N03467:447
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.
Discourse 4: The Justice of GOD in the Damnation of Sinners.
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.
1. That such is God's sovereign Power and Right, that he is originally under no Obligation to keep Men from sinning; but may in his Providence permit, and leave them to sin. He was not obliged to keep either Angels or Men from falling—'Tis unreasonable to suppose that God should be obliged, if he makes a reasonable Creature capable of knowing his Will, and receiving a Law from him, and being subject to his moral Government, at the same Time to make it impossible for him to sin, or break his Law. For […] God be obliged to this it destroys all Use of any Commands, Laws, Promises, or Threatenings & the very Notion of any moral Government of God over those reasonable Creatures. For to what Purpose would it be, for God to give such and such Laws, and declare his holy Will to a Creature, and annex Promises, and Threatenings, to move him to his Duty, and make him careful to perform it, if the Creature at the same Time has this to think of, that God is obliged to make it impossible for him to break his Laws? How can God's Threatenings move to Care or Watchfulness, when, at the same Time, God is obliged to render it impossible that he should be exposed to the Threatening? Or, to what Purpose is it for God to give a Law ⟨p. 202⟩at all? For according to this Supposition, 'tis God, and not the Creature, that is under Law. 'Tis the Lawgiver's Care, and not the Subjects, to see that his Law is obeyed; and this Care is what the Lawgiver is absolutely obliged […] If God be obliged never to permit a Creature to fall, there is an End of all divine Laws, or Government▪ […] Authority […] God over the Creature; there can be […] Manner of Use of these Things.
1. That such is God's sovereign Power and Right, that he is originally under no Obligation to keep Men from sinning; but may in his Providence permit, and leave them to sin. He was not obliged to keep either Angels or Men from falling—'Tis unreasonable to suppose that God should be obliged, if he makes a reasonable Creature capable of knowing his Will, and receiving a Law from him, and being subject to his moral Government, at the same Time to make it impossible for him to sin, or break his Law. For 〈…〉 God be obliged to this it destroys all Use of any Commands, Laws, Promises, or Threatenings & the very Notion of any moral Government of God over those reasonable Creatures. For to what Purpose would it be, for God to give such and such Laws, and declare his holy Will to a Creature, and annex Promises, and Threatenings, to move him to his Duty, and make him careful to perform it, if the Creature at the same Time has this to think of, that God is obliged to make it impossible for him to break his Laws? How can God's Threatenings move to Care or Watchfulness, when, at the same Time, God is obliged to render it impossible that he should be exposed to the Threatening? Or, to what Purpose is it for God to give a Law