N03467:169
Discourses on various important subjects, nearly concerning the great affair of the soul's eternal…
Discourses on various important subjects, nearly concerning the great affair of the soul's eternal salvation, viz. I. Justification by faith alone. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. III. Ruth's resolution. IV. The justice of God in the damnation of sinners. V. The excellency of Jesus Christ. : Delivered at Northampton, chiefly at the time of the late wonderful pouring out of the spirit of God there. / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the Church of Christ in Northampton. ; [Three lines from Deuteronomy]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland and T. Green, 1738
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And it having been shown, out of the Scripture, that 'tis only by Faith, or the Soul's receiving, and uniting to the Saviour, that has wrought out Righteousness, that we are justified; it therefore remains that the Acts of a christian Life can't be concerned in this Affair any otherwise, than as they imply, and are the Expressions of Faith, and may be looked upon as so many Acts of Reception of Christ the Saviour.
But the determining what concern Acts of christian Obedience can have in Justification in this Respect, will depend on the resolving of another Point, viz Whether any other Act of Faith besides the first Act, has any Concern in our Justification, or how far Perseverance in Faith, or the continued and renewed Acts of Faith, have Influence in this Affair.
And it seems manifest that Justification is by the first Act of Faith, in some Respects, in a Peculiar Manner, because a Sinner is actually and finally justified as soon as he has performed one Act of Faith; and Faith in its first Act does, virtually at least, depend on God for Perseverance, and entitles to this among other Benefits. But yet the Perseverance of Faith is not excluded in this Affair; it is not only certainly connected with Justification, but it is not to be excluded from that on which the Justification of a Sinner has a Dependence, or that by which he is justified.
And it seems manifest that Justification is by the first Act of Faith, in some Respects, in a Peculiar Manner, because a Sinner is actually and finally justified as soon as he has performed one Act of Faith; and Faith in its first Act does, virtually at least, depend on God for Perseverance, and intitles to this among other Benefits. But yet the Perseverance of Faith is not excluded in this Affair; it is not only certainly connected with Justification, but it is not to be excluded from that on which the Justification of a Sinner has a Dependance, or that by which he is justified.