N03467:265
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.
What has been said in Answer to these Objections, may also, I hope, abundantly serve for an Answer to that Objection, that is often made against this Doctrine, viz. That it encourages Licentiousness in Life. For, from what has been said, we may see, that the Scripture Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, without any Manner of Goodness or Excellency of ours, does in no wise diminish, either the Necessity, or Benefit of a sincere evangelical universal Obedience: In that Man's Salvation is not only indissolubly connected with it, and Damnation with the Want of it, in those that have Opportunity for i•, but that it depends upon it in many Respects; as 'tis the Way to it, and the necessary Preparation for it, and also as eternal Blessings are bestowed in Reward for it, and as our Justification in our own Consciences, and at the Day of Judgment, depends on it, as the proper Evidence of our acceptable State, and that, even in accepting of us as entitled to Life in our Justification, God has Respect to this, as that on which the Fitness of such an Act of Justification depends: So that our Salvation does as truly depend upon it, as if we were justified for the moral Excellency of it. And besides all this, the Degree of our Happiness to all Eternity is suspended on, and determined by the Degree of this. So that this Gospel. Scheme of Justification is as far from encouraging Licentiousness, and contains as much to encourage and excite to strict and universal Obedience, and the utmost possible Eminency of Holiness, as any Scheme that can be devised, and indeed unspeakably more.
What has been said in Answer to these Objections, may also, I hope, abundantly serve for an Answer to that Objection, that is often made against this Doctrine, viz. That it encourages Licentiousness in Life. For, from what has been said, we may see, that the Scripture Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, without any Manner of Goodness or Excellency of ours, does in no wise diminish, either the Necessity, or Benefit of a sincere evangelical universal Obedience: In that Man's Salvation is not only indissolubly connected with it, and Damnation with the Want of it, in those that have Opportunity for i•, but that it depends upon it in many Respects; as 'tis the Way to it, and the necessary Preparation for it, and also as eternal Blessings are bestowed in Reward for it, and as our Justification in our own Consciences, and at the Day of Judgment, depends on it, as the proper Evidence of our acceptable State, and that, even in accepting of us as intitled to Life in our Justification, God has Respect to this, as that on which the Fitness of such an Act of Justification depends: So that our Salvation does as truly depend upon it, as if we were justified for the moral Excellency of it. And besides all this, the Degree of our Happiness to all Eternity is suspended on, and determined by the Degree of this. So that this Gospel. Scheme of Justification is as far from encouraging Licentiousness, and contains as much to encourage and excite to strict and universal Obedience, and the utmost possible Eminency of Holiness, as any Scheme that can be devised, and indeed unspeakably more.