Justification, Holiness, and Historical Perspective

I hope you’ll put on your thinking caps and practice a little patience as I try to connect the world of my doctoral studies with the world of our contemporary blog disputes.

For the four of five of you who are left, I want to introduce you to John Witherspoon’s Essay on the Connection Between the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ, and Holiness of Life.

First published in 1756, the short book which began as two sermons would go through three editions in the next twelve months. In 1764, the essay was published again, this time with a new and longer piece from Witherspoon, A Treatise on Regeneration. These two treatises would be reprinted together numerous times over the next fifty years, including an 1830 edition with an introduction by William Wilberforce in which he commends the two Witherspoon essays, noting that their “excellence” was “far too well established to render necessary any eulogium of mine.”

Although largely forgotten now, Witherspoon’s Essay on Justification was much beloved in a previous century. Keep reading

See also
The Works of John Witherspoon - Volume I
Theron and Aspasio; or, A series of dialogues and letters upon the most important and interesting subjects

I have included a link to several electronic editions of The Works of John Witherspoon - Volume I, which contains the two essays mentioned in this article. In the particular typeface used in this volume the "s"s resemble "f"s, a peculiarity of late eighteenth century typefaces. I have also included a link to several electronic editions of James Hervey's magnus opus,Theron and Aspasio; or, A series of dialogues and letters upon the most important and interesting subjects. Like Witherspoon's Works the typeface is late eighteenth century.