N03467:79
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 we can't break a Law that we never were under.—They say it would not be just in God to exact of us perfect Obedience, because it would not be just in God to require more of us than we can perform in our present State, & to punish us for sailing of it; and therefore by their own Scheme the imperfections of our Obedience don't deserve to be punished; What need therefore of Christ's dying to satisfy for them? What need of Christ's Suffering to satisfy for that which is no Fault, and in its own Nature deserves no Suffering? What need of Christ's dying to purchase that our imperfect Obedience ⟨p. 28⟩should be accepted, when according to their Scheme it would be unjust in it self that any other Obedience than imperfect should be required? What need of Christ's dying to make way for God's accepting such an Obedience, as it would in itself be unjust in him not to accept? Is there any need of Christ's dying to persuade God not to do unjustly?—If it be said that Christ died to satisfy that Law for us, that so we might not be under that Law, but might be delivered from it, that so there might be room for us to be under a more mild Law; still I would inquire what need of Christ's dying that we might not be under a Law, that (according to their Scheme) it would in it self be unjust that we should be under, because in our present State we are not able to keep it? What need of Christ's dying that we might not be under a Law, that it would be unjust that we should be under, whether Christ died or no?
Thus far I have argued principally from Reason, and the Nature of Things: I proceed now to the
Second Argument, which is, That this is a Doctrine that the holy Scriptures, the Revelation that God has given us of his Mind and Will, by which alone we can never come to know how those that have offended God can come to be accepted of him, and justified in his Sight, is exceeding full in: Particularly the Apostle Paul is abundant in teaching that we are justified by Faith alone without the Works of the Law: There is no one Doctrine that he insists so much upon, and is so particular in, and that he handles with so much distinctness, explaining, and giving Reasons, and answering Objections.