Jonathan Edwards Selected Shor (continued)
speech are exceedingly diverse from ours, and that we in this distant age cannot judge at all of the true sense of expression used so long ago, but by having a skill in antiquity (being versed in ancient history and critically skilled in the ancient languages), not considering that the Scriptures were written for us in these ages on whom the ends of the world are come. Yea, they were designed chiefly for the latter age of the world, in which they shall have their chief, and comparatively almost all their effect. They were written for God's people in those ages, of whom at least ninety-nine in a hundred must be supposed incapable of such knowledge, by their circumstances and education, and nine hundred and ninety-nine in a thousand of God's people that hitherto have been saved by the Scriptures. It is easy, by certain methods of interpretation, to refine and criticize any book to a sense most foreign to the mind of the author.
24. If God be truly unwilling that there should be any moral evil in the world, why does not he cause less moral evil to exist than really does? If it be answered, as is usual to such kind of objections, that though God is unwilling there should be moral evil, yet he will not infringe on man's liberty, or destroy his moral agency to prevent it: — Then I ask that if this be all, why does God cause so much less to exist at some certain times; on the contrary, causes virtue gloriously to prevail? Other times are spoken of and promised, wherein it shall prevail yet vastly more. And this is spoken of as of God's effecting, and is abundantly so spoken of and promised, as what God would do, and none should hinder, etc.
The Arminian principles, denying the efficacious, determining grace of God, as the cause of men's virtue and piety, are wholly inconsistent with the promises and prophecies of the future