Take a read thru these 12 "no-signs", and then the 12 signs. Should give pause to many of today's evangelicals.

In the second part of the book, Edwards works through twelve “signs” that are uncertain. In other words, he explains twelve things that may look like indicators of truly gracious affections, but which do not prove things one way or the other:

No Sign 1. The religious affections are very great, or raised very high. (127-31)

No Sign 2. They have great effects on the body. (131-35)

No Sign 3. They cause those who have them, to be fluent, fervent and abundant, in talking of the things of religion. (135-37)

No Sign 4. Persons did make ‘em themselves, or excite ‘em of their own contrivance, and by their own strength. (138-42)

No Sign 5. They come with texts of Scripture, remarkably brought to the mind. (142-45)

No Sign 6. There is an appearance of love in them. (146-47)

No Sign 7. Persons having religious affections of many kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they have any gracious affections or no. (147-51)

No Sign 8. Comforts and joys seem to follow awakenings and convictions of conscience, in a certain order. (151-63)

No Sign 9. They dispose persons to spend much time in religion, and to be zealously engaged in the external duties of worship. (163-65)

No Sign 10. They much dispose persons with their mouths to praise and glorify God. (165-67)

No Sign 11. They make persons that have them, exceedingly confident that what they experience is divine, and that they are in a good estate. (167-81)

No Sign 12. The outward manifestations of them, and the relation persons give of them, are very affecting and pleasing to the truly godly, and such as greatly gain their charity, and win their hearts. (181-90)

Then in the third part, Edwards sets forth twelve true signs—those things which distinguish the truly gracious and holy affections as being part of true religion:

True Sign 1. Arise from those influences and operations on the heart, which are spiritual, supernatural, and divine. (197-239)

True Sign 2. Objectively grounded in the transcendently excellent and amiable nature of divine things, as they are in themselves (and not in any conceived relation they bear to self or self-interest). (240-52)

True Sign 3. Primarily founded on the loveliness of the moral excellency of divine thing; a love to divine things for the beauty and sweetness of their moral excellency is the first beginning and spring of all holy affections. (253-65)

True Sign 4 Arise from the mind’s being enlightened, rightly and spiritually to understand or apprehend divine things. (266-90)

True Sign 5. Attended with a reasonable and spiritual conviction of the judgment, of the reality and certainty of divine things. (291-310)

True Sign 6. Attended with evangelical humiliation (= a sense that a Christian has or his own utter insufficiency, despicableness, and odiousness, with an answerable frame of heart). (311-39)

True Sign 7. Attended with a change of nature. (340-43)

True Sign 8. Tend to, and are attended with, the lamblike, dovelike spirit and temper of Jesus Christ; they naturally beget and promote such a spirit of love, meekness, quietness, forgiveness, and mercy, as appeared in Christ. (344-356)

True Sign 9. Soften the heart and are attended to and followed with a Christian tenderness of spirit. (357-64)

True Sign 10. Have beautiful symmetry and proportion. (365-75)

True Sign 11. The higher gracious affections are raised, the more is a spiritual appetite and longing of soul after spiritual attainments increased. (376-82)

True Sign 12. Have their exercise and fruit in Christian practice. (383-462)

I don't rate as well as I would have hoped.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

What is this all about?

this is one of those situations where the passage of a couple hundred years really impacts the clarity of his message through the language as written.

take for example true sign 10. read in the modern understanding, basically any centerford model is showing a true sign.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

True religion, as opposed to sham, and the meaning of life.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

"Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come."

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

I couldn't follow most of it. I did get the part where Christians are supposed to consider themselves despicable. Seems a little harsh to me, kind of like the Untouchables in India.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

whew, thank goodness....

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

The more common view today is that "I'm not so bad,really, especially when compared to__________
Edwards' view would be that we are all violators of God's law and deserving of His wrath.
His use of "despicable " does sound harsh to modern ears. We are all so sure that we are right and that God( if there is a God) must find us quite loveable and worthy.
The result of Edwards' thinking is to remove all source of pride from the Christian. We all want to think we aged some part in our salvation-in God's choosing us. In God's eyes we are all "despicable ".

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I think the idea of humans not being 'worthy' only makes sense in a society in which people 'have their betters', an aristocratic or caste based society. In a democratic society, thinking humans 'unworthy' is a very problematic concept.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Edwards as a man is a great role model. His theology? Nope, not so much. Even Edwards came to the conclusion that God is the source of all evil (he wasn't a modern compatibilist).

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]

Pretty straightforward conclusion to reach about an omnipotent creator.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Only if you are consistent in your belief of divine determinism.

Omnipotent just means that He is able to do all, it says nothing about what actually happened. In contrast to Edwards (and a great many Reformed folks) I believe that God created the possibility for sin/evil, and did not foreordain it to occur.

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]

Either way God is responsible for it. No avoiding that.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Wait, I thought he was discredited after that last campaign . . .

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Everything man touches is corrupted. By saying you should be more like little johnnie they lead you from your own path toward grace. Heaven is where you find it and hell is if you don't.