N03467:18
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.
'Tis so in most of the great Doctrines of Christianity, that are looked upon as first Principles of the Christian ⟨p. iv⟩Faith, that tho' they contain something that is easy, yet they also contain great Mysteries, and there is room for Progress in the Knowledge of them, and doubtless will be to the End of the World; but 'tis unreasonable to expect that this Progress should be made, in the Knowledge of Things that are high and mysterious, without accurate Distinction, and close Application of Thought: And 'tis also unreasonable to think that this Doctrine of the Justification of a Sinner by a Mediator, should be without Mysteries. We all own it to be a Matter of pure Revelation, above the Light of natural Reason, and that 'tis what the infinite Wisdom of God revealed in the Gospel mainly appears in, That he hath found out such a Way of Reconciliation, that neither Men nor Angels could have thought of. And after all, shall we expect that this Way when found out and declared, shall contain nothing but what is obvious to the most cursory and superficial View, and may be fully and clearly comprehended without some Diligence, Accuracy, & careful Distinction?
'Tis so in most of the great Doctrines of Christianity, that are looked upon as first Principles of the Christian ⟨p. iv⟩Faith, that tho' they contain something that is easy, yet they also contain great Mysteries, and there is room for Progress in the Knowledge of them, and doubtless will be to the End of the World; but 'tis unreasonable to expect that this Progress should be made, in the Knowledge of Things that are high and mysterious, without accurate Distinction, and close Application of Thought: And 'tis also unreasonable to think that this Doctrine of the Justification of a Sinner by a Mediator, should be without Mysteries. We all own it to be a Matter of pure Revelation, above the Light of natural Reason, and that 'tis what the infinite Wisdom of God reveal'd in the Gospel mainly appears in, That he hath found out such a Way of Reconciliation, that neither Men nor Angels could have thought of. And after all, shall we expect that this Way when found out and declared, shall contain nothing but what is obvious to the most cursory and superficial View, and may be fully and clearly comprehended without some Diligence, Accuracy, & careful Distinction?