Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: R. Carter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Classic Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards writings are far more comprehensive, and brilliant, than "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". This is instructive and helpful for all Christians.

Authentic, not sentimental platitudes
Dr. Edwards, the greatest American theologian, did not mince words. These are not the feel-good sentimental platitudes intended to leave us feeling good. These are sermons designed to convey the truth of an authentic love that has the power to change hearts and cultures. The truth does not always make us feel good, sometimes it stings. But the sting is that of an iodine that cleanses the impure infection of the world's thinking and leads to true healing. These are some of the most profound and moving sermons ever penned on the 13th chapter of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Be ready for truth and be ready for the costly but effectual grace that Bonhoeffer would later so clearly lay out in his great work, The Cost of Discipleship.This is a love that will cost you your life and gain you everything in return.

Convicting. Moving.
Jonathan Edwards preached this series of discourses on I Corinthians 13 in 1738 to his congregation in Northampton. These sermons, sixteen lectures in all, give great insight into the regular pastoral preaching of Edwards and show how gifted he was as an expositor of Scripture. They are full of both doctrinal propositions and practical instruction. They explain the text and also apply it. Edwards' aim was to show how Christian love is manifested in the heart and life of a true believer. His sermons follow the typical Puritan style of preaching, giving "doctrine" and application.

The first lecture seeks to prove that "all the virtue that is saving, and that distinguishes true Christians from others, is summed up in Christian love." In this sermon, Edwards' familiarity with the breadth of Scripture is plainly evident. The second and third sermons seek to more fully expound the first three verses of I Corinthians 13 in which Edwards explains how love is more excellent than the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and that anything which is suffered in the way of duty is vain if not permeated with love.

Lectures four through fourteen focus on the fifteen characteristics of love as described in verses four through seven of I Corinthians 13. Edwards' pastoral concerns are most evident here as he labors to show how love will be longsuffering, kind, unselfish, etc. Edwards' penetrating application lays bare the human heart in ways that I have rarely seen in other sermons.

The final two sermons deal with the last paragraph of I Corinthians 13 and are more theological in nature as Edwards contends that the Holy Spirit will forever be given to the saints in love and that Heaven will be a world full of love. Edwards' view of heaven and hell are described with poignant detail in this last sermon, which is one of the most beautiful and insightful treatises on heaven that I have ever read. Like all of Edwards' writings, Charity and Its Fruits is full of theological acumen, philosophical insight, and pastoral concern.

The Kindness and Severity of God
Jonathan Edwards is still considered by many to be the greatest theologian America has ever produced.He is also a preacher that does not mince words, does not tell anecdotes, does not try to connect with the audience.In short, he sees himself in God's service, commissioned to spread His Word accurately and clearly, and I might add, eloquently.

Edwards had a chance to practice what he preached after he wrote this book, and was kicked-out of his church.He refused to serve communion to those he considered to be non-believers. His biography (another book) reveals his long-suffering and forbearance with what seemed like grossly unfair treatment he received. I was really impressed with his evenness during this very trying period.

'Charity and its Fruits' is a series of sermons Edwards did on the 'Love Chapter' of 1st Corrinthians 13, while pastoring Northampton Church in Northampton, Massachusetts.He goes through each phrase and winnows it down to what it really means for you and me. He is unsparing in his expositions, giving you both the good news and the bad news, what you need to seek after, and what you need to wrestle with, alternating between being encouraging and being convicting.In the process, it is, in my view, as eloquent as anything you will read, short of the Scriptures themselves. The last chapter, which is about heaven, is easily some of the best prose I've ever been privileged to read; and it is all spiritual, with almost no physical references.

Brace yourself, but do yourself a favor, and read the book.

Must read for every (angry / hopeful) Christian
This book is amazing and truly inspired of the Holy Spirit.Mr. Edwards ability to decompose scripture and address every aspect of arguments as to what the scripture means and does not mean is a Godsend.If you have struggled with the verse "In your anger, do not sin.", this book will help you unpack that verse....what is righteous anger (and what are all the forms unrighteous anger takes) and what is a godly (and what are ungodly) response(s).The "old English" takes a bit of getting into, but the absolute structure of the logic and interpretation found there is worth the minimal effort of getting into the "swing" of it.The absolute prize at the end is the chapter on the "society of heaven" -- how it will make you yearn for heaven and as the Lord's prayer says to desire "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".I think that chapter alone would be a great comfort to someone who has lost a believing loved one. Buy it, read it, share it. ... Read more

Product Description
Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) was preeminent as a theologian in the eighteenth century American colonies, deeply involved in the religious revival known as the Great Awakening. He was also the first American Puritan, or Calvinist, to recognize the challenges to traditional views of the world posed by figures like John Locke and Isaac Newton. Thus he is a pivotal figure as American thought evolved from heavily religious beginnings toward populism and a new rationalism in the young nation. His many books include Freedom of the Will, Religious Affections, and Original Sin, although he is probably best known for a legendary sermon he titled, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

Perry Miller's study of Jonathan Edwards as a writer and an artist is regarded as one of the great studies of "the life of a mind." He challenges readers to understand Edwards as an intellectual who, living in his own time and place, wrestled with issues relevant to the modern world. This Bison Books edition, with an introduction by John F. Wilson, will help to introduce Jonathan Edwards to a new generation of readers.

Perry Miller (1905-63) taught at Harvard University for more than thirty years and helped to found modern study of the Puritans. His many other influential publications include two volumes of The New England Mind as well as a volume of essays, Errand Into the Wilderness. John F. Wilson is Collord Professor of Religion, emeritus, at Princeton University.He re-transcribed and edited Edwards's posthumously published A History of the Work of Redemption (The Works, Volume 9). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fine Intellectual precis of Edwards by Dean of NE Colonial History
Perry Miller, Jonathan Edwards (Lincoln, NE, University of Nebraska Press, 2005) First published in 1949 by William Morrow.
Jonathan Edwards (1703--1758) is on the short list for the most creative American thinker, and may be better known than the leader in that race, Charles Sanders Peirce (1839--1914), due primarily one famous sermon he preached in 1741, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Ever since encountering Edwards, by reputation, in an American Intellectual History class, I have puzzled over the source of Edwards' fame and reputation. It seems like one sermon is a bit thin to be hanging a continent-wide reputation for greatness. This book more than answers the question, written by someone who is eminently qualified to address the issue.
Among American historians, Perry Miller (1905--1963) is recognized as the leading authority on early New England intellectual history. His The New England Mind from Colony to Province, which revealed the long-forgotten figure of Peter Ramus, was our `bible' in that Lehigh American Intellectual History course I mentioned. This biography of Edwards was his third book, the first after he returned from serving in the Psychological Warfare Branch of the O.S.S. during WW II.
In spite of the 2004 award-winning Edwards biography by George Marsden, you will be wise to read this volume, to be certain of getting the fullest possible picture of Edwards' intellectual achievement `from the inside' as it were.
Jonathan Edwards was trained as a Reformed clergyman at Yale, the very new college in New Haven, CT. The Reformed theology was based primarily on the writings of John Calvin (1509--1564), modified by the Puritans'in England in to a revision which has been called `federal covenantism' which went far to soften some of the harsher edges of strict Calvinism. The central tenant of this adaptation was that the people achieve 'election', the state of grace, by entering into a covenant with the Lord, where God relinquishes some of his power over human action, with the quid pro quo being that the human entering the contract will praise and be faithful to the worship of the Lord.
This way of thinking was pervasive in colonial, Puritan New England, until Edwards, with great subtlety at first, began preaching on the fact that this doctrine was a variation of Arminianism, a Dutch Reformed interpretation of salvation which is considered heretical by orthodox Calvinists.
This is a significant `local' achievement, which would not necessarily put Edwards in the first rank of theologians. What promotes Edwards into world-class status is the fact that he establishes a new underpinning for Calvinistic doctrines, especially the doctrine of predestination, based on his study of John Locke's (1632--1704) An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and the physics of Isaac Newton's (1643--1727) Principia Mathematica. Locke's work was so unfamiliar to colonial New England at that time that historians are hard pressed to determine where it was that Edwards actually got his hands on a copy. Newton's work would have been more widely familiar in the colonies, but Edwards seems to have had only a layman's understanding of Newton's physics. On Locke, however, Edwards literally improved on the great Englishman's thinking and took it to some logical conclusions which Locke did not pursue. From Edwards' writings, it seems he totally absorbed the doctrines of the Essay at a very early age, and its thinking pervaded his writings for the rest of his life. Edwards seems to have not been touched at all by the writings of the other great English empiricists, Bishop Berkeley and David Hume.
The aspect of Edwards' thought which advances him to the first rank of world theologians' is that he may, in the opinion of Dr. Miller, be the last major theologian to attempt a synthesis of theology and modern science and epistemology. One may claim that in the days before relativity and Darwin's theories, this was easier, but I think this is a mistaken impression. Edwards seems to have a keen eye for great beauty, and great life lessons, in the minutiae of nature, not unlike the skills so important to a great naturalist. As Miller describes it, `Edwards would not compartmentalize his thinking. He is the last great American, perhaps the last European, for whom there could be no warfare between religion and science, or between ethics and nature. ...His mind was so constituted--...- that he went directly to the issues of his age, defined them, and asserted the historic Protestant doctrine in full cognizance of the latest disclosures in both psychology and natural science.' This means that while Edwards marshals all the best thinking of the Age of Enlightenment' (sometimes dated from the publication of Newton's Principia in 1687) he arrives at conclusions which are diametrically opposed to the deification of reason.
It is not surprising then that Edwards was one of the prime influences (along with Englishman, George Whitefield, 1714--1770) contributing to the Great Awakening in New England. Edwards emotionally charged language, such as `...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 a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.' (End of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God) aroused religious enthusiasm and ardor, but it was based on a calculated assessment of the power of language to mould affections.
Edwards most durable work, read today by evangelicals, is his Religious Affections, which addresses a real, serious question from an empirical point of view. How do you tell when a person has achieved salvation. What are the signs of the elect? The book was written as an analysis of the Great Awakening experience, among opponents who tended to prefer a rational or a highly emotional approach to Christian devotion. He used Locke's new psychology to object to both poles as too simple, to create a new underpinning for traditional Calvinism against `comfortable' Arminianism, and to provide a perception, which is as good today as it was in 1743, of assessing whether or not one's state of grace, one's election to salvation, is genuine.
Like Luther and Calvin before him, Edwards believed in experience, he was a nominalist, but his tools were more powerful, and rather than directing his nominalist glass at the revelation of the Bible, he directed it at the phenomenal world.
My only objection to this book is the fact there are no footnotes showing us from where in Edwards' works his quotes, or quotes from any other primary source, are located. Otherwise, this may be a perfect intellectual introduction to Edwards thought and importance.

Jonathan Edwards read John Locke
Biography is only a small portion of this work. That is what the author calls external biography. Analysis of Edwards's thoughts and writings is what makes up the bulk of this book. By no way is the history of Edwards ignored. Facts about Edwards family, culture and community are told. The history of Revivalism in America during Edwards's lifetime is told. The Halfway controversy and Northampton is dealt in depth in the chapter called Hubris. Jonathan Edwards read John Locke in his college years. The theme is that Edwards was greatly influenced by Locke's method of argument and method in studying a matter. The goals of each man's argument are vastly different. The author argues that Edwards' purpose was neither to be novel, a revolutionary, nor to be distinct in his ideas of scripture or theology.A better way to argue against new thoughts is what Edwards is all about. Edwards argued against Arminianism among other novel ideas of his days on earth. The author Perry Miller admires Edwards, but not in agreement with the primitive theology and philosophy of Edwards. Yet he argues Edwards was advance in his knowledge of science and Psychology.

Perry Miller presents the paradox in Edwards' normally steadfastness to conservative theological interpretation. That is Edwards was otherwise consistent with word and thought. Edwards was the son in law to a Solomon Stoddard. . The Father in Law was the pastor of the Northampton church that eventually Edwards succeeded to the pastorate. When Jonathan Edwards became an associate minister at Northampton, Stoddard's' policy of not demanding a profession of Faith or evidence Christian faith to be a member of the Church or to participate in the Lord'sTable was well established and a controversy in the Christian community.Yet Edwards' waited almost twenty years before changing church policy of membership and participation of the Lord's Table. This book goes into great depth about the controversy.

Two first-rate minds confront each other
Jonathan Edwards was without a doubt the greatest theologian America ever produced.That he was also without a doubt the greatest philosopher colonial America ever produced shows what theology was once upon a time inAmerica.Obsessed with returning American churches to its more devoutCalvinist roots, Edwards began the Great Awakening in America, only to findhimself cast out of his own pulpit for daring to challenge the social orderof his church.Edwards deeply investigated the concept of free will,reconciling it as no other theologian had with the doctrines ofpredestination and divine omnipotence.But Edwards was also a figure ofthe Enlightenment, and applied Locke's rationalist doctrine of the sensesto his preaching style, creating almost singlehandedly thefire-and-brimstone approach used to this day to terrify poor sinners intorepentance.Perry Miller, the twentieth century's most dominant Americanintellectual historian, here explicates the life of Jonathan Edwards as noone has before or since: on the merit of his ideas.Miller was an atheistwho spent his life studying American religious movements; this was one ofhis finest works.Not to be missed by anyone interested in the history ofAmerican religion or philosophy. ... Read more

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A major work in moral philosophy by the noted Puritan divine
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Christian classic on True Virtue (virtue ethics)
At the present time, Amazon.com is not listing that it's not just Edwards, but specifically, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), the same one that wrote "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God".Thus, he is strongly classically evangelical, believing in the doctrines of original sin, love for God... and subsequent Christian teachings such as love for enemy, love for neighbor.

The summary of the book for those versed in virtue ethics is that Jonathan Edwards comes out as an agape-virtue ethicist.He thinks of the highest virtue of love ("The General nature of true virtue is love", p.85), which he does not name as agape, but that he does describe as unconditional love towards God, and then proceeding from this virtue, the true virtue of love of neighbor.

It's a rather difficult read, and unlike a lot of sermons which have a flow in argument or repeat their points over and over, and wrap up with a conclusion, Edwards more makes multiple stabs at various points.

Virtue, to Edwards, is the beauty of the quality and exercises of the heart, or those actions which proceed from them (p.2), and true virtue most essentially consists in benevolence to being in general (p.3).Thus, virtue most essentially consists in love (that is to say, that true virtue should inspire acts of love, but acts of love may not be representative of true nature), and true beauty is also the individual's harmony to the universe.There is also a distinction between love of complacence (almost similar to 'eros'), which presupposes beauty, and love of benevolence (specifically looking at God's love, which is not limited to things we consider beautiful).Thus, God's love is uncondition, which is linked to His character, exemplifying true virtue.Also, true virtue is not related to love of gratitude or reciprocity.

Agape love is also explained here, as the 'highest good of the object of love,' 'the highest good of all over the good of one,' and 'opposition of evil'.A number of these are further expounded in chapter 1.

"True virtue must chiefly consist in love to God," Jonathan Edwards declares (p.14).And the secondary ground of love is moral excellency.Edwards also links that the love of God supremely is causal (and linked) with loving others, loving one's neighbor.But true goodness is tied into the purpose of glorifying God (p.25).And then morality must be God-focused and then subordinately benevolent (p. 26)

Chapter 3, Edwards talks about primary beauties, such as benevolence, and virtues (or beauties) of justice, wisdom, and secondary beauties such as regularity, order, symmetry, proportion, harmony, etc., as external beauty reflects true spiritual beauty.

It should be noted that Edwards has a few anachronistic terms, such as "self-love" -- which is not narcissism, but it is "love for our own happiness" (p.44) or "love to himself with respect to his private interest" (p.45).Self-love causes us to love those who either help us or promote our interests, and Edwards argues that this could develop a moral sense (of good/bad) (p. 51).

One of Edward's strongest assumptions is that of original sin, that man is not capable of true virtue (i.e., loving God, and thus others) because of original sin, and that anger is not a good illustrator of virtue due to this original sin (depravity of man).He also describes this "true negative moral goodness" (p.91) in all men which also mistake things for true virtue, as well as desire wickedness or do wickedness, or have moral insensibility, or stupidity of conscience.He goes on to say that "all sin has its source from selfishness, or self-love not subordinate to a regard to being in general" (p.92) -- primarily resulting in resentment from God.

Yet, genuine virtues restrain the advance of sin (namely pride and sensuality, p.96). ... Read more

Product Description
Jonathan Edwards achieved the greatest sustained mastery of the sermon form between January 1734 and December 1738, a time in which he also kindled his first revival. The Northampton revival spread to neighboring towns and villages, as did Edwards's renown.And the sermons of these years exhibit not only splendid rhetoric but also figural intricacies and tonal nuances that reveal his maturity as a writer.During this period Edwards delivered probably four hundred sermons and lectures. Of the fewer than half that survive, some extend the reach of the previous dozen years of his ministry, others engage speculative theological issues, others touch on pastoral life, and still others deal with conversion and, in time, declension. Edwards also wrote a full account of the Northampton revival, A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God, which was published in 1737 in London and Edinburgh and within a year was reprinted there, issued in Boston in three printings, and translated into German. In addition, near the end of the period Edwards put together Discourses on Various Important Subjects, five sermons about the Awakening and the only gathering of sermons he saw through the press. ... Read more

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Includes a biographical sketch of Jonathan Edwards by Phillip E. Howard Jr. This intensely devotional diary of a young 1740s missionary in the American wilderness inspired the world missions movement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

This book will change your life -- if you let it
I have found myself returning to this book over and over, whenever I feel discouraged in my Christian walk, or sad, or doubtful, but also when I've felt joyful. It's hard to describe how one book can fill all these needs but I think it's because David Brainerd writes so movingly of both his highs and lows as missionary to the Indians in the 1700s.

Here he is on a good day: "This morning..I felt a sweet longing in my soul after holiness.My soul seemed to reach and stretch towards the mark of perfect sanctity it was ready to break with longings."

Here he is on a bad day:"I appeared to myself a creature fit for nothing, neither heaven nor earth.None know, but those who feel it, what the soul endures that is sensibly shut out from the presence of God:alas it is more bitter than death."

And here he is an in-between day:"Felt my soul going forth after God sometimes; but not with such ardency as I longed for."

What is it about this book written 250 years ago that continues to inspire so many people today? It is that passion, that longing to be holy, that joy in spending hours in fasting and prayer.Whenever I read it, I feel a deep desire to live as he did, solely to God, though I confess, it does not last.Perhaps if I keep reading it will.

By the standards of today, he was not a success:he had to leave the ministry after only a few years because of ill health; he never married, he died young of consumption, and suffered greatly from depression.However, after much labor, his church numbered about 130 people, and even more, he left a legacy showing others what it means to really be a Christian.

Some may find his comments about the Indians disparaging, but it must be remembered he is a child of his times; also as his diary makes plain he suffered insults from, as he put it, "ungodly white people" for his efforts in securing land for the Indians that rightfully belonged to them.

Enough already
I learned what I wanted to know about David Brainerd in the first 10 pages -- but the diary goes on and on.

Brainerd the missionary / revivalist
The Life and Diary of David Brainerd - Jonathan Edwards.

David Brainerd was a mighty man of God who was clothed in such youth and died of consumption so young. He was a missionary to the native American Indian and saw revival amongst them. He was a great man of prayer and loved to communion with God, his heavenly Father.

He travelled several thousand miles a year on horseback and was often wet for days on end as he travelled from place to place, preaching via his translator. He was prone to depression, yet under the circumstances of the hardships he endured, the near breaks through and then let downs it was hardly surprising.

Brainerd also set up a native Indian Christian town and on at least two occasion refused to take up a pastorate amongs this own people because he lived to serve those who had never heard of Christ and the redemption that comes through repentance and faith in Him.

Jonathan Edwards, daughter, Jerusha, nursed David Brainerd in his last months and if he would have lived - they would have married.

Most book on Brainerd are good, but to hear it from one who knew him is far superior.

Brainerd writes clearly what we are to affraid to say publically
David Brainerd writes things that no self respecting Christian would dare say about themselves. That right there is the problem, more people respect themselves then they do God and his word. He really brings to light what we are and the fact God saved us not because of any good that is in us, God saved us for his good pleasure.

If this book doesn't help you crave holiness and a closer walk with the Lord then I would have to wonder what kind of Christianty you are living. To quote his book, "February 20: I was perplexed on account of may carelessness; thought I could not be suitably concerned about the important work of the day, and so was restless with my easiness. Was exceeding infirm again today; but the Lord strengthened me, both in the outward and inward man, so that I preached with some life and spirituality, especially in the afternoon, wherein I was enabled to speak closely against selfish religion, that loves Christ for his benefits, but not for himself."

This book will challenge you on every level to live a holy life for God. Thank God for the men that have gone before us and have stayed faithful to the end

Taking me to my knees
This book reminds us of what it means to be one who is truly seeking after God. This is a must read for anyone who wants to experience a truly dynamic relationship with God. ... Read more

Product Description
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is widely recognized as one of the greatest philosopher-theologians America has ever produced, and recent years have seen a remarkable increase in research on his writings. To date, however, there has been no single authoritative volume that introduces and interprets the key aspects of Edwards' thought as a whole. The Princeton Companion to Jonathan Edwards provides just such a concise and comprehensive work, one that will be invaluable to students and scholars of American religion and theology as well as of literature, philosophy, and history.

Comprising twenty essays by leading scholars on Edwards, the book will inform and challenge readers on subjects ranging from Edwards' understanding of the Trinity, God and the world, Christ, and salvation, as well as of history, typology, the church, and mission to Native Americans. It also includes a chronology of Edwards' life and writings that incorporates current research. Those familiar with Edwards' writings will find in these essays succinct expositions as well as bold new interpretations, and others will find an accessible, authoritative, up-to-date orientation to his multifaceted thought.

The essays are by Robert E. Brown, Allen C. Guezlo, Robert W. Jenson, Wilson H. Kimnach, Janice Knight, Sang Hyun Lee, Gerald R. McDermott, Kenneth P. Minkema, Mark Noll, Richard R. Niebuhr, Amy Plantinga Pauw, John E. Smith, Stephen J. Stein, Harry S. Stout, Douglas A. Sweeney, Peter J. Thuesen, and John F. Wilson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Gooooood! Essential for Understanding Jonathan Edwards
This is totally indispensable book when searching Edward's Theology.
Whoever is seeking to understand Jonathan Edwards as a whole must read and investigate it.
I recommend you eagerly! ... Read more

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The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
The Age of Enlightenment profoundly enriched religious and philosophical understanding and continues to influence present-day thinking. Works collected here include masterpieces by David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as religious sermons and moral debates on the issues of the day, such as the slave trade. The Age of Reason saw conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism transformed into one between faith and logic -- a debate that continues in the twenty-first century.
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The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
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Library of Congress

W019071



[New York] : Boston, printed: New-York, reprinted and sold by John Holt, at the Exchange, 1769. 23,[1]p. ; 8° ... Read more

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This study of Jonathan Edward's philosophy of sheds fresh light on one of the most important thinkers of early modern philosophy and theology. "Jonathan Edwards' Philosophy of Nature: The Re-Enchantment of the World in the Age of Scientific Reasoning" analyses the works of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) on natural philosophy in a series of contexts within which they may best be explored and understood. Its aim is to place Edwards' writings on natural philosophy in the broad historical, theological and scientific context of a wide variety of religious responses to the rise of modern science in the early modern period - John Donne's reaction to the new astronomical philosophy of Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo, as well as to Francis Bacon's new natural philosophy; Blaise Pascal's response to Descartes' mechanical philosophy; and, the reactions to Newtonian science and finally Jonathan Edwards' response to the scientific culture and imagination of his time. ... Read more

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This book demonstrates the originality and coherence of Jonathan Edwards' philosophical theology using his dynamic reconception of reality as the interpretive key. The author argues that what underlies Edwards' writings is a radical shift from the traditional Western metaphysics of substance and form to a new conception of the world as a network of dispositions: active and abiding principles that possess reality apart from their manifestations in actions and events. Edwards' dispositional ontology enables him to restate the Augustinian-Calvinist tradition in theology in a strikingly modern philosophical framework.

A prime example of Edwards' innovative reconstruction in philosophical theology is his conception of God as both eternal actuality and a disposition to repeat that actuality within God and also through creation. This view is a compelling alternative to the traditional Western doctrine of God as changeless actuality, on the one hand, and the recent process theologians' excessive stress on God's involvement in change, on the other. Edwards' achievement was that he saw dynamic movement as essential to God's own life without compromising the traditional Christian tenets of God's prior actuality and transcendence. The author of this volume also explicates the way in which Edwards' dynamic reconception of reality informs his theories of imagination, aesthetic perception, the knowledge of God, and the meaning of history.

This expanded edition includes a new preface and a new appendix titled "Jonathan Edwards on Nature." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Essential to Understanding Jonathan Edwards
Sang Hyun Lee's book is the essential text on Edwards's metaphysics. Not everyone thinks he is right (though I, like most mainstream Edwards scholars, think he is) but every knowledgable scholar realizes that the path to understanding Edwards's metaphysics lies through Lee's work and not around it. The book is densely and carefully written, and at least one graduate student has embarrassed himself in print through failure to read as carefully as Lee wrote. In sum, it is a difficult buttotally indispensable book, and whoever is seeking to understand Jonathan Edwards as a thinker must digest it.

Essential to Understanding Jonathan Edwards
Sang Hyun Lee's book is the essential text on Edwards's metaphysics. Not everyone thinks he is right (though I, like most mainstream Edwards scholars, think he is) but every knowledgable scholar realizes that the path to understanding Edwards's metaphysics lies through Lee's work and not around it. The book is densely and carefully written, and at least one graduate student has embarrassed himself in print through failure to read as carefully as Lee wrote. In sum, it is a difficult buttotally indispensable book, and whoever is seeking to understand Jonathan Edwards as a thinker must digest it. ... Read more

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All his works, writings, sermons and books in one volume ... Read more

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Marriage to a Difficult Man is a tempting blend of family guidance book, sociological study, psychologically and devotionally-oriented American historical biography--as easy to read for relaxation as for information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Marriage to a Difficult Man
I started reading, most interesting.I gave it to my husband for Father's Day, 2010.Our pastor had mentioned this book in his sermon on Mother's Day.So I was excited to be able to find it here since it is now out of print.Was very pleased with the condition of the book.

An Uncommon Book
I discovered Marriage to a Difficult Man by Elisabeth D. Dodds by accident.I was visiting a provincial Argentine town, and stumbled upon a shelf of books in the house of a friend. Caught by the title I picked up the book to show to my wife, suggesting that she may want to get it for me for Christmas.For some reason I began reading it, and am glad I did.
The story of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards is inseparable from Western Massachusetts.I spent a few years there and knew many of the places well.Northampton, Deerfield, Hatfield, Greenfield, etc. were all part of my travels.It impacted me how the area had changed from the 1740s. The mighty Connecticut River is no longer a travel route; it has given way to Interstate 91. Historic Deerfield still shows how colonial New England lived, and the mass grave nearby shows the reality of Indian massacres. Yet this trip to the past ends where main street does; the driver is met with a modern, though still rural, lifestyle as he drives out onto route 5 and 10. Today many don't realize that the roadside historic markers about the long forgotten King Philip reflect a time when colonists feared for their very survival.The various towns mentioned in the book dot the Pioneer Valley, or America's "First Frontier", where the colonists moved to after settling Boston.It was America's outpost.Now, interestingly enough, Edward's Northampton has become a center for homosexual and lesbian activity, leading one wit to say that the First Frontier is now the Phallic Frontier....
Dodds writes with a novelist's skill in bringing to life the human side of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards. The title is weak as we don't just focus on Sarah, but on her husband, the culture of the times, their children, and the fruits of their life together. The subtitle"The "Uncommon Union of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards" suits the book better. While Edward's weaknesses are probably softened by the writer's affection, her use of primary sources clearly shows that Sarah was a rare, gifted woman, as the book describes.The author's use of the famous study on the offspring of Jukes and Edwards (an online search will explain this to the interested reader) makes Sarah and her husband shine even more.A brief glance at the sources used shows a writer who has entered a time long since past, and has returned bringing it to life.She mentions in the preface that she "contended" with the material; I take that to mean that she spent 10 years lingering in this world, reading all she could, making trips to New England, and then lingered over language to bring it all alive again.She succeeds.While the book is not that common, you probably won't need to meander through the interior of Argentina to find a copy.If you come upon one, I recommend getting it. Why?Because if you love history the book is well worth its price.And if you believe, or want to believe, that two people can make a difference in the world, it will give you hope.

An "Uncommon Union" that affected generations for good
Jonathan Edwards was "difficult" only because he was so single minded in his calling to be a preacher.Sarah Edwards was "uncommon" because to support him in his calling she took over the running of their home, their farm and the raising of their ten happy healthy children.Their union was tender and loving through good times and very bad times (for some years this founder of the first American Revival preached to Indians who didn't even understand him).I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a well researched, very readable history of Colonial times, Early American faith, or a beautiful and inspiring marriage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Enlightening Writing on Revival and Conversion
I'm sure readers don't have to be told what a powerful historical preacher Jonathan Edwards is among Christians.In this book, he writes about revival and Christian conversions.I found much of this writing insightful.Edwards highlights how God works among a community to bring about conversion and transformation in individuals' lives and in the behavior of a community as a whole. He emphasizes the work of God and not man; there is actually little written about the message and activities of the preacher(s) involved in the revivals.

Edwards discusses at length specific changes that occured in lives, the behavior associated with God's work, how to discern God's work v. man's initiatives and the apparent coming and going of God's power for revivals.The times may have changed but the hearts and nature of people are the same and God has not changed, so this is a helpful book for Christians seeking revival today.

Excellent work on Revival in a readable form
Jonathan Edwards stands as a giant in Christian literature and history. Particularly among the Reformed Christian camp, he is mentioned in the same breath as Calvin and Luther. Fortunately, he wrote often, and there are no translation barriers to make his works less accessible in English.

On Revival is a collection of three works: "A Narrative of Surprising Conversions," "The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God," and "An Account of the Revival of Religion in Northampton 1740-1742." The first and last are letters; the middle is a treatise or long sermon (if by long you accept 75 pages!).

Edwards systematically details the amazing movement of the Spirit of God in Boston and on the east coast, focusing particularly on the years 1732 and following (in "Narrative") and 1740-1742 (in the piece by the same name). In one sense, then, these are historical accounts, with Edwards serving as narrator, highlighting the movement of God among people he pastored and walked with daily.

More importantly, though, this is Edwards work on what revival meant to him, practically and especially theologically. He spends great time in "Marks" detailing not just what marks a revival, but what does not disqualify a revival from being true. In other words, he deals with diversities of how the Spirit of God moves; over-zealousness toward the lost; fear of hell; and errors in doctrine; and insists that all are not on their own enough to say, "Such-and-such is not really experiencing a revival."

These works are immensely helpful in, first, illuminating what revival looked like 300 years ago; and second, detailing the various workings of the Holy Spirit throughout history apart from the works recorded in Scripture during apostolic times. You get a sense of Edwards' being a continuist rather than a cessationist, at least to some degree; as well as his view on fear of hell being a useful device in moving a man or woman toward heaven.

The only drawback with this work is that, by the time you're finished, you're going to get some repetitive sections. 160 pages on revival, in three different works, can be at time a bit mono-themed. The repetition is good and profitable, and serves to reinforce Edwards points. However, there are definitely times when you'll need to focus to not drift over a paragraph or two that are substantially the same as you've already read.

Oft overlooked classic on revival
There is a lot of talk these days about revival. It has been a buzzword through the 20th century churches and likely to remain so for a long time. But it has become so familiar that most have forgotten what it truly means. The 20th century "revivals" such as the so called "Toronto Blessing" have little in common with the revivals of the early 18th century described by Jonathan Edwards.Which makes it even more odd that so many of those 20th century revivalists claim the great theologian as their spiritual father. It can only mean that very few have actually read this masterful and detailed account of the marks of true revival. It is a classic, and like the old saw - a classic is a book that everybody talks about but few actually read. We should not make that mistake and presume to talk about revival. This work will challenge assumptions and be the key to a revival that truly revives and changes lives. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Edwards on adult conversion
Philip Gura provides an enjoyable, concise biography of this American original -- a brilliant man who understood the need for personal conversion.Edwards rejected a dry orthodoxy that does not produce personal repentence and faith.Gura shows Edwards' consistant stand that people must actively respond to God -- both intellectually and emotionally.Otherwise we remain in our natural state -- unforgiven -- sinners in the hands of the moral law. ... Read more

Product Description
In this major contribution to the study of one of America’s best-known and most-imposing religious figures, fifteen scholars offer a sustained analysis of Jonathan Edwards’s historical legacy throughout the world. The first collection of essays to focus primarily on Edwards’s lasting influence, Jonathan Edwards at Home and Abroad is also the only volume to date to focus on the enduring effects of his writings worldwide. This collection moves the discussion beyond the borders of the United States and considers Edwards’s impact on the larger world.

Although Edwards’s corpus and personality have received considerable scholarly attention in the United States, the contributors recognize that attention to the continuing significance of his life and ministry in this country and elsewhere lags behind. These scholars examine the reach of Edwards’s writings, his roles as a clerical and intellectual exemplar, his influence outside the world of religion, and the appropriation and reappropriation of his remarkably resilient cultural authority. They trace the convergence of these developments into discernible intellectual and ecclesiastical movements.

In surveying Edwards’s domestic influence, the contributors illustrate how his life and American legacy continue to generate innovative scholarship that has moved beyond intellectual history. They bring into clear view Edwards’s influence on discussions of sex, property rights, the salvation of children, and the status of African Americans in nineteenth-century America.

In taking the measure of Edwards’s global impact, the contributors open new territory in Edwards studies and map a direction for further inquiry. They look into Edwards’sinfluence on theological developments in England and Scotland, on the burgeoning missionary movement in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and on people throughout the world who have encountered his writings, now translated into German, French, Dutch, Swedish, Welsh, Gaelic, Arabic, Choctaw, Chinese, and Korean. Their conclusion is that Edwards’s legacy is momentous, abroad as well as at home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a very good introduction to various issues regarding Edwards's legacy
Of all the areas relating to the study of Jonathan Edwards that scholars have delved into, one of the most overlooked and neglected is the study of Edwards's legacy. Much of the work to date has focused on Edwards's theological and philosophical pursuits, but little attempt has been made to trace the influence of these pursuits on later generations and in later theological and philosophical development. Certainly scholars have broached the subject, most notably the significance of Edwards in the overall narrative of Mark Noll's America's God, but there is still a great lack of detailed, sustained analysis of Edwards's legacy and influence, especially in international contexts.

It is with this in mind that the editors of Jonathan Edwards at Home and Abroad sought to gather a group of scholars to begin the conversation in hopes of sparking further study into this important topic. In the introduction of this volume, the problem the authors observed is further spelled out: "Much work remains to be done on the long-term significance of his life and ministry, the dissemination of his many writings (both published and unpublished), his roles as a clerical and intellectual exemplar, his influence outside the world of religion, the appropriation and re-appropriation of his remarkably resilient cultural authority, and the convergence of these developments into discernible intellectual and ecclesiastical movements" (xii). That one sentence represents generations of further Edwards studies.

The book is divided into three parts, each offering a broad lens from which to approach the study of Edwards's legacy. Part one, entitled "Remembering Edwards's Ministry," is comprised of four essays looking at how Edwards is remembered as a pastor in eighteenth century New England. George Marsden, more qualified than anyone to do so, muses on the various challenges faced by Edwards's biographers. Michael McClymond speculates on the probable cultural shifts that may have occurred had Edwards lived to finish his History of the Work of Redemption, self-described by Edwards as "a body of divinity in an entire new method." Catherine Brekus discusses Edwards's ministry to children, specifically in how he thought and ministered in terms of the salvation of children, and the controversies that later developed out of it. Concluding part one of this volume, Ava Chamberlain probes the "bad book" controversy, seeing this episode as less to do with reputations in the community and everything to do with cultural transformations related to sex and speech that were coming to a head in the late eighteenth century.

Part two of this collection focuses on the influence of Edwards on American culture at large. Mark Valeri looks at how Edwards, and those who followed him, were influential on the development of the American market economy. James German explores Edwards's doctrine of depravity and how that played into early American politics. Charles Hambrick-Stowe discusses the marriage of Edwardsian piety and the burgeoning abolition movements, particularly in the activism of Samuel Hopkins, Sarah Osborn, and Lemuel Haynes. Rounding out part two, Sharon Kim and Amanda Porterfield contribute articles tracing Edwardsian influence into pop culture, the former in the world of nineteenth century woman's fiction, the latter in the film Runaway Bride.

Part three takes us abroad to get a better idea of how Edwards was received outside America. David Bebbington begins this discussion with a survey of the countries most known as having been penetrated by Edwards, whether through influence or published works. D. Bruce Hindmarsh focuses in on England, particularly early evangelicals in England. Moving north on the island, Christopher Mitchell explores the well-known "Scottish connection" that Edwards developed, primarily looking at this connection through the six correspondents with whom Edwards formed the closest friendships. Andrew Walls and Stuart Piggins focus on how missionary efforts were sparked by Edwards and those who followed him, first through the publication of Life of Brainerd and later through the efforts of the various evangelical missionary societies. The final essay in this volume comes from M.X. Lesser, best known for the extensive annotated bibliographies on Edwards that he has compiled and edited. Naturally, then, he briefly discusses how Edwards's works have traveled across the globe, and then gives an extensive list of Edwards's works published abroad.

This collection of essays is very helpful in bringing the various issues regarding Edwards's legacy into view. Indeed, there is something here for all types of scholarly pursuit and can be very useful in thinking through ways to bridge disciplines in knowing how Edwards's works have been used since his death in 1758. Hopefully this book has started the conversation and furthered the interest in this very important, yet very neglected, study of Jonathan Edwards and his works.

Man's global influence on theological development
Collaboratively compiled and edited by David W. Kling (Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Miami, Florida) and Douglas A. Sweeney (Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Church History and the History of Christian Thought, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois), Jonathan Edwards At Home And Abroad: Historical Memories, Cultural Movements, Global Horizons collects and showcases the insights of fifteen academicians and scholars concerning one of America's most important religious figures whose influence extended well beyond the borders of the United States. Offering diverse, erudite, and meticulous explorations of Edwards' impact upon American and world history, the essays range from issues concerning the status of African-Americans in nineteenth century America; to issues concerning the salvation of children, theological ideas that spread across the seas, and more. A very highly commended and commendable addition to academic and seminarian library collections, Jonathan Edwards At Home And Abroad offers the reader a wealth thoughtful and informative perspectives on the life and influence of a most remarkable man's global influence on theological development in England and Scotland, the late 18th and early 19th century Christian missionary movements; as well as the then contemporary Christian attitudes and controversies on such subjects as sex, property rights, and the salvation of children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Bible-centered Preaching of Edwards
Henry Ward Beecher, gave a very potent report of a sermon by Jonathan Edwards. Beecher says that in the doctrinal component of Jonathan Edwards' sermon, the powerful preacher was only getting his "guns into position," but that in his "applications he opened fire on the enemy." He lamented: "There are too many of us, I am afraid, who take so much time getting our guns into position that we have to finish without firing a shot. We say that we leave the truth to do its own work. We trust to the hearts and consciences of our hearers to apply it. Depend upon it, gentlemen, this is a great and fatal mistake." And in "The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards" by John Carrick (Associate Professor Theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) one discovers the importance, manner, and effectiveness of Edwards' sermonizing.

Many have called Edwards "the greatest philosopher-theologian yet to grace the American scene." And Edwards is best known for his stirring sermon: "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God," yet there is so much more to Edwards the theologian, philosopher, and preacher. Edwards preached this legendary sermon before his Northampton congregation and later in the "impious Enfield." It is said that "Before the sermon was ended, the assembly appeared deeply impressed and bowed down, with an awful conviction of their sin and danger."

In this volume the reader learns that Edwards practiced the triadic art of sermonizing built upon Puritan form:
- Text
- Doctrine
- Application.

Edwards asserted: "It does not answer the aim which God had in this institution, merely for men to have good commentaries and expositions on the Scripture, and other good books of divinity; because, although these may tend, as well as preaching, to give a good doctrinal or speculative understanding of the word of God, yet they have not an equal tendency to impress them on men's hearts and affections. God hath appointed a particular and lively application of his word, in the preaching of it, as a fit means to affect sinners with the importance of religion, their own misery, the necessity of a remedy, and the glory and sufficiency of a remedy provided; to stir up the pure minds of the saints, quicken their affections by often bringing the great things of religion in their remembrance, and setting them in their proper colours, though they know them, and have been fully instructed in them already. "

This famed preacher was a master of application and expert of offering striking illustrations.Additionally he aimed to provide effectual and memorable conclusions. His employment of the Biblical text was prominent, dominant, and necessary.

Edwards observes: "All truth is given by revelation, either general or special, and it must be received by reason. Reason is the God-given means for discovering the truth that God discloses, whether in his world or his Word. While God wants to reach the heart with truth, he does not bypass the mind."

Edwards rejoiced in the triune God and declared His majesty and awesome supremacy. If Spurgeon is the Prince of Preachers, then Edwards, under Christ and the Apostles, is the chief of Preachers. He loved God and sought to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever, starting while standing on the earthly soil.

Edwards adds: "And yet some people actually imagine that the revelation in God's Word is not enough to meet our needs. They think that God from time to time carries on an actual conversation with them, chatting with them, satisfying their doubts, testifying to His love for them, promising them support and blessings. As a result, their emotions soar; they are full of bubbling joy that is mixed with self-confidence and a high opinion of themselves. The foundation for these feelings, however, does not lie within the Bible itself, but instead rests on the sudden creations of their imaginations. These people are clearly deluded. God's Word is for all of us and each of us; He does not need to give particular messages to particular people."

The author provides a large yet captivating account of Edwards' approach to preaching the word of God in a faithful and effective manner. This volume makes a fine gift for your pastor, seminary student, and learned layman.

Edward offers this on the sufficiency of God's word: "And yet some people actually imagine that the revelation in God's Word is not enough to meet our needs. They think that God from time to time carries on an actual conversation with them, chatting with them, satisfying their doubts, testifying to His love for them, promising them support and blessings. As a result, their emotions soar; they are full of bubbling joy that is mixed with self-confidence and a high opinion of themselves. The foundation for these feelings, however, does not lie within the Bible itself, but instead rests on the sudden creations of their imaginations. These people are clearly deluded. God's Word is for all of us and each of us; He does not need to give particular messages to particular people."

Purchase this book and find great joy in the preaching of America's greatest preacher, theologian, and philosopher: Jonathan Edwards.
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Finest book onAmerica's greatest preacher!
...book analyses J.E.'s preaching in its historical context. Quote "an invaluable resource for the expository preacher..landmark study for its sheer comprehensiveness and scholarship.. immensely practical..should be on the shelf of every preacher committed to the sacred task of biblical exposition." ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: R. Carter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Classic Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards writings are far more comprehensive, and brilliant, than "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". This is instructive and helpful for all Christians.

Authentic, not sentimental platitudes
Dr. Edwards, the greatest American theologian, did not mince words. These are not the feel-good sentimental platitudes intended to leave us feeling good. These are sermons designed to convey the truth of an authentic love that has the power to change hearts and cultures. The truth does not always make us feel good, sometimes it stings. But the sting is that of an iodine that cleanses the impure infection of the world's thinking and leads to true healing. These are some of the most profound and moving sermons ever penned on the 13th chapter of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Be ready for truth and be ready for the costly but effectual grace that Bonhoeffer would later so clearly lay out in his great work, The Cost of Discipleship.This is a love that will cost you your life and gain you everything in return.

Convicting. Moving.
Jonathan Edwards preached this series of discourses on I Corinthians 13 in 1738 to his congregation in Northampton. These sermons, sixteen lectures in all, give great insight into the regular pastoral preaching of Edwards and show how gifted he was as an expositor of Scripture. They are full of both doctrinal propositions and practical instruction. They explain the text and also apply it. Edwards' aim was to show how Christian love is manifested in the heart and life of a true believer. His sermons follow the typical Puritan style of preaching, giving "doctrine" and application.

The first lecture seeks to prove that "all the virtue that is saving, and that distinguishes true Christians from others, is summed up in Christian love." In this sermon, Edwards' familiarity with the breadth of Scripture is plainly evident. The second and third sermons seek to more fully expound the first three verses of I Corinthians 13 in which Edwards explains how love is more excellent than the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and that anything which is suffered in the way of duty is vain if not permeated with love.

Lectures four through fourteen focus on the fifteen characteristics of love as described in verses four through seven of I Corinthians 13. Edwards' pastoral concerns are most evident here as he labors to show how love will be longsuffering, kind, unselfish, etc. Edwards' penetrating application lays bare the human heart in ways that I have rarely seen in other sermons.

The final two sermons deal with the last paragraph of I Corinthians 13 and are more theological in nature as Edwards contends that the Holy Spirit will forever be given to the saints in love and that Heaven will be a world full of love. Edwards' view of heaven and hell are described with poignant detail in this last sermon, which is one of the most beautiful and insightful treatises on heaven that I have ever read. Like all of Edwards' writings, Charity and Its Fruits is full of theological acumen, philosophical insight, and pastoral concern.

The Kindness and Severity of God
Jonathan Edwards is still considered by many to be the greatest theologian America has ever produced.He is also a preacher that does not mince words, does not tell anecdotes, does not try to connect with the audience.In short, he sees himself in God's service, commissioned to spread His Word accurately and clearly, and I might add, eloquently.

Edwards had a chance to practice what he preached after he wrote this book, and was kicked-out of his church.He refused to serve communion to those he considered to be non-believers. His biography (another book) reveals his long-suffering and forbearance with what seemed like grossly unfair treatment he received. I was really impressed with his evenness during this very trying period.

'Charity and its Fruits' is a series of sermons Edwards did on the 'Love Chapter' of 1st Corrinthians 13, while pastoring Northampton Church in Northampton, Massachusetts.He goes through each phrase and winnows it down to what it really means for you and me. He is unsparing in his expositions, giving you both the good news and the bad news, what you need to seek after, and what you need to wrestle with, alternating between being encouraging and being convicting.In the process, it is, in my view, as eloquent as anything you will read, short of the Scriptures themselves. The last chapter, which is about heaven, is easily some of the best prose I've ever been privileged to read; and it is all spiritual, with almost no physical references.

Brace yourself, but do yourself a favor, and read the book.

Must read for every (angry / hopeful) Christian
This book is amazing and truly inspired of the Holy Spirit.Mr. Edwards ability to decompose scripture and address every aspect of arguments as to what the scripture means and does not mean is a Godsend.If you have struggled with the verse "In your anger, do not sin.", this book will help you unpack that verse....what is righteous anger (and what are all the forms unrighteous anger takes) and what is a godly (and what are ungodly) response(s).The "old English" takes a bit of getting into, but the absolute structure of the logic and interpretation found there is worth the minimal effort of getting into the "swing" of it.The absolute prize at the end is the chapter on the "society of heaven" -- how it will make you yearn for heaven and as the Lord's prayer says to desire "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".I think that chapter alone would be a great comfort to someone who has lost a believing loved one. Buy it, read it, share it. ... Read more

Product Description

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was a pastor and theologian incolonial America who preached with zeal and theological insight,placing great emphasis on the impact that preaching could have onits listeners. Widely recognized as one of America's foremostthinkers, he is probably best known for his sermon "Sinners in theHands of an Angry God," which demonstrates his central concern forthe salvation of souls. Indeed, Edwards believed that all ministerswere on a "divine errand" to offer the Gospel to sinners.

Gregory Wills and Richard Bailey gathered nine sermons (all butone previously unpublished) that Edwards delivered, in which hecharges new ministers to exert a faithful ministry, delineates thetasks involved in preaching, and also challenges preachers anddeacons to take up the work to which the Lord calls them. GregoryWills and Richard Bailey establish the historical context forEdwards's own ministry and describe the setting in which hepreached each sermon. George Marsden, professor of history at NotreDame, has written a penetrating and helpful historical introductionto this important study of Jonathan Edwards.

Veteran pastors and new ordinands alike will be challenged toremain faithful in working for the salvation of the souls throughgospel preaching. These sermons define the nature and task of suchservice, both then and now. Pastors today will find Edwards's wordsto be a challenge to return to the basic call of saving sinners bypreaching the Word.

Customer Reviews (1)

Classic Edwards
~The Salvation of Souls: Nine Previously Unpublished Sermons on the Call of Ministry and the Gospel~ is some great sermons from the Puritan divine Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was a colonial American Congregational preacher, theologian, missionary to Native Americans and president of Princeton University. Edwards so often acclaimed for his fire-and-brimestone preaching with the 'Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God,' could also speak of the "sweetness" of Christ. Edwards conceptualized a perennial Christian nostrum: God is most satisfied in us, when we are most satisfied in Him. Jonathan Edwards calls ministers of the Gospel to focus their attention to the salvation of lost souls. "A minister that has the presence of God with him in his work, is the very greatest blessing that God ever bestows upon a people, next to himself." He made a clarion call for rigorous, Scriptural preaching, which was emphatic about the holiness and sovereignty of Almighty God. In the discharge of their duties, ministers must be faithful. Edwards had no compunction for pastors who were bullied by their congregations into speaking words flattering to their vanities and desires.

Edwards did usher in the Great Awakening and many revivalist styles of preaching alongside George Whitefield. What separated them from subsequent generations of gaudy revivalists and pietists is that they stressed the integral nature of sound doctrine.

* The Death of Faithful Ministers A Sign of God's Displeasure
Isaiah 3:12

* Ministers Need the Power of God
2 Corinthians 4:7

* The Kind of Preaching People Want
Micah 2:11

* The Minister Before the Judgment Seat of Christ
Luke 10:17-18

* Deacons to Care for the Body, Ministers for the Soul
Romans 12:4-8

* Ministers to Preach Not Their Own Wisdom But the Word of God
1 Corinthians 2:11-13

* Pastors and People Must Look to God
Acts 14:23

* Preaching the Gospel Brings Poor Sinners to Christ
Acts 14:23

* The Work of Ministry is Saving Sinners
Acts 20:28 ... Read more

Product Description

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was a pastor and theologian incolonial America who preached with zeal and theological insight,placing great emphasis on the impact that preaching could have onits listeners. Widely recognized as one of America's foremostthinkers, he is probably best known for his sermon "Sinners in theHands of an Angry God," which demonstrates his central concern forthe salvation of souls. Indeed, Edwards believed that all ministerswere on a "divine errand" to offer the Gospel to sinners.

Gregory Wills and Richard Bailey gathered nine sermons (all butone previously unpublished) that Edwards delivered, in which hecharges new ministers to exert a faithful ministry, delineates thetasks involved in preaching, and also challenges preachers anddeacons to take up the work to which the Lord calls them. GregoryWills and Richard Bailey establish the historical context forEdwards's own ministry and describe the setting in which hepreached each sermon. George Marsden, professor of history at NotreDame, has written a penetrating and helpful historical introductionto this important study of Jonathan Edwards.

Veteran pastors and new ordinands alike will be challenged toremain faithful in working for the salvation of the souls throughgospel preaching. These sermons define the nature and task of suchservice, both then and now. Pastors today will find Edwards's wordsto be a challenge to return to the basic call of saving sinners bypreaching the Word.

Customer Reviews (1)

Classic Edwards
~The Salvation of Souls: Nine Previously Unpublished Sermons on the Call of Ministry and the Gospel~ is some great sermons from the Puritan divine Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was a colonial American Congregational preacher, theologian, missionary to Native Americans and president of Princeton University. Edwards so often acclaimed for his fire-and-brimestone preaching with the 'Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God,' could also speak of the "sweetness" of Christ. Edwards conceptualized a perennial Christian nostrum: God is most satisfied in us, when we are most satisfied in Him. Jonathan Edwards calls ministers of the Gospel to focus their attention to the salvation of lost souls. "A minister that has the presence of God with him in his work, is the very greatest blessing that God ever bestows upon a people, next to himself." He made a clarion call for rigorous, Scriptural preaching, which was emphatic about the holiness and sovereignty of Almighty God. In the discharge of their duties, ministers must be faithful. Edwards had no compunction for pastors who were bullied by their congregations into speaking words flattering to their vanities and desires.

Edwards did usher in the Great Awakening and many revivalist styles of preaching alongside George Whitefield. What separated them from subsequent generations of gaudy revivalists and pietists is that they stressed the integral nature of sound doctrine.

* The Death of Faithful Ministers A Sign of God's Displeasure
Isaiah 3:12

* Ministers Need the Power of God
2 Corinthians 4:7

* The Kind of Preaching People Want
Micah 2:11

* The Minister Before the Judgment Seat of Christ
Luke 10:17-18

* Deacons to Care for the Body, Ministers for the Soul
Romans 12:4-8

* Ministers to Preach Not Their Own Wisdom But the Word of God
1 Corinthians 2:11-13

* Pastors and People Must Look to God
Acts 14:23

* Preaching the Gospel Brings Poor Sinners to Christ
Acts 14:23

* The Work of Ministry is Saving Sinners
Acts 20:28 ... Read more