Jonathan Edwards Selected Shor
were included, whether they sinned in their own person or not. If they sinned in Adam, their surety, those words, 'if thou eatest,' meant, if thou eatest in thyself, or in thy surety. And therefore, the latter words, 'thou shalt die,' do also fairly allow of such a construction as, thou shalt die in thyself, or in thy surety. Isa. 42:21. 'The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake, he will magnify the law and make it honourable.' But,
II. God may refuse salvation to any sinner whatsoever, without prejudice to the honour of any of his attributes.
There is no person whatever in a natural condition, upon whom God may not refuse to bestow salvation without prejudice to any part of his glory. Let a natural person be wise or unwise, of a good or ill natural temper, of mean or honourable parentage, whether born of wicked or godly parents; let him be a moral or immoral person, whatever good he may have done, however religious he has been, how many prayers soever he has made, and whatever pains he has taken that he may be saved; whatever concern and distress he may have for fear he shall be damned; or whatever circumstances he may be in; God can deny him salvation without the least disparagement to any of his perfections. His glory will not in any instance be the least obscured by it.
1. God may deny salvation to any natural person without any injury to the honour of his righteousness. If he does so, there is no injustice nor unfairness in it. There is no natural man living, let his case be what it will, but God may deny him salvation, and cast him down to hell, and yet not be chargeable with the least unrighteous or unfair dealing in any respect whatsoever. This is