ruin of the credit of those doctrines which are the peculiar glory of the gospel, and the interests of vital piety.

And I have of late perceived some things among yourselves, that shew that you are far from being out of danger, but on the contrary remarkably exposed. The older people may perhaps think themselves sufficiently fortified against infection: But it is fit that all should beware of self confidence and carnal security, and should remember those needful warnings of sacred writ, "Be not high minded, but fear; and let him that stands, take heed lest he fall."

But let the case of the older people be as it will, the rising generation are doubtless greatly exposed. These principles are exceeding taking with corrupt nature, and are what young people, at least such as have not their hearts established with grace, are easily led away with. 

And if these principles should greatly prevail in this town, as they very lately have done in another large town I could name, formerly greatly noted for religion, and so for a long time, it will threaten the spiritual and eternal ruin of this people, in the present and future generations. Therefore you have need of the greatest and most diligent care and watchfulness with respect to this matter.

1808 edition, kindle location 2179

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11 And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart...

(Doctrine and Covenants 123:11)

14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

(Alma 24:14)

9 Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved those things which I have entrusted unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations;

(Doctrine and Covenants 5:9)

Crafty designing men

They have also had the great advantage of the vast veneration the people had for Mr. Stoddard's memory, which was such that many of them looked on him almost as a sort of deity. They were all (i.e. except the young people) born and brought up under his ministry, and had been used from their infancy to esteem his sayings all as oracles. And he they knew, maintained that doctrine which I oppose, with great positiveness and zeal, and opposed the contrary which I maintain, as an exceeding pernicious doctrine. Under these circumstances, I naturally appear as a dangerous opposer of the cause of God, and my teaching and insisting on the doctrine which Mr. Stoddard opposed appears to 'em a sort of horrid profaneness.

Crafty designing men have abundantly filled the ears of the more ignorant with suggestions that my opinion tends to overthrow all religion, and to ruin the present and future generations, and make all heathen, shutting them out of the church of Christ.

Not only many of the leading men in Northampton have used their utmost endeavors to engage the minds of the common people in this controversy, but they have also been put forward by the neighboring ministers all round. My opposers have also been assisted and edged on by some at a greater distance, persons of note; and some great men in civil authority have had a great hand.

It is to be considered, that the contrary opinion to mine had not only long been established in Northampton, without so much as one opposer to it, but it had also been fully and quietly established for a long time in all the neighboring churches and congregations, and in all the country round, even to a great distance. So that my opinion, when first broached, appeared to the people exceeding singular. Their views being very narrow, it appeared to them that all the world almost was against me. And my most crafty opposers have improved this advantage, and have abundantly represented me, as all alone in my opinion.

Many of the people, who at length came to have their spirits much raised, and were brought to join in violent measures, yet came slowly into it, after having [been] long practiced with, and indefatigable endeavors used to engage and inflame 'em.

Truth

 Truth. After all that has been said and done, the only adequate definition of truth is the agreement of our ideas with existence. To explain what this existence is, is another thing. In abstract ideas, it is nothing but the ideas themselves; so their truth is their consistency

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with themselves. In things that are supposed to be without us, 'tis the determination, and fixed mode, of God's exciting ideas in us. So that truth in these things is an agreement of our ideas with that series in God. 'Tis existence, and that is all that we can say. 'Tis impossible that we should explain and resolve9 a perfectly abstract and mere idea of existence; only we always find this, by running of it up, that God and real existence are the same.

Corol. Hence we learn how properly it may be said that God is, and that there is none else, and how proper are these names of the Deity: "Jehovah" and "I Am That I Am."

[16]. Consciousness. is the mind's perceiving what is in itself—its ideas, actions, passions, and everything that is there perceivable.1 It is a sort of feeling within itself. The mind feels when it thinks, so it feels when it desires,2 feels when it loves, feels itself hate, etc.3

[17]. Logic. One reason why at first, before I knew other logic, I used to be mightily pleased with the study of the old logic,4 was because it was very pleasant to see my thoughts, that before lay in my mind jumbled without any distinction, ranged into order and distributed into classes and subdivisions, that I could tell where they all belonged, and run them up to their general heads. For this logic consisted much in distributions and definitions; and their maxims gave occasion to observe new and strange dependencies of ideas, and a seeming agreement of multitudes of them in the same thing, that I never observed before.

[18]. Words. We are used to apply the same words a hundred different ways; and ideas being so much tied and associated with the words, they lead us into a thousand real mistakes. For where we find

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that the words may be connected, the ideas being by custom tied with them, we think that the ideas may be connected likewise, and applied everywhere and in every way as the words.

[19]. Sensation. Self-evidence.5 Things that we know by immediate sensation, we know intuitively, and they are properly self-evident truths: as, grass is green, the sun shines, honey is sweet. When we say that grass is green, all that we can be supposed to mean by it is, that in a constant course, when we see grass, the idea of green is excited with6 it; and this we know self-evidently.

[20].Inspiration.7 The evidence of immediate inspiration that the prophets had when they were immediately inspired by the Spirit of God with any truth is an absolute sort of certainty; and the knowledge is in a sense intuitive, much in the same manner as faith and spiritual knowledge of the truth of religion. Such bright ideas are raised, and such a clear view of a perfect agreement with the excellencies of the divine nature, that it's known to be a communication from him. All the Deity appears in the thing, and in everything pertaining to it. The prophet has so divine a sense, such a divine disposition, such a divine pleasure, and sees so divine an excellency and so divine a power in what is revealed, that he sees as immediately that God is there as we perceive one another's presence when we are talking together face to face. And our features, our voice and our shapes are not so clear manifestations of us, as those spiritual resemblances of God that are in the inspiration are manifestations of him. But yet there are doubtless various degrees in inspiration.

[21(a)]. Matter. Thought.8 It has been a question with some,9 whether or no it was not possible with God, to the other properties or powers of matter to add that of thought; whether he could not, if he had pleased, have added thinking and the power of perception to those

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other properties of solidity, mobility and gravitation. The question is not here, whether the matter that now is, without the addition of any new primary property, could not be so contrived and modeled, so attenuated, wrought and moved, as to produce thought; but whether any lump of matter, a solid atom for instance, is not capable of receiving by the almighty power of God, in addition to the rest of its powers, a new power of thought.

Here, if the question be, whether or no God cannot cause the faculty of thinking to be so added to any parcel of matter so as to be in the same place (if thought can be in place), and that inseparably, where that matter is, so that by a fixed law that thought should be where that matter is and only there, being always bound to solid extension, mobility and gravity; I do not deny it. But that seems to me quite a different thing from the question whether matter can think, or whether God can make matter think, and is not worth the disputing. For if thought be in the same place where matter is, yet, if there be no manner of communication or dependence between that and anything that is material, that is, any of that collection of properties that we call matter; if none of those properties of solidity, extension, etc., wherein materiality consists, which are matter, or at least whereby matter is matter, have any manner of influence towards the exerting of thought; and if that thought be no way dependent on solidity or mobility, and they no way help the matter, but thought could be as well without those properties: then thought is not properly in matter, though it be in the same place.

All the properties that are properly said to be in matter depend on the other properties of matter, so that they cannot be without them. Thus figure is in matter—it depends on solidity and extension; and so doth motion; so doth gravity. And extension itself depends on solidity, in that it is the extension of the solidity; and solidity on extension, for nothing can be solid except it be extended. These ideas have a dependence on one another. But there is no manner of connection between the ideas of perception and solidity, or motion, or gravity. They are simple ideas, of which we can have a perfect view; and we know there is no dependence, nor can there be any dependence, for the ideas in their own nature are independent and alien, one to another. All the others either include the rest or are included in them; and, except the property of thought be included in the properties of matter, I think it cannot properly be said that matter has thought: or, if it can, I see not a possibility of matter in any other sense having thought.

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If thought's being so fixed to matter as to be in the same place where matter is, be for thought to be in matter, thought not only can be in matter, but actually is, as much as thought can be in place. It is so connected with the bodies of men, or at least with some parts of their bodies, and will be forever after the resurrection.

[21(b)]. The Will. It is not that which appears the greatest good, or the greatest apparent good, that determines the will. It is not the greatest good apprehended, or that which is apprehended to be the greatest good, but the greatest apprehension of good. It is not merely by judging that anything is a great good that good is apprehended or appears; there are other ways of apprehending good. The having a clear and sensible idea of any good is one way of good's appearing, as well as judging that there is good. Therefore all these things are to be considered: the degree of the judgment by which a thing is judged to be good, and the contrary evil; the degree of goodness under which it appears, and the evil of the contrary; and the clearness of the idea and strength of the conception of the goodness, and of the evil. And that good of which there is the greatest apprehension or sense, all these things being taken together, is chosen by the will. And if there be a greater apprehension of good to be obtained or evil to be escaped by doing a thing than in letting it alone, the will determines to the doing it. The mind will be, for the present, most uneasy in neglecting it; and the mind always avoids that in which it would be, for the present, most uneasy. The degree of apprehension of good, which I suppose to determine the will, is composed of the degree of good apprehended, and the degree of apprehension. The degree of apprehension, again, is composed of the strength of the conception, and the judgment.

[22]. Prejudice. Those ideas which do not pertain to the prime essence of things, such as all colors that are everywhere objected to our eyes, and sounds that are continually in our ears, those that affect the touch as cold and heats, and all our sensations, exceedingly clog the mind in searching into the innermost nature of things, and cast such a mist over things that there is need of a sharp sight to see clearly through. For these will be continually in the mind and associated with other ideas, let us be thinking of what we will, and it is a continual care and pains to keep clear of their entanglements in our scrutinies into things. This is one way whereby the body and the senses [obscure]1

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the views of the mind. The world seems so differently to our eyes, to our ears and other senses, from the idea we have of it by reason, that we can hardly realize the latter.

[23]. The reason why the names of spiritual things are all, or most of them, derived from the names of sensible or corporeal ones, as "imagination," "conception," "apprehend," etc., is because there was no other way of making others readily understand men's meaning when they first signified these things by sounds, than by giving of them the names of things sensible to which they had an analogy. They could thus point it out with the finger, and so explain themselves as in sensible things.

[24]. There is really a difference that the mind makes in the consideration of an universal, absolutely considered, and a species. There is a difference in the two ideas when we say "man," including simply the abstract idea, and when we say "the human sort of living creature." There is reference had to an idea more abstract, and [here]2 is this act of the mind in distributing an universal into species. It ties this abstract idea to two or more less abstract ideas, and supposes it limited by them.

It is not every property that belongs to all the particulars included in and proper to a genus, and that men generally see to be so, that is a part of that complex abstract idea that represents all the particulars, or that is a part of that nominal essence. But so much is essential which, if men should see anything less, they would not call it by the name by which they call the genus. This indeed is uncertain, because men never agreed upon fixing exact bounds.

[25(a)].3 A part is one of those many ideas which we are wont to think of together; a whole is an idea containing many of these.4

[25(b)]. The distribution of the objects of our thoughts into substances

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and modes may be proper, if by substance we understand a complexion of such ideas which we conceive of as subsisting together and by themselves; and by modes, those simple ideas which cannot be by themselves, or subsist in our mind alone.5