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Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards (1703 - 1758)

was a Christian preacher and theologian. Edwards "is widely acknowledged to be America's most important and original philosophical theologian," and one of America's greatest intellectuals. Edwards's theological work is broad in scope, but he was rooted in Reformed theology, the metaphysics of theological determinism, and the Puritan heritage. Recent studies have emphasized how thoroughly Edwards grounded his life's work on conceptions of beauty, harmony, and ethical fittingness, and how central The Enlightenment was to his mindset. Edwards played a critical role in shaping the First Great Awakening, and oversaw some of the first revivals in 1733–35 at his church in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Edwards delivered the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", a classic of early American literature, during another revival in 1741, following George Whitefield's tour of the Thirteen Colonies. Edwards is well known for his many books, The End For Which God Created the World, The Life of David Brainerd, which served to inspire thousands of missionaries throughout the 19th century, and Religious Affections, which many Reformed Evangelicals still read today.


Jonathan Edwards was a colonial American Congregational preacher, theologian, and missionary to Native Americans. Edwards "is widely acknowledged to be America's most important and original philosophical theologian."

His work is very broad in scope, but he is often associated with his defense of Reformed theology, the metaphysics of theological determinism, and the Puritan heritage. His famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," is credited for starting the First Great Awakening. Edwards is widely known for his books Religious Affections and The Freedom of the Will. He died from a smallpox inoculation shortly after beginning the presidency at the College of New Jersey (later to be named Princeton University). Edwards is widely regarded as America's greatest theologian.

      Jonathan Edwards was the only boy among eleven children. In 1720 he graduated from Yale as the valedictorian of his class. He continued at Yale working on a graduate degree in theology and was saved at the age of seventeen. Edwards was ordained in 1727 and joined his grandfather as an assistant pastor. In 1729 he became pastor of the church in Northampton, Massachusetts, which had some six hundred members. In 1735 God's blessing on his preaching resulted in a great revival with more than three hundred people saved and added to the church. Edwards is considered to be one of the men most responsible for the Great Awakening. His famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," was first preached in 1741 at Enfield, Massachusetts. In 1750 Edwards was voted out by his church after his attempt to limit church membership to those who made a profession of faith in Christ.

      He spent the next seven years as a missionary to the Indians at Stockbridge, Massachusetts. In 1758 he accepted the presidency of the College of New Jersey (now called Princeton). After just weeks on the job, he died from smallpox brought on by an inoculation to protect him from the disease. Jonathan Edwards and his wife had eleven children. He spent one hour each night in conversation and instruction with his family. His daughter Jerusha was engaged to David Brainerd when he died of tuberculosis. Edwards' two most famous literary works are The Life and Diary of David Brainerd (1749) and Freedom of the Will (1754). Edwards is buried in Princeton, New Jersey.

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Jonathan Edwards

Edwards' Resolutions

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1722-1723) Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a ... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Edwards' "Personal Narrative"

"Personal Narrative" Jonathan Edwards' own account of his early years and testimony to his own saving faith in Christ. I had a variety of concerns and exercises about my soul from my childhood; but had two more remarkable seasons of awakening, before I met with that change by which I was brought to ... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Evidence that true religion in great part consists in the affections

II. The second thing proposed, which was to observe some things that render it evident, that true religion, in great part consists in the affections. And here, 1. What has been said of the nature of the affections makes this evident, and may be sufficient, without adding anything further, to put thi... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Few There Be That Find It

Matthew 7:14 Few there be that find it. Not dated. From Grosart’s “Unpublished Writings.” It will be observed from the facsimile that [this] Sketch of a Sermon is written on the leaf of a letter. Very many of Edwards’s MSS. are thus written on all manner of kinds and scraps of paper. Doc[trine.] ’Ti... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

God Glorified in Man's Dependence

I COR. 1:29, 30, 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 sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord THOSE Christians to whom the apos... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

God Makes Men Sensible of Their Misery Before He Reveals His Mercy and Love

God Makes Men Sensible Of Their Misery Before He Reveals His Mercy And Love Not dated. Three sermons. Hosea 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Subject: That ’tis God’s manner to make men sensible ... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

God's Sovereignty in the Salvation of Men

God's Sovereignty in the Salvation of Men ROMANS 9:18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. THE apostle, in the beginning of this chapter, expresses his great concern and sorrow of heart for the nation of the Jews, who were rejected of God. This leads hi... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

God’s Awful Judgment In The Breaking And Withering Of The Strong Rods of a Community

God’s Awful Judgment In The Breaking And Withering Of The Strong Rods Of A Community Dated June 26, 1748 upon the death of Col. John Stoddard Ezekiel 19:12 Her strong rods were broken and withered. Preached at Northampton on the Lord’s day, June 26, 1748, on the death of the Honorable John Stoddard,... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Hope And Comfort Usually Follow Genuine Humiliation And Repentance

Hope And Comfort Usually Follow Genuine Humiliation And Repentance Dated September, 1737 Hosea 2:15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of ... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer

Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer JOB 27:10 Will he always call upon God? CONCERNING these words, I would observe, 1. Who it is that is here spoken of, viz. the hypocrite; as you may see, If you take the two preceding verses with the verse of the text. "For what is the hope of the hypocrite... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Inferences

Having thus considered the evidence of the proposition laid down, I proceed to some inferences. 1. We may hence learn how great their error is, who are for discarding all religious affections, as having nothing solid or substantial in them. There seems to be too much of a disposition this way, preva... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever

Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever Dated April, 1738. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Subject: Jesus Christ is the same now that he ever has been and ever will be. The exhortation which the apostle gives the Christian Hebrews in the verse preceding... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Justification by Faith Alone

Justification By Faith Alone Dated November, 1734 - Prepared from 2 Sermons Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Subject: We are justified only by faith in Christ, and not by any manner of goodness of our ow... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Many Mansions

Many Mansions Dated December 25, 1737. The Sabbath after the seating of the New Meeting House. John 14:2 In My Father’s house 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 ... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Man’s Natural Blindness In Things Of Religion

Man’s Natural Blindness In Things Of Religion Dated February 1739/1740. Three sermons Psalm 94:8-11 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Men Naturally Are God’s Enemies

Men Naturally Are God’s Enemies Dated August, 1736. Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Subject: Natural men are God’s enemies. THE apostle, from the beginning of the epistle, to the beginning of this chapter, had insisted on the doctrine of j... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Natural Men in a Dreadful Condition

Natural Men In A Dreadful Condition Dated February, 1753. Preached to the Stockbridge Indians Acts 16:29, 30 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs what must I do to be saved? WE have here and in the co... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Pardon for the Greatest of Sinners

PSALM 25:11 For thy name's sale, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great. IT is evident by some passages in this psalm, that when it was penned, it was a time of affliction and danger with David. This appears particularly by the 15th and following verses: "Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord; fo... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Persons having religious affections of many kinds, accompanying one another, is no sign

VII. Persons having religious affections of many kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they have any gracious affections or no. Though false religion is wont to be maimed and monstrous, and not to have that entireness and symmetry of parts, which is to be seen in tr... Read More
Jonathan Edwards

Praise, One Of The Chief Employments Of Heaven

Praise, One Of The Chief Employments Of Heaven THANKSGIVING SERMON, Nov. 7, 1734 Revelation 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. We may observe in these words (1.) What it wa... Read More

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