Differences in the Discovery of His Grace

Excerpted from The Narrative of Surprising Conversionsby Jonathan Edwards

These gracious discoveries given, whence the first specialcomforts are derived, are in many respects very various. More frequently,Christ is distinctly made the object of the mind in His all-sufficiency andwillingness to save sinners; but some have their thoughts more especially fixedon God, in some of His sweet and glorious attributes manifested in the Gospel,and shining forth in the face of Christ. Some view the all-sufficiency of themercy and grace of God; some, chiefly the infinite power of God, and Hisability to save them, and to do all things for them; and some look most at thetruth and faithfulness of God. In some, the truth and certainty of the Gospelin general is the first joyful discovery they have; in others, the certaintruth of some particular promises; in some the grace and sincerity of God inHis invitations, very commonly in some particular invitation in the mind, andit now appears real to them that God does indeed invite them. Some are struckwith the glory and wonderfulness of the dying love of Christ; and some with thesufficiency and preciousness of His blood, as offered to make an atonement forsin; and others, with the value and glory of His obedience and righteousness.In some, the excellency and loveliness of Christ chiefly engages theirthoughts; in some, His divinity, that He is indeed the Son of the living God;and in others, the excellency of the way of salvation by Christ, and thesuitableness of it to their necessities.

What glorious contemplations these seeking sinners had ofGod’s glorious way of redemption! In Psalm 85:10, we read, “Mercy and truth aremet together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Here the harmonyof the divine attributes meet together at Calvary, manifesting the glory of Godin the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).

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