Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards-A FAREWELL SERMON-APPLICATION 3

 

But I would now proceed to address myself, particularly to several sorts of persons.

I. To those who are professors of godliness amongst us.

I would now call you to a serious consideration of that great day wherein you must meet him who has heretofore been your pastor, before the Judge whose eyes are as a flame of fire. 

I have endeavored, according to my best ability, to search the word of God, with regard to the distinguishing notes of true piety, those by which persons might best discover their state, and most surely and clearly judge themselves. And these rules and marks I have from time to time applied to you in the preaching of the word to the utmost of my skill, and in the plainest and searching manner that I have been able, in order to the detect the deceived hypocrite and establishing the hopes and comforts of the sincere. And yet ’tis to be feared, that after all that I have done, I now leave some of you in a deceived, deluded state; for ’tis not to be supposed that among several hundred professors, none are deceived. 

Henceforward I am like to have no more opportunity to take care and charge of your souls, to examine and search them. But still, I entreat you to remember and consider the rules which I have often laid down to you during my ministry, with solemn regard to the future day when you and I must meet together before our Judge; when the uses of examination you have heard from me must be rehearsed again before you, and those rules of trial must be tried, and it will appear whether they have been good or not, and it will also appear whether you have impartially heard them, and tried yourselves by them; and the Judge himself, who is infallible, will try both you and me: and after this none will be deceived concerning the state of their souls. 

I have often put you in mind that, whatever your pretenses to experiences, discoveries, comforts, and joys have been, on that day every one will be judged according to his works; and then you will find it so. 

May you have a minister of greater knowledge of the word of God and better acquaintance with soul cases, and of greater skill in applying himself to souls, whose discourses may be more searching and convincing; that such of you as have held fast deceit under my preaching may have your eyes opened by his; that you may be undeceived before that great day. 

What means and helps for instruction and self-examination you may hereafter have is uncertain; but one thing is certain, the time is short, and your opportunity for rectifying mistakes in so important a concern will soon come to an end. We live in a world of great changes. There is now a great change come to pass; you have withdrawn yourselves from my ministry under which you have continued for so many years: but the time is coming, and will soon come when you will pass out of time into eternity; and so will pass from under all means of grace whatsoever. 

The greater part of you who are professors of godliness have (to use the phrase of the apostle) “acknowledged me in part”: you have heretofore acknowledged me to be your spiritual father, the instrument of the greatest good to you that ever is or can be obtained by any of the children of men. Consider of that day when you and I shall meet before our Judge when it shall be examined whether you have had from me the treatment which is due to spiritual children and whether you have treated me as you ought to have treated a spiritual father. As the relation of a natural parent brings great obligations on children in the sight of God; so much more, in many respects, does the relation of a spiritual father bring great obligations on such whose conversation and eternal salvation they suppose God has made them the instrument of 1 Cor. iv. 15. “For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”