Jonathan Edwards (1)Critiques

This volume has so many Qualities that recommend it to your Reading it. The Whole centers on JOHNATHAN EDWARDS, "The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God". Written in the Midst of the GREAT AWAKENING.
Archie Parish modernized the text and added explanatory footnotes making it more accessible to Readers.
R. C. Sproul provides a lengthy Introduction that is informative and beneficial.
William Cooper's original Preface to Edwards original publications also included.
This is a soul nourishing read for enrichment of the heart and mind of Believers.

Very Fundamental book that is a decent introduction to those interested in Studying his life, his Intellectual gifts and his singular purpose of life to live "Coram Dee" and "Soli Den Gloria"

Esta obra começou a ser escrita pelo teólogo e filósofo reformado Jonathan Edwards em meados de 1750 e só foi publicada após sua morte, em 1765. De lá para cá, muita coisa mudou de forma que a fé em Deus se tornou ainda mais disseminada ao redor do mundo. "O fim para o qual Deus criou o mundo" apresenta ao leitor uma aula de argumentação filosófica e exposição bíblica a respeito de uma inquietação do autor: Com que finalidade Deus criou o mundo? O que ele tinha em mente ao arquitetar uma criação tão vasta e bela? E que implicações a resposta à questão central da obra oferece para o leitor? Todas as respostas para essas perguntas estão registradas ao longo das 256 páginas desse livro cristão. A genialidade de Jonathan Edwards resistiu ao tempo e oferece nos dias de hoje uma rara oportunidade de conhecer e absorver a linha argumentativa sofisticada, original e exemplar de um dos maiores pensadores cristãos de todos os tempos.

Mais uma vez, Deus e sua graça têm lugar central no palco - como em todas as obras de Edwards - enquanto o grande pregador de Northampton nos conduz, por meio de três sermões, mostrando como Deus se agrada em desenvolver sua salvação na vida dos que o amam. O foco principal, porém, está naquilo que Deus requer de nós - como devemos assumir nossos deveres e aproveitar cada oportunidade de melhorar nosso relacionamento com Jesus Cristo.

Juntamente com o Logos Bible Software, esta coleção torna-se completamente pesquisável, fazendo com que o texto se torne fácil para ser utilizado em trabalhos acadêmicos e estudos pessoais. O texto bíblico, na sua Bíblia preferida, aparece quando você coloca o ponteiro do mouse sobre uma referência bíblica e a versão para Logos integra-se automaticamente à sua biblioteca digital, fazendo com que seus dicionários e outras ferramentas de referência estejam a apenas um clique.

Lithograph of an older version

Reads like dialogue ripped straight out of Breaking The Waves or There Will Be Blood.

1 R.C. Sproul– Introduction
2 Max McLean– Your Foot Shall Slip In Due Time
3 Max McLean– God Does Not Lack The Power To Throw Wicked People Into Hell
4 Max McLean– The Purpose Of This Terrifying Subject Is To Wake Up The Unconverted
5 Max McLean– It Is The Wrath Of The Infinite God
6 Max McLean– How Dreadful Is The State Of Those Who Are In Danger
Narrator [Narrated By] – Max McLean

Very interesting book by an early American religious thinker. "The immense magnificence of the visible world in inconceivable vastness, the incomprehensible height of the heavens, etc., is but a type of the infinite magnificence, height and glory of God's work in the spiritual world."

"That mixture we call white is a proportionate mixture that is harmonious, as Sir Isaac Newton has shown, to each particular simple colour, and contains in some harmony or other that is delightfull. And each sort of rays play a distinct tune to the soul, besides those lovely mixtures that are found in nature. Those beauties, how lovely is the green of the face of the earth in all manner of colours, in flowers, the colour of the skies, and lovely tinctures of the morning and evening." An 18th century New England minister foreshadowing the natural pietism of Thoreau...

See enclosed printed pages about the book and about John Greenleaf Whitter.

A Careful and Strict Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of that Freedom of the Will_ Which is Supposed to Be Essential to Moral Agency_ Virtue and Vice_ Reward and Punishment_ Praise and Blame

Volume 2

Volume 1

12/12/21

During the year of 1735, revival came to Northampton where Jonathan Edwards pastored. Whitefield and others would later hear about the miraculous work God was doing and later that same decade would come to New England which sparked the First Great Awakening. This short book is part of a lengthy sermon series Edwards preached on 1 Corinthians 13 in the spring of 1738. Edwards feared that his beloved Northamptonites were declining in their faith since that initial summer of 1735 when so many came to Christ. The entire sermon series called “Charity and its Fruits,” is also published and this sermon called “Heaven is a World of Love,” remains one of the most popular sermons from that entire series. Edwards emphasized how love or charity is a distinguishing hallmark of true conversion and evidence of regeneration. Evidence of love, or lack thereof, was a test to see whether or not the experience was real and genuine. The backbiting spirit, enviousness, and resentfulness were once again seeking to divide Edwards’ parishioners. Edwards sought to rekindle the ardent zeal and love for Christ that seemed to be waning.

Edwards begins by stating that heaven is a fountain of love because God is love and the very essence of love. “His glorious presence fills heaven with love, as the sun placed in the midst of the heavens in a clear day fills the world with light” (35). Heaven will also be filled with good things, pleasant things, things that believers found delight in and contemplated often. “All the truly great and good, all the pure, holy, and excellent from this world, and it may be from every part of the universe, are constantly tending toward heaven” (44). In heaven, there will be conversation with the deceased, with the patriarchs, and with Christ himself. In heaven, everything will flow from uncorrupted motives. A purity of heart will be everywhere present. Nothing carnal or fleshy will exist.

Perhaps controversial to some, but not to Edwards is the idea of hierarchy in heaven. Though some will have greater capacities for heavenly bliss, none will be envious. There will be a spirit of true Christian love, even more so for those who are above others in glory. “Those that are highest in glory are those that are highest in holiness, and therefore are those that are most beloved by all the saints’ for they most love those that are most holy, and so they will all rejoice in their being most happy” (53). Those less in glory will be no less happy, because they will rejoice in others happiness. A perfect benevolent love governs all, with perfect goodwill and happiness at all times.

The saints in heaven will also know of God’s love for them in an ever increasing way. They will know that “God has loved them from all eternity and still loves them and will continue to love them forever” (58). Edwards closes the sermon with a brief warning to the unconverted and a few exhortations for the converted to strive for greater and greater holiness and to not let one’s heart go after the things of the world as its chief good. “If you would seek heaven, your affections must be taken off from the pleasures of the world” (109).

The language can be difficult to parse through on occasion, but it is well worth the read.

Whoa

Wow. Look to Noah and those around him for an example of trusting God's word and promises... No matter the cost... Sharing that trust with those around you...

how can we be saved and be the same? our wants, our affections, our ambitions... they are all redeemed when our soul is saved. how deep does that grace run? superficially? not if it is of the Lord... it changes the nature of our being.... complete transformation. what a great book!

I only started listening to this because it was free on ChristianAudio, but it's exactly what I needed at this point in my spiritual journey. It's all about the difference between those who are actually in Christ, and those who are fooling themselves. The difference is the religious affections, the genuine and unconditional love for the glory and holiness of God.

There's a lot in this book to digest, which is especially hard in the audio format, so I made highlights in the 99-cent kindle copy. That way, I can go back over the most relevant passages. It's a little technical in structure, but my brain loved that aspect of it. The English is a little old, but it's good to help one better absorb the previous meanings of words. Also the English wasn't old at all compared to John Bunyan which I'd just finished listening to.

Mr Edwards supports all his points very thoroughly with scripture, and offers help in many of the things modern writers are neglecting. I would recommend this to anyone who can comprehend it, or is willing to learn to comprehend it.

It's really interesting how he interprets all of creation being subjected to futility unwillingly. Like even the earth is tired of holding us up, tired of being forced to participate in our rebellion against its Master. As humanity continues to insult a gracious creator, what can awaken our stony hearts? What can help us feel the urgency of Jesus's call to live? This sermon, Lord willing!

Distr. in the U.S. by The Attic Press, Greewood, SC

The book is setup as 16 lectures on the subject of love but reads much more like as a series of sermons Edwards may have given in his church.

Edwards spends all 16 chapters teaching on the nature of love from 1 Corinthians 13. He begins (ch1) making the argument that all true virtue (what he calls grace in the heart) is summed up in love. Love is the nature of God and is the ingredient on all true and living faith. As a result it is the most essential thing.

In subsequent chapters he goes on to explain positively and negatively what love is and is not and finally concludes with a moving chapter on the nature of heaven, which will be a world of love.

As a preacher, I learnt a lot from analysing the structure of each chapter. Each chapter generally follows a similar structure:
- he begins with the doctrine, looking to the nature of the subject (eg Christian love is a humble spirit)
- he then contrasts this doctrine with other subjects, its opposite or how impressive the subject is given the world we know
- following this he offers proofs and evidences for the doctrine, answering objections to the doctrine along the way
- finally he concludes each sermon with application to the reader

Edwards preaches Christ throughout the book. He realises that true change is worked in our hearts when we see how Christ has acted toward us. As an ethical method this is striking. Instead of moralising the text, saying “just do it”, he calls the reader to look to one who lived this way and poured out his love like this unto us. See pp.107-108, 118-120, 145, 149-152. And yet at the same time, Edwards never backs off telling us it is necessary to live this way.

Edwards finishes most chapters with an appeal to the believer and at times the non believer (pp.92ff). He makes an earnest, direct, practical appeal to the will to act on what the mind has just heard and what the affections have been moved to value. In almost every chapter, his application (in part) is for the reader to examine themselves. As such he preaches as a pastor and evangelist.

At times I was personally challenged and rebuked by my lack of love. At other times my heart was made glad as I reflected on God’s own love for me which meets perfectly every aspect of love described in 1 Corinthians 13.

I highly recommend this book for all pastors and for all Christians and even for sceptics. It is not always easy reading, and I did get bogged down and left the book aside for months on end. But every time I picked it up again I was deeply moved in reading. For those who are slow readers or find reading difficult, this may also be your experience, but persevere as the rewards are great.

The difference between the 18th century and our own: Jonathan Edwards got fired as pastor for suggesting that you had to evidence some of the marks of sanctification before you could take communion at his church; Rob Bell had to resign because he questioned if anyone goes to hell. We've come so far.

Nothing like starting the New Year with a bowl of wrath! The 18th Century Puritan divine, Jonathan Edwards, is probably best known for this sermon which vividly paints God's righteous anger at humanity for their sin. Fire and brimstone are keywords in this sermon and it has served as a template for lesser lights.

I think it is unfortunate that this sermon is what most people today know of Edwards. Other aspects of his theology are more amenable to contemporary tastes. His descriptions of nature and beauty are almost mystical. He was also a panentheist before panentheism was cool (and way more orthodox than the likes of Matthew Fox).

But this sermon is worth reading. From a literary standpoint, I think it is brilliantly constructed. While I don't like the tone of the sermon (especially as it draws to a close), I appreciate the main theological point, that there is nothing holding back God's righteous judgement on us, but his Sovereign pleasure and that a day of reckoning is sure.

I remember George Marsden making a comment in his Edwards biography that the gospel remedy was well known across Protestant New England, but that people needed to be moved to seek it. This means that I can appreciate this sermon for its time and the effect it had, used by God, to help usher in the first Great Awakening in America.

this is simply amazing theology, really worth a read. Did me so much good when I read it. highly recommended

With overwhelming logic and Scriptural backing, Edwards examines the true evidences of conversion and gives excellent counsel in examining both out own fruit and that of others.

This book is composed of a number of sermons by the great preacher Jonathan Edwards. It is worth reading for the famous "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon alone as it will definitely convict, challenge and hopefully inspire. There is also a shorter sermon on Use of Time which is very practical. I found the rest of the sermons hard going...obviously they are Biblical but repetitious in places and very long. I would recommend this for theology students or as a reference book rather than for reading cover to cover.

Recommended reading for all Christians.