IT has long been desired by the friends of Mr. Edwards that a number of his manuscripts should be published ; but the disadvantage under which all posthumous publications must necessarily appear, and the difficulty of getting any considerable work printed in this infant country hitherto, have proved sufficient obstacles to the execution of such a proposal. The first of these obstacles made me doubt, for a considerable time after these manuscripts came into my hands, whether I could, consistently with that regard which I owe to the honor of so worthy a parent, suffer any of them to appear in the world. However, being diffident of my own sentiments, and doubtful whether I were not over jealous in this matter, I determined to submit to the opinion of gentlemen, who are friends both to the character of Mr. EDw ARDs and to the cause of truth. The consequence was, that they gave their advice for publishing them. The other obstacle was removed by a gentleman in the church of Scotland, who was formally a correspondent of Mr. Edwards. He engaged a bookseller to undertake the work, and also signified his desire, that these following discourses in particular might be made public. Mr. EDw ARDs had planned a body of divinity, in a new method, and in the form of a history; in which he was first to show, how the most remarkable events, in all ages from the fall to the present times, recorded in sacred and profane history, were adapted to promote the work of redemption; and then to trace, by the light of scripture prophecy, how the same work should be yet further carried on even to the end of the world. His heart was so much set on executing this plan, that he was considerably averse to accept the presidentship of Princeton college, lest the duties of that office should put it out of his power. * The outlines of that work are now offered to the public, as contained in a series of sermons, preached at Northampton in 1739,” without any view to publication. On that account, the reader cannot reasonably expect all that from them, which he might justly have expected, had they been written with such a view, and prepared by the Author's own hand for the press. As to elegance of composition, which is now esteemed so essential to all publications, it is well known, that the Author did not make that his chief study. However, his other writings, though destitute of the ornaments of fine language, have it seems that solid merit, which has procured both to themselves and to him a considerable reputation in the world, and with many an high esteem. It is hoped that the reader will find in these discourses many traces of plain good sense, sound reasoning, and thorough knowledge of the sacred oracles, and real unfeigned piety; and that, as the plan is new, and many of the sentiments uncommon, they may afford entertainment and improvement to the ingenious, the inquisitive, and the pious reader ; may confirm their faith in God's government of the world, in our holy Christian religion in general, and in many of its peculiar doctrines; may assist in studying with greater pleasure and advantage the historical and prophetical books of scripture; and may excite to a conversation becoming the gospel. That this volume may produce these happy effects in all who shall peruse it is the hearty desire and prayer of The reader’s most humble servant, JONATHAN EDWARDS. JWewhaven, Feb. 25, 1773. * This is necessary to be remembered by the reader, in order to understand some chronological observations in the following work. --- GENERAL INTRODUCTION, - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 From the fall to the incarnation of Christ, - - - - - - - - - 24 From the fall to the flood, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25 From the flood to the calling of Abraham, - - - - - - - - - 44 From the calling of Abraham to Moses, - - - - - - - - - - 54 From Moses to David, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69 From David to the Babylonish captivity, - - - - - - - - - 96 From the Babylonish captivity to the coming of Christ, - - - - - 131 Of the purchase itself, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 195 Sect. 1. What is intended by Christ's purchasing redemption, - - ibid. Sect. 2. Observations concerning this purchase, - - - - - - 191 Skct. 3. Sufferings by which Christ purchased redemption, - - - 194 How Christ accomplished this success, - - - - - - - - - 245 Sect. 1. How this success is accomplished by God's grace here, - 246 § 1. The means of this success established after Christ's resurrection, - ibid. § 2. The success itself, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 253 FIRst. In the suffering state of the Church, - - - - - - - ibid. I. From Christ's resurrection till the destruction of Jerusalem, - - 256 11. From the destruction of Jerusalem to that of the Heathen empire, - 266 1N FER ence. Truth of Christianity argued from the success of the gospel, 277 III. Success from the time of Constantine till the fall of Antichrist, - 28 i 1st. From Constantine till the rise of Antichrist, - - - - - - - ibid. 2dly. From the rise of Antichrist till the reformation, - - - - - 285 3dly. From the reformation till the present time, - - - - - - 295 1. Of the reformation itself, - - - - - - - - - - - - ibid. 2. Of the opposition made to the Reformation, - - - - - - 298 3. What success the gospel has lately had, - - - - - - - - 306 4. Present state of things with regard to the success of the gospel, - - 31 o 1. Truth of Christianity argued from the events of this period, - - - 315 2. The spirit of true Christians a spirit of suffering, - - - - - 326 3. What reason we have to expect that events foretold in scripture, not yet fulfilled, shall be accomplished, - - - - - - - - - - 327 4. How the success of redemption shall be carried on till Antichrist's all, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 328 Secondly, Success of redemption through that space wherein the christ- ian church shall for the most part enjoy prosperity, - - - - - 346 I. Prosperity of the church through the greater part of this period, - 347 II. The great apostacy that shall take place-towards the end of this period, 354 Sect. II. The success of redemption in glory, - - - - - - - - 358 General remarks on this success, - - - - - - - - - - - 359 The particular manner in which this success is accomplished, - - - ibid. II. God the Alpha and Omega, of all things, - - - - - - - - 378 III. Christ in all things has the preeminence, - - - - - - - 381 IV. The consistency, order, and beauty of providence, - - - - ibid. V. The scriptures the word of God, - - - - - - - - - - - 383 VI. The majesty and power of God in the work of redemption, - - 385 VII. The glorious wisdom of God in the work of redemption, - - 387 VIII. The stability of God’s faithfulness to his people, - - - - 388 IX. How happy a society the church of Christ is, - - - - - - 389 Citar. I. The essence of virtue, - - - - - - - - - - - 395 II. What true Virtue respects, - - - - - - - - - 494 III. Secondary kind of beauty, - - - - - - - - - 413 IV. Selflove, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 424 V. Conscience and the moral sense, - - - - - - - 437 VI. Instincts, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 447 VII. Mistakes respecting Virtue, - - - - - - - - - 455 VIII. Of sentiment as the foundation of Virtue, - - - - - 464 WORK or R E D E M PT I O N. ISAIAH li. 8. For THE MOTH SHALL EAT. THEM UP LIKE A GARMENT, : THE design of this chapter is to comfort the church under her sufferings, and the persecutions of her enemies; and the ar gument of consolation insisted on, is, the constancy and perpetuity of God’s mercy and faithfulness towards her, which shall. be manifest in continuing to work salvation for her, protecting her against all assaults of her enemies, and carrying her safely * - through all the changes of the world, and finally crowning her with victory and deliverance. In the text, this happiness of the church of God is set forth “by comparing it with the contrary fate of her enemies that oppress her. And therein we may observe, 1. How short lived the power and prosperity of the church's enemies is : The moth shall eat them us, like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; i.e. however great their prosperi ...ty is, and however great their present glory, they shall by de grees consume and vanish away by a secret curse of God, till they come to nothing ; and all their power and glory, and so their persecutions, eternally cease, and they be finally and irre coverably ruined: As the finestand most glorious apparel will in Vol. I. B |