The “Miscellanies”: Entry Nos. a–z, aa–zz, 1–500 (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 13 | WJE)
Overview
This book begins the publication of Jonathan Edwards’ personal theological notebooks, called collectively the “Miscellanies.” The entries in Volume 13 span the early years of Edwards’ ministry (1722–1731) and range widely in subject matter. They record Edwards’ initial thoughts on some of his most characteristic ideas, such as original sin, free will, the Trinity and God’s end in creation. However, many entries relate to doctrinal and polemical subjects not included in the corpus of Edwards’ published writings. The volume also contains Edwards’ own alphabetical index to the entire “Miscellanies”; this “Table” is a theological document in its own right that reveals the interrelationship among the various components of Edwards’ theological system.
The editor’s introduction includes an interpretive essay that relates Edwards’ growing body of entries in the “Miscellanies” to the main events in his life and progressing career. It also explores how even before the beginning of his tutorship at Yale in 1724 Edwards had developed both within and outside of the “Miscellanies” certain fundamental positions that constitute the truly distinctive elements in his theology. The introduction ends with an explanation of the methodology used to establish for the first time the chronology of the early Miscellanies. The conclusions of this research are summarized in a comprehensive chronological chart that locates by date not only entry nos. a–500, but also the sermons, essays and other manuscripts Edwards composed prior to 1731.
Top Highlights
“For they say the Spirit doth something in the soul; that is, he causeth some motion, or affection, or apprehension to be in the soul, that at the same time would not be there without him. Now I hope, that God’s Spirit doth, he doth; he doth so much as he doth, or he causeth in the soul so much as he causeth, let that be how little soever. So much as is purely the effect of his immediate motion, that is the effect of his immediate motion, let that be what it will; and so much is infused, how little soever that be. This is self-evident.” (Page 171)
“Holiness is a most beautiful and lovely thing. We drink in strange notions2 of holiness from our childhood, as if it were a melancholy, morose, sour3 and unpleasant thing; but there is nothing in it but what is sweet and ravishingly lovely. ’Tis the highest beauty and amiableness, vastly above all other beauties. ’Tis a divine beauty, makes the soul heavenly and far purer than anything here on earth; this world is like mire and filth and defilement to that soul which is sanctified. ’Tis of a sweet, pleasant, charming, lovely, amiable, delightful, serene, calm and still nature. ’Tis almost too high a beauty for any creatures to be adorned with; it makes the soul a little, sweet and delightful image of the blessed Jehovah.” (Page 163)
“Both these ways of God’s glorifying himself come from the same cause, viz. the overflowing of God’s internal glory, or an inclination in God to cause his internal glory to flow out ad extra. What God has in view in neither of them, neither in his manifesting his glory to the understanding nor communication to the heart, is not that he may receive, but that he [may] go forth: the main end of his shining forth is not that he may have his rays reflected back to himself, but that the rays may go forth.” (Pages 495–496)
About Thomas A. Schafer
Thomas A. Schafer is Emeritus Professor of Church History, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago.