1. =God Glorified.= The title-page of the original edition of this sermon,
the first work published by the author, reads as follows: "God Glorified
in the Work of Redemption by the Greatness of Man's Dependance upon Him,
in the Whole of it. Preached on the Publick Lecture in Boston, July 8,
1731. And published at the Desire of several, Ministers and Others, in
Boston, who heard it. By Jonathan Edwards A.M. Pastor of the Church of
Christ in Northampton. Judges 7. 2.--Lest Israel vaunt themselves against
me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me. Boston: Printed by S. Kneeland,
and T. Green, for D. Henchman, at the Corner Shop on the South-side of the
Town-House. 1731."
The Public or Thursday Lecture, dating from the ordination of the Rev.
John Cotton, in 1633, continued with occasional interruptions till the
siege of 1775, later revived and existing, it is claimed, still, or until
recently (see Dr. Samuel A. Eliot's Preface to _Pioneers of Religious
Liberty in America_, Boston, 1903), was famous among the social and
religious institutions of colonial Boston. At one time the General Court
regularly adjourned for it; that the Governor should keep Christmas and
neglect it, was regarded by old Judge Sewall as a matter of grave
reproach. The preachers were selected from the most eminent divines, not
only of Boston, but throughout the colony. It is recorded, for instance,
of Solomon Stoddard, Edwards's grandfather and predecessor in the
Northampton pastorate, that he annually attended the Harvard Commencement
and the day after preached the Public Lecture. It was a great honor,
therefore, for Edwards, a young man of twenty-seven, to be invited to
preach on this foundation.
He himself seems to have fully appreciated both the honor and the
opportunity. The original manuscript shows the most careful preparation.
In the statement of the Doctrine, for example, there are several erasures
and corrections before the right formula is hit upon. The printed sermon
shows still more elaboration. Edwards chose as his subject one aspect of a
theme which was central and controlling in his thought--God's sovereignty.
His mind had dwelt on this subject in all its bearings from childhood. He
had especially meditated upon it as it related to the doctrine of decrees,
a doctrine which he found at first revolting, but in the end "exceedingly
pleasant, bright, and sweet." No one since Augustine has emphasized as he
has done the absolute sovereignty of God and the corresponding dependence
of man. This conception of God's arbitrary will--arbitrary, not as
irrational or unrelated to the divine justice and benevolence, but as
being "without restraint, or constraint, or obligation"--was not only the
backbone of his system, but its heart, the principle which animates and
pulses through the whole of it. It is the ultimate basis alike of his
philosophy and of his religious faith. In this his first publication as in
the great theological treatises which were his last, he is everywhere the
prophet-like champion of this supreme idea in opposition to all those
schemes of divinity, generally denominated Arminian, which implied in his
view a degree of independence in man inconsistent with the absolute
sovereignty he regarded as the distinguishing glory of God.
The sermon created a profound impression, as is evident both from the
immediate demand for its publication, indicated on the title-page, and
from the commendatory preface to the original edition signed by two of the
foremost ministers of Boston, the Rev. Thomas Prince, of the Old South
Church, and the Rev. William Cooper, of the Brattle Street Church. "It
was with no small difficulty," these gentlemen write, "that the author's
youth and modesty were prevailed on, to let him appear a preacher in our
public lecture, and afterwards to give us a copy of his discourse, at the
desire of diverse ministers, and others who heard it. But, as we quickly
found him to be a workman that need not be ashamed before his brethren,
our satisfaction was the greater, to see him pitching upon so noble a
subject, and treating it with so much strength and clearness, as the
judicious will perceive in the following composure: a subject which
secures to God his great design, in the work of fallen man's redemption by
the Lord Jesus Christ, which is evidently so laid out, as that the glory
of the whole should return to him the blessed ordainer, purchaser, and
applier; a subject which enters deep into practical religion; without the
belief in which, that must soon die in the hearts and lives of men. We
cannot, therefore, but express our joy and thankfulness, that the great
Head of the Church is pleased still to raise up, from among the children
of his people, for the supply of his churches, those who assert and
maintain these evangelical principles; and that our churches,
notwithstanding all their degeneracies, have still a high value for just
principles, and for those who publicly own and teach them. And, as we
cannot but wish and pray, that the College in the neighbouring colony, as
well as our own, may be a fruitful mother of many such sons as the author;
so we heartily rejoice, in the special favour of Providence, in bestowing
such a rich gift on the happy church of Northampton, which has, for so
many lustres of years, flourished under the influence of such pious
doctrines, taught them in the excellent ministry of their late venerable
pastor, whose gift and spirit we hope will long live and shine in his
grandson, to the end that they may abound in all the lovely fruits of
evangelical humility and thankfulness, to the glory of God."
6. =It was of mere grace ... for our souls.= This passage may serve to
illustrate the way Edwards expanded his sermons for the press (see
Introduction, p. xxix). The manuscript reads as follows: "The Grace in
giving this Gift was great in proportion to our unworthiness, it was given
to us who instead of meriting that of G. which is of such Infinite Value
merited Infinite Ill of him." Then follows a space, above and beneath
which, between the lines, are the words, "in proportion to the blessedness
we have benefit we have given in him." Continuing: "the giver in giving
this gift is great according to the manner of giving. He gave him to us
Incarnate he gave him to us slain that he might be a feast to our souls."