N03467:273
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.
But the great and most distinguishing Difference between that Covenant, and the Covenant of Grace is, that by the Covenant of Grace we are not thus justified by our own Works, but only by Faith in Jesus Christ. 'Tis on this Account chiefly that the new Covenant deserves the Name of a Covenant of Grace, as is evident by Rom 4 16 Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace. And, Chap. 3 20, 24 Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified in his Sight;—Being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. And, Chap. 11. 6. And if by Grace, then it is no more of Works, otherwise Grace is no more Grace: But if it be of Works, then it is no more Grace, otherwise Work is no more Work. Gal. 5 4 Whosoever ⟨p. 126⟩of you are justified by the Law, ye are fallen from Grace. And therefore the Apostle when he in the same Epistle to the Galatians, speaks of the Doctrine of Justification by Works as another Gospel, he adds, which is not another, Chap 1. Verse 6, 7. 'Tis no Gospel at all; 'tis Law: 'Tis no Covenant of Grace, but of Works: 'Tis not an evangelical, but a legal Doctrine. Certainly that Doctrine wherein consists the greatest and most essential Difference between the Covenant of Grace and the first Covenant, must be a Doctrine of great Importance. That Doctrine of the Gospel by which above all others it is worthy of the Name of Gospel, is doubtless a very important Doctrine of the Gospel.
4 This is the main Thing that fallen Men stood in Need of divine Revelation for, to teach us how we that have sinned, may come to be again accepted of God; or which is the same Thing, How the Sinner may be justified Something beyond the Light of Nature is necessary to Salvation, chiefly on this Account. Mere natural Reason afforded no Means by which we could come to the Knowledge of this, it depending on the sovereign Pleasure of the Being that we had offended by Sin. This seems to be the great Drift of that Revelation that God has given, & of all those Mysteries it reveals, all those great Doctrines that are peculiarly Doctrines of Revelation, and above the Light of Nature. It seems to have been very much on this Account that it was requisite that the Doctrine of the Trinity it self should be revealed to us; that by a Discovery of the Concern of the several divine Persons, in the great Affair of our Salvation, we might the better understand and see how all our Dependence in this Affair is on God, and our Sufficiency all in him, and not in our selves; that he is all in all in this Business, agreeable to that in