Miscellaneous Discourses in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude 'Men naturally are God's enemies'.
My summary
Last week we started the discourse on 'For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son' (Rom. 5:10).
Edwards' demonstrated his main point that men naturally are God's enemies and started answering objections.
Today Edwards:
(i) answers the objection that natural men do show respect to God from time to time;
(ii) teaches us how indebted to God we are for his restraining grace;
(iii) explains why natural men are not willing to come to Christ;
(iv) discusses why God justly may refuse to show mercy;
(v) gives practical improvements.
What grabbed me
I enjoyed the section on how good it is that God has restrained evil: 'God's work in the restraint that he exercises over a wicked world, is a glorious work. God's holding the reins upon the corruptions of a wicked world, and setting hounds to their wickedness, is a more glorious work, than his ruling the raging of the sea, and setting bounds to its proud waves, and saying, Hitherto shall thou come, and no further. In hell, God lets the wickedness of wicked spirits have the reins, to rage without restraint; and it would be in a great measure upon earth as it is in hell, did not God restrain the wickedness of the world. '
Oh the mercy of God in not leaving us to our wicked devices!
Next week's reading
Commence 'Wisdom displayed in salvation' by reading Sections I and II.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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