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EMMANUEL 


\   STUDIA     IN    / 


THE  LIBRARY 

of 
VICTORIA  UNIVERSITY 

Toronto 


This  "0-P  Book"  Is  an  Authorized  Reprint  of  the 
Original  Edition,  Produced  by  Microfilm-Xerography  by 
University  Microfilms,  Inc.,  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  1966 


SELECTED    SERMONS 


OF 


JONATHAN  EDWARDS 


EDITED  WITH  INTRODUCTION  AND  NOTES 
BY 

II.  NORMAN   GARDINER 

PKOFKSSOU  OF   PHILOSOPHY   IN    SMITH   COLLEGE 


THE  MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

LONDON:  MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  LTD. 
1904 

All  rights  reserved 

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SELECTED '  SERMONS    OP 
JONATHAN  EDWARDS 


fEacmillan's  Docket  2tmcr(cnn  auto  lEnigKsij  Classics. 


A  Series  of  English  Texts,  edited  for  use  in  Secondary  Schools, 
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Addlson's  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley. 

Browning's  Shorter  Poems. 

Browning,  Mrs.,  Poems  (Selected). 

Burke's  Speech  on  Conciliation. 

Byron's  Childe  Harold's  Pilgrimage. 

Byron's  Shorter  Poems. 

Carlyle's  Essay  on  Burns. 

Chaucer's  Prologue  and  Knight's  Tale. 

Coleridge's  The  Ancient  Mariner. 

Cooper's  The  Deerslayer. 

Cooper's  The  Last  of  the  Mohicans. 

De  Quincey's  Confessions  of  an 
English  Cpium-Eater. 

Dryden's  Palarrion  and  Arcite. 

Early  American  Orations,  1760-1824. 

Euwards's  (Jonathan)  Sermons. 

Eliot's  Silas  Marner. 

Epoch-makinp,  Papers  in  U.  S.  History. 

Franklin's  Autobiography. 

Goldsmith's  The  Vica-  of  Wakefield. 

Hawthorne's  Twice-told  Tales  (Selec 
tions  from). 

Irving's  Life  of  Goldsmith. 

Irving's  ^he  Al'nambra. 

Irving's  Sketch  Book. 

Longfellow's  Evangeline. 

Lowell's  The  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal. 

Macaulay's  Essay  on  Addison. 
Macaulay's  Essay  or.  Hastings. 
Macaulay's  Essay  on  Lord  Clive. 
Macaulay's  Essay  on  Milton. 


Macaulay's  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome. 
Macaulay's  Life  of  Samuel  Johnson. 
Milton'o  Comus  and  Other  Poems. 
Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  Bks.  I  and  II. 
Palgrave's  Golden  Treasury. 
Plutarch's    Lives  (C;csar,  Brutus,  and 

Mark  Antony). 
Poe's  Poems. 

Po'j's  Prose  Tales  (Selections  from). 
Pope's  Homer's  Iliad. 
Ruskin's  Sesame  and  Lilies. 
Scott's  Ivanhoe. 
Scott's  Lady  of  the  Lake. 
Scott's  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 
Scott's  Marmion. 
Shakespeare's  As  You  Like  It. 
Shakespeare'n  Hamlet. 
Shakespeare's  Julius  Ca:sar. 
Shakespeare's  Macbeth. 
Shakespeare's  Merchant  of  Venice. 
Shakespeare's  Twelfth  Night. 
Shelley  and  Keats:  Poems. 
Southern  Poets:  Selections. 
Spenser's  Faerie  Queens.  Book  I. 
Stevenson's  Treasure  island. 
Tennyson's  Idylls  of  the  King. 
Tennyson's  The  Princess. 
Tennyson's  Shorter  Poems. 
Wooirnan's  Journal. 
Wordsworth's  Shorter  Poems. 


OTHERS  TO   FOLLOW. 


! 


CopTi-mnr,  1904, 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 

Set  up  and  clectrotyped.     Published  June,  1904. 


J.  S.  Caslilng  &  Co.  —  Kerwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mas«M  U.S.A. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION  .......'..      vii 

SERMONS  : 

I.     GOD  GLORIFIED  IN  MAN'S  DEPENDENCE  (1731)  "f        ? 
II.     THE  REALITY  OF  SPIRITUAL  LIGHT  (1733)  .         .       21 

III.  RUTH'S  RESOLUTION  (1735)  .         .         .        .         .45 

IV.  THE  I^NV  MANSIONS  (1737)         ....       64 
V.     SINNERS  IN  THE  HANDS  OF  AN  ANGRY  GOD  (1741)  '    78 

--VI.     A  STRONG  ROD  BROKFN  ANJ>  WITHERED  (1748)       98 
VII.     FAREWELL  SERMON  (1750) 118 

NOTES    ,  .  155 


INTRODUCTION 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS  was  born  October  5,  1703,  in  what 
is  now  South  Windsor,  Conn.,  a  part  of  the  parish  then  known 
as  "  Windsor  Farrnes."     His  father,  the  Rev.  Timothy  Edwards, 
the  minister  of  the  parish,  a  Harvard  graduate,  was  reputed  a 
man  of  superior  ability  and  polished  manners,  a  lover  of  learning 
as  well  as  of  religion  ;  in  addition  to  his  pastoral  duties,  he  fitted 
.young  men  for  college,  and  his  liberal  views  of  education  appear 
in  the  fact  that  he  made  his  daughters  pursue  the  same  studies 
these  youths  did.     His  mother,  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Solomon 
Stoddard,  the  minister  of  Northampton,  is  said  to  have  resem 
bled  her  distinguished  father  in  strength  of  character  and  to 
lui^e  surpassed  her  husband  in  the  native  vigor  of  her  mind. 
As  regards  remoter  ancestry  and   their  intellectual  and  moral 
qualities,   Edwards  seems  also  to  have  been  well  born  ;  an  ex 
ception,  however,  must  be  made  of  the  eccentric  and  possibly 
insane  grandmother  on  his  father's  side,  whose  outrageous  con 
duct  led  to  her  divorce.1 

Brought  up  the  only  son  in  a  family  of  ten  daughters,  apart; 
from  all' distracting  influences,  in  an  atmosphere  of  religion  and 
serious  study  in  the  home,  amid  natural  surroundings  of  mead 
ows,  woods,  and  low-lying  distant  hiils  singularly  conducive  lo 
a  life  of  contemplation,  the  boy  early  developed  that  absorbing 
interest  in  the  things  of  the  spirit,  and  that  astonishing  acuteness 

l  See-  ,T   A   StouMitoTi,  Wimhnr  Pamirs,  p.  W  awl  p.  M  u.    Students 
of  heredity  msiy  perhaps  here  find  :i  dew  to  the  character  of  !uhvar<l 
brilliant,  wiWNvan!  urramlson,  Aaron  !»IUT. 


INTRODUCTION 


of  intellect  which  are  the  most  prominent  characteristics  of  his 
"enius      While  a  mere  child  he  spent  much  of  his  time  in  re 
gions  exercises  and  in  conversation  on  religious  matters  wit 
other  boys,  with  some  of  whom  he  joined  to  build  a  booth  in  a 
retired  spot  in  a  swamp  for  secret  prayer  ;  he  had  besides  sev 
eral  other  such  places  for  prayer  in  the  woods  to  winch  he  was 
wont  to  retire.     His  mind  also  dv/elt  much  on  the  doctrines  he 
was  taught,  especially  on  the  doctrine  of  God's  sovereignty  in 
election  "  against  which    lie  at    that    time    violently    rebelled. 
When  only°  ten   year,  of  age  he  wrote  a  short,   quaint,  some 
what  humorous  little,  traet  on  the  immortality  of  the  soul;  s\ 
about  twelve  he  composed  a  remarkably  accurate  and  ingemo 
paper  on  the  habits  of  the  "  Hying  spider." 

He  entered  the  Collegiate  School  of  Connecticut  at  Saybrook 
—  Afterwards  Yale  College  —  at  thirteen,  and  in  1720,  shortly 
before  his  seventeenth  birthday,  graduated  at  New  Haven  with 
the  valedictory.       Fn   his    Sophomore  year   he  made  the  ac 
quaintance  of  Locke's  KM,;/  on  tit"  Human  Und*r*trni<Ung- 
a  work  which   left  :i   permanent  impress  on   his   thinking. 
read   it,  he  savs,  with  afar  higher  pleasure  "than   the  most 
crrecdy  miser  iinds  when  gathering  up  handful*  of  silver  and 
"old  from  some  newly-discovered   treasure."     Under  its  influ 
ence  lie  began  a  series  of  Notes  on  the  Mind,,  with  a  view  t 
comprehensive  treatise  on  mental  philosophy.     He  also  begin, 
possibly  somewhat  later,  a  series  of  Notes  on   Natural  Science 
with  reference  to  a  similar  work  on  natural  philosophy.^     It 
is  in  these  early  writings  that  we  lind  the  outlines  of  an  H 
istic    theory   which    resembles,    but  was    probably  not  at    all 
derived    from,   that    of   Berkeley,  and   which   beems    to    have 
remained  a  determining  factor  in  his  speculations  t 


''" 


i  See  II.  N.  Gar-liner,  Th*  E«rl»  L1e«U*m  « 
Fdwirds-   a  Retrospect,  ]>p.  II.VIW:    Boston,  1W1.     Cf.    J.  H.  M-*' 
Criokcn    The™irc?8  of  Jonathan  Awards'*  Iwalism,  Philos.  Kev.f 
xi.UOil.  (Juii.  1W:>). 


INTRODUCTION  1* 

After  graduating  he  continued  to  reside  for  two  years  in 
New  Haven,  studying  for  the  ministry.  From  August,  1722, 
till  the  following  April  he  supplied  the  pulpit  of  a  small 
byterian  congregation  in  New  York,  but  declined  the  invitation 
to  remain  as  their  minister.  After  returning  to  his  father's 
home  in  Windsor,  he  received  at  least  two  other  calls,  one  of 
which  he  seems  to  have  accepted.1  In  September,  1723,  he 
wont  to  New  Haven  to  receive  his  Master's  degree,  was  ap 
pointed  a  tutor  at  the  college,  entered  upon  the  .«  vtive  duties 
of  that  office  in  June,  1724,  and  continued  in  the  same  till 
September,  1726,  when  he  resigned  his  tutorship  to  becon.e  col 
league-pastor  with  his  grandfather  Stoddard  in  the  church  at 
Northampton. 

The  spiritual  history  of  Edwards  in  these  years  of  growth 
from  youth  to  early  manhood  is  recorded  by  his  own  hand  in  a 
narrative  of  personal  experiences  written  at  a  later  date  for  his 
own  use,  in  fragments  of  a  diary,  and  in  a  scrk  >  of  resolutions 
which  he  drew  up  for  the  conduct  of  his  own  life. 
documents,  which  were  first  published  by  his  biographer  and 
descendant,  SereiuvE.  Dwight,  in  1820,  throw  a  Hood  of  light 
on  Kdwards's  character  and  temperament,  and  serve  to  explain 
much  in  his  life  which  would  otherwise  be  obscure.  TJ-3  tells 
us  in  his  narrative  how  the  childish  delight  in  the  exercises  of 
religion  before  referred  to  gradually  declined  ;  how  at  length 
"  he  turned  like  a  dog  to  his  vomit,  and  went  on  in  the  ways  of 
sin-"  then  how,  after  much  conflict  of  soul,  he  experienced 
toward  the  end  of  his  college  course  a  genuine  conversion 
issuin^  in  a  new  life  and,  in  the  course  of  time,  a  deep  and 
delightful  sense  of  Cod's  sovereignty,  the  excellency  of  '  !hrist, 
amftheleauty  of  holiness.  There  is  possibly  some  exaggera- 


iTlmt  to  the  churc-h  at  Bolton,  Comi.  But  for  some  reason   not 

i,ow  apparent,  h.  was  never  installed  there  See  S.  Simpson,  Jonathan 

Mtoards-  a  Historical  Jieview,  Hartford  Seminary  Kecord.  xiv.  H 
(November,  11)03). 


X  INTRODUCTION 

tion  in  EdwardeVdewcription  of  this  lapse  and  this  recovery,  but 
it  was  at  least  a  very  real  experience  to  him,  and  it  doubtless 
contributed  to  the  emphasis  which  he  afterwards  put  on  con 
version  in  his  preaching.  His  own  state  after  this  decisive 
change  was  at  times  one  of  mystic  rapture  —  "  a  calm,  sweet 
abstraction  of  soul  from  all  the  concerns  of  this  world;  and 
sometimes  a  kind  of  vision,  or  fixed  ideas  and  imaginations,  of 
being  alone  in  the  mountains  or  some  solitary  wilderness,  far 
from  all  mankind,  sweetly  conversing  with  Christ  and  wrapped 
and  swallowed  up  in  God."  His  diary  is  the  record  of  a  soul 
straining  in  its  flight.  He  watches  the  fluctuations  of  his 
moods  with  almost  morbid  intensity,  and  yet  in  a  way  by  no 
means  merely  conventional,  and  with  a  singular  absence  of 
sentimentality,  so  evidently  sincere  and,  in  a  sense,  objective 
are  his  observations.  Of  his  seventy  Resolutions,  all  written 
before  he  was  twenty,  the  following  may  be  taken  as  a  speci 
men  :  it  is  the  language  of  a  mind  as  truly  original  as  religious, 
ami  is  eminently  characteristic.  "  On  the  supposition  that 
there  never  was  to  be  but  one  indhidual  in  the  world,  at  any 
one  time,  who  was  properly  a  complete  Christian,  in  all  respects 
of  a  right  stamp,  having  Christianity  always  shining  in  its  true 
lustre,  and  appearing  excellent  and  lovely,  from  whatever  part 
and  under  whatever  character  viewed,  Resolved:  To  act  just 
as  I  would  do,  if  I  strove  with  all  my  might  to  be  that  one, 
who  should  live  in  my  time."  And  he  dftl^so^aot ;  these  resolu 
tions  were  not  empty,  they  really  determined  his""  life. 

Edwards  was  ordained  at  Northampton,  February  157  1727, 
being  then  in  his  twenty-fourth  year.  Five  months  later,  July 
28,  lie  married  the  beautiful  Snrah  Picrrepont,  then  seventeen, 
the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  James  Pierrepont,  of  New  Haven, 
one  of  the  founders,  and  a  prominent  trustee,  of  Yale  College, 
and  on  her  mother's  side,  the  great-granddaughter  of  Thomas 
Hooker,  "  the  father  of  the  Connecticut  churches."  Edwards's 
description  of  her,  written  four  years  before  their  marriage,  is 


1NTROD  UCTION  XI 

famous.1     The  union  proved  a  singularly  happy  one,  the  intelli 
gence,  cheerfulness,  piety,  and  practical  sagacity  of  Mrs.  Ed 
wards  combining  to  make  her  at  once  a  congenial  companion 
and  a  most  useful    helpmeet  to  her  j5eaJ(msJ^L.dc_yput,  ..highly 
intellectual,  but  often  low-spirited  husband,    immersed  in  his 
writings  'and  his  Looks.     They  had  twelve  children,  all  born  in 
Northampton.     Mr.  Stoddard  died  February  11,  1729,  leaving 
the  you"g  minister  in  full  pastoral  charge.    It  was  a  responsible 
undertaking  for  so  young  a  iiian  to  guide  the  affairs  of  a  church 
reputed    the    largest    and    wealthiest  in  the  colony  outside  of 
Boston,  one  too  on  which  the  venerable  and  venerated  Stoddard 
Irid  stamped  the  impress  of  his  strong  personality  during  a 
ministry  of  nearly  sixty  years.     Edwards,  as  he  later  confesses. 
made  mistakes.    Nevertheless,  he  succeeded  in  winning  and  hold 
iitg   the   confidence,    admiration,    and    affection  of  the  people 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  twenty-three  years  of  his  minis 
try  in°Northampton.     He  carried  the  church  through  two  great 
periods  of  revival  (1734-35,  17  -10-42),  and  added  over  five  hun 
dred  and  fl%  names  to  its  membership.2     This,  however,  repre 
sents  but  a  small  part  of  his  influence  in  these  years.    Both  by  his 
preaching  in  Northampton  and  elsewhere  and  by  his  published 
writings,   notably  his  printed  sermons  and  his  works  dealing 
with  the  revivals,  in  which  must  be  included  his  treatise  on  the 
IMi'nous  Affections,    lie    powerfully    affected    the    currents   of 
religious  thought  and  life  throughout  New  England  and   the 
neighboring    colonies    and,   to    some    extent  also,  in    England 

1  First  printM  l>v  Dv/ight,  Life  of  Prcsi'luit  Ktlwarth,  p.  114,  and 
froquciitlyrciinMliU'Cil.  It  has  Ix'-en  'compare,!  to  Unte's  description  of 
Beatrice  which  in  pure  lyric  quality  it  certainly  equals,  though  it  lacks 
the  lattor's  sensuous  coloring  and  imaginative  idealization^ 
parison  is  made  by  A.  V.  (i.  Allen,  The  Place  <>f  Xdwrit*  \nUMory  t 
in  Jonathan  Edwards:  a  Ketrospeet,  p.  7;  the  contrast  is  pointed  out 
by  John  De  Witt,  Stockbridgo  (1W3),  Oration,  p.  45  (pub.  by  the  j 


,   Historical  Catalog  of  the  Northampton  First 
Vhurch,  pp.  40-07  (Northampton,  IS'Jl),  prints  the  list  in  full, 


Xll 


INTRODUCTION 


/ 

land  Scotland.  IIU  mission  bad  been  to  recall  the  Puritan 
1  churches,  which  for  some  seventy  years  had  languished  in  a 
;  period  of  decline,  to  the  old  high  Puritan  standards  both  of 
I  creed  and  of  conduct,  and  to  infuse  into  them  a  new  spirit  of 
!  vital  piety.  In  this  he  was  largely  successful ;  and  still  to-day, 
'  in  spite  of  wide  departures  from  his  theological  system,  he 
•  remains  an  effectual  spiritual  force  in  the  churches  inheriting 
.  the  Puritan  tradition. 

The  estrangement  between  Edwards  and  his  people  began  in 
1744,  in  comieccion  with  a  case  of  discipline  in  which  a  large 
number  of  the  youth  belonging  to  the  leading  families  of  the 
town  were  brought  under  suspicion  of  rending  and  circulating 
immoral  books.1      During  the  excitement  of  the   revival  the 
people  had  willingly  accepted  his  high  demands.      But  now,  in 
the  reaction,  ilesh  and  blood  rebelled.     Edwards,  however,  was 
not  the  man  to  accommodate  the  claims  of  religion,  as  he  con 
ceived  those   claims,  to  the  weaknesses  of  human  nature, 
would  not  be  strange  if,  under  the   circumstances,  the   people 
looked  on  their  minister  as  something  of  a  spiritual  dictator, 
exercising  a  kind  of  spiritual  tyranny.     Still,  this  feeling,  so 
Effas  it  then  existed,  was  not  likely  to  have  led   to   an  open 
rupture,  had  it  nob  been  that  four  years  later,  on  occasion  of  an* 
application  —  the  first  in  those  years  — for  membership  in  the 
church,  Edwards  sought  to  impose  a  new  test  of  qualification. 
He   required,   namely,  that  the  candidate  for  full  communion 
should  give  evidence  of  being  converted,  and  as  such  converted 
person,  should   make  a  public  profession   of  godliness.     This 
restriction  ran  counter  to  the  principles  and  usage  established 
by  .Mr.  Stoddard,  accepted  by  most  of  the  neighboring  churches, 
and  hitherto  followed  by  Edwards  himself,  according  to  which, 
not  only  might  persons  be  admitted  to  church  membership  on 
the  terms  oAhe  "Halfway  Covenant,"  but  they  might  come  to 

1  See  note,  p.  17'J, 


JLV  rn  on  uc  TJ  ON  xm 

the  Lord's  Supper,  if  they  desired  to  do  so,  even  without  the 
assurance  of  conversion,  the  hope  being  that  the  rite  might 
itself  prove  a  converting  ordinance.  Edwards  was  now  openly 
charged  with  seeking  to  lord  it  over  the  brethren,  and  the 
indignation  was  intense.  He,  on  his  part,  was  convinced  of 
the  correctness  of  his  position,  and  was  prepared  to  inaini.-tin  it  • 
at  all  costs.  The  unhappy  controversy  lasted  for  two  years  : 
Edwards  dignified,  courteous,  disposed  to  be  conciliatory,  yet  in 
sisting  on  the  recognition  of  his  rights,  and  showing  through 
out  his  great  moral  and  intellectual  superiority  ;  the  people 
prejudiced,  obstinate,  refusing  even  to  consider  his  views  or  to 
allow  him  to  set  them  forth  in  the  pulpit,  bent  only  on  getting 
rid  of  him.  Finally,  on  June  22,  1750,  the  Council,  convened 
to  advise  on  the  matter,  recommended,  by  a  vote  of  10  to  9, 
the  minority  protesting,  that  the  pastoral  relations  should  be 
dissolved.  The  concurrent  sentiment  of  the  church  was  ex 
pressed  by  the  overwhelming  vote  of  about  200  to  20  of  the 
male  members.  The  next  Sunday  but  one  Edwards  preached 
his  Farewell  Sermon.1 

Edwards  was  now  forty-six  years  of  age,  unfitted,  as  he  says, 
for  any  other  business  but  study,  and  with  a  "  numerous  and 

lit  is  impossible  here  to  go  into  the  history  of  this  famous  controversy. 

Something  concerning  it  will  be  found  in  the  notes,  pp.  172  IT. ;  Dwight, 
o/?.  wY.,  pp.  2(.)K-44K,  prints  the  documents  from  Kdwards's  Journal  in 
full ;  the  records  of  the  church  :ire  silent.  It  should  l>e  stated,  perhaps,  in 
fairness  to  the  Northampton  people,  that  the  pastoral  relation  was  not 
then,  as  is  sometimes  supposed,  regarded  as  indissoluble  ;  six  clergymen 
were  "dismissed  "  from  neighboring  churches  between  1721  and  17f>.r>. 
Moreover,  Edwards,  eminent  as  he  undoubtedly  was  as  a  preacher,  was 
to  them  only  the  parish  minister  :  his  great  fame  as  a  theologian  was 
established  later.  Cf.  Trmnbull,  Ilixtorii  of  Xnrthuniptnn,  II,  22.x 
is  also  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  spiritual  capacities  of 
the  people  had  been  overstimulated.  The  later  repentance  of  Joseph 
llawley  (see  l)wight,o/>.  r//.,p.421),  Edwards's  cousin,  who  had _tal<en  a 
leading  part  in  the  movement  againsthim,  concerns  only  the  spirit  of  the 
opposition  ;  it.  does  not  seriously  question  the  wisdom,  under  the  cir 
cumstances,  of  the  separation. 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

chargeable  family  "  to  face  the  world  with.  The  long  contro 
versy  and  the  circumstances  attending  the  dismissal  had  had  a 
depressing  effect  on  his  spirits,  and  the  outlook  seemed  to  him 
gloomy  in  the  extreme.  But  his  trust  was  in  God,  and  friends 
did  not  fail.  From  Scotland  came  the  offer  of  assistance  in  pro 
curing  him- a  charge  there  ;  his  Northampton  adherents  desired 
him  to  remain  and  form  a  separate  church  in  the  town.  Early 
in  December  he  received  a  call  from  the  little  church  in  Stock- 
bridge,  on  the  frontier,  and  about  the  same  time  an  invitation 
from°  the  Commissioners  in  Boston  of  the  "  Society  in  London 
for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  New  England  and  the  parts  ad 
jacent  "  to  become  their  missionary  to  the  Indians,  who  then 
formed  a  large  part  of  the  Stockbridge  settlement.  ^  After  ac 
quainting  himself  by  a  residence  of  several  months  in  Stock- 
bridge  with  the  conditions  of  the  work,  and  after  receiving 
satisfactory  assurances,  in  a  personal  interview  with  the  Gov 
ernor,  with  regard  to  the  conduct  of  the  Indian  mission,  he 
accepted  both  of  these  proposals.  He  had  scarcely  done  so 
when  he  received  a  call,  with  the  promise  of  generous  support, 
from  a  church  in  Virginia. 

The  opposition  which  had  driven  him  from  Northampton 
followed  him  to  Stockbridge.  For  several  years  a  persistent 
effort  was  made  to  obstruct  his  work,  particularly  his  work 
among  the  Indians,  and  even  to  secure  his  removal  But  ho 
successfully  met  this  opposition,  won  tlu  confidence  of  the 
Indians,  and  greatly  endeared  himself  to  the  "  English."  Here, 
too,  in  the  wilderness  he  found  time  and  opportunity  for  the 
writing  of  those  great  treatises  on  the  Freedom  of  the  Will,  on* 
the  End  for  which  God  created  the  World,  on  the  Nature  of 
True  Virtue,  and  on  the  Christian  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin, 
which  are  the  principal  foundation  of  his  theological,  reputation. 
Meanwhile  sm  event  had  occurred  in  Edwards's  family  des 
tined  to  have  important  consequences  —  the  marriage  of  his 
daughter  Esther  to  the  Rev.  Aaron  Burr,  President  of  Nassau 


IN  T  U  0 1)  1 1 C  77  0  /V  XV 

Hall,  in  Princeton.1     In  September,  1757,  Mr.  Burr  died;  two 
days' later,  the  Corporation  appointed  Edwards  as  his  successor. 
Edwards  was  for  various  reasons  reluctant  to  accept  the  ap 
pointment  ;  he  mistrusted  his  fitness,  he  especially  feared  that 
the  duties  of  the  oilice  would  seriously  interrupt  the  literary 
work  in  which  he  was  now  engrossed.     Nevertheless,  on  the 
recommendation  of  a  Council  called  at  his  desire  to  advise  in 
the  matter,  he  accepted  the  call.     He  left  Stockbridge  in  Jan 
uary,  and    toward   the  end  of  the  month  reached    Princeton. 
But  the  only  work   he  did  as  President  of  the  College  was  U) 
preach  for  five  or  six  Sundays  and  to  give  out  themes  in  divin 
ity   to  the   Senior  Class,  with  whom  he   afterwards  discussed 
their  papers  on  them.      The   small-pox  was  epidemic  in  the 
town  when  he  arrived,  and  as  a  precautionary  measure  he  had 
himself  inoculated.     The  disease,  mild  at  first,  developed  badly, 
and  on    March  22,   1758,  lie  died.     From  his   death-bed    he 
sent  this  tender  and  characteristic  message  to  his  wife,  who  was 
still  in  Stockbridge  :   "  Give  my  kindest  love  to  my  dear  wife, 
and  tell  her  that  the  uncommon  union,  which  has  so  long  sub 
sisted  'between  us,   has  been  of  such  a  nature,   as,   I  trust,  is 
spiritual,  and  therefore  will  continue  forever."     His  last  words, 
also  characteristic,   were,    "Trust  in  God,  and   ye  need  not 
fear." 

A  tall,  spare  man,  with  high,  broad  forehead,  clear  piercing 
eyes,  prominent  nose,  thin,  set  lips  and  a  rather  weak  chin,  his 
whole  appearance  suggested  the  perspicacity  of  intellect  and 
the  integrity,  refinement,  and  benevolence  of  character  of  one 
possessing  little  physical  energy,  little  suited  to  practical  affairs, 
but  intensely  alive  in  the  spirit,  intensely  absorbed  in  the  con 
templation  of  things  invisible  and  eternal.  The  two  qualities, 
indeed,  for  which  he  is  most  distinguished  are  spirituality  and 
intellectuality.  Spiritual-minded  ness  was  the  very  core  and 

i  Aaron  Burr,  the  Vice-president  of  the  United  States,  who  killed 
Alexander  Hamilton  in  a  duel,  was  their  son. 


xvi  IN  TROD  UCT10N 

essence  of  his  being.  Religion  was  his  element.  God  was  to 
him  absolute  Reality ;  His  will  and  His  thoughts  alone  consti 
tuted  the  ultimate  truth  and  meaning  of  things.  ^  Nor  was  this 
with  Edwards  a  mere  philosophical  speculation  ;  it  was  the  high 
region  in  which  he  drew  vital  breath,  the  solid  ground  on  which 
he"  walked.  He  walked  with  God.  He  has  been  called  the 
"  Saint  of  New  England."  Like  other  saints,  he  too  has  on 
occasion  his  ecstasies.1 

To  this  high  spirituality,  with  its  rich  emotional  coloring, 
was  united  a  power  and  subtlety  of  intellect  such  as  is  possessed 
by  only  the  very  greatest  masters  of  the  mind.     The  spiritual 
world  "in  which  Edwards  moved  was  for  him  no  mere  shadowy 
realm  of  pious  sentiment  or  vague  aspiration,  but  a  world  whose 
main  outlines,  at  least,  were  sharply  defined  for  thought. 
conceived  it,  namely,  in  accordance  with  the  scheme  of  things 
systematized  by  Calvin,  but  originally  wrought  out  ^  with  the 
compelling  force  of  transcendent  genius   by  Augustine, 
theological  thought  of  Augustine  is  concerned  --  to  put  the  mat 
ter  as°simply  as  possible —  with  'the  elaboration  of  four  funda 
mental  ideas  :  the  absolute  sovereignty  of  God ;  the  absolute 
dependence  of  man;  the  supernatural  revelation  of  a  divinely 
originated  plan  of  salvation  administered  by  the  Church  ;  and  a 
phflosophy   of  history  according  to  which   the   whole   created 
universe  and  the  entire  temporal  course  of  events  are  ordered 
and  governed  from  all  eternity  with  reference  to  the  establish 
ment  and  triumph  of  a  Kingdom  of  saints  in  the  Church,  the 
holy  "  City  of  God."     Augustine's  conception  of  the  Church  i: 
modified,  but  not  in  principle  rejected,  by  the  Protestant  theo 
logians  ;  the  other  features  of  the  scheme  remain  substantially 
unchanged.     The  idea  of  God's  absolute  sovereignty  leads  nat 
urally,  °in    connection   with   the    motives   supplied    by  certain 

i  see  e  ".  the  incident,  recorded  hy  l)\vi-ht,  op.  cit..  p.  l."»°,,  where  the 
rapture' lasts    for  about  an    hour,  accompanied  for  the  gre. 
ol  tho  time  "  with  tours  and  \veepiii 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

teachings  of  Scripture,  Roman  jurisprudence,  Greek  philosophy, 
and  the  experiences  of  a  profound  religious  consciousness,  to  the 
doctrines  of  God's  eternal  foreknowledge,  His  "arbitrary,"  i.e., 
unconditional  decrees, — the  eternal  world-plan, — predestina- ' 
tion,  election,  the  historic  work  of  redemption,  everlasting  pun 
ishment  for  the  unrepentant  wicked,  everlasting  felicity  for  the 
elect  saints.  Over  against  the  sovereignty  of  God  stands  man's 
absolute  dependence,  historically  conditioned,  as  regards  his 
present  spiritual  capacities,  by  the  Fall,  with  original  sin,  total 
depravity,  and  the  utter  inability  of  man  to  recover  by  himself 
his  lost  heritage  as  its  consequence.  Hence  the  great,  the  essen 
tial  tragedy  of  human  life  —  man  naturally  corrupt,  in  slavery 
to  sin,  at  enirttty  with  God,  utterly  incompetent  to  change  a 
condition  in  which,  by  a  sort  of  natural  necessity,  he  is  the  sub 
ject  of  God's  vindictive  justice,  utterly  dependent  for  salvation 
on  the  free,  unmerited  grace  of  God,  who  has  mercy  on  whom 
He  will  have  mercy,  while  whom  He  will  He  hardencth,  reveal 
ing  alike  in  mercy  and  in  punishment  the  majesty  of  His  divine 
and  sovereign  attributes. 

This,  in  general,  is  the  scheme  which  Edwards  stands  for,  he 
most  conspicuously  of  all  men  of  modern  times.  His  specula 
tive  genius  gave  to  this  scheme  a  metaphysical  background,  his 
logical  acumen  elaboration  and  defence.  He  modified  it  in  some 
respects,  e.g.,  in  his  doctrine  of  the  will.  "What  is  more  impor 
tant,  he  gave  a  prominence  to  the  inward  state  of  man  —  the 
dispositions  and  af  Vcctions  ofhis  mind  and  heart  —  which  appre 
ciably  affected  the  relative  values  of  the  scheme,  and  which  has, 
in  fact,  changed  the  entire  complexion  of  tht^tcligious  thought 
of  New  England.  But  as  to  the  general  scheme  itself,  the 
philosophy  of  religion,  the  philosopIyJTbf  life  it  expresses,  there 
is  nothing  in  that  which  is  essentially  original  with  Edwards. 
In  standing  for  these  doctrines  he  but  champions  the  great 
orthodox  tradition. 

But  however  little  original  may  be  the  content  of  his  thought, 


xviii  ISTROD  UCTWN 

there  is  nothing  that  is  not  in  the  highest  degree  original  in  his 
manner  of  thinking.  The  significant  thing  about  Edwards  is 
the  way  he  enters  into  the  tradition,  infuses  it  with  his  person 
ality  and  makes  it  live.  The  vitality  of  his  thought  gives  to 
its  product  the  value  of  a  unique  creation.  Two  qualities  in  him 
especially  contribute  to  this  result,  large  constructive  imagina 
tion  and  a  marvellously  aciite  power  of jibstmct  reasoning.  With 
the  vision" of  the  seer  he  looks  steadily  upon  his  world,  which  is 
the  world  of  all  time  and  space  and  existence,  arid  sees  it  as  a 
whole ;  God  and  souls  are  in  it  the  great  realities,  and  the 
transactions  between  them  the  great  business  in  which  all  its 
movement  is  concerned  ;  and  this  movement  has  in  it  nothing 
haphazard,  it  is  eternally  determined  with  reference  to  a  supreme 
and  glorious  end,  the  manifestation  of  the  excellency  of  God,  the 
highest  excellency  of  being.  All  the  dark  and  tragic  aspects 
of  the  vision,  which  for  him  is  intensely' real,  take  their  place 
along  with  the  other  aspects,  in  a  system,  a  system  wherein 
every  part  derives  meaning  and  worth  from  its  relation  to  the 
whole.  People  have  wondered  how  Edwards,  the  gentlest  of  men, 
could  contemplate,  as  he  said  he  did,  with  sweetness  and  delight, 
the  awful  doctrine  of  the  divine  sovereignty  interpreted,  as  he 
interpreted  it,  as  implying  the  everlasting  misery  of  a  large  part 
of  the  human  race.  The  reason  is  no  revolting  indifference,  cal 
lous  and  inhuman,  to  suffering ;  the  reason  is  rather  the  personal 
detachment,  the  disinterested  interest,  the  freedom  from  the 
"  pathetic  fallacy  "  of  the  great  poet,  the  great  constructive 
thinker.  It  is  this  large  quality  in  Kdwanls's  imagination  which 
is  one  source  of  his  power.  Another  is  the  thoroughness  and 
ability  with  which  he  intellectually  elaborates  the  details  of  his 
scheme.  He  wrote,  indeed,  no  system  of  divinity  ;  yet  he  is 
the  very  opposite  of  a  fragmentary  thinker,  and  few  minds  have 
been  less  episodic  than  was  his.  His  intellectual  constructions 
are  large  and  solid.  Of  the  doctrines  with  which  he  deals,  he 
loaves  nothing  undeveloped;  with  infinite  patience  he  pushes 


INTRODUCTION  XIX 

his  inquiries  into  every  minute  detail  and  remote  consequence, 
putting  his  adversaries  to  confusion  by  the  unremitting  attack, 
the  overwhelming  massivencss  of  the  argument.  Rarely  in 
deed  can  one  escape  his  conclusions  who  accepts  his  premises. 
Moreover,  by  the  thoroughness,  acutencss  and  sincerity  of  his 
reasoning  he  powerfully  stimulates  the  intellectual  faculties. 
Even  in  his  most  terrific  sermons  he  never  appeals  to  mere  hope  \ 
and  fear,  nor  to  mere  authority ;  in  them,  as  in  his  theological  » 
treatises,  he  is  bent  on  demonstrating,  within  the  limits  pre 
scribed  by  the  underlying  assumptions,  the  reasonableness  of  his 
doctrine,  its  agreement  with  the  facts  of  life  and  the  constitution 
of  things,  as  well  as  with  the  inspired  teachings  of  the  Word. 

Now  these  qualities  appear,  as  in  his  other  writings,  so  also, 
and  perhaps  most  conspicuously,  in  his  sermons.     Edwards's 
chief  public  work  and  his  chief  reputation  in  his  lifetime  was 
as  a  preacher ;  the  fame  of  his  theological  treatises  is  largely, 
indeed,  posthumous.     He  was  a  great  preacher.     In  the  case 
of  many  of  the  older  divines,  it  is  difficult  for  us  now  to  under 
stand  how  they  could  ever  have  been  considered  groat  preachers  : 
to  us  their  sermons  seem  dry  and  insipid.     But  it  is  not  so  with 
Edwards.     Even  in  print,  after  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years,  and  notwithstanding  the  gulf  which  separates  our  age 
from  his,  his  sermons  are  still  deeply  interesting.     They  are  in 
teresting  because,  among  other  things,  they  reveal  a  great  and 
interesting   personality.     They  are   instinct   with  the   energy 
of  his  intellect,  they  are  vital  with  the  vital  touch  of  his  genius. 
He  preached  his  theology";  some  of  his  sermons  —  for  instance, 
the  sermon,  or  rather  combination  of  sermons,  on  Justification 
by  Faith  —  seem  to  be  loss  sermons  than  highly  elaborate  theo 
logical  disquisitions,  adapted  to  the  use  of  professional  students. 
And  there  is  doubtless  no  sermon  of  his  which  does  not  reflect,  to 
some  extent,  his  theological  system.     Edwards  was  certainly 
impressed  with  The  Importance  and  Advantage  of  a  Thorough 
Knowledge  of  Divine  Truth  —  the  theme  and  title  of  one  of  his 


XX  IN  TROD  UCTION 

ablest  discourses.  He  held  that  God  had  revealed  Himself  not 
only  to  the  heart,  hut  to  the  mind  of  man,  and  that  an  intelli 
gent  apprehension  of  the  revelation  was  indispensable,  in  some 
measure,  alike  to  saving  faith  and  to  the  development  of  Chris 
tian  character.  But  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  think  of  Edwards 
as  preaching  the  dry  bones  of  his  theology.  He  was  far,  indeed, 
from  supposing,  as  some  now  seem  to  suppose,  that  a  Christian 
society  can  be  the'  more  perfectly  organized  in  proportion  a*  all 
definiteness  of  theological,  that  is,  distinctively  religious,  con 
ceptions  is  eliminated.  He  had  too  profound  a  respect  for  the 
intellect  to  exclude  it  from  matters  of  the  deepest  speculative 
as  well  as  practical  moment,  and  he  had  too  lofty  an  idea  of 
religion  to  identify  it  either  with  vague,  transcendental  emotion 
or  with  merely  personal,  social,  or  political  morality.  His  ser 
mons,  however,  are  by  no  means  all  of  one  type.  On  the  con 
trary,  they  are  of  a  great  variety  of  types.  They  are  "  doctrinal," 
"practical,"  "experimental,"  and  —  taking  into  account  the 
unpublished  manuscripts  —  there  is  an  unusually  large  number 
of  "  occasional  "  sermons.1  And  there  are  a  good  many  varieties 
within  the  types.  .But  even  when  the  sermons  are  most  "doc 
trinal,"  the  practical  interest  of  a  livlnfj  conviction  of  the  truth 
is  never  absent.  The  abstract  antithesis  of  thought  and  lit*1, 
of  theory  and  practice,  as  though  thinking  were  not  itself  a 
doing  or  as  though  an  attitude  toward  truth  were  not  itself 
practical  or  capable  of  determining  other  practical  attitudes,  is 
an  error  from  which  Edwards  is  wholesomely  free. 

To  say  this  is  not  necessarily  to  approve  the  content  of  his 
doctrinal  preaching.  The  thought  of  the  churches  with  which 
Edwards  was  associated  has  moved  away  from  his  thought. 
He  contended  stoutly  for  his  scheme  of  things,  but  he  fought,  it 
would  seem,  a  losing  fight.  It  is  not  that  he  has  been  refuted 
by  abstract  logic;  the  Argument  by  which  he  has  been  set  aside, 


1  $<•<»  F.  H.   Dextor,  Th*.  .VdnuMripts  of  Jonathan.  Edi^anh,   p.  7. 
(Reprinted  from  tho  Proceedings  of  the  M:is,s.  Hist.  Soc.,  March,  I'.KM.) 


IN  TROD  UCTION 

so  far  as  he  has  been  set  aside,  is  the  logic  of  events.  The 
change  has  been  brought  about  no  doubt  by  many  influences. 
Some  of  them  seem  purely  sentimental.  But  there  are  two 
things  at  least  of  fundamental  divergence  in  the  character  of 
our  time  —  the  development  in  us  of  a  critically  disciplined 
historical  sense  and  the  dominating  influence  in  our  modern 
science  and  philosophy  of  the  idea  of  evolution.  These  have 
broken  down  those  hard  and  fast  distinctions  between  nature 
and  the  supernatural,  nature  and  grace,  human  reason  and 
divine  revelation  in  which  Edwards  delighted,  at  least  in 
the  form  in  which  he  habitually  preached  them.  AVith  the 
establishment,  on  the  lines  of  historical  criticism,  of  new 
canons  of  exegesis  in  the  interpretation  of  Scripture  and 
with  the  gradual  disappearance  of  the  idea  of  the  Bible  as 
an  external  authority,  Protestant  Christianity  is  at  present 
confronting  the  question,  whether  the  entire  claim  of  Chris 
tianity  to  be  a  supernatural  revelation,  in  the  sense  in  which 
the  term  "  supernatural "  is  used  by  orthodox  theologians,  has 
not  been  misplaced.  This  is  a  question  which  Edwards  never 
raises  and  which  he  does  not  help  T^S  directly  to  solve.  He  has 
the  mind  of  a  speculative  philosopher,  has  a  very  profound 
thought,  of  God,  grasps  firmly  the  eternal  spiritual  significance 
of  things;  but  he  is  deficient  in  the  historical  sense  —  his 
History  of  Redemption  is  a  wholly  uncritical,  dogmatic  con 
struction,  and  lie  is  not  speculative  enough  to  find,  or  at  least 
he  works  under  conditions  which  prevent  him  from  showing,  the 
mediating  principles  by  which  the  antitheses  and  contradictions 
of  experience  and  theory  can  be  reconciled  and  annulled. 

But  to  return  to  the  sermons.  Edwards's  sermons  arc  con 
structed,  in  general,  on  a  definite  model.  AVe  have,  first,  the 
Exposition  of  the  text.  We  have,  secondly,  a  clearly  formu 
lated  statement  of  the  Doctrine,  which  is  then  developed  under 
its  appropriate  and  preaimounced  divisions.  Finally,  we  have 
what  is  variously  called  the  Improvement,  Use,  or  Application, 


XXli  INTRODUCTION 

similarly  developed.  The  "  Doctrine  "  is  not  usually  an  abstract 
theological  dogma :  it  is  simply  the  theme  of  the  discourse  stated 
in  proposition.il  form.  Thus  an  unpublished  sermon  on  John  i. 
41,  42  has  this  for  its  statement  of  doctrine:  "When  persons 
have  truly  come  to  Christ  themselves,  they  naturally  desire 
to  bring  others  also  to  him."  Another  unpublished  sermon  on 
John  iii.  7  lias  this :  "  Tis  no  wonder  that  Christ  said  that 
we  must  be  born  again."  In  another  —  also  unpublished  —  from 
the  text  John  i.  47  the  doctrine  is  the  similarly  simple  state 
ment,  "Tis  a  great  thing  to  be  indeed  a  converted  person." 
Sometimes,  though  rarely,  the  statement  of  a  doctrine  is  omitted 
altogether,  the  text  itself  being  regarded  as  sufficiently  defining 
the  subject.1  This,  however,  is  never  the  case  with  the  Appli 
cation.  Indeed,  so  "practical"  is  Edwards  in  his  preaching 
that  the  Application  is  sometimes  much  the  larger  part  of  the 
discourse.  In  the  sermon  on  John  i.  47,  for  example,  it  fills 
about  two-thirds  of  the  manuscript.  In  fact,  the  proportion  of 
these  parts,  Exposition,  Development  of  Doctrine  and  Applica 
tion,  depends  entirely  on  the  nature  of  the  theme  and  the  special 
ends  of  the  sermon.  And  similarly  of  the  length  and  number 
of  the  subdivisions.  One  feature  is  constant  —  strictly  logical 
a/rangemont.  However  finely  articulated  the  sermons  may  be, 
they  are  constructed  so  as  to  make  a  distinctly  unified  impres 
sion.  Nor  is  this  unity  of  impression  seriously  interfered  with, 
as  a  rule,  by  the  length  of  the  sermon.  Edwards  was  not  in 
the  habit  of  exhausting  the  attention  of  his  audience.  Occasion- 
idly,  however,  he  would  develop  his  theme  through  two  or  more 
sermons.  When  these  appear  in  the  printed  editions  as  a  single 
discourse,  the  length  naturally  seems  inordinate.  In  the  manu 
scripts  the  parts  of  such  compound  sermons  are  indicated  by 
the  word  "  Doc  "  (Doctrine)  at  the  divisions,  suggesting  that 

1  As,  e.g.,  in  the  great  ethical  sermon  cm  the  Sin  of  Theft  and  of 
Injustice  from  the  text,  "Thou  shall  not  steal."  Works,  Worcester 
reprint,  IV,  001. 


INTRODUCTION  xxiii 

the  preacher  was  wont,  in  renewing  the  theme,  to  remind  his 
hearers  of  the  precise  nature  of  the  subject  under  discussion.1 

And  as  there  was  no  confusion  in  the  thought,  so  the  styje 
of  Ed  wards'*  sermons  is  singularly  clear,  simple  and  unstudied. 
He  affects  no  graces,  seeks  iiojidomments,  which  the  subject- 
matter  itself  and  his  interest  in  it  do  not  naturally  lend.  "  The 
style  is  the  man  "  is  a  saying  which  peculiarly  applies  to  him. 
The  nobility,  strength  and  directness  of  his  thought,  the  vivid 
ness  and  largeness  of  his  imagination,  the  truthfulness  and 
elevation  of  his  character,  the  intensity  of  his  convictions,  his 
impassioned  earnestness  are  reflected  in  his  discourses.  They 
seem  to  have  been  to  an  unusual  degree  a  spontaneous  form  of 
self-expression.  But  attention  is  never  diverted  from  the  sub 
ject  to  the  skill  of  the  workmanship.  The  object  is  not  to 
delight,  but  to  convince,  and  the  attainment  of  this  cud  is 
sought  by  direct  methods  of  argument,  persuasion  and  appeal. 
Yet  the  style,  though  simple  and  straightforward,  is  very  far 
from  being  barren.  The  sermons  are  full  of  great,  rich,  beauti 
ful  words ;  and  there  are  many  passages  in  them  of  wonderful 
charm  as  well  as  many  of  great  sublimity  and  rhetorical  power. 
But  Edwards's  interest  in  these  seems  never  merely  verbal.  He 
is  not  a  maker  of  phrases.  He  makes  use  of  striking  metaphor 
and  startling  antithesis,  his  style  is  often  picturesque,  he  well 
knows  the  rhetorical  value  of  iteration,  when  the  repeated 
phrase  is  employed  in  a  varied  context  ;  but  lie  never  seeks  to 
produce  his  effects  by  literary  indirection.  He  can  be  easy, 
familiar,  colloquial  even,  on  occasion,  if  that  suits  his  purpose ; 
but  he  is  never  undignified,  never  vulgarly  sensational,  nor  does 
he  seem  ever  to  be  intentionally  humorous.  The  construction 
of  his  sentences  is  often  such  as  the  pedantry  of  modern  standards 
would  condemn  ;  but  however  old-fashioned,  it  is  seldom  indeed 
that  the  expression  can  be  called  whimsical  or  quaint.  The 

1  Examples  of  this  arc  found  in  the  manuscript  sermons  on  John  i. 
47  and  John  i.  41,  4'J.  \vhirh  arc  here  taken  as  typical. 


xxiv  INTRODUCTION 

most  determining  external  influence  on  his  style  was  unquestion 
ably  the  old,  so-called  King  James  version  of  the  English  bible. 
'  His  language  is  saturated  with  its  thought  and  phraseology. 

',:'  And  as  he  is  intimately  acquainted  with  it  in  all  its  parts,  ^so 
'''he  is  continually  quoting  it  and  constantly  surprising  us  with 
fresh  discoveries,  in  novel  collocations,  of  its  variety,  beauty  and 
impressiveness.  He  was  influenced  also  doubtless  by  his  too 
'exclusively  theological  and  philosophical  reading.  But  it  is,  in 
the  end,  the  originality  of  his  o\vn  genius,  the  depth  and  subt 
lety  and  force  of  his  mind  and  the  richness  of  his  spiritual 
experiences,  which  we  must  regard  as  setting  the  stamp  upon 
hi«  style.  Edwards's  sermons  are  hall-marked  :  they  have  not 
only  interest  as  historical  memorials  oi'  the  religious  conditions 
of  their  time;  as  the  personal  expressions  of  an  original  mind, 
working  in  traditional  material,  indeed,  but  animating  and  so 
refashioning  it  with  the  unique  form  of  a  great  personality, 
they  have  also  the  value  of  literature. 

Largely  to  the  union  of  the  intellectual  and  emotional  ele 
ments  mentioned  —  the  deriniteness  of  the  message,  the  logical 
unity  of  the  thought,  the  singleness  and  sincerity  of  the  aim, 
the  intensity  of  the  conviction,  the  thorough  knowledge  of 
Scripture,  the  profound  acquaintance,  through  personal  expe 
rience,  of  the  religious  movings  of  the  human  heart  —  must  be 
attributed,  in  connection  with  the  state  of  religious  thought  and 
feeling  of  the  time  and  the  respect  aroused  by  the  character  of 

'  the  preacher,  the  .power  which  he  exercised  on  his  contem 
poraries.  Of  his  manner  of  preaching  we  have  from  his  pupil, 
Hopkins,  the  following  authentic  testimony.  "  His  appearance 
in  the  desk  was  with  a  good  grace,  and  his  delivery  easy,  nat 
ural  and  very  solemn.  He  had  not  a  strong,  loud  voice,  but 
appeared  with  such  gravity  and  solemnity,  and  spake  with  such 
distinctness,  clearness  and  precision,  his  words  were  so  full  of 
ideas,  set  in  such  a  plain  and  striking  light,  that  few  speakers 
have  been  .so  able  to  demand  the  attention  of  an  audience  as  he. 


INTRODUCTION  XXV 

His  words  often  discovered  a  great  degree  of  inward  fervor, 
without  much  noise  or  external  emotion,  and  fell  with  great 
weight  on  the  minds  of  his  hearers,  -lie  made  but  little  motion 
of  his  head  or  hands  in  the  desk,  but  spake  as  to  discover  the 
motion  of  his  own  heart,  which  tended  in  the  most  natural  and 
effectual  manner  to  move  and  atl'ect  others. 

"  As  he  wrote  his  sermons  out  at  large  for  many  years,  and 
always  wrote  a  considerable  part  of  most  of  his  public  dis 
courses,  so  he  carried  his  notes  into  the  desk  with  him,  and 
read  the  most  that  he  wrote  ;  yet  he  was  not  so  confined 
to  his  notes,  when  he  wrote  at  large,  but  that,  if  some  thoughts 
were  suggested,  while  he  was  speaking,  which  did  not  occur 
when  writing,  and  appeared  to  him  pertinent  and  striking,  he 
would  deliver  them  ;  and  that  with  as  great  propriety,  and 
oftener  with  greater  pathos,  and  attended  with  a  more  sensible 
good  effect  on  his  hearers,  than  all  he  had  wrote."1 

The  sermons  in  the  present  volume  have  been  selected  as 
representative  of  Edwards  the  preacher  nther  than  of  Ed 
wards  the  theologian.  Any  such  collection  must  include  at^ 
least  the  following  four:  the  sermon  on  Man's  Dependence,  < ,. 
the.  sermon  on  Spiritual  Light,  the^ijiii'^lrBernwri  and  the 
Farewell  Sermon.  These  are  classic.  Moreover,  they  repre 
sent  Edvraras  in  four  of  his  most  distinguishing  aspects :  as 
the  powerful  champion  of  a  theology  resting  ultimately ^on  the 
principle  of  a  transcendent,  righteous,  sovereign  Will  ;  as  V 
the  equally  convinced  advocate  of  the  mystical  principle  of 
an  immediate,  intuitive  apprehension,  through  supernatural 
illumination,  of  divine  truth  ;  as  4he  flaming  revivalist^  with 
pitiless  logic  and  terrible  realism 'of  description,  arousing, 
startling,  overwhelming  the  sinner  with  the  sense  of  impending 
doom;  finally,  as  the  rejected  minister  appealing,  without 
rancor  or  bitterness,  from  the  judgment  of  this  world  to  the 
i  Samuel  Hopkins,  Life  of  Edwards,  p.  48. 


Xx  vi  INTRODUCTION 

judgment  of  an  infallible  tribunal  and  displaying  what  must 
ever  make  him  more  interesting,  more  precious  as  a  heritage 
to   the  Church  and.  the  world,  than  any  of  his   opinions  or 
his  works,  the  dignity  and  repose,  the  patience,   strength   and 
depth  of  a  great  character,   perfected  through  suffering  and 
apparent  defeat,  in  what  was   virtually  the  Apologia   of  his 
ministerial  life.     These  sermons  alone  would  suffice  to  justify 
Edwards's   reputation   as  the  foremost   preacher   of   his  age. 
Still,  they  cannot,  of  course,  be  taken  as  adequately  represent 
ing  the  whole  range  and  power  of  his  discourses.     In  particular, 
the  Enfield  sermon,  which  has  loomed  so  large  in  the  popular 
imagination  of  Jonathan   Edwards,  and  which,  in  fact,  is  but 
one —to  be  sure,  the  most  extreme —  of  a  number  of  the  same 
type,  cannot  be  taken  as  fairly  representative  even  of  Edwai;ds's 
revival    sermons.       There  has,   therefore,  been  added,   in  this 
reference,"  a  revival:  sermon  of  another   type,  the  sermon  on 
Ruth's    Resolution.      This    sermon    was    chosen,    not    because 
it  is  better  than  some  others,  but  because,  while  being  an  excel 
lent  sermon  of  its  kind,  it  is  also  brief,  and  so  better  adapted 
to  the  scope  of  this  volume.     There  has  been  further  added, 
;ts   representing  a   type  distinctly  different  from    any    of    the 
others,  the  funeral  sermon  entitled  A  Strong  Rod  Broken  and 
Withered,  which  is  certainly  one  of  the  noblest,  in  thought 
and  expression,  of  Edwards's  discourses,  and  which  is  probably 
uninue    among    his   writings  as    dealing  with   the   subject  of 
civil  government  and  the  management  of  affairs.     Had  space 
permitted,    the    picture    of   the   Christian    statesman    in    this 
sermon  might  have  been  matched  by  the  picture  of  the  Chris 
tian  minister  in  one  of  the  ordination  sermons ;  but  the  omis 
sion  is  the  less  serious  since  the  conception  is  so  largely  realized 
in  Edwards  himself.  » 

The  above  six  sermons  were  selected  independently  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  among  the  ten  published  by  their  author; 
but  this  circumstance  confirms  the  choice  and,  moreover,  serves 


INT  ROD  UCTJ.ON  XXVil 


to  authenticate  the  text.     Edwards  has  suffered  not  a  little  at 
the  hands  of  his  editors,  particularly  Dwight,  who  seems  to 
have  been  possessed  by  the  idea  that  his  author  would  appear 
to  better  advantage  in  a  style, and  language  more  elegant  and 
refined.      "  Don't  do  as  Orpah  did,"  pleads  Edwards  in  the  Ruth 
sermon;  "Do  not  as  Orpah  did,"  is  the  feeble  refinement  of 
his  editor.     But  even  the  generally  accurate  Worcester  or  First 
American  Edition  (1809)  is  not  to  be  implicitly  trusted;  for 
instance,  two  whole  pages  are  omitted  at  the  end  of  the  En- 
field    sermon,  giving  to  that    sermon  a  startling  and    bi/arre 
close,  wholly  out  of  keeping  with  Edwards's  habitual  manner. 
Later  editions  import  other  errors  and,  even  while  professing 
to  follow  the  Worcester  edition,  sometimes,  in  fact,  follow  not 
that  edition,  but  Dwight's  (e.g.,  in  the  Ruth  sermon).  ^  The 
present  text  is  based  upon  a  careful  comparison  of  the  original 
editions,  now  very  scarce,  in    the    Boston    Athemeum.      The 
original  expressions,   'tis,  won't,  don't,  etc.,  as  Edwards  him 
self   printed   them,  have   been    restored,  a  number  of  verbal 
errors  in  the  later  editions  corrected  and  several  omitted  lines 
recovered,  besides  the  long  passage  already  mentioned,  which 
is,  however,  in    Dwight,  at  the   end   of  the   En  field    sermon. 
No  attempt,  however,  has  been  made  to  give  a  facsimile  re 
production  (if  the  first  editions  with  all  their  printer's  errors, 
capricious  spelling,  antiquated    punctuation  and    uncouth  use 
of  capitals  and  italics.     These  externalities  could  but  distract 
the  modern  reader,  while  adding  nothing  essential  to  accuracy. 
In  these  respects,  therefore,  the  more  modern  usage  has  been 
followed.     The  aim  lias  simply  been  to  give  the  exact  words 
of  the  originals  and  to  preserve  their  spirit,  treating  the  ser 
mons  iis  sermons  to  be  preached  and  not  as  essays  to  be  read. 
Accordingly,  while  avoiding  the  extremes  of  the  first  editions, 
italics   have  been  used  where    Edwards   used   them  to   mark 
divisions,  or  for  special  emphasis,  somewhat  more  freely  than 
would  be  customary  now.     This  edition  also  follows  his,  and 


xxviii  IX  TROD  UCTION 

the  Biblical,  use  of  ordinary  type  in  personal  pronouns  refer 
ring  to  divine  beings,  the  verbal  reverence  in  the  modern  use 
of  capitals  being  regarded  as  needless  to  enhance  the  real 
reverence  of  Kdwards's  thought  and  possibly  a  little  out  of 
place.  Added  words  are  enclosed  within  square  brackets. 

Besides  the  six  sermons  mentioned,  the  present  collection 
includes  one,  the  interesting  if  not  exactly  great  sermon  on  the 
Many  Mansions,  which  has  not  before  been  published.  A  copy 
of  this  sermon  made  for  the  late  Professor  Edwanls  A.  Park,  of 
AndoviT,  was  kindly  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  editor  by  his 
son,  the  Rev.  Dr.  William  E.  Park,  of  Gloversville,  X.Y.  ; 
but  it  has  also  been  carefully  collated  with  the  original  manu 
script.  The  editor  has  also  examined  the  original  manuscripts 
of  all  the  other  sermons  in  this  volume,  except  that  of  the  Fare 
well  Sermon,  which  could  not  be  discovered.  These  manuscripts 
are  all  in  the  collection  of  between  eleven  and  twelve  hundred 
of  Edwards's  sermons  now  in  the  Yale  University  Library. 
Most  of  these  manuscripts  are  written  in  an  exceedingly  minute 
hand,  with  many  abbreviations  anil  occasionally  with  insertions 
in  shorthand,  on  sheets  of  paper  about  3£x4J-  m-  i'1  size, 
stoutly  stitched  together.  The  facsimile  of  the  first  page  of  the 
sermon  on  Spiritual  Light  given  in  this  volume  opposite  p.  21 
is  representative ;  a  relatively  small  number  are  slightly  larger. 
Of  the  particular  manuscripts  some  account  will  be  found  in  the 
notes.  The  handling  and  deciphering  of  the.se  manuscripts 
give  one  a  curious  sense  of  intimacy  with  the  working  of 
Edwards's  brain  and  heart :  one  is  with  him  in  his  workshop 
and  sees,  as  it  were,  the  very  thing  in  the  making.  One  seems 
to  feel  the  intensity  of  the  excitement  a^,  with  his  audience 
present  in  imagination,  and  with  keen  delight  in  the  activity  of 
literary  creation,  he  works  out  his  theme.  One  observes  how 
alternative  forms  of  expression,  alternative  lines  of  development, 
suggest  themselves,  and  how  now  whole  paragraphs,  whole 
pages  are  struck  off  at  white  heat,  while  now,  ol'tenest  towards 


INTRODUCTION  xxix 

the  end,  the  barest  outlines  are  jotted  down,  to  be  filled  out  in 
delivery.  But  the  manuscripts  of  the  sermons  which  Edwards 
himself  published  afford  no  help  in  the  fixing  of  the  text.  The 
sermons  as  lie  printed  them  are  invariably  expanded  and  often 
greatly  altered  in  other  respects  ;  and  the  copy  prepared  for  the 
printer  is  no  longer  extant.1  This  circumstance  should  not  be 
overlooked  in  judging  of  sermons  printed  directly  from  the 
manuscripts.  In  the  Yale  collection,  there  are  sermons  which 
were  written  out  pretty  fully;  others  are  only  fairly  fully 
written  out  in  parts,  others  again  are  mere  skeletons.  The 
majority  of  those  of  the  Northampton  period  are  of  the  second 
sort.  Among  the  hundreds  of  Kdwards's  unpublished  sermons, 
there  are  doubtless  many  that  it  would  be  interesting  to  have 
in  print  just  as  they  stand  ;  it  is  doubtful  if  there  are  any  which 
would  add  materially  to  his  reputation  as  a  preacher  in  com 
parison  with  the  great  sermons  already  published. 

The  portrait  of  Edwards  in  this  volume  is  from  a  recent 
photograph  of  the  original  painting  of  1740.  The  photograph 
was  kindly  furnished  by  the  present  owner  of  the  painting,  Mr. 
Eugene-  P.  Edwards,  of  Chicago,  to  whom  the  editor  takes  this 
opportunity  of  expressing  his  obligations,  lie  also  desires  to 
express  his  thanks  to  Dr.  William  E.  Park  for  the  use  of  the 
copy  of  the  sermon  on  the  Many  Mansions  ;  to  the  publishers  for 
allowing  the  extra  space  required  for  printing  this  new  sermon  ; 
to  Professor  Franklin  B.  Dexter  for  generous  help  in  the  study 
of  the  manuscripts  and  for  permission  to  photograph  the  sermon 
on  Spiritual  Light;  to  Mr.  Charles  K.  Bolton,  Librarian  of  the 
Boston  Athemeum,  for  courtesies  in  the  use  of  the  fiist  editions  ; 
and  to  Mr.  George  N.  "Whipple  of  Boston,  for  verifying  a 
number  of  references. 

NORTHAMPTON,  MASS., 
Maivh, 


1  As  illustrating  th«>  expansion  in  the  printed  sermon  as  compared 
\\\\.\\  the  manuscript  prepared  for  preaching,  see  note  p.  157. 


~   &*--h 


/U  —    f—  ''7   ,.J   r<.____          -W-.    rC-.   ^^-/.^. 

^^^r^^rP^-^'"--  -  ^^xH 

^7C71^/ /  ^^^v\i^  i 


FACSIMU.K  OF  MASTSCIUPT  OF  Futsr  PACK  OF  SKKMON  "  A  HIVINK 

AM>    Sl'TKItNATTKAL    l.l«;i!T." 


SELECTED  SERMONS  OF  JONATHAN 
EDWARDS 


GOD  GLORIFIED   IN  MAN'S  DEPENDENCE0 

1  COR  i.  29-31.  —  That  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence.  But  of 
him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctifi  cation,  and  redemption  :  that  according  as 
it'ls  written,  'He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord. 

THOSE  Christians  to  whom  the  apostle  directed  this  epistle 
dwelt  in  a  part  of  the  world  where  human  wisdom  was  in 
great  repute;  as  the  apostle  observes  in  the  22d  verse  of  this 
chapter,  •"  The  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom."  Corinth  was  not 
far  from  Athens,  that  had  been  for  many  ages  the  most  famous 
seat  of  philosophy  and  learning  in  the  world. 

The  apostle  therefore  observes  to  them  how  that  God,  by 
the  gospel,  destroyed  and  brought  to  nought  their  human 
wisdom.  The  learned  Grecians  and  their  great  philosophers  by 
all  their  wisdom  did  not  know  God  :  they  were  not  able  to  find 
out  the  truth  in  divine  things.  But  after  they  had  done  their 
utmost  to  no  effect,  it  pleased  God  at  length  to  reveal  himself 
by  the  gospel,  which  they  accounted  foolishness.  He  "  chose 
the  foolish  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise,  and  the 
weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  things  which  are 
mighty,  ami  the  base  things  of  the  world,  and  things  that  are 
despised,  yea,  and  things  which  are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  tbe 
tilings  that  arc."  And  the  apostle  informs  them  why  he  thus 


n 


2  SELECTED   SERMONS 

did,  in  the  verse  of  the  text :  That  nojlesh  should  glory  in  his 
presence,  &c. 

In  which  words  may  be  observed, 

1.  What  God  aims  at  in  the  disposition  of  things  in  the 
affair  of  redemption,  viz.,  that  man  should  not  glory  in  himself, 
but  alone  in  God  :   That  no  f.csh  should  ylory  in  his  presence, 

that,  wording  as  it  in  written,  He  that  glorieth,  let  him 

glory  in  the  Lord. 

2.  How  this  end  is  attained  in  the  work  of  redemption,  viz., 
by  that  absolute  and  immediate  dependence  which  men  have 
upon  God  in  that  work  for  all  their  good/    Inasmuch  as, 

First,  All  the  good  that  they  have  is  in  and  through  Christ ; 
he  is  made  unto  ns  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctijication, 
and  reth'.'inption.  All  the  good  of  the  fallen  and  redeemed 
creature  is  concerned  in  these  four  things,  and  cannot  be  better 
distributed  than  into  them  ;  but  Christ  is  eavji  of  them  to  us, 
and  we  have  none  of  them  any  otherwise  than  in  him.  He  is 
made  of  God  unto  us  wisfloni:  in  him  are  all  the  proper  good 
and  true  excellency  of  the  understanding.  Wisdom  was  a  thing 
that  the  Greeks  admired  ;  but  Christ,  is  the  true  light  of  the 
world,  it  is  through  him  alone  that  true  wisdom  is  imparted  to 
the  mind.  Tis  in  and  by  Christ  that  we  have  righteousness: 
it  is  by  being  in  him  that  we  are  justified,  have  our  sins  par 
doned*  an<l  are  received  as  righteous  into  God's  favor.  'Tis  by 
Christ  that  we  have  sanctijication :  we  have  in  him  true 
excellency  of  heart  as  well  as  of  understanding  ;  and  he  is  made 
unto  us  inherent,  as  well  as  imputed  righteousness.  'Tis  by 
Christ  that  we  have  redemption,  or  actual  deliverance  from  all 
misery,  and  the  bestowment  of  all  happiness  and  glory.  Thus 
we  have  all  our  good  by  Christ,  who  is  God. 

Secondly,  Another  instance  wherein  our  dependence  on  God 
for  all  our  good  appears,  is  this,  that  it  is  God  that  has  given 
us  Christ,  that  we  might  have  these  benefits  through  him  ;  he 
of  God  is  mada  unto  as  wittdum,  righteousness,  &c. 


OF   JONATHAN  XI)  WARDS  3 

Thirdly,  'Tis  of  him  that  we  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  come 
to  have  an  interest  in  him,  and  so  do  receive  those  blessings 
which  he  is  made  unto  us.  It  is  God  that  gives  us  faith 
whereby  we  close  with  Christ. 

So  that  in  this  verse  is  shown  our  dependence  on  each  person 
in  the  Trinity  for  all  our  good.  We  are  dependent  on  Christ 
the  Son  of  God,  as  he  is  our  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanetifica- 
tion  and  redemption.  We  are  dependent  on  the  Father,  who 
lias  given  us  Christ,  and  made  him  to  be  these  things  to  us. 
We  are  dependent  on  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  'tis  of  him  that  we 
are  in  Christ  Jetw.s;  'tis  the  Spirit  of  Go-.  I  that  gives  faith  in 
him,  whereby  we  receive  him  and  close  with  him. 

DOCTRINE 

God  in  glorified  in  the  work  of  redemption  iv  this,  that 
there  appears  in  it  so  absolute  and  universal  a  dependence 
of  the  redeemed,  on  him. 

Here  I  propose  to  show,  I.,  That  there  is  an  absolute  and 
universal  dependence  of  the  redeemed  on  God  for  all  their  good. 
And  II.,  That  God  hereby  is  exalted  and  glorified  in  the  work 
of  redemption. 

I.    There  is  an  absolute  and  universal  dependence  of  the 
redeemed  on  God.     The  nature  and  contrivance  of  our  redemp 
tion  is  such,   that  the  redeemed  are  in  every  thing    directly, 
immediately  and  entirely  dependent  on  God  :  they  are  depend-""! 
cut  on  him  for  all,  and  are  dependent  on  him  every  way. 

The  several  ways  wherein  the  dependence  of  one  being  may 
be  upon  another  for  its  good,  and  wherein  the  redeemed  of 
Jesus  Christ  depend  on  God  for  all  their  good,  are  these,  viz., 
that  they  have  all  their  good  of  him,  and  that  they  have  all 
through  him,  and  that  they  have  all  ///  him.  That  lie  is  the 
cause  and  original  whence  all  their  good  comes,  therein  it  is  of 


4  SELECTED   SKRMOXS 

him  ;  and  that  lie  is  the  medium  by  which  it  is  obtained  and 
conveyed,  therein  they  have  it  through  him  ;  and  that  he  is 
that  good  itself  that  is  given  and  conveyed,  therein  it  is  in 
him. 

^STow  those  that  are  redeemed  by  Jesus  Christ  do,  in  all  these 
respects,  very  directly  and  entirely  depend  on  God  for  their  all. 

First,  The  redeemed  have  all  their  good  of  God  ;  God  is  the 
great  author  of  it  ;  he  is  the  first  cause  of  it,  and  not  only  so, 
but  he  is  the  only  proper  cause. 

'  Tis  of  God  that  we  have  our  Redeemer  :  it  is  God  that  has 
provided  a  Saviour  for  us.  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  of  God  in 
his  person,  as  he  is  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  but  he  is 
from  God,-  as  we  are  concerned  in  him  and  in  his  office  of  Media 
tor  :  he  is  the  gift  of  God  to  us  :  God  chose  and  anointed  him, 
appointed  him  his  work,  and  sent  him  into  the  world. 

And  as  it  is  God  that  gives,  so  'tis  God  that  accepts  the 
Saviour.  As  it  is  God  that  provides  and  gives  the  Redeemer 
to  buy  salvation  for  us,  so  it  is  of  God  that  salvation  is  bought  : 
he  -^ives  the  purchaser,  and  he  affords  the  thing  purchased. 

'Tis  of  God  that  Christ  becomes  ours,  that  we  are  brought 
to  him  and  are  united  to  him  :  it  is  of  God  that  we  receive 
aith  to  c'.ose  with  him,  that  we  may  have  an  interest  in  him 
Eph.  ii.  8,  "  For  by  grace  ye  are  saved,  through  faith  ;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  'Tis  of  God  than 
we  actually  do  receive  all  the  benefits  that  Christ  has  purchased. 
'Tis  God  that  pardons;  and  justifies,  and  delivers  from  going 
down  to  hell,  and  it  is  his  favor  that  the  redeemed  are  received 
into,  and  are  made  the  objects  of,  when  they  arc  justified.  So 
!  it  is  God  that  delivers  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  cleanses 
Mis  from  our  filthiness,  and  changes  us  from  our  deformity.  11; 
is  of  God  chat  the  redeemed  do  receive  all  their  true  excellency, 
wisdom  and  holiness;  and  that  two  ways,  vi/.,  as  the  Holy 
Ghost,  by  whom  these  things  are  immediately  wrought,  is  fr  m 
God,  proceeds  from  him  and  is  sent  by  him  ;  and  also  as  the 


f 
[ 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  O 

Holy  Ghost  himself  is  God,  by  whose  operation  and  indwelling 
the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  and  a  holy  disposition,  and  all 
grace,  are  conferred  and  upheld. 

And  though  means  are  made  use  of  in  conferring  grace  on 
men's  souls,  yet  'tis  of  God  that  we  have  these  means  of  grace, 
and  'tis  God  that  makes  them  effectual.  '  Tis  of  God  that  we, 
have  the  holy  Scriptures  ;  they  are  the  word  of  God.  'Tis  of 
God  that  we  have  ordinances,  and  their  ettivaey  depends  on  the 
immediate  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  ministers  of  the 
gospel  are  sent  of  God,  and  all  their  sufficiency  is  of  him. 
''2  Cor.  iv.  7,  "  We  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the 
excellency  of  the  power  may  l>e  of  (Hod,  and  not  of  us."  Their 
success  depends  entirely  and  absolutely  on  the  immediate 
blessing  and  influence  of  God.  The  redeemed  have  all. 

1.  Of  the  (/rare  of  God.  It  was  of  mere  grace  that  God 
gave  us  his  only  begotten  Son.  The  grace  is  great  in  propor 
tion  to  the  dignity  and  excellency  of  what  is  given  :  the  gift 
was  infinitely  precious,  becair^  it  was  a  person  infinitely 
worthy,  a  person  of  infinite  glory  ;  and  also  because  it  was  a 
person  infinitely  near  and  dear  to  God.'  The  grace  is  great  in 
proportion  to  the  benefit  we  have  given  us  in  him  :  the  bene 
fit  is  doubly  infinite,  in  that  in  him  we  have  deliverance  from 
an  infinite,  because  an  eternal,  misery  ;  and  do  also  receive 
eternal  joy  and  glory.  The  grace  in  bestowing  this  gift  is  great 
in  proportion  to  our  unworthiness  to  whom  it  is  given  ;  instead 
of  deserving  such  a  gift,  we  merited  infinitely  ill  of  God's  hands. 
The  grace  is  great  according  to  the  manner  of  giving,  or  in  pro 
portion  to  the  humiliation  and  expense  of  the  method  and  means 
by  which  way  is  made  for  our  having  of  the  gift.  He  gave  iiim 
to  us  dwelling  amongst  us  ;  he  gave  him  to  us  incarnate,  or  in 
our  nature  ;  he  gave  him  to  us  in  our  nature,  in  the  like  infirmi 
ties  in  which  we  have  it  in  our  fallen  state,  and  which  in  us 
do  accompany  and  are  occasioned  by  the  sinful  corruption  of 
our  nature.  He  iravc  him  to  us  in  a  low  and  afllicted  state  : 


and  nut  only  so,  but  lie  gave  him  to  us  slain,  that  he  might  1>3 
a  feast  for  our  souls.0 

The  grace  of  God  in  bestowing  this  gift  is  most  free.  It 
was  what  God  was  under  no  obligation  to  bestow  :  he  might 
have  rejected  fallen  man,  as  he  did  the  fallen  angels.  It  was 
what  we  never  did  any  thing  to  merit.  'Twas  given  while  we 
were  yet  enemies,  and  before  we  had  so  much  an  repented.  It 
was  from  the  love  of  God  that  saw  no  excellency  in  us  to  attract 
it ;  and  it  was  without  expectation  of  ever  being  requited  for  it. 
'  And  'tis  from  mere  grace  that  the  benefits  of  Christ  arc 
applied  to  such  and  such  particular  persons.  Those  that  are 
called  and  sanctified  are  to  attribute  it  alone  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  God's  goodness,  by  which  they  arc  distinguished. 
He  is  sovereign,  and  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy, 
and  whom  he  will,  lie  hardens. 

Man  hath  now  a  greater  dependence  on  the  grace  of  God 
than  he  had  before  the  fall.  Pie  depends  on  the  free  goodness 
of  God  for  much  more  than  he  did  then  :  then  he  depended  on 
God's  goodness  for  conferring  the  reward  of  perfect  obedience  : 
for  God  was  not  obliged  to  promise  and  bestow  that  reward  : 
but  now  we  are  dependent  on  the  grace  of  God  for  much 
more:  we  stand  in  need  of  grace,  not  only  to  bestow  glory 
upon  us,  but  to  deliver  us  from  hell  and  eternal  wrath.  Under 
the  first  covenant  we  depended  on  God's  goodness  to  give  us 
the  reward  of  righteousness ;  and  so  we  do  now.  And  not 
only  so,  but  we  stand  in  need  of  God's  five  and  sovereign 
grace  to  give  us  that  righteousness;  and  yet  not  only  so,  but 
we  stand  in  need  of  his  grace  to  pardon  ouv  sin  and  release  us 
from  the  guilt  ami  infinite  demerit  of  it. 

And  as  we  are  dependent  on  the  goodness  of  God  for  more 
'now  than  under  the  first  covenant,  so  we  are  dependent  on  a 
much  greater,  more  free  and  wonderful  goodness.  We  are  now 
more  dependent  on  God's  arbitrary  and  sovereign  good  pleasure. 
We  were  in  our  first  estate  dependent  on  God  for  holiness: 


OF  JONATHAN    EDWARDS  1 

we  had  our  original  righteousness  from  him  ;  but  then  holiness 
was  not  bestowed  in  such  a  way  of  sovereign  good  pleasure  as 
it  is  now.  Man  was  created  holy,  and  it  became  God  to  create 
holy  all  the  reasonable  creatures  he  created  :  it  would  have 
been  a  disparagement  to  the  holiness  of  God's  nature,  if  he  had 
made  an  intelligent  creature  unholy.  But  now  when  a  man  is 
made  holy,  it  is  from  mere  and  arbitrary  grace  ;  God  may  for 
ever  deny  holiness  to  the  fallen  creature  it'  he  pleases,  without 
any  disparagement  to  any  of  his  perfections. 

And  we  arc  not  only  indeed  more  dependent  on  the  grace  of 
God,  but  our  dependence  is  much  more  conspicuous,  because 
our  own  insufficiency  and  helplessness  in  ourselves  is  much 
more  apparent  in  our  fallen  and  undone  state  than  it  was 
before  we  were  either  sinful  or  miserable.  We  are  more 
apparently  dependent  on  God  for  holiness,  because  we  are  first 
sinful,  and  utterly  polluted,  and  afterward  holy  :  so  the  pro 
duction  of  the  effect  is  sensible,  and  its  derivation  from  God 
more  obvious.  If  man  was  ever  holy  and  always  was  so,  it 
would  not  be  so  apparent,  that  he  had  not  holiness  necessarily, 
as  an  inseparable  qualification  of  human  nature.  So  we  are 
more  apparently  dependent  on  free  grace  for  the  favor  of  God, 
for  we  are  first  justly  the  objects  of  his  displeasure  and  after 
wards  are  received  into  favor.  We  are  more  apparently  depend 
ent  on  God  for  happiness,  being  first  miserable  and  afterwards 
happy.  It  is  more  apparently  free  and  without  merit  in  us, 
because  we  are  actually  without  any  kind  of  excellency  to 
merit,  if  there  could  be  any  such  thing  as  merit  in  creature 
excellency.  And  we  are  not  only  without  any  true  excellency, 
but  arc  full  of,  and  wholly  defiled  with,  that  which  is  infinitely 
odious.  All  our  good  is  more  apparently  from  God,  because  we 
are  first  naked  and  wholly  without  any  good,  and  afterwards 
enriched  with  all  good. 

2.   We  receive  all  of  the  power  of  God.     Man's  redemption  is 
often  spoken  of  as  a  work  of  wonderful  power  as  well  as  grace 


8  SKLKCTKI)    SKKMOXS 

The  great  power  of  God  appears  in  bringing  a  sinner  from  his 
low  state,  from  the  depths  of  sin  and  misery,  to  such  an  exalted 
state  of  holiness  and  happiness.  Eph.  i.  11),  "  And  what  is  the 
exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us  ward  who  believe,  accord 
ing  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power*" 

We  are  dependent  on  God's  power  through  every  step  of  our 
redemption.  We  are  dependent  on  the  power  of  God  to  con 
vert  us,  and  give  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  new  nature. 
Tis  a  work  of  creation  :  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  lie  is  a 
new  creature,"  2  Cur.  v.  17.  "We  are  created  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  Eph.  ii.  10.  The  fallen  creature  cannot  attain  to  true 
holiness,  but  by  being  created  again:  Eph.  iv.  24,  "And  that 
ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteous 
ness  and  true  'holiness."  It  is  a  raising  from  the  dead:  Col.  ii. 
12,  13,  "Wherein  ye  also  arc  risen  with  him,  through  the  faith 
of  the  opcratio?:  of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead." 
Yea,  it  is  a  more  glorious  work  of  power  than  more  creation, 
or  raising  a  dead  body  to  life,  in  that  the  effect  attained  is 
greater  and  more  excellent.  That  holy  and  happy  being  and 
spiritual  life  which  is  reached  in  the  work  of  conversion  is  a  far 
greater  and  more  glorious  effect  than  mere  being  and  life.  And 
the  state  from  whence  the  change  is  made,  of  such  a  death  in 
sin,  and  total  corruption  of  nature,  and  depth  of  misery,  is  far 
more  remote  from  the  state  attained,  than  mere  death  or 
nonentity. 

'Tis  by  God's  power  also  that  we  arc  preserved  in  a  state  of 
grace :  1  Pet.  i.  5,  "  Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation."  As  grace  is  at  first  from  God, 
so  'tis  continually  from  him,  and  is  maintained  by  him,  as 
much  as  light  in  the  atmosphere  is  all  day  long  from  the  sun, 
as  well  as  at  fiist  dawning  or  at  sunrising. 

Men  are  dependent  on  the  power  of  God  for  evcrj  exercise 
of  grace,  and  for  carrying  on  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart, 
for  the  subduing  uf  sin  and  corruption,  and  increasing  holy 


OF  JON  A  Til  A  N   E  D  I VA  U  I)  8  0 

principles,  and  enabling  to  bring  forth  fruit  in  good  works,  and 
at  last  bringing  grace  to  its  perfection,  in  making  the  soul  com 
pletely  amiable  in  Christ's  glorious  likeness,  and  filling  of  it 
with  a  satisfying  joy  and  blessedness ;  and  for  the  raising  of 
the  body  to  life,  and  to  such  a  perfect  state,  that  it  shall  be 
suitable  for  a  habitation  and  organ  for  a  soul  so  perfected  and 
Messed.  These  are  the  most  glorious  effects  of  the  power  of 
God  that  are  seen  in  the  series  of  God's  acts  with  respect  to 
the  creatures. 

Man  was  dependent  on  the  power  of  God  in  his  first  estate, 
but  he  is  more  dependent  on  his  power  now ;  lie  needs  God's 
power   to  do  more   things  for  him,  and  depends  on    a  more 
wonderful  exercise  of  his  power.     It  was  an  effect  of  the  power  | 
of  God  to  make  man  holy  at  the  first ;  but  more  remarkably  so  ; 
now,  because  there  is  a  great  deal  of  opposition  and  difficulty.-- 
in  th.5  way.     Tis  a  more  glorious  effect  of  power  to  make  that 
holy  that  was  so  depraved  and  under  the  dominion  of  sin,  than 
to  confer  holiness  on  that  which  before  had  nothing  of  the  con 
trary.     It  is  a  more  glorious  work  of  power  to  rescue  a  soul 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  devil,  and  from  the  powers  of  darkness, 
and  to  bring  it  into  a  state  of  salvation,  than  to  confer  holiness 
where  there  was  no  prepossession  or  opposition.     Luke  xi.  :M, 
"2'2,  "When  a  strong  man  armed  keepcth  his  palace,  his  goods 
arc  in  peace;  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon 
him,  and    overcome  him,  he  takcth  from    him  all  his    armor 
wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his  spoils."     So  'tis  a  more 
glorious  work  of  power  to  uphold  a  soul  in  a  state  of  grace  and 
holiness,  and  to  carry  it  on  til)  it  is  brought  to  glory,  when 
there  is    so  much  sin    remaining    in  the    heart  resisting,  and 
Satan  with  all  hi*  might  opposing,  than,  it  would  have  been  to 
have  kept  man  from  falling  at  first,  when  Satan  had  nothing 
in  man. 

Thus  we  have  shown  how  the  redeemed  are  dependent  on 
God  for  all  their  good,  as  they  have  all  of  him. 


10  SELECTED   SERMONS 

Secondly,  They  arc  also  dependent  on  God  for  all,  as  they 
have  all  through  him.  'Tis  God  that  is  the  medium  of  it,  as 
well  as  the  author  and  fountain  of  it.  All  that  we  have,  wis 
dom  and  the  pardon  of  sin,  deliverance  from  hell,  acceptance  in 
God's  favor,  grace  and  holiness,  true  comfort  and  happiness, 
eternal  life  and  glory,  we  have  from  God  by  a  Mediator;  and 
.  this  Mediator  is  God,  whi«-h  Mediator  we  have  an  absolute 
dependence  upon  as  he  through  whom  we  receive  all.  So  that 
here  is  another  way  wherein  we  have  our  dependence  on  God 
for  all  good.  God  not  only  gives  us  the  Mediator,  and  ac 
cepts  his  mediation,  and  of  his  power  and  grace  bestows  the 
things  purchased  by  the  Mediator,  but  he  is  the  Mediator. 

Our  blessings  arc  what  we  have  by  purchase;  and  the  pur 
chase  is  made  of  God,  the  blessings  are  purchased  of  him,  and 
God  gives  the  purchaser;  and  not  only  so,  but  God  is  the  pur 
chaser.  Yea,  God  is  both  the  purchaser  and  the  price;  for 
Christ,  who  is  God,  purchased  these  blessings  for  us  by  ottering 
up  himself  as  the  price  of  our  salvation.  He  purchased  eter 
nal  life  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself:  Heb.  vii.  'J7,  "He  ottered 
up  himself;"  and  ix.  !>(>,  "He  hath  appeared  to  take  away  sin 
by  the  sacrifice  of  himself."  Indeed  it  was  the  human  nature 
that  was  offered  ;  but  it  was  the  same  person  with  the  divine, 
and  therefore  was  an  infinite  price:  it  was  looked  upon  as  if 
God  had  been  ottered  in  sacrifice. 

As  we  thus  have  our  good  through  God,  we  have  a  depend 
ence  on  God  in  a  respect  that  man  in  his  first  estate  had  not. 
>','Man  was  to  have  eternal  life  then  through  his  own  righteous- 
.  Vss ;  'so  that  he  had  partly  a  dependence  upon  what  was  in 
himself;  for  we  have  a  dependence  upon  that  through  which 
we  have  our  good,  as  well  as  that    from  which  we   have  it. 
And  though  man's  righteousness  that  he  then  depended  on  was 
indeed  from  God,  yet  it  was  his  own,  it  was  inherent  in  him 
self;  so  that  his  dependence  was  not  so  immediately  on  God. 
But  now  the  righteousness  that  we  arc  dependent  on  is  not  in 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  11 

ourselves,  but  in  God.  We  are  saved  through  the  righteous 
ness  of  Christ:  lie  is  made  unto  us  righteousness;  and  there 
fore  is  prophesied  of,  Jer.  xxiii.  G,  under  that  name  of  "  the 
Lord  our  righteousness."  In  that  the  righteousness  we  are 
justified  by  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  it  is  the  righteous 
ness  of  God:  2  Cor.  v.  21,  "  That  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him." 

Thus  in  redemption  we  han't  only  all  things  of  God,  but 
by  and  through  him  :  1  Cor.  viii.  21,  ".But  to  us  there  is  but 
one  God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in  him ; 
and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  by 
him." 

Thirdly,  The  redeemed  have  all  their  good  m  God.  "VVe 
not  only  have  it  of  him,  and  through  him,  but  it  consists  in 
him  ;  he  is  all  our  good. 

The  good  of  the  redeemed  is  either  objective  or  inherent. 
l>y  their  objective  good  I  mean  that  intrinsic  object,  in  the 
possession  and  enjoyment  of  which  they  are  happy.  Their 
inherent  good  is  that  excellency  or  pleasure  which  is  in  the 
soul  itself.  With  respect  to  both  of  which  the  redeemed  have 
all  their  good  in  God,  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  God  him 
self  is  all  their  good. 

1.  The  redeemed  have  all  their  objective  good  in  God.  God 
himself  is  the  great  good  which  they  are  brought  to  the  pos 
session  and  enjoyment  of  by  redemption.  He  is  the  highest 
good  and  the  sum  of  all  that  good  which  Christ  purchased. 
God  is  the  inheritance  of  the  saints ;  he  is  the  portion  of  their 
souls.  God  is  their  wealth  and  treasure,  their  food,  their  life, 
their  dwelling-place,  their  ornament  and  diadem,  and  their 
everlasting  honor  and 'glory.  They  have  none  in  heaven  but 
God ;  lie  is  the  great  good  which  the  redeemed  are  received  to 
at  death,  and  which  they  arc  to  rise  to  at  the  end  of  the  world. 
The  Lord  God,  he  is  the  light  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  and 
is  the  "river  of  the  water  of  life,"  that  runs,  and  "the  tree  of 


12  ,s' /;/,/•;<  "/'/•; /j  &•/•;/;  J/</AT,S 

life  that  grows,  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God."  The 
glorious  excellencies  and  beauty  of  God  will  he  what  will  for 
ever  entertain  the  minds  of  the  saints,  and  the  love  of  God 
will  be  their  everlasting  feast.  The  redeemed  will  indeed  en 
joy  other  things ;  they  will  enjoy  the  angels,  and  will  enjoy 
one  another;  hut  that  which  they  shall  enjoy  in  the  angels,  or 
each  other,  or  in  any  thing  else  whatsoever  that  will  yield  them 
delight  and  happiness,  will  he  what  will  he  seen  of  God  in  them. 

2.  The  redeemed  have  all  their  inherent  good  in  God.  In 
herent  good  is  twofold;  'tis  either  excellency  or  pleasure. 
These  the  redeemed  not  only  derive  from  God,  as  caused  by 
him,  but  have  them  in  him.  '  They  have  spiritual  excellency 
and  joy  by  a  kind  of  participation  of  God.  They  arc  made 
excellent  by  a  communication  of  God's  excellency  : 'God  puts 
his  own  beauty,  i.e.,  his  beautiful  likeness,  upon  their  souls: 
they  arc  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  or  moral  image 
of  (rod,  *J  Pet.  i.  1.  They  are  holy  by  being  made  partakers 
of  God's  holiness,  Ileb.  xii.  10.  The  saints  are  beautiful  and 
blessed  by  a  communication  of  God's  holiness  and  joy,  as  the 
moon  and  planets  are  bright  by  the  sun's  light.  The  saint 
hath  spiritual  joy  and  pleasure  by  a  kind  of  effusion  of  God  on 
the  soul.  In  these  things  the  redeemed  have  communion  with 
God  ;  that  is,  they  partake  with  him  and  of  him. 

The  saints  have  both  their  spiritual  excellency  and  blessed 
ness  by  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  Spirit  of  God,  and  his 
dwelling  in  them.  They  are  not  only  caused  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  but  are  in  the  Holy  Ghost  as  their  principle.  \  The 
N  Holy  Spirit  becoming  an  inhabitant,  is  a  vital  principle  in  the 
soul ^  he,  acting  in,  upon  and  with  the  soul,  becomes  a  fountain 
of  true  holiness  and  joy,  as  a  spring  is  of  water,  by  the  exertion 
and  diffusion  of  itself:  John  iv.  11,  "But  whosoever  drinketh 
of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst ;  but  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life," —  compared  with  chap,  vil 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  13 

38,  39,  "He  that  belicveth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said, 
out  of  his  belly  shall   flow  rivers   of  living  water;  but  this 
spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  him  should 
receive."     The  sum  of  what  Christ  has  purchased  for  us  is  that 
spring  of  water  spoken  of  in  the  former  of  those  places,  and 
those  rivers  of  living  water  spoken  of  in  the  latter.     And  the 
sum  of  the  blessings    which    the   redeemed   shall   receive    in 
heaven  is  that  river  of  water  of  life  that  proceeds  from  the 
throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  Kev.  xxii.  1,  — which  doubtless 
signifies  the  same  with  those  rivers  of  living  water  explained 
John  vii.  38,  39,  which  is  elsewhere  called  the  "river  of  God's 
pleasures."      Herein   consists   the  fulness   of  good  which   the 
saints  receive  by  Christ.     Tis  by  partaking  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  they  have  communion  with  Christ  in  his  fulness.     God 
hath  given  the  Spirit,  not  by  measure  unto  him,  and  they  do 
receive  of  his  fulness,  and  grace  for  grace.     This  is  the  sum  of 
the  saints'  inheritance;  and  therefore  that  little  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  believers  have  in  this  world  is  said  to  be  the 
earnest  of  their  inheritance.     2  Cor.  i.  22,  "Who  hath  also 
scaled  as,  and  given  us  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts."     And  chap. 
v.  5,  "  Now  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  selfsame  thing  is 
God'  who  also  hath  given  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit." 
And  Eph.  i.  13,  14,  "Ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our   inheritance,   until    the 
redemption  of  the  purchased  possession." 

The  Holy  Spirit  and  good  things  are  spoken  of  in  Scripture  * 
as  the  same ;  as  if  the  Spirit  of  God  communicated  to  the  soul 
comprised  all  good  things:  Matt.  vii.  11,  "How  much  more 
shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask 
him?"  In  Luke  it  is,  chap.  xi.  13,  "How  much  more  shall 
your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him '? "  This  is  the  sum  of  the  blessings  that  Christ  died  to 
procure,  and  that  are  the  subject  of  gospel  promises  :  Gal.  Hi. 
13,  14,  "He  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  we  might  receive 


14  SELECTED   SERMONS 

the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith."  The  Spirit  of  God  is 
the  great  promise  of  the  Father:  Luke  xxiv.  49,  "Behold,  I 
send  the  promise  of  my  Father  upon  you."  The  Spirit  of  God 
therefore  is  called  "the  Spirit  of  promise,"  Eph.  i.  13.  This 
promised  thing  Christ  received,  and  had  given  into  his  hand, 
as  soon  as  he  had  finished  the  work  of  our  redemption,  to 
bestow  on  all  that  he  had  redeemed:  Acts  ii.  33,  "Therefore, 
being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received 
of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed 
forth  this,  which  ye  both  see  and  hear."  So  that  all  the  holi 
ness  and  happiness  of  the  redeemed  is  in  God.  Tis  in  the 
communications,  indwelling  and  acting  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Holiness  and  happiness  are  in  the  fruit,  here  and  hereafter, 
because  God  dwells  in  them,  and  they  in  God. 

Thus  'tis  God  that  has  given  us  the  Redeemer,  and  'tis  of 
him  that  our  good  is  purchased :  so  'tis  God  that  is  the 
Redeemer  and  the  price  ;  and  'tis  God  also  that  is  the  good 
purchased.  So  that  all  that  we  have  is  of  (Jod,  and  thronf/h 
him,  and  in  him  :  Rom.  xi.  3G,  "  For  of  him,  and  through  him, 
and  to  him  (or  in  him),  are  all  things."  The  same  in  the  Greek 
that  is  here  rendered  to  him  is  rendered  in  him,  1  Cor.  vii.  6. 

II.  God  is  glorified  in  the  work  of  redemption  by  this 
means,  viz.,  by  there  being  so  great  and  universal  a  dependence 
of  the  redeemed  on  him. 

1.  Man  hath  so  much  the  greater  occasion  and  obligation  to 
take  notice  and  acknowledge  God's  perfections  and  all-sufficiency. 
The  greater  the  creature's  dependence  is  on  God's  perfections, 
and  the  greater  concern  he  has  with  them,  so  much  the  greater 
occasion  has  he  to  take  notice  of  them.  So  much  the  greater 
concern  any  one  has  with,  and  dependence  upon,  the  power  ami 
grace  of  God,  so  much  the  greater  occasion  has  he  to  take  notice  of 
that  power  and  grace.  So  much  the  greater  and  more  immediate 
dependence  there  is  on  the  divine  holiness,  so  much  the  greater 
occasion  to  take  notice  of  and  acknowledge  that.  So  much 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARJtS  15 

the  greater  and  more  absolute  dependence  we  have  on  the 
divine  perfections,  as  belonging  to  the  several  persons  of  the 
Trinity,  so  much  the  greater  occasion  have  we  to  observe  and 
own  the  divine  glory  of  each  of  them.  That  which  we  are 
most  concerned  with,  is  surely  most  in  the  way  of  our  observa 
tion  and  notice ;  and  this  kind  of  concern  with  any  thing,  viz., 
dependence,  does  especially  tend  to  commend  and  oblige  the 
attention  and  observation.  Those  things  that  we  are  not  much 
dependent  upon,  'tis  easy  to  neglect ;  but  we  can  scarce  do  any 
other  than  mind  that  which  we  have  a  great  dependence  on. 
By  reason  of  our  so  great  dependence  on  God  and  his  perfec 
tions,  and  in  so  many  respects,  he  and  his  glory  are  the  more 
directly  set  in  our  view,  which  way  soever  we  turn  our  eyes. 

We  have  the  greater  occasion  to  take  notice  of  God's  all- 
sufrtciency,  when  all  our  sufficiency  is  thus  every  way  of  him. 
We  have  the  more  occasion  to  contemplate  him  as  an  infinite 
good,  and  as  the  fountain  of  all  good.  Such  a  dependence  on 
God  demonstrates  God's  all-sufficiency.  So  much  as  the  de 
pendence  of  the  creature  is  on  God,  so  much  the  greater  does 
the  creature's  emptiness  in  himself  appear  to  be  ;  and  so  much 
the  greater  the  creature's  emptiness,  so  much  the  greater  must 
the  fulness  of  the  Being  be  who  supplies  him.  Our  having 
all  of  God  shows  the  fulness  of  his  power  and  grace :  our  hav 
ing  all  throiwjh  him  shows  the  fulness  of  his  merit  and  worthi 
ness  ;  and  our  having  all  in  him  demonstrates  his  fulness  of 
}  Beauty,  love  and  happiness. 

And  the  redeemed,  by  reason  of  the  greatness  of  their 
dependence  on  God,  han't  only  so  much  the  greater  occasion, 
but  obligation  to  contemplate  and  acknowledge  the  glory  and 
fulness  of  God.  How  unreasonable  and  ungrateful  should  we 
be  if  we  did  not  acknowledge  that  sufficiency  and  glory  that  we 
do  absolutely,  immediately  and  universally  depend  upon  ! 

2.  Hereby  is  demonstrated  how  great  God's  glory  is  con 
sidered  comparatively,  or  as  compared  with  the  creature's.  By 


10  -  SELECTED   8KKMONS 

the  creature's  being  thus  wholly  and  universally  dependent  on 
God,  it  appears  that  the  creature  is  nothing  and  that  God  is 
all.  Hereby  it  appears  that  God  H  infinitely  above  us ;  that 
God's  strength,  and  wisdom  and  holiness  are  infinitely  greater 
than  ours.  However  great  and  glorious  the  creature  appr,- 
hends  God  to  be,  yet  if  he  be  not  sensible  of  the  ditfere  ice 
between  God  and  him,  so  as  to  see  that  God's  glory  is  pveat, 
compared  with  his  own,  he  will  not  be  disposed  to  givj  God 
the  glory  due  to  his  name.  If  the  creature,  in  any  resp.-ct,  sets 
himself  upon  a  level  with  God,  or  exalts  himself  to  ary  compe 
tition  with  him,  however  he  may  apprehend  that  g' eat  honor 
and  profound  respect  may  belong  to  God  from  those  that  arc 
more  inferior,  and  at  a  greater  distance,  he  will  not  be  so 
sensible  of  its  being  due  from  him.  So  much  the  more  men 
exalt  themselves,  so  much  the  less  will  they  surely  be  dis 
posed  to  exalt  God.  Tis  certainly  a  tiling  that  God  aims  at 
in  the  disposition  of  things  in  the  affair  of  redemption  (if  we 
allow  the  Scriptures  to  be  a  revelation  of  (rod's  mind),  that 
God  should  appear  full,  and  man  in  himself  empty,  that  God 
should  appear  all,  and  man  nothing.  'Tis  God's  declared 
design  that  others  should  not  "glory  in  his  presence";  which 
implies  that  'tis  his  design  to  advance  his  own  comparative 
glory.  So  much  the  more  man  "  glories  in  God's  presence,"  so 
much  the  less  glory  is  ascribed  to  God. 

3.  By  its  being  thus  ordered,  that  the  creature  should  have 
so  absolute  and  universal  a  dependence  on  God,  provision  is 
made  that  God.  should  have  our  whole  souls,  and  should  be  the 
object  of  our  undivided  respect.  If  we  had  our  dependence 
partly  on  God  and  partly  on  something  else,  man's  respect 
woidd  be  divided  to'  those  different  things  on  which  he  had  de 
pendence.  Thus  it  would  be  if  we  depended  on  God  only  for  a 
part  of  our  good,  and  on  ourselves  or  some  other  being  for  an 
other  part:  or  if  we  had  our  g;»od  only  from  God,  and  through 
another  that  was  not  God,  and  in  something  else  distinct  from 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  17 

joth,  our  hearts  would  be  divided  between  the  good  itself,  and 
him  from  whom,  anil  him  through  whom  we  received  it.  But 
now  there  is  no  occasion  for  this,  God  being  not  only  lie  from 
or  of  whom  we  have  all  good,  hut  also  through  whom,  and  one 
that  is  that  good  itself,  that  we  have  from  him  and  through 
him.  So  that  whatsoever  there  is  to  attract  our  respect,  the 
tendency  is  still  directly  towards  God,  all  unites  in  him  as  the 
centre. 

USE 

1.  We  may  here  observe  the  marvellous  wisdom  of  God  in^" 
the  work  of  redemption.     God  hath  made  man's  emptiness  and 
misery,  his  low,  lost  and  ruined  state  into  which  he  sunk  by 
the  fall,   an  occasion   of  the  greater  advancement  of  his  own 
glory,  as  in  other  ways,  so  particularly  in  this,  that  there  is  now  , 
a  much  more  universal  and  apparent    dependence  of  man  on / 
(Jod.     Though  God  be  pleased  to  lift  man  out  of  that  dismal 
abyss  of  sin  and  woe  into  which  he  was  fallen,  and  exceedingly 
to  exalt  him  in  excellency  and  honor,  and   to  a  high  pitch  of 
glory  and  blessedness,  yet  the  creature    hath  nothing  in  any 
respect  to  glory  of;  all  the  glory  evidently  belongs  to  God,  all 
is  in  a  mere  and  most  absolute  and  divine  dependence  on   the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 

And  each  person  of  the  Trinity  is  equally  glorified  in  this 
work  :  there  is  an  absolute  dependence  of  the  creature  on  every 
one  for  all :  all  is  of  the  Father,  all  through  the  Son,  and  all  in 
the  lloly  Ghost.  Thus  God  appears  in  the  work  of  redemption 
as  all  hi  (dl.  It  is  lit  that  he  that  is,  and  there  is  none  else, 
should  be  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the 
all,  and  the  only,  in  this  work. 

2.  Hence  those  doctrines  and  schemes  of  divinity  that  are  in 
any  respect  opposite  to  such  an  absolute  and  universal  depend 
ence  on  God,  do  derogate  from  God's   glory,   and   thwart  the 
design  of  the  contrivance  for  our  redemption.     Thof-e  schemes 

c 


18  SELECTED   SERMONS 

that  put  the  creature  in  God's  stead,  in  any  of  the  mentioned 
respects,  that  exalt  man  into  the  place  of  either  Father,  Son  or 
Holy  Ghost,  in  any  thing  pertaining  to  our  redemption  ;  that, 
however  they  may  allow  of  a  dependence  of  the  redeemed  on 
God,  yet  deny  a  dependence  that  is  so  absolute  and  universal  ; 
that  own  an  entire  dependence  on  God  for  some  things,  but  not 
for  others  ;  that  own  that  we  depend  on  God  for  the  gift  and 
acceptance  of  a  Redeemer,  but  deny  so  absolute  a  dependence 
on  him  for  the  obtaining  of  an  interest  in  the  Redeemer ;  that 
own  an  absolute  dependence  on  the  Father  for  giving  his  Son, 
and  on  the  Son  for  working  out  redemption,  but  not  so  entire 
a  dependence  on  the  Holy  Ghost  for  conversion  and  a  being  in 
Christ,  and  so  coming  to  a  title  to  his  benefits  ;  that  own  a  de 
pendence  on  God  for  means  of  grace,  but  not  absolutely  for  the 
benefit  and  success  of  those  means  ;  that  own  a  partial  depend 
ence  on  the  power  of  God  for  the  obtaining  and  exercising  holi 
ness,  but  not  a  mere  dependence  on  the  arbitrary  and  sovereign 
grace  of  God  ;  that  own  a  dependence  on  the  free  grace  of  God 
for  a  reception  into  his  favor,  so  far  that  it  is  without  any 
proper  merit,  but  not  as  it  is  without  being  attracted,  or  moved 
with  any  excellency  •  that  own  a  partial  dependence  on  Christ, 
as  he  through  whom  we  have  life,  as  having  purchased  new 
terms  of  life,  but  still  hold  that  the  righteousness  through 
which  we  have  life  is  inherent  in  ourselves,  as  it  was  under  the 
first  covenant;  and  whatever  other  way  any  scheme  is  incon 
sistent  with  our  entire  dependence  on  God  for  all,  and  in  each 
of  those  ways,  of  having  all  of  him,  through  him,  and  in  him, 
it  is  repugnant  to  the  design  and  tenor  of  the  gospel  and  robs 
it  of  that  which  God  accounts  its  lustre  and  glory. 

3.  Hence  we  may  learn  a  reason  why  faith  is  that  by  which 
we  come  to  have  an  interest  in  this  redemption ;  for  there  is 
included  in  the  nature  of  faith  a  sensiblcncss  and  acknowledg 
ment  of  this  absolute  dependence  on  God  in  this  affair*  'Tis 
very  fit  that  it  should  be  required  of  all,  in  order  to  their  hav- 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  19 

ing  the  benefit  of  this  redemption,  that  they  should  be  sensible 
of,  and  acknowledge  the  dependence  on  God  for  it.  Tis  by 
this  means  that  God  hath  contrived  to  glorify  himself  in  re 
demption ;  and  'tis  fit  that  God  should  at  least  have  this  glory 
of  those  that  are  the  subjects  of  this  redemption,  and  have  the. 
benefit  of  it. 

Faith  is  a  sensibleness  of  what  is  veal  in  the  work  of  redemp 
tion  ;  and  as  we  do  really  wholly  depend  on  God,  so  the  soul 
that  believes  doth  entirely  depend,  on  .God  for  all  salvation,  in 
its  own  sense  and  act.  Faith  abases  men  and  exalts  God, 
it  frives  all  the  glory  of  redemption  to  God  alone.  It  is  neces 
sary  in  order  to  saving  faith  that  man  should  be  emptied  of 
himself,  that  he  should  be  sensible  that  he  is  "wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  Humility  is  a 
great  ingredient  of  true  faith  :  lie  that  truly  receives  redemp 
tion,  receives  it  as  a  little  child:  Mark 'x.  '15,  "Whosoever 
shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  a  little  child,  he 
shall  not  enter  therein."  It  is  the  delight  of  a,  believing  soul 
to  abase  itself  and  exalt  God  alone  :  that  is  the  language  of  it, 
Psalm  cxv.  1,  "Not  unto  us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  to  thy 
name  give  glory." 

4.  Let  us  be  exhorted  to  exalt  God  alone,  and  ascribe  to 
him  all  the  glory  of  redemption.  Let  us  endeavor  to  obtain, 
.und  increase  \r.  a  sensibleness  of  our  great  dependence  on  God, 
to  have  our  eye  to  him  alone,  to  mortify  a  self-dependent  and 
self-righteous  disposition.  Man  is  naturally  exceeding  prone 
to  be  exalting  himself  and  depending  on  his  own  power  or 
goodness,  a?  though  he  were  ho  from  whom  he  must  expect 
happiness,  and  to  have  respect  to  enjoyments  alien  from  God 
and  his  Spirit,  as  those  in  which  happiness  is  to  be  found. 

And  this  doctrine  should  teach  us  to  exalt  God  alone,  as  by 
trust  and  reliance,  so  by  praise.  Let  him  that  (florid  h,  i/Iory 
In  the  LonL  IL'ith  any  man  hope  that  he  is  converted  and 
sanctified,  and  that  his  mind  is  endowed  with  true  excellency 


20  SELECTED   SERMONS 

and  spiritual  beauty,  and  his  sins  forgiven,  and  he  received 
into  God  s  favor,  and  exalted  to  the  honor  and  blessedness  of 
being  his  child,  and  an  heir  of  eternal  life  :  let  him  give  God  all 
the  glory ;  who  alone  makes  him  to  (litter  from  the  worst  of 
men  in  this  world,  or  the  miserablest  of  the  damned  in  hell. 
Hath  any  man  much  comfort  and  strong  hope  of  eternal  life, 
let  not  his  hope  lift  him  up,  but  dispose  him  the  more  to 
iibasc  himself  aul  reflect  on  his  own  exceeding  un worthiness  of 
such  a  favor,  and  to  exalt  God  alone.  Is  any  man  eminent  in 
holiness  and  abundant  in  good  works,  let  him  take  nothing  of 
the  glory  of  it  to  himself,  but  ascribe  it  to  him  whose  "work 
manship  we  are,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works." 


OF  JONATHAN  KD  WARDS  21 


II 


A  DIVINE  AND  SUPERNATURAL  LIGHT,  IMMEDIATELY  IMPARTED 
TO  THE  SOUL  BY  THE  SPIRIT  OF  GOD,  SHOWN  TO  BE  BOTH 
A  SCRIPTURAL  AND  RATIONAL  DOCTRINE.0 

MATT.  xvi.  —  AiulJesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  artthou, 
Simon  Barjona  :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee, 
but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

CHRIST  says  these  words  to  Peter  upon  occasion  of  his  pro 
fessing  liis  faith  in  him  as  the  Son  of  God.  Our  Lord  was 
inquiring  of  his  disciples,  who  men  said  he  was  ;  not  that  he 
needed  to  be  informed,  "but  only  to  introduce  and  give  occasion 
to  what  follows.  They  answer,  that  some  said  he  was  John 
the  Baptist,  and  some  Elias,  and  others  Jeremias,  or  one  of  the 
Prophets.  When  they  had  thus  given  an  account  who  others 
said  he  was,  Christ  asks  them,  who  they  said  he  was.  Simon 
Peter,  whom  we  find  always  zealous  and  forward,  was  the 
first  to  answer  :  he  readily  replied  to  the  question,  TJtou  art 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Itfhi'j  God. 

Upon  this  occasion,  Christ  says  as  he  does  to  him,  and  o/him 
in  the  text  :  in  which  we  may  observe, 

1.  That  Peter  is  pronounced  blessed  on  this  account. 
Massed  art  Thou.  —  "Thou  art  a  happy  man,  that  thou  art 
not  ignorant  of  this,  that  I  am  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
Clod.  Thou  art  distinguishingly  happy.  Others  are  blinded, 
and  have  dark  and  deluded  apprehensions,  as  you  have  now 
given  an  account,  some  thinking  that  I  am  Elias,  and  some 
that  I  am  Jeremias,  and  some  one  thing,  and  some  another; 
but  none  of  them  thinking  right,  all  of  them  misled.  Happy 


22  SELECTED   XERUOXS 

art  thou,  that  art  so  distinguished  as  to  know  the  truth  in  this 
matter." 

2.  The  evidence  of  this  his  happiness  declared ;  viz.,  that 
God,  and  he  only,  had  recealed  it  to  him.  This  is  an  evidence 
of  his  being  blessed. 

First,  As  it  shows  how  peculiarly  favored  he  was  of  God 
above  others ;  q.  <!.,  "  How  highly  favored  arfc  thou,  that  others 
that  arc  wise  and  great  men,  the  Scribes,  Pharisees  and  Rulers, 
and  the  nation  in  general,  are  left  in  darkness,  to  follow  their 
own  misguided  apprehensions ;  and  that  thou  shouldst  be 
singled  out,  as  it  were,  by  name,  that  my  Heavenly  Father 
should  thus  set  his  love  on  theo,  Simon  IJzirjona.  This  argues 
thcc  blessed,  that  thou  shouldst  thus  be  the  object  of  God's 
distinguishing  love." 

Secondly,  It  evidences  his  blessedness  also,  as  it  intimates 
tluit  this  knowledge  is  above  any  that  tlcsh  and  blood  can 
reveal.  "This  is  such  knowledge  as  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  only  can  give  :  it  is  too  high  and  excellent  to  be  com- 
municrCed  by  such  means  as  other  knowledge  is.  Thou  art 
blesse<  ,  that  thou  knowcst  that  which  God  alone  can  teach  thcc." 

Tie  original  of  this  knowledge  is  here  declared,  both  nega 
tively  and  positively.  Positively,  as  God  is  here  declared  the 
authoi-  of  it.  Negatively,  as  it  is  declared,  that  llesh  and  blood 
had  not  revealed  it.  God  is  the  author  of  all  knowledge  and 
'understanding  whatsoever.  He  is  the  author  of  the  knowledge 
that  is  obtained  by  human  learning  :  he  is  the  author  of  all  moral 
prudence,  and  of  the  knowledge  and  skill  that  men  have  in  their 
secular  business.  Thus  it  is  said  of  all  in  Israel  that  were  wise- 
hearted  and  skilful  in  embroidering,  that  God  had  filled  them 
with  the  spirit  of  wisdom,  Kxod,  xxviii.  3. 

God  is  the  author  of  such  knowledge;  but  yet  not  so  but 
that  flesh  and  blood  reveals  it.  Mortal  men  are  capable  of 
imparting  the  knowledge  of  human  arts  and  sciences,  and  skill 
in  temporal  affairs.  God  is  the  author  of  such  knowledge  by 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  23 

those  means :  flesh  and  blood  is  made  use  of  by  God  as  the 
mediate  or  second  cause  of  it ;  he  conveys  it  by  the  power  and 
influence    of  natural    means.     But    this    spiritual   knowledge, 
spoken  of  in  the  text,  is  what  God  is  the  author  of,  and  none 
else  :  he  reveals  it,  and  flesh  and  blood  reveals  it  not.   lie  imparts  / 
this  knowledge  immediately,  not  making  use  of  any  intermediate  :f 
natural  causes,  as  he  does  in  other  knowledge. 

What  had  passed  in  the  preceding  discourse  naturally 
occasioned  Christ  to  observe  this ;  because  the  disciples  had 
been  telling  how  others  did  not  know  him,  but  were  generally 
mistaken  about  him,  and  divided  and  confounded  in  their 
opinions  of  him  :  but  Peter  had  declared  his  assured  faith,  that 
lie  was  the  Son  of  God.  Now  it  was  natural  to  observe,  how 
it  was  not  llcsh  and  blood  that  had  revealed  it  to  him,  but 
God :  for  if  this  knowledge  were  dependent  on  natural  causes 
or  means,  how  came  it  to  puss  that  they,  a  company  of  poor 
fishermen,  illiterate  men,  and  persons  of  low  education,  attained 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  while  the  Scribes  and  Phari 
sees,  men  of  vastly  higher  advantages,  and  greater  knowledge 
and  sagacity  in  other  matters,  remained  m  ignorance?  This 
could  be  owing  only  to  the  gracious  distinguishing  influence 
and  revelation  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  Hence,  what  I  would 
make  the  subject  of  my  present  discourse  from  these  words  is 
this 

DOCT1UNE, 

viz.,  That  there  ^  swft  a  thimj  a*  a  Sniritnd.l  and  Divine 
Li(/ht,  hnwaiatdtj  unjtartwl  to  tli<>  son!  />//  <'()<J9  °f  a  ^>ffcr' 
cut  nature  from  aiuj  that  /N  obtained  l»j  natural  means. 

In  what  I  say  on  this  subject  at  this  time  I  would 

I.  Show  what  this  divine  light  is. 

II.  How  it  is  given  immediately  by  God,  and  not  oVn.ined 
by  natural  means. 


24  SKLKCTKl)   SERMONS 

III.  Show  the  truth  of  the  doctrine. 

And  then  conclude  with  a  brief  improvement. 

I.  I  would  show  what  this  spiritual  and  divine  light  is. 
And  in  order  to  it,  would  show, 

First,  In  a  few  things  what  it  is  not.     And  here, 

1.  Those  convictions  that  natural  men  mat/  have  of  their  sin 
and  misery,  is  not  this  spiritual  and  divine  light.     Men  in  a 
natural  condition  may  have  convictions  of  the  guilt  that  lies" 
upon  them,  and  of  the  anger  of  God  and  their  danger  of  divine 
vengeance.     Such  conviction*  are  from  light  or  sensibleness  of 
truth.     That  some  sinners  have  a  greater  conviction  of  their 
guilt  and  misery  than  others,  is  Because  some  have  more  light, 
or  more  of  an  apprehension  of  truth  than  others.     And  this 
light  and    conviction   may   be  from    the  Spirit    of   God ;    the 
Spirit  convinces  men  of  sin  :  but  yet  nature  is  much  more  con- 
corned  in  it  than  in  the  communication  of  that  spiritual  and 
divine  ligl.it  that  is  spoken  of  in  the  doctrine;  'tis  from  the 
Spirit  of  God  only  as  assisting  natural  principles,  and  not ^ as 
infusing  any  new  principles.     Common  grace  differs  from  special, 
in  that  it  influences  only  by  assisting  of  nature  ;  and  not  by 
imparting  grace,  or  bestowing    anything    above    nature.     The 
light  that  is  obtained  is  wholly  natural,  or  of  no  superior  kind 
to  what  mere  nature  attains  to,  though  more  of  that  kind  be 
obtained  than  would  be  obtained   if  men  were  left  wholly  to 
themselves  :  or,  in  other  words,  common  grace  only  assists  the 
faculties  of  the  soul  to  do  that  more  fully  which  they  do  by 
nature,  as  natural  conscience   or  reason  will,  by  mere  nature, 
make  a  man  sensible  of  guilt,  and  will  accuse  and  condemn 
him  when  he  has  done  amiss.     Conscience  is  a  principle  natural 
to  men  ;  and  the  work  that  it  doth  naturally,  or  of  itself,  is  to 
give  an  apprehension  of  right  and  wrong,  and  to  suggest  to  the 
mind  the  relation  that  there  is  between  right  and  wrong  and  a 
retribution.     The  Spirit  of  God,    in  those   convictions   wjich 
unregencrate  men  sometimes  have,  assists  conscience  to  do  this 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  2i) 

work  in  a  further  degree  than  it  would  do  if  they  were  left  to 
themselves:  he  helps  it  against  those  tilings  that  tend  to 
stupefy  it,  and  obstruct  its  exercise.  But  in  the  renewing  and 
sanctifying  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  those  things  are  wrought 
in  the  soul  that  arc  above  nature,  and  of  which  there  is  nothing 
qf  the  like  kind  in  the  soul  by  nature  ;  and  they  are  caused  to 
exist  in  the  soul  habitually,  and  according  to  such  a  stated  con 
stitution  or  law  that  lays  such  a  foundation  for  exercises  in  a^ 
continued  course,  as  is  called  a  principle  of  nature.  Not  only 
are  remaining  principles  assisted  to  do  their  work  more  freely 
and  fully,  but  those  principles  are  restored  that  were  utterly 
destroyed  by  the  fall;  and  the  mind  thenceforward  habitu 
ally  exerts  those  acts  that  the  dominion  of  sin  had  made  it  as 
wholly  destitute  of,  as  a  dead  body  is  of  vital  acts. 

The  Spirit  of  God  acts  in  a  very  diitcrent  manner  in  the  one 
case  from  what  he  dotli  in  the  other.  He  may  indeed  act 
upon  the  mind  of  a  natural  man,  but  he  acts  in  the  mind  of 
a  saint  as  an  indwelling  vital  principle.  He  a-'ts  upon  the 
mind  of  an  unregenerate  person  as  an  extrinsic,  occasional 
M-.ciint;  for  in  acting  upon  them,  he  doth  not  unite  himself  to 
them  /  notwithstanding  all  his  influences  that  they  may  be  the 
subjects  of,  they  are  still  sensual,  having  not  the  Spirit,  Jude 
19.  But  he  unites  himself  with  the  mind  of  a  saint,  takes 
him  for  his  temple,  actuates  and  influences  him  as  a  new,  super 
natural  principle  of  life  and  action.  There  is  this  difference, 
that  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  acting  in  the  soul  of  a  godly  man,  exerts 
and  communicates  himself  there  in  his  own  proper  nature.  Holi 
ness  is  the  proper  nature  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  Holy  Spirit 
operates  in  the  minds  of  the  godly  by  uniting  himself  to  them, 
and  living  in  them,  and  exerting  his  own  nature  in  the  exercise 
of  their  faculties.  The  Spirit  of  God  may  act  upon  a  creature^ 
and  yet  not  in  acting  communicate  himself.  The  Spirit  of 
God  may  act  upon  inanimate  creatures ;  as  the  Spirit  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters  in  the  beginning  of  the  creation; 


20  SELECTED    SKHMOXS 

so  the  Spirit  of  God  may  act  upon  the  minds  of  men  many 
ways,  mid  communicate  himself  no  more  than  when  he  acts 
upon  an  inanimate  creature.  For  instance,  he  may  excite 
thoughts  in  them,  may  assist  their  natural  reason  and  under 
standing,  or  may  assist  other  natural  principles,  and  this  with 
out  any  union  with  the  soul,  but  may  act,  as  it  were,  as  upon 
an  external  object.  JJtit  us  he  acts  in  his  holy  influences  and 
spiritual  operations,  he  acts  in  a  way  of  peculiar  communica 
tion  of  himself;  so  that  the  subject  is  thence  denominated 
spiritual. 

2.  Tin's  spiritual  awl  divine  light  don't  consist  in  any 
imprvfixivn  nutde  >ij>on  tint  imagination.  It  is  no  impression 
upon  the  mind,  as  though  one  saw  any  thing  with  the  bodily 
eyes  :  'tis  nu  imagination  or  idea  of  an  outward  light  or  glory, 
or  any  beauty  of  form  or  countenance,  or  a  visible  lustre  or 
brightness  of  any  object.  The  imagination  may  be  strongly 
impres-ed  with  such  things  ;  but  this  is  not  spiritual  light. 
Indeed  when  the  mind  has  a  livoly  discovery  of  spiritual  things, 
and  \A  greatly  u  fleeted  l.y  the  power  of  divine  light,  it  may, 
and  probably  very  commonly  doth,  much  affect  the  imagination  ; 
so  that  impressions  of  an  outward  beauty  or  brightness  may 
accompany  those  spiritual  discoveries.  ]5ut  spiritual  light  is 
not  that  'impression  upon  the  imagination,  but  an  exceeding 
different  thing  from  it.  Natural  men  may  have  lively  impres 
sions  on  their  imaginations  ;  aw',  we  can't  determine  but  that 
the  devil,  who  transforms  himself  into  an  angei  of  light,  may 
cause  imaginations  ol';>n  outward  boauty,  or  visible  glory,  and 
of  sounds  and  speeches  and  other  siu;h  things  ;  but  these  are 
things  of  a  vastly  inferior  nature  to  spiritual  light. 

3.  This  spiritual  light  is  not  the  suggesting  of  any  nnv 
tnttJis  or  jh'opoMttoiis  -not  fOHtaiw-d  in  the  word  of  God. 
This  suggesting  of  new  truth*  or  doctrines  to  the  mind,  inde 
pendent  of  any  antecedent  revelation  of  those  propositions,  either 
in  word  OL-  writing,  is  inspiration;  such  as  the  prophets  and 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  27 

apostles  had,  and  such  as  some  enthusiasts  pretend  to.  But 
this  spiritual  light  that  I  am  speaking  of,  is  quite  a  different 
tiling  from  inspiration  :  it  reveals  no  new  doctrine,  it  suggests 
no  new  proposition  to  the  mind,  it  teaches  no  new  thing  of  God, 
or  Christ,  or  another  world,  not  taught  in  the  Bible,  but  only 
gives  a  due  apprehension  of  those  things  that  are  taught  in  the^ 
word  of  God. 

4.  '  Tfs  not  every  affecting  view  that  men  hare  of  the  things 
of  religion  that  is  this  spiritual  and  divine  light.  Men  by 
mere  principles  of  nature  are  capable  of  being  affected  with 
things  that  have  a  special  relation  to  religion  as  well  as  other 
things.  A  person  by  mere  nature,  for  instance,  may  be  liable 
to  be  affected  with  the  story  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  sufferings 
lie  underwent,  as  well  as  by  any  other  tragical  story  :  he  may 
be  the  more  affected  with  it  from  the  interest  he  conceives 
mankind  to  have  in  it :  yea,  he  may  be  affected  with  it  without 
believing  it;  as  well  as  a  man  maybe  affected  with  what  he 
Breads  i!)  a  romance,  or  sees  acted  in  a  stage  play.  He  may 
be  affected  with  a  lively  and  eloquent  description  of  many 
pleasant'  things  that  attend  the  state  of  the  blessed  in  heaven, 
as  well  as  his  imagination  be  entertained  by  a  romantic  descrip 
tion  of  the  pleasantness  of  fairy-land,  or  the  like.  And  that 
common  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  things  of  religion  that  persons 
may  have  from  education  or  otherwise,  may  help  forward  their 
affection.  We  read  in  Scripture  of  many  that  were  greatly 
affected  with  things  of  a  religious  nature,  who  yet  are  there 
represented  as  wholly  graceless,  and  many  of  them  very  ill  men. 
A  person  therefore  may  have  affecting  views  of  the  things  of 
religion,  and  yet  be  very  destitute  of  spiritual  light.  Flesh  and 
blood  may  be  the  author  of  this  :  one  man  may  give  another  an 
affecting  view  of  divine  things  with  but  common  assistance  ; 
but  God  alone  can  give  a  spiritual  discovery  of  them. 

But  I  proceed  to  show, 

Secondly,  Positively  what  this. spiritual  and  divine  light  is. 


28  SELECTED   SERMONS 

And  it  may  be  thus  described  :  a  true  sense  of  the  divine 
excellency  of  the  th'tmjs  revealed  in  the  word,  of  God,  and  a 
conviction  of  the  truth  and  reality  of  them  thence  arising. 

Tins  spiritual  light  primarily  consists  in  the  former  of  these, 
vi/.,  a  real  sense  and  apprehension  of  the  divine  excellency  of 
things  revealed  in  the  word  of  God.  A  spiritual  ,ind  saving  con 
viction  of  the  truth  and  reality  of  these  tilings  arises  from  such  a 
sight  of  their  divine  excellency  and  glory  ;  so  that  this  conviction 
of  their  truth  is  an  effect  and  natural  consequence  of  this  sight 
of  their  divine  glory.  There  is  therefore  in  this  spiritual  light, 

1.  A  true  se/)M  of  the  divine  and  superlative  excellency 
of  the  thiny*  of  reUijion.  ;  a  real  sense  of  the  excellency  of  Clod 
and  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  work  of  redemption,  and  the  ways 
and  works  of  God  revealed  in  the  gospel.  There  is  a  divine  and 
superlative  glory  in  these  things  ;  an  excellency  that  is  of  a 
vastly  higher  kind  and  more  sublime  nature  than  in  other 
things;  a  glory  greatly  distinguishing  them  from  all  that  is 
earthly  and  temporal.  He  that  is  spiritually  enlightened  truly 
apprehends  and  sees  it,  or  has  a  sense  of  it.  He  does  not 
[merely  rationally  believe  that  God  is  glorious,  but  he  has  a 
] sense  of  the  gloriousncss  of  God  in  his  heart.  There  is  not  only 
a  rational  belief  that  God  is  holy  and  that  holiness  is  a  good 
thing,  but  there  is  a  sense  of  the  loveliness  of  God's  holiness. 
There  is  not  only  a  spmilatively  judging  that  God  is  gracious, 
but  a  sense  how  amiable  God  is  upon  that  account,  or  a  sense 
of  the  beauty  of  this  divine  attribute. 

There  is  a  twofold  understanding  or  knowledge  of  good  that 
God  has  made  the  mind  of  man  capable  of.  The  first,  that 
which  is  merely  speculative  or  notional ;  as  when  a  person  only 
speculatively  judges  that  anything  is,  which,  by  the  agreement 
of  mankind,  is  called  good  or  excellent,  viz.,  that  which  is  most 
to  general  advantage,  and  between  which  and  a  reward  there  is 
a  suitableness,  and  the  like.  And  the  other  is  that  which  con 
sists  in  the  sense  of  the  heart :  as.  when  there  is  a  sense  of  the 


Or  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  20 

beauty,  amiableness,  or  sweetness  of  a  thing ;  so  that  the  heart 
is  sensible  of  pleasure  and  delight  in  the  presence  of  the  idea  of 
it.  In  the  former  is  exereised  merely  the  speculative  faculty,  or 
the  understanding,  strictly  so  called,  or  as  spoken  of  in  distinc 
tion  from  the  will  or  disposition  of  the  soul.  In  the  latter,  the 
will,  or  inclination,  or  heart,  are  mainly  concerned. 

Thus  there  is  a  difference  between  having  an  opinion  that 
God  is  holy  and  gracious,  and  having  a  sense  of  the  loveliness 
and  beauty  of  that  holiness  and  grace.  There  is  a  difference 
between  having  a  rational  judgment  that  honey  is  sweet,  and 
having  a  sense  of  its  sweetness.  A  man  may  have  the  former, 
that  knows  not  how  honey  tastes  ;  but  a  man  can't  have  the 
latter  unless  he  has  an  idea  of  the  taste  of  honey  in  his  mind. 
So  there  is  a  difference  between  believing  that  a  person  is  beau 
tiful,  and  having  a  sense  of  his  beauty.  The  former  may  be 
obtained  by  hearsay,  but  the  latter  only  by  weeing  the  counte 
nance.  There  is  a  wide  diflVrence  between  mere  speculative 
rational  judging  anything  to  be  excellent,  and  having  a  sense 
of  its  sweetness  and  beauty.  The  former  rests  only  in  the  head, 
speculation  only  is  concerned  in  it ;  but  the  heart  is  concerned 
in  the  latter.  "When  the  heart  is  sensible  of  the  beauty  and 
amiableness  of  a  thing,  it  necessarily  feels  pleasure  in  the 
apprehension.  It  is  implied  in  a  person's  being  heartily  sensi 
ble  of  the  loveliness  of  a  thing,  that  the  idea  of  it  is  sweet  and 
pleasant  to  his  soul ;  which  is  a  far  different  thing  from  having 
a  rational  opinion  that  it  is  excellent. 

2.  There  ..irises  from  this  sense  of  divine  excellency  of  things 
contained  in  the  word  of  God  a  con  ration  of  the  truth  and 
rectify  of  them;  and  that  either  indirectly  oi1  directly. 

First,  Indirectly,  and  that  two  ways. 

1.  As  i\\^  prejudices  tit  at  are  in  the  heart  against  the  truth 
of  divine  things  are  lierelty  remored  ;  so  that  the  mind  be 
comes  susceptive  of  the  due  force  of  rational  arguments  for  their 
truth.  The  mind  of  man  is  naturally  full  of  prejudices  against 


30  SELECTED    SE/tMONS 

the  truth  of  divine  things  :  it  is  full  of  enmity  against  the  doe- 
trincs  of  the  gospel  ;  which  is  a  disadvantage  to  those  argu 
ments  that  prove  their  truth,  and  causes  them  to  lose  their 
force  upon  the  mind.  I>ut  when  a  person  has  discovered  to  him 
the  divine  excellency  of  Christian  doctrines,  this  destroys  the 
enmity,  removes  those  prejudices,  and  sanctifies  the  reason,  and 
causes  it  to  lie  open  to  the  force  of  arguments  for  their  truth. 

Hence  was  the  different  effect  that  Christ's  miracles  had  to 
convince  the  disciples  from  what  they  had  to  convince  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees.  Not  that  they  had  a  stronger  reason, 
or  had  their  reason  more  improved  ;  but  their  reason  was  sanc 
tified,  and  those  blinding  prejudices,  that  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  were  under,  were  removed  by  the  sense  they  had  of 
the  excellency  of  Christ  and  his  doctrine. 

L>.  It  not  ordy  removes  the  hinderances  of  reason,  but  posi 
tively  heljts  reason.  It  makes  even  the  speculative  notions 
the  more  lively.  It  engages  the  attention  of  the  mind,  with 
the  more  fixedness  and  intenseness  to  that  kind  of  objects; 
which  causes  it  to  have  a  clearer  view  of  them,  and  enables 
it  more  clearly  to  see  their  mutual  relations,  and  occasions  it  to 
take  more  notice  of  them.  The  ideas  themselves  that  other 
wise  are  dim  and  obscure  are  by  this  means  impressed  with  the 
greater  strength,  and  have  a  light  cast  upon  them  ;  so  that 
the  mind  can.  better  judge  of  them  :  as  he  that  beholds  the 
objects  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  when  the  light  of  the  sun  is 
cast  upon  them,  is  under  greater  advantage  to  discern  them 
in  their  true  forms  and  mutual  relations  than  he  that  sees 
them  in  a  dim  starlight  or  twilight. 

The  mind  having  a  sensibleness  of  the  excellency  of  divine 
objects,  dwells  upon  them  with  delight;  and  the  powers  of  the 
sold  are  more  awakened  and  enlivened  to  employ  themselves  in 
the  contemplation  of  them,  and  exert  themselves  more  fully  and 
much  more  to  the  purpose.  The  beauty  and  sweetness  of  the 
objects  draws  on  the  faculties,  and  draws  forth  their  exercises  : 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  31 

so  that  reason  itself  is  under  far  greater  advantages  for  its 
proper  and  free  exercises,  and  to  attain  its  proper  end,  free  of 
darkness  and  delusion.  But, 

Secondly,  A  true  sense  of  the  divine  excellency  ^*  the  things 
of  God's  word  doth  more  directly  and  immediately  convince  of 
the  truth  of  them ;  and  that  "because  the  excellency  of  these 
things  is  so  superlative.  There  is  a  beauty  in  them  that  is  so 
divine  and  godlike,  that  is  greatly  and  evidently  distinguishing 
of  them  from  things  merely  human,  or  that  men  are  the  invent 
ors  and  authors  of;  a  glory  that  is  so  high  and  great  that, 
when  clearly  seen,  commands  assent  to  their  divinity  and  reality. 
When  there  is  an  actual  and  lively  discovery  of  this  beauty  and 
excellency,  it  won't  allow  of  any  such  thought-  as  that  it  is  a 
human  work,  or  the  fruit  of  men's  invention.  This  evidence 
that  they  that  are  spiritually  enlightened  have  of  the  truth  of 
the  things  of  religion  is  a  kind  of  intuitive  and  immediate  evi-^ 
deuce.  They  believe  the  doctrines  of  God's  word  to  be  divine, 
because  they  see  divinity  in  them  ;  i.e.,  they  see  a  divine,  and 
transcendent,  and  most  evidently  distinguishing  glory  in  them  ; 
such  a  glory  as1  if  clearly  seen,  does  not  leave  room  to  doubt  of 
their  being  of  God,  and  not  of  men. 

Such  a  conviction  of  the  truth  of  religion  as  this,  arising, 
these  ways,  from  a  sense  of  the  divine  excellency  of  them,  is 
that  true  spiritual  conviction  that  there  is  in  saving  faith.  And 
this  original  of  it  is  that  by  which  it  is  most  essentially  distin 
guished  from  that  common  assent  which  unregencrate  men  are 
ca]  table  of. 

II.  I  proceed  now  to  the  second  thing  proposed,  viz.,  to 
show  how  thin  light  is  immediately  t/iveii  by  God.,  and  not 
obtained  by  natural  means.  And  here, 

1.  'Tis  not  intended  that  the  natural  faculties  are  not 
made  nxe  of  in  it.  The  natural  faculties  are  the  subject  of 
this  light  :  and  they  are  the  subject  in  such  a  manner  that  they 
are  not  merely  passive,  but  active  in  it ;  the  acts  and  exercises 


30  SELECTED   SERMONS 

of  man's  understanding  are  concerned  and  made  use  of  in  it. 
God,  in  letting  in  this  light  into  the  soul,  deals  with  man  accord 
ing  to  his  nature,  or  as  a  rational  creature;  and  makes  use  of 
his  human  faculties.  But  yet  this  light  is  not  the  less  immedi 
ately  from  God  for  that ;  though  the  faculties  are  made  use  of, 
'tis  as  the  subject  and  not  as  the  cause ;  and  that  acting  of  the 
faculties  in  it  is  not  the  cause,  but  is  either  implied  in  the  .thing 
itself  (in  the  light  that  is  imparted)  or  is  the  consequence  of  it : 
as  the  use  that  we  make  of  our  eyes  in  beholding  various  objects, 
when  the  sun  arises,  w  not  the  cause  of  the  light  that  discovers 
those  objects  to  us. 

2.  9Tis  not  intended  that  outward  means  have  no  concern 
in  this  affair*     As  I  have  observed  already,  'tis  not  in  this 
affair,  as  it  is  in  inspiration,  where  new  truths  are  suggested  :  for 
here  is  by  this  light  only  given  a  due  apprehension  of  the  same 
truths  that  arc  revealed  in  the  word  of  God;  and  therefore  it  is 
not  given  without  the  word.     The  gospel  is  made  use  of  in  this 
affair  :  this  light  is  the  "  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ," 
2  Cor.  iv.  4.    The  gospel  is  as  a  glass,  by  which  this  light  is  con 
veyed  to  us,  1  Cor.  xiii.  12  :  "  Now  we  see  through  a  glass."  — 

But, 

3.  When  it  is  said  that  this  light  is  given  immediately  by 
God,  and  not  obtained  by  natural  means,  hereby  /,s  intended, 
that  'tis  ffirfln  by  God  without  malthuj  use  of  any  mean* 
that  operate,  by  their  own  power,  or  a  natural  force.     God 
makes  use  of  means  ;  but  'tis  not  as  mediate  causes  to  produce 
this  effect.     There  are  not  truly  any  second  causes  of  it  ;  but  it 
is  produced  by  God  immediately.    The  word  of  God  is  no  proper 
<;au*3  of  this  effect :  it  does  not  operate  by  any  natural  force  in 
it.     The  word  of  God  is  only  made  use  of  to  convey  to  the 
mind  the  subject  matter  of  this  saving  instruction  :  and  this 
indeed  it  doth  convey  to  us  by  natural  force  or  influence, 
conveys  to  our  minds  these  and  those  doctrines  ;  it  is  the  cause 
of  the  notion  of  them  in  our  heads,  but  not  of  the  sense  of  the 


OF  JONATHAN  KDWAttDS  33 

divine  excellency  of  them  in  our  hearts.  Indeed  a  person  can't 
have  spiritual  light  without  the  word.  But  that  don't  argue 
that  the  word  properly  causes  that  light.  The  mind  can't  see 
the  excellency  of  any  doctrine,  unless  that  doctrine  be  first  in 
the  mind ;  but  the  seeing  of  the  excellency  of  the  doctrine  may 
be  immediately  from  the  Spirit  of  God;  though  the  conveying 
of  the  doctrine  or  proposition  itself  may  be  by  the  word.  So 
that  the  notions  that  are  the  subject  matter  of  this  light  are 
conveyed  to  the  mind  by  the  word  of  God  ;  but  that  due  sense 
of  the  heart,  wherein  this  light  formally  consists,  is  immediately 
by  the  Spirit  of  God.  As  for  instance,  that  notion  that  there 
is  a  Christ,  and  that  Christ  is  holy  and  gracious,  is  conveyed  to 
the  mind  by  the  word  of  God  :  but  the  sense  of  the  excellency 
of  Christ  by  reason  of  that  holiness  and  grace,  is  nevertheless 
immediately  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  —  I  come  now, 

III.  To  show  the  truth  of  the  doctrine;  that  is,  to  show 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  that  spiritual  light  that  has  been 
described,  thus  immediately  let  into  the  mind  by  God.  And 
here  I  would  show  brieily,  that  this  doctrine  is  both  scriptural 
and  rational. 

First,  Tis  scriptural  My  text  is  not  only  full  to  the  pur 
pose,  but  'tis  a  doctrine  that  the  Scripture  abounds  in.  We 
arc  there  abundantly  taught  that  the  saints  differ  from  the 
ungodly  in  this,  that  they  have  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  a 
sight  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  shall  mention  but  few 
texts  of  many.  1  John  iii.  G,  "  Whosoever  sinneth  hath  not 
seen  him,  nor  known  him."  3  John  11,  "He  that  doeth  good 
is  of  God  :  but  he  that  doeth  evil  hath  not  seen  God."  John 
xiv.  19,  "The  world  scetli  me  no  more ;  but  ye  see  me."  John 
xvii.  3,  "And  this  is  ctern;il  life,  that  they  might  know  thee 
the  only  true  God,  and  Je-:*us  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent." 
This  knowledge,  or  sight  of  God  and  Christ,  can't  be  a  mere 
speculative  knowledge  ;  because  it  is  spoken  of  as  a  seeing  and 
knowing  wherein  they  differ  from  the  ungodly.  And  by  these 

L> 


34  SELECTED   SERMONS 

Scriptures  it  must  not  only  be  a  different  knowledge  in  degree 
and  circumstances,  and  different  in  its  effects  ;  but  it  must  be 
entirely  different  in  nature  and  kind. 

And  this  light  and  knowledge  is  always  spoken  of  as  imme 
diately  given  of  God,  Matt.  xi.  25,  26,  27  :    "  At  that  time 
J.jsus  answered  and  said,   I   thank  thec,   0  Father,  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes.     Even 
go,  Father  :  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight.     All  things  are 
delivered  unto  me  of  my  father  :  and  no  man  knoweth  the  Son, 
but  the  Father :  neither  knoweth  any  man  the  father,  save  the 
Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him."     Here 
'this  effect  is  ascribed  alone  to  the  arbitrary  operation  and  gilt 
of  God,  bestowing  this  knowledge  on  whom  he  will,  and  distin: 
guishing  those  with  it,  that  have  the  least  natural  advantage  or 
means  for  knowledge,  even  babes,  when  it  is  denied  to  the  wise 
and  prudent.     And  the  imparting  of  the  knowledge  of  God  is 
here  appropriated'  to  the  Son  of  God  as  his  sole  prerogative. 
And  again,  2  Cor.  iv.  G  :  "  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light 
to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."     This  plainly  shows  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  dis 
covery  of  the  divine  superlative  glory  and  excellency  of  God  and 
Christ,  and  that  peculiar  to  the  saints  :  and  also,  that  'tis  as 
immediately  from  God,  as  light  from  the  sun  :  and  that 'tis  the 
immediate  "etlcrt  of  his  power  and  will ;  for  'tis  compared  to 
God's  creating  the  light  by  his  powerful  word  in  the  beginning 
of  the  creation  ;  and  is  said  to  be  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  in  the 
18th  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter.    God  is  spoken  of  as  giving 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  conversion,  as  of  what  before  was 
hidden  and  unseen  in  that,  Gal.  i.  15,  16  :  "  But  when  it  pleased 
God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mother's  womb,  and  called  me 
by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son  in  me."    The  Scripture  also  speaks 
plainly  "of  such  a  knowledge  of  the  word  of  God  as  has  been  de- 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  35 

scribed,  as  the  immediate  gift  of  God,  Psal  cxix.  18:  "  Open 
thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy 
law."     What  could  the  Psalmist  mean  when  he  begged  of  God 
to  open  his  eyes  1     Was  he  ever  blind  'I     Might  he  not  have 
resort  to  the  law  and  see  every  word  and  sentence  in  it  when  he 
pleased  ?    And  what  could  he  mean  by  those  "  wondrous  things  " ' 
Was  it  the  wonderful  stories  of  the  creation  and  deluge,  and 
Israel's  passing  through  the  Red  Sea,  and  the  like  1     Were  not 
bis  eyes  open  to  read  these   strange  things  when  he  would? 
Doubtless  by  "wondrous  things5'  in  God's  law,  he  had  respect 
to  those  distinguishing  and  wonderful  excellencies,  and  marvel 
lous  manifestations  of  the  divine  perfections  and  glory,  that 
there  was   in  the  commands  and  doctrines   of  the  word,  and 
those  works  and  counsels  of  God  that  were  there  revealed.     So 
the  Scripture  speaks  of  a  knowledge  of  God's  dispensation,  and 
covenant  of  mercy,  and  way  of  grace  towards  his  people,  as 
peculiar  to  the  saints,  and  given  only  by  God,  Psal.  xxv.  14  : 
"  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him  ;  and  he 
will  show  them  his  covenant." 

And  tbtit  a  true  and  saving  belief  of  the  truth  of  religion  is 
that  which  arises  from  such  a  discovery,  is  also  what  the 
Scripture  teaches.  As  John  vi.  40  :  "Ami  this  is  the  will  of 
him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which  sectU  the  Son,  and 
believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life  ;"  where  it  is  plain 
that  a  true  faith  is  what  arises  from  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ. 
And  John  xvii.  G,  7,  8  :  "I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto 
the  men  which  thou  gavcst  me  out  of  the  world.  Now  they 
have  known  that  all  things  whatsoever  thou  hast  given  me  are 
of  thee.  For  J  have  given  unto  them  the  words  which  thou 
gavcst  me;  and  they  have  received  them,  and  have  known 
surely  that  I  came  out  from  thee,  and  they  have  believed  that 
thou  didst  send  me;"  where  Christ's  manifesting  God's  name 
to  the  disciples,  or  giving  thorn  the  knowledge  of  God,  was 
that  whereby  they  knew  that  Christ's  doctrine  was  of  God,  and 


3G  SELECTED   SERMONS 

that  Christ  himself  was  of  him,  proceeded  from  him,  and  was 
sent  by  him.  Again,  John  xii.  44,  45,  46:  "Jesus  cried  and 
said,  He  that  believeth  on  me,  belicveth  not  on  me,  but  on 
him  that  sent  me.  And  he  that  sccth  me  seeth  him  that  sent 
me.  I  am  come  a  light  into  the  world,  that  whosoever  believeth 
on  me  should  not  abide  in  darkness."  Their  believing  in  Christ, 
and  spiritually  seeing  him,  are  spoken  of  as  running  parallel. 

Christ  condemns  the  Jews,  that  they  did  not  know  that  he 
was  the  Messiah,  and  tliat  his  doctrine  was  true,  from  an 
inward  distinguishing  ta.ste  and  relish  of  what  was  divine,  in 
Luke  xii.  5(5,  57.  lie  having  there  blamed  the  Jews,  that 
though  they  could  discern  the  face  of  the  sky  and  of  the  earth, 
and  signs  of  the  weather,  that  yet  they  could  not  discern  those 
times  —  or,  as  'tis  expressed  in  Matthew,  the  signs  of  those 
times  —  he  adds,  yea,  and  why  even  of  your  own  selves  judge 
ye  not  what  is  right?  i.e.,  without  extrinsic  signs.  Why  have 
ye  not  that  sense  of  true  excellency,  whereby  ye  may  distinguish 
that  which  is  holy  and  divine  ?  Why  have  ye  not  that  savor 
of  the  things  of  God,  by  which  you  may  see  the  distinguishing 
glory  and  evident  divinity  of  me  and  my  doctrine? 

The  Apostle  Peter  mentions  it  as  what  gave  them  (the 
apostles)  guod  and  well  grounded  assurance  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  that  they  had  seen  the  divine  glory  of  Christ,  2  Pet.  i. 
1(5  :  "  For  we  have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables  when 
we  made  known  unto  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  but  were  eyewitnesses  of  his  majesty."  The  apostle 
lias  respect  to  that  visible  glory  of  Christ  which  they  saw  in 
his  transfiguration  :  that  glory  was  so  divine,  having  such  an 
ineffable  appearance  and  semblance  of  divine  holiness,  majesty 
and  grace,  that  it  evidently  denoted  him  to  be  a  divine  person. 
But  if  a  sight  of  Christ's  outward  glory  might  give  a  rational 
assurance  of  his  divinity,  why  may  not  an  apprehension  of  his 
spiritual  glory  do  so  too?  Doubtless  Christ's  spiritual  glory  is 
in  itself  as  distinguishing,  and  as  plainly  showing  his  divinity, 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  37 

as  his  outward  glory ;  and  a  great  deal  more  :  for  his  spiritual 
glory  is  that  wherein  his  divinity  consists  ;  and  the  outward 
glory  of  his  transfiguration  showed  him  to  be  divine,  only  as  it 
was  a  remarkable  image  or  representation  of  that  spiritual 
glory.  Doubtless,  therefore,  he  that  has  had  a  elear  sight  of 
the  spiritual  glory  of  Christ,  may  say,  I  have  not  followed 
cunningly  devised  fables,  but  have  been  an  eyewitness  of  his 
majesty,  upon  as  good  grounds  as  the  apostle,  when  he  had 
respect  to  the  outward  glcry  of  Christ  that  he  had  seen. 

But  this  brings  me  to  what  was  proposed  next,  viz.,  to  show 
that, 

Secondly,  This  doctrine  is  rational. 

1.  Tis  rational  to  suppose  that  there  is  really  such  an 
excellency  in  divine  things,  that  is  so  transcendent  and  exceed 
ingly  different  from  what  is  in  other  things,  that,  if  it  were 
seen,  would  most  evidently  distinguish  them.  We  cannot 
rationally  doubt  but  that  things  that  are  divine,  that  appertain 
to  the  Supreme  Being,  are  vastly  different  from  things  that  are 
human  ;  that  there  is  that  godlike,  high  and  glorious  excellency 
in  them,  'that  does  most  remarkably  difference  them  from  the 
things  that  are  of  men;  insomuch  that  if  the  difference  were 
but  seen,  it  would  have  a  convincing,  satisfying  influence  upon 
any  one,  that  they  are  what-  they  are,  viz.,  divine.  What 
reason  can  be  offered  against  it?  Unless  we  would  argue,  that 
God  is  not  remarkably  distinguished,  in  glory  from  men. 

If  Christ  should  now  appear  to  any  one  as  he  did  on  the 
mount  at  his  transfiguration ;  or  if  lie  should  appear  to  the 
world  in  the  glory  that  he  now  appears  in  in  heaven  as  he  will 
do  at  the  day  of  judgment ;  without  doubt,  the  glory  and 
majesty  that  he  would  appear  in,  would  be  such  a&  would 
satisfy  every  one  that  he  was  a  divine  person,  and  that  religion 
was  true  :  and  it  would  be  a  most  reasonable  and  well  grounded 
conviction  too.  And  why  may  there  not  be  that  stamp  of 
divinity  or  divine  glory  on  the  word  of  God,  on  the  scheme  and 


.°>8  XKI.KCTKl)   HKHMOXS 

doctrine  of  the  gospel,  that  may  be  in  like  manner  distinguish 
ing  and   as  rationally  convincing  provided    it    be   but   seen? 
T?s  rational  to  suppose  that  when  God  speaks  to  the  world, 
there  should  be  something  in  his  word  or  speech  vastly  differ 
ent  from  men's  word.     Supposing  that  God  never  had  spoken 
to  the  world,  but  we  had  noticed  that  h  ;  was  about  to  do  it ; 
that  he  was  about  to  reveal  himself  from  heaven  and  speak  to 
us  immediately  himself,  in  divine  speeches  or  discourses,  as  it 
were  from  his  own  mouth,  or  that  he  should  give  us  a  book  of 
his  own  inditing  :  after  what  manner  should  we  expect  that  he 
would  speak?  '  Would  it  not   be  rational  to  suppose  that 
speech  would  be  exceeding  different  from  men's  speech,  that  he 
should  speak  like  a  God  ;  that  is,  that  there  should  be  such  an 
excellency  and  sublimity  in  his  speech  or  won!,  Mirh  a  stamp 
of  wisdom,  holiness,  majesty  and  other  divine  perfections,  that 
the  word  of  men,  yea  of  the  wisest  of  men,  should  appear  mean 
and  base  in  comparison  of  it?     Doubtless  it  would  be  thought 
rational  to  expect  this,  and  unreasonable  to   think  otherwise. 
When  a  wise  man  speaks  in  the  exercise  of  his  wisdom,  there  i 
something  in  every  thing  he  says  that  is  very  distinguishable 
from  the  talk  of  a  little  child.      So,  without  doubt,  and  much 
more,  is  the  speech  of  God  (if  there  be  any  such  thing  as  the 
speech  of  God)  to  be  distinguished  from  that  of  the  wisest  of 
men  ;  agreeable  to  Jcr.  xxiii.  l>8,  L>(.).     God  having  there  been 
reprovhig  the  false  prophets  that  prophesied  in   his  name  an;l 
pretended  that  what  they  spake  was  his  word,  when  indeed  it 
was  their  own  word,  says,   "The  prophet  that  hath  a  dream, 
let  him  tell  a  dream  ;  and  he  that  hath  my  word,  let  him  speak 
my  word  faithfully.      What  is  the  cliatf  to  the  wheat?  saith  the 
Lord.      Is   not  my  word   like  as  a  lire?  saith   the  Lord;  and 
like  a  hammer  that  hrcaketh   the  rock  in  pieces?" 

2.  If  there  K»  such  a  distinguishing  excellency  in  divine 
things,  'tis  rational  to  suppose  that  th<*r<>.  ///"//  l»'  *'"'//.  '-'<  ^'".'/ 
cw  sevhi'  it.  What  should  hinder  but  that  it  may  be  seen? 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  39 

Jt  is  no  argument,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  such  a  dis 
tinguishing  excellency,  or  that,  if  there  be,  that  it  can't  be  seen, 
that  some  don't  see  it,  though  they  may  be  discerning  men  in 
temporal  matters.     It  is  not  rational  to  suppose,  if  there  be 
any  such  excellency  in  divine  things,  tluit  wicked   men  should 
see  it.     Tis  not  rational  to  suppose  that  those  whose  minds 
are  full  of  spiritual  pollution,   and  under  the  power  of  filthy 
lusts,  should  have  any  relish  or  sense  of  divine  beauty  or  ex 
cellency ;    or  that  their  minds  should   be  susceptive  of  that 
light  that  is  in  its  own  nature  so  pure  and  heavenly.     It  need 
not  seem  at  all  strange  that  sin  should  so  blind  the  mind,  see 
ing  that  men's  particular  natural  tempers  and  dispositions  will 
so~much  blind  them  in  secular  matters  ;  as  when  men's  natural 
temper  is  melancholy,  jealous,  fearful,  proud,  or  the  like. 

\\.    'Tis  rational  to  suppose  that  M/.s  kHOidwlye  should  be 
yiceu  iniincdhaihj  bt/  (M,  and  not  be  obtained  by  natural 
means.     Upon  what  account  should  it  seem  unreasonable,  that 
there  should  be  any  immediate  communication  between  God 
and  the  creature'?     It  is  strange  that  men  should  make  any 
matter  of  ditliculty  of  it.     Why  should  not  he  that  made  all 
things,  still  have  something  immediately  to  do  with  the  things 
that* ho  has  made?     Where  lies  the  great  ditliculty,  if  we  own 
the  being  of  a  Cod,  and  that  he  created  all  things  out  of  noth 
ing,    of  allowing    some    immediate   influence   of   God   on    the 
creation  still  1     And   if  it  be  reasonable    to    suppose    it  with 
respect    to  any  part   of  the  creation,   it  is  especially  so  with 
respect  to  reasonable,   intelligent  creatures;    who  are  next  to 
God  in  the  gradation  of  the  different  orders  of  beings,  and  whose 
business  is 'most   immediately  with  God;  who  were   made  on 
purpose  for  those  exercises   that   do  respect  Goil  and  wherein 
they  have  nextly  to  do  with  God:  for  reason  teaches,  that  man 
was  made  to   serve  and  glorify  his  Creator.     And  if  it  be  ra 
tional  to  suppose  that  God  immediately  communicates  himself 
to  man  in  any  affair,  it  is  in  this.     'Tis  rational  to  suppose 


40  SKLKVTKD   8KHMOXS 

that  God  would  reserve  that  knowledge  and  wisdom,  that  is  of 
such  a  divine  and  excellent  nature,  to  be  bestowed  immediately 
by  himself,  and  that  it  should  not  be  left  in  the  power  of  second 
causes.  Spiritual  wisdom  and  grace  is  the  highest  and  most 
excellent  gift  that  ever  God  bestows  on  any  creature  :  in  this  the 
highest  excellency  and  perfection  of  a  rational  creature  consists. 
'Tisalso  immensely  the  most  important  of  all  divine  gifts  :  'tis 
that  wherein  man's  happiness  consists,  and  on  which  his  everlast 
ing  welfare  depends.  llo\v  rational  is  it  to  suppose  that  God, 
however  he  has  left  meaner  goods  and  lower  gifts  to  second 
causes,  and  in  some  sort  in  their  power,  yet  should  reserve  this 
most  excellent,  divine  and  important  of  all  divine  communica 
tions  in  his  own  hands,  to  be  bestowed  immediately  by  him 
self,  as  a  thing  too  great  for  second  causes  to  be  concerned  in  ! 
'Tis  rational  to  suppose  that  this  blessing  should  be  immedi 
ately  from  God  ;  for  there  is  no  gift  or  benefit  that  is  in  itself 
so  nearly  related  to  the  divine  nature,  there  is  ^  nothing  the 
creature  receives  that  is  so  much  of  God,  of  his  nature,  so 
much  a  participation  of  the  deity:  'tis  a  kind  of  emanation  of 
God's  beauty,  and  is  related  to  God  as  the  light  is  to  the  sun. 
'Tis  therefore  congruous  and  fit,  that  when  it  is  given  of  God, 
it  should  be  nextly  from  himself,  and  by  himself,  according  to 
his  own  sovereign  will. 

Tis  rational  to  suppose  that  it  should  be  beyond  a  man's 
power  to  obtain  this  knowledge  and  light  by  the  mere  strength  of 
natural  reason;  for  'tis  not  a  tiling  that  belongs  to  reason,  to  see 
the  beauty  and  loveliness  of  spiritual  things  ;  it  is  not  a  specula 
tive  thing,  but  depends  on  the  sense  of  the  heart.  Reason,  in 
deed,  is  necessary  in  order  to  it,  as  'tis  by  reason  only  that  we 
are  become  the  subjects  of  the  means  of  it ;  which  means  I 
have  already  shown  to  be  necessary  in  order  to  it,  though  they 
-have  no  proper  causal  influence  in  the  attain  "Tis  by  reason 
that  we  become  possessed  of  a  notion  of  those  doctrines  that 
are  the  subject  matter  of  this  divine  light ;  and  reason  may 


OF  JONATHAN  Kl)  WARDS  41 

many  ways  be  indirectly  and  remotely   an  advantage   to  it. 
And  reason  has  also  to  do  in  the  acts  that  are  immediately 
consequent  on  this  discovery  :  a  seeing  the  truth  of  religion 
from  hence  is  by  reason  ;  though  it  be  but  by  one  step,  and  the 
inference  be  immediate.     So  reason  has  to  do  in  that  accepting 
of,  and  trusting  in  Christ,  that  is  consequent  on  it.     But  if 
we  take  reason  strictly,  not  for  the  faculty  of  mental  perception 
in  general,  but  for  ratiocination,  or  a  power  of  inferring  by  argu 
ments  ;  I  say,  if  we  take  reason  thus/the  perceiving  of  spiritual 
beauty  and  excellency  no  more  belongVto  reason  than  it  belongs 
to  the  sense  of  feeling  to  perceive  colors,  or  to  the  power  of  seeing 
to  perceive  the  sweetness  of  food.     It  is  out  of  reason's  prov 
ince  to  perceive  the  beauty  or  loveliness  of  any  thing  :  such  a  per 
ception  don't  belong  to  that  faculty.    Reason's  work  is  to  perceive 
truth  and  not  excellency.     It  is  not  ratiocination  that  gives 
men  the  perception  of  the  beauty  and  amiableness  of  a  coun 
tenance,!  thoughjt   may  be  many  ways  indirectly  an  advan 
tage  tolt;  yet'tis  no  more  reason  that  immediately  perceives 
it  than  it  is  reason  that  perceives  the  sweetness  of  honey :  it 
depends  .on  the  sense  of  the  heart.]    Reason  may  determine  that 
a  countenance  is  beautiful  to  otHcrs,  it  may  determine  that  honey 
is  sweet  to  others;  but  it  will  never  give  me  a  perception  of 
its  sweetness.  —  I  will  conclude  with  a  very  brief 

IMPROVEMENT 

of  what  has  been  said. 

First,  This  doctrine  may  lead  us  to  reflect  on  the  goodness 
of  God,  that  has  so  ordered  it,  that  a  saving  evidence  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  is  such  as  is  attainable  by  persons  of  mean 
capacities  and  advantages,  as  well  as  those  that  are  of  the 
greatest  parts  and  learning.  If  the  evidence  of  the  gospel 
depended  only  on  history,  and  such  reasonings  as  learned  men 
only  are  capable  of,  it  would  be  above  the  reach  of  far  the 


42  SELECTED   SERMONS 

greatest  part  of  mankind.  But  persons  with  but  an  ordinary  de 
gree  of  knowledge  are  capable,  without  a  long  and  subtile  train  of 
reasoning,  to  see  the  divine  excellency  of  the  things  of  religion  : 
they  are  capable  of  being  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  well 
as  learned  men.  The  evidence  that  is  this  way  obtained  is 
vastly  better  and  more  satisfying  than  all  that  can  be  obtained 
by  the  arguings  of  those  that  are  most  learned,  and  greatest 
masters  of  reason.  And  babes  are  as  capable  of  knowing 
these  things  as  the  wise  and  prudent ;  and  they  are  often  hid 
from  these  when  they  are  revealed  to  those  :  1  Cor.  i.  20,  27, 
"  For  ye  see  your  calling,  brethren,  how  that  not  many  wise  men 
after  the  llesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble,  are  called. 
But  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things  of  the  world.  ..." 

Secondly,  This  doctrine  may  well  put  us  upon  examining 
ourselves,  whether  we  have  ever  had  this  divine  light  that  has 
been  described  let  into  our  souls.  If  there  be  such  a  thing 
indeed,  and  it  be  not  only  a  notion  or  whimsy  of  persons  of 
weak  and  distempered  brains,  then  doubtless  'tis  a  thing  of 
great  importance,  whether  we  have  thus  been  taught  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  ;  whether  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of 
Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  hath  shined  unto  us,  giving 
us  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ  ;  whether  we  have  seen  the  Son,  and  believed 
on  him,  or  have  that  faith  of  gospel  doctrines  that  arises  from 
a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ. 

Thirdly,  All  may  hence  be  exhorted  earnestly  to  seek  this 
spiritual  light.  To  influence  and  move  to  it,  the  following 
things  may  be  considered. 

1.  This  is  the  most  excellent  awl  ilimie  wisdom  that  any 
creature  is  capable  of.  Tis  more  excellent  than  any  human 
learning ;  'tis  far  more  excellent  than  nil  the  knowledge  of  the 
greatest  philosophers  or  statesmen.  Yea,  the  least  glimpse  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ  doth  more  exalt  and 
ennoble  the  soul  than  all  the  knowledge  of  those  that  have  the 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  43 

greatest  speculative  understanding  in  divinity  without  grace. 
This  knowledge  has  the  most  noble  object  that  is  or  can  be, 
viz.,  the  divine  glory  or  excellency  of  God  and  Christ.  The 
knowledge  of  these  objects  is  that  wherein  consists  the  most 
excellent  knowledge  of  the  angels,  yea,  of  Cod  himself. 

2.  This  knowledge  is  that  which  is  above  all  others  sweet 
and  joyful.     Men    have  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  in  human 
knowledge,  in  studies  of  natural  things ;  but  this  is  nothing  to 
that  joy  which  arises  from  this  divine  light  shining  into  the 
soul.     This  light  gives  a  view  of   those  things  that    are  im 
mensely  the  most  exquisitely  beautiful,  ami  capable  of  delighting 
the  eye  of  the  understanding.    This  spiritual  light  is  the  dawning 
of  the  light  of  glory  in  the  heart.     There  is  nothing  so  power 
ful  as  this    to  support  persons  in  affliction,  and  to  give  the 
mind  peace  and  brightness  in  this  stormy  and  dark  world. 

3.  This  light  is  such  as  effectually  influences  the  inclination, 
and  ch<uiff<'is  thv  'nature  of  the  xonl.     It  assimilates  the  nature 
to  the  divine  nature,  and 'changes  the  soul  into  an  image  of  the 
same  glory  that  is  beheld:  2  Cor.  iii.  18,  "But  we  all,  with 
open  flvee,"  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."     This  knowledge  will  wean  from  the 
world  and    raise  the  inclination  to  heavenly  th.ngs.     It  will 
turn  the  heart  to  God  as  the  fountain  of  good,  and  to  choose 
him  for  the  only  portion.     This  light,  and  this  only,  will  bring 
the  soul  to  a  saving  close  with  Christ.     It  conforms  the  heart 
to  the  gospel,  mortifies  its  enmity  and  opposition  against  the 
sc  heme  of  salvation  therein  revealed.     It  causes  the  heart  to 
embrace  the  joyful  tidings,  and  entirely  to  adhere  to,  and  ac 
quiesce  in  the  revelation  of  Christ  as  our  Saviour.     It  causes 
the  whole  soul  to  accord  and  symphonic  with  it,  admitting  it 
with  entire  credit  and  respect,  cleaving  to  it  with  full  inclina 
tion  and  affection ;  and  it  effectually  disposes  the  soul  to  give 
up  itself  entirely  to  Christ, 


41  SKLKVTKD   SKKMOXS 

4.  This  light,  and  this  only,  //<>*  ite  fruit  in  an  universal 
holiness  of  life.  No  merely  notional  or  speculative  under 
standing  of  the  doctrines  of  religion  will  ever  bring  to  this. 
But  this  light,  as  it  readies  the  bottom  of  the  heart,  and 
changes  the  nature,  so  it  will  effectually  dispose  to  an  universal 
obedience.  It  shows  God's  worthiness  to  be  obeyed  and  served. 
It  draws  fortli  the  heart  in  a  sincere  love  to  God,  which  is  the 
only  principle  of  a  true,  gracious  and  universal  obedience. 
And  it  convinces  of  the  reality  of  those  glorious  rewards  that 
God  has  promised  to  them  that  obey  him. 


O/*'  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  45 


ITI 


HUTU'S  RESOLUTION  ° 


RuTH  i  ic>.  _  And  Ruth  said,  Intrcat  mo  not  to  leave  thee,  or  to  return 
from  fohowin^  after  thoe:  for  whither  thou  Roest  .wi  I  RO  ;  *d 
where  thou  lod-est,  I  will  lodge:  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  ami 
thy  God  my  (Jod. 

THE  historical  things  in  tins  book  of  Ruth  seem  to-  be  in 
serted   into   the    canon   of    the   Scripture   especially   on   two 


irst  'Because  Christ  was  of  Faith's  posterity.  The  Holy 
Ghost  thought  fit  to  take  particular  notice  of  that  marriage  oi 
Boaz  with  Ruth,  whence  sprang  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  We 
may  often  observe  it,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  who  indited  the 
Scriptures,  often  takes  notice  of  little  things,  minute  occur- 
rences,  that  do  but  remotely  relate  to  Jesus  Christ 

Secondly,  Because  this  history  seems  to  be  typical  oi 
c'lllin"-  of  the  Gentile  church,  and  indeed  of  the  conversion  ot 
every°believer.  Ruth  was  not  originally  of  Israel,  but  was  a 
Moabitess,  an  alien  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel:  but  she 
forsook  her  own  people,  and  the  idols  of  the  Gent  lea,  to  wor 
ship  the  God  of  Israel,  and  to  join  herself  to  that  people. 
Herein  she  seems  to  be  a  type  of  the  Gentile  church  and  also 
of  every  sincere  convert.  Ruth  was  the  mother  of  Christ  ;  he 
came  of  her  posterity  :  so  the  church  is  Christ's  mother,  as  she 
is  represented,  Rev.  xii.,  at  the  beginning.  And  so  also  is 
every  true  Christian  his  mother  :  Matt.  xii.  50,  "  Whosoever  shall 


46  SKLKVTED   SERMONS 

do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my 
brother,  and  sister,  and  mother."  Christ  is  what  the  soul  of 
every  one  of  the  elect  is  in  travail  with  in  the  new  birth.  Ruth 
forsook  all  her  natural  relations  and  her  own  country,  the  land 
of  her  nativity,  and  all  her  former  possessions  there,  for  the 
sake  of  the  God  of  Israel ;  as  every  true  Christian  forsakes  all 
for  Christ.  Psalm  xlv.  10,  "  Hearken,  0  daughter,  and  con 
sider,  and  incline  thine  ear;  forget  also  thine  own  people,  and 
thy  father's  house." 

Naomi  was  now  returning  out  of  the  land  of  Moab  into 
the  land  of  Israel  with  her  two  daughters  in  law,  Orpah  and 
Kutli  ;  who  will  represent  to  us  t\vo  sorts  of  professors 
of  religion  :  Orpah,  that  sort  that  indeed  make  a  fair  pro 
fession,  and  seem  to  set  out  well,  but  dure  but  for  a  while, 
and  then  turn  back;  Ruth,  that  sort  that  are  sound  and 
sincere,  and  therefore  are  steadfast  and  persevering  in  the 
way  that  they  have  set  out  in.  Naomi  in  the  preceding 
versus  represents  to  these  her  daughters  the  difficulties  of  their 
leaving  their  own  country  to  go  with  her.  And  in  this  verse 
ma)'  be  observed, 

1.  The  remarkable  conduct  and  behavior  of  Ruth  on  this 
occasion;  with  what  inllcxible  resolution  she  cleaves  to  Naomi 
and  follows  her.  When  Naomi  first  arose  to  return  from  the 
.country  of  Moab  into  the  land  of  Israel,  Orpah  and  Ruth  both 
set  out  with  her;  and  Naomi  exhorts  them  both  to  return. 
And  they  both  of  them  wept,  and  seemed  as  if  they  could  not 
bear  the  thoughts  of  leaving  her,  and  appeared  as  if  they  were 
resolved  to  go  with  her:  verse  10,  "Ami  they  said  unto  her, 
Suicly  we  will  return  with  thee  unto  thy  people."  Then 
Naomi  says  to  them  again,  "Turn  again,  my  daughters,  go 
your  way,"  &c.  And  then  they  were 'greatly  affected  again, 
and  Orpah  returned  and  went  back.  Now  Ruth's  steadfast 
ness  in  her  purpose  had  a  greater  trial,  but  yet  is  not  overcome: 
"She  clave  unto  her,"  verse  14.  Then  Naomi  speaks  to  her 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWAEDS  47 

again,  verse  15,  "Behold,  thy  sister  in  law  is  gone  back  unto 
her  people,  and  unto  her  gods  :  return  thou  after  thy  sister  in 
law."  And  then  she  shows  her  immovable  resolution  in  the 
text  and  following  verse. 

2.    I  would  particularly  observe  that  wherein  the  virtuousiicss 
of  this  her  resolution  consists,  viz.,  that  it  was  for  the  sake  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  that  she  might  be  one  of  his  people,  that  she 
was  thus  resolved  to  cleave  to  Naomi :  "  Thy  people  shall  be  my 
people,  and  thy  God  my  God."     It  was  for  God's  sake  that  she 
did  thus ;  and  therefore  her  so  doing  is  afterwards  spoken  of  as 
a  virtuous  behavior  in  her,  chap.  ii.  11,   12:  "And  Boaz  an 
swered  and  said  unto  her,  It  hath  fully  been  showed  me,  all 
that  thou  hast  done  unto  thy  mother  in  law  since  the  death  of 
thine  husband  :    and  how  thou  hast    left  thy  father,  and  thy 
mother,  and   the   land  of  thy  nativity,    awl   art  come   unto  a 
people  which  thou  knewest  not  heretofore.     The  Lord  recom 
pense  thy  work,  and  a  full  reward  be  given  thce  of  the  Lord 
Cod  of  Israel,  under  whose  wings  thou  art  come  to  trust."    She 
left    her  father  and  mother,  and  the  land  of  her  nativity, 'to 
come  and  trust  under  the  shadow  of  God's  wings  :  and  -she  had 
indeed  a  full  reward  given  her,  as   Boa/  wished  ;  for  besides 
immediate  spiritual  blessings  to  her  own  soul  and  eternal  re 
wards  in  another  world,  she  was  rewarded  with   plentiful  and 
prosperous  outward  circumstances  in  the  family  of  Boaz.     And 
God  raised  up  David  and  Solomon  of  her  seed,  and  established 
the  crown  of  Israel  (the  people  that  she  chose  before  her  own 
people)  in  her  posterity;  and — which  is  much  more  —  of  her 
seed  he  raised  up  Jesus  Christ,  in  whoni  all  the  families  of  the 
earth  are  blessed. 

From  the  words  thus  opened,  I  observe  this  for  the  subject 
of  my  present  discourse  : 

When  those,  tlmt.  ice  ham  formerly  been  rniirprsmit  ?''////, 
are  tumuiy  to  God,  and  joint wj  themselves  to  his  people,  it 


48  SKLKVTKl)   SERMONS 

outfit  to  be  our  firm  resolution,  that  we  will  not  leave  them;  but 
that  their  people  shall  be  our  people,  and  their  God  oar  God. 

It  sometimes  happens,  that  of  those  who  have  been  conver 
sant  one  with  another,  that  have  dwelt  together  as  neighbors, 
and  have  been  often  together  as  companions,  or  have  been 
united  in  near  relation,  and  have  been  together  in  darkness, 
bondage  and  misery  in  the  service  of  Satan,  some  arc  en 
lightened,  and  have  their  minds  changed,  are  made  to  see  the 
great  evil  of  sin,  and  have  their  hearts  turned  to  God,  and  are 
•influenced  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  to  leave  their  company 
that  are  on  Satan's  side  to  go  and  join  themselves  with  that 
blessed  company  that  are  with  Jesus  Christ  ;  they  are  made 
willing  to  forsake  the  tents  of  wickedness,  to  dwell  in  the  land 
of  uprightness  with  the  people  of  God. 

And  sometimes  this  proves  a  final  parting  or  separation  be 
tween  them  and  those  that  they  have  been  formerly  conversant 
with.  Though  it  may  be  no  parting  in  outward  respects, 
they  may  still  dwell  together  and  may  converse  one  with  an 
other  ;  yet  in  other  respects,  it  sets  them  at  a  great  distance 
one  from  another:  one  is  a  child  of  God,  and  the  other  the 
enemy  of  God  ;  one  is  in  a  miserable,  and  the  other  in  a  happy 
condition  ;  one  is  a  citizen  of  the  heavenly  Zion,  the  other  is 
under  condemnation  to  hell.  They  are  no  longer  together  in 
those  respects  wherein  they  used  to  bo  together.  They  used  to 
be  of  one  mind  to  serve  sin  and  do  Satan's  work ;  now  they 
are  of  contrary  minds.  They  used  to  be  together  in  worldlincss 
and  sinful  vanity ;  now  they  are  of  exceeding  different  disposi 
tions.  They  are  separated  as  they  are  in  different  kingdoms  ; 
the  one  remains  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  the  other  is  trans 
lated  into  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son.  And  sometimes 
they  are  finally  separated  in  these  respects  ;  while  one  dwells  in 
the  land  of  Israel,  and  in  the  house  of  God,  the  other,  like 
Orpah,  lives  and  dies  \\\  the  land  of  Moab. 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  49 

Now  'tis  lamentable  when  it  is  thus.  Tis  awful  being 
parted  so.  'Tis  doleful,  when  of  those  that  have  formerly  been 
together  in  sin,  some  turn  to  God,  and  join  themselves  with  his 
people,  that  it  should  prove  a  parting  between  them  and  their 
former  companions  and  acquaintance.  It  should  be  our  firm 
and  inflexible  resolution  in  such  a  case  that  it  shall  be  no  part 
ing,  but  that  we  will  follow  them,  that  their  people  shall  be 
our  people,  and  their  God  our  God ;  and  that  for  the  following 
reasons : 

I.  Because  their  God  is  a  glorious  God.  There  is  none  like 
him,  who  is  infinite  in  glory  and  excellency.  He  is  the  most 
high  God,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders. 
His  name  is  excellent  in  all  the  earth,  and  his  glory  is  above  the 
earth  and  the  heavens.  Among  the  gods  there  is  none  like  unto 
him ;  there  is  none  in  heaven  to  be  compared  to  him,  nor  are 
there  any  among  the  sons  of  the  mighty  that  can  be  likened 
unto  him.  Their  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  good,  and  an 
inexhaustible  fountain  ;  he  is  an  all-sufficient  God,  able  to  pro 
tect  and  defend  them,  and  do  all  things  for  them.  (He  is  the 
King  of-  glory,  the  Lord  strong  and  mighty,  the  iSord  mighty 
in  battle  :  a  strong  rock,  and  a  high  tower./  There  is  none 
like  the  God  of  Jeshurun,  who  rideth  on  the  heaven  in  their 
help,  and  in  his  excellency  on  the  sky.  The  eternal  God  is  their 
refuge,  and  underneath  are  everlasting  arms.  He  is  a  God 
that  hath  all  things  in  his  hands,  and  does  whatsoever  he 
pleases  :  he  killeth  and  maketh  alive ;  he  bringeth  down  to  the 
grave  and  bringeth  up  ;  he  maketh  poor  and  maketh  rich  :  the 
pillars  of  the  earth  are  the  Lord's.  Their  God  is  an  infinitely 
holy  God  ;  there  is  none  holy  as  the  Lord  And  he  is  infinitely 
good  and  merciful.  Many  that  others  worship  and  serve  as 
gods  are  cruel  beings,  spirits  that  seek  the  ruin  of  souls  ;  but 
this  is  a  God  that  jlelightetli  in  mercy;  his  grace  is  infinite  and 
endures  forever,  file  is  love  itself,  an  infinite  fountain  and  x 
ocean  of  it.J 
' 


50  SELECTED   SERMONS 

Such  a  God  is  their  God  !  Such  is  the  excellency  of  Jacob  ! 
Such  is  the  God  of  them  who  have  forsaken  their  sins  and  are 
converted  !  They  have  made  a  wise  choice  who  have  chosen 
this  for  their  God.  They  have  made  a  happy  exchange  indeed, 
that  have  exchanged  sin  and  the  world  for  such  a  God  ! 

They  have  an  excellent  and  glorious  Saviour,  who  is  the 
only-begotten  Son  of  God  ;  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  ^glory  ; 
one  in  whom  God  from  eternity  had  infinite  delight  ;  a  Saviour 
of  infinite  love;  one  that  has  shed  his  own  blood  and  made  his 
soul  an  ottering  for  their  sins,  and  one  that  is  able  to  save  them 
to  the  uttermost. 

II.  Their  people,  are  an  excellent  and  happy  people.  God  has 
renewed  them,  and  iustampcd  his  own  image  upon  them,  and 
made  them  partakers  of  his  holiness.  They  are  more  excellent 
than  their  neighbors,  Prov.  xii.  '26.  Yea,  they  are  the  excellent 
of  the  earth,  Psalm  xvi.  3.  They  are  lovely  in  the  sight  of  the 
angels;  ami  they  have  their  souls  adorned  with  those  graces 
that  in  the  sight  of  God  himself  are  of  great  price. 

The  people  of  God  are  the  most  excellent  and  happy  society 
in  the  world.  That  God  whom  they  have  chosen  for  their  God 
is  their  Father  ;  he  has  pardoned  all  their  sins,  and  they  are  at 
peace  with  him  ;  and  he  has  admitted  them  to  all  the  privileges 
of  his  children.  As  they  have  devoted  themselves  to  God,  so  " 
God  has  given  himself  tu  them.  He  is  become  their  salvation 
and  their  portion  :  his  power  and  mercy  and  all  his  attributes 
are  theirs.  Tlioy  are  in  a  safe  state,  free  from  all  possibility 
of  perishing:  (Satan  has  no  power  to  destroy  them.  God 
carries  them  on  eagle's  wings,  far  above  Satan's  reach,  and 
above  the  reach  of  all  the  enemies  of  their  souls.  God  is 
with  them  in  this  world  ;  they  have  his  gracious  presence.  God 
is  for  them  ;  who  then  can  be  against  them?  As  the  mountains 
are  round  about  Jerusalem,  so  Jehovah  is  round  about  them. 
God  is  their  shield  and  their  exceeding  great  reward  ;  and 
their  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christj 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  51 

And  they  have  the  divine  promise  and  oath  that  in  the  world 
to  come  they  shall  dwell  forever  in  the  glorious  presence  of  God. 

Tt  may  well  be  sufficient  to  induce  us  to  resolve  to  cleave  to 
those  that  forsake  their  sins  and  idols  to  join  themselves  with  this 
people,  that  God  is  with  them,  Zech.  viii.  23  :  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts  ;  In  those  days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  ten 
men  shall  take  hold  out  of  all  languages  of  the  nations,  even 
shall  take  hold  of  the  skirt  of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saying,  \Ve 
will  go  with  you :  for  we  have  heard  that  God  is  with  you." 
So  should  persons  as  it  were  take  hold  of  the  skirt  of  their 
neighbors  and  companions  that  have  turned  to  God,  and  resolve 
that  they  will  go  with  them,  because  God  is  with  them. 

111.  Jlapjiinesi*  is  nowhere  else  to  be  had,  but  in  their  God, 
and  with  their  people.  There  are  that  are  called  gods  many, 
and  lords  many.  Some  make  gods  of  their  pleasures;  some 
clu)ose  Mammon  for  their  god  \  some  make  gods  of  their  own 
supposed  excellencies,  or  the  outward  advantages  they  have 
above  their  neighbors  :  some  choose  one  thing  for  their  god, 
and  others  another.  .But  men  can  be  happy  in  no  other  God 
but  the  God  of  Israel:  he  is  the  only  fountain  of  happiness. 
Other  gods  can't  help  in  calamity  ;  nor  can  any  of  them  afford 
what  the  poor  empty  soul  stands  in  need  of.  Let  men  adore 
those  other  gods  never  so  much,  and  call  upon  them  never  so  ear 
nestly,  and  serve  them  never  so  diligently,  they  will  nevertheless 
remain  poor,  wretched,  unsatisfied,  undone  creatures.  All  other 
people  are  miserable,  but  that  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord.  — 
The  world  is  divided  into  two  societies.  There  are  the  people 
of  God,  the  little  flock  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  company  that  we 
read  of,  Rev.  xiv.  4.  "These  are  they  which  were  not  denied 
with  women ;  for  they  are  virgins.  These  are  they  which 
follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth.  These  were  re 
deemed  from  among  men,  being  the  firstfruits  unto  God  and  to 
the  Lamb/'  And  there  are  those  that  belong  to  the  kingdom  of 
darkness,  that  are  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  com- 


T>2  SELECTED  'SERMONS 

mon wealth  of  Israel,  strangers  from  the  covenant  of  promise, 
having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world.  All  that  are 
of  this  latter  company  are  wretched  and  undone ;  they  are  the 
enemies  of  God.  and  under  his  wratli  and  condemnation.  They 
are  the  devil's  slaves,  that  serve  him  blindfold,  and  are  befooled 
and  ensnared  by  him,  and  hurried  along  in  the  broad  way  to 
eternal  perdition. 

IV.  When  those  that  we  have  formerly  been  conversant  with 
are  turning  to  God,  and  to  his  people,  their  example  ought  to 
influence  us.  Their  example  should  be  looked  upon  as  the  call 
of  God  to  us  to  do  as  they  have  done.  God,  when  he  changes 
the  heart  of  one,  calls  upon  another ;  especially  does  he  loudly 
call  on  those  that  have  been  their  friends  and  acquaintance. 
We  have  been  influenced  by  their  examples  in  evil ;  and  shall 
we  cease  to  follow  them  when  they  make  the  wisest  choice  that 
ever  they  made,  and  do  the  best  thing  that  ever  they  did  1  ^  If 
we  have  been  companions  with  them  in  worldliness,  in  vanity, 
in  unprofitable  and  sinful  conversation,  it  will  be  a  hard  case, 
if  there  must  be  a  parting  now,  because  we  be  not  willing  to  be 
companions  with  them  in  holiness  and  true  happiness.  Men 
arc  greatly  influenced  by  seeing  one  another's  prosperity  in 
other  things.  If  those  whom  they  have  been  much  conversant 
with  grow  rich,  and  obtain  any  great  earthly  advantages,  it 
awakens  their  ambition  and  eager  desire  after  the  like  prosperity. 
How  much  more  should  they  be  influenced,  and  stirred  up  to 
follow  them,  and  be  like  them,  when  they  obtain  that  spiritual 
and  eternal  happiness  that  is  of  infinitely  more  worth  than  all 
the  prosperity  and  glory  of  this  world  ! 

C  V.  Our  resolutions  to  cleave  to  and  follow  those  that  are 
(turning  to  God,  and  joining  themselves  to  his  people,  ought  to 
ibe  fixed  and  strong,  because  of  the  great  difficulty  of  it.  If  we 
will  cleave  to  them,  and  have  their  God  for  our  God,  and  their 
people  for  our  people,  we  must  mortify  and  deny  all  our  lusts, 
and  cross  every  evil  appetite  and  inclination,  and  forever  part 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  53 

with  call  sin.     But  our  lusts  are  many  and   violent.     Sin   is 
naturally  exceeding  dear  to  us;  to  part  with  it  is  compared  to 
plucking  out  our  right  eyes.     Men  may  refrain  from  wonted 
ways  of  sin  for  a  little  while,  and   may  deny  their  lusts  in  a 
partial  degree,  with  less  difficulty  ;  but  'tis  heart-rending  work, 
finally  to  part  with  all  sin,  and  to  give  our  dearest  lusts  a  bill 
of  divorce,  utterly  to  send  them  away.     But  this  we  must  do, 
if  we  would  follow  those  that  are  truly  turning  to  God.     Yea, 
we  must  not  only  forsake  sin,  hut  must,  in  a  sense,  forsake  all 
the  world  :  Luke  xiv.  33,  "  Whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  for- 
saketh  not  all  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."     That  is,  lie 
must  forsake  all  in  his  heart,  and  must  come  to  a  thorough 
disposition  and  readiness  actually  to  quit  all  for  God  and  the 
glorious  spiritual  privileges  of  his  people,  whenever  the  case^muy 
require  it;  and  that  without  any  prospect  of  any  thing  of  the 
like  nature,  or  any  worldly  thing  whatsoever,  to  make  amends 
for  it  ;  and  all  to  go  into  a  strange  country,  a  land  that  has 
hitherto  been  unseen ;  like  Abraham,  who  being  called  of  God, 
/'went  out  of  his  own  country,  and  from  his  kindred,  and  from 
his  father's  house,  for  a  land  that  God  should  show  him,  not 
knowing  whither  he  went." 

Thus  it  was  a  hard  thing  for  Ruth  to  forsake  her  native 
country  and  her  father  and  mother,  her  kindred  and  acquain 
tance,  and  all  the  pleasant  tilings  she  had  in  the  land  of  Moab, 
to  dwell  in  the  land  of  Israel,  where  she  never  had  been. 
Naomi  told  her  of  the  difficulties  once  and  again.  They  were 
too  hard  for  her  sister  Orpah  ;  the  consideration  of  them  turned 
her  back  after  she  was  set  out.  Her  resolution  was  not  firm 
enough  to  overcome  them.  But  so  firmly  resolved  was  Ruth, 
that  she  broke  through  all  ;  she  was  steadfast  in  it,  that,  let 
the  difficulty  be  what  it  would,  she  would  not  leave  her  mother 
in  law.  So  persons  had  nued  to  be  very  firm  in  their  resolution 
to  conquer  the  difficulties  that  are  in  the  way  of  cleaving  to 
them  who  are  indeed  turning  from  sin  to  God. 


51  SELECTED   SKRMQNS 

Our  cleaving  to  them,  and  having  their  God  for  our  God  and 
their  people  for  our  people,  depends   on   our   resolution   and 
i  choice ;  and  that  in  two  respects. 

1.  The  firmness  of  resolution  in  using  means  in  order  to  it, 
is  the  way  to  have  means  effectual.     There  are    means   ap 
pointed  in  order  to  our  becoming  some  of  the  true  Israel  and 
having  their  God  for  our  God ;  and  the  thorough  use  of  these 
means  is  the  way  to  have  success ;  but  not  a  slack  or  slighty 
use  of  them.     And  that  we  may  be  thorough,  there  is  need  of 
strength  of  resolution,  a  firm  and  inflexible  disposition  and  bent 
of  mind  to  be  universal  in  the  use  of  means,  and  to  do  what  we 
do  with  our  might,  and  to  persevere  in  it.     Matt.  xi.  P2,  "The 
kingdom  of  heaven  sutlcretli  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by 
force." 

2.  A  choosing  of  their  God  and  their  people,  with  a  full  de 
termination  and  with  the-  whole  soul,  is  the  condition,  of  an  tinton 
with  them.     God. gives  every  man  his  choice  in  .this  jnatter  : 

*   as  Orpah  mid  Kuth  had  their  choice,  whether  they  would  ..go 

with  Naomi  into  the  land  of  Israel,  or  stay  in  the  land  of  Moab. 

r^A  natural  man  may  choose  deliverance  from  hell ;  but  no  man 

Idoth   ever  heartily   choose   God  and  Christ,  and  the   spiritual 

: benefits  that  Christ  has  purchased,  and  the  happiness  of  God's 

>  (people,  till  he  is  converted.     On  the  contrary,  he  is  averse  to 

'them  ;  he  has  no  relish  of  them  ;  and  is  wholly  ignorant  of  the 

inestimable  worth  and  value  of  them. 

Many  carnal  men  do  seem  to  choose  these  things,  but  do  it  not 
really  :  as  Orpah  seemed  at  first  to  choose  to  forsake  Moab  to 
go  into  the  land  of  Israel.  ]Jut  when  Naomi  came  to  set  before 
her  the  difficulty  of  it,  she  v;?nt  back  ;  and  thereby  showed 
that  she  was  not  fully  determined  in  her  choice,  and  that  her 
whole  soul  was  not  in  it  as  Ruth's  was. 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  55 


APPLICATION 

The  use  that  I  shall  make  of  what  has  been  said  is  to  move 
sinners  to  this  resolution,  with  respect  to  those  amongst  us  that 
have  lately  turned  to  God,  and  joined  themselves  to  the  flock  of 
Christ.     Through  the  abundant  mercy  and  grace  of  God  to  us 
in  this  place,  it  may  be  said  of  many  of  you  that  are  in  a 
Oh ristless  condition,  that  you  have  lately  been  left  by  those 
that  were  formerly  with  you  in  such  a  state.     There  are  those 
that  you  have  formerly  been  conversant  with  that  have  lately 
forsaken  a  life  of  sin  and  the  service  of  Satan,  and  have  turned 
to  God,  and  lied  to  Christ,  and  joined  themselves  to  that  blessed 
company  that  arc  with  him.     They  formerly  were  with  you  in 
sin  and  in  misery ;  but  now  they  are  with  you  no  more  in  that 
state  or  manner  of  life.     They  are  changed,  and  have  lied  from 
the  wrath  to  come  ;  they  have  chosen  a  life  of  holiness  here  and 
the  enjoyment  of  God  hereafter.     They  were  formerly   your 
associates  in  bondage,  and  were  with  you  in  Satan's  business ; 
but  now  you  have  their  company  no  longer  in  these  things. 
Many  of  you   have  seen  those  you  live  with,  under  the  same 
roof,   turning   from   being  any  longer  with  you   in  sin,  to  be 
with  the  people  of  Jesus  Christ.     Some  of  you  that  arc  hus 
bands  have  had  your  wives ;  and  some  of  you  that  are  wives 
have  had  your  husbands;  some  of  you  that  are  children  have 
had  your  parents  ;  and  parents  have  had  your  children  ;  many 
of  you  have  had  your  brothers  and  sisters  ;  and  many  your  near 
neighbors  and  acquaintance  and  special  friends ;  many  of  you 
that  are  young  have  had  your  companions  :  I  say,  many  of  you 
have  had  those  that  you  have  been  thus  concerned  with,' leaving 
you,  forsaking  that  doleful  life  and  wretched  state  that  you  still 
continue  in.     Gou,  of  his  good  pleasure  and  wonderful  grace, 
hath  lately  caused  it  to  be  so  in  this  place  that  multitudes  have 
been  forsaking  their  old  abodes  in  the  land  of  Moab,  and  under 
the  <rods  of  MOM!),  and   going  into  the  land  of  Israel,  to  put 


56  SELECTED   SERMONS 

their  trust  under  the  wings  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  Though 
you  and  they  have  been  nearly  related,  and  have  dwelt  together, 
or  have  been  often  together  and  intimately  acquainted  one  with 
another,  they  have  been  taken  and  you  hitherto  left.  0  let  it 
not  be  the  foundation  of  a  final  parting !  But  earnestly  follow 
them  ;  be  linn  in  your  resolution  in  this  matter.  Don't  do  as 
Orpah  did,  who,  though  at  first  she  made  as  though  she  would 
follow  Naomi,  yet  when  she  had  the  difficulty  of  it  set  before 
her  went  back  :  but  say  as  Ruth,  "  I  will  not  leave  thee ;  but 
where  thou  goest,  I  will  go  :  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and 
thy  God  my  God."  Say  as  she  said,  and  do  as  she  did.  Con 
sider  the  excellency  of  their  God  and  their  Saviour,  and  the 
happiness  of  their  people,  the  blessed  state  that  they  are  in,  and 
the  doleful,  state  that  you  iire  in. 

You  who  are  old  sinners,  who  have  lived  long  in  the  service 
of  Satan,  have  lately  seen  some  that  were  with  you,  that  have 
travelled  with  you  in  the  paths  of  sin  these  many  years,  that 
with  you  enjoyed  great  means  and  advantages,  that  have  had 
calls  and  warnings  with  you,  and  have  with  you  passed  through 
remarkable  times  of  the  pouring  out  of  God's  Spirit  in  this 
place,  and  have  hardened  their  hearts  and  stood  it  out  with 
you,  and  with  you  have  grown  old  in  sin  ;  I  say,  you  have  soon 
some  of  them  turning  to  God,  i.e.,  you  have  seen  those  evidences 
of  it  in  them,  whence  you  may  rationally  judge  that  it  is  so. 
0  let  it  not  be  a  final  parting !  You  have  boon  thus  long 
together  in  sin,  and  under  condemnation ;  let  it  be  your  firm 
resolution,  that,  if  possible,  you  will  be  with  them  still,  now 
they  are  in  a  holy  and  happy  state,  and  that  you  will  follow 
them  into  the  holy  and  pleasant  land. 

You  that  tell  of  your  having  been  seeking  salvation  for  many 
years,  though,  without  doubt,  in  a  poor  dull  way,  in  comparison 
of  what  you  ought  to  have  done,  have  seen  some  that  have  been 
with  you  in  that  respect,  that  were  old  sinners  and  old  seekers, 
as  you  arc,  obtaining  mercy.  God  has  lately  roused  them  from 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  f>7 

their  dulness,  and  caused  them  to  alter  their  hand,  and  put 
them  on  more  thorough  endeavors  ;  and  they  have  now,  after 
so  long  a  time,  heard  God's  voice,  and  have  fled  for  refuge  to  the 
Rock  of  Ages.  Let  this  awaken  earnestness  and  resolution  in 
you.  Resolve  that  you  will  not  leave  them. 

You  that  are  in  your  youth,  how  many  have  you  seen  of  your 
age  and  standing  that  have  of  late  hopefully  chosen  God  for 
their  God  and  Christ  for  their  Saviour  !  You  have  followed 
them  in  sin,  and  have  perhaps  followed  them  into  vain  company  ; 
and  will  you  not  now  follow  them  to  Christ  1 

And  you  that  are  children,  there  have  lately  been  some  of 
your  sort  that  have  repented  of  their  sins,  and  have  loved  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  trusted  in  him,  and  are  become  God's 
children,  as  we  have  reason  to  hope  :  let  it  stir  you  up  to  resolve 
to  your  utmost  to  seek  and  cry  to  God,  tlmt  you  may  have  the 
like  change  made  in  your  hearts,  that  their  people  may  be  your 
people,  and  their  God  your  God. 

You  that  are  great  sinners,  that  have  made  yourselves  dis- 
tinguishingly  guilty  by  the  wicked  practices  you  have  lived  in, 
there  are  some  of  your  sort  that  have  lately  (as  we  have  reason 
to  hope)  had  their  hearts  broken  for  sin,  and  have  forsaken 
it,  and  trusted  in  the  blood  of  Christ  for  the  pardon  of  it,  and 
have  chosen  a  holy  life,  and  have  betaken  themselves  to  the 
ways  of  wisdom  :  let  it  excite  and  encourage  you  resolutely  to 
cleave  to  them  and  earnestly  to  follow  them. 

Let  the  following  things  be  here  considered :  — 

1.  That  your  soul  is  as  precious  as  theirs.  It  is  immortal  as 
theirs  is ;  and  stands  in  ns  much  need  of  happiness,  and  can  as 
ill  bear  eternal  misery.  You  were  born  in  the  same  miserable 
condition  that  they  were,  having  the  same  wrath  of  God  abid 
ing  on  you.  You  must  stand  before  the  same  Judge  ;  who  will 
be  as  strict  in  judgment  with  you  as  with  them  ;  and  your  own 
righteousness  will  stand  you  in  no  more  s+ead  before  him  than 
theirs  ;  and  therefore  you  stand  in  as  absolute  necessity  of  a 


58 


Saviour  as  •   ,y.     Carnal  confidences  can  no  more  answer  your 
end  than  t!    <•  ,;  nor  can  this  world  or  its  enjoyments  serve  to 

Wht  "he  1  T  Witll°Ut  G°d,aiKl   4*»  ££  than  tie, 
U  hen  the  bridegroom  comes,  the  foolish  virgins  stand  in  -ls 
much  need  of   oil  as  the  wise,   Matt.  xxv.  at  the  bcginlg 
-    Unlm  you  follow  them  in  their  turning  to  God    then- 
conversion  will  be  a  foundation  of  an  eternal  serration  betw 
you  ami  then,.    You  will  be  in  different  intcres  I  and  in  exceed 
|ng  .httercnt  states  as  long  as  you  live  ;  they  the  clul  l"c,   of 
God,  and  you  the  children  of  Satan  ;  and  you  will  be  parted  in 
another  world  ;  when  you  come  to  die,  there  will  be  a  vast  sepa 
ration  made  between  you  :    Luke  xvi.  20,    "  And  besides   all 
us,  between  us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed  :  so  that 
they  winch  won  d  pass  from  hence  to  you,  cannot  ;  neither  can 
they  pass  to  us  that  would  come  from  thence."   And  you  will  be 
parted  .-it  the  day  of  judgment.     You  will  be  parted  at  Christ's 
list  appearance  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.    While  they  are  caught 
up  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  to  be  ever  with  U,,, 
Y™,  you  'ill  remain  below,  confined  to  this  cursed  ground 
•  kept   ,»  store,  reserved  unto  fire,  against  the  day  of 
judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men.    You  will  appear  sepa 
rated  from  them  win  e  you  stand  before  the  great  judgment-seat 
they  bc,,,g  a    the  nght  hand,   while  you  arc  set;  at  the  left- 
Matt.   xxv.   32,  S3,    "And  before  him   shall  bo  gathered  all 
nations  :  an,    he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a 
shepherd  d.v.deth  his  sheep  from  the  goats:  and  he  shall  s,t 
e  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left  "     And 
u   shall   then   appear  in    exceeding   different    circumstances. 
lnle  you  stand  with  devils,  in  -the  image  and  deformity  of 
<leu  Is,  and  in  ineffable  horror  and  amazement,  they  shall  appear 
'i  glory,  sitting  upon  thrones,  as  assessors  with  Christ   and  as 
such  passing  judgment  upon  you,  1  Cor.  vi.  2.]  And  what  shame 
and  confusion  will  then  cover  you,  when  so  many  of  vonr  con- 
mporanes,  your  equals,  your  neighbors,  relations  and  compan- 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  59 

ions,  shall  be  honored,  and  openly  acknowledged  and  confessed 
by  the  glorious  Judge  of  the  universe  and  Redeemer  of  saints,  ' 
and  shall  be  seen  by  you  sitting  with  him  in  such  glory,  and 
you  shall  appear  to  have  neglected  your  salvation,  and  not  to 
have  improved  your  opportunities,  and  rejected  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  same  person  that  will  then  appear  as  your  great 
Judge,  and  you  shall  be  the  subjects  of  wrath,  and,  as.it  were, 
trodden  down  in  eternal  contempt  and  disgrace  !  Dan.  xii.  2, 
"  Some  shall  rise  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and 
everlasting  contempt."  And  what  a  wide  separation  will  the 
sentence  then  passed  and  executed  make  between  you  and  them  ! 
When  you  shall  be  sent  away  out  of  the  presence  of  the  Judge 
with  indignation  and  abhorrence,  as  cursed  and  loathsome  crea 
tures,  and  they  shall  be  sweetly  accosted  and  invited  into  his 
glory  as  his  dear  friends  and  the  blessed  of  his  Father !  When 
you,  with  all  that  vast  throng  of  wicked  and  accursed  men  and 
devils,  shall  descend  with  loud  lamentings  and  horrid  shrieks 
into  that  dreadful  gulf  of  fire  and  brimstone,  and  shall  be  swal 
lowed  up  in  that  great  and  everlasting  furnace,  while  they  sha-1 
joyfully,  and  with  sweet  songs  of  glory  and  praise,  ascend  with 
Christ,  and  all  that  beauteous  and  blessed  company  of  saints 
and  angels,  into  eternal  felicity,  in  the  glorious  presence  of  God, 
ami  the  sweet  embraces  of  his  love ;  and  you  and  they  shall 
spend  eternity  in  such  a  separation  and  immensely  different 
circumstances  !  And  that  however  you  have  been  intimately 
acquainted  and  nearly  related,  closely  united  and  mutually  con 
versant  here  in  this  world  ;  and  how  much  soever  you  have 
taken  delight  in  each  ether's  company  !  Shall  it  be  so  after 
you  have  been  together  a  great  while,  each  of  you  in  undoing 
yourselves,  enhancing  your  guilt,  and  heaping  up  wrath,  that 
their  so  wisely  changing  their  minds  and  their  course,  and  choos 
ing  such  happiness  for  themselves,  should  now  at  length  be  the 
beginning  of  such  an  exceeding  and  everlasting  separation  be 
tween  you  aud  them  ?  How  awful  will  it  be  to  be  parted  so  ! 


60  SELECTED   SERMONS 

3.  Consider  the  great  encouragement  that  God  gives  you,  ear 
nestly  to  strive  for  the  same  blessing  that  others  have  obtained. 
There  is  great  encouragement  in  the  word  of  God  to  sinners  to 
seek  salvation,  in  the  revelation  we  have  of  the  abundant  pro 
vision  made  for  the  salvation  even  of  the  chief  of  sinners,  and 
in  the  appointment  of  so  many  means  to  be  used  with  and  by 
sinners,  in  order  to  their  salvation ;  and  by  the  blessing  which  God 
in    his   word   connects  with   the  means  of  his   appointment. 
There  is  hence  great  encouragement  for  all,  at  all  times,  that 
will  be  thorough  in  using  of  these  means.     But  now  God  gives 
extraordinary  encouragement  in  his  providence,  by  pouring  out 
his  Spirit  so  remarkably  amongst  us,  and  bringing   savingly 
home  to  himself  all  sorts,  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor,  wise 
and  unwise,  sober  and  vicious,  old  self-righteous  seekers  and 
profligate  livers  :    no  sort  are  exempt.     There  is  now  at  this 
day  amongst  us  the  loudest  call  and  the  greatest  encouragement 
and  the  widest  door  open  to  sinners,  to  escape  out  of  a  state  of 
sin  and  condemnation  that  perhaps  God  ever  granted  in  New 
England.     Who  is  there  that  has  an  immortal  soul  so  sottish 
as  not  to  improve  such  an  opportunity,  and  that  won't  bestir 
himself  with  all  his  might  now?     How  unreasonable  is  negli 
gence,  and  how  exceeding  unseasonable  is  discouragement,  at 
such  a  day  as  this  !     Will  you  be  so  stupid  as  to  neglect  your 
soul  now?     Will  any  mortal  amongst  us  be  so  unreasonable 
as   to  lag  behind,  or  look  back  in  discouragement  when  God 
opens  such  a  door?       Let  every  single  person  be  thoroughly 
awake  I     Let  every  one  encourage  himself  now  to  press  forward, 
and  fly  for  his  life  ! 

4.  Consider  how  earnestly  desirous  they  that  have  obtained 
are  that  you  should  follow  them,  and  that  their  people  should 
be  your  people,  and  their  God  your  God.     They  desire  that  you 
should  partake  of  that  great  good  that  God  has  given  them, 
and  that  unspeakable  and  eternal  blessedness  that  he  has  prom 
ised  them.     They  wish  and  long  for  it.     If  you  do  not  go  with 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  61 

them,  and  arc  not  still  of  their  company,  it  won't  be  for  want 
of  their  willingness,  but  your  own.     That  of  Moses  to  Hobab 
is  the  language  of  every  true  saint  of  your  acquaintance  to  you, 
Numb.  x.  29,  "  We  are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the 
Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you  :  come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will 
do  thce  good :    for   the    Lord   hath   spoken    good   concerning 
Israel."     As  Moses,  when  on  his  journey  through  the  wilder 
ness,  following  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  fire,  invited  Hobab,  that 
he  had  been  acquainted  with  and  nearly  allied  to  out  of  the 
land  of  Midian,  where  Moses  had  formerly  dwelt  with  him,  to 
go  with  him  and  his  people  to  Canaan,  to  .partake  with  them 
in  the  good  that  Cod  had  promised  them  ;  so  do  those  of  your 
friends  and  acquaintance  invite  yon,  out  of  a  land  of  darkness 
and  wickedness,  where  they  have  formerly  been  with  you,  to  go 
with  them  to  the  heavenly  Canaan.     The  company  of  saints, 
the  true  church  of  Christ,  invite  you.     The  lovely  bride  calls/ 
you   to  the  marriage  supper.     She  hath  authority   to    invite 
guests  to  her  own  wedding;  and  you  ought  to -look  on  her 
invitation  and  desire  as  the  call  of  Christ  the  bridegroom  ;  for 
it  is  the'  voice  of  his  Spirit  in  her  :  Rev.  xxii.  17,  "  The  Spirit 
and  the  bride  say,  Come."     Where  seems  to  be  a  reference  to 
what    had    been  said,  chap.  xix.  7-9,  "The    marriage  of  the 
Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.     And  to 
her  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  line  linen,  clean 
and  white  :  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints.    And 
he  saith  unto  me,  Write,   Blessed  are  they  which  are  called  to 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb."     'Tis  with  respect  to  this 
her  marriage  supper,  that  she,  from  the  motion  of  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lamb  in  her,  says,  Come.     So  that  you  are  invited  on  all 
hands  ;  all  conspire  to  call  you.     Cod  the  Father  invites  you  : 
this  is  the  King  that  lias  made  a  marriage  for  his  Son  ;  and 
he  sends  forth   his  servants,    the  ministers  of  the  gospel,   to 
invite  the  guests.     And  the  Son  himself  invites  you  :  'tis  he 
that  speaks,   Rev.  xvii.    17,  "And  let  him  that  hearcth  say, 


02  SELEVTEn   SEKMONS 

Come;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst,  come;  and  whosoever  will, 
let  him  come."  lie  tolls  us  who  lie  is  in  the  foregoing  verse, 
"I  Jesus,  the  root  and  offspring  of  David,  the  bright  and  morn 
ing  star.''  And  God's  ministers  invite  you,  and  all  the  church 
invites  you  ;  and  there  will  be  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels 
of  God  that  hour  that  you  accept  the  invitation. 

5.  Consider  what  a  doleful  company  that  will  be  that  be  left 
Rafter  this  extraordinary  time  of  mercy  is  over.  We  have  reason 
to  think  that  there  will  be  ;i  number  left.  We  read  that  when 
Ezekiel's  healing  waters  increased  so  abundantly,  and  the  heal 
ing  effect  of  them  was  so  very  general ;  yet  there  were  certain 
places,  where  the  water  came,  that  never  were  healed  :  Ezek. 
xlvii.  9-11,  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  thing  that 
livcth,  which  moveth,  whithersoever  the  rivers  shall  come,  shall 
live  :  and  there  shall  be  a  very  great  multitude  of  fish,  because 
these  waters  shall  come  thither  :  for  they  shall  be  healed;  and 
every  thing  shall  live  whither  the  river  cometh.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  the  fishers  shall  stand  upon  it,  from  En-gedi 
even  unto  Kn-oglaim  ;  they  shall  be  a  place  to  spread  forth 
nets  ;  their  lish  shall  be  according  to  their  kinds,  as  the  fish  of 
the  great  sea,  exceeding  many.  But  the  miry  places  thereof 
and  the  marshes  thereof  shall  not  be  healed  ;  they  shall  be 
given  to  salt."  And  even  in  the  apostles'  times,  when  there 
was  such  wonderful  success  of  the  gospel,  yet  wherever  they 
came,  ther^  were  some  that  did  not  believe :  Acts  xiii.  48, 
"And  when  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were  glad,  and  glorified 
the  word  of  the  Lord  ;  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life, 
believed."  And  chap,  xxviii.  24,  "And  some  believed,  and  some 
believed  not."  So  we  have  no  reason  to  expect  but  there  will  be 
some  left  amongst  us.  'Tis  to  be  hoped  it  will  be  a  small  com 
pany.  But  what  a  doleful  company  will  it  be  !  How  darkly 
and  awfully  will  it  look  upon  them!  If  you  shall  be  of  that 
company,  how  well  may  your  friends  and  relations  lament  over 
you,  and  bemoan  your  dark  and  dangerous  circumstances  !  If 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  63 

you  would  not  be  one  of  them,  make  haste,  delay  not  and  look 
not  behind  you.  Shall  all  sorts  obtain,  shall  every  one  press 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,  while  you  stay  loitering  behind  ii)  a 
doleful  undone  condition?  Shall  every  one  take  heaven,  while 
you  remain  with  no  other  portion  but  this  world  ?  Now  take 
up  that  resolution,  that  if  it  be  possible  you  will  cleave  to  them 
that  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  of  the  hope  set  before 
them.  Count  the  cost  of  a  thorough,  violent,  and  perpetual 
pursuit  of  salvation,  and  forsake  all,  as  Ruth  forsook  her  own  coun 
try  and  all  her  pleasant  enjoyments  in  it.  Don't  do  as  Orpah 
did  ;  who  set  out,  and  then  was  discouraged,  and  went  back : 
but  hold  out  with  Ruth  through  all  discouragement  and  oppo 
sition.  When  you  consider  others  that  have  chosen  the  better 
part,  let  that  resolution  be  ever  firm  with  you  :  "  Where  thou 
goest,  I  will  go;  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge:  thy  people 
shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God." 


C4  SKLKCTKl* 


IV 


THE  MANY  MANSIONS0 


JOHN  xiv.  2.  —In  my  Father's  bouse  are  many  mansions. 

IN  these  words  may  be  observed  two  things, 

1.  The    thing    described,    viz.,    Christ's    Father's    house. 
Christ  spoke  to  his  disciples  in  the  foregoing  chapter  as  one 
that  was  about  to  leave  them.     He  told  'em,  verse  31,  "  Now 
is  the  Son  of  Man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  him,"  and 
then  goes  to  giving  of  them  counsel  to  live  in  unity  and  love 
one  another,  as  one  that   was  going  from  them.     By   which 
they  seemed  somewhat  surprised    and    hardly    knew  what  to 
make  of  it.     And  one  of  them,  viz.,  Peter,  asked  him  where 
he  was  going  ;  verse  30,  "  Simon  Peter  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
whither  goest  thou ?"  Christ  did  not  directly  answer  and  tell 
him  where  he  was  going,  but  he  signifies  where  in  these  words 
of  the  text,  viz.,   to  his  Father's  house,  i.e.,  to  heaven,  and 
afterwards,  in  the  verse   \'2,  he  tells  ?em  plainly  that  he  was 
going  to  his  Father. 

2.  We  may  observe  the  description  given  of  it,  viz.,  that  in 
it    there    are    many    mansions.        The    disciples    seemed    very 
sorrowful   at    the    news    of  Christ's  going  away,  but    Christ 
comforts  'em  with  that,  that  in  his  Father's  house  where  he 
was  going  there  was  not  only  room  for  him,  but  room  for  them 
too.  °  There    were    many    mansions.     There    was    not    only   a 

•mansion  there  for  him,  but  there  were  mansions  enough  for 
them  all  ;  there  was  room  enough  in  heaven  for  them.  When 
the  disciples  perceived  that  Christ  was  going  away,  they 
manifested  a  great  desire  to  go  with  him,  and  particularly 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  C5 

Peter.  Peter  in  the  latter  part  of  the  foregoing  chapter  asked 
him  whither  he  went  to  that  end  that  he  might  follow  him. 
Christ  told  him  that  whither  he  went  he  could  not  follow  him 
now,  but  that  lie  should  follow  him  afterwards.  But 
Peter,  not  content  with  Christ,  seemed  to  have  a  great 
mind  to  follow  him  now.  "Lord,"  says  he,  "why  cannot 
I  follow  tliee  now?"  So  that  the  disciples  had  a 
great  mind  still  to  be  with  Christ,  and  Christ  in  the  words 
of  the  text  intimates  that  they  shall  be  with  him.  Christ 
signifies  to  'em  that  he  was  going  home  to  his  Father's  house, 
and  lie  encourages  'em  that  they  shall  be  with  him  there  in  due 
time,  in  that  there  were  many  mansions  there.  There  was  a 
mansion  provided  not  only  for  him,  but  for  them  all  (ior  Judas 
was  not  then  present),  and  not  only  for  them,  but  for  all  that 
should  ever  believe  in  him  to  the  end  of  the  world  ;  and 
though  he  went  before,  he  only  went  to  prepare  a  place  for 
them  that  should  follow. 

The  text  is  a  plain  sentence ;  'tis  therefore  needless  to  press 
any  doctrine  in  other  words  from  it :  so  that  I  shall  build  my 
discourse  on  the  words  of  the  text.  There  are  two  propositions 
contained  in  the  words,  viz.,  I,  that  heaven  is  God's  house,  and 
II,  that  in  this  house  of  God  there  are  many  mansions. 

Prop.  I.  Heaven  is  God's  house.  An  house  of  public  wor 
ship  is  an  house  where  God's  people  meet  from  time  to  time  to 
attend  on  God's  ordinances,  and  that  is  set  apart  for  that  and  is 
called  God's  house.  The  temple  of  Solomon  was  called  God's 
house.  God  was  represented  as  dwelling  there.  There  he  had 
his  throne  in  the  holy  of  holies,  even  the  mercy-seat  over  the 
ark  a:id  between  the  cherubims. 

Sometimes  the  whole  universe  is  represented  in  Scripture  as 
God's  house,  built  with  various  stories  one  above  another: 
Amos  ix.  G,  "It  is  he  that  buildeth  his  stories  in  the 
heaven;"  and  P.s.  civ.  3,  "Who  layeth  the  beams  of  ^  his 
chambers  in  the  waters."  But  the  highest  heaven  is  especially 


CO  SELECTED  SERMONS 

represented  in  Scripture  as  the  house  of  God.     As  to  other 

parts   of  the  creation,   God  hath    appointed  them  to  inferior 

uses;  but  this  part  he  has  reserved  for  himself  for  his  own 

abode.     We  are  told  that  the  heavens  are  the  Lord's,  but  the 

earth  he  hath  given  to  the  sons  of  men.     God,  though  he   is 

everywhere  present,  is  represented  both  in  Old  Testament  and 

New  as  being  in  heaven  in  a  special    and    peculiar   manner. 

Heaven  is  the  temple  of  God.     Tims  we  read  of  God's  temple 

in  heaven,    Rev.    xv.  5.     Solomon's    temple   was   a    type   of 

heaven  ;  it  was  made  exceeding  magnificent  arid  costly  partly 

to  that  end,  that  it  might  be  the  most  lively  type  of  heaven. 

The  apostle  Paul  in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  does  from  time 

to  time  call  heaven  the  holy  of  holies,  as  being  the  antitype  not 

only  of  the  temple  of  Solomon,  but  of  the  most  holy  place  in 

that  temple,   which  was  the  place    of   God's  most  immediate 

residence:   Heb.  ix.    12,   "lie  entered  in  once  into    the    holy 

place;"    verse  21,   "For  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy 

places  made  with  hands,  which  are  the  figures  of  the  tme,  but 

into    heaven    itself."     Houses  where  assemblies  of  Christians 

worship  God  are  in  some  respects  figures  of  this  house  of  God 

above.     When  God  is  worshipped  in  them  in  spirit  and  truth, 

they  become  the  outworks  of  heaven  and  as  it  were  its  gates. 

As  in  houses  of  public  worship  here  there  'are  assemblies  of 

Christians    meeting  to  worship  God,  so  in  heaven  there  is  a 

glorious  assembly,  or   Church,  continually   worshipping  God  : 

Heb.  xii.   22,   23,  "  13 ut  ye  are  come  unto  mount  Sion,  [and 

unto]    the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and 

to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly 

and  church  of  the  firstborn,  that  are  written  in  heaven." 

Heaven  is  represented  in  Scripture  as  God's  dwelling-house  ; 
Ps.  cxiii.  5,  "  Who  is  like  [unto]  the  Lord  our  God,  who 
dwelleth  on  high,"  and  Ps.  cxxiii/1,  "Unto  thoe  I  lift  up 
mine  eyes,  0  thou  that  dwellest  in  the  heavens."  Heaven  is 
God's  palace.  'Tis  the  house  of  the  great  King  of  the 


OF   JONATHAN  EDWARDS  67 

universe  ;  there  he  has  his  throne,  which  is  therefore  represented 
us  his  house  or  temple  ;  Ps.  xi.  4,  "  The  Lord  is  in  his  holy 
temple  ;  the  lord's  throne  is  in  heaven." 

Heaven  is  the  house  where  God  dwells  with  his  family. 
God  is  represented  in  Scripture  as  having  a  family ;  and 
though  some  of  this  family  are  now  on  earth,  yet  in  so  being 
they  are  abroad  and  not  at  home,  but  all  going  home  :  Eph.  iii. 
15,  "  Of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named." 
Heaven  is  the  place  that  God  has  built  for  himself  and  his 
children.  God  has  many  children,  and  the  place  (It-signed  for 
them  is  heaven  ;  therefore  the  saints,  being  the  children  of  God, 
are  said  to  be  of  the  household  of  God,  Kpk.  ii.  19:  "Now 
therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow- 
citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God."  God 
is  represented  as  a  householder  or  head  of  a  family,  and  heaven 
is  his  house. 

Heaven  is  the  house  not  only  where  God  hath  his  throne, 
but  also  where  he  doth  as  it  were  keep  his  table,  where  his 
children  sit  down  with  him  at  his  table  and  where  they  are 
feasted  .in  a  royal  manner  becoming  the  children  of  so  great  a 
King:  Luke  xxii.  30,  "That  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table 
in  my  kingdom  ; "  Matt.  xxvi.  29,  "  But  I  say  unto  you,  I  will 
not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine  until  that  day 
when.  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom." 

God  is  the  King  of  kings,  and  heaven  is  the  place  where  he 
keeps  his  court.  There  are  his  angels  and  archangels  that 
as  the  nobles  of  his  court  do  attend  upon  him. 

Prop.  II.  There  are  many  mansions  in  the  house  of  God. 
By  many  mansions  is  meant  many  scats  or  places  of  abode. 
As  it  is  a  king's  palace,  there  are  many  mansions.  Kings' 
houses  are  wont  to  be  built  very  large,  with  many  stately 
rooms  and  apartments.  So  there  are  many  mansions  in  God's 
house. 

When  this  is  spoken  of  heaven,  it  is  chiefly  to  be  understood 


C8  SELECTED   SERMONS 

in  a  figurative  sense,  and  the  following  things  seem  to  be  taught 
us  in  it.  i 

1.  There  is  room  in  this  house  of  God  for  great  numbers. 
There  is  room  in  heaven  for  a  vast  multitude,  yea,  room  enough 
for  all  mankind  that  are  or  ever  shall  be  ;  Luke  xiv.  22,  "  Lord 
it  is  done  as  thou  hast  commanded,  and  yet  there  is  room." 

It  is  not  with  the  heavenly  temple  as  it  often  is  witli 
houses  of  public  worship  in  this  world,  that  they  fill  up  and 
become  too  small  and  scanty  for  those  that  would  meet  in  them, 
so  that  there  is  not  convenient  room  for  all.  There  is  room 
enough  in  our  heavenly  Father's  house.  This  is  partly  what 
Christ  intended  in  the  words  of  the  text,  as  is  evident  from  the 
occasion  of  his  speaking  them.  The  disciples  manifested  a  great 
desire  to  be  where  Christ  was,  and  Christ  therefore,  to  encour 
age  them  that  it  should  be  as  they  desired,  tells  them  that  in 
his  Father's  house  where  he  was  going  were  many  mansions, 
i.e.,  room  enough  for  them. 

There  is  mercy  enough  in  God  to  admit  an  innumerable  mul 
titude  into  heaven.  There  is  mercy  enough  for  all,  and  there 
is  merit  enough  in  Christ  to  purchase  heavenly  happiness  for 
millions  of  millions,  for  all  men  that  ever  were,  arc  or  shall 
be.  And  there  is  a  sufficiency  in  the  fountain  of  heaven's 
happiness  to  supply  and  fill  and  satisfy  all:  and  there  is  in  all 
respects  enough  for  the  happiness  of  all. 

2.  There   are   sufficient   and    suitable   accommodations    for 
all  the  different  sorts  of  persons  that  are  in  the  world  :  for  great 
and  small,  for  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  wise  and  unwise, 
Ixjnd  and  free,  persons  of   all  nations  and  all  conditions  and 
circumstances,   i:br  those  that  have  been  great  sinners  as  well 
as  for  moral  livers  ;  for  weak  saints  and  those  that  are  babes 
in  Christ  as  well  as  for  those  that  arc  stronger  and  more  grown 
in  grace.     There  is  in  heaven  a  sufficiency  for  the  happiness  of 
every  sort ;    there  is    a   convenient    accommodation  for  every 
creature  that  will  hearken  to  the  calls  of  the  Gospel.     None 


OI'1  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  69 

that  will  come  to  Christ,  let  his  condition  be  what  it  will,  need 
to  fear  but  that  Christ  will  provide  a  place  suitable  for  him  in 
heaven. 

This  seems  to  be  another  thing  implied  in  Christ's  words. 
The  disciples  wore  persons  of  very  different  condition  from 
Christ :  he  was  their  Master,  and  they  were  his  disciples ;  he 
was  their  Lord,  and  they  were  the  servants;  he  was  their 
Guide,  and  they  were  the  followers ;  he  was  their  Captain,  and 
they  the  soldiers ;  he  was  the  Shepherd,  and  they  the  sheep ; 
[he  was,  as  it  were,  the]  Father,  [and  they  the]  children  ;  he 
was  the  glorious,  holy  Son  of  God,  they  were  poor,  sinful,  cor 
rupt  men.  But  yet,  though  they  were  in  such  different  circum 
stances  from  him,  yet  Christ  encourages  them  that  there  shall 
not  only  be  room  in  heaven  for  him,  but  for  them  too  ;  for 
there  were  many  mansions  there.  There  was  not  only  a  man 
sion  to  accommodate  the  Lord,  but  the  disciples  also;  not  only 
the  head,  but  the  members  ;  not  only  the  Son  of  God,  but  those 
that  are  naturally  poor,  sinful,  corrupt  men  :  as  in  a  king's 
palace  there  is  not  only  a  mansion  or  room  of  state  built  for 
the  king  himself  and  for  his  eldest  son  and  heir,  but  there  are 
many  rooms,  mansions  for  all  his  numerous  household,  children, 
attendants  and  servants. 

:>.  It  is  further  implied  that  heaven  is  a  house  that  was 
actually  built  and  prepared  for  a  great  multitude.  When  God 
made  heaven  in  the  beginning  of  the  world,  he  intended  it  for 
an  everlasting  dwelling-place  for  a  vast  and  innumerable  multi 
tude.  When  heaven  was  made,  it  was  intended  and  prepared 
for  all  those  particular  persons  that  God  had  from  eternity  de 
signed  to  save:  Matt.  xxv.  34,  "Come,  ye  blessed  [of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  Kingdom]  prepared  for  you  [from  the  foun 
dation  of  the  world]."  "  And  that  is  a  very  great  and  innumer 
able  multitude:  Rev.  vii.  9,  "After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a 
great  multitude  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations, 
and  kindreds,  and  peoples,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne 


70  SKL1WTK1)   SKHMOXS 

and  before  the  Lain)),  clothed  with  white  robes."  Heaven 
being  built  designedly  for  these  was  built  accordingly;  it  was 
built  so  as  most  conveniently  to  accommodate  all  this  multi 
tude  :  as  a  house  that  is  built  {'or  a  great  family  is  built  large  and 
with  many  rooms  in  it ;  as  a  palace  that  is  built  for  a  great 
king  that  keeps  a  great  court  with  many  attendants  is  built 
exceeding  great  with  a  great  many  apartments ;  and  as  an 
house  o*'  public  worship  that  is  built  for  a  great  congregation 
is  built  very  large  with  many  scats  in  it. 

4.  When  it  is  said,  ["  In  my  father's  house  are  many  man 
sions  "],  it  is  meant  that  there  are  scats  of  various  dignity  and 
different  degrees  and  circumstances  of  honor  and  happiness. 
There  are  many  mansions  in  God's  house  because  heaven  is 
intended  for  various  degrees  of  honor  and  blessedness.  Some 
are  designed  to  sit  in  higher  places  there  than  others;  some  are 
designed  to  be  advanced  to  higher  degrees  of  honor  and  glory 
than  others  are  ;  and,  therefore,  there  are  various  mansions,  and 
some  more  honorable  mansions  and  seats,  in  heaven  than  others. 
Though  they  are  all  seats  of  exceeding  honor  and  blessedness, 
yet  some  are  more  so  than  others. 

Thus  a  palace  is  built.  Though  every  part  of  the  palace  is 
magnificent  as  becomes  the  palace  of  a  king,  yet  there  are  many 
apartments  of  various  honor,  and  some  are  more  stately  and 
costly  than  others,  according  to  the  degree  of  dignity.  There 
is  one  apartment  that  is  the  king's  presence-chamber ;  there 
are  other  apartments  for  the  next  heir  to  the  crown  ;  there  are 
others  for  other  children  ;  and  others  for  their  attendants  and 
the  great  officers  of  the  household  :  one  for  the  high  steward, 
and  another  for  the  chamberlain,  and  others  for  meaner  officers 
and  servants. 

Another  image  of  this  wa.s  in  Solomon's  temple.  There  were 
many  mansions  of  dillercnt  degrees  of  honor  and  dignity.  There 
was  the  holy  of  holies,  where  the  ark  was  that  was  the  place 
of  God's  immediate  residence,  where  the  high  priest  alone  might 


'OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  71 

come ;  and  there  was  another  apartment  called  the  holy  place, 
where  the  other  priests  might  come  ;  and  next  to  that  was  the 
inner  court  of  the  temple,  where  the  Lcvites  were  admitted  : 
and  there  they  had  many  chambers  or  mansions  built  for  lodg 
ing-rooms  for  the  priests ;  and  next  to  that  was  the  court  of 
Israel  where  the  people  of  Israel  might  come  ;  and  next  to  that 
was  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  where  the  Gentiles,  those  that 
were  called  the  "  Proselytes  of  the  Gate,"  might  come. 

And  we  have  an  image  of  this  in  houses  built  for  the  worship 
of  Christian  assemblies.  In  such  houses  of  God  there  are 
many  seats  of  different  honor  and  dignity,  from  the  most  honor 
able  to  the  most  inferior  of  the  congregation. 

Not  that  we  are  to  understand  the  words  of  Christ  so  much 
in  a  literal  sense,  as  that  every  saint  in  heaven  was  to  have  a 
certain  seat  or  room  or  place  of  abode  where  he  was  to  be  locally 
fixed.  Tis  not  the  design  of  the  Scriptures  to  inform  us  much 
about  the  external  circumstances  of  heaven  or  the  state  of  heaven 
locally  considered  ;  but  we  are  to  understand  what  Christ  says 
chiefly  in  a  spiritual  sense.  Persons  Khali  be  set  in  different 
desrees'of  honor  and  glory  in  heaven,  as  is  abundantly  manifested 
in  Scripture:  which  may  fitly  be  represented  to  our  imaginations 
by  there  being  different  seats  of  various  honor,  as  it  was  in  the 
temple,  as  it  is  in  kings'  courts.  Some  seats  shall  be  nearer 
the  throne  than  others/  Some  shall  sit  next  to  Christ  in  glory  : 
Matt.  xx.  23,  "  To  sit  on  my  right  hand  and  on  my  left,  ^is  not 
mine  to  give,  but  it  shall  be  given  to  them  for  whom  it  is  pre- 
parod  of  my  Father." 

Christ  lias  doubtless  respect  to  these  different  degrees  of  glory 
in  the  text.  When  he  was  going  to  heaven  and  the  disciples 
were  sorrowful  at  the  thoughts  of  parting  with  their  Lord,  he 
lets  them  knew  that  there  are  seats  or  mansions  of  various  de 
grees  of  honor  in  his  Father's  house,  that  there  was  not  only  one 
for  him,  who  was  the  Head  of  the  Church  and  the  elder  brother, 
but  also  for  them  that  were  his  disciples  and  younger  brethren. 


72  SELECTED   8 

Christ  also  may  probably  have  respect  rot  only  to  different 
decrees  of  glory  in  heaven,  but  different  circumstances.  Though 
the  employment  and  happiness  of  all  the  heavenly  assembly 
shall  in  the  general  be  the  same,  yet  'tis  not  improbable  that 
there  may  be  circumstantial  difference.  We  know  what  their 
employment  [is]  in  general,  but  not  in  particular.  We  know  not 
how  one  may  be  employed  to  .subserve  and  promote  the  happi 
ness  of  another,  and  all  to  help  one  another.  Some  may  there 
be  set  in  one  place  for  one  office  or  employment,  and  others  [in] 
another,  as  'tis  in  the  Church  on  earth.  God  hath  set  every  one 
in  the  body  as  it  hath  pleased  him  ;  one  is  the  eye,  another  the 
ear,  another  the  head,  etc.  But  because  God  has  not  been 
pleased  expressly  to  reveal  how  it  shall  be  in  this  respect,  there 
fore  I  shall  not  insist  upon  it,  but  pass  to  make  some 

IMPROVEMENT 

of  what  has  been  offered. 

I.  Here  is  encouragement  for  sinners  that  are  concerned  and 
exercised  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  such  as  are  afraid  that 
they  shall  ne«  or  go  to  heaven  or  be  admitted  to  anyplace  of 
abode  there,  and  are  sensible  that  they  are  hitherto  in  a  doleful 
state  and  condition  in  that  they  are  out  of  Christ,  and  so  have 
no  right  to  any  inheritance  in  heaven,  but  are  in  danger  of 
going  to  hell  and  having  their  place  of  eternal  abode  fixed 
there.  You  may  be  encouraged  by  what  has  been  said,  ear 
nestly  to  seek  heaven  ;  for  there  are  many  mansions  there. 
There  is  room  enough  there.  Let  your  case  be  what  it  will, 
there  is  suitable  provision  there  for  you  ;  and  if  you  come  to 
Christ,  you  need  not  fear  but  that  he  will  prepare  a  place  for 
you  ;  he'll  see  to  it  that  you  shall  be  well  accommodated  in 
heaven. 

But  II.  I  would  improve  this  doctrine  in  a  twofold  exhor 
tation. 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  73 

1.  Let  all  be  hence  exhorted  earnestly  to  seek  that  they  may 
be  admitted  to  a  mansion  in  heaven.     You  have  heard  that 
this  is  God's  house  ;  it  is  his  temple.     If  David,  when  he  was 
in  the  wilderness  of  Judah  and  in  the  land  of  Geshur  and  of 
the  Philistines,  so  longed  that  he  might  again  return  into  the 
land  of  Israel  that  he  might  have  a  place  in  the  house  of  God 
here  on  earth,  and  prized  a  place  there  HO  much,  though  it  was 
but  that  of  a  door-keeper,  how  great  a  happiness  will  it  be  to 
have  a  place  in  this  heavenly  temple  of  God  !     If  they  are 
looked  upon   as  enjoying  a  high    privilege  that  have  a  ^seat 
appointed    them   in   kings'  courts  or  in  apartments  in  kings' 
palaces,  especially  those  that  have  an  abode  there  in  the  quality 
of  the  king's  children,  then  how  great  a  privilege  \yill  it  be 
to  have  an  apartment  or  mansion  assigned  to  us   in   God's 
heavenly  palace,  and  to  have  a  place  there  as  his  children  ! 
How  great  is  their  glory  and  honor  that  are  admitted  to  be  of 
the  household  of  God  ! 

And  seeing  there  are  many  mansions  there,  mansions  enough 
for  us  all,  our  folly  will  be  the  greater  if  we  noglcct  to  seek  a 
place  in  heaven,  having  our  minds  foolishly  taken  up  about  the 
worthless,  fading  things  of  this  world.  Here  consider  three 

things  \ 

(f)  How  little  a  while  you  can  have  any  mansion  or  place  of 
abode  in  this  world.  Now  you  have  a  dwelling  amongst  the 
living.  You  have  a  house  or  mansion  of  your  own,  or  at  least 
one  That  is  at  present  for  your  use,  and  now  you  have  a  seat 
in  the  house  of  God  ;  but  how  little  a  while  will  this  continue  ! 
In  a  very  little  while,  and  the  place  that  now  knows  you  in 
this  world  will  know  you  no  more.  The  habitation  you  have 
here  will  be  empty  of  you ;  you  will  be  carried  dead  out  of  it, 
or  shall  die  at  a  distance  from  it,  and  never  enter  into  it  any 
more,  or  into  any  other  abode  in  this  world.  Your  mansion  or 
place  of  abode  in  this  world,  however  convenient  or  commodious 
it  may  be,  is  but  as  a  tent  that  shall  soon  be  taken  down,  but  a 


74  SELECTED   SERMONS 

lodge  in  a  garden  of  cucumbers.  Your  stay  is  a.<j  it  were  but 
for  anight  Your  body  itself  is  but  a  house  of  clay  which  will 
quickly  moulder  and  tumble  down,  and  you  shall  have  no  other 
habitation  here  in  this  world  but  the  grave. 

Thus  God  in  his  providence  is  putting  you  in  mind  by  the 
repeated  instances  of  death  that  have  been  in  the  town  within 
the  two  weeks  past,  both  in  one  house :  in  which  death  he  has 
shown  his  dominion  over  old  and  young.  The  son  was  taken  away 
first  before  the  father,  being  in  his  full  strength  and  flower  of 
his  days ;  and  the  father,  who  was  then  well  and  having  no 
appearance  of  approaching  death,  followed  in  a  few  days  :  and 
their  habitation  and  their  seat  in  the  house  of  God  in  this  world 
will  know  them  no  more. 

Take  warning  by  these  warnings  of  Providence  to  improve 
your  time  that  you  may  have  a  mansion  in  heaven.  We  have 
a  house  of  worship  newly  created  amongst  us  which  now  you 
have  a  seat  in,  and  probably  are  pleased  with  the  ornaments  of 
it ;  and  though  you  have  a  place  in  so  comely  a  house,  yet  you 
know  not  how  little  a  while  you  shall  have  a  place  in  this 
house  of  God.  Hero  are  a  couple  snatched  away  by  death  that 
had  met  in  it  but  a  few  times,  that  have  been  snatched  out  of 
it  before  it  was  fully  finished  and  never  will  have  any  more  a 
seat  in  it.  You  know  not  how  soon  you  may  follow,  and  then 
of  great  importance  will  it  be  to  you  to  have  a  seat  in  God's 
ho'j«c  above.  Both  of  the  persons  lately  deceased  were  much 
on  their  death-beds  warning  others  to  improve  their  precious 
time.  The  first  of  them  was  much  in  expressing  his  sense  of 
the  vast  importance  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  as  I  was  a  wit 
ness,  and  was  earnest  in  calling  on  others  to  improve  their  time, 
to  be  thorough,  to  get  an  interest  in  Christ,  and  seemed  very 
desirous  that  young  people  might  receive  council  and  warning 
from  him,  as  the. words  of  a  dying  man,  to  do  their  utmost  to 
make  sure  of  conversion  ;  and  a  little  before  he  died  left  a  re 
quest  to  me  that  I  would  warn  the  young  people  in  his  room. 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  To 

God  has  been  warning  of  you  in  his  death  and  the  death  of  his 
lather  that  so  soon  followed.  The  words  of  dying  persons 
should  be  of  special  weight  with  us,  for  then  they  are-  in  cir 
cumstances  wherein  they  are  most  capable  to  look  on  things  as 
they  are  and  judge  aright  of 'em, — between  both  worlds  as  it 
were.  Still  that  we  must  all  be  in. 

Let  our  young  people,  therefore,  take  warning  from  hence, 
and  don't  be  such  fools  as  to  neglect  seeking  a  place  and  man 
sion  in  heaven.  Young  persons  are  especially  apt  to  be  taken 
with  the  pleasing  things  of  this  world.  You  are  now,  it  may 
be,  much  pleased  with  hopes  of  your  future  circumstances  in 
tins  world ;  [and  you  are  now,  it  may  be,  much]  pleased  with 
the  ornaments  of  that  house  of  worship  that  you  with  others 
have  a  place  in.  But,  alas,  do  you  not  too  little  consider 
how  soon  you  may  be  taken  away  from  all  these  things,  and  no 
more  forever  have  any  part  in  any  mansion  or  house  or  enjoy 
ment  or  happiness  under  the  sun?  Therefore  let  it  be  your 
main  care  to  secure  an  everlasting  habitation  for  hereafter. 

(2)  Consider  when  you  die,  if  you  have  no  mansion  in  the 
house  of  God  in  heaven,  yon  must  have  your  place  of  abode  in 
the  habitation  of  devils.     There  is  no   middle  place  between 
them,  and  when  you   go  hence,  you  must  go  to  one  or  the 
other  of  these.     Some  have  a  mansion  prepared  for  them   in 
heaven  from  the  foundation  [of  the  world] ;  others  are  sent  away 
as  cursed  into  everlasting  burnings  prepared  for  the  [devil  and 
his  angels].     Consider  how  miserable  those  must  be  that  shall 
have  their    habitation  with    devils    to  all   eternity.       Devils 
are    foul   spirits  ;  God's    great  enemies.       Their  habitation  is 
the   blackness  of  darkness  ;  a  place  of  the  utmost  filthiness, 
abomination,   darkness,  disgrace  and  torment.      0,   how  would 
you  rather  ten  thousand  times  have  no  place  of  abode  at  all, 
have  DO  being,  than  to  Lave  a  place  [with  devils] ! 

(3)  If  you  die  unconverted,  you  will  have  the  worse  place 
in  hell  for  having  had  a  seat  or  place  in.  God's  house  in  this 


76  SKLKVTKD   8KKMON8 

world.  As  there  arc  many  mansions,  places  of  different  de 
grees  of  honor  in  heaven,  so  there  are  various  abodes  and  places 
or  degrees  of  torment  and  misery  in  hell;  and  those  will  have 
the  worst  plaee  there  that  [dying  unconverted,  have  had  the 
best  place  in  God's  house  here].  Solomon  speaks  of  a  pecul 
iarly  awful  sight  that  he  had  seen,  that  of  a  wicked  man 
buried  that  had  gone  [from  the  place  of  the  holy],  Eccl.  viii. 
10.  Such  as  have  had  a  scat  in  God's  house,  have  been  in  a 
sense  exalted  up  to  heaven,  set  on  the  gate  of  heaven,  [if  they 
die  unconverted,  shall  be]  cast  down  to  hell. 

2.  The  second  exhortation  that  I  would  offer  from  what  has 
been  said  is  to  seek  a  high  place  in  heaven.  Seeing  there  are 
many  mansions  of  different  degrees  of  honor  and  dignity  in 
heaven,  let  us  seek  to  obtain  a  mansion  of  distinguished  gloiy. 
'Tis  revealed  to  us  that  there  are  different  degrees  of  glory  to 
that  end  that  we  might  seek  after  the  higher  degrees.  God 
offered  high  degrees  of  glory  to  that  end,  that  we  might  seek 
them  by  eminent  holiness  and  good  works  :  2  Cor.  ix.  G,  "  He  that 
sows  sparingly  [shall  reap  also  sparingly;  and  he  that  soweth 
bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully]."  It  is  not  becoming 
persons  to  be  over  anxious  about  an  high  seat  in  God's  IIOUFC 
in  this  world,  for  that  is  the  honor  that  is  of  men  ;  but  we  can't 
too  earnestly  seek  after  an  high  seat  in  God's  house  above,  by 
seeking  eminent  holiness,  for  that  is  the  honor  that  is  of  God. 

'Tis  very  little  worth  the  while  for  us  to  pursue  after  honor 
in  this  world,  where  the  greatest  honor  is  but  a  bubble  and 
will  soon  vanish  away,  and  death  will  level  all.  Some  have 
more  stately  houses  than  others,  and  some  are  in  higher  office 
than  others,  and  some  are  richer  than  others  and  have  higher 
seats  in  the  meeting-house  than  others ;  but  all  graves  are 
upon  a  level.  One  rotting,  putrefying  corpse  is  as  ignoble  as 
another ;  the  worms  are  as  bold  with  one  carcass  as  another. 

But  the  mansions  in  God's  house  above  are  everlasting  man 
sions.  Those  that  have  seats  allotted  'em  there,  whether  of 


OF  JONATHAN  EJ)  WARDS  77 

greater  or  lessor  dignity,  whether  nearer  or  further  from  the 
throne,  will  hold  'em  to  all  eternity.  This  is  promised,  Rev. 
iii.  12  :  "Him  that  overcomcth  I  will  make  him  a  pillar  in  the 
temple  [of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out]."  If  it  be 
worth  the  while  to  desire  and  seek  high  scats  in  the  meeting 
house,  where  you  are  one  day  in  a  week,  and  where  you  shall 
never  come  but  few  days  in  all;  if  it  be  worth  the  while  much 
to  prize  one  seat  above  another  in  the  house  of  worship  only 
because  it  is  the  pew  or  seat  that  is  ranked  first  in  number, 
and  to  be  seen  here  for  a  few  days,  how  will  it  be  worth  the 
while  to  seek  an  high  mansion  in  God's  temple  and  in  that 
glorious  place  that  is  the  everlasting  habitation  of  God  and  rill 
his  children !  You  that  are  pleased  with  your  seats  in  this 
house  because  you  are  seated  high  or  in  a  place  that  is  looked 
upon  honorable  by  those  that  sit  round  about,  and  because 
many  can  behold  you,  consider  how  short  a  time  you  will  enjoy 
this  pleasure.  And  if  there  be  any  that  are  not  suited  in  their 
seats  because  they  are  too  low  for  them,  let  them  consider  that 
it  is  but  a  very  little  while  before  it  will  [be]  all  one  to  you 
whether  you  have  sat  high  or  low  here.  But  it  will  be  of 
infinite  and  everlasting  concern  to  you  where  your  seat  is  in 
another  world.  Let  your  great  concern  be  while  in  this  world 
so  to  improve  your  opportunities  in  God's  house  in  this  world, 
whether  you  sit  high  or  low,  as  that  you  may  have  a  distin 
guished  and  glorious  mansion  in  God's  house  in  heaven,  where 
you  may  be  fixed  in  your  place  in  that  glorious  assembly  in  an 
everlasting  rest. 

Let  the  main  thing  that  we  prize  in  God's  house  be,  not  the 
outward  ornaments  of  it,  or  a  high  seat  in  it,  but  the  word  of 
God  and  his  ordinances  in  it.  And  spend  your  time  here  in 
seeking  Christ,  that  he  may  prepare  a  place  for  you  in  his 
Father's  house,  that  when  he  comes  again  to  this  world,  he 
may  take  you  to  himself,  that  where  he  is,  there  you  may  be 
also. 


'8  SELECTED    SERMONS 


SINNERS   IN   THE   HANDS   OF   AN   ANGRY   GOD° 
DEUTERONOMY  xxxii.  35.  — Their  foot  shall  slide  in  due  time. 

IN  this  verse  is  threatened  the  vengeance  of  God  on  the 
wicked  unbelieving  Israelites,  that  were  God's  visible  people, 
and  lived  under  means  of  grace ;  and  that  notwithstanding  all 
God's  wonderful  works  that  he  had  wrought  towards  that 
people,  yet  remained,  as  is  expressed  verse  28,  void  of  counsel, 
having  no  understanding  in  them;  and  that,  under  all  the 
cultivations  of  heaven,  brought  forth  bitter  and  poisonous  fruit ; 
as  in  the  two  verses  next  preceding  the  text. 

The  expression  that  I  have  chosen  for  my  text,  their  foot 
shall  xlide  in  due  thii(>y  seems  to  imply  the  following  things 
relating  to  the  punishment  and  destruction  that  these  wicked 
Israelites  were  exposed  to. 

1 .  That  they  were  altwys  exposed  to  destruction ;  as  one 
that  stands  or  walks  in  slippery  places  is  always  exposed  to  fall. 
This  is  implied  in  the  manner  of  their  destruction's  coining 
upon  them,  being  represented  by  their  foot's  sliding.  The  same 
is  expressed,  Psalm  Ixxiii.  18  :  "Surely  tliou  didst  set  them  in 
slippery  places ;  tliou  castedst  them  down  into  destruction." 
;  2.  It  implies  that  they  were  always  exposed  to  sudden, 
unexpected  destruction  ;  as  he  that  walks  in  slippery  places  is 
every  moment  liable  to  fall,  he  can't  foresee  one  moment  whether 
he  shall  stand  or  fall  the  next;  "and  when  he  docs  fall,  he  falls 
at  once,  without  warning,  which  is  also  expressed  in  that  Psalm 
Ixxiii.  18,  19  :  "  Surely  thou  didst  set  them  in  slippery  places  : 
tliDu  castedst  them  down  into  destruction.  How  are  they 
brought  into  desolation,  as  in  a  moment!" 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  79 

3.  Another  thing  implied  is,  that  they  are  liable  to  fall  of 
themselves,  without  being  thrown  down  by  the  hand  of  another  ; 
as  he  that  stands  or  walks  on  slippery  ground  needs  nothing 
but  his  own  weight  to  throw  him  down. 

4.  That  the  reason  why  they  are  not  fallen  already,  and 
don't  fall  now,  is  only  that  God's  appointed  time  is  not  eome. 
For  it  is  said  that  when   that  due  time,  or  appointed  time 
comes,  their  foot  sh<dl  slide.     Then  they  shall  be  left  to  fall, 
as    they  are  inclined  by  their  own  weight.     God  won't  hold 
them  up  in  these  slippery  places  any  longer,  but  will  let  them 
go  ;  arid  then,  at  that  very  instant,  they  shall  fall  to  destruc 
tion  ;  as  he  that  stands  in  such  slippery  declining  ground  on  the 
edge  of  a  pit  that  he  can't  stand  alone,  when  he  is  let  go  he 
immediately  falls  and  is  lost. 

The  observation  from  the  words  that  I  would  now  insist  upon 
is  this, 

There  is  nothing  that  keeps  wicked  men  at  any  one  moment 
oat  of  hell,  but  the  mere  pleasure  of  God. 

By  the  mere  pleasure  of  God,  I  mean  his  sovereign  pleasure, 
his  arbitrary  will,  restrained  by  no  obligation,  hindered  by  no 
manner  of  difficulty,  any  more  than  if  nothing  else  but  God's 
mere  will  had  in  the  least  degree  or  in  any  respect  whatsoever 
any  hand  in  the  preservation  of  wicked  men  oiie  moment. 

The  truth  of  this  observation  may  appear  by  the  following 
considerations. 

1.  There  is  no  want  of  power  in  God  to  cast  wicked  men 
into  hell  at  any  moment.  Men's  hands  cjui't  be  strong  when 
God  rises  up:  the  strongest  have  no  po\\ci*  to  resist  him,  nor 
can  any  deliver  out  of  his  hands. 

lie  is  not  only  able  to  cast  wicked  men  into  hell,  but  he  can 
most  easily  do  it.  Sometimes  an  earthly  prince  meets  with 
a  great  deal  of  didiculty  to  subdue  a  rebel  that  has  found  means 


•' 


80  SKLKCTEI)   SERMOXS 

to  fortify  himself,  and  has  made  himself  strong  by  the  number 
of  his  followers.     But  it  is  not  so  with  God.     There  is  no  fortress 
that  is  any  defence  against  the  power  of  God.     Though  hand 
join  in  hand,  and  vast  multitudes  of  God's  enemies  combine  and 
associate  themselves,  they  are  easily  broken  in  pieces  :  they  are 
as  great  heaps  of  light  chaff  before  the  whirlwind  ;   or  large 
quantities  of  dry  stubble  before  devouring  flames.     We  find  it 
feasy  to  tread  on  and  crash  a  worm  that  we  see  crawling  on  the 
r\  earth  ;  so  'tis  easy  for  us  to  cut  or  singe  a  slender  thread  that 
any  thing  hangs  by;  thus  easy  is  it  for  God,  when  lie  pleases, 
Jto  cjust  his  enemies  down  to  hell.      What  are  we,  that  we  should 
"think  to  stand  before  him,  at  whose  rebuke  the  earth  trembles, 
and  before  whom  the  rocks  are  thrown  down  ! 

15.    They  de.MrM  to  be  cast  into  hell ;  so  that  divine  justice 
never  stands  in  the  way,  it  m;ikes  no  objection  against  God's 
using  his  power  at  any  moment  to  destroy  them.     Yea,  on  the 
contrary,  justice  calls  aloud  for  an  infinite  punishment  of  their 
sins.     Divine  justice  says  of  the  tree  that  brings  forth  such 
grapes  of  Sodom,  "  Cut  it  down,  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ? " 
Luke  xiii.   7.     The   sword  of  divine  justice  is  every  moment 
(brandished  over    their   heads,  and   'tis   nothing  but  the  hand 
\ofarbitrary  mercy,  and  God's  mere  will,  that  holds  it  back. 

3.  They  are  alrwi'ly  under  a  sentence  of  condemnation  to 
hell.  They  don't  only  justly  deserve  to  be  cast  down  thither, 
but  the  sentence  of  the  law  of  God,  that  eternal  and  immutable 
rule  of  righteousness  that  God  has  fixed  between  him  and  man 
kind,  is  gone  out  against  them,  and  stands  against  them  :  so 
..that  they  are  bound  over  already  to  hell  :  John  iii.  18,  "He  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already."  So  that  every  unconverted 
man  properly  belongs  to  hell ;  that  is  his  place  ;  from  thence  he 
is :  John  viii.  *J3,  "  Ye  are  from  beneath  : "  and  thither  he  is 
bound  ;  'tis  the  place  that  justice,  and  God's  word,  and  the 
sentence  of  his  unchangeable  law,  assigns  to  him. 

4.    They  are  now  the  objects  of  that  very  name  anger  and 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  81 

wrath  of  God,  that  is  expressed  in  the  torments  of  hell :  and  the 
reason  why  they  don't  go  down  to  hell  at  each  moment  is  not 
because  God,  in  whose  power  they  are,  is  not  then  very  angry 
with  them  ;  as  angry  as  he  is  with  many  of  those  miserable 
creatures  that  he  is  now  tormenting  in  hell,  and  do  there  feel 
and  bear  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath.     Yea,  God  is  a  great  dear 
more  angry  with  great  numbers  that  are  now  on  earth,  yea,  ,  S 
doubtless,  with  many  that  are  now  in  this  congregation,  that,  « 
it  may  be,  are  at  ease  and  quiet,  than  lie  is  with  many  of  those] 
that  are  now  in  the  flames  of  hell. 

So  that  it  is  not  because  God  is  unmindful  of  their  wicked 
ness,  and  don't  resent  it,  that  he  don't  let  loose  his  hand  and 
cut  them  off.     God  is  not  altogether  such  a  one  as  themselves,  ' 
though  they  may  imagine  him  to  be  so.     The  wrath  of  God 
burns  against  them;  their  damnation  dqivlt  slumber;  the  pit    5 
is  prepared  ;  the  lire  is  made  ready ;  the  furnace  is  now  hot, 
ready  to    receive    them  ;    the  flames   do  now   rage  and  glow. 
The  glittering  sword  is  whet,  and  held  over  them,  and  the  pit  , 
hath  opened  her  mouth  under  them. 

5.  The  ihril  stands  ready  to  fall  upoir  them,  and  seize  them 
as  his  o\vn,  at  what  moment  God  shall  permit  him.  They 
belong  to  him  ;  he  has  their  souls  in  his  possession,  and  under 
his  dominion.  The  Scripture  represents  them  as  his  yoods, 
Luke  xi.  21.  The  devils  watch  them  ;  they  are  ever  by  them, 
at  their  right  hand  ;  they  stand  waiting  for  them,  like  greedy 
hungry  lions  that  see  their  prey,  and  expect  to  have  it,  but  are 
for  the  present  kept  back;  if  God  should  withdraw  his  hand 
by  which  they  are  restrained,  they  would  in  one  moment  fly 
upon  their  poor  souls.  The  old  serpent  is  gaping  for  them  ; 
hell  opens  its  mouth  wide  to  receive  them  ;  and  if  God  should 
permit  it,  they  would  be  hastily  swallowed  up  and  lost. 

G.  There  are  in  the  souls  of  wicked  men  those  hellish  prin- 
ti\)hs  reigning,  that  would  present!}1  kindle  and  flame  out  into 
hell-fire,  if  it  were  not  for  God's  restraints.  There  is  laid  in 


\ 

82  -SELECTED   SERMONS 

the  very  nature  of  carnal  men  a  foundation  for  the  torments  of 
hell :  there  are  those  corru.pt  principles,  in  reigning  power  in 
hem,  and  in  full  possession  of  them,  that  are  seeds  of  hell-fire. 
These  principles  are  active  and  powerful,  exceeding  violent  in 
their  nature,  and  if  it  were  not  for  the  restraining  hand  of 
God  upon  them,  they  would  soon  break  out,  they  would  flame 
out  after  the  same  manner  as  the  same  corruptions,  the  same 
enmity  does  in  the  heart  of  damned  souls,  and  would  beget 
the  same  torments  in  'em  as  they  do  in  them.^  The  souls  of 
the  wicked  are  in  Scripture  compared  to  the  troubled  sea,  Isaiah 
Ivii.  20.  For  the  present  God  restrains  their  wickedness  by 
his  mighty  power,  as  he  does  the  raging  waves  of  the  troubled 
sea,  saying,  "  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  and  no  further ; "  but 
if  God  should  withdraw  that  restraining  power,  it  would  soon 
carry  all  afore  it.  Sin  is  the  ruin  and  misery  of  the  soul ;  it 
is  destructive  in  its  nature  ;  and  if  God  should  leave  it  without 
restraint,  there  would  need  nothing  else  to  make  the  soul  per 
fectly  miserable.  The  corruption  of  the  heart  of  man  is  a 
thing  that  is  immoderate  and  boundless  in  its  fury  ;  and  while 
wicked  men  live  here,  it  is  like  fire  pent  up  by  God's  restraints, 
whenas  if  it  were  let  loose,  it  would  set  on  fire  the  course  of 
nature ;  and  as  the  heart  is  now  a  sink  of  sin,  so,  if  sin  was 
not  restrained,  it  would  immediately  turn  the  soul  into  a  fiery 
oven,  or  a  furnace  of  fire  and  brimstone. 

7.  It  is  no  security  to  wicked  men  for  one  moment,  that 
there  are  no  visible  means  of  death  at  hand.  'Tis  no  security 
to  a  natural  man,  that  he  is  now  in  health,  and  That  he  don't 
see  which  way  he  should  now  immediately  go  out  of  the  wond 
by  any  accident,  and  that  there  is  no  visible  danger  in  any 
respect  in  his  circumstances.  The  manifold  and  continual 
•-experience  of  the  world  in  all  ages  shows  that  this  is  no  evi 
dence  that  a  man  is  not  on  the  very  brink  of  eternity,  and  that 
the  next  step  won't,  be  into  another  world.  The  unseen,  un- 
thought  of  ways  and  means  of  persons'  going  suddenly  out  of 


OF  JONATHAN  ED'WARDS  83 

the  world  are  innumerable  and  inconceivable.  Unconverted  men 
walk  over  the  pit  of  hell  on  a  rotten  covering,  and  there  are 
innumerable  places  in  this  covering  so  weak  that  they  won't 
bear  their  weight,  and  these  places  are  not  seen.  The  arrows 
of  death  jly  unseen  at  noonday  ;.  the  sharpest  sight  can't  dis 
cern  them.  God  has  so  many  different,  unsearchable  ways  of 
taking  wicked  men  out  of  the  world  and  sending  'em.  to  hell, 
that  there  is  nothing  to  r>ake  it  appear  that  God  had  need  to 
be  at  the  expense  of  a  miracle,  or  go  out  of  the  ordinary  course 
of  his  providence,  to  destroy  any  wicked  man,  at  any  moment. 
All  the  means  that  there  are  of  sinners'  going  out  of  the  world 
are  so  in  God's  hands,  and  so  absolutely  subject  to  his  power 
and  determination,  that  it  don't  depend  at  all  Jess  on  the  mere 
will  of  God,  whether  sinners  shall  at  any  mome^  go  to  hell, 
than  if  means  were  never  made  use  of,  or  at  aF  mcerned  in 
the  case. 

.  8.  Natural  men's  prudence  and  care  to  preserve  their  own 
liceSy  or  the  care  of  others  to  preserve  them,  don't  secure  'em 
a  moment.  This,  divine  providence  and  universal  experience 
does  also  bear  testimony  to.  There  is  this  clear  evidence 
thut  men's,  own  wisdom  is  no  security  to  them  from  death ; 
that  if  it  were  otherwise  we  should  see  some  difference  between 
the  wise  and  politic  men  of  the  world  and  others,  with  regard 
to  their  liabloncss  to  early  and  unexpected  death  ;  but  how  is 
it  in  fact?  Eccles.  ii.  16,  ''How  dieth  the  wise  man?  As 
the  fool." 

9.  All  wicked  men's  pmms  and  contrivance  they  use  to 
escape  hell,  while  they  continue  to  reject  Christ,  and  so  remain 
wicked  men,  don't  secure  'cm  from  hell  one  moment.  Almost 
every  natural  man  that  hears  of  hell  Hatters  himself  that  he 
shall  escape  it ;  he  depends  upon  himself  for  his  own  security > 
he  flatters  himself  in  what  he  has  done,  in  what  he  is  now  . 
doing,  or  what  he  intends  to  do  ;  every  one  lays  out  matters  in 
his  own  mind  how  he  shall  avoid  damnation,  and  flatters  him- 


84  SELECTED   SERMONS 

self  that  he  contrives  well  for  himself,  and  that  his  scheme* 
won't  fail.  They  hear  indeed  that  there  are  but  few  saved,  and 
that  the  bigger  part  of  men  that  have  died  heretofore  are  gone 
to  hell ;  but  each  one  imagines  that  he  lays  out  matters  better 
for  his  own  escape  than  others  have  done  :  he  don't  intend  to 
come  to  that  place  of  torment ;  he  says  within  himself,  that  he 
intends  to  take  care  that  shall  be  effectual,  and  to  order  matters 
so  for  himself  as  not  to  fail. 

But  the  foolish  children  of  men  do  miserably  delude  them 
selves  in  their  own  schemes,  and  in  their  confidence  in  their 
own  strength  and  wisdom  ;  they  trust  to  nothing  but  a  shadow. 
The  bigger  part  of  those  that  heretofore  have  lived  under  the  same 
means  of  grace,  and  are  now  dead,  are  undoubtedly  gone  to  hell ; 
and  it  was  not  because  they  were  not  as  wise  as  those  that  are  now 
alive ;  it  was  not  because  they  did  not  lay  out  matters  as  well 
for  themselves  to  secure  their  own  escape.  If  it  were  so  that 
we  could  come  to  speak  with  them,  and  could  inquire  of  them,  one 
by  one,  whether  they  expected,  when  alive,  and  when  they  used 
to  hear  about  hell,  ever  to  be  subjects  of  that  misery,  we,  doubt 
less,  should  hear  one  and  another  reply,  "No,  I  never  intended 
to  come  here  :  I  had  laid  out  matters  otherwise  in  my  mind ; 
I  thought  I  should  contrive  well  for  myself:  I  thought  my 
scheme  good  :  I  intended  to  take  effectual  care ;  but  it  came 
upon  me  unexpected ;  I  did  not  look  for  it  at  that  time,  and 
in  that  manner;  it  came  as  a  thief:  death  outwitted  me: 
God's  wrath  was  too  quick  for  me.  0  my  cursed  foolishness  ! 
I  was  flattering  myself,  and  pleasing  myself  with  vain  dreams 
of  what  I  would  do  hereafter ;  and  when  I  was  saying  peace 
and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  came  upon  me." 

10.  God  has  laid  himself  under  no  oUiyation,  by  any  prom 
ise,  to  keep  any  natural  man  out  of  hell  one  moment.  God 
certainly  has  made  no  promises  either  of  eternal  life,  or  of  any 
deliverance  or  preservation  from  eternal  death,  but  what  are 
contained  in  the  covenant  of  grace;  the  promises  that  are  given 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  85 

in  Christ,  in  whom  all  the  promises  are  yea  and  amen.  But 
surely  they  have  no  interest  in  the  promises  of  the  covenant 
of  grace  that  are  not  the  children  of  the  covenant,  and  that  do 
not  believe  in  any  of  the  promises  of  the  covenant,  and  have  no 
interest  in  the  Mediator  of  the  covenant. 

So  that,  whatever  some  have  imagined  and  pretended  about 
promises  made  to  natural  men's  earnest  seeking  and  knocking, 
'tis  plain  and  manifest,  that  whatever  pains  a  natural  man 
takes  in  religion,  whatever  prayers  he  makes,  till  he  believes  in 
Christ,  God  is  under  no  manner  of  obligation  to  keep  him  a 
moment  from  eternal  destruction.  -^ 

"  So  that  thus  it  is,  that  natural  men  are  held  in  the  hand  of 
God  over  the  pit  of  hell ;  they  have  deserved  the  fiery  pit,  and  are 
already  sentenced  to  it ;  and  God  is  dreadfully  provoked,  his 
anger  is  as  great  towards  them  as  to  those  that  are  actually 
suffering  the  executions  of  the  fierceness  of!  his  wrath  in  hell, 
and  they  have  done  nothing  in  the  least  to  appease  or  abate 
that  anger,  neither  is  God  in  the  least  bound  by  any  promise  to\/ 
hold  'em  up  one  moment ;  the  devil  is  waiting  for  them,  hell 
is  gap  nig  for  them,  the  flames  gather  and  flash  about  them,  and 
would  fain  lay  hold  on  them  and  swallow  them  up  ;  the  fire  pent 
up  in  their  own  hearts  is  struggling  to  break  out ;  and  they 
have  no  interest  in  any  Mediator,  there  are  no  means  within 
reach  that  can  be  any  security  to  them.  In  short  they  have 
no  refuge,  nothing  to  take  hold  of;  all  that  preserves  them 
every  moment  is  the  mere  arbitrary  will,  and  unco  venan  ted,, 
unobliged  forbearance  of  an  incensed  God. 

APPLICATION 

The  use  may  be  of  awakening  to  unconverted  persons  in  this 
congregation.  This  that  you  'have  heard  is  the  case  of  every 
one  of  you  that  are  out  of  Christ.  That  world  of  misery,  that 
lake  of  burning  brimstone,  is  extended  abroad  under  you. 


8G  SELECTED   SKKMOXS 

\ 

TJiere  is  the  dreadful  pit  of  the  glowing  flames  of  the  wrath  of 
God;  there  is  hell's  wide  gaping  mouth  open;  and  you  have 
nothing  to  stand  upon,  nor  any  thing  to  take  hold  of.  There  is 
nothing  between  you  and  hell  but  the  air ;  'tis  only  the  power 
and  men,  pleasure  of  God  that  holds  you  up. 

You  probably  are  not  sensible  of  this ;  you  find  you  are  kept 
out  of  hell,  but  don't  .see  the  hand  of  God  in  it,  but  look  at 
other  things,  as  the  good  state  of  your  bodily  constitution,  your 
care  of  your  own  life,  and  the  means  you  use  for  your  own 
preservation.  But  indeed  these  things  are  nothing;  if  God 
should  withdraw  his  hand,  they  would  avail  no  more  to  keep 
you  from  falling  than  the  thin  air  to  hold  up  a  person  that  is 
suspended  in  it. 

p          Your  wickedness  makes  you  as  it  were  heavy  as  lead,  and  to 
tend  downwards  with  great  weight  and  pressure  towards  hell; 
and  if  God   should   let  you  go,  you  would  immediately  sink 
.and  swiftly  descend  and  plunge  into  the  bottomless  gulf,  and 
your  healthy  constitution,  and   your  own  care  and  prudence, 
and  best  contrivance,  and  all  your  righteousness,  would  have 
.  no  more  influence  to  uphold  you  and    keep   you    out    of  hell 
\than  a  spider's  web  would  have  to  stop  a  falling  rock.     Were 
it  not  that  so  is  the  sovereign  pleasure  of  God,  the  earth  would 
not  bear  you  one  moment;  for  you  are  a  burden  to  it;  the 
creation  groans  with  you  ;  the  c/cature  is  made  subject  to  the 
bondage  of  your  corruption,  not  willingly;  the  sun  don't  will 
ingly  shine  upon  you  to  give  you  ligh4:  to  serve  sin  and  Satan ; 
the  earth  don't  willingly  yield  her  increase  to  satisfy  your  lusts  ; 
nor  is  it   willingly  a   stage  for  your  wickedness  to  be  acted 
upon  ;  the  air  don't  willingly  serve  you  for  breath  to  maintain 
the  flame  of  life  in  your  vitals,  while  you  spend  your  life  in  the 
]  service  of  God's  enemies.     God's  creatures  arc  good,  and  were 
'  made  for  men  to  serve  God  with,  and  don't  willingly  subserve 
I  to  any  other  purpose,  and  groan  when  they  are  abused  to  pur 
poses  so  directly  contrary  to  their  nature  and  end.     And  the 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  87 

world  would  spew  you  out,  were  it  not  for  the  sovereign  hand 
of  him  who  hath  subjected  it  in  hope.  There  are  the  black  -\ 
clouds  of  God's  wrath  now  hanging  directly  over  your  heads, 
full  of  the  dreadful  storm,  and  big  with  thunder ;  and  were  it 
not  for  the  restraining  hand  of  God,  it  would  immediately  burst 
forth  upon  you.  The  sovereign  pleasure  of  God,  for  the  present, 
stays  his  rough  wind ;  otherwise  it  would  come  with  fury,  and 
your  destruction  would  conic  like  a  whirlwind,  and  you  would 
be  like  the  chaff  of  the  summer  threshing  floor. 

The  wrath  of  God  is  like  great  waters  that  are  dammed  for  c 
the  present ;  they  increase  more  and  more,  and  rise  higher  and 
higher,  till  an  outlet  is  given ;  and  the  longer  the  stream  is 
stopped,  the  more  rapid  and  mighty  is  its  course,  when  once  it 
is  let  loose.  'Tis  true,  that  judgment  against  your  evil  work  has 
not  been  executed  hitherto ;  the  floods  of  God's  vengeance  have 
been  withheld  ;  but  your  guilt  in  the  mean  time  is  constantly  ; 
increasing,  and  you  are  every  day  treasuring  up  more  wrath  ;  & 
the  waters  arc  continually  rising,  antTwaxiiig  more  and  more 
mighty  ;  and  there  is  nothing  but  the  mere  pleasure  of  God  that 
holds  'the  waters  back,  that  are  unwilling  to  be  stopped,  and 
press  hard  to  go  forward.  If  God  should  only  withdraw  his 
hand  from  the  floodgate,  it  would  immediately  ily  open,  and  the 
fiery  floods  of  the  fierceness  and.  wrath  of  God  would  rush  forth 
with  inconceivable  fury,  and  would  come  upon  you  with  om 
nipotent  power  ;  and  if  your  strength  were  ten  thousand  times 
greater  than  it  is,  yea,  ten  thousand  times  greater  than  the 
strength  of  the  stoutest,  sturdiest  devil  in  hell,  it  would  be 
nothing  to  withstand  or  endure  it. 

The  bow  of  God's  wrath  is  bent,  and  the  arrow  made  ready  j 
on  the  string,  and  justices  bends  the  arrow  at  your  heart,  and  j 
strains  the  bow,  and  it  is  nothing  but  the  mere  pleasure  ^of  God,  \ 
and  that  of  an  angry  God,  without  any  promise  or  obligation  j 
at  all,  that  keeps  the  arrow  one  moment  from  being  made  drunk  / 
with  vour  blood.  "^ 


88  SELECTED   SERMONS 

Thus  are  rill  you  that  never  passed  under  a  great  change  of  I 
heart  by  the  mighty  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  your 
souls;  all  that  were  never  born  again,  and  made  new  creatures, 
and  raised  from  being  dead  in  sin  to  a  state  of  new  and  before 
altogether  unexperienced  light  and  life,  (however  you  may  have 
reformed  your  life  in  many  things,  and  may  have  had  religious 
affections,  and  may  keep  up  a  form  of  religion  in  your  families 
and  closets,  and  in  the  house  of  God,  and  may  be  strict  in  it), 
you  are  thus  in  the  hands  of  an  angry  God  ;  'tis  nothing  but 


his  mere  pleasure  that  keeps  you  from  being  this  moment  swal-    v 
lowed  up  in  everlasting  destruction. 

However  unconvinced  you  may  now  be  of  the  truth  of  what 
you  hear,  by  and  by  you  will  be  fully  convinced  of  it.  Those  that 
are  gone  from  being  in  the  like  circumstances  with  you  sec  that 
it  was  so  with  them  ;  for  destruction  came  suddenly  upon  most 
of  them  ;  when  they  expected  nothing  of  it,  and  while  they 
were  saying,  Peace  and  safety :  now  they  see,  that  those  things 
that  they  depended  on  for  peace  and  safety  were  nothing  but 
thin  air  and  empty  shadows. 

„  The  God  that  holds  you  over  the  pit  of  hell,  much  as  one"] 
holds  a  spider  or  some  loathsome  insect  over  the  lire,  abhors 
you,  and  is  dreadfully  provoked  ;  his  wrath  towards  you  burns 
like  fire  ;  he  looks  upon  you  as  worthy  of  nothing  else,  but  to 
be  cast  into  the  fire ;  he  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  bear  to  have 
you  in  his  sight ;  you  are  ten  thousand  times  so  abominable  in 
his  eyes,  as  the  most  hateful  and  venomous  serpent  is  in  ours. 
You  have  offended  him  infinitely  more  than  ever  a  stubborn 
rebel  did  his  prince  :  and  yet  it  is  nothing  but  his  hand  that 
holds  you  from  falling  into  the  fire  every  moment.  Tis  ascribed 
to  nothing  else,  that  you  did  not  go  to  hell  the  last  night ;  that 
you  wi»s  sulFercii  to  awake  again  in  this  world  after  you  closed 
your  eyes  \A>  sleep ;  and  there  is  no  other  reason  to  be  given 
why  you  have  not  dropped  into  hell  since  you  arose  in  the  morn 
ing,  but  that  God's  hand  has  held  you  up.  There  is  no  other 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  80 

$ 

reason  to  be  given  why  you  han't  gone  to  hell  since  you  have 
sat  here  in  the  house  of  God,  provoking  his  pure  eyes  by  your 
sinful  wicked  manner  of  attending  his  solemn  worship.  Yea, 

.  there  is  nothing  else  that  is  to  be  given  as  a  reason  why  you 

[don't  this  very  moment  drop  down  into  hell.0 

0  sinner !  consider  the  fearful  danger  you  are  in.  'Tis  a  ( 
great  furnace  of  wrath,  a  wide  and  bottomless  pit,  full  of  the 
fire  of  wrath,  that  you  are  held  over  in  the  hand  of  that  God 
whose  wrath  is  provoked  and  incensed  as  much  against  you  as 
against  many  of  the  damned  in  hell.  You  hang  by  a  slender 
thread,  with  the  ilaincs  of  divine  wrath  Hashing  about  it,  and 
ready  every  moment  to  singe  it  and  burn  it  asunder  ;  and  you 
have  no  interest  in  any  Mediator,  and  nothing  to  lay  hold  of  to 
save  yourself,  nothing  to  keep  off  the  flames  of  wrath,  nothing 
of  your  own,  nothing  that  you  ever  have  done,  nothing  that 
you  can  do,  to  induce  God  to  spare  you  one  moment. 

And  consider  here  more  particularly  several  things  concern 
ing  that  wrath  that  you  are  in  such  danger  of. 

1.     Whose  wrath  it  is.     It  is  the  wrath  of  the  infinite  God. 
If  it  were  only  the  wrath  of  man,  though  it  were  of  the  most 
potent  prince,  it  would  be  comparatively  little  to  be  regarded. 
The  wrath  of  kings  is  very  much  dreaded,  especially  of  absolute 
monarchs,  that  have  the  possessions  and  lives  of  their  subjcctr. 
wholly  in  their  power,  to  be  disposed  of  at  their  mere  wil] 
Prov.  xx.  2,  "  The  fear  of  a  king  is  as  the  roaring  of  a  lioi"  ff 
whoso  provoketh  him  to  anger  sinneth  against  his  own  sou/  , 
The  subject    that   very  much   enrages  an    arbitrary  prince  !^ 
liable  to  sutler  the  most  extreme  torments  that  human  art  c_;%n 
invent,  or  human  power  can  inflict.     But  the  greatest  eaYfuiu 
potentates,  in  their  greatest  majesty  and  strength,  andc"l''-f 
clothed   in  their   greatest   terrors,  are   but    feeble,  desj. 
worms  of  the  dust,  in  comparison  of  the  great  and  alwu<i''t^ 
Creator  and  King  of  heaven  and  earth  :  it  is  but  li';U*'  h"*'*™  • 
they  c;ui  do  when  most  enraged,  and  when  they  have  -^  ' 


90  SELECTED  SERMOXS 

the  utmost  of  their  fury.  A) I  the  kings  of  the  earth  before  God 
re  as  grasshoppers ;  they  are  nothing,  and  less  than  nothing  : 
both  their  love  and  their  hatred  is  to  be  despised.  The  wrath 
of  the  great  King  of  kings  is  as  much  more  terrible  than  theirs, 
as  his  majesty  is  greater.  Luke  xii.  4}  5,  "And  I  say  unto 
you  my  friends,  Be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body,  and 
after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do.  But  I  will  fore 
warn  you  whom  you  shall  fear :  Fear  him,  which  after  he  hath 
killed  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  Fear  him." 
2.  'Tis  the  JLerjmieas  of  his  wrath  that  you  are  exposed  to. 
We  often  read  of  the  fury  ojf  God;  as  in  Isaiah  lix.  18  :  "Ac 
cording  to  their  deeds,  accordingly  he  will  repay  fury  to  his 
adversaries."  So  Isaiah  Ixvi.  15,  "  For,  behold,  the  Lord  will 
come  with  fire,  and  with  his  chariots  like  a  whirlwind,  to  render 
his  anger  with  fury,  and  his  rebuke  with  flames  of  fire."  And 
so  in  many  other  places.  So  we  read  of  God's  fierceness,  Rev. 
xix.  15.  There  we  read  of  "  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness 
and  wrath  of  Almighty  God."  The  words  are  exceeding  ter 
rible :  if  it  had  only  been  said,  "the  wrath  of  God,"  the  words 
would  have  implied  that  which  is  infinitely  dreadful :  but  'tis 
not  only  said  so,  but  "the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  God."  The 
fury  of  God  !  The  fierceness  of  Jehovah  !  Oh,  how  dreadful 
must  that  be !  Who  can  utter  or  conceive  what  such  expres 
sions  carry  in  them!  But  it  is  not  only  said  so,  but  "the 
fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God."  As  though  there 
would  be  a  very  great  manifestation  of  his  almighty  power  in 
what  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath  should  inllict,  as  though  om 
nipotence  should  be  as  it  were  enraged,  and  exerted,  as  men 
are  wont  to  exert  their  strength  in  the  fierceness  of  their  wrath. 
Oh  !  then,  what  will  be  the  consequence  !  What  will  become 
of  the  poor  worm  that  shall  suffer  it !  Whose  hands  can  be 
strong !  And  whose  heart  endure  !  To  what  a  dreadful,  in 
expressible,  inconceivable  depth  of  misery  must  the  poor  crea 
ture  be  sunk  who  shall  be  the  subject  of  this  ! 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  91 

Consider  this,  you  that  are  here  present,  that  yet  remain  in 
an  unregenemte  state.     That  God  will  execute  the  fierceness 
of  his  anger  implies  that  he  will  inflict  wrath  without  any  pity. 
When  God  beholds  the  ineffable  extremity  of  your  case,  and  sees 
your  torment  so  vastly  dispropprtioned  to  your  strength,  and 
sees  how  your  poor  soul  is  crushed,  and  sinks  down,  as  it  were, 
into  an  infinite  gloom ;  he  will  have  no  compassion  upon  you, 
he  will  not  forbear  the  executions  of  his  wrath,  or  in  the  least 
lighten  his  hand ;  there  shall  be  no  moderation  or  mercy,  nor 
will  God  then  at  all  stay  his  rough  wind;  he  will  have  no 
regard  to  your  welfare,  nor  be  at  all  careful  lest  you  should 
suffer  too  much  in  any  other  sense,  than  only  that  you  should 
nob  sutler  beyond  what  strict  justice  requires:   nothing  shall 
be  withheld  because  it  is  so  hard  for  you  to  bear.     Ezek.  viii. 
18,  "Therefore  will  I  also  deal  in  fury:  mine  eye  shall  not 
spare,  neither  will  I  have  pity  :  and  though  they  cry^in  mine 
ears  with  a  loud  voice,  yet  will  I  not  hear  them."     Now  God 
stands  ready  to  pity  you ;  this  is  a  day  of  mercy ;  you  may 
cry  now  with  some   encouragement  of  obtaining  mercy  :   but 
when  once  the  day  of  mercy  is  past,  your  most  lamentable  and 
dolorous  cries  and  shrieks  will  be  in  vain  ;  you  will  be  wholly 
lost'  and  thrown  away  of  God,  as  to  any  regard  to  your  wel 
fare  ;  God  will  have  no  other  use  to  put  you  to,  but  only  to 
suffer  misery ;  you  shnll  be  continued  in  being  to  no  other  end  ; 
for  you  will  be  a  vessel  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction ;  ^and 
there  will  be  no  other  use  of  this  vessel,  but  only  to  be  filled 
full  of  wrath  :  God  will  be  so  far  from  pitying  you  when  you 
cry  to  him,  that  'tis    said    he  will  only    "laugh  and  mock," 
Prov.  i.   25,   26,  &c. 

How  awful  are  those  words,  Isaiah  Ixiii.  3,  which  are  the 
words  of  the  great  God:  "I  will  tread  them  in  mine  anger, 
and  trample  them  in  my  fury;  and  their  blood  shall  be 
sprinkled  upon  my  garments,  and  I  will  stain  all  my  raiment." 
'Tis  perhaps  impossible  to  conceive  of  words  that  carry  in  them 


92  SELECTED  SERMONS 

greater  manifestations  of  these  three  things,  viz.,  contempt  and 
hatred  and  fierceness  of  indignation.  If  you  cry  to  God  to  pity 
you,  he  will  be  so  far  from  pitying  you  in  your  <\plejful  case,  or 
showing  you  the  least  regard  or  favor,  that  instead  of  that  he'll 
only  tread  you  'under  foot :  and  though  he  will  know  that  you 
can't  bear  the  weight  of  omnipotence  treading  upon  you,  yet 
TuT  won't  regard  that,  but  he  will  crush  you  under  his  feet 
witliouE  mercy ;  he'll  crush  out  your  blood,  and  make  it  ily, 
and  it  shall  be  sprinkled  on  his  garments,  so  as  to  stain  all 
his  raiment.  He  will  not  only  hate  you,  but  he  will  have  you 
in  the  utmost  contempt ;  no  place  shall  be  thought  fit  for  you 
but  under  his  feet,  to  be  trodden  down  as  the  mire  of  the 
wtrects. 

3.  The  misery  you  are  exposed  to  is  that  which  God  will 
inflict  to  that  end,  that  he  might  show  what  that  wrath  of 
Jehovah  is.  God  hath  had  it  on  his  hear!  to  show  to  angels 
an^  men,  both  how  excellent  his  love  is,  and  also  how  terrible 
his  wrath  is.  Sometimes  earthly  kings  have  a  mind  to  show 
how  terrible  their  wrath  is,  by  the  extreme  punishments  they 
would  execute  on  those  that  provoke  'em.  Nebuchadnezzar, 
that  mighty  and  haughty  monarch  of  the  Chaldean  empire, 
was  willing  to  show  his  wrath  when  enraged  with  Shadrach, 
Mesheeh,  and  Abcdnego ;  and  accordingly  gave  order  that  the 
burning  fiery  furnace  should  be  heated  seven  times  hotter  than 
it  was  before ;  doubtless,  it  was  raised  to  the  utmost  degree 
of  fierceness  that  human  art  could  raise  it ;  but  the  great  God 
is  also  willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  magnify  his  awful  Maj 
esty  and  mighty  power  in  the  extreme  sufferings  of  his  enemies. 
Rom.  ix.  22,  "  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  to 
make  his  power  known,  endured  with  much  long-suffering  the 
vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction?"  And  seeing  this  is 
his  design,  and  what  he  has  determined,  to  show  how  terrible 
the  unmixed,  unrestrained  wrath,  the  fury  and  fierceness  of 
Jehovah  is,  he  will  do  it  to  effect.  There  will  be  something 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  93 

accomplished  and  brought  to  pass  that  will  be  dreadful  with 
a  witness.  When  the  great  and  angry  God  hath  risen  up  and 
executed  his  awful  vengeance  on  the  poor  sinner,  and  the 
wretch  is  actually  suffering  the  infinite  weight  and  power  of 
his  indignation,  then  will  God  call  upon  the  whole  universe 
to  behold  that  awful  majesty  and  mighty  power  that  is  to  be 
seen  in  it.  Isa.  xxxiii.  12,  13,  14,  "And  the  people  shall  be 
as  the  burnings  of  lime,  as  thorns  cut  up  shall  they  be  burnt 
in  the  fire.  Hear,  ye  that  are  far  oft',  what  I  have  done  ;  and 
ye  that  are  near,  acknowledge  my  might.  The  sinners  in  Zion 
are  afraid  ;  fearfulness  hath  surprised  the  hypocrites,"  &c. 

Thus  it  will  be  with  you  that  are  in  an  unconverted  state, 
if  you  continue  in  it;  the  infinite  might,  and  majesty,  and 
terribleness,  of  the  Omnipotent  God  shall  be  magnified  upon 
you  in  the  ineffable  strength  of  your  torments.  Yon  shall 
be  tormented  in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the 
presence  of  the  Lamb  ;  and  when  you  shall  be  in  this  state 
of  suffering,  the  glorious  inhabitants  of  heaven  shall  go  forth 
and  look  on  the  awful  spectacle,  that  they  may  see  what  the 
wrath  and  fierceness  of  the  Almighty  is  ;  and  when  they  have 
seen  it,  they  will  fall  down  and  adore  that  great  power  and 
majesty.  Isa.  Ixvi.  23,  24,  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and  from  one  sabbath  to  an 
other,  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord. 
And  they  shall  go  forth,  and  look  upon  the  carcasses  of  the 
men  that  have  transgressed  against  me  :  for  their  worm  shall 
not  die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched;  and  they  shall 
be  an  abhorring  unto  all  flesh." 

4.  It  is  everlasting  wrath.  It  would  be  dreadful  to  suffer 
this  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God  one  moment  ;  but 
you  must  suffer  it  to  all  eternity  :  tliej'o^wiVMw  no  cmHtoJjiis 

When  you  look  forward,  'you  shall 


see  along  f  (Trevor,  a  boundless  duration  before  you,  which  will 
swallow  up  your  thoughts,  and  amaze  your  soul  ;  and  you  will 


94  SELECTED   SERMONS 

absolutely  despair  of  ever  having  any  deliverance,  any  end,  any 
mitigation,  any  rest  at  all ;  you  will  know  certainly  that  you 
must  wear  out  long  ages,  millions  of  millions  of  ages,  in  wrestling 
and  conflicting  with  this  almighty,  merciless  vengeance ;  and  then 
when  you  have  so  done,  when  so  many  ages  have  actually  been 
spent  by  you  in  this  manner,  you  will  know  that  all  is  but 
a  point  to  what  remains.  So  that  your  punishment  will  indeed 
be  infinite.  Oh,  who  can  express  what  the  state  of  a  soul  in 
such  circumstances  is !  All  that  we  can  possibly  say  about  it 
gives  but  a  very  feeble,  faint  representation  of  it ;  it  is  inex 
pressible  and  inconceivable :  for  "  who  knows  the  power  of 
"God's  anger  ? " 

^S    How  dreadful  is  the  state  of  those  that  are  daily  and  hourly 

in  danger  of  this  great  wrath  and  infinite  misery  !     But  this  is 

the  dismal  case  of  every  BOU!  in  this  congregation  that  has  not. 

s  been  "born  again,  however  moral  and  strict,  sober  and  religious, 

they    may    otherwise    be. .     Oh,  that  you  would    consider   it, 

whether  you.  be  young  or  old  !     There  is  reason  to  think  that 

C  there  are  many  in  this 'congregation  now  hearing  this  discourse, 

\that  will  actually  be  the  subjects  of  this  very  misery  to  all 

^eternity.     AVe  know  not  who  they  are,  or.  in  what  seats  they 

fiit,  or  what  thoughts  they  now  have.     It  may  be  they  are  now 

^at  ease,  and  hear  till  these  things  without  much  disturbance, 

I  and  are  now  flattering  themselves  that  they  are  not  the  persons, 

•promising  themselves  thai  they  shall  escape.     If  we  knew  that 

there  was  one  penxw,  and  but  one,  in  the  whole  congregation, 

that  was  to  be  the  subject  of  this  misery,  what  an  awful  thing  it 

would  be  to  think  of !     If  we  knew  who  it  was,  what  an  awful 

sight  would  it  be  to  pee  such  a  person  !     How  might  all  the 

rest  of  the  congregation  lift  up  a  lamentable  and  bitter  cry  over 

X  him  !     But  alas  !    instead  of  one,  how  many  is  it  likely  will 

/  remember  this  discourse  in  hell  !     And  it  would  be  a  wonder, 

A   if  some  that  are  now  present  should  not  be  in  hell  in  a  very 

!  short  time,  before  this  }  ear  is  out.     And  it  would  be  no  won- 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  95 

der  if  some  persons  that  now  sit  here  in  some  seats  of  this 
meeting-house  in  health,  and  quiet  and  secure,  should  be  there 
before  to-morrow  morning.     Those  of  you  that  finally  continue 
in  a  natural  condition,  that  shall  keep  out  of  hell  longest,  will  be 
there  in  a  little  time]/  Your  damnation  cloXt  .slumber;  it  will 
come  swiftly  and,  in 'all  probability,  very  suddenly  upon  many 
of  you.     You  have  reason  to  wonder  that  you  are  not  already 
in  hell.     'Tis  doubtless  the  case  of  some  that  heretofore  you 
have  seen  ami  known,  that  never  deserved  hell  more  than  you 
and  that  heretofoie  appeared  as  likely  to  have  been  now  alive 
as  you.     Their  case  is  past  all  hope ;  they  are  crying  in  extreme 
misery  and  perfect  despair.      But  here  you  are  in  the  land  of 
the  living  anTTm  the  house  of  God,  and  have  an  opportunity  to 
obtain  salvation.     What  would  not  those  poor,  damned,  hope- 
less  souls  give  for  one  day's  such  opportunity  as  you  now  enjoy  \  / 

And   now  you  have  an  extraordinary  opportunity,    a  day' 
wherein  Christ  has  flung  the  door  of  mercy  wide  open,  anil 
stands  in  the  door  calling   and  crying  with   a   loud  voice  to 
poor  sinners ;    a  day  wherein  many  are  Hocking  to  him  and 
pressing  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.      Many  are  daily  coming 
from  the  east,  west,  north  and  south  ;  many  that  were  very 
likely  in  the  same  miserable  condition  that  you  are  in  are  in 
now  a  happy  state,  with  their  hearts  filled  with  love  to  him 
that  has  loved  them  and  washed  them  from  their  sins  in  his 
own  blood,  and  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.     How 
awful  is  it  to  be  left  behind  at  such  a  day  !      To  see  so  many 
others  feasting,  while  you  are  pining  and  perishing  !     To  see  so 
many  rejoicing  and  singing  for  joy  of  heart,  while  you^  have 
cause  to  mourn  for  sorrow  of  heart  and  howl  for  vexation  of 
spirit !     How  can  you  rest  for  one  moment  in  such  a  condition? 
Are  not  your  souls  as  precious  as  the  souls  of  the  people  at 
Sutrleld,1  where  they  are  Hocking  from  day  to  day  to  Christ  1 


next  neighbor  town. 


96  SELECTED  SEIIMOXS 

Are  there  not  many  here  that  have  lived  long  in  the  world 
that  are  not  to  this  day  born  again,  and  so  are  aliens  from  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel  and  have  done  nothing  ever  since  they 
ha,ve  lived  but  treasure  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  ? 
Oil',  sirs,  your  case  in  an  especial  manner  is  extremely  dangerous ; 
your  guilt  and  hardness  of  heart  is  extremely  great.  Don't  you  see 
how  generally  persons  of  your  years  are  passed  over  and  left 
in  the  present  remarkable  and  wonderful  dispensation  of  God's 
mercy?  You  had  need  to  consider  yourselves  and  wake 
thoroughly  out  of  sleep ;  you  cannot  bear  the  fierceness  and  the 
wrath  of  the  infinite  God. 

And  you  that  are  young  men  and  young  women,  wrill  you 
neglect  this  precious  season  that  you  now  enjoy,  when  so  many 
others  of  your  age  are  renouncing  all  youthful  vanities  and  Hock 
ing  to  Christ  1  You  especially  have  now  an  extraordinary  op 
portunity  ;  but  if  you  neglect  it,  it  will  soon  be  with  you  as  it 
is  with  those  persons  that  spent  away  all  the  precious  days  of 
youth  in  sin  and  are  now  come  to  such  a  dreadful  pass  in 
blindness  and  hardness. 

And  you  children  that  are  luiconyertcd,  don't  you  know  that 
you  are  going  down  to  hell  to  bear  the  dreadful  wrath  of  that 
God  that  is  now  angry  with  you  every  day  and  every  night  ? 
Will  you  be  content  to  be  the  children  of  the  devil,  when  so 
many  other  children  in  the  land  are  converted  and  are  become 
the  holy  and  happy  children  of  the  King  of  kings? 

And  let  every  one  that  is  yet  out  of  Christ  and  hanging  over 
the  pit  of  hell,  whether  they  be  old  men  and  women  or  middle- 
aged  or  young  people  or  little  children,  now  hearken  to  the  loud 
calls  of  God's  word  and  providence.  This  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord  that  is  a  day  of  such  great  favor  to  some  will  doubt 
less  be  a  day  of  as  remarkable  vengeance  to  others.  Men's 
hearts  harden  and  their  guilt  increases  apace  at  such  a  day  as 
this,  if  they  neglect  their  souls.  And  never  was  there  so  great 
danger  of  such  persons  being  given  up  to  hardness  of  heart  and 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  07 

blindness  of  mind.  God  seems  now  to  be  hastily  gathering  in 
his  elect  in  all  parts  of  the  land ;  and  probably  the  bigger  part 
of  adult  persons  that  ever  shall  be  saved  will  be  brought  in 
now  in  a  little  time,  and  that  it  will  be  as  it  was  on  that  great 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  Jews  in  the  Apostles'  days, 
the  election  will  obtain  and  the  rest  will  be  blinded.  If  this 
should  be  the  case  with  you,  you  will  eternally  curse  this  day, 
and  will  curse  the  day  that  ever  you  was  born  to  see  such  a 
season  of  the  pouring  out  of  God's  Spirit,  and  will  wish  that 
you  had  died  and  gone  to  hell  before  you  had  seen  it.  Now 
undoubtedly  it  is  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist, 
the  axe  is  in  an  extraordinary  manner  laid  at  the  root  of  the 
trees,  that  every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  may 
be  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  fire. 

Therefore  let  every  one  that  is  out  of  Christ  now  awake  and 
fly  from  the  wrath  to  come.  The  wrath  of  Almighty  God  is 
now  undoubtedly  hanging  over  great  part  of  this  congregation. 
Let  every  one  fly  out  of  Sodom.  "  Haste  and  escape  for  your 
lices,  look  not  behind  you,  escape  to  the  mountain,  lest  ye  be 
consumed." 


!T 


03  SELECTED   SERMONS 


VI 

GOD'S  AWFUL  JUDGMENT  IN   THE   BREAKING    AND    WITHERING 
OF  THE  STRONG  RODS  OF  A  COMMUNITY0 

EZEK.  xix.  12.  — Her  strong  rods  were  broken  and  withered. 

IN  order  to  a  right  understanding  and  improving  these  words, 
these  four  things  must  be  observed  and  understood  concerning 
them. 

1.  Who  she  is  that  is  here  represented  as  having  had  strong 
rods,  viz.,  the  Jewish  community,  [who]  here,  as  often  elsewhere, 
is  called  the  people's  mother.     She  is  here  compared  to  a  vine 
planted  in  a  very  fruitful  soil,  verse  10.     The  Jewish  church  and 
state  is  often  elsewhere  compared  to  a  vine ;  as  Psalm  Ixxx.  8, 
&c.,  Lsai.  v.  2,  Jer.  ii.  21,  Kzek.  xv.,  and  chapter  xvii.  G. 

2.  What  is  meant  by  her  strong  rods,  viz.,  her  wise,  able, 
and  well  qualified  magistrates  or  rulers.     That  the  rulers  or 
magistrates  are  intended  is  manifest  by  verse  11  :  "And  she 
had  strong  rods  for  the  sceptres  of  them  that  tare  rule."     And 
by  rods  that  were  strong,  must  be  meant  such  rulers  as  were 
well  qualified  for  magistracy,  such  as  had  great  abilities  and 
other  qualifications  fitting  them  for  the  business  of  rule.     They 
were  wont  to  choose  a  rod  or  staff  of  the  strongest  and  hardest 
sort  of  wood  that  could  be  found,  for  the  mace  or  sceptre  of  a 
prince ;  such  a  one  only  being  counted  fit  for  such  a  use :  and 
this  generally  was  overlaid  with  gold. 

It  is  very  remarkable  that  such  a  strong  rod  should  grow  out 
of  a  weak  vine ;  but  so  it  had  been  in  Israel,  through  God's 
extraordinary  blessing,  in  times  past.  Though  the  nation  is 
spoken  of  here,  and  frequently  elsewhere,- as  weak  and  helpless 


THE  MEETINO-HOUSK  AT  NOKTHAMPTON  IN  WHICH  EDWARDS 

I'UKACHKD.       KUKCTKD   17o7. 


in 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  00 

itself  and  entirely  dependent  as  a  vine,  that  is  the  weakest 
of  all  trees,  that  can't  support  itself  by  its  own  strength,  and 
never  stands  but  as  it  leans  on  or  hangs  by  something  else  that 
is  stronger  than  itself ;  yet  God  had  caused  many  of  her  sons  to 
be  strong  rods,  fit  for  sceptres  :  he  had  raised  up  in  Israel  many 
able  and  excellent  princes  and  magistrates  in  days  past,  that  had 
done  worthily  in  their  day. 

3.  It  should  be  understood  and  observed  what  is  meant  by 
these  strong  rods  being  broken  and  withered,  viz.,  these  able 
and  excellent  rulers  being  removed  by  death.  Man's  dying  is 
often  compared  in  Scripture  to  the  withering  of  the  growth  of 

the  earth. 

-1.    It  should  be  observed  after  what  manner  the  breaking 

and  withering  of  these  strong  rods  is  here  spoken  of,  viz.,  as  a 
great  and  awful  calamity  that  God  had    brought    upon    that 
people,     Tis  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  chief  effects  of  God's  fury 
and  dreadful  displeasure  against  them.      "  lUit  she  was  plucked 
up  in  fury,  she  was  cast  down  to  the  ground,  and  the  east  wind 
dried  up  her  fruit ;  her  strong  rods  were  broken  and  withered, 
the  lire  hath  consumed  them."     The  great  benefits  she  enjoyed 
while  her  strong  rods  remained  are  represented  in  the  preceding 
verse  :   "  And  she  had  strong  rods  for  the  sceptres  of  them  that 
bare  rule,  and  her  stature  was  exalted  among  the  thick  branches, 
and  she  appeared  in  her  height  with    the    multitude    of   her 
branches."     And    the    terrible    calamities    that    attended    the 
breaking  and  withering  of  her    strong   rods,  are   represented 
in  the  two  verses  next  following  the  text:    "And  now  she  is 
planted  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  ground.     And 
lire  is  gone  out  of  a  rod  of  her  branches,  which  hath  devoured 
her  fruit."     And  in  the  conclusion  in  the  next  words  is  very 
emphatically  declared  the  worthiness  of  such  a  dispensation  to 
be  greatly  lamented  :   "  So  that  she  hath  no  strong  rod  to  be  a 
sceptre  to  rule.       This  is  a  lamentation,  and  shall  be  for  a 
lamentation." 


100  SELECTED   SERMONS 

That  which  I  therefore  observe  from  the  words  of  the  text  to 
be  the  subject  of  discourse  at  this  time,  is  this  : 

When  God  by  death  removes  from  a  people  those  in  place, 
of  public  authority  and  rule  that  have  been  as  strong  rods, 
'it's  an  awful  judgment  of  God  on  that  people,  and  ivorthy  of 
great  lamentation. 

In  discoursing  on  this  proposition,  I  would, 

I.  Show  what  kind  of  rulers  may  fitly  be  called  strong  rods. 

II.  Show  why  the  removal  of  such  rulers  from  a  people,  by 
death,  is  to  be  looked  upon  as  an  awful  judgment  of  God  oil 
that  people,  and  is  greatly  to  be  lamented, 

I.  I  would  observe  what  qualifications  of  those  who  are  in 
public  authority  and  rule  may  properly  give  them  the  denomi 
nation  of  strong  rods. 

1.  One  qualification  of  rulers  whence  they  may  properly  be 
denominated  strong  rods  is  great  ability  for  the  management 
of  public  affairs.  When  they  that  stand  in  place  of  public 
authority  are  men  of  groat  natural  abilities,  when  they  are  men 
of  uncommon  strength  of  reason  and  largeness  of  understanding  ; 
especially  when  they  have  remarkably  a  genius  for  government, 
a  peculiar  turn  of  mind  fitting  them  to  gain  an  extraordinary 
understanding  in  things  of  that  nature,  giving  ability,  in  an 
especial  manner,  for  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  government, 
and  discerning  those  things  wherein  the  public  welfare  or 
calamity  consists  and  the  proper  means  to  avoid  the  one  and 
promote  the  other ;  an  extraordinary  talent  at  distinguishing 
what  is  right  and  just  from  that  which  is  wrong  and  unequal, 
and  to  see  through  the  false  colors  with  which  injustice  is  often 
disguised,  and  unravel  the  false,  subtle  arguments  and  cunning 
sophistry  that  is  often  made  use  of  to  defend  iniquity ;  and 
when  they  have  not  only  great  natural  abilities  in  these  respects, 
but  when  their  abilities  and  talents  have  been  improved  by 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  101 

study,  learning,  observation  and  experience  ;  and  when  by  these 
means  they  have  obtained  great  actual  knowledge ;  when  they 
have  acquired  great  skill  in  public  affairs  and  things  requisite 
to  be  known  in  order  to  their  wise,  prudent,  and  effectual  man 
agement  ;  when  they  have  obtained  a  great  understanding  of 
men  and  things,  a  great  knowledge  of  human  nature  and  of  the 
way  of  accommodating  themselves  to  it,  so  as  most  effectually 
to  influence  it  to  wise  purposes ;  when  they  have  obtained  a 
very  extensive  knowledge  of  men  with  whom  they  are  concerned 
in  the  management  of  public  affairs,  either  those  that  have  a 
joint  concern  in  government  or  those  that  are  to  be  governed  ; 
and  when  they  have  also  obtained  a  very  full  and  particular 
understanding  of  the  state  and  circumstances  of  the  country  or 
people  that  they  have  the  care  of,  and  know  well  their  laws  and 
constitution  and  what  their  circumstances  require;  and  likewise 
have  a  great  knowledge  of  the  people  of  neighbor  nations,  states, 
or  provinces  with  whom  they  have  occasion  to  be  concerned  in 
the  management  of  public   affairs  committed  to  them  :   these 
things  all  contribute  to  the  rendering  those  that  are  in  authority 
lit  to  be.  denominated  strong  rods. 

2.  When  they  have  not  only  great  understanding  but  large 
ness  of  heart  and  a  greatness  and  nobleness  of  ditvposition, 
this  is  another  qualification  that  belongs  to  the  character  of  a 
strong  rod. 

Tlio.se  that  are  by  divine  Providence  set  in  places  of  public 
authority  and  ride  are  called  gods,  and  sous  of  the  Most  High, 
Psalm  Ixxxii.  G.  And  therefore 'tis  peculiarly  unbecoming  them 
to  be  of  a  mean  spirit,  a  disposition  that  will  admit  of  their 
doing  those  things  that  are  sordid  and  vile ;  as  when  they  are 
persons  of  a  narrow,  private  spirit,  that  may  be  found  in  little 
tricks  and  intrigues  to  promote  their  private  interest,  will 
shamefully  defile  their  hands  to  gain  a  few  pounds,  are  not 
ashamed  to  nip  and  l>ite  others,  grind  the  faces  of  the  poor  and 
screw  upon  their  neighbors,  and  will  take  advantage  of  their 


102  SELECTED   SERMONS 

authority  or  commission  to  line  their  own  pockets  with  what  is 
fraudulently  taken  or  withheld  from  others.  When  a  man  in 
authority  is  of  such  a  mean  spirit,  it  weakens  his  authority  and 
makes  him  justly  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  men  and  is  utterly 
inconsistent  with  his  being  a  strong  rod. 

But  'on  the  contrary,  it  greatly  establishes  his  authority,  and 
causes  others  to  stand  in  awe  of  him,  when  they  see  him  to  be 
a  man  of  greatness  of  mind,  one  that  abhors  those  things  that 
are  mean  and  sordid,  and  not  capable  of  a  compliance  with 
them  ;  one  that  is  of  a  public  spirit,  and  not  of  a  private,  nar 
row  disposition  ;  a  man  of  lion  or,  and  not  a  man  of  mean  arti 
fice  and  clandestine  management  for  filthy  lucre,  and  one  that 
abhors  trifling  and  impertinence,  or  to  waste  away  his  time, 
that  should  be  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  his  king,  or  his 
country,  in  vain  amusements  iuid  diversions  and  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  gratifications  of  sensual  appetites  ;  as  God  charges  the 
rulers  in  Israel,  that  pretended  to  be  their  great  and  mighty 
men,  with  being  mighty  to  drink  wine  and  men  of  strength  to 
mingle  strong  drink.  There  don't  seem  to  be  any  reference  to 
[their  being  men  of  strong  heads  and  able  to  bear  a  great  deal 
(of  strong  drink,  i\*  some  have  supposed.  There  is  a  severe  sar 
casm  in  the  words ;  for  the  prophet  is  speaking  of  the  great 
men,  princes  and  judges  in  Israel  (as  appears  by  the  verse  next 
following),  which  should  be  mighty  men,  strong  rods,  men  of 
eminent  qualifications,  excelling  in  nobleness  of  spirit,  of  glori 
ous  strength  and  fortitude  of  mind;  but  instead  of  that,  they 
were  mighty  or  eminent  for  nothing  but  gluttony  and  drunk 
enness. 

3.  When  those  that  are  in  authority  are  endowed  with  much 
of  a  sjririt  of  government,  this  is  another  thing  that  entitles 
them  to  the  denomination  of  strong  rods.  When  they  not  only 
are  men  of  great  understanding  and  wisdom  in  affairs  that  ap 
pertain  to  government,  but  have  also  a  peculiar  talent  at  using 
their  knowledge  and  exerting  themselves  in  this  great  and  im- 


Ob'  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  103 

portant  business,  according  to  their  great  understanding  in  it ; 
when  they  are  men  of  eminent  fortitude  and  are  not  afraid  of 
the  faces  of  men,  are  not  afraid  to  do  the  part  that  properly 
belongs  to  them  as  rulers,  though  they  meet  with  great  opposi 
tion,  and  the  spirits  of  men  are  greatly  irritated  by  it ;  when 
they  have  a  spirit  of  resolution  and  activity,  so  as  to  keep  the 
wheels  of  government  in  proper  motion  and  to  cause  judgment 
and  justice  to  run  down  as  a  mighty  stream ;  when  they  have 
not  only  a  great  knowledge  of  government  and  the  things  that 
belong  to  it  in  the  theory,  but  it  is,  as  it  were,  natural  to  them  to 
apply  the  various  powers  and  faculties  with  which  God  has  en 
dowed  them,  and  the  knowledge  they  have  obtained  by  study 
and  observation,  to  that  business,  so  as  to  perform  it  most 
advantageously  and  effectually. 

4.  Stability  and  firmness  of  integrity,  fidelity  and  piety 
in  the  exercise  of  authority  is  another  thing  that  greatly  con 
tributes  to,  and  is  very  essential  in,  the  character  of  a  strong 
rod. 

When  he  that  is  in  authority  is  not  only  a  man  of  strong 
reason  and  great  discerning  to  know  what  is  just,  but  is  a  man 
of  strict  integrity  and  righteousness,  is  linn  arid  immovable  in 
the  execution  of  justice  and  judgment ;  and  when  he  is  not  only 
a  man  of  great  ability  to  bear  down  vice  and  immorality,  but 
has  a  disposition  agreeable  to  such  ability;  is  one  that  has  a 
strong  aversion  to  wickedness  and  is  disposed  to  use  the  power 
Cod  has  put  into  his  hands  to  suppress  it ;  and  is  one  that  not 
only  opposes  vice  by  his  authority,  but  by  his  example ;  when 
he  is  one  of  inflexible  fidelity,  will  be  faithful  to  Cod  whose 
minister  he  is  to  his  people  for  good,  is  immovable  in  his  regard 
to  his  supreme  authority,  his  commands  and  his  glory,  and 
will  be  faithful  to  his  king  and  country  ;  will  not  be  induced  by 
the  many  temptations  that  attend  the  business  of  men  in  public 
authority  basely  to  betray  his  trust ;  will  not  consent  to  do 
what  he  thinks  not  to  be  for  the  public  good  for  his  own  gain 


104  SELECTED   SERMONS 

or  advancement,  or  any  private  interest;  is  one  that  is  well 
principled,  and  is  firm  in  acting  agreeably  to  his  principles,  and 
will  not  be  prevailed  witli  to  do  otherwise  through  fear  or  favor, 
to  follow  a  multitude,  or  to  maintain  his  interest  in  any  on 
whom  he  depends  for  the  honor  or  profit  of  his  place,  whether 
it  be  prince  or  people  ;  and  is  also  one  of  that  strength  of  mind, 
whereby  he  rules  his  own  spirit,  —  these  things  do  very  emi 
nently  contribute  to  a  ruler's  title  to  the  denomination  of  a 
strong  rod. 

5.  And  lastly,  it  also  contributes  to  the  strength  of  a  man 
in  authority  by  which  he  may  be  denominated  a  strong  rod, 
when  he  is  in  such  circumstances  as  glee  him  adcantw/e  for 
the  exercise  of  his  strength  for  the  public  good  ;  as  his  being  a 
person  of  honorable  descent,  of  a  distinguished  education  his 
being  a  man  of  estate,  one  that  is  advanced  in  years,  one  that 
has  long  been  in  authority,  so  that  it  is  become,  as  it  were, 
natural  for  the  people  to  pay  him  deference,  to  reverence  him] 
to  be  influenced  and  governed  by  him  mid  submit  to  his 
authority ;  his  being  extensively  known  and  much  honored  and 
regarded  abroad  ;  his  being  one  of  a  good  presence,  majesty  of 
countenance,  decency  of  behavior,  becoming  one  in  authority  • 
of  forcible  speech,  &<•.  These  things  add  to  his  strength  and' 
ficrease  his  ability  and  advantage  to  serve  his  generation  in  the 
place  of  a  ruler,  and  therefore  in  some  respect  serve  to  render 
him  one  that  is  the  more  fitly  and  eminently  called  a  stronn  rod 

I  now  proceed, 

II.  To  show  that  when  such  strong  rods  are  broken  and 
withered  by  death,  'tis  an  awful  judgment  of  God  on  the  people 
that  are  deprived  of  them  and  worthy  of  great  lamentation. 

And  that  on  two  accounts  : 

1.  By  reason  of  the  many  positive  benefits  and  blessings  to 
a  people  that  such  rulers  ?re  the  instruments  of. 

Almost  all  the  prosperity  of  a  public  society  and  civil  com 
munity  docs,  under  God,  depend  on  their  rulers.  They  are 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  105 

like  the  main  springs  or  wheels  in  a  machine  that  keep  every 
part  in  their  due  motion,  and  are  in  the  body  politic,  as  the 
vitals  in  the  body  natural,  and  as  the  pillars  and  foundation  in 
a  building.  Civil  rulers  are  called  "the  foundations  of  the 
earth,"  Psalm  Ixxxii.  5,  and  xi.  3. 

The  prosperity  of  a  people  depends  more  on  their  rulers  than 
is  commonly  imagined.  As  they  have  the  public  society  under 
their  care  and  power,  so  they  have  advantage  to  promote  the 
public  interest  every  way  ;  and  if  they  are  such  rulers  as  have 
been  spoken  of,  they  are  some  of  the  greatest  blessings  to  the 
public.  Their  ir.iluence  has  a  tendency  to  promote  their  wealth 
and  cause  their  temporal  possessions  and  blessings  to  abound  : 
and  to  promote  virtue  amongst  them,  and  so  to  unite  them  one 
to  another  in  peace  and  mutual  benevolence,  and  make  them 
happy  in  society,  each  one  the  instrument  of  his  neighbor's 
quietness,  comfort  and  prosperity  ;  and  by  these  means  to 
advance  their  reputation  and  honor  in  the  world  ;  and  which  is 
much  more,  to  promote  their  spiritual  and  eternal  happiness. 
Therefore,  the  wise  man  says,  Eccles.  x.  17,  "  Blessed  art  thou, 
O  land,  when  thy  king  is  the  son  of  nobles." 

We  have  a  remarkable  instance  and  evidence  of  the  happy 
and  great  influence  of  such  a  strong  rod  as  has  been  described 
to  promote  the  universal  prosperity  of  a  people  in  the  history 
of  the  reign  of  Solomon,  though  many  of  the  people  were 
uneasy  under  his  government,  and  thought  him  too  rigorous  in 
his  administration  (see  1  Kings  xii.  4).  "Judah  and  Israel 
dwelt  safely,  every  man  under  his  vine  and  under  his  fig-tree, 
from  Dan  even  to  Beersheba,  all  the  days  of  Solomon,"  1  Kings 
iv.  25.  "  And  he  made  silver  to  be  among  thorn  as  stones  for 
abundance,"  chap  x.  27.  "And  Judah  and  Israel  were  many, 
eating  and  drinking  and  making  merry,"  [chap.  iv.  20].  The 
queen  of  Sheba  admired  and  was  greatly  affected  with  tic 
happiness  of  the  people  under  the  government  of  such  a  strong 
rod  :  1  Kings  x.  8,  9,  says  she,  "  Happy  are  thy  men,  happy 


10G  SELECTED   SKRMOXS 

are  these  thy  servants  which  stand  continually  before  thee,  and 
that  hear  thy  wisdom.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God  which 
delighted  in  thee,  to  set  thee  on  the  throne  of  Israel ;  because 
the  Lord  loved  Israel  forever,  therefore  made  he  thee  king,  to 
do  judgment  and  justice." 

The  flourishing  state  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  while  they 
had  strong  rods  for  the  sceptres  of  them  that  bare  rule,  is  taken 
notice  of  in  our  context :  "Her  stature  was  exalted  among  the 
thick  branches,  and  she  appeared  in  her  height  with  the  multi 
tude  of  her  branches." 

Such  rulers  are  eminently  the  ministers  of  God  to  his  people 
for  good  :  they  are  great  gifts  of  the  Most  High  to  a  people 
and  blessed  tokens  of  his  favor  and  vehicles  of  his  goodness  to 
them,  and  therein  images  of  his  own  Son,  the  grand  medium 
of  all  God's  goodness  to  fallen  mankind  :  and  therefore,  all  of 
them  are  called  sons  of  the  Most  High.  All  civil  rulers,  if 
they  are,  as  they  ought  to  be,  such  strong  rods  as  have  been 
described,  will  be  like  the  Son  of  the  Most  High,  vehicles  of 
good  to  mankind,  and  like  him,  will  be  as  the  light  of  the 
morning  when  the  sun  riseth,  even  a  morning  without  clouds, 
as  the  tender  grass  springeth  out  of  the  earth,  by  clear  shining 
after  rain.  And  therefore,  when  a  people  are  bereaved  of 
them,  they  sustain  an  unspeakable  loss  and  are  the  subjects  of 
a  judgment  of  God  that  is  greatly  to  be  lamented. 

2.  On  account  of  the  yreat  calamities  such  rulers  are  a 
defence  from.  Innumerable  are  the  grievous  and  fatal 
calamities  which  public  societies  are  exposed  to  in  this  evil 
world,  which  they  can  have  no  defence  from  without  order  and 
authority.  If  a  people  are  without  government,  they  are  like  a 
city  broken  down  and  without  walls,  encompassed  on  every 
side  by  enemies  and  become  unavoidably  subject  to  all  manner 
of  confusion  and  misery. 

Government  is  necessary  to  defend  communities  from  mis 
eries  from  within  themselves  ;  from  the  prevalence  of  intestine 


OF  JOXAT11AX  KUWAHDS  107 

mutual   iniustice   and  violence;  the  members  of  the 


. 

oc  t?         be  continually  divided  against  themselves,  every 

u-ti«  "the  part  of  an  enemy  to  his  neighbor,  every  one's 

,,1  a  "  mst  every  man  and  every  man's  hand  against  him  ; 

i    I  on  in  remediless  and  endless  broils  and  jarring  till  the 

Sty  be  «ttCT]y  (lissolvcd  aml  broken  m  )MCCCS  ? 

itself  in  the  neighborhood  of  our  fellow   creatures,  becomes 


yeof  government  in  societies  by  what  is 
villei    families,  those  lesser  societies  of  which  all  pubic  son- 
e     s  a      constituted.     How  miserable  would  these  little  soci- 
s  be   if  all  were  left  to  themselves,  without  any  authority 
or  supcrio  %  in  one  above  another  or  any  head  of  union  and 

„!  ce  «  nK  them  ?  We  may  be  convinced  by  what  vre  see  . 
o  lan.entaCle  consequences  of  the  want  of  a  proper  exercise 
of  authr,ritv  and  maintenance  of  government  in  families  that  yet 
are  not  absolutely  without  all  authority.  No  less  need  is  there 
of  eminent  in  public  so.-ieties,  but  much  mere,  as  they  .HO 
'  vfer  A  very  few  may  possibly,  without  any  government,  act 
S  meert,  so  as  to  concur  in  what  shall  be  for  the  we  are  oi 
the  whole  '  but  this  is  not  to  be  expected  among  a  multitude, 
eonslituted  of  many  thousands,  of  a  great  variety  oi  tempers 


rn,abso,utely  necessary,  so  there  is  a  necessity 
otstrolg  rod,  in  order  to  it:  the  business  bemg  such  as  re 
quires  persons  so  qualified  :  110  other  being  sufficient  for  or  wcl 
camble  of  the  government  of,  public  societies  :  and  therefore, 
i  Ise  public  societies  are  miserable  that  have  not  jwrii  stroiig 
rods  for  sceptres  to  rule  :  ^Eccles.  x.  1C,  "  A\  oe  to  thee,  C  ad, 
when  thy  king  is  a  child." 


108  SELECTED   SERMONS 

As  government,  and  strong  rods  for  the  exercise  of  it,  are 
necessary  to  preserve  public  societies  from  dreadful  and  fatal 
calamities  arising  from  among  themselves ;  so  no  less  requisite 
are  they  to  defend  the  community  from  foreign  enemies.  As 
they  are  like  the  pillars  of  a  building,  so  they  are  also  like  the 
walls  and  bulwarks  of  a  city  :  they  arc  under  God  the  main 
strength  of  a  people  in  a  time  of  war  and  the  chief  instruments 
of  their  preservation,  safety  and  rest.  This  is  signified  in  a 
very  lively  manner  in  the  words  that  are  used  by  the  Jewish 
community  in  her  Lamentations  to  express  the  expectations  she 
had  from  her  princes :  Lam.  iv.  29,  "  The  breath  of  our  nostrils, 
the  anointed  of  the  Lord,  was  taken  in  their  pits,  of  whom  we 
said,  Under  his  shadow  we  shall  live  among  the  heathen."  In 
this  respect  also  such  strong  rods  are  sons  of  the  Most  High 
and  images  or  resemblances  of  the  Son  of  God,  viz.,  as  they  are 
their  saviours  from  their  enemies  ;  as  the  judges  that  God 
raised  up  of  old  in  Israel  are  called,  Nehem.  ix.  27  :  "  Tlierc- 
,  fore  thou  deliveredst  them  into  the  hand  of  their  enemies,  who 
vexed  them  :  and  in  the  time  of  their  trouble,  when  they  cried 
unto  thce,  thou  heardest  them  from  heaven ;  and  according  to 
thy  manifold  mercies  thou  gaves't  them  saviours,  who  saved 
them  out  of  the  hand  of  their  enemies." 

Thus  both  the  prosperity  and  safety  of  a  people  under  God,' 
depends  on  such  rulers  as  arc  strong  rods.  While  they  enjoy 
such  blessings,  they  are  wont  to  be  like  a  vine  planted  in  a 
fruitful  soil,  with  her  stature  exalted  among  the  thick  branches, 
appearing  in  her  height  with  the  multitude  of  her  branches  ; 
but  when  they  have  no  strong  rod  to  be  a  sceptre  to  ride,  they 
are  like  a  vine  planted  in  a  wilderness  that  is  exposed  to  be 
plucked  up  and  cast  down  to  the  ground,  to  have  her  fruit  dried 
up  with  the  cast  wind,  and  to  have  fire  coming  out  of  her 
own  branches  to  devour  her  fruit. 

On  these  accounts,  when  a  people's  strong  rods  arc  broken 
and  withered,  'tis  au  awful  judgment  of  God  on  that  people, 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  109 

and  worthy  of  great  lamentation  :  as  when  King  Josiah  (who 
was  doubtless  one  of  the  strong  rods  referred  to  in  the  text)  was 
dead,  the  people  made  great  lamentation  for  him,  2  Chron. 
xxxv.  24,  25  :  "  And  they  brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  he 
died,  and  was  buried  in  one  of  the  sepulchres  of  his  fathers. 
And  all  Judah  and  Jerusalem  mourned  for  Josiah.  And  Jere 
miah  lamented  for  Josiah  :  and  all  the  singing  men  and  the 
singing  women  spake  of  Josiah  in  their  lamentations  to  this 
day,  and  made  them  an  ordinance  in  Israel :  arid,  behold,  they 
are  written  in  the  Lamentations." 


APPLICATION 

I  come  now  to  apply  these  tilings  to  our  own  case,  under  the 
late  awful  frown  of  divine  Providence  upon  us  in  removing  by 
death  that  honorable  person  in  public  rule  and  authority,  an 
inhabitant  of  this  town  and  belonging  to  this  congregation  and 
church,  who  died  at  Boston  the  last  Lord's  day. 

He  was  eminently  a  strong  rod  in  the  forementioned  re 
spects.  •  As  to  his  natural  abilities,  strength  of  reason,  great 
ness  and  clearness  of  discerning  and  depth  of  penetration,  he 
wns  one  of  the  first  rank .  it  may  be  doubted  whether  he  has 
left  his  superior  in  these  respects  in  these  parts  of  the  world. 
He  was  a  man  of  a  truly  great  genius,  and  his  genius  was 
peculiarly  fitted  for  the  understanding  and  managing  of  public 
affairs. 

And  as  his  natural  capacity  was  great,  so  was  the  knowledge 
*hat  he  had  acquired,  his  understanding  being  greatly  improved 
by  close  application  of  mind  to  those  things  he  was  called  to  be 
concerned  in,  and  by  a  very  exact  observation  of  them  and  long 
experience  in  them.  He  had  indeed  a  great  insight  into  the 
nature  of  public  societies,  the  mysteries  of  government  and  the 
affairs  of  peace  and  war :  he  had  a  discerning  that  very  few 
have  of  the  things  wherein  the  public  weal  consists,  and  what 


110  SKLKVTK1)   SXRMONti 

those  things  are  that  do  expose  public  societies,  and  of  the 
proper  means  to  avoid  the  latter  and  promote  the  former.  He 
was  quick  in  his  discerning,  in  that  in  most  cases,  especially 
Much  as  belonged  to  his  proper  business,  he  at  first  sight  would 
see  further  than  most  men  when  they  had  done  their  best ;  but 
yet  he  had  a  wonderful  faculty  of  improving  his  own  thoughts 
by  meditation,  and  carrying  his  views  a  greater  and  greliter 
length  by  long  and  close  application  of  mind.  He  had  an  ex 
traordinary  ability  to  distinguish  right  and  wrong  in  the  midst 
of  intricacies  and  circumstances  that  tended  to  perplex  and 
darken  the  case :  he  was  able  to  weigh  things,  as  it  were,  in  a 
balance,  and  to  distinguish  those  things  that  were  solid  and 
weighty  from  those  that  had  only  a  fair  show  without  sub 
stance,  which  he  evidently  discovered  in  his  accurate,  clear  and 
plain  way  of  stilting  and  committing  causes  to  a  jury,  from  the 
bench,  as  by  others  hath  been  observed.  He  wonderfully  dis 
tinguished  truth  from  falsehood,  and  the  most  labored  cases 
seemed  al \vays  to  lie  clear  in  his  mind,  his  ideas  properly  ranged 
—  and  he  had  a  talent  of  communicating  them  to  every  one's 
understanding,  beyond  almost  any  one ;  and  if  any  were  mis 
guided,  it  was  not  because  truth  and  falsehood,  right  and 
wrong,  were  not  well  distinguished. 

^  He  was  probably  one  of  the  ablest  politicians  that  ever  New 
England  bred  :  ho  had  a  very  uncommon  insight  into  human 
nature,  and  a  marvellous  ability  to  penetrate  into  the  particular 
tempers  and  dispositions  of  such  as  he  had  to  deal  with,  and  to 
discern  the  fittest  way  of  treating  them,  so  as  most  effectually 
to  influence  them  to  any  good  and  wi»se  'purpose. 

And  never  perhaps  was  there  a  person  that  had  a  more  ex 
tensive  and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  state  of  this  land  and  its 
public  affairs,  and  of  persons  that  were  jointly  concerned  in 
them  :  he  knew  this  people  and  their  circumstances,  and  what 
their  circumstances  required  :  he  discerned  the  diseases  of  this 
body,  and  what  were  the  proper  remedies,  as  an  able  and 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS     ,  111 

masterly  physician.  He  had  a  great  acquaintance  with  the 
neighboring  colonies,  and  also  the.  neighbor  nations  on  this  con 
tinent,  with  whom  we  are  concerned  in  our  public  affairs :  he 
had  a  far  greater  knowledge  than  any  other  person  in  the  land 
of  the  several  nations  of  Indians  in  these  northern  parts  of 
America,  their  tempers,  manners  and  the  proper  way  of  treat 
ing  them,  and  was  more  extensively  known  by  them  than  any 
other  person  in  the  country  :  and  no  other  person  in  authority 
in  this  province  had  such  an  acquaintance  with  the  people  and 
country  of  Canada,  the  land  of  our  enemies,  as  he. 

He  was  exceeding  far  from  a  disposition  and  forwardness  to 
intermeddle  with  other  people's  business ;  but  as  to  what 
belonged  to  the  offices  he  sustained  and  the  important  affairs 
that  ho  had  the  care  of,  he  had  a  great  understanding  of  what 
belonged  to  them.  I  have  often  been  surprised  at  the  length 
of  his  reach,  and  what  I  have  seen  of  his  ability  to  foresee  and 
determine  the  consequences  of  things,  even  at  a  great  distance, 
and  quite  beyond  the  sight  of  other  men.  He  was  not  waver 
ing  and  unsteady  in  his  opinion  :  his  manner  was  never  to  pass 
a  judgment  rashly,  but  was  wont  first  thoroughly  to  deliberate 
and  weigh  an  affair;  and  in  this,  notwithstanding  his  great 
abilities,  he  was  glad  to  improve  [by]  the  help  of  conversation 
and  discourse  with  others,  and  often  spake  of  the  great  advan 
tage  he  found  by  it ;  but  when,  on  mature  consideration,  he  had 
settled  his  judgment,  he  was  not  easily  turned  from  it  by  false 
colors  and  plausible  pretences  and  appearances. 

And  besides  his  knowledge  of  tilings  belonging  to  his  par 
ticular  calling  as  a  ruler,  he  had  also  a  groat  degree  of  under 
standing  in  things  belonging  to  his  general  calling  as  a  Christian. 
He  was  no  inconsiderable  divine.  lie  was  a  wise  casuist,  astl 
know  by  the  great  help  I  have  found  from  time  to  time  by  his 
judgment  and  advice  in  cases  of  conscience  wherein  I  have 
consulted  him  :  and  indeed  I  seam;  knew  the  divine  that  I  ever 
found  more  able  to  help  and  enlighten  the  mind  in  such  cases 


SELECTED   SEK.}fONS 

than  he.  And  he  had  no  small  degree  of  knowledge  in  things 
pertaining  to  experimental  religion ;  but  was  wont  to  discourse 
OP.  such  subjects,  not  only  with  accurate  doctrinal  distinctions, 
but  as  one  intimately  and  feelingly  acquainted  with  these 
tilings. 

He  was  not  only  great  in  speculative  knowledge,  but  his 
knowledge  was  practical;  such  as  tended  to  a  wise  conduct 
in  the  affairs,  business  and  duties  of  life  ;  so  as  properly  to  have 
^denomination  of  wisdom,  and  so  as  properly  and  eminently 
to  invest  him  with  the  character  of  a  wise  man.  And  he  was 
not  only  eminently  wise  and  prudent  in  his  own  conduct,  but 
was  one  of  the  ablest  and  wisest  counsellors  of  others  in  any 
difficult  affair. 

The  greatness  and  honorablencss  of  his  disposition  was  an 
swerable  to  the  largeness  of  his  understanding.  lie  was  natu 
rally  of  a  great  mind.  In  this  respect  he  was  truly  the  son  of 
nobles.  He  greatly  abhorred  tilings  which  were  mean  avid  sordid, 
and  seemed  to  be  incapable  of  a  compliance  with  them.  How 
far  was  lie  from  trilling  and  impertinence  in  his  conversation  ! 
How  far  from  a  busy,  meddling  disposition  !  How  far  from 
any  sly  and  clandestine  management  to  till  his  pockets  with 
what  was  fraudulently  withheld  or  violently  squeezed  from  the 
laborer,  soldier  or  inferior  oilicer !  How  far  from  taking 
advantage  from  his  commission  or  authority  or  any  superior 
power  he  had  in  his  hands,  or  the  ignorance,  dependence  or 
necessities  of  others,  to  add  to  his  own  gains  with  what  property 
belonged  to  them,  and  with  what  they  might  justly  expect  as  a 
proper  reward  for  any  of  their  services  !  How  far  was  he  from 
secretly  taking  bribes  offered  to  induce  him  to  favor  any  man 
in  his  cause,  or  by  his  power  or  interest  to  promote  his" being 
advanced  to  any  place  of  public  trust,  honor  or  profit!  How 
greatly  did  he  abhor  lying  and  prevaricating  !  And  how  im 
movably  steadfast  was  he  to  exact  truth  !  His  hatred  of  those 
things  that  were  mean  and  sordid  was  so  apparent  and  well 


OF  JONATHAN  KDWARDS  113 

known,  that  it  was  evident  that  men  dreaded  to  appear  in  any 
thin0'  of  that  nature  in  his  presence. 

He  was  a  man  remarkably  of  a  public  spirit,  a  true  lover  of 
his  country  and  greatly  abhorred  the  sacrificing  the  public 
welfare  to  private  interest. 

He  was  very  eminently  endowed  with  a  spirit  of  government. 
The  God  of  nature  seemed  to  have  formed  him  for  government, 
as  though  he  had  been  made  on  purpose,  and  cast  into  a  mould 
hv  which  he  should  be  every  way  fitted  for  the  business  of  a 
man  in  public  authority.     Such  a  behavior  and  conduct  was 
natural  to  him  as  tended  to  maintain  his  authority  and  possess 
others  with  awe  and  reverence,  and  to  enforce  and  render  elft 
tiuil  what  he  said  and  did  in  the  exercise  of  his  authority, 
did  not  bear  the  sword  ui  vain:  he  was  truly  a  terror  to  evil 
thcrs      What   I   saw   in  him  often  put  me  in  mind  of  that 
saying  of  the  wise  man,  Prov.  xx.  8,  "  The  king  that  sitteth 
011  the  throne  of  judgment  scattereth  away  all  evil  with  his 
eyes  "     He  was  one  that  was  not  afraid  of  the  faces  of  men ; 
and  every  one  knew  that  it  was  in  vain  to  attempt  to  deter 
him  from  doing  what,  on  mature  consideration,  he  had  deter 
mined   he  ought  to  do.     Every  thing  in  him  was  great  and 
hecomin"  a  man   in   his   public  station.     Perhaps  never  was 
there   a   man   that  appeared   in   New   England  to  whom  the 
denomination  of  a  (jreaf  man  did  more  properly  belong. 

But  though  he  was  one  that  was  grent  among  men,  ex;    M 
above  others  in  abilities  and  greatness  of  mind  and  in  place  ot 
rule,  and  feared  not  the  faces  of  men,  yet  he  feared  (,od. 
was  strictly  conscientious  in  his  conduct,  both  in  public  and 
private.     1  never  knew  the  man  that  seemed  more  steadfastly 
and  immovably  to  act  by  principle  and  according  to  rues  aiu 
maxims    established  and   settled  in  his  mind  by  the  dictates 
of  his  judgment  and  conscience.     He  was  a  man  of  strict  justice 
and  fidelity.     Faithfulness  was  eminently  his  character, 
of  his  greatest  opponents  that  have  been  of  the  contrary  party  to 


SELECTED   SERMONS 

him  in  public  affairs,  yet  have  openly  acknowledged  this  of  him, 
that  he  was  a  faithful  man.  He  was  remarkably  faithful  in  his 
public  trusts  :  he  would  not  basely  betray  his  trust,  from  fear 
or  favor.  It  was  in  vain  to  expect  it,  however  men  might 
oppose  him  or  neglect  him,  and  how  great  soever  they  were. 
Nor  would  he  neglect  the  public  interest,  wherein  committed 
to  him,  for  the  sake  of  his  own  ease,  but  diligently  and  labori 
ously  watched  and  labored  for  it  night  and  day.  And  he  was 
faithful  in  private  affairs  as  well  as  public  :  he  was  a  most 
faithful  friend,  faithful  to  any  one  that  in  any  case  asked  his 
counsel;  and  his  fidelity  might  be  depended  on  in  whatever 
affair  he  undertook  for  any  of  his  neighbors. 

He  was  a  noted  instance  of  the  virtue  of  temperance,  unalter 
able  in  it,  in  all  places,  in  all  companies,  and  in  the  midst  of  all 
temptations. 

Though  he  was  a  man  of  a  great  spirit,  yet  he  had  a  remark 
able  government  of  his  spirit ;  and  excelled  in  the  government 
of  his  tongue.  In  the  midst  of  all  provocations  he  met  with, 
among  the  multitudes  he  had  to  deal  with,  and  the  great  mul 
tiplicity  of  perplexing  affairs  in  which  lie  was  concerned,  and 
all  the  opposition  and  reproaches  he  was  at  any  time  the  subject 
of;  yet  what  was  there  that  ever  proceeded  out  of  lib  mouth 
that  his  enemies  could  lay  hold  of?  No  profane  language,  no 
vain,  rash,  unseemly  and  unchristian  speeches.  If  at  any  time 
he  expressed  himself  with  great  warmth  and  vigor,  it  seemed  to 
be  from  principle  and  determination  of  his  judgment,  rather 
than  from  passion.  When  he  expressed  himself  strongly  and 
with  vehemence,  those  that  were  acquainted  with  him,  and  well 
observed  him  from  time  to  time,  might  evidently  see  it  was  done 
in  consequence  of  thought  and  judgment,  weighing  the  circum 
stances  and  consequences  of  tilings. 

The  calmness  and  steadiness  of  his  behavior  in  private, 
particularly  in  his  family,  appeared  remarkable  and  exemplary 
to  those  who  had  most  opportunity  to  observe  it. 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  115 

He  was  thoroughly  established  in  those  religious  principles 
and  doctrines  of  the  first  fathers  of  New  England,  usually  called 
the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  had  a  great  detestation  of  the 
opposite  errors  of  the  present  fashionable  divinity,  as  very 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God  and  the  experience  of  every  true 
Christian.  And  as  he  was  a  friend  to  truth,  so  he  was  a  friend 
to  vital  piety  and  the  power  of  godliness,  and  ever  countenanced 
and  favored  it  on  all  occasions. 

He  abhorred  profancness,  and  was  a  person  of  a  serious  and 
decent  spirit,  and  ever  treated  sacred  things  with  reverence.  He 
was  exemplary  for  his  decent  attendance  on  the  public  worship  of 
God.  Who  ever  saw  him  irreverently  and  indecently  lolling  and 
laying  down  his  head  to  sice]),  or  gazing  and  staring  about  the 
meeting-house  in  time  of  divine  service  ?  And  as  he  was  able 
(as  was  before  observed)  to  discourse  very  understandingly  of 
experimental  religion,  so  to  some  persons  with  whom  he  was  very 
intimate,  he  gave  intimations  sufficiently  plain,  while  conversing 
of  these  things,  that  they  were  matters  of  his  own  experience. 
Ynd  some  serious  persons  in  civil  authority  that  have  ordinarily 
differed  from  him  in  matters  of  government,  yet,  on  some  occa 
sional  close  conversation  with  him  on  things  of  religion,  have 
manifested  a  high  opinion  of  him  as  to  real  experimental  piety. 

As  lie  was  known  to  be  a  serious  person,  and  an  enemy  to  a 
profane  or  vain  conversation,  so  he  was  feared  on  that  account 
by  great  and  small.  When  he  was  in  the  room,  only  his 
presence  was  sufficient  to  maintain  decency  ;  though  many  were 
there  that  were  accounted  gentlemen  and  great  men,  who  other 
wise  were  disposed  to  take  a  much  greater  freedom  in  their  talk 
and  behavior  than  they  dared  to  do  in  his  presence. 

He  was  not  unmindful  of  death,  nor  insensible  of  his  own 
frailty,  nor  did  death  come  unexpected  to  him.  For  some 
years  past  he  has  spoken  much  to  some  persons  of  dying  and 
going  into  the  eternal  world,  signifying  that  he  did  not  expect 
to  continue  long  here. 


11G  SELECTED   SERMOX8 

Added  to  all  these  tilings  that  have  been  mentioned  to  render 
him  eminently  a  strong  ?*0(7,  he  was  attended  with  many  cir 
cumstances  which  tended  to  give  him  advantage  for  the  exerting 
of  his  strength  for  the  public  good.  He  was  honorably  de 
scended,  was  a  man  of  considerable  substance,  had  been  long  in 
authority,  was  extensively  known  and  honored  abroad,  was  high 
in  the  esteem  of  the  many  tribes  of  Indians  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  British  colonies,  and  so  had  great  influence  upon  them  above 
any  other  man  in  New  England  ;  God  had  endowed  him  with  a 
comely  presence  and  majesty  of  countenr.uco,  becoming  the  great 
qualities  of  his  mind  and  the  place  in  which  God  had  set  him. 

In  the  exercise  of  these  qualities  and  endowments,  under 
these  advantages,  he  has  been,  as  it  were,  a  father  to  this  part 
of  the  land,  on  whom  the  whole  county  had,  under  God,  its 
dependence  in  all  its  public  affairs,  arid  especially  since  the 
beginning  of  the  present  war.0  How  much  the  weight  of  all 
the  warlike  concerns  of  the  county  (which  above  any  part  of  the 
land  lies  exposed  to  the  enemy)  has  lain  on  his  shoulders,  and 
how  he  lias  been  the  spring  of  all  motion  and  the  doer  of  every 
thing  that  has  been  done,  and  how  wisely  and  faithfully  he  has 
conducted  these  affairs,  I  need  not  inform  this  congregation. 
You  well  know  that  he  took  care  of  the  county  as  a  father  of  a 
family  of  children,  not  neglecting  men's  lives  and  making  light 
of  their  blood  ;  but  with  great  diligence,  vigilance  and  prudence 
applying  himself  continually  to  the  proper  means  of  our  safety 
and  welfare.  And  especially  has  this  his  native  town,  where  he 
has  dwelt  from  his  infancy,  reaped  the  benefit  of  his  happy 
influence :  his  wisdom  has  been,  under  God,  very  much  our 
guide,  and  his  authority  our  support  and  strength,  and  he  has 
been  a  great  honor  to  Northampton  and  ornament  to  our  church. 

He  continued  in  full  capacity  of  usefulness  while  he  lived  ;  he 
was  indeed  considerably  advanced  in  years,  but  his  powers  of  mind 
were  not  sensibly  abated,  and  his  strength  of  body  was  not  so 
impaired  but  that  he  was  able  to  go  lotig  journeys,  in  extreme 
heat  and  cold,  and  in  a  short  time. 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  117 

But  now  this  "  strong   rod   is  broken    and   withered,"  and 
surely  the  judgment  of  God  therein  is  very  awful,  and  the  dis 
pensation  that  which  may  well  be  for  a  lamentation.     Probably 
we  shall  be  more  sensible  of  the  worth  and  importance  of  such 
a  strong  rod  by  the  want  of  it.     The  awful  voice  of  God  in 
this  providence  is  worthy  to  be  attended   to   by   this   whole 
province,  and  especially  by  the  people  of  this  county,  but  in  a 
more  peculiar  manner  by  us  of  this  town.     We  have  now  this 
testimony  of  the  divine  displeasure  added  to  all  the  other  dark 
clouds  God  has  lately  brought  over  us,  and  his  awful  frowns 
upon  us.     'Tis  a  dispensation,  on  many  accounts,  greatly  calling 
for  our  humiliation  and  fear  before  God  ;  an  awful  manifestation 
of  his  supreme,  universal  and  absolute  dominion,  calling  us  to 
adore  the  divine  sovereignty  and  tremble  at  the  presence  of  this 
great  God.     And  it  is  a  lively  instance  of  human  frailty  and 
mortality.     We  sec  how  that  none  are  out  of  the  reach  of  death, 
that  no  greatness,  no"  authority,  no  wisdom  and  sagacity,  no 
honorableness  of  person  or  station,  no  degree  of  valuableness 
and  importance  exempts  from  the  stroke  of  death.     This   is 
therefore  a  loud  and  solemn  warning  to  all  sorts  to  prepare  for 
their  departure  hence. 

And  the  memory  of  this  person  who  is  now  gone,  who  was 
made  so  great  a  blessing  while  he  lived,  should  engage  us  to 
show  respect  and  kindness  to  his  family.  This  we  should  do 
both  out  of  respect  to  him  and  to  his  father,  your  former  emi 
nent  pastor,  who  in  his  day  was,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  a 
father  to  this  part  of  the  land  in  spirituals,  and  especially  to 
this  town,  as  this  his  son  has  been  in  temporals.  —  God  greatly 
resented  it,  when  the  children  of  Israel  did  not  show  kindness 
to  the  house  of  Jerubbaal  that  had  been  made  an  instrument  of 
so  much  good  to  them  :  Judges  viii.  35,  "  Neither  showed  they 
kindness  to  the  house  of  Jerrubbaal,  according  to  all  the  good 
which  he  had  showed  unto  Israel." 


SELECTED   SKIi 


VII 


A   FAREWELL   SERMON0 


2  COR.  1. 14.  —As  also  you  have  acknowledged  us  in  part,  that  we  are 
your  rejoicing,  even  as  ye  also  are  ours  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

THE  apostle,  in  the  preceding  part  of  the  chapter,  declares 
what  great  troubles  he  met  with  in  the  course  of  his  ministry. 
In  the  text  and  two  foregoing  verses,  lie  declares  what  were 
his  comforts  and  supports  under  the  troubles  he  met  with. 
There  are  four  things  in  particular. 

1.  That  he  had  approved  himself  to  his  own  conscience,  verse 
12:   "For  our  own  rejoicing  is  this,   the  testimony  of  our 
conscience,  that  in   simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,    not  with 
fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our  con 
versation  in  the   world,   and  more  abundantly  to  you- ward." 

2.  Another   thing   he   speaks   of  as  matter  of  comfort  is, 
that  as  he  had  approved  himself  to  his  own  conscience,  so  he 
had  also  to    the    consciences  of  his  hearers,  the  Corinthians, 
whom  he  now  wrote  to,  and  that  they  should  approve  of  him 
at  the  day  of  judgment. 

3.  The  hope  he  had  of  seeing  the  blessed  fruit  of  his  labors 
and  sufferings  in  the  ministry,  in  their  happiness  and  glory,  in 
that  great  day  of  accounts. 

.  4.  That,  in  his  ministry  among  the  Corinthians,  lie  had  ap 
proved  himself  to  his  Judge,  who  would  approve  and  reward  his 
faithfulness  in  that  day. 

Thqse  three  last  particulars  are  signified  in  my  text  and 
the  preceding  verse;  and,  indeed,  all  the  four  are  implied  in 
the  text.  Tis  implied  that  the  Corinthians  had  acknowledged 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  119 

him  as  their  spiritual  father  and  as  one  that  had  been  faithful 
among  them,  and  as  the  means  of  their  future  joy  and  glory  at 
the  day  of  judgment,  and  one  whom  they  should  then  see,  and 
have  a  joyful  meeting  with  as  such.  'Tis  implied,  that  the 
apostle  expected  at  that  time  to  have  a  joyful  meeting  with 
them  before  the  Judge,  and  w:th  joy  to  behold  their  glory,  as 
the  fruit  of  his  ?abors ;  and  so  they  would  be  his  rejoicing. 
'Tis  implied  also  that  he  then  expected  to  be  approved  of  the 
great  Judge,  when  he  and  they  should  meet  together  before  him  ; 
and  that  lie  would  then  acknowledge  his  fidelity,  a'nd  that  this  had 
\)ecn  the  means  of  their  glory ;  and  that  thus  he  would,  as  it 
were,  give  them  to  him  as  his  crown  of  rejoicing.  But  this  the 
apostle  could  not  hope  for,  unless  he  had  the  testimony  of  his 
own  conscience  in  his  favor.  And  therefore  the  words  do  imply, 
in  the  strongest  manner,  that  he  had  approved  himself  to  his 
own  conscience. 

There  is  one  thing  implied  in  each  of  these  particulars,  and 
in  every  part  of  the  text,  which  is  that  point  I  shall  make  the 
subject  of  my  present  discourse,  viz. : 

DOCT[RINE] 

Ministers,  and  the  people  that  are  under  their  care,  must 
meet  one  another  before  Christ's  tribunal  at  the  day  of  judg 
ment. 

Ministers,  and  the  people  that  have  been  under  their  care, 
must  be  paned  in  this  world,  how  well  soever  they  have  been 
united :  if  they  are.  not  separated  before,  they  must  be  parted 
by  death  ;  and  they  may  be  separated  while  life  is  continued. 
AVe  live  in  a  world  of  change,  where  nothing  is  certain  or  stable ; 
and  where  a  little  time,  a  few  revolutions  of  the  sun  bring  to 
pass  strange  things,  surprising  alterations,  in  particular  persons, 
in  families,  in  towns  and  churches,  in  countries  and  nations. 


120  SELECTED   SERMONS 

It  often  happens,  that  those  who  seem  most  united,  in  a  little 
time  are  most  disunited,  and  at  the  greatest  distance.  Thus 
ministers  and  people,  between  whom  there  has  been  the  greatest 
mutual  regard  and  strictest  union,  may  not  only  differ  in  their 
judgments,  and  be  alienated  in  affection,  but  one  may  rend 
from  the  other,  and  all  relation  between  them  be  dissolved ;  the 
minister  may  be  removed  to  a  distant  place,  and  they  may 
never  have  any  more  to  do  with  one  another  in  this  world. 
But  if  it  be  so,  there  is  one  meeting  more  that  they  must  have, 
and  tfiat  is  in  the  last  great  day  of  accounts. 
Here  I  would  show, 

I.  In  what  manner  ministers,  and  the  people  who  have  been 
under- their  care,  shall  meet  one  another  at  the  day  of  judg 
ment. 

II.  For  what  purposes. 

III.  For  what  reasons  God  has  so  ordered  it,  that  ministers 
and  their  people  shall  then  meet  together  in  such  a  manner, 
and  for  such  purposes. 

I.  I  would  show,  in  some  particulars,  in  what  manner  min 
isters,  and  the  people  who  have  been  under  their  care,  shall 
meet  one  another  at  the  day  of  judgment.  Concerning  this  I 
would  observe  two  things  in  general. 

1.  That  they  shall  not  then  meet  only  as  all  mankind  must 
then  meet,  but  there  will  be  something  peculiar  in  the  manner  of 
their  meeting. 

2.  That  their  meeting  together  at  that  time  shall  be  very 
different  from  what  used  to  be  in  the  house  of  God  in   this 
world. 

1.  They  shall  not  meet  at  that  day  as  all  the  world  must 
then  meet  together.  I  would  observe  a  difference  in  two 
things. 

(1)  As  to  a  clear  actual  view,  and  distinct  knowledge  and 
notice  of  each  other. 

Although  the  whole  world  will  be  then  present,  all.  mankind 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  121 

of  all  generations  gathered  in  one  vast  assembly,  with  all  of  the 
angelic   nature,  both    elect    and    fallen  angels;  yet  we    need 
not    suppose  that   every  one  will   have   a  distinct    and  par 
ticular   knowledge  of  each  individual  of  the  whole  assembled 
multitude,  which  will  undoubtedly  consist  of  many  millions  of 
millions.     Though  'tis  probable  that  men's  capacities  will  be 
much  greater  than  in  the  present  state,  yet  they  will^  nut  be 
infinite ;  though  their  understanding  and   comprehension  will 
be  vastly  extended,  yet  men  will  not  be  deified.     There  will  prob 
ably  be  a  very  enlarged  view  that  particular  persons  will  have 
of  various  parts  and  members  of  that  vast  assembly,  and  so  of 
the  proceedings  of  that  great  day;  but  yet  it  must  needs  be, 
that  according  to  the  nature  of  finite  minds,  some  persons  and 
some   things  at  that  day  shall  fall  more  under  the  notice  of 
particular  persons  than  others ;  and  this  (as  we  may  well  sup 
pose)  according  as  they  shall  have  a  nearer  concern  with  some 
than  others,  in  the  transactions  of  the  day.     There  will  be 
special  reason  why  those  who  have  had  special  concerns  together 
in  this  world,  in  their  state   of  probation,  and  whose  mutual 
allairs  will  be  then  to  be  tried  and  judged,  should  especially  be 
set  in  one  another's  view.     Thus  we  may  suppose  that  rulers  and 
subjects,   earthly  judges  and  those  whom  they  have  judged, 
neighbors  who  have  had  mutual  converse,  dealings  and  contests, 
heads  of  families  and  their  children  and  servants,  shall  then 
meet,  and  in  a  peculiar  distinction  be  set  together.     And  espe 
cially  will  it  be  thus  with  ministers  and  their  people.      Tis 
evident  by  the  text   that   these  shall  be  in  each  other's  view, 
shall  distinctly  know   each  other,   and   shall  have   particular 
notice  one  of  another  at  that  time. 

(2)  They  shall  meet  together,  as  having  a  special  concern 
one  with  another  in  the  great  transactions  of  that  day. 

Although  they  shall  meet  the  whole  world  at  that  time,  yet  they 
will  not  have  any  immediate  and  particular  concern  with  all.  Yea, 
the  far  greater  part  of  those  who  shall  then  be  gathered  together, 


122  SELECTED   SERMOXS 

will  be  such  as  they  have  had  no  intercourse  with  in  their  state 
of  probation,  and  so  will  have  no  mutual  concerns  to  be  judged 
of.  But  as  to  ministers,  and  the  people  that  have  been  under 
their  care,  they  will  be  such  as  have  had  much  immediate  con 
cern  one  with  another,  in  matters  of  the  greatest  moment,  that 
ever  mankind  have  to  do  one  with  another  in.  Therefore  they 
especially  must  meet  and  be  brought  together  before  the  judge, 
as  having  special  concern  one  with  another  in  the  design  and 
business  of  that  great  day  of  accounts. 

Thus  their  meeting,  as  to  the  manner  of  it,  will  be  diverse 
from  the  meeting  of  mankind  in  general. 

2.  Their  meeting  at  the  day  of  judgment  will  be  very  diverse 
from  their  meetings  one  with  another  in  this  world. 

Ministers  and  their  people,  while  their  relation  continues, 
often  meet  together  in  this  world.  They  are  wont  to  meet 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  and  at  other  times,  for  the  public 
worship  of  God,  and  administration  of  ordinances,  and  the 
solemn  services  of  Cod's  house.  And  besides  these  meetings, 
they  have  also  occasions  to  meet  for  the  determining  and  man 
aging  their  ecclesiastical  attains,  for  the  exercise  of  church  disci 
pline,  and  the  settling  and  adjusting  those  things  which  concern 
the  purity  and  good  order  of  public  administrations.  But  their 
meeting  at  the  day  of  judgment  will  be  exceeding  diverse,  in 
its  manner  and  circumstance,  from  any  such  meetings  and  inter 
views  as  they  have  one  with  another  in  the  present  state.  I 
would  observe  how,  in  a  few  particulars. 

(1)  Now  they  meet  together  in  a  preparatory  mutable  state, 
but  then  in  an  unchangeable  state. 

Now  sinners  in  the  congregation  meet  their  minister  in  a 
/state  wherein  they  are  capable  of  a  saving  change,  capable  of 
I  being  turned,  through  God's  blessing  on  the  ministrations  arid 
^labors  of  their  pastor,  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God; 
(}  and  being  brought  out  of  a  state  of  guilt,  condemnation  and 
wrath,  to  a  state  of  peace  and  favor  with  God,  to  the  enjoy- 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  123 

ment  of  the  privileges  of  his  children,  and  a  title  to  their  eter 
nal  inheritance.  And  saints  now  meet  their  minister  with 
o-reat  remains  of  corruption,  and  sometimes  under  great  spirit 
ual  difficulties  and  affliction  :  and  therefore  are  yet  the  proper 
subjects  of  means  of  an  happy  alteration  of  their  state,  consisting 
in  a  greater  freedom  from  these  things,  which  they  have  reason 
to  hope  for  in  tlw  way  of  an  attendance  on  ordinances,  and  of 
which  God  is  pleased  commonly  to  make  his  ministers  the 
instruments.  And  ministers  and  their  people  now  meet  in 
order  to  the  bringing  to  pass  such  happy  changes  ;  they  are  the 
</reat  benefits  sought  in  their  solemn  meetings  in  this  world. 

But  when  they  shall  meet  together  at  the  day  of  judgment,  it 
will  be  far  otherwise.  They  will  not  then  meet  in  order  to  the 
use  of  means  for  the  bringing'  to  effect  any  such  changes  ;  for 
they  will  all  meet  in  an  unchangeable  state.  Sinners  will  be  in 
an  unchangeable  state  :  they  who  then  shall  be  under  the  guilt 
and  power  of  sin,  and  have  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on  them, 
shall  be  beyond  all  remedy  or  possibility  of  change,  and  shall 
meet  their  ministers  without  any  hopes  of  relief  or  remedy,  or 
getting -any  good  by  their  means.  And  as  for  the  saints,  they 
will  be  already  perfectly  delivered  from  all  their  before  remain 
ing  corruption,  temptation,  and  calamities  of  every  kind,  and 
set  forever  out  of  their  reach;  and  no  deliverance,  no  happy 
alteration,  will  remain  to  be  accomplished  in  the  way  of  the 
use  of  means  of  grace,  under  the  administrations  of  ministers. 
It  will  then  be  pronounced,  "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be 
unjust  still  :  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still ;  and 
he' that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still ;  and  he  that  is 
holy,  let  him  be  holy  still." 

('!}  Then  they  shall  meet  together  in  a  state  of  clear,  certain 
and  infallible  light. 

Ministers  are  set  as  guides  and  teachers,  and  are  represented 
in  Scripture  as  lights  setup  in  the  churches;  and  in  the  present 
state  meet  their  people  from  time  to  time  in  order  to  instruct 


124  SELECTED   8EKMOXS 

and  enlighten  them,  to  correct  their  mistakes,  and  to  be  a  voice 
behind  them,  when  they  turn  aside  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the 
left,  saying,  "This  is  the  way,  walk  in  it;"  to  evince  and  con 
firm  the  truth  by  exhibiting  the  proper  evidences  of  it,  and  to 
refute  errors  and  corrupt  opinions,  to  convince  the  erroneous 
and  establish  the  doubting.  But  when  Christ  shall  come  to 
judgment,  every  error  and  false  opinion  shall  be  detected ;  all 
deceit  and  illusion  shall  vanish  away  before  the  light  of  that  day, 
as  the  darkness  of  the  night  vanishes  at  the  appearance  of  the 
rising  sun  ;  and  every  doctrine  of  the  word  of  God  shall  then 
appear  in  full  evidence,  and  none  shall  remain  unconvinced ; 
all  shall  know  the  truth  with  the  greatest  certainty,  and  there 
shall  be  no  mistakes  to  rectify. 

Now  ministers  and  their  people  may  disagree  in  their  judg 
ments  concerning  some  matters  of  religion,  and  may  sometimes 
meet  to  confer  together  concerning  those  things  wherein  they 
(litter,  and  to  hear  the  reasons  that  may  be  ottered  on  one  side 
and  the  other;  and  all  may  be  ineffectual  as  to  any  conviction 
of  the  truth :  they  may  meet  and  part  again,  no  more  agreed 
than  before ;  and  that  side  which  was  i/i  the  wrong  may  remain 
so  still ;  sometimes  the  meetings  of  ministers  with  their  people 
in  such  a  case  of  disagreeing  sentiments  are  attended  with 
unhappy  debate  and  controversy,  managed  with  much  prejudice 
and  want  of  candor  ;  not  tending  to  light  and  conviction,  but 
rather  to  confirm  and  increase  darkness,  and  establish  opposition 
to  the  truth  and  alienation  of  affection  one  from  another.  But 
when  they  shall  hereafter  meet  together,  at  the  day  of  judg 
ment,  before  the  tribunal  of  the  great  Judge,  the  mind  and  will 
of  Christ  will  be  made  known  ;  and  there  shall  no  longer  beany 
debate  or  dittcrcnce  of  opinions;  the  evidence  of  the  truth  shall 
appear  beyond  all  dispute,  and  all  controversies  shall  be  finally 
and  forever  decided. 

Now  ministers  meet  their  people  in  order  to  enlighten  and 
awaken  the  consciences  of  sinners  :  setting  before  them  the  great 


0  F  JON  A  TIT  A  N   El)  WA  RDS  125 

evil  and  danger  of  sin,  the  strictness  of  God's  law,  their  own 
wickedness  of  heart  and  practice,  the  great  guilt  they  are  under, 
the  wrath  that  abides  upon  them,  and  their  impotence,  blindness, 
poverty,  and  helpless  and  undone  condition  :  but  all  is  often 
in  vain  ;  they  remain  still,  notwithstanding  all  their  ministers 
can  say,  stupid  and  unawakened,  and  their  consciences  uncon 
vinced.  But  it  will  not  be  so  at  their  last  meeting  at  the  day 
of  judgment ;  sinners,  when  they  shall  meet  their  minister 
before  their  great  Judge,  will  not  meet  him  with  a  stupid  con 
science  :  they  will  then  be  fully  convinced  of  the  truth  of  those 
things  which  they  formerly  heard  from  him,  concerning  the 
greatness  and  terrible  majesty  of  God,  his  holiness,  and  hatred 
of  sin,  and  his  awful  justice  in  punishing  it,  the  strictness  of 
his  law,  and  the  dreadfulness  and  truth  of  his  tlireatenings,  and 
their  own  unspeakable  guilt  and  misery  :  and  they  shall  never 
more  be  insensible  of  these  things  :  the  eyes  of  conscience  will 
now  be  fully  enlightened,  and  never  shall  be  blinded  again  : 
the  mouth  of  conscience  shall  now  be  opened,  and  never  shall 
be  shut  any  more. 

Now  ministers  meet  with  their  people,  in  public  and  private,  iif  j 
order  to  enlighten  them  concerning  the  state  of  their  souls  ;  to>* 
open  and  apply  the  rules  of  Cod's  word  to  them,  in  order  to 
their  searching  their  own  hearts,  and  discerning  the  state  that 
they  are  in.  But  now  ministers  have  no  infallible  discerning  of  the 
state  of  the  souls  of  their  own  people;  and  the  most  skilful  of 
them  are  liable  to  mistakes,  and  often  are  mistaken  in  things  of 
this  nature.   Nor  arc  the  people  able  certainly  to  know  the  state 
of  their,  "minister,  or  one  another's  state;  very  often  those  pass 
among  them  for  saints,  and  it  may  be  eminent  saints,  that  are 
grand  hypocrites  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,   those  are  sometimes 
censured,  or  hardly  received  into  their  charity,  that  are  indeed 
some  of  God's  jewels.     And  nothing  is  more  common  than  for    \ 
men  to  be  mistaken  concerning  their  own  state :  many  that  are 
abominable  to  God,  and  the  children  of  his  wrath,  think  highly 


126  SELECTED   SERMONS 

of  themselves,  as  his  precious  saints  and  dear  children.  Yen., 
there  is  reason  to  think  that  often  sonic  that  are  most  bold  in 
their  confidence  of  their  safe  and  happy  -state,  and  think  them 
selves  not  only  true  saints,  but  the  most  eminent  saints  in  the 
congregation,  are  in  a  peculiar  manner  a  smoke  in  God's  nose. 
And  thus  it  undoubtedly  often  is  in  those  congregations  where 
the  word  of  God  is  most  faithfully  dispensed,  notwithstanding 
all  that  ministers  can  say  in  their  clearest  explications  and  most 
searching  applications  of  the  doctrines  and  rules  of  God's  word 
to  the  souls  of  their  hearers,  in  their  meetings  one  with  another. 
But  in  the  day  of  judgment  they  shall  have  another  sort  of 
meeting  ;  then  the  secrets  of  every  heart  shall  be  made  manifest, 
and  every  man's  state  shall  be  perfectly  known  :  1  Cor.  iv.  5, 
"Therefore,  judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until  the  Lord 
come,  who  will  both  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  dark 
ness,  and  will  make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts :  and 
then  shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God."  Then  none  shall 
be  deceived  concerning  his  own  state,  nor  shall  be  any  more  in 
doubt  about  it.  There  shall  be  an  eternal  end  to  all  the  ill 
conceit  and  vain  hopes  of  deluded  hypocrites,  and  all  the  doubts 
and  fears  of  sincere  Christians.  And  then  shall  all  know  the 
state  of  one  another's  souls  :  the  people  shall  know  whether 
their  minister  has  been  sincere  and  faithful,  and  the  ministers 
shall  know  the  state  of  every  oiie  of  their  people,  and  to  whom 
the  word  and  ordinances  of  God  have  been  a  savor  of  life  unto 
life,  and  to  whom  a  savor  of  death  unto  death. 

Now  in  this  present  state  it  often  happens  that  when  ministers 
and  people  meet  together  to  debate  and  manage  their  ecclesiastical 
affairs,  especially  in  a  state  of  controversy,  they  are  ready  to 
judge  and  censure  one  another  with  regard  to  each  other's  views 
and  designs,  and  the  principles  and  ends  that  each  is  influenced 
by  ;  and  are  greatly  mistaken  in  their  judgment,  and  wrong  one 
another  with  regard  to  each  other's  views  and  designs  and  the 
principles  and  ends  that  each  is  influenced  by,  and  are  greatly 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  127 

mistaken  in  their  judgment,  and  wrong  one  another  in  their 
censures.  But  at  that  future  meeting,  things  will  be  set  in  a 
true  and  perfect  light,  and  the  principles  and  aims  that  every 
one  has  acted  from  shall  be  certainly  known ;  and  there  will  be 
an  end  to  all  errors  of  this  kind,  and  all  unrighteous  censures. 

(3)  In   this   world,  ministers  and  their  people  often   meet 
together  to  hear  of  and  wait  upon  an  unseen  Lord  ;  but  at  the 
day  of  judgment  they  shall  meet  in  his  most  immediate  and 
visible  presence. 

Ministers,  who  now  often  meet  their  people  to  preach  to  'em' 
the  King  eternal,  immortal,  and  invisible,  to  convince  'em  that 
thei'j  is  a  God,  and  declare  to  'em  what  manner  of  being  he  is, 
and  to  convince  'em  that  he  governs  and  will  judge  the  world, 
and  that  there  is  a  future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments,  and 
to  preach  to  'em  a  Christ  in  heaven  and  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  in  an  unseen  world,  shall  then  meet  their  people  in  the 
most  immediate  sensible  presence  of  this  great  God,  Saviour 
and  Judge,  appearing  in  the  most  plain,  visible  and  open  man 
ner,  with  great  glory,  with  all  his  holy  angels,  before  them  and 
the  whole  world.  They  shall  not  meet  them  to  hear  about  an 
absent  Christ,  an  unseen  Lord  and  IV.ture  Judge ;  but  to  appear 
before  that  Judge,  and  as  being  set  together  in  the  presence  of 
that  supreme  Lord,  in  his  immense  glory  and  awful  majesty, 
whom  they  have  heard  so  often  of  in  their  meetings  together  on 
earth. 

(4)  The  meeting,  at. the  last  day,  of  ministers,  and  the  peo 
ple  that  have  been  under  their  care,  will  not  be  attended  by 
any  one  with  a  careless,  heedless  heart. 

With  such  an  heart  are  their  meetings  often  attended  in  this 
world  by  many  persons,  having  little  regard  to  him  whom  they 
pretend  unitedly  to  adore  in  the  solemn  duties  of  his  public- 
worship,  taking  little  heed  to  their  own  thoughts  or  frame  of 
their  minds,  not  attending  to  the  business  they  are  engaged  in, 
or  considering  the  end  for  which  they  are  conic  together.  But 


128  SELECTED   SERMONS 

the  meeting  at  that  great  day  will  be  very  different :  there  will 
not  be  one  careless  heart,  no  sleeping,  no  wandering  of  mind 
from  the  great  concern  of  the  meeting,  no  inattentiveness  to  the 
business  of  the  day,  no  regardlessness  of  the  presence  they  an; 
in,  or  of  those  great  things  which  they  shall  hear  from  Christ 
at  that  meeting,  or  that  they  formerly  heard  from  him  and  of 
him  by  their  ministers,  in  their  meeting  in  a  state  of  trial,  or 
which  they  shall  now  hear  their  ministers  declaring  concerning 
them  before  their  judge. 

Having  observed  these  things  concerning  the  manner  and 
circumstances  of  this  future  meeting  of  ministers  and  the  peo 
ple  that  have  been  under  their  care,  before  the  tribunal  of 
Christ  at  the  day  of  judgment,  I  now  proceed, 

II.    To  observe  to  what  purposes  they  shall  then  meet. 

1.  To  give  an  account,  before  the  great  Judge,  of  their  be 
havior  one  to  another  in  the  relation  they  stood  in  to  each  other 
in  this  world. 

Ministers  are  sent  forth  by  Christ  to  their  people  on  his 
business,  are  his  servants  and  messengers  ;  and,  when  they  have 
finished  their  service,  they  must  return  to  their  master  to  give 
him  an  account  of  what  they  have  done,  and  of  the  entertain 
ment  they  have  had  in  performing  their  ministry.  Thus  we 
find,  in  Luke  xiv.  10-21,  that  when  the  servant  who  was  sent 
fortli  to  call  the  guests  to  the  great  supper  had  done  his  errand, 
and  finished  his  appointed  service,  he  returned  to  his  master, 
and  gave  him  an  account  of  what  he  had  done,  and  of  the  enter 
tainment  he  had  received.  And  when  the  master,  being  angry, 
sent  his  servant  to  others,  lie  returns  again,  and  gives  his  master 
an  account  of  his  conduct  and  success.  So  wo  read,  in  Ileb. 
xiii.  17,  of  ministers  being  rulers  in  the  house  of  God,  "that 
watch  for  souls,  as  those  that  must  give  account."  And  we 
see  by  the  foretnentioned  Luke  xiv.,  that  ministers  must  give 
an  account  to  their  master,  not  only  of  their  own  behavior 
in  the  discharge  of  their  oilice,  but  also  of  their  people's  recep- 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  120 

tion  of  them,  and  of  the  treatment  they  have  met  with  among 
them. 

And  therefore,  as  they  will  be  called  to  give  an  account  of 
both,  they  shall  give  an  account  at  the  great  day  of  accounts  in 
the  presence  of  their  people  ;  they  and  their  people  being  both 
present  before  their  Judge. 

Faithful  ministers  will  then  give  an  account  with  joy,  con 
cerning  those  who  have  received  them  well  and  made  a  good 
improvement  of  their  ministry  ;  and  these  will  be  given  'em,  at 
that  day,  as  their  crown  of  rejoicing.  And,  at  the  same  time, 
they  will  give  an  account  of  the  ill  treatment  of  such  as  have 
not  well  received  them  and  their  messages  from  .jQIuiiiL 


will  meet  these,  not  as  th>iy  used  to  do  in  this  world,  to  counsel^ 
and  warn  them,  but  to  bear  witness  against  them,  and  as  their 
judges  and  assessors  with  Christ,  to  condemn  them.  And  on 
the  other  hand,  the  people  will,  at  that  day,  rise  up  in  judg- 
mcnt  against  wicked  and  unfaithful  ministers  who  have  sought 
their  own  temporal  interest  more  than  the  good  of  the  souls  of 
their  flock. 

2.  At  that  time  ministers,  and  the  people  who  have  been 
under  their  care,  shall  meet  together  before  Christ,  that  he 
may  judge  between  them,  as  to  any  controversies  which  have 
subsisted  between  them  in  this  world. 

So  it  very  often  comes  to  pass  in  this  evil  world,  that  great 
differences  and  controversies  arise  between  ministers  and  the 
people  that  are  under  their  pastoral  care.  Though  they  are 
under  the  greatest  obligations  to  live  in  peace,  above  persons 
in  almost  any  relation  whatever;  and  although  contests  and 
dissensions  between  persons  so  related  are  the  most  unhappy 
and  terrible  in  their  consequences,  on  many  accounts,  of  any 
sort  of  contentions;  yet  how  frequent  have  such  contentions 
been  !  Sometimes  a  people  contest  with  their  ministers  about 
their  doctrine,  sometimes  about  their  administrations  and  con 
duct,  and  sometimes  about  their  maintenance  :  and  sometimes 

K 


130  SELECTED  SERMONS 

such  contests  continue  a  long  time;  and  sometimes  they  are 
decided  in  this  world  according  to  the  prevailing  interest  of 
one  party  or  the  other,  rather  than  by  the  word  of  God  and 
the  reason  of  things ;  and  sometimes  such  controversies  never 
have  any  proper  determination  in  this  world. 

But  at  the  day  of  judgment  there  will  be  a  full,  perfect  a/id 
everlasting  decision  of  them.  The  infallible  Judge,  the  infin 
ite  fountain  of  light,  truth  and  justice,  will  judge  between  the 
contending  parties,  and  will  declare  what  is  the  truth,  who  is 
in  r,he  right,  and  what  is  agreeable  to  his  mind  find  will.  And 
in  order  hereto  the  parties  must  stand  together  before  him  at 
the  last  day ;  which  will  be  the  great  day  of  finishing  and 
determining  all  controversies,  rectifying  all  mistakes  and  abol 
ishing  all  unrighteous  judgments,  errors  and  confusions,  which 
have  before  subsisted  in  the  world  of  mankind. 

3.    Ministers,  and   the  people  that   have  been  under   their 

care,  must  meet  together   at  that  time  to  receive   an  eternal 

sentence  and   retribution  from  the  judge,  in  the  presence  of 

each  other,  according  to  their   behavior  in  the   relation  they 

^stood  in  one  to  another  in  the  present  state. 

The  Judge  will  not  only  declare  justice,  but  he  will  do  jus 
tice  between  ministers  and  their  people.  He  will  declare  what 
is  right  between  them,  approving  him  that  has  been  just  and 
faithful,  and  condemning  the  unjust ;  and  perfect  truth  and 
equity  shall  take  place  in  the  sentence  which  he  passes,  in  the 
rewards  he  bestows  and  the  punishments  which  he  inflicts. 
There  shall  be  a  glorious  reward  to  faithful  ministers  :  to  those 
who  have  been  successful :  Dan.  xii.  3,  "  And  they  that  be 
wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they 
that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever;" 
and  also  to  those  who  have  been  faithful,  and  yet  not  success 
ful  :  Isa.  xlix.  4,  "  Then  I  said,  I  have  labored  in  vain,  I  have 
spent  my  strength  for  nought :  yet  surely  my  judgment  is  with 
the  Lord,  and  my  reward  with  my  God."  And  those  who 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  131 

have  well  received  and   entertained   themjjhall  be  gloriously 
rewarded:  Matt.  x.  40,  41,  " He  that]  receiveth  you  receiveth 
me,  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receTvefli'  him  that  sent  me.     He 
that  receiveth  a  prophet  in  the  name  of  a  prophet  shall  receive 
a  prophet's  reward  ;  and  he  that  receiveth  a  righteous  man  in 
the  name  of  a  rignteous  man  shall  receive  a  righteous  man's 
reward  "     Such  people,  and  their  faithful  ministers,  shall  be 
each  other's  crown  of  rejoicing :  1  Thess.  ii.  19,  20,  "  For  what 
is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing?     Are  not  even  ye  in 
the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming?     For  ye 
are  our  glory  and  joy."     And  in  the  text,  We  are  your  re 
joicing,  as  ye  also  are  ours,  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
But  they  that  evil  entreat  Christ's  faithful  ministers,  especially 
in  that  wherein  they  are  faithful,  shall  be  severely  punished : 
Matt.  x.  14,  15,   "And  whosoever  shall  not  receive  you,  nor 
hear  'your  words,  when  ye  depart  out  of  that  house  or  city, 
shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet.     Verily  1  say  unto  you,  It 
shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  sinners  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that  city."      Dcut.  xxxiii. 
8-11,  "And  of  Levi  he  said,  Let  thy  Urim  and  thy  Thunr  :im 
be  with  thy  holy  one.  .  .  .     They  shall  teach  Jacob  thy  judg 
ments,  and  Israel  thy  law.  .  .  .     Bless,  Lord,  his  substance, 
and  accept  the  work  of  his  hands :  smite  through  the  bins  oi 
them  that  rise  against  him,  and  of  them  that  hate  him,  that 
they  rise  not  a^ain."     On  the  other  hand,  those  ministers  who 
are  found  to  have  been  unfaithful  shall  have  a  most  terrible 
punishment.     See  Ezek.  xxxiii.  G  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  1-33. 

Thus  justice  shall  be  administered  at  the  groat  day  to  min 
isters  and  their  people.  And  to  that  end  they  shall  meet  to 
gether,  that  they  may  not  only  receive  justice  to  themselves, 
but  see  justice  done  to  the  other  party  :  for  this  is  the  end  of 
that  great  day,  to  reveal  or  declare  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God,  Rom.  ii.  5.  Ministers  shall  have  justice  done  them,  and 
they  shall  see  Justice  done  to  their  people  :  and  the  people 


132  SELECTED   SERMONS 

shall  receive  justice  and  see  justice  done  to  their  minister. 
And  so  all  things  will  be  adjusted  and  settled  forever  between 
them ;  every  one  being  sentenced  and  recompensed  accord 
ing  to  his  works,  either  in  receiving  and  wearing  a  crown  of 
eternal  joy  and  glory,  or  in  suffering  everlasting  shame  and 
pain. 

I  come  now  to  the  next  thing  proposed,  viz., 
III.    To  give  some  reasons  why  we  may  suppose  God  has  so 
ordered  it,  that  ministers,  and  the  people  that  have  been  under 
their  care,  shall  meet  together  at  the  day  of  judgment,  in  such 
a  manner  and  for  such  purposes. 

There  are  two  things  which  I  would  now  observe : 
1.    The  mutual  concerns  of  ministe  .-s  and  their  people  are 
of  the  greatest  importance. 

The  Scripture  declares,  that  God  will  bring  every  work  into 
judgment  with  every  secret  tiling,  whether  it  be  good  or 
whether  it  be  evil.  'Tis  fit  that  all  the  concerns  and  all  the 
beliavior  of  mankind,  both  public  and  private,  should  be 
brought  at  last  before  God's  tribunal,  and  finally  determined 
by  an  infallible  Judge :  but  it  is  especially  requisite  ^Tfat  it 
should  be  thus,  as  to  affairs  of  very  great  importance. 

Now  the  mutual  concerns  of  a  Christian  minister  and  his 
/church  and  congregation  are  of  the  vastest  importance :  in 
many  respects,  of  much  greater  moment  than-  the  temporal 
concerns  of  the  greatest  earthly  monarchs  and  their  kingdoms 
*\or  empires.  It  is  of  vast  consequence  how  ministers  discharge 
their  otlice,  and  conduct  themselves  towards  their  people  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  in  affairs  appertaining  to  it.  'Tis 
also  a  matter  of  vast  importance,  how  a  people  receive  and 
entertain  a  faithful  minister  of  Christ,  and  what  improvement 
they  make  of  his  ministry.  These  things  have  a  more  imme 
diate  and  direct  respect  to  the  great  and  last  end  for  which 
man  was  made,  and  the  eternal  welfare  of  mankind,  than  any 
of  the  temporal  concerns  of  men,  whether  public  or  private. 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  133 

And  therefore  'tis  especially  fit  that  these  affairs  should  be 
brought  into  judgment  and  openly  determined  and  settled  in 
truth  and  righteousness ;  and  that  to  this  end,  ministers  and 
their  people  should  meet  together  before  the  omniscient  and 
infallible  Judge. 

2.  The  mutual  concerns. of  ministers  and  their  people  have 
a  special  relation  to  the  main  things  appertaining  to  the  day 
of  judgment. 

They  have  a  special  relation  to  that  great  and  divine  person 
who  will  then  appear  as  Judge.  Ministers  are  his  messengers, 
sent  forth  by  him  ;  and,  in  their  office  and  administrations 
among  their  people,  represent  his  person,  stand  in  his  stead,  as 
those  that  are  sent  to  declare  his  mind,  to  do  his  work  and  to 
speak  and  act  in  his  name.  And  therefore  'tis  especially,  fit 
that  they  should  return  to  him,  to  give  an  account  of  their 
work  and  success.  The  king  is  judge  of  all  his  subjects,  they 
are  all  accountable  to  him.  But  it  is  more  especially  requisite 
that  the  king's  ministers,  who  are  especially  intrusted  with  the 
administrations  of  his  kingdom,  and  that  are  sent  fortli  on  some 
special  negotiation,  should  return  to  him,  to  give  an  account 
of  themselves,  and  their  discharge  of  their  trust,  and  the  recep 
tion  they  have  met  with. 

Ministers  are  not  only  messengers  of  the  person  who  at  the 
last  day  will  appear  as"  Judge,  but  the  errand  they  are  sent 
upon,  and  the  affairs  they  have  committed  to  them  as  his 
ministers,  do  most  immediately  concern  his  honor  and  the 
interest  of  his  kingdom.  The  work  they  are  sent  upon  is  to 
promote  the  designs  of  his  administration  and  government ;  and 
therefore  their  business  with  their  people  has  a  near  relation  to 
the  day  of  judgment;  for  the  great  end  of  chat  day  is  com 
pletely  to  settle  and  establish  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom,  to 
adjust  all  things  that  pertain  to  it,  that  every  thing  that  is 
opposite  to  the  interests  of  his  kingdom  may  be  removed,  and 
that  every  thing  which  contributes  to  the  completeness  and 


134  SELECTED   SERMONS 

glory  of  it  may  be  perfected  and  conf.i.ied,  that  this  great 
King  may  receive  his  due  honor  and  glory. 

Again,  the  mutual  concerns  of  ministers  and  their  people 
have  a  direct  relation  to  the  concerns  of  the  day  of  judgment, 
as  the  business  of  ministers  with  their  people  is  to  promote  the 
eternal  salvation  of  the  souls  of  men  and  their  escape  from 
eternal  damnation ;  and  the  day  of  judgment  is  the  day 
appointed  for  that  end,  openly  to  decide  and  settle  men's 
eternal  state,  to  fix  some  in  a  state  of  eternal  salvation  and  to 
bring  their  .salvation  to  its  utmost  consummation,  and  to  fix 
others  in  a  state  of  everlasting  damnation  and  most  perfect 
misery.  The  mutual  concerns  of  ministers  and  people  have  a 
most  direct  relation  to  the  day  of  judgment,  as  the  very  design 
of  the  work  of  the  ministry  is  the  people's  preparation  for  that 
day.  Ministers  are  sent  to  warn  them  of  the  approach  of  that 
day,  to  forewarn  them  of  the  dreadful  sentence  chen  to  be  pro 
nounced  on  the  wicked,  and  declare  to  them  the  blessed  sen 
tence  then  to  be  pronounced  on  the  righteous,  and  to  use 
means  with  them  that  they  m;iy  escape  the  wrath  which  is 
then  to  come  on  the  ungodly,  and  obtain  the  reward  then  to  be 
bestowed  on  the  saints. 

And  as  the  mutual  concerns  of  ministers  and  their  people 
have  so  near  and  direct  a  relation  to  that  day,  it  is  especially 
fit  that  those  concerns  should  be  brought  into  that  day,  and 
there  settled  and  issued  ;  and  that  in  order  to  this,  ministers 
and  their  people  should  meet  and  appear  together  before  the 
great  Judge  at  that  day. 

APPLICATION 

The  improvement  I  would  make  of  the  things  which  have 
been  observed,  is  to  lead  the  people  here  present  who  have 
been  under  my  pastoral  care  to  some  reflections,  and  give  them 
some  advice  suitable  to  our  present  circumstances  ;  relatin^  to 

*•  /  O 


OA'  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  135 

what  lias  been  lately  done  in  order  to  our  being  separated,  as 
to  the  relation  we  have  heretofore  stood  in  one  to  another  ; 
but  expecting  to  meet  each  other  before  the  great  tribunal  at 
the  day  of  judgment. 

The'  deep  and  serious  consideration  of  that  our  future  most 
solemn  meeting  is  certainly  most  suitable  at  such  a  time  as 
this;  there  having  so  lately  been  that  done,  which,  in  all 
probability,  will  (as  to  the  relation  we  have  heretofore  stood  in) 
be  followed  with  an  everlasting  separation. 

How  often  have  we  met  together  in  the  house  of  God  in  this 
relation  !  How  often  have  I  spoke  to  you,  instructed,  coun 
selled,  warned,  directed  and  fed  you,  and  administered  ordinances 
among  you,  as  the  people  which  were  committed  to  my  care, 
and  whose  precious  souls  I  had  the  charge  of!  But  in  all 
probability  this  never  will  be  again.0 

The  prophet  Jeremiah  (chap.  xxv.  3),  puts  the  people  in 
mind  how  long  he  had  labored  among  them  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry  :  "  From  the  thirteenth  year  of  Josiah  the  son  of 
Ainon  king  of  Judah,  even  unto  this  day,  that  is  the  three  and 
twentieth  year,  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me,  and  I 
have  spoken  unto  you,  rising  early  an.'l  speaking."  I  am  not 
about  to  compare  myself  with  the  prophet  Jeremiah  ;  but  in 
tills  respect  I  can  say  as  he  did,  that  "  I  have  spoken  the, 
word  of  God  to  you  unto  the  three  a  ad  twentieth  year,  rising 
early  and  speaking."  It  was  three  and  twenty  years,  the  15th 
day  of  last  February,  since  I  have  labored  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  in  the  relation  of  a  pastor  to  this  church  and  congre 
gation.  And  though  my  strength  has  been  weakness,  having  v 
always  labored  under  great  infirmity  of  body,  besides  my  ' 
insufficiency  for  so  great  a  charge  in  .other  respects,  yet  I  have 
not  spared  my  feeble  strength,  but  have  exerted  it  for  the  good 
of  your  souls.  I  can  appeal  to  you  as  the  apostle  does  to  his 
hearers,  Gal.  iv.  13,  "Ye  know  how  through  infirmity  of  the 
flesh  I  preached  the  gospel  unto  you."  I  have  spent  the  prime 


136  SELECTED   SERMONS 

of  my  life  and  strength  in  labors  for  your  eternal  welfare. 
You  are  my  witnesses,  that  what  strength  I  have  had  I  have 
not  neglected  in  idleness,  nor  laid  out  in  prosecuting  worldly 
schemes  and  managing  temporal  affairs,  for  the  advancement 
of  my  outward  estate,  and  aggrandizing  myself  and  family  ; 
but  have  given  myself  wholly  to  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
lalwring  in  it  night  and  day,  rising  early  and  applying  myself 
to  this  great  business  to  which  Christ  appointed  me.  I  have 
found  the  work  of  the  ministry  among  you  to  be  a  great  work 
indeed,  a  work  of  exceeding  care,  labor  and  dith'culty  :  many 
have  been  the  heavy  burdens  that  I  have  borne  in  it,  which 
'my  strength  has  been  very  unequal  to.  God  called  me  to  bear 
these  burdens  ;  and  I  bless  his  name,  that  he  has  so  supported 
me  as  to  keep  me  from  sinking  under  them,  and  that  his 
power  herein  has  been  manifested  in  my  weakness ;  so  that 
although  I  have  often  been  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  I  have 
not  been  distressed  ;  perplexed,  but  not  m  despair ;  cast  down, 
but  not  destroyed. 

But  now  I  have  reason  to  think  my  work  is  finished  which  I 
had  to  do  as  your  minister :  you  have  publicly  rejected  me,  and 
my  opportunities  cease. 

How  highly  therefore  does  it  now  become  us  to  consider  of 
that  time  when  we  must  meet  one  another  before  the  chief 
Shepherd  !  Vv'hen  I  must  give  an  account  of  my  stewardship, 
of  the  service  I  have  done  for,  and  the  reception  and  treatment 
I  have  had  among,  the  people  he  sent  me  to :  and  you  must 
give  an  account  of  your  own  conduct  towards  me,  and  the 
improvement  you  have  made  of  these  three  and  twenty  years 
of  my  ministry.  For  then  both  you  and  I  must  appear 
together,  and  we  both  must  give  an  account,  in  order  to  an  in 
fallible,  righteous  and  eternal  sentence  to  be  passed  upon  us 
by  him  who  will  judge  us  with  respect  to  all  that  we  have 
said  or  done  in  our  meeting  here,  all  our  conduct  one  towards 
another,  in  the  house  <.»f  God  and  elsewhere,  on  Sabbath  days  and 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  137 

on  other  days  ;  who  will  try  our  hearts  and  manifest  our  thoughts, 
and  the  principles  and  frames  of  our  minds,  will  judge  us  with 
respeet  to  all  the  controversies  which  have  subsisted  between 
us,  with  the  strictest  impartiality,  and  will  examine  our  treat 
ment  of  each  other  in  those  controversies.     There  is  nothing 
covered  that  shall  not  be  revealed,  nor  hid  which  shall  not  be 
known ;   all   will    be  examined  in  the    searching,    penetrating 
light  of  God's  omniscience  and  glory,  and  by  him  whose  eyes 
are  as  a  flame  of  fire;   and   truth  and  right   shall  be  made 
plainly  to  appear,  being  stripped  of  every  veil ;    and  all  error, 
falsehood,   "unrighteousness    and    injury    shall    be    laid    open, 
stripped  of  every  disguise ;  every  specious  pretence,  every  cavil 
and  all  false  reasoning  shall  vanish  in  a  moment,  as  not  being 
able  to  bear  the  light  of  that  day.     And  then  our  hearts  will 
be  turned  inside  out,  and  the  secrets  of  them  will  be  made 
more   plainly    to    appear  than  our  outward  actions    do   now. 
Then  it  shall  appear  what  the  ends  are  which  we  have  aimed 
at,  what  have  been  the  governing  principles  which  we  have 
acted  from,  and  what  have  been  the  dispositions  we  have  exer 
cised  in  our  ecclesiastical  disputes  and  contests.     Then  it  will 
appear  whether  I  acted  uprightly,  and  from  a  truly  conscien 
tious,  careful  regard  to  my  duty  to  my  great  Lord  and  Master, 
in  some  former  ecclesiastical  controversies,  which   have   been 
attended   with   exceeding    unhappy    circumstances    and    con 
sequences  :  it  will  appear  whether  there  was  any  just  cause  for 
the   resentment    which    was   manifested    on    those    occasions. 
And  then  our  late  grand  controversy,  concerning  the  qualifica 
tions  necessary  for  admission  to  the  privileges  of  members  in 
complete  st.im.ling    in    the   visible  church    of   Christ,  will  be 
examined  and  judged  in  all  its  parts  and  circumstances,  and  the 
whole  set  forth  in  a  clear,  certain  and  perfect  light.     Then  it 
will  appear  whether  the  doctrine  which  I  have  preached  and 
published    concerning    this    matter  be  Christ's    own    doctrine, 
whether  he  will  not  own  it  as  one  of  the  precious  truths  which 


138  SKLKCTKD    SERMONS 

have  proceeded  from  hi.s  own  mouth,  and  vindicate  and  honor 
as  such  before  the  whole  universe.  Then  it  will  appear  what 
is  meant  by  "the  man  that  conies  without  the  wedding  gar 
ment";  for  that  is  the  day  spoken  of,  Matt.  xxii.  13,  wherein 
such  an  one  shall  be  bound  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  into  outer 
darkness,  where  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
And  then  it  will  appear  whether,  in  declaring  this  doctrine,  and 
acting  agreeable  to  it,  and  in  my  general  conduct  in  the  affair, 
I  have  been  influenced  from  any  regard  to  my  own  temporal 
interest  or  honor,  or  desire  to  appear  wiser  than  others ;  or 
have  acted  from  any  sinister,  secular  views  whatsoever;  and 
whether  what  I  have  done  has  not  been  from  a  careful,  strict 

(and  tender  regard  to  the  will  of  my  Lord  and  Master,  and  be 
cause  I  dare  not  offend  him,  being  satisfied  what  his  will  was, 
after  a  long,  diligent,  impartial  and  prayerful  inquiry ;  having 
this  constantly  in  view  and  prospect  to  engage  me  to  great 
solicitude  not  rashly  to  determine  truth  to  bo  on  this  side  of 
the  question,  where  I  am  now  persuaded  it  is,  that  such  a 

*  determination  would  not  be  for  my  temporal  interest,  but  every 
way  against  it,  bringing  a  long  scries  of  extreme  difficulties  and 
plunging  me  into  an  abyss  of  trouble  and  sorrow.  And  then  it 
will  appear  whether  my  people  have  done  their  duty  to  their 
pastor  with  respect  to  this  matter ;  whether  they  have  shown  a 
right  temper  and  spirit  on  this  occasion ;  whether  they  have 
done  me  justice  in  hearing,  attending  to  and  considering  what  I 
had  to  say  in  evidence  of  what  I  believed  and  taught  as  part 
of  the  counsel  of  God  ;  whether  I  have  been  treated  with  that 
impartiality,  candor  and  regard  which  the  just  Judge  esteemed 
due ;  and  whether,  in  the  many  steps  which  have  been  taken 
and  the  many  things  that  have  been  said  and  done  in  the 
course  of  this  controversy,  righteousness  and  charity  and 
Christian  decorum  have  been  maintained ;  or,  if  otherwise,  to 
how  great  a  degree  the.se  things  have  been  violated.  Then 
every  step  of  the  conduct  of  each  of  us  in  this  affair,  from  first 


OF  JONATHAN   EDWARDS  139 

to  last,  and  the  spirit  we  have  exercised  in  all  shall  be  examined 
uml  manifested,  and  our  own  consciences  shall  speak  plain  and 
loud,  and  each  of  us  shall  be  convinced,  and  the  world  shall 
know;  and  never  shall  there  be  any  more  mistake,  mis 
representation  or  misappiehension  of  the  affair  to  eternity. 

This  controversy  is  now  probably  brought  to  an  issue  be 
tween  you  and  me  as  to  this  world ;  it  has  issued  in  the  event 
of  the  week  before  last :  but  it  must  have  another  decision  at 
that  great  day,  'which  certainly  will  come,  when  you  and  I  shall 
meet  together  before  the  great  judgment  seat :  and  therefore 
I  leave  it  to  that  time,  and  shall  say  no  more  about  it  at  pres 
ent. 

But  I  would  now  proceed  to  address  myself  particularly  to 
several  sorts  of  persons. 

.[.    To  those  who  are  professors  of  godliness  amongst  us. 

I  would  now  call  you  to  a  serious  consideration  of  that  great 
day  wherein  you  must  meet  him  who  has  heretofore  been  your 
pastor,  before  the  Judge  whose  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire. 

I  have  endeavored,  according  to  my  best  ability,  to  search 
the  word  of  God,  with  regard  to  the  distinguishing  notes  of  true 
piety,  those  by  which  persons  might  best  discover  their  state, 
and  most  surely  and  clearly  judge  of  themselves.  And  these 
rules  and  marks  I  have  from  time  to  time  applied  to  you  in  the 
preaching  of  the  word  to  the  utmost  of  my  skill,  and  in  the 
most  plain  and  searching  manner  that  I  have  been  able,  in 
order  to  the  detecting  the  deceived  hypocrite  and  establishing 
the  hopes  and  comforts  of  the  sincere.  And  yet  'tis  to  be 
feared,  that  after  all  that  I  have  done,  I  now  leave  some  of  you 
in  a  deceived,  deluded  state;  for 'tis  not  to  be  supposed  that"/ 
among  several  hundred  professors,  none  are  deceived. 

Henceforward  I  am  like  to  have  no  more  opportunity  to  take 
the  care  and  charge  of  your  souls,  to  examine  and  search  them. 
But  still  I  entreat  you  to  remember  and  consider  the  rules 
which  I  have  often  laid  down  to  you  during  my  ministry, 


140  SELECTED   SK11MON8 

with  a  solemn  regard  to  the  future  day  when  you  and  I  must 
meet  together  before  our  Judge  ;  when  the  uses  of  examination 
you  have  heard -from  me  must  be  rehearsed  again  before  you, 
and  those  rules  of  trial  must  be  tried,  and  it  will  appear 
whether  they  have  been  good  or  not ;  and  it  will  also  appear 
whether  you  have  impartially  heard  them,  and  tried  yourselves 
by  them ;  and  the  Judge  himself,  who  is  infallible,  will  try  both 
you  and  me :  and  after  this  none  will  be  deceived  concerning 
the  state  of  their  souls. 

1  have  often  put  you  in  mind  that,  whatever  your  pretences 
to  experiences,  discoveries,  comforts  and  joys  have  been,  at  that 
.   -day  every  one  will  be  judged  according  to  his  works;  and  then 
you  will  find  it  so.  / 

May  you  have  a  minister  of  greater  knowledge  of  the  word 
of  God  and  better  acquaintance  with  soul  cases,  and  of  greater 
skill  in  applying  himself  to  souls,  whose  discourses  may  be  more 

I  searching  and  convincing ;  that  such  of  you  as  have  held  fast 

:  deceit  under  my  preaching  may  have  your  eyes  opened  by  his ; 

j  that  you  may  be  undeceived  before  that  great  day. 

What  means  and  helps  for  instruction  and  self-examination 
you  may  hereafter  have  is  uncertain  ;  but  one  thing  is  certain, 
that  the  time  is  short,  your  opportunity  for  rectifying  mistakes 

•  in  so  important  a  concern  will  soon  come  to  an  end.  We  live 
in  a  world  of  great  changes.  There  is  no\v  a  groat  change  come 
to  pass;  you  have  withdrawn  yourselves  from  my  ministry 
under  which  you  have  continued  for  so  many  years  :  but  the 
time  is  coming,  and  will  soon  come,  when  you  will  pass  out  of 
time  into  eternity ;  and  so  will  pass  from  under  all  means  of 
grace  whatsoever. 

The  greater  part  of  you  who  are  professors  of  godliness  have  (to 
use  the  phrase  of  the  apostle)  "  acknowledged  me  in  part  "  : 
you  have  heretofore  acknowledged  me  to  be  your  spiritual  father, 
the  instrument  of  the  greatest  good  to  you  that  ever  is  or  can 
be  obtained  by  any  of  the  children  of  men.  Consider  of  that . 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  141 

day  when  you  and  I'shall  meet  before  our  Judge,  when  it  shall 
be  examined  whether  you  have  had  from  me  the  treatment  -which 
is  due  to  spiritual  children,  and  whether  you  have  treated  me  as 
you  ought  to  have  treated  a  spiritual  father.  As  the  relation 
of  a  natural  parent  brings  great  obligations  on  children  in  the 
sight  of  God  ;  so  much  more,  in  many  respects,  does  the  rela 
tion  of  a  spiritual  father  bring  great  obligations  on  such  whose 
conversation  and  eternal  salvation  they  suppose  God  has  made 
them  the  instrument  of:  1  Cor.  iv.  15.  "For  though  you 
have  ten  thousand  instructors  in  Christ,  yet  have  ye  not  many 
fathers  :  for  in  Christ  Jesus  I  have,  begotten  you  through  the 

gospel." 

II.  Now  I  am  taking  my  leave  of  this  people  I  woidd  apply 
myself  to  such  among  them  as  I  leave  in  a  Christless,  graceless 
condition  ;  and  would  call  on  such  seriously  to  consider  of  that 
solemn  day  when  they  aiul  I  must  meet  before  the  Judge  of  the 
world. 

My  parting  with  you  is  in  some  respects  in  a  peculiar  manner 
a  melancholy  parting ;  inasmuch  as  I  leave  you  in  most  melan 
choly  circumstances  ;  because  1  leave  you  in  the  gall  of  bitterness 
and 'bond  of  iniquity,  having  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on  you, 
and  remaining  under  condemnation  to  everlasting  misery  and 
destruction.  Seeing  I  must  leave  you,  it  would  have  been  a 
comfortable  and  happy  circumstance  of  our  parting  if  I  had  left 
you  in  Christ,  safe  and  blessed  in  that  sure  refuge  and  glorious 
rest  of  the  saints.  But  it  is  otherwise.  I  leave  you  far  of!', 
aliens  and  strangers,  wretched  subjects  and  captives  of  sin  and 
Satan  and  prisoners  of  vindictive  justice ;  without  Christ  and 
without  God  in  the  world. 

Your  consciences  bear  me  witness,  that  while  I  had  opportu 
nity,  I  have  not  ceased  to  warn  you  and  set  before  you  you; 
danger.  I  have  studied  to  represent  the  misery  and  necessity 
of  your  circumstances  in  the  clearest  manner  possible.  .  have 
tried  all  ways  that  I  could  think  of  tending  to  awaken  your  con- 


142  SELECTED   SERMONS 

•  sciences,  and  make  you  sensible  of  the  necessity  of  your  improving 
your  time,  and  being  speedy  in  flying  from  the  wrath  to  come 
and  thorough  in  the  use  of  means  for  your  escape  and  safety.  I 
have  diligently  endeavored  to  find  out  and  use  the  most  power 
ful  motives  to  persuade  you  to  take  care  for  your  own  welfare 
and  salvation.  I  have  not  only  endeavored  to  awaken  you, 
that  you  might  be  moved  with  fear,  but  I  have  used  my  utmost 
endeavors  to  win  you :  I  have  sought  out  acceptable  words, 
that  if  jrossible  I  might  prevail  upon  you  to  forsake  sin,  and 
turn  to  God,  and  accept  of  Christ  as  your  Saviour  and  Lord. 
I  have  spent  my  strength  very  much  in  these  things.  But 
yet,  with  regard  to  you  whom  I  am  now  speaking  to,  I  have 
not  been  successful :  but  have  this  day  reason  to  complain  in 
those  words,  Jer.  vi.  29  :  "  The  bellows  are  burnt,  the  lead  is 
consumed  of  the  fire  ;  the  founder  melteth  in  vain  :  for  the 
wicked  are  not  plucked  away."  'Tis  to  be  feared  that  all  my 
labors,  as  to  many  of  you,  have  served  no  other  purpose  but 
to  harden  you ;  and  that  the  word  which  I  have  preached, 
instead  of  being  a  savor  of  life  unto  life,  has  been  a  savor  of 
death  unto  death.  Though  I  shall  not  have  any  account  to 
give  for  the  future  of  such  as  have  openly  and  resolutely 
renounced  my  ministry,  as  of  a  betrustmcnt  committed  to  me : 
yet  remember  you  must  give  account  for  yourselves  of  your  care 
of  your  own  souls,  and  your  improvement  of  all  means  past  and 
future,  through  your  whole  lives.  God  only  knows  what  will 
become  of  your  poor,  perishing  souls,  what  means  you  may 
hereafter  enjoy,  or  what  disadvantages  and  temptations  you 
may  be  under.  May  God  in  his  mercy  grant  that,  however  all 
past  means  have  been  unsuccessful,  you  may  have  future  means 
which  may  have  a  new  effect ;  and  that  the  word  of  God,  as  it 
shall  be  hereafter  dispensed  to  you,  may  prove  as  the  fire  and 
the  hammer  that  brcaketh  the  rock  in  pieces.  However,  let 
me  now  at  parting  exhort  and  beseech  you  not  wholly  to  forget 
the  warnings  you  have  had  while  under  my  ministry.  When 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  143 

you  and  I  shall  meet  at  the  day  of  judgment,  then  you  will 
remember  'cm  :  the  sight  of  me,  your  former  minister,  on  that 
occasion,  will  soon  revive  'em  in  your  memory ;  and  that  in  a 
very  affecting  manner.  0  don't  let  that  be  the  first  time  that 
they  are  so  revived. 

You  and  I  are  now  parting  one  from  another  as  to  this 
world  ;  let  us  labor  that  we  mayn't  be  parted  after  our  meeting 
at  the  last  day.  If  I  have  been  your  faithful  pastor  (which 
will  that  day  appear,  whether  I  have  or  no),  then  I  shall  be 
acquitted,  and  shall  ascend  with  Christ.  0  do  your  part,  that 
in  such  a  case  it  may  not  be  so,  that  you  should  be  forced  eter 
nally  to  part  from  me  and  all  that  have  been  faithful  in  Christ 
Jesus.  This  is  a  sorrowful  parting  that  now  is  between  you 
and  me,  but  that  would  be  a  more  sorrowful  parting  to  you 
than  this.  This  you  may  perhaps  bear  without  being  much 
affected  with  it,  if  you  are  not  glad  of  it ;  but  such  a  parting 
in  that  day  will  most  deeply,  sensibly  and  dreadfully  affect  you. 

III.  I  would  address  myself  to  those  who  are  under  some 
awakenings. 

JJlessecl  be  God  that  there  are  some  such,  and  that  (although 
I  have  reason  to  fear  I  leave  multitudes  in  this  large  congrega 
tion  in  a  Christless  state)  yet  I  do  not  leave  them  all  in  total 
stupidity  and  carelessness  about  their  souls.  Some  of  you  that 
I  have  reason  to  hope  are  under  some  awakenings,  have 
acquainted  me  with  your  circumstances  ;  which  has  a  tendency 
to  cause  me,  now  I  am  leaving  you,  to  take  my  leave  of  you 
with  peculiar  concern  for  you.  What  will  be  the  issue  of  your 
present  exorcise  of  mind  I  know  not :  but  it  will  be  known  at 
that  day,  when  you  and  I  shall  meet  before  the  judgment  scat 
of  Christ.  Therefore  now  bo  much  in  consideration  of  that 
day. 

Now  I  am  parting  with  this  flock,  I  would  once  more  press 
upon  you  the  counsels  I  have  heretofore  given,  to  take  heed  of 
being  slighty  in  so  great  a  concern,  to  be  thorough  and  in  good 


144  SELECTED   SEKMOXS 

earnest  in  the  affair,  and  to  beware  of  backsliding,  to  hold  on 
and  hold  out  to  the  end.  And  cry  mightily  to  God,  that  these 
great  changes  that  pass  over  this  church  and  congregation  don't 
prove  your  overthrow.  There  is  great  temptation  in  them;  and 
the  devil  will  undoubtedly  seek  to  make  his  advantage  of  them, 
if  possible  to  cause  your  present  convictions  and  endeavors  to 
be  abortive.  You  had  need  to  double  your  diligence,  and 
watch  and  pray,  lest  you  be  overcome  by  temptation. 

Whoever  may  hereafter  stand  related  to  you  as  your  spiritual 
guide,  my  desire  and  prayer  is,  that  the  great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep  would  have  a  special  respect  to  you,  and  be  your  guide 
(for  there  is  none  teachcth  like  him),  and  that  he  who  is  the 
infinite  fountain  of  light  would  "  open  your  eyes,  and  turn  you 
from  darkness  unto  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God  ;  that  you  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance 
among  them  that  are  sanctified,  through  faith  that  is  in  Christ ; " 
that  so,  in  that  great  day,  when  I  shall  meet  you  again  before 
your  Judge  and  mine,  we  may  meet  in  joyful  and  glorious  cir 
cumstances,  never  to  be  separated  any  more. 

IV.  I  would  apply  myself  to  the  young  people  of  the  congre 
gation. 

Since  I  have  been  settled  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  this 
place  1  have  ever  had  a  peculiar  concern  for  the  souls  of  the 
young  people,  and  a  desire  that  religion  might  flourish  among 
them  :  and  have  especially  exerted  myself  in  order  to  it ;  because 
I  knew  the  special  opportunity  they  had  beyond  others,  and 
that  ordinarily  those  whor.i  God  intended  mercy  for,  were 
brought  to  fear  anil  love  him  in  their  youth.  And  it  has  ever 
appeared  to  mo  a  peculiarly  amiable  thing,  to  see  young  people 
walking  in  the  ways  of  virtue  and  Christian  piety,  having  their 
hearts  purified  and  sweetened  with  a  principle  of  divine  love. 
And  it  has  appeared  a  thing  exceeding  beautiful,  and  what 
would  l.)c  much  to  the  adorning  and  happiness  of  the  town, 
if  the  young  people  could  be  persuaded  when  they  meet 


OP  JONATHAN  KDWARUS  145 

together,  to  converse  as  Christians,  and  as  the  children  of  God ; 
avoiding  impurity,  levity  and  extravagance  ;  keeping  strictly  to 
the  rides  of  virtue,  and  conversing  together  of  the  things  of  God 
and  Christ  and  heaven.  This  is  what  I  have  longed  for :  and 
it  has  been  exceeding  grievous  to  me  when  I  have  heard  of  vice, 
vanity  and  disorder  among  our  youth.  And  so  far  as  I  know 
my  own  heart,  it  was  from  hence  that  I  formerly  led  this  church 
to  some  measures  for  the  suppressing  of  vice  among  our  young 
people,  which  gave  so  great  offence,  and  by  which  I  became  so 
obnoxious.0  I  have  sought  the  good,  and  not  the  hurt  of  our 
young  people.  I  have  desired  their  truest  honor  and  happiness, 
and  not  their  reproach ;  knowing  that  true  virtue  and  religion 
tended  not  only  to  the  glory  and  felicity  of  young  people  in 
another  world,  but  their  greatest  peace  and  prosperity,  and 
highest  dignity  and  honor,  in  this  world  ;  and  above  all  things 
to  sweeten  and  render  pleasant  and  delightful  even  the  days  of 
youth. 

Lut  whether  I  have  loved  you  and  sought  your  good  more  or 
less,  yet  God  in  his  providence  now  calling  me  to  part  with 
you,  committing  your  souls  to  him  who  once  committed  the 
pastoral  care  of  them  to  me,  nothing  remains  but  only  (as  I  am 
now  taking  my  leave  of  you)  earnestly  to  beseech  you,  from 
love  to  yourselves,  if 'you  have  none  to  me,  not  to  despise  and 
forget  the  warnings  and  counsels  I  have  so  often  given  you  ; 
remembering  the  day  when  you  and  1  must  meet  again  before 
the  great  Judge  of  quick  and  dead  ;  when  it  will  appear  whether 
the  things  I  have  taught  you  were  true,  whether  the  counsels  1 
have  given  you  were  good,  and  whether  I  truly  sought  your 
good,  and  whether  you  have  well  improved  my  endeavors. 

I  have,  from  time  to  time,  earnestly  warned  you  against  frol-  X 
icking    (as  it   is   called),   and   some   other  liberties   commonly 
taken  by  young  people  in  the  land.     And  whatever  some  may 
say  in  justification  of  such  liberties   and    customs,   and    may 
laugh  at  warnings  against  them,  I  now  kvave  you  my  parting 

L 


146  SELECTED  SERMONS 

testimony  against  such  things ;  not  doubting  but  God  will  ap 
prove  and  confirm  it  in  that  day  when  we  shall  meet  before  him.0 

V.    I  would  apply  myself  to  the  children  of  the  congregation, 
the  lambs  of  this  tlock,  who  have  been  so  long  under  my  care. 

I  have  just  now  said  that  I  have  had  a  peculiar  concern  for 
the  young  people  ;  and  in  so  saying  I  did  not  intend  to  exclude 
you.  You  are  in  youth,  and  in  the  most  early  youth:  and 
therefore  I  have  been  sensible  that  if  those  that  were  young 
had  a  precious  opportunity  for  their  souls'  good,  you  who  are 
very  young  had,  in  many  respects,  a  peculiarly  precious  oppor 
tunity.  And  accordingly  I  have  not  neglected  you  :  I  have 
endeavored  to  do  the  part  of  a  faithful  shepherd,  in  feeding  the 
lambs  as  well  as  the  sheep.  Christ  did  once  commit  the  care 
of  your  souls  to  me  as  your  minister  ;  and  you  know,  dear 
children,  how  I  have  instructed  you,  and  warned  you  from  time 
to  time  ;  you  know  how  I  have  often  called  you  together  for 
that  end  ;  and  some  of  you,  sometimes,  have  seemed  to  be 
affected  with  what  I  have  said  to  you.  But  I  am  afraid  it  has 
had  no  saving  effects  as  to  many  of  you  ;  but  that  you  remain 
still  in  an  unconverted  condition,  without  any  real  saving  work 
wrought  in  your  souls,  convincing  you  thoroughly  of  your  sin 
and  misery,  causing  you  to  see  the  great  evil  of  sin,  and  to 
mourn  for  it,  and  hate  it  above  all  things,  and  giving  you 
a  sense  of  the  excellency  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  bringing  you 
with  all  your  hearts  to  cleave  to  him  as  your  Saviour,  weaning 
your  hearts  from  the  world,  and  vausing  you  to  love  God  above 
all,  and  to  delight  in  holiness  more  than  in  all  the  pleasant 
things  of  this  earth ;  and  so  that  I  now  leave  you  in  a  miser 
able  condition,  having  no  interest  in  Christ,  and  so  under  the. 
awful  displeasure  and  anger  of  God,  and  in  danger  of  going 
down  to  the  pit  of  eternal  misery. 

But  now  I  must  bid  you  farewell  :  I  must  leave  you  in  the 
hands  of  God  :;  I  can  do  no  more  for  you  than  to  pray  for  you. 
Only  I  desire  you  not  to  forget,  but  often  think  of  the  counsels 


OF  JONATHAN  EDWARDS  147 

and  warnings  I  have  given  you,  and  the  endeavors  I  have  usad, 
that  your  souls  might  be  saved  from  everlasting  destruction. 

Dear  children,  I  leave  you  in  an  evil  world,  that  is  full  of 
snares  and  temptations.  God  only  knows  what  will  become  ",'' 
of  you.  This  the  Scripture  hath  told  us,  that  there  are  but  , 
fe\v  saved ;  and  we  have  abundant  confirmation  of  it  from  what/ 
we  see.  This  we  see,  that  children  die  as  well  as  others  :  mul 
titudes  die  before  they  grow  up  ;  and  of  those  that  grow  up, 
comparatively  few  ever  give  good  evidence  of  saving  conversion 
to  (Jod.  I  pray  God  to  pity  you,  and  take  care  of  you,  and 
provide  for  you  the  best  means  for  the  good  of  your  souls ;  and 
that  God  himself  would  undertake  for  you  to  be  your  heavenly 
Father  and  the  mighty  Redeemer  of  your  immortal  souls.  Do 
not  neglect  to  pray  for  yourselves :  take  heed  you  ben't  of  the 
Dumber  of  those  who  cast  off  fear  and  restrain  prayer  before 
God.  Constantly  pray  to  God  in  secret ;  and  often  remember 
that  great  day  when  you  must  appear  before  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ,  and  meet  your  minister  there,  who  has  so  often 
counselled  and  warned  you. 

1  conclude  with  a  few  words  of  advice  to  all  in  general,  in 
some  particulars,  which  are  of  great  importance  in  order  to  the 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  this  church  and  congregation. 

1.  One  thing  that  greatly  concerns  you,  as  you  would  be  a 
happy  people,  is  the  maintaining  of  family  order. 

We  have  had  great  disputes  how  the  church  ought  to  be 
regulated;  and  indeed  the  subject  of  these  disputes  was  of  great 
importance  :  but  the  due  regulation  of  your  families  is  of  no 
less,  and,  in  some  respects,  of  .much  greater  importance.  Every 
Christian  family  ought  to  be  as  it  were  a  little  church,  conse 
crated  to  Christ,  and  wholly  influenced  and  governed  by  his 
rules.  And  family  education  and  order  are  some  of  the  chief 
of  the  means  of  grace.  If  these  fail,  all  other  means  are  like  to 
prove  ineffectual.  If  these  are  duly  maintained,  all  the  means 
of  grace  will  be  like  to  prosper  and  be  successful. 


148  SELECTED   SERMOXS 

i 

Let  me  now,  therefore,  once  more,  before  I  finally  cease  to 
speak  to  this  congregation,  repeat  and  earnestly  press  the  coun 
sel  which  I  have  often  urged  on  heads  of  families  here,  while  I 
was  their  pastor,  to  great  painfulness  in  teaching,  warning  and 
directing  their  children  ;  bringing  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord ;  beginning  early,  where  there  is  yet 
opportunity,  and  maintaining  a  constant  diligence  in  labors  of 
this  kind  ;  remembering  that,  as  you  would  not  have  all  your 
instructions  and  counsels  ineffectual,  there  must  be  government 
as  well  as  instructions,  which  must  be  maintained  with  an  even 
hand  and  steady  resolution,  as  a  guard  to  the  religion  and 
morale;  of  the  family  and  the  support  of  its  good  order.  Take 
heed  that  it  be  not  with  any  of  you  as  with  Eli  of  old,  who 
reproved  his  children  but  restrain,  d  them  not ;  and  that,  by 
this  means,  you  don't  bring  the  li'ce  curse  on  your  families  as 
he  did  on  his. 

And  let  children  obey  their  parents,  arid  yield  to  their  in 
structions,  and  submit  to  their  orders,  as  they  would  inherit  a 
blessing  and  not  a  curse.  For  we  have  reason  to  think,  from 
many  things  in  the  word  of  God,  that  nothing  has  a  greater 
tendency  to  bring  a  curse  on  persons  in  this  world,  and  on  all 
their  temporal  concerns,  than  an  undutiful,  unsubmissive,  disor 
derly  behavior  in  children  towards  their  parents. 

2.  As  you  would  seek  the  future  prosperity  of  this  society, 
it  is  of  vast  importance  that  you  should  avoid  contention. 

A  contentious  people  will  be  a  miserable  people.  The  con 
tentions  which  have  been  among  you,  since  I  first  became  your 
pastor,  have  been  one  of  the  greatest  burdens  I  have  labored 
under  in  the  course  of  my  ministry  :  not  only  the  contentions 
you  have  had  with  me,  but  those  which  you  have  had  one  with 
another  about  your  lands  and  other  concerns  :  because  I  knew 
that  contention,  heat  of  spirit,  evil  speaking,  and  things  of  the 
like  nature,  were  directly  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  Christianity, 
and  did,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  tend  to  drive  away  God's  Spirit 


OF  JONATHAN  KDWAKDS  149 

from  a  people  and  to  render  all  means  of  grace  ineffectual, 
as  well  as  to  destroy  a  people's  outward  comfort  and  welfare. 

Let  me  therefore  earnestly  exhort  you,  as  you  would  seek 
vour  own  future  good  hereafter,  to  watch  against  a  contentious 
spirit.0  If  you  would  see  good  days,  seek  peace,  and  ensue  it, 
1  Pet.  iii.  10,  11.  Let  the  contention  which  has  lately  been 
about  the  terms  of  Christian  communion,  as  it  has  been  the 
greatest  of  your  contentions,  so  be  the  last  of  them.  I  would, 
now  I  am  preaching  my  farewell  sermon,  say  to  you,  as  the 
Apostle  to  the  Corinthians,  2  Cor.  xiii.  11,  12:  "Finally, 
brethren,  farewell.  Be  perfect,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace; 
and  the  God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you." 

And  here  I  would  particularly  advise  those  that  have 
adhered  to  me  in  the  late  controversy,  to  watch  over  their 
spirits  and  avoid  all  bitterness  towards  others.  Your  tempta 
tions  are,  in  some  respects,  the  greatest ;  because  what  has 
been  lately  done  is  grievous  to  you.  !>ut  however  wrong  you 
may  think  others  have  done,  maintain,  with  great  diligence 
and  watchfulness,  a  Christian  meekness  and  sedateness  of 
spirit ;  and  labor,  in  this  respect,  to  excel  others  who  are  of  the 
contrary  part.  And  this  will  be  the  best  victory  :  for  "  he  that 
rules  his  spirit,  is  better  than  he  that  takes  a  city."  Therefore 
let  nothing  be  done  through  strife  or  vainglory.  Indulge  no 
revengeful  spirit  in  any  wise;  but  watch  and  pray  against  it; 
and,  by  all  means  in  your  power,  seek  the  prosperity  of  tliQ 
town :  and  never  think  you  behave  yourselves  as  becomes 
Christians,  but  when  you  sincerely,  sensibly  and  fervently  love 
all  men,  of  whatever  party  or  opinion,  and  whether  friendly  or 
unkinT17just  or  injurious,  to  you  or  your  friends,  or  to  the  cause 
and  kingdom  of  Christ. 

.'5.  Another  tiling  that  vastly  concerns  the  future  prosperity 
of  this  town,  is,  that  you  should  watch  against  the  encroach 
ments  of  error  ;  and  particularly  Arminianism  and  doctrines 
of  like  tendency. 


150  SELECTED   SERMONS 

You  were,  many  of  you,  as  I  well  remember,  much  alarmed 
with  the  apprehension  of  the  danger  of  the  prevailing  of  these 
corrupt  principles  near  sixteen  years  ago.  But  the  danger  then 
was  small  in  comparison  of  what  appears  now.  These  doctrines 
at  this  day  are  much  more  prevalent  than  they  were  then  :  the 
progress  they  have  made  in  the  land,  within  this  seven  years, 
seems  to  have  been  vastly  greater  than  at  any  time  in  the  like 
space  before :  and  they  are  still  prevailing  and  creeping  into 
almost  all  parts  of  the  land,  threatening  the  utter  ruin  of  the 
credit  of  those  doctrines  which  are  the  peculiar  glory  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  interests  of  vital  piety.  And  I  have  of  late 
perceived  some  things  among  yourselves  that  show  that  you 
are  far  from  being  out  of  danger,  but  on  the  contrary  remark 
ably  exposed.  The  older  people  may  perhaps  think  themselves 
sufliciently  fortified  against  infection  ;  but  it  is  n't  that  all 
should  beware  of  self-confidence  and  carnal  security,  and  should 
remember  those  needful  warnings  of  sacred  writ,  "  Be  not  high- 
minded,  but  fear  ;"  ;tnd  "let  him  that  stands,  take  heed  Jest  he 
fall."  But  let  the  case  of  the  older  people  be  as  it  will,  the 
rising  generation  are  doubtless  greatly  expose*  1.  These  principles 
are  exceeding  taking  with  corrupt  nature,  and  are  what  young 
people,  at  least  such  as  have  not  their  hearts  established  with 
grace,  are  easily  led  away  with. 

And  if  these  principles  should  greatly  prevail  in  this  town, 
as  they  very  lately  have  done  in  another  large  town  I  could 
name,  formerly  greatly  noted  for  religion,  and  so  for  a  long 
time,  it  will  threaten  the  spiritual  and  eternal  ruin  of  this 
people  in  the  present  and  future  generations.  Therefore  yon 
have  need  of  the  greatest  and  most  diligent  care  and  watchful 
ness  with  respect  to  this  matter. 

4.  Another  thing  which  I  would  advise  to,  that  you  may 
hereafter  be  a  prosperous  people,  is,  that  you  would  give  your 
selves  much  to  prayer. 

God  is  the  fountain  of  all  blessing  and  prosperity,  and  he  will 


OF  JONATHAN^  EDWARDS  151 

be  sought  to  for  his  blessing.  I  would  therefore  advise  you  not 
only  to  be  constant  in  secret  and  family  prayer,  and  in  the  public 
worship  of  God  in  his  house,  but  also  often  to  assemble  your 
selves  in  private  praying  societies.  I  would  advise  all  such  as 
are  grieved  for  the  afflictions  of  Joseph,  and  sensibly  affected 
with  the  calamities  of  this'  town,  of  whatever  opinion  they  be 
with  relation  to  the  subject  of  our  late  controversy,  often  to  meet 
together  for  prayer,  and  to  cry  to  God  for  his  mercy  to  themselves, 
and  mercy  to  this  town,  and  mercy  to  Zion  and  the  people  of 
God  in  general  through  the  world. 

5.  The  last  article  of  advice  .1  would  give  (which  doubtless 
does  greatly  concern  your  prosperity),  is,  that  you  would  take 
great  care  with  regard  to  the  settlement  of  j  minister,  to  see 
to  it  who,  or  what" manner  of  person  he  is  thai,  you  settle;  and 
particularly  in  those  two  respects : 

(1)  That  he  be  a  man  of  thoroughly  sound  principles  in  the 
scheme  of  doctrine  which  lie  maintains. 

This  you  will  stand  in  the  greatest  need  of,  especially  at  such 
a  day_of  corruption  as  this  is.  And  in  order  to  obtain  such  a 
one,  youlufdliecd  to  exercise  extraordinary  care  and  prudence. 
I  know  the  danger.  I  know  the  manner  of  many  young  gentle 
men  of  corrupt  principles,  their  ways  of  concealing  themselves, 
the  fair,  specious  disguises  they  are  wont  to  put  on,  by  which 
they  deceive  others,  to  maintain  their  own  credit,  and  get  them 
selves  into  others'  confidence  and  improvement,  and  secure  and 
establish  their  own  interest,  until  they  see  a  convenient  oppor 
tunity  to  begin  more  openly  to  broach  and  propagate  their 
corrupt  tenets. 

(L>)  Labor  to  obtain  a  man  who  has  an  established  character, 
as  a  person  of  serious  religion  and  fer  ent  piety. 

It  is  of  vast  importance  that  tho;;e  who  are  settled  in  this 
work  should  be  men  of  true  piety,  at  nil  times,  and  i».i  all  places  ; 
but  more  especially  at  some  times,  and  in  some  towns  ar.d 
churches.  And  this  present  time,  which  is  a  time  wherein  reli- 


152  SELECTED   SERMONS 

gion  is  in  danger,  by  so  many  corruptions  in  doctrine  and 
practice,  is  in  a  peculiar  manner  a  day  wherein  such  ministers 
are  necessary.  Nothing  else  but  sincere  piety  of  heart  is  at  all 
to  be  depended  on,  at  such  a  time  as  this,  as  a  security  to  a 
young  man,  just  coming  into  the  world,  from  the  prevailing 
infection,  or  thoroughly  to  engage  him  in  proper  and  successful 
endeavors  to  withstand  and  oppose  the  torrent  of  error  and 
prejudice  against  the  high,  mysterious,  evangelical  doctrines 
of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  their  genuine  effects  in  true 
experimental  religion.  And  this  place  is  a  place  that  docs 
peculiarly  need  such  a  minister,  for  reasons  obvious  to  all. 

If  you  should  happen  to  settle  a  minister  who  knows  nothing 
truly  of  Christ  and  the  wny  of  salvation  by  him,  nothing  ex 
perimentally  of  the  nature  of  vital  religion  ;  alas,  how  will  you 
be  exposed  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd  !  Here  is  need  of  one  in 
this  place,  who  shall  be  eminently  fit  to  stand  in  the  gap  and 
make  up  the  hedge,  and  who  shall  be  as  the  chariots  of  Israel 
and  the  horsemen  thereof.  You  need  one  that  shall  stand  as  a 
champion  in  the  cause  of  truth  and  the  power  of  godliness. 

Having  briefly  mentioned  these  important  articles  of  advice, 
nothing  remains  but  that  I  now  take  my  leave  of  you,  and  bid 
you  &\\  farewell;  wishing  and  praying  for  your  best  prosperity. 
I  would  now  commend  your  immortal  souls  to  him,  who 
formerly  committed  them  to  me,  expect  ing  the  day,  when  I  must 
meet  you  again  before  him,  who  is  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead. 
I  desire  that  I  may  never  forget  this  people,  who  have  been  so 
long  my  special  charge,  and  that  I  may  never  cease  fervently 
to  pray  for  your  prosperity.  May  Cod  bless  you  with  a  faith 
ful  pastor,  one  that  is  well  acquainted  with  his  mind  and  will, 
thoroughly  warning  sinners,  wisely  and  skilfully  searching  pro 
fessors,  and  conducting  you  in  the  way  to  eternal  blessedness. 
May  you  have  truly  a  burning  and  shining  light  ,sct  up  in  this 
candlestick ;  and  may  you,  not  only  for  a  season,  but  during  his 
whole  life,  and  that  a  long  life,  be  willing  to  rejoice  in  his  light 


OF  JONATHAN  KDWA1WS  153 

And  let  me  be  remembered  in  the  prayers  of  all  God's  people 
that  are  of  a  calm  spirit,  and  are  peaceable  and  faithful  in 
Israel,  of  whatever  opinion  they  may  be  with  respect  to  terms 
of  church  communion. 

And  let  us  all  remember  and  never  forget  our  future  solemn 
meeting  on  that  great  day  of  the  Lord  ;  the  day  of  infallible 
decision  and  of  the  everlasting  and  unalterable  sentence.  AMEN.  X 


NOTES 


GOD  GLORIFIED  IN  MAN'S  DEPENDENCE 

1.  God  Glorified.  The  title-page  of  the  original  edition  of  this 
sermon,  the  first  work  published  by  the  author,  reads  as  follows : 
u  God  Glorified  in  the  Work  of  Kedemption  by  the  Greatness  of 
Man's  Dependance  upon  Him,  in  the  Whole  of  it.  Preached  on 
the  Publick  Lecture  in  Boston,  July  8,  1731.  And  published  at 
the  Desire  of  several,  Ministers  and  Others,  in  Boston,  who  heard 
it.  By  Jonathan  Edwards  A.M.  Pastor  of  the  Churcii  of  Christ  ir» 
Northampton.  Judges  7.  2.  — Lest  Israel  vaunt  themselves  against 
me,  saying,  mine  own  hand  hath  saved  me.  Boston :  Printed  by 
S.  Kneeland,  and  T.  Green,  for  D.  Henchman,  at  the  Corner  Shop 
on  the  South-side  of  the  Town-House.  1731." 

The  Public  or  Thursday  Lecture,  dating  from  the  ordination  of 
the  Kev.  John  Cotton,  in  1(538,  continued  with  occasional  inter 
ruptions  till  the  siege  of  1775,  later  revived  and  existing,  it  is 
claimed,  still,  or  until  recently  (see  Dr.  Samuel  A.  Eliot's  Preface 
to  Pioneers  of  Itcliffions  Liberty  in  Ainrriwi,  Boston,  11)03),  was 
famous  among  the  social  and  religious  institutions  of  colonial  Bos 
ton.  At  one  time  the  General  Court  regularly  adjourned  for  it ; 
that  the  Governor  should  keep  Christmas  and  neglect  it,  was  re 
garded  by  old  Judge  Sewall  as  a  matter  of  grave  reproach.  The 
preachers  were  selected  from  the  most  eminent  divines,  not  only 
of  Boston,  but  throughout  the  colony.  It  is  recorded,  for  instance, 
of  Solomon  Stoddard,  Edwards's  grandfather  and  predecessor  in  4.he 
Northampton  pastorate,  that  he  annually  attended  the  Harvard 

155 


1/56  NOTES  [PAGES  1-20 

Commencement  and  the  day  after  preached  the  Public  Lecture. 
It  was  a  great  honor,  therefore,  for  Edwards,  a  young  man  of 
twenty-seven,  to  bo  invited  to  preach  on  this  foundation. 

lie  himself  seems  to  have  fuiiy  appreciated  both  the  honor  and 
the  opportunity.  The  original  manuscript  shows  the  most  careful 
preparation.  In  the  statement  of  clie  Doctrine,  for  example,  there 
are  several  erasures  and  corrections  before  the  right  formula  is 
hit  upon.  The  printed  sermon  shows  still  more  elaboration. 
Edwards  chose  as  his  subject  one  aspect  of  a  theme  which  was 
central  and  controlling  in  his  thought  —  God's  sovereignty.  His 
mind  had  dwelt  on  this  subject  in  all  its  bearings  from  childhood. 
lie  had  especially  meditated  upon  it  as  it  related  to  the  doctrine  of 
decrees,  a  doctrine  which  lie  found  at  first  revolting,  but  in  the  end 
"exceedingly  pleasant,  bright,  and  sweet."  No  one  since  Augus 
tine  has  emphasized  as  he  has  done  the  absolute  sovereignty  of  God 
and  the  corresponding  dependence  of  man.  This  conception  of 
God's  arbitrary  will  —  arbitrary,  not  as  irrational  or  unrelated  to 
the  divine  justice  and  benevolence,  but  as  being  "without  restraint, 
or  constraint,  or  obligation"  —  was  not  only  the  backbone  of  his 
system,  but  its  heart,  the  principle  which  animates  and  pulses 
through  the  whole  of  it.  It  is  the  ultimate  basis  alike  of  his  philos 
ophy  and  of  his  religious  faith.  In  this  his  first  publication  as  in 
the  great  theological  treatises  which  were  his  last,  he  is  everywhere 
the  prophet-like  champion  of  this  supreme  idea  in  opposition  to 
all  those  schemes  of  divinity,  generally  denominated  Arminian, 
which  implied  in  his  view  a  degree  of  independence  in  man  ineon- 
sistent  with  the  absolute  sovereignty  he  regarded  as  the  distinguish 
ing  glory  of  God. 

The  sermon  created  a  profound  impression,  as  is  evident  both 
from  the  immediate  demand  for  its  publication,  indicated  on  the 
title-page,  and  fron  the  commendatory  preface  to  the  original  edi 
tion  signed  by  two  of  the  foremost  ministers  of  Boston,  the  ){ev. 
Thomas  Prince,  of  the  Old  South  Church,  and  the  Kev.  William 


PACKS  1-20]  XOTES  1~>7 

Cooper,  of  the  Brattle  Street  Church.     u  It  was  with  no  small  dif 
ficulty,"  these  gentlemen  write,    "that  the  author's  youth  and 
modesty  were  prevailed  on,  to  let  him  appear  a  preacher  in  our 
public  lecture,  and  afterwards  to  give  us  a  copy  of  his  discourse, 
at  the  desire  of  diverse  ministers,  and  others  who  heard  it.     But, 
as   we  quickly  found  him   to   be  a  workman   that  need  not  be 
ashamed  before  his  brethren,  our  satisfaction  was  the  greater,  to 
see  him  pitching  upon  so  noble  a  subject,  and  treating  it  with  so 
much  strength  and  clearness,  as  the  judicious  will  perceive  in  the 
following  composure  :    a  subject  which  secures   to  God  his  great 
design,  in  the  work  of  fallen  man's  redemption  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  is  evidently  so  laid  out,  as  that  the  glory  of  the  whole 
should  return  to  him  the  blessed  ordainer,  purchaser,  and  applier  ; 
a  subject  which  enters  deep  imo  practical  religion  ;  without  the 
belief  in  which,  that  must  soon  die  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men. 
We  cannot,  therefore,  but  express  our  joy  and  thankfulness,  that 
the  great  Head  of  the  Church  is  pleased  still  to  raise  up,  from  among 
the  children  of  his  people,  for  the  supply  of  his  churches,  those 
who  assert  and  maintain  these  evangelical  principles  ;  and  that  our 
churches,  notwithstanding  all  their  degeneracies,  have  sti.l  a  high 
value  for  just  principles,  and  for  those  who  publicly  own  and  teach 
them.     And,  as  we  cannot  but  wish  and  pray,  that  the  College  in 
the  neighbouring  colony,  as  well   as  our  own,  may  bo  a  fruitful 
mother  of  many  such  sons  as  the  author;  so  we  heartily  rejoice,  in 
the  special  favour  of  Providence,  in  bestowing  such  a  rich  gift  on 
the  happy  church  of  Northampton,  which  has.  for  so  many  lustres 
of  years,  flourished  under  the  influence  of  such  pious  doctrines, 
taught  them  in  the  excellent,  ministry  of  their  late  venerable  pastor, 
whose  gift  and  spirit  we  hope  will  long  live  and  shine  in  his  grand 
son,  to  the  end  that  they  may  abound  in  all  the  lovely  fruits  of 
evangelical  humility  and  thankfulness,  to  the  glory  of  God." 

(>.  It  was  of  mere  grace  ...  for  our  souls.     This  passage  may 
serve  to  illustrate  the  way  Edwards  expanded  his  sermons  for  the 


158  NOTES  [PAGES  21-44 

press  (see  Introduction,  p.  xxix).  The  manuscript  reads  as  follows : 
"The  Grace  in  giving  this  Gift  was  great  in  proportion  to  our  un- 
worthiness,  it  was  given  to  us  who  instead  of  meriting  that  of  G. 
which  is  of  such  Infinite  Value  merited  Infinite  111  of  him."  Then 
follows  a  space,  above  and  beneath  which,  between  the  lines,  are 
the  words,  "  in  proportion  to  the  blessedness  we  have  benefit  we 
have  given  in  him."  Continuing  :  u  the  giver  in  giving  this  gift  is 
great  according  to  the  manner  of  giving,  he  gave  him  to  us  Incar 
nate  he  gave  him  to  us  slain  that  he  might  be  a  feast  to  our  souls." 

THE  REALITY  OF  SPIRITUAL  LIGHT 

21.  Divine  and  Supernatural  Light.  The  original  title-page 
of  this,  the  author's  second  published  sermon,  reads  as  follows  : 
44  A  Divine  and  Supernatural  Light,  Immediately  imparted  to  the 
Soul  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  shown  to  be  both  a  Scriptural,  and 
Rational  Doctrine  ;  In  a  Sermon  Preaeh'd  at  Northampton,  and 
Published  at  the  Desire  of  some  of  the  Hearers.  By  Jonathan 
Edwards,  A.M.  Pastor  of  the  Church  there.  Job  28,  '20.  Whence 
then  cometh  wisdom?  and  where  is  the  place  of  understanding? 
Prov.  2,  (>.  The  Lord  giveth  wisdom.  Is.  42,  18.  Look  yc  blind, 
that  ye  may  see.  2.  Pet.  1,  10.  Until  the  day  dawn  and  the  day- 
star  arise  in  your  hearts.  Boston  :  Printed  by  S.  Kneeland  and 
T.  Green,  M,DCC,XXXIV."  The  sermon  has  a  preface  in  which 
Edwards  modestly  disclaims  any  forwardness  or  vanity  in  publish 
ing  it  and  begs  his  readers  to  peruse  it  without  prejudice  on  this 
score,  or  because  of  the  unfashionableness  of  the  subject.  This  to 
the  general  public.  What  he  says  to  his  own  people  shows  how 
affectionate  their  relations  to  their  young  minister  were  at  this 
time  and  how  high  his  regard  was  for  them  ;  it  has  a  pathetic 
interest  in  view  of  their  passionate  rejection  of  him  at  the  las!;. 
44 1  have  reason  to  bless  God,"  he  writes,  "that  there  is  a  more 
happy  union  between  us,  than  that  you  should  be  prejudiced 


PAGES  21-44]  NOTES  159 

against  any  thing  of  mine,  because  His  mine."  He  felicitates  them 
on  having  been  instructed  in  such  doctrines  as  those  in  the  sermon 
from  the  beginning.  "  And  I  rejoice  in  it,'1  he  adds,  "  that  Provi 
dence,  in  this  day  of  Corruption  and  Confusion,  has  cast  my  lot 
where  such  doctrines,  that  I  look  upon  so  much  the  life  and  glory 
of  the  Gospel,  are  not  only  owrf  d,  but  where  there  are  so  many,  in 
whom  the  truth  of  them  is  so  apparently  manifest  in  their  experi 
ence,  that  any  one  who  has  had  the  opportunity  of  acquaintance 
with  them,  in  such  matters,  that  I  have  had,  must  be  very  unrea 
sonable  to  doubt  of  it.1" 

This  is  justly  regarded  as  "one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  most 
eloquent'*  of  Edwards's  sermons  (A.  V.  G.  Allen,  Jonathan 
Edwards,  p.  67).  It  was  preached  at  a  time  when  the  signs 
were  multiplying  of  an  increased  interest  in  religion  among  the 
people  of  Northampton,  preluding  the  great  revival  of  the  next 
and  the  following  years.  The  original  manuscript  bears  the  date, 
August,  17:53.  The  death  of  .Mr.  Stcddard  in  1729  had  removed  the 
restraints  of  a  long-established  and  unquestioned  authority,  and 
the  results,  as  Edwards  describes  them,  were  deplorable.  "  It 
seemed,'"  he  says,  u  to  be  a  time  of  extraordinary  dullness  in 
religion:  licentiousness  for  some  years  greatly  prevailed  among 
the  youth  of  the  town  ;  they  were  many  of  them  very  much  ad 
dicted  to  night  walking,  and  frequenting  the  tavern,  and  lewd 
practices,  wherein  some  by  iheir  example  exceedingly  corrupted 
others."  "But  in  two  or  three  years  .  .  .  there  began  to  be  a 
sensible  amendment  of  these  evils,"  and  "at  the  latter  end  of  the 
year  173:5,  there  appeared  a  very  unusual  ilexibleness  and  yielding 
to  advice"  in  the  young  (Xurratire  <>f  Surprising  Conversion*}. 
The  improved  conditions  reacted  on  the  preacher  and,  as  a  conse 
quence,  we  have  the  sermon  on  Spiritual  Light. 

The  principle  enunciated  in  this  sermon  is  the  cardinal  and 
controlling  principle  of  the  whole  revival.  The  revival  is  just  its 
exhibition  and  the  experienced  evidence,  for  Edwards  at  least,  of 


XOTES  [PAGES  21-44 

its  truth.    Nothing  in  his  account  of  the  movement  is  more  impres 
sive  than  the  way  he  studies  it,  tracing  minutely  the  details  of  the 
process,  wondering  at  its  variety,  whereby  the  Holy  Spirit  makes 
real  and  effectual  the  divine  message  (see  Allen,  op.  cit.  pp.  143  It). 
There  was  nothing  essentially  new  in  the  principle  itself ;    that 
God  directly  influence:?  the  soul,  that  the  soul  is  capable  of  an 
immediate  intuition  of  divine  things,  tin's  had  been  the  common 
teaching  of  all,  and  especially  of  all  the  Christian,  mystics.     In 
deed,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  religion  as  a  form  of  personal 
experience  does  not  universally  involve  a  consciousness  of  some 
such  transcendent  relationship   (see  W.  James,  Varieties  of  7»V- 
Uijinns  EsperU-nc*',   Huston,    1H02,  pn.^im).     What   was   new   in 
Kdwards's  formulation  of  the  doctrine  was  his  manner  of  defin 
ing  it,  the  way  in  which  he  relates  it  to  the  other  parts  of  his 
system,  his  insistence  on  the  supernatural  character  of  this  divine 
illumination,  his  sharp  distinction  between  common  and  special 
grace.     His  doctrine  of  supernatural  light  appears,  in  fact,  as  a 
necessary  corollary  of  his  conception  of  the  relation  of  man  and 
Ood  in  the  work  of  redemption  expressed  in  his  sermon  on  Man's 
Dependence.     It  is  partly,  at  least,  from  this  point  of  view  that  it 
seems  to  him  not  only  scriptural,  but  reasonable.     It  was  a  doctrine 
intimately  connected  with  his  views  of  conversion.     It  was  on  this 
account  no  less  than  because  of  its  emphasis  of  a  mystical  rather 
than  a  moral  or  legal  principle  in  religion,  that  Edwards  can  speak 
of  the  doctrine  as  "  unfashionable."     The  tendency  of  the  age  was 
to  find  more  power  in  the  natural  constitution  of  man  than  he  was 
willing  to  allow.     Historically,  however,  it  is  in  just  this  emphasis 
on  the  inner  experience  of  the  light  and  life  of  (Jod  in  the  heart 
that  Kdwards  makes  the  transition  from  the  older  Calvinism  to  the 
more  liberal  theology  of  our  own  day. 

The  manuscript  of  this  sermon  is  more  than  usually  full  of 
erasures  and  insertions,  making  it  almost  impossible  to  read,  but 
suggesting  something  of  the  labor  and  caro  expended  on  its  compo- 


PAGES  45-03]  NOTES  161 

sition.  It  is  written  on  twenty-six  pages  of  the  size  of  the  facsimile 
in  this  volume,  the  last  page  containing  only  a  line  and  a  half. 
But  the  printed  sermon  is  more  fully  elaborated. 

RUTH'S  RESOLUTION 

45.  Ruth's  Resolution.  This  sermon  was  one  of  five  u  Dis 
courses  on  Various  Important  Subjects,  Nearly  concerning  the 
great  Affair  of  the  Soul's  Eternal  Salvation :  viz.  I.  Justifica 
tion  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  in 
Northampton,  chiefly  in  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.  Deut.  iv.  8  [D] 
—  Take  heed  to  thyself,  and  keep  thy  soul  diligently.,  lest  thou 
forget  the  things  which  thine  eyes  have  seen,  and  lest  they  depart 
from  thy  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  Boston  :  Printed  and  sold 
by  S.  Kneehuul  and  T.  Green,  in  Queen  Street  over  against  the 
Prison.  MDCCXXXVIII."  The  first  four  of  these  discourses  were 
preached  during  the  revival  of  17:>4~17.')r>  and  were  selected  by  the 
desire  of  the  people  as  those  from  which  they  had  derived  special 
benefit ;  the  fifth  was  selected  by  Edwards  himself  at  the  request 
of  some  persons  from  a  neighboring  town  who  heard  it,  and  be 
cause  he  thought  that  a  sermon  on  the  excellency  of  Christ  might 
appropriately  follow  the  others,  which  were  of  an  awakening 
character.  They  were  prefixed  to  the  American  reprint  of  the 
Narrative  of  fiiirprininy  Conversions,  which  was  first  published  in 
England.  The  cost  of  their  publication  was  defrayed  by  the  con 
gregation,  —  a  clear  evidence  of  their  deep  interest,  as  they  were  at 
the  time  heavily  burdened  by  the  expenses  of  the  new  meeting 
house.  See  Dwight,  Life  of  Edwards,  pp.  MO  f.;  cf.  n.  here  fol 
lowing,  p.  10*2. 


162  NOTES 


[PAGES  04-77 


The  sermon  on  Ruth's  Resolution  has  been  selected  as  the 
shortest  of  the  above  discourses  to  illustrate  a  type  of  revival 
sermon  in  marked  contrast  to  the  sermon  on  Sinners  in  the 
Hands  of  an  Angry  God.  They  all,  however,  bear  out  Edwards's 
own  testimony  concerning  his  preaching:  "I  have  not  only  en 
deavored  to  awaken  you,  that  you  might  be  moved  with  fear,  but 
I  have  used  my  utmost  endeavors  to  win  you"  (Farewell  Ser- 
inon).  The  manuscript  of  the  sermon  is  dated  April,  1735,  and 
it  seems  to  have  been  printed  very  nearly  as  it  wa.s  written. 

THE  MANY   MANSIONS 

69.  The  Many  Mansions.  The  Ms.  of  this  hitherto  unpublished 
sermon  is  dated,  "The  Sabbath  after  the  seating  of  the  New 
Meeting  House,  Dec.  25,  17.'J7."  The  occasion  was  one  of  special 
interest  to  the  people  of  Northampton.  The  old  meeting-house, 
erected  in  KJUl,  had  become  too  small  for  the  congregation,  and 
dangerously  dilapidated  ;  in  fact,  on  a  Sunday  in  March  in  the  year 
t'-p  ..iew  building  was  completed,  while  Edwards  was  preaching,  just 
after  he  had  "  laid  down  his  doctrines  "  from  the  text,  "Behold, 
ye  despisers,  wonder  and  perish,"  the  front  gallery,  "  with  a  noise 
like  a  clap  of  thunder,"  suddenly  and  dramatically  fell.  For 
tunately—by  a  special  providence,  it  seemed  to  Edwards  — no 
one  of  the  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  more  or  less,  involved  in  the 
catastrophe  perished,  or  even  had  a  bone  broken,  and  only  ten  were 
hurt  "  so  as  to  make  any  great  matter  of  it."  But  the  event  showed 
that  the  building  of  a  new  meeting-house  had  been  undertaken 
none  too  .soon.  The  question  of  this  new  building  had  been  brought 
forward,  in  the  town  meeting  of  the  spring  of  17:5:5,  but  it  was  first 
decided  on  in  November,  1735,  determined  in  part,  no  doubt,  by 
the  great  revival  of  that  year,  when  sixty,  eighty,  and  a  hundred 
were  received  into  the  church  on  successive  communions.  It  then 
took  two  years  to  complete  the  structure.  Incidentally,  sixty-nine 


PAGES  GMT]  NOTES  1C3 

gallons  of  rum,  besides  numerous  barrels  of  "  cyder  "  and  beer,  were 
consumed  by  the  workmen  during  the  erection  of  the  framework 
alone.  Sixty  men  were  engaged  at  5s.  a  day  for  this  part  of  the 
work,  "  they  keeping  themselves  "  —  as  Deacon  Hunt's  journal  has 
it  —  "  excepting  drinks." 

When  the  building,  like  several  others  of  the  period,  a  commo 
dious,  oblong  structure  with  a  tower,  belfry  and  weather-cock  vane 
at  one  end  of  it,  was  nearly  finished,  the  important  matter  of 
seating  the  congregation  was  taken  up.  This  also  was  an  affair 
of  the  town.  It  had  already  been  decided  at  the  annual  town 
meeting  in  the  spring  to  have  pews  along  the  walls  and  "seats"  or 
benches  only  on  both  sides  of  the  "alley  "  (broad aisle).  The  actual 
plan  of  the  sittings,  still  extant,  shows  pews  also  around  the  benches 
on  the  iloor,  separated  from  the  wall-pews  by  the  narrow  aisles, 
and  five  pews  in  the  gallery.  These  pews  were  of  the  high,  square 
variety,  with  seats  on  hinges,  and  were  evidently  regarded  as  places 
of  superior  dignity.  Towards  the  end  of  the  year,  the  town  held  a 
series  of  meetings  with  especial  reference  to  the  seating.  The 
question  of  primary  importance  concerned  the  apportioning  of  the 
sittings  according  to  social  rank.  At  the  meeting  in  November, 
a  committee  of  live  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  was  instructed  to 
draw  up  "their  Scheam  or  Plat.t  for  Seating  of  the  meeting  House 
and  present  it  to  the  Town"  for  approval.  The.  following  month 
the  committee  was  further  instructed  by  the  following  votes: 

"  1.  Voted  That  in  Seating  the  new  meeting  House  the  com 
mittee  have  Respect  prineipnlly  to  men's  estate. 

"2.    To  have  Regard  to  men's  Age. 

":;.  Voted  that  some  Regard  and  Respect  [be  paid]  to  men's 
usefullness,  but  in  a  less  Degree."  And  that  no  mistake  should 
be  made,  a  committee  of  six  was  appointed  to  "estimate  the  pews 
and  seats,"  that  is,  to  "dignify"  or  appraise  their  social  value. 

Another  connected  question  concerned  the  seating  of  the  sexes. 
At  the  meeting  in  November,  it  was  voted  that  males  should  be  at 


1C4  NOTES  [PAGES  G4-77 

the  south,  females  at  the  north,  end ;  the  men  at  the  right  of  the 
pulpit,  the  women  at  the  left.  At  the  first  meeting  in  December 
the  town  distinctly  refused  to  allow  men  and  their  \vives  to  sit 
together.  But  this  was  clearly  opposed  to  the  sentiment  of  some 
of  the  more  influential  members  of  the  community,  for  at  the 
adjourned  meeting  four  days  later,  when  u  The  Question  was  put 
whether  the  Committee  be  forbidden  to  Seat  men  £  their  wives 
together,  Especially  Such  as  Incline  to  Sit  together :  It  passed  in 
the  Negative."  Under  this  indirect  and  qualified  authorization, 
married  people  were  for  the  most  part  seated  together  in  the  pews, 
but  afnirt  on  the  benches,  while  in  some  cases  the  husband  was 
assigned  to  a  pew  and  the  wife  to  a  bench. 

The  events  and  conditions  here  described  are  reflected  in  Ed- 
wards" s  sermon,  especially  in  what  he  says  of  the  extent  of  the 
" accommodations"  in  heaven  and  in  his  remarks  on  the  "seats  of 
various  dignity  and  different  degrees  and  circumstances  of  honor 
and  happiness"  there,  as  compared  with  what  we  find  in  houses  of 
worship  on  earth. 

As  indicating  the  size  of  Edwards's  Northampton  congregation,  it 
may  be  interesting  to  observe  that  the  seating-plan  above  referred  to 
contains  the  names  of  nearly  six  hundred  persons.  And  ho  had  his 
audience  all  about  him.  The  pulpit,  surmounted  by  a  huge  sound 
ing  board,  was  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  longer  sides  of  the  build 
ing,  Tiot  at  the  end,  as  is  the  custom  now.  For  further  particulars, 
see  J.  11.  Trumbull,  History  of  Northampton^  Vol.  II,  Chap.  vi. 

This  sermon  is  more  fully  written  out  than  most  of  Edwards's 
unpublished  sermons.  In  preparing  the  copy  for  the  present  vol 
ume,  the  editor  had  in  mind  the  general  analogy  of  the  other  ser 
mons  heie  published.  The  abbreviations  —  X  (Christ),  G.  (God), 
E.  H.  (Father's  House),  etc.  —  have  accordingly  been  interpreted, 
and  omitted  sentences  or  phrases,  indicated  in  "the  Ms.  by  dashes 
or  spaces,  have  been  supplied  from  the  context.  All  such  addi 
tions,  however,  are  inserted  within  square  brackets. 


PAGES  78-97J  NOTES  165 


SINNERS  IN  THE  HANDS  OF  AN  ANGRY  GOD 

78.  Sinners  in  the  Hands  of  an  Angry  God.  The  full  title- 
page  of  this,  Edwards's  most  famous  sermon,  read  in  the  origi 
nal  edition  as  follows:  "Sinners  in  the  Hands  of  an  Angry  God. 
A  sermon  Preached  at  Enfield,  July  8th  1741.  At  a  time  of 
great  Awakenings ;  and  attended  with  remarkable  Impressions 
on  many  of  the  Hearers.  By  Jonathan  Edwards  A.M.  Pastor 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Northampton.  Amos  ix.  2,  3. — 
Though  they  dig  into  Hell,  thence  shall  mine  Hand  take  them  ; 
though  they  climb  up  to  Heaven,  thence  wiM  I  bring  them  down. 
And  though  they  hide  themselves  in  the  Top  of  Carmel,  I  will 
search  and  take  them  out  thence  ;  and  though  they  be  hid  from  my 
Sight  in  the  Bottom  of  the  Sea,  thence  will  I  command  the  Serpent, 
and  he  shall  bite  them.  Boston  :  Printed  and  Sold  by  S.  Kneeland 
and  T.  Green  in  Queen  Street  over  against  the  Prison,  1741." 

Benjamin  Trumbull  in  \\\A  History  of  Connecticut  (New  Haven, 
1818),  Vol.  II,  p.  14f>,  records  the  circumstance*  under  which  this 
sermon  was  delivered  as  told  to  him  by  Mr.  Whoelock,  a  minister 
from  Connecticut  (Enfield,  Conn.,  was  at  that  time  included  in 
Hampshire  County,  Mass.),  who  heard  it.  "While  the  people  in 
neighboring  towns,"  writes  Trumbull,  "were  in  great  distress  for 
their  souls,  the  inhabitants  of  that  town  were  very  secure,  loose, 
and  vain.  A  lecture  had  been  appointed  at  Enfield,  and  the  neigh 
boring  people,  the  night  before,  were  so  affected  at  the  thought 
lessness  of  the  inhabitants,  and  in  such  fear  that  God  would,  in  his 
righteous  judgment,  pass  them  by,  while  the  divine  showers  were 
falling  all  around  them,  a,s  to  be  prostrate  before  him  a  considerable 
part  of  it,  supplicating  mercy  for  their  souls.  When  the  time 
appointed  for  the  lecture  came,  a  number  of  the  neighboring  min 
isters  attended,  and  some  from  a  distance.  When  they  went  into 
the  meeting-house,  the  appearance  of  the  assembly  v/as  thoughtless 
and  vain.  The  people  hardly  conducted  themselves  with  common 


NOTES  [PACKS  78-97 

decency.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  of  Northampton,  preached,  and 
before  the  sermon  was  ended,  the  assembly  appeared  deeply  im 
pressed  and  bowed  down,  with  an  awful  conviction  of  their  sin  and 
danger.  There  was  such  a  breathing  of  distress  and  weeping,  that 
the  preacher  was  obliged  to  speak  to  the  people  and  desire  silence, 
that  lie  might  be  heard.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  same  great 
and  prevailing  concern  in  that  place,  with  which  the  colony  in 
general  was  visited."  The  circumstances,  thus,  under  which  this 
sermon  was  preached  were  exceptional ;  the  excitement  of  the 
Great  Awakening  was  at  its  height ;  the  congregation  to  whom  the 
sermon  was  addressed  were  notorious  for  their  apathy  ;  Edwards 
doubtless  felt  that  an  exceptionally  strong  presentation  of  their 
danger  was  necessary  to  arouse  them.  And  this  sermon  is  probably 
Uhe  most  tremendous  of  its  kind  ever  delivered  by  a  Christian 
vmiriister. 

The  kind,  however,  was  by  no  means  exceptional  in  Edwards's 
preaching,  particularly  at  this  period.  Ik'lieving  as  he  did  that  the 
decisions  of  men  in  this  life  were  fraught  with  the  most  momentous 
issaes  to  all  eternity,  he  held  it  his  bounden  duty  to  present  these 
issues  before  th»m  in  the  liveliest  manner  possible.1  The  Justice 
of  God  in  the  Damnation  of  Sinners  ;  The  Future  Punishment  of 
the  Wicked  Unavoidable  and  Intolerable  ;  The  Eternity  of  Hell 
Torments  ;  When  the  Wicked  shall  have  filled  up  the  Measure  of 
their  Sin,  Wrath  will  come  upon  them  to  the  Uttermost ;  The  End 
of  the  Wicked  contemplated  by  the  Kighteous ;  or,  The  Torments 
of  the  Wicked  in  Hell,  no  occasion  of  grief  to  the  Saints  in  Heaven  ; 
Wicked  Men  useful  in  their  Destruction  only, — these  are  among 

1  "If  I  am  in  danger  of  going  to  lu-11,  I  should  be  glad  to  know  as 
much  as  possibly  I  can  of  the  dreadfulness  of  it.  If  I  ;im  very  prone  to 
noglect  due  care  to  avoid  it,  he  does  me  the  best  kindness  who  does 
most  to  represent  to  me  the  truth  of  the  case,  that  sets  forth  my  misery 
and  danger  in  the  liveliest  manner."  — Sermon  on  The  Distinguishing 
Marks  of  a  Work  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 


PACKS  78-97]  NOTES  167 

the  titles  of  his'sermons.  Moreover,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that 
this  very  sermon,  or  its  like,  was  used  on  other  occasions  besides 
the  one  to  which  it  is  explicitly  ascribed.  There  is  a  tradition l 
that  Edwards  preached  it  once  when  Whitfield  had  disappointed 
an  audience  by  not  appearing,  and  that,  he  produced  a  great  effect 
by  it.  The  manuscript  is  dated  June,  1741,  which  suggests  that  it 
may  have  been  preached  in  Northampton,  or  elsewhere,  the  month 
before  it  was  attended  with  such  remarkable  impressions  on  the 
hearers  in  Enfield.  But  still  more  significant  is  the  existence  of  an 
undated  second  sermon  from  the  same  text.  In  this,  which  was 
undoubtedly  of  earlier  origin,  the  thought  is  somewhat  differently 
worked  out :  it  is  less  lurid,  less  fully  elaborated,  less  terrific  ;  but  it 
contains  many  of  the  ideas,  for  example,  on  the  uncertainty  of  life, 
the  suddenness  with  which  destruction  may  overtake  the  sinner, 
etc.,  that  are  found  in  the  Enfield  sermon.  Edwards  was  evi 
dently  fascinated  by  the  theme  ;  he  works  it  out  with  the  sure 
touch  of  a  great  artist,  with  the  intellectual  force  of  the  skilled 
dialectician.  And  he  proclaims  his  message  with  the  .intensity  of 
conviction  of  an  Old  Testament  prophet.  No  wonder  his  hearers 
were  moved.  The  effect  would  certainly  have  been  less  great  had 
there  been  any  note  or  personal  vindictivenesa  in  the  preaching. 
But  there  is  noching  of  this  ;  it  is  not  in  this  sense  that  the  sermon 
can  be  called  ''imprecatory."  On  the  contrary,  so  far  as  Ed- 
wards's  personal  attitude  is  concerned,  it  is  not  difficult  to  detect 
in  it  the  pathos  and  the  pity  of  the  gentlest  of  men  weeping  over 
the  senseless  folly  of  those  vho,  blind  to  impending  destruction, 
refuse  repeated  invitations  of  safety  (cf.  Matt,  xxiii.  37).  For  the 
rest,  he  is  quite  impersonal,  detached  ;  the  truth  lie  preaches  is 
sure,  awful,  but  objective.  On  the  modern  reader  the  sermon  is 
likely  to  produce  a  very  painful  impression,  unless  he,  for  his  part, 
reads  it  in  the  .same  impersonal,  detached  way.  It  is  not  only  the 

1  As  Professor  A.  V.  G.  Alien  informs  the  editor  in  a  letter,  Jan.  23, 
190-1 . 


V 


168  XOTES  .  [PAGES  78-97 

realism  of  the  presentation,  but  the  harshness  of  the  doctrine, 
1  which  offends.  Edwards,  for  instance,  frequently  speaks  of  the 
reason  why  sinners  are  not  immediately  cast  into  hell ;  but  the 
reason  assigned  is  not  the  mercy  or  goodness  or  love  of  God,  but 
His  mere  power  and  sovereign  pleasure.  This  is  one  aspect  of  the 
truth  of  the  spiritual  universe  as  Edwards  sees  it.  He  is  not  a 
sentimentalist;  he  proclaims  the  truth  as  lie  finds  it.  As  far  as 
Edwards  himself  is  concerned,  there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  ser 
mon,  or  in  any  of  hw  "imprecatory"  sermons,  so  called,  half  as 
revolting  as  Dante's  attitude  towards  sinners  in  hell.  Take,  for 
instance,  the  case  of  Filippo  Argenti  in  the  Lake  of  Mud  (Inferno, 
Canto  viii.)  :  u  4  Master,  I  should  much  like  to  see  him  ducked  in 
this  broth  before  we  depart  from  the  lake.'  And  he  to  me,  'Ere 
the  shore  allows  thee  to  see  it  thou  shall  be  satisfied  ;  it  will  be 
fitting  th.it  thou  enjoy  such  a  desire.'  After  this  a  little  I  saw  such 
rending  of  him  by  the  muddy  folk  that  I  still  praise  God  therefor, 
and  thank  Him  for  it.  All  cried,  ;  At  Filippo  Argenti ! '  and  the 
raging  Florentine  spirit  turned  upon  himself  with  his  teeth." 

80.  The  God  that  holds  you  .  .  .  drop  down  into  hell.  This 
is  probably  the  best  remembered  paragraph  in  this  all  too  well 
remembered  sermon.  Comparison  with  the  original  manuscript 
shows  some  interesting  variants  from  the  printed  text,  and  at  the 
same  time  gives  evidence  of  the  deliberateness  with  which  the  sen 
tences  were  wrought  out  with  reference  to  their  calculated  effect. 
For  both  reasons  the  passage  is  here  reproduced  as  written. 

"  You  are  over  the  pit  of  hell  in  Gods  hand  very  much  as  one 
holds  a  spider  or  some  loathsome  Insect  over  the  fire  &  'tis  nothing 
but  for  God  to  let  you  go  &  you  fall  in."  (Here  follow  four  un 
decipherable  lines,  which  apparently,  however,  do  not  belong  in 
this  connection.  The  passage  then  continues  on  the  next  page  of 
the  Ms.)  u&  this  G.  that  thus  holds  you  in  his  hand  is  very  angry 
with  you  &  dreadfully  provoked,  his  wrath  burns  like  fire,  you 
are  lothsome  and  hatefull  in  his  eyes  &  and  worthy  to  be  burnt  — 


PAGKS  78-97]  NOTES  1G9 

he  looks  upon  you  as  worthy  of  nothing  else  but  to  be  cast  into  the 
lire  you  are  ten  thous.  times  more  loathsome  in  his  eyes  than  the 
most  noisome  insect  in  the  eyes  of  us  men  £  you  have  offended 
him  a  thous.  times  so  much  as  ever  an  obstinate  rebel  did  his 
prince.  &  yet  you  are  in  his  hands  &  tis  nothing  at  all  but  his 
mere  pleasure  that  he  keeps  you  from  falling  into  hell  every  mo 
ment  there  is  no  other  reason  to  be  given  why  you  did  not  go  to 
hell  last  night  why  you  did  not  wake  up  in  hell  after  you  had  closed 
your  eyes  to  sleep  &  there  is  uo  other  reason  to  be  given  why  you 
have  [not]  drop'd  since  you  rose  in  the  morning  yea  since  you  sit 
on  here  in  the  house  of  G.  Provoking  his  pure  Eyes  by  your  sinful! 
wicked  manner  of  attending  his  Holy  worship  Yea  there  is  noth 
ing  else  to  be  given  as  the  Heason  why  you  dont  this  very  moment 
drop  down  into  hell." 

Between  the  sentences  here  separated  by  longer  spaces,  lines 
curving  from  the  lower  part  of  the  preceding  to  the  upper  part  of 
the  following  are  drawn,  indicating  possibly  rhetorical  pauses  in 
the  delivery  and  suggesting  to  the  modern  reader  a  succession  of 
waves,  wave  on  wave  of  horror,  each  more  overwhelming  than  the 
one  that  went  before. 

The  above  passage  is  contained  in  the  manuscript  under  division 
I.  of  the  "Application,"  division  II.  beginning,  "And  consider 
here  more  particularly  "  (p.  80).  The  four  divisions  thereafter  fol 
lowing  correspond  roughly  to  those  in  the  printed  edition,  but  are 
mere  headings,  and  differ  from  the  six  division;?  first  sketched. 
Inserted  in  the  manuscript  fr  :•  loose  sheet  containing  in  Edwards's 
handwriting  a  carc-ful  outli1-  of  the  whole  sermon,  such  as  he 
might  have  made  when  preparing  the  sermon  for  tho  press  or  used 
as  notes  for  preaching.  The  manuscript  of  the  entire  sermon  is 
short,  but  twenty-two  pages  of  writing  and  one  blank  leaf. 


170  NOTES  [PAGES  U&-117 

A  STRONG  ROD  BROKEN 

08.  God's  Awful  Judgment.  The  manuscript  of  this  sermon 
is  dated,  "  On  occasion  of  the  death  of  Col.  Stoddard  June  1748." 
It  consists  of  fifty-two  pages  of  the  usual  size  of  Edwards's  manu 
script  sermons,  but  with  the  unusual  feature  of  being  written 
in  double  columns.  The  paper  used  was  partly  that  of  letters 
addressed  to  Edwards,  the  writing  being  in  places  across  the 
address,  and  the  stamp  marks  being  removed;  partly  —  about 
twenty  pages  —  pieces  of  line,  soft  paper,  deep  cut  around  the 
upper  edges,  believed  to  be  scraps  of  the  paper  used  by  Mrs. 
Edwards  and  her  daughters  in  making  fans.  The  sermon  is  evi 
dently  written  at  high  pressure,  with  few  corrections  and  fairly 
fully.  The  title -page  of  the  first  edition  reads  as  follows:  UA 
Strong  Rod  broken  and  withered.  A  Sermon  Preached  in 
Northampton,  in  the  Lord's  Day,  June  2(3.  1748  On  the  Death 
of  The  Honourable  John  Stoddard,  Esq.  Often  a  Member  of  his 
Majesty's  Council,  For  many  Years  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Picas  for  the  County  of  Hampshire,  Judge  of  the  Probate 
of  Wills,  and  Chief  Colonel  of  the  Regiment,  &c.  Who  died  in 
Boston  June  It).  1748.  in  the  07th  Year  of  his  Age.  By  Jonathan 
Edwards  A.M.  Pastor  of  the  first  Church  in  Northampton.  Dan. 
iv.  .'>5 —  He  doth  according  to  his  Will  in  the  Army  of  Heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  Earth  ;  and  none  can  stay  his  Hand, 
or  say  unto  Him,  What  dost  thou  ?  Boston  Printed  by  Rogers 
and  Fowle  for  J.  Edwards  in  Cornhill  1748." 

Colonel  Stoddard  was  the  eighth  child  and  fourth  son  of  the 
Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  and  therefore  Edwards's  uncle  on  his 
mother's  side.  lie  was  a  man  of  great  prominence  in  all  the  lead 
ing  affairs  of  the  tow:i,  the  county,  and  the  colony.  '  tkllis  life," 
says  Trumbull  (History  of  North't.inpton,  Vol.  II.  p.  172),  "  was 
the  connecting  link  between  the  two  series  of  great  leaders  who 
the  affairs  of  Western  Massachusetts  for  nearly  a  cen- 


PAGES  98-117]  NOTES  171 

tury  and  three-quarters.  His  predecessors  were  John  Pynchon  of 
Springfield  and  Samuel  Partridge  of  Ilatfield  ;  following  him  came 
Joseph  Hawley  and  Caleb  Strong  of  Northampton,  and  these  five 
men  were  the  leaders  in  the  Colony,  the  Province  and  the  State.1' 
He  was  a  stalwart  upholder  of  royalty  and  the  royal  prerogative, 
and  for  this  reason  had  many  opponents  ;  but  the  general  esteem 
in  which  he  was  held  is  evidenced  by  his  many  offices  and  by  the 
fact  that  he  was  seventeen  times  reflected  the  representative  of  the 
county  to  the  General  Court.  lie  was  a  valued  friend  of  Governor 
Shirley,  in  connection  with  whom  there  is  a  characteristic  story  of 
him.  It  is  that  he  once  called  and  asked  to  see  the  Governor  when 
the  latter  had  a  party  dining  with  him,  but  declined  the  servant's 
invitation  to  come  in.  The  company  were  surprised  and  shocked 
at  what  they  regarded  as  an  act  of  discourtesy  to  the  chief  magis 
trate.  u  What  is  the  gentleman's  name?"  asked  the  Governor. 
UI  think,"  replied  the  servant,  "he  told  me  his  name  was 
Stoddard."  "Is  it?"  said  the  Governor.  "Excuse  me,  gentle 
men,  if  it  is  Col.  Stoddard,  I  must  go  to  him."  (From  DwiyhCs 
Trawls,  Vol.  I,  p.  ?>:}'2,  quoted  by  Trumbull,  op.  cti,  p.  17:5.)  His 
death  removed  one  of  Edwards's  strongest  supporters  and  probably 
contributed  to  the  tragic  issue  of  the  great  controversy  in  which 
the  preacher  was  now  engaged.  In  this  connection  it  is  interesting 
to  find  that  Colonel  Stoddard  in  17.'>0  helped  to  lay  out  the  township 
of  Stockbridge  and  that,  he  had  much  to  do  toward  establishing 
the  mission  to  the  Indians  there,  to  the  conduct  of  which  Edwards 
was  called  after  his  dismissal  from  Northampton.  Kd\vards\s 
sermon  is  an  eulogy,  but  there  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  it 
gives  on  the  whole  a  just  impression  of  Stoddard's  character,  ser 
vices,  and  attainments.  On  him,  see  further  Trumbull,  op.  cit. 
Vol.  II,  Chap.  xiii. 

110.  Present  war.  King  George's  French  and  Indian  War 
(1744--1748-0).  Colonel  Stodf'ard,  as  commander  of  the  Hamp 
shire  forces,  directed  the  military  operations  in  that  part  of  the 


172  NOTES  [PAGES  118-153 

country  until  his  de^th.  Major  Israel  Williams  of  Ilatfield,  who 
later  succeeded  to  the  command,  writing  under  date  of  June 
25,  1748,  to  Secretary  Willard,  says:  "We  are  now  like  sheep 
without  a  shepherd.  .  .  .  God  has  been  pleased  to  take  him 
(who  was  in  a  great  measure  our  wisdom  and  strength  and 
glory)  from  us  at  a  time  when  we  could  least  spare  him." 
(Trumbull,  op.  cit.  Vol.  II,  p.  158.) 

FAREWELL  SERMON 

118.  A  Farewell  Sermon.  "A  Farewel-Sermon  Preached  at 
the  first  Precinct  in  Northampton,  After  the  People's  pub- 
lick  Rejection  of  their  Minister,  and  renouncing  their  Relation 
to  Him  as  Pastor  of  the  Church  there,  On  June  22.  1750 
Occasioned  by  Difference  of  Sentiments,  concerning  thn  requisite 
Qualifications  of  Members  of  the  Church,  in  compleat  Standing. 
By  Jonathan  Edwards,  A.M.  Acts  xx.  18.  Ye  know,  from 
the  first  day  that  I  came  into  Asia,  after  what  Manner  I  have 
been  with  you,  at  all  Seasons,  ver.  20.  And  how  I  kept  back 
nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  you,  but  have  showed  you,  and 
have  taught  you  public kly,  and  from  House  to  House,  ver.  2(5, 
27.  Wherefore  I  take  you  to  Record  this  Day,  that  1  am  pure 
from  the  Blood  of  all  Men  :  For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare 
unto  you  all  the  Counsel  of  God.  Gal.  iv.  15,  1C.  Where  is  then 
the  Blessedness  ye  spake  of  ?  For  I  bear  you  Record,  that  if  it 
had  been  possible,  ye  would  have  plucked  out  your  own  Eyes,  and 
have  given  them  to  me.  Am  I  then  become  your  Enemy,  because 
I  tell  you  the  Truth  ?  Boston  Printed  and  sold  by  S.  Kneelanu 
over  against  the  Prison  in  Queen-Street.  1751."— -Title-page  of 
the  first  edition. 

The  preface  to  this  sermon  is  a  document  so  important  for  the 
understanding  of  it,  that  It  is  here,  as  is  usual  also  in  other  edi 
tion^  printed  in  full. 


PAGES  118-153]  NOTES  173 

Preface.  It  is  not  unlikely,  that  some  of  the  readers  of  the 
following  sermon  may  be  inquisitive  concerning  the  circumstances 
of  the  difference  between  me  and  the  people  of  Northampton,  that 
issued  in  that  separation  between  me  arid  them,  which  occasioned 
the  preaching  of  this  farewell  sermon.  There  is,  by  no  means, 
room  here  for  a  full  account  of  that  matter  :  but  yet  it  seems  to  be 
proper,  and  even  necessary,  here  to  correct  some  gross  misrepre 
sentations,  which  have  been  abundantly,  and  (His  to  be  feared)  by 
some  affectedly  and  industriously  made,  of  that  difference :  such 
as,  that  I  insisted  on  persons  being  assured  of  their  being  in  a  state 
of  salvation,  in  order  to  my  admitting  them  into  the  church ;  thatx 
I  required  a  particular  relation  of  the  method  and  order  of  a  per-  ' 
son's  inward  experience,  and  of  the  time  and  manner  of  his  con 
version,  as  the  test  of  his  litness  for  Christian  communion  ;  yea, 
that  I  have  undertaken  to  set  up  a  pure  church,  and  \o  make  an 
exact  and  certain  distinction  between  saints  and  hypocrites,  by  a 
pretended  infallible  discerning  [of]  the  state  of  men's  souls ;  that 
in  these  tilings  I  had  fallen  in  with  those  wild  people,  who  "have 
lately  appeared  in  New  England,  called  Separatists  ;  and  that  I 
myself  was  become  a  grand  Separatist ;  and  that  I  arrogated  all 
the  power  of  judging  of  the  qualifications  of  candidates  for  com 
munion  wholly  to  myself,  and  insisted  on  acting  by  my  solo 
authority,  in  the  admission  of  members  into  the  church,  £c. 

In  opposition  to  these  slanderous  representations,  I  shall  at 
present  only  give  my  reader  an  account  of  some  things  which  I 
laid  before  the  council,  that  separated  between  me  and  my  people, 
in  order  to  their  having  a  just  and  full  view  of  my  principles 
relating  to  the  affair  in  controversy. 

Long  before  the  sitting  of  the  council,  my  people  had  sent  to  the 
Keverend  Mr.  Clark  of  Salem  village,  desiring  him  to  write  in 
opposition  to  my  principles.  Which  gave  me  occasion  to  write  to 
Mr.  Clark,  that  he  might  have  true  information  what  my  principle's 
were.  And  in  the  time  of  the  sitting  of  the  council,  I  did,  for  their 


174  NOTES  [PAGES  118-15J 

information,  make  a  public  declaration  of  my  principles  before 
them  and  the  church,  in  the  meeting-house,  of  the  same  import 
with  that  in  my  letter  to  Mr.  Clark,  and  very  much  in  the  same 
words :  and  then,  afterwards,  sent  in  to  the  council  in  writing,  an 
extract  of  that  letter,  containing  the  information  1  had  given  to 
Mr.  Clark,  in  the  very  words  of  my  letter  to  him,  that  the  council 
might  read  and  consider  it  at  their  leisure,  and  have  a  more  certain 
and  satisfactory  knowledge  what  my  principles  were.  The  extract 
which  I  sent  in  to  them  was  in  the  following  words  : 

44 1  am  often  and  I  don't  know  but  pretty  generally,  in  the 
country,  represented  as  of  a  new  and  odd  opinion  with  respect  to 
the  terms  of  Christian  communion,  and  as  being  for  introducing;  a 
peculiar  way  of  my  own.  Whereas  I  don't  perceive  that  I  differ  at 
till  from  the  scheme  of  Dr.  Watts  in  his  book  entitled,  The  Rational 
Foundation  of  a  Christian  Church,  and  the,  Terms  of  Christian 
Communion ;  which,  he  says,  is  the  common  sentiment  of  fill 
reformed  churches.  I  had  not  seen  this  book  of  Dr.  Watts*  when 
I  published  what  I  have  written  on  the  subject.  But  yet  I  think 
my  sentiment^,  as  I  have  expressed  them,  are  as  exactly  agreeable 
to  what  he  lays  down,  as  if  1  had  been  his  pupil.  Nor  do  I  at  all 
go  beyond  what  Dr.  Doddridge  plainly  shown  to  be  his  sentiments, 
in  his  Ittsc  and  Progress  of  Religion*  and  his  flrrmons  on  Regen 
eration^  and  his  Paraphrase  and  Notes  on  the  New  Testament. 
Nor  indeed,  sir,  when  I  consider  the  sentiments  you  have  expressed 
in  your  letters  to  Major  Pomroy  and  Mr.  Hilling,  can  I  perceive 
but  that  they  come  exactly  to  the  same  tiling  that  I  maintain. 
You  suppose  the  sacraments  are  not  converting  ordinances  :  but 
that,  'as  seals  of  the  covenant,  they  presuppose  conversion,  espe 
cially  in  the  adult ;  and  that  it  is  visible  saintship,  or,  in  other 
words,  a  credible  profession  of  faith  and  repentance,  a  solemn 
cor.sent  to  the  gospel  covenant,  joined  with  a  good  conversation, 
and  competent  measure  of  Christian  knowledge,  is  what  gives  a 


PAGES  118-153]  NOTES  175 

gospel  right  to  all  sacred  ordinances :  but  that  it  is  necessary  to 
those  that  come  to  these  ordinances,  and  in  those  that  profess  a 
consent  to  the  gospel  covenant,  that  thoy  be  sincere  in  their  pro 
fession,'  or  at  least  should  think  themselves  so.  —  The  great  thing 
which  1  have  scrupled  in  the  established  method  of  this  church's 
proceeding,  and  which  I  dare  no  longer  go  on  in,  is  their  publicly 
assenting  to  the  form  of  words  rehearsed  on  occasion  of  their 
admission  to  the  communion,  without  pretending  thereby  to  mean 
any  such  thing  as  any  hearty  consent  to  the  terms  of  the  gospel 
covenant,  or  to  mean  any  such  faith  or  repentance  as  belong  to  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  are  the  grand  conditions  of  that  covenant : 
it  being,  at  the  same  time  that  the  words  are  used,  their  known 
and  established  principle   which  they  openly  profess  and  proceed 
upon,  that  men  may  and  ought  to  use  these  words  and  mean  no 
such  thing,  but  something  else  of  a  nature  far  inferior ;  which.  I 
think  they  have  no  distinct,  determinate  notion  of ;  but  something 
consistent  with  their  knowing  that  they  do  not  choose  God  as  their 
chief  good,  but  love  the  world  more  than  him,  and  that  they  do 
not  give  themselves  up  entirely  to  God,  but  make  reserves  ;  and  in 
short,  knowing  that  they  do  not  heartily  consent  to  the  gospel 
covenant,  but  live  still  under  the  reigning  power  of  the  love  of  the 
world,  and  enmity  to  God  and  Christ.     So  that  the  words  of  their 
public  profession,  according  to  their  openly  established  use,  cease 
to  be  of  the  nature  of  any  profession  of  gospel  faith  and  repentance, 
or  tany  proper  compliance  with  the  covenant:  for  His  their  profes 
sion,  that  the  words,  as  used,  mean  no  such  thing.     The  words 
used  under  these  circumstances,  do  at,  least  fail  of  being  a  credible 
profession  of  these  things.     I  can  conceive  of  no  such  virtue  in  a 
certain  set  of  words,  that  it  is  proper,  merely  on  the  making  of 
these  sounds,  to  admit  persons  to  Christian  sacraments,  without 
any  regard  to  any  pretended  meaning  of  these  sounds:  nor  can  I 
think  that  any  institution  of  Christ  has  established  any  such  terms 
of  admission  into  the  Christian  church.     It  does  not  belong  to  the 


176  NOTES  [PAGES  118-153 

controversy  between  me  and  my  people,  how  particular  or  large 
the  profession  should  be  that  is  required.  I  should  not  choose  to 
be  confined  to  exact  limits  as  to  that  matter ;  but  rather  than  con 
tend,  I  should  content  myself  with  a  few  words,  briefly  expressing 
the  cardinal  virtues  or  acts  implied  in  a  hearty  compliance  with 
the  covenant,  made  (as  should  appear  by  inquiry  into  the  person's 
doctrinal  knowledge)  understandingly ;  if  there  were  an  external 
conversation  agreeable  thereto  :  yea,  I  should  think,  that  such  a 
person,  solemnly  making  such  a  profession,  had  a  right  to  be 
received  as  the  object  of  a  public  charity,  however  he  himself 
might  scruple  his  own  conversion,  on  account  of  his  not  remem 
bering  the  time,  not  knowing  the  method  of  his  conversion,  or 
finding  so  much  remaining  sin,  £c.  And  (if  his  own  scruples  did 
not  hinder  his  coming  to  the  Lord's  table)  I  should  think  the 
minister  or  church  had  no  right  to  debar  such  a  professor,  though 
he  should  say  lie  did  not  think  himself  converted  ;  for  I  call  that  a 
profession  of  godliness,  which  is  a  profession  of  the  great  things 
wherein  godliness  consists,  and  not  a  profession  of  his  own  opinion 
of  his  good  estate."  Northampton,  May  7,  1750. 

Thus  far  my  Letter  to  Mr.  Clark. 

The  council  having  heard  that  I  had  made  certain  draughts  of 
the  covenant,  or  forms  of  a  public  profession  of  religion  which  I 
stood  ready  to  accept  of  from  the  candidates  for  church  com 
munion,  they,  for  their  further  information,  sent  for  them.  Ac 
cordingly  I  sent  them  four  distinct  draughts  or  forms,  which  I  had 
drawn  up  about  a  twelvemonth  before,  as  what  I  stood  ready  to 
accept  of  (any  one  of  them)  rather  than  contend  and  break  with 
my  people. 

The  two  shortest  of  these  forms  are  here  inserted  for  the  satisfac 
tion  of  the  reader.  They  are  as  follows. 


PACKS  118-153]  NOTES  177 

"I  hope  I  do  truly  find  a  heart  to  give  up  myself  wholly  to  God, 
according  to  the  tenor  of  that  covenant  of  grace  which  was  sealed 
in  my  baptism  ;  and  to  walk  in  a  way  of  that  obedience  to  all  the 
commandments  of  God,  which  the  covenant  of  grace  requires,  as 
long  as  I  live."  Another, 

"I  hope  I  truly  find  in  my  heart  a  willingness  to  comply  with 
all  the  commandments  of  God,  which  require  me  to  give  up  myself 
wholly  to  him,  and  to  serve  him  with  my  body  and  my  spirit.  And 
do  accordingly  now  promise  to  walk  in  a  way  of  obedience  to  all 
the  commandments  of  God,  as  long  as  I  live." 

Such  kind  of  professions  as  these  I  stood  ready  to  accept,  rather 
than  contend  and  break  with  my  people.  Not  but  that  I  think  it 
much  more  convenient,  that  ordinarily  the  public  profession  of 
religion  that  is  made  by  Christians  should  be  much  fuller  and 
more  particular ;  and  that  (as  I  hinted  in  my  letter  to  Mr.  Clark) 
I  should  not  choose  to  be  tied  up  to  any  certain  form  of  words,  but 
to  have  liberty  to  vary  the  expressions  of  a  public  profession  the 
more  exactly  to  suit  the  sentiments  and  experience  of  the  professor, 
that  it  might  be  a  more  just  and  free  expression  of  what  each  one 
finds  in  his  heart. 

And  moreover  it  must  be  noted,  that  I  ever  insisted  on  it,  that  it 
belonged  to  me  as  a  pastor,  before  a  profession  was  accepted,  to 
have  full  liberty  to  instruct  the  candidate  in  the  meaning  of  the 
terms  of  it.  and  in  the  nature  of  the  things  proposed  to  be  pro 
fessed  ;  and  to  inquire  into  his  doctrinal  understanding  of  these 
things,  according  to  my  best  discretion  ;  and  to  caution  the  person, 
as  I  should  think  needful,  against  rashness  in  making  such  a 
profession,  or  doing  it  mainly  for  the  credit  of  himself  or  hia 
family,  or  from  any  secular  views  whatsoever,  and  to  put  him 
on  serious  self-examination,  and  searching  his  own  heart,  and 
prayer  to  God  to  search  and  enlighten  him  that  he  may  not  be 
hypocritical  and  deceived  in  th3  profession  he  makes;  withal 

N 


17$  NOTES  [PAGES  118-153 

pointing  forth  to  him  the  many  ways  in  which  professors  are  liable 
to  be  deceived. 

Nor  do  I  think  it  improper  for  a  minister  in  such  a  case,  to 
inquire  and  know  of  the  candidate  what  can  be  remembered  of  the 
circumstances  of  his  Christian  experience  ;  as  this  may  tend  much 
to  illustrate  his  profession  and  give  a  minister  great  advantage  for 
proper  instructions :  though  a  particular  knowledge  and  remem 
brance  of  the  time  and  method  of  the  first  conversion  to  God  is 
not  to  be  made  the  test  of  a  person's  sincerity,  nor  insisted  on 
as  necessary  in  order  to  his  being  received  into  full  charity.  Not 
that  I  think  it  at  all  improper  or  unprofitable,  that  in  some  special 
cases  a  declaration  of  the  particular  circumstances  of  a  person's 
h'rst  awakening  and  the  manner  of  his  convictions,  illuminations 
and  comforts,  should  be  publicly  exhibited  before  the  whole  con 
gregation,  on  occasion  of  his  admission  into  the  church  ;  though 
this  be  not  demanded  as  necessary  to  admission.  I  ever  declared 
against  insisting  on  a  relation  of  experience,  in  this  sense  (viz.,  a 
relation  of  the  particular  time  and  steps  of  the  operation  of  the 
Spirit  in  first  conversion),  as  the  tejun  of  communion  :  yet,  if  by  a 
relation  of  experiences,  he  meaiitU  declaration  of  experience  of  the 
great  things  urouyht,  wherein  true  grace  and  the  essential  acts  and 
habits  of  holiness  consist;  in  this  sense,  I  think  an  account  of  a 
person's  experiences  necessary  in  order  to  his  admission  into  full 
communion  in  the  church?]  But  that  in  whatever  inquiries  are 
made,  and  whatever  accounts  are  given,  neither  minister  nor 
churc'i  are  to  set  up  themselves  as  searchers  of  hearts,  but  are  to 
accept  the  serious,  solemn  profession  of  the  well  instructed  pro 
fessor,  of  a  good  life,  ns  best  able  to  determine  what  he  finds  in 
his  own  heart. 

These  things  may  serve  in  some  measure  to  set  right  those  of 
my  readers  who  have  been  misled  in  their  apprehensions  of  the 
state  of  the  controversy  between  me  and  my  people,  by  the 
forementioned  misrepresentations.  JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 


PAGES  118-153]  NOTES  179 

135.  But  in  all  probability  this  will  never  be  again.  It 
is  sometimes  asserted  that  Edwards  never  again  occupied  the 
pulpit  in  Northampton.  This  is  not  true.  lie  preached,  in  te,ct, 
twelve  Sundays,  though,  to  be  sure,  not  consecutively  and  only 
when  other  supplies  could  not  be  secured,  before  his  removal  to 
Stockbridge.  There  is  perhaps  more  reason  for  the  statement  of 
Dr.  Hopkins,  quoted  by  Dwight  (op.  cit.  p.  418),  that  the  town  at 
last —  it  is  thought  in  November,  1750  —  voted  that  lie  should  preach 
no  longer.  But  the  records  of  town  and  precinct  are  alike  silent 
on  this  matter,  the  only  vote  bearing  on  it  being  one  passed  by  the 
precinct  in  November,  "to  pay  Mr.  Edwards  <J  10  old  tenor  per 
Sabbath  for  the  time  he  preached  here  since  he  was  dismissed." 
Trumbull,  who  has  established  this  fact  (History  of  Northampton, 
Vol.  II,  p.  2'J7),  says  that  the  last  sermon  by  Edwards  in  North 
ampton  was  in  the  afternoon  of  October  18,  1751,  from  the  text 
Ileb.  xi.  10.  But  even  this  is  doub'ful  ;  for  among  the  manuscripts 
in  New  Haven,  Professor  Dexter  discovered  a  sermon  on  2  Cor. 
iv.  0  marked  as  preached  in  Northampton,  May  1755,  and  in  a 
book  of  plans  of  sermons  at  least  three  notes  of  texts  and  doctrines 
of  the  same  period  marked  as  designed  for  Northampton.  (F.  B. 
Dexter,  The  Manuscripts  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  p.  8.) 

145.  By  which  I  became  so  obnoxious.  The  excitement  of 
the  Great  Awakening  was  followed  by  a  period  of  laxity.  In 
1744  Edwards  was  informed  that  a  number  of  the  young  people  of 
his  congregation,  of  both  sexes,  were  reading  immoral  books,  which_ 
fostered  lascivious  and  obscene  conversation.  To  chock  the  evil, 
lie  preached  a  sermon,  of  the  frankness  of  which  we  may  judge 
from  the  published  sermon  on  "Joseph's  Temptation,"  from  Ileb., 
xii.  15,  1(5,  and  after  the  service  communicated  to  the  brethren  of 
the  church  the  evidence  in  his  possession  with  a  view  to  further 
action.  A  committee  of  inquiry  was  appointed  to  assist  the  pastor 
in  examining  into  the  affair  at  a  meeting  at  his  house.  Edwards 
then  read  the  names  of  the  young  people  to  be  summoned  as  wit- 


180  NOTES  [PAOKS  11S-153 

nesses  or  as  accused,  but  without  discriminating  between  the  two 
classes.  When  the  names  were  thus  published,  it  was  found  that 
most  of  the  leading  families  of  the  town  were  implicated.  "The 
town  was  suddenly  all  on  a  blaze."  Many  of  the  heads  of  families 
refused  to  proceed  with  the  investigation  ;  many  of  the  young  peo 
ple  summoned  to  the  meeting  refused  to  eome,  and  those  who  did 
<-omc  acted  with  insolence.  Edwards  never  thereafter  succeeded 
in  reestablishing  his  authority.  For  years  not  a  single  candidate 
appeared  for  admission  to  the  church.  See  Hopkins,  Life  of  Ed 
wards  (1705),  pp.  53  ff.  Dwight,  op.  cit.  pp.  209  f.,  copies  llop- 
kins's  account  almost  verbatim,  but  without  acknowledgment. 

140.  I  have  .  .  .  meet  before  him.  The  company  keeping  and 
worldly  amusements  of  the  young  people  were  an  old  griev 
ance  with  Edwards.  Writing  of  the  period  before  the  revival  of 
1 734-1 735,  lie  says,  u  It  was  their  manner  very  frequently  to  get 
together  in  conventions  of  both  sexes,  for  mirth  and  jollity,  which 
they  called  frolicks ;  and  they  would  often  spend  the  greater  part 
of  the  night  in  them,  without  any  regard  to  order  in  the  families 
they  belong  to."  How  the  young  people  amused  themselves  in 
these  "  conventions,"  we  can  only  conjecture  :  it  is  certain  that 
some,  at  least,  of  the  parents  saw  no  harm  in  them.  But  Ed- 
warus's  idea  of  family  government  was  very  different.  **  He 
allowed  not  his  children  to  be  from  home  after  nine  o'clock  at 
night,  when  they  went  abroad  to  see  their  friends  and  companions. 
Neither  were  they  allowed  to  sit  up  much  after  that  time,  in  his 
own  house,  when  any  came  to  make  them  a  visit.  If  any  gentle 
man  desired  acquaintance  with  his  daughters,  after  handsomely 
introducing  himself,  by  properly  consulting  the  parents,  he  was 
allowed  all  proper  opportunity  for  it:  a  room  and  lire,  if  needed  ; 
but  must  not  intrude  on  the  proper  hours  of  rest  and  sleep,  or  the 
religion  and  order  of  the  family."  (Hopkins,  op.  cit.  p.  44.)  We 
have  reason  to  think  tha*  some  of  the  "other  liberties  commonly 
taken  by  young  people  in  the  land  "  were  calculated  to  favor  any 
thing  rather  than  refinement  and  spirituality. 


PAGES  118-lttJ]  .VOTES  181 

119.  A  contentious  spirit.  History  in  a  general  way  corrobo 
rates  the  following  testimony  of  Edwards  concerning  the  con 
tentious  spirit  in  the  people  of  Northampton:  "There  were  some 
mighty  contests  and  controversies  among  them  in  Mr.  Stoddard's 
day,  which  were  managed  with  great  heat  and  violence  ;  some  great 
quarrels  in  the  church,  wherein  Mr,  Stoddard,  great  as  his  author 
ity  was,  knew  not  what  to  do  with  them.  In  one  ecclesiastical  con 
troversy  in  Mr.  Stoddard's  day,  wherein  the  church  was  divided 
into  two  parties,  the  heat  of  spirit  was  raised  to  such  a  degree,  that 
it  came  to  hard  blows.  A  member  of  one  party  met  the  head  of 
the  opposite  party  and  assaulted  him  and  beat  him  unmercifully. 
There  has  been  for  forty  or  fifty  years  a  sort  of  settled  division  of 
the  people  into  two  parties,  somewhat  like  the  Court  and  Country 
party  in  England  (if  I  may  compare  small  things  with  great). 
There  have  been  some  of  the  chief  men  in  the  town,  of  chief 
authority  and  wealth,  that  have  been  great  proprietors  of  their 
lands,  who  have  had  one  party  with  them.  And  the  other  party, 
which  lias  commonly  been  the  greatest,  have  been  of  those  who 
have  been  jealous  of  them,  apt  to  envy  them,  and  afraid  of  their 
having 'too  much  power  and  influence  in  town  and  church.  This 
has  been  a  foundation  of  innumerable  contentions  among  the  peo 
ple*  from  time  to  time,  which  have  been  exceedingly  grievous  to 
me,  and  by  which  doubtless  God  has  been  dreadfully  provoked, 
and  his  Spirit  grieved  and  quenched,  and  much  confusion  and 
many  evil  works  have  been  introduced."  Letter  of  July  1,  1751  to 
Rev.  Thomas  Gillespie.  Cf.  Trumbull,  History  of  Northampton, 
Vol.  II,  p.  30. 


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Oscar  D.  Robinson,  Principal  High  School,  Albany,  N.Y. 

"  The  books  possess  ail  the  excellencies  claimed  for  them, — scholarly 
annotation,  convenience  of  form,  beautiful  open  pages,  attractive  bind 
ing,  and  rern.".rkably  low  price.  I  shall  take  pleasure  in  recommending 
them  for  use  in  our  school." 

S.  H.  Bundell,  Principal  Girls'  High  School,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

"The  publishers  may  justly  be  proud  of  the  clear  type,  convenient 
size,  and  beautiful  binding  of  tlu:  book." 

George  McK.  Bain,  Principal  High  School,  Norfolk,  Va. 

11  Handsome1-  volumes  for  school  use  I  have  never  seen.  They  are 
well  edited,  clearly  printed,  and  beautifully  bound,  while  the  price  is 
remarkably  low." 

Professor  Charles  M.  Curry,  Indiana  State  Normal  School. 

11  You  have  hit  upon  a  splendid  form  for  this  series,  and  the  price  will 
certainly  attract  the  attention  of  any  one  who  has  been  looking  for  good 
material  at  a  '  good'  price." 

C.  N.  Kendall,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Indianapolis. 

"The  form  in  which  you  send  out  these  little  volumes  is  very 
attractive." 

THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

0<5  FIFTH  AVENUE,  NSW  YORK 


ENGLISH    CLASSICS 


Addison's  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley.  Edited  by  ZELMA  GRAY,  East  Side 
High  School,  Saginaw,  Mich. 

Browning's  Shorter  Poems.  Edited  by  FRANKLIN  T.  BAKER,  Teachers 
College,  New  York  City. 

Mrs.   Browning's  Poems    (Selections  from).     Edited  by  HELOISE  E. 

HERSHKY. 
Burke's  Speech  on  Conciliation.    Edited  by  S.  C.   NKNVSOM,   Manual 

Training  High  School,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Byron's  Child e  Harold.    Edited  by  A.  J.  GEORGE,  High  School,  Newton 

Mass. 
Byron's  Shorter  Poems.     Edited  by  RAI.I'H  HARTT  BOWLES,  Instructor 

Jn  English  in  The  Phillips  Exeter  Academy,  Exeter,  N.H. 
Carlyle's  Essay  on  Burns,  with  Selections.     Edited  by  WILLAUD  C. 

GOKK,  Armour  Institute,  Chicago,  111. 

Chaucer's  Prologue  to  the  Book  of  the  Tales  of  Canterbury,  the  Knight's 
Tale,  and  the  Nun's  Priest's  Tale.  Edited  by  ANDREW  INCRAIIAM, 
Late  Headmaster  of  the  Swain  Free  School,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

Coleridge's  The  Ancient  Mariner.  Edited  by  T.  F.  HUNTINCJTON,  Leland 
Stanford  Junior  University. 

Cooper's  Last  of  the  Mohicans.  Edited  by  W.  K.  WICKES,  Principal  of 
the  High  School,  Syracuse,  N.Y. 

Cooper's  The  Deerslayer. 

De  Quincey's  Confessions  of  an  English  Opium  Eater.  Edited  by  ARTHUR 
BEATi'Y,  University  of  Wisconsin. 

Dryden's  Palamon  and  Arcite.  Edited  by  PKRCIVAL  CHUBB,  Vice- 
Principal  Ethical  Culture  Schools,  New  York  City. 

Early  American  Orations,  1760-1824.  Edited  by  LOUIE  R.  HKLI.ER, 
Instructor  in  English  in  the  De  Witt  Clinton  High  School,  New  York 
City. 

Epoch-making  Papers  in  United  States  History.  Edited  by  M.  S.  BROWN, 
New  York  University. 

Franklin's  Autobiography. 

George  Eliot's  Silas  Mamer.  Edited  by  E.  L.  GULICK,  Lawrenceville 
School,  Lawrenceville,  N.J. 

Goldsmith's  Vicar  of  V/akefield.  Edited  by  II.  W.  BOYNTON,  Phillips 
Acadm.y,  Andover,  Mass. 

Hawthorne's  Twice-Told  Tales.  Edited  by  R.  C.  GASTON,  Richmond 
I  hi!  High  School,  Borough  of  Queens,  New  York  City. 

Irvine's  Alhambra.  Edited  by  ALFRED  M.  HITCHCOCK,  Public  High 
School,  Hartford,  Conn. 


ENGLISH   CLASSICS 


Irving's  Life  of  Goldsmith.  Edited  by  GILUERT  SYKKS  BLAKELY, 
Teacher  of  English  in  the  Morris  High  School,  New  York  City. 

Irving's  Sketch  Book. 

Jonathan  Edwards'  Sermons  (Selections  from).  Edited  by  Professor 
H.  N.  GARDINER,  of  Smith  College. 

Longfellow's  Evangeline.     Edited  by  LEWIS  B.  SEMPLE,  Commercial 

High  School,  Brooklyn,  N.Y. 
Lowell's  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal.    Edited  by  HKRHKRT  E.  BATES,  Manual 

Training  High  School,  Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

Macaulay's  Essay  on  Addison.  Edited  b«  C.  W.  FRENCH  Principal  of 
Hyde  Park  High  School,  Chicago,  111.  ' 

Macaulay's  Essay  on  Cave.  Edited  by  J.  W.  PEARCE,  Assistant  Pro 
fessor  of  English  in  Tulane  University. 

Macaulay's  Essay  on  Johnson.    Edited  by  WILLIAM  SCIIUYLER,  Assist 
ant  Principal  of  the  St.  Louis  High  S;hool. 
Macaulay's  Essay  on  Milton.     Edited  by  C.  W.  FRENCH. 

Macaulay's  Essay  on  Warren  Hastings.  Edited  by  Mrs.  M.  J.  FRICK, 
Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Milton's  Comus,  Lyddas,  and  Other  Poems.  Edited  by  ANDREW  T. 
GKORCK. 

Milton's  Paradise  Lost.     Books  I  and   II.    Edited  by  W.   I.  CRANE, 

.M«>»>U«  High  School.  Dayton,  O. 

PalRrave's  Golden  Treasury  of  Songs  and  Lyrics. 

Plutarch's  Lives  of  Crcsar.  Brutus,  and  Antony.     Edited  by  MARTHA 

P.1;  I  MR,  Teacher  of  English  in  the  Polytechnic  High  School,  Oakland, 

Cil. 

Poe's  Poems.  Edited  by  CHARLES  W.  KENT,  Linden  Kent  Memorial 
School,  University  of  Virginia. 

Poe's  Prose  Tales  (Selections  from). 

Pope's  Homer's  Iliad.     Edited  by  Ai.HER'i   SMYTH,  Head  Professor  of 

Englsh  Language  and  Literature,  Central  High  School,  Philadelphia, 

Pa. 

Ruskin's  Sesame  and  Lilies,  and  King  of  the  Golden  River.     Edited  by 

HKRHKRT  E.  BATES. 
Scott's  Ivanhoe.    Edited  by  ALFRED  M.  HITCHCOCK. 

Scott's  Lady  of  the  Lake.  Edited  bv  KLI/AHKTII  A.  PACKARD,  Oakland, 
Cal. 

Scott's  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel.    Edited  by  RALPH  II.  BOWLES. 
Scott's  Marmion.     Edited  by  GKORC-E  B.  AlTON,  State  Inspector  of  High 

Schools  for  Minnesota. 


ENGLISH   CLASSICS 


Shakespeare's  Ao  You  Like  It.    Edited  by  CHARLES  ROBERT  GASTON. 

Shakespeare's  Hamlet.  Edited  by  L.  A.  SHERMAN,  Professor  of  English 
Literature  in  the  University  of  Nebi  isk.i. 

Shakespeare's  Julius  Ciesar.  Edited  by  GEORC.E  W.  HUI-TORD  and  Lois 
G.  HUi'KOKD,  High  School,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Shakespeare's  Merchant  of  Venice.    Edited  by  CHARLOTTE  W.  UNDER-    ; 
WOOD,  Lewis  Institute,  Chicago,  111. 

Shakespeare's  Macbeth.     Edited  by  C.  W.  FRENCH. 

Shakespeare's  Twelfth  Night.     Edited  by  EDWARD  P.  MORTON,  Assist-    ! 
ant  Professor  of  English  in  the  University  of  Indiana. 

Shelley  and  Keats  (Selections  from).     Edited  by  S.  C.  NEWSOM. 

Southern  Poets  (Selections  from).     Edited  by  W.  L.  WEBER,  Professor  of    j 
English  Literature  in  Emory  College,  Oxford,  Ga. 

Spenser's  Faerie  Queen,  Book  I.  Edited  by  GEORC.E  ARMSTRONG 
WAl'Cllol'K,  Professor  of  English  in  the  South  Carolina  College. 

Stevenson's  Treasure  Island.  Edited  by  II.  A.  VANCE,  Professor  of 
English  in  the  University  of  Nashville. 

Tennyson's  The  Princess.  Edited  by  WILSON  FARRAND,  Newark 
Academy,  Newark,  N.J. 

Tennyson's  'idylls  cf  the"  King.  Edited  by  W.  T.  VLYMEN,  Principal  of 
Eastern  District  High  School,  Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

Tennyson's  Shorter  Foems.  Edited  by  CHARLES  READ  NUTTER,  In 
structor  in  English  at  Harvard  University;  sometime  Master  in  Eng 
lish  at  Groton  School. 

John  Woolman's  Journal. 

Wordsworth's  Shorter  Ppcrns.  Edited  by  EDWARD  FULTON,  Assistant 
Professor  of  Rhetoric  in  the, University  of  Illinois. 

IN  PREPARATION 

Hawthorne's  House  of  the  Seven  Gables.    Edited  by  CLYDE  FURST,  of 

Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 
Macaulay's  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome.    Edited  by  Professor  FRANKLIN  T. 

BAKER. 

Old  English  Ballads.  Edited  by  Professor  WILLIAM  D.  ARMES,  of  the 
•  University  of  California. 

THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

66  FIFTH   AVENUE,  NEW  YORK 


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