Sermons and Discourses, 1723–1729 (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 14 | WJE)
Overview
This book presents previously unpublished manuscript sermons from a crucial yet little-known period in Edwards’ life: the years between the completion of his Master’s degree at Yale College and the death of Solomon Stoddard, his famous grandfather and predecessor at Northampton, Massachusetts. These sermons, constituting the second in a projected series of six sermon volumes, highlight the intellectual and professional development of the young Edwards through his pastorate at Bolton, Connecticut, his Yale tutorship, and his colleagueship at Northampton.
In his introduction, Kenneth P. Minkema weaves together the details of Edwards’ emerging career with the concerns expressed in the sermons. He shows how Edwards addressed local and provincial concerns as well as the great theological debates of his day, and how he struggled to work out the implications of his innovative concept of “excellency” and to develop his definition of conversion as a “spiritual light.”
Top Highlights
“Thus the happiness of the saints is resembled to a kingdom, which is looked upon commonly by men as a complication of the height of all happiness.” (Page 140)
“So it is in the work of redemption: the Father chooses the Christ, provides, chooses, sends and accepts a savior; the Son is the Savior who satisfies justice, and answers the law and brings redemption for his people; the Holy Ghost immediately confers the benefits of all this, and actually makes the elect partakers of the salvation Christ has wrought.” (Page 378)
“Here is the end of all the labors of the Christian; here is our Father’s house, here is the end of the race. Here is that that Christianity aims at; here is the consummation of all God’s wondrous dealings with men, of all those great things which Christ did and suffered. Here is the end of all.” (Page 137)
“It is the nature of man to love to know the truth and also to love to behold the things that are beautiful and amiable; but the believer is convinced, yea, he plainly sees, that spiritual things are both these.” (Page 82)
“Scripture to set forth truth, religion and the gospel by, than light” (Page 70)
About Kenneth P. Minkema
Kenneth P. Minkema is Executive Editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards.