JONATHAN EDWARDS.

JONATHAN EDWARDS, Tutor in Yale College, President of Nassau Hall, and author of an Enquiry into the Freedom of the Will, was born in the East Parish of Windsor, now East Windsor, Conn., October 5, 1703—the fifth child of Rev. Timothy and Esther Stoddard Edwards.

His education, which was entirely domestic until he entered Yale College in September 1716, was marked by two peculiarities-the habit of close observation of the phenomena of nature, and of studying with pen in hand, not for the purpose of copying off the thoughts of others, but in the language of his biographer, Dr. Sereno Edwards Dwight, for the purpose of writing down and preserving the thoughts suggested to his own mind, from the course of study which he was pursuing. This practice he commenced in several branches of study very early; and he steadily pursued it in all his studies through life. His pen appears to have been, in a sense, always in his hand. From this practice, steadily persevered in, he derived the very great advantages of thinking continually during each period of study; of thinking accurately; of thinking connectedly; of thinking habitually at all times; of banishing from his mind every subject which was not worthy of continued and systematic thought; of pursuing each given subject of thought as far as he was able, at the happy moment when it opened spontaneously on his mind; of pursuing every such subject afterwards, in regular sequence, starting anew from the point where he had previously left off, when again it opened upon him, in some new and interesting light; of preserving his best thoughts, his best associations, his best images, and then arranging them under their proper heads, ready for subsequent use; of regularly strengthening the faculty of thinking and reasoning, by constant and powerful exercise; and, above all, of gradually molding himself into a thinking being—a being, who, instead of regarding thinking and reasoning as labor, could find no high enjoyment but in intense, systematic, and certain thought. In this view of the subject, when we remember how few students comparatively, from the want of this mental discipline, think at all; how few of those who think at

all, think habitually; how few of those who think habitually, think to purpose; and how few of those, who think to purpose, attain to the fulness of the measure of the stature, to which, as thinking beings, they might have attained; it will not, I think, be doubted, that the practice in question was the principal means of the ultimate development of his mental superiority.' This precious habit of reducing his observations and reflections to paper, is evidenced by a playful letter written before he was eleven years old, on the immateriality of the scul, and a formal dissertation, addressed, one year later and before he entered college, to a correspondent of his father, on the habits of the forest spider-a production which would be remarkable now in a youth of more years regularly trained in natural history.

At college he stood first in his class, giving special attention in his second year, though not yet fourteen years of age, to Locke on the Human Understanding, from which, he writes, 'he derived higher pleasure than the miser from some newly discovered treasure.' In his third year he writes to his father to get him Alstead's Geometry and Garendus' Astronomy, 'with which I would entreat you to get a pair of dividers, or mathematician's compasses, and a scale, which are absolutely necessary in order to learning mathematics; and also the Art of Thinking, which I am persuaded would be no less profitable than the other necessary to me.' With such studies and habits of study at this age, he justifies in himself the remark of Alexander Hamilton, recorded by Judge Benson in his copy of the Freedom of the Will, 'Nothing ever came from the human mind more in proof that man was a reasoning animal. It is unrelaxed logical statement throughout, from the first page to the last.' But Edwards was much higher than a reasoning animal. His was an humble and devout Christian soul, as evidenced in his meditations while residing in New York preaching to a congregation of Presbyterians, in 1722,-"The soul of a true Christian appeared like such a little white flower as we see in the Spring of the year; low and humble on the ground, opening its bosom to receive the pleasant beams of the sun's glory; rejoicing, as it were, in calm rapture, diffusing around a sweet fragrancy; standing peacefully and lovingly, in the midst of other flowers round about; all in like manner opening their bosoms to drink in the light of the sun.'

From 1723 to 1726 he was tutor at Yale College; and in 1727 he was associated with his grandfather, Dr. Stoddard, as colleague of the church at Northampton, whom he succeeded as pastor in 1729. During his ministry at Northampton, he wrote bis Treatise on Religious Affections,' ann 'Narrative of Surprising Conversions,' and 'Qualifications for Communion.' The latter was the immediate cause of a controversy which led to his most unrighteous dismissal in 1750, and in the year following, to his settlement over the church and congregation at Stockbridge, as well as missionary to the Indians in that vicinity.

It was in Stockbridge, in 1754, he composed, in four months and a half, in the midst of his duties as pastor, missionary, and teacher, his Essay on the Freedom of the Will,' which for logical acuteness and subtlety, according to Dugald Stewart, 'places its author second to no metaphysician bred in the universities of Europe,' and for a century was regarded as the most original contribution made by America to the vast treasure-house of English literature. Having produced him,' says Hazlitt, 'the Americans need not despair of their metaphysicians. We do not scruple to say that he is one of the acutest, most powerful, and of all reasoners the most conscientious and sincere. His clearness and candor are alike admirable.'

In 1757 Edwards was elected to the presidency of Nassau Hall, the College of New Jersey at Princeton, and in January, 1758, was installed in that office; but before he had opportunity to demonstate his solid and accurate learning, and vast and acute genius, he died in the fifty-fifth year of his age, a victim of some precautionary course to escape the small-pox then prevailing in the vicinity.

President Edwards' letter to the Trustees of Princeton College illustrates his habits of study, and the vastness of his literary plans.

My method of study, from my first beginning the work of the ministry, has been very much by writing; applying myself, in this way, to improve every important hint; pursuing the clue to my utmost, when anything in reading, meditation, or conversation, has been suggested to my mind that seemed to promise light in any weighty point; thus penning what appeared to me my best thoughts, on innumerable subjects, for my own benefit. The longer I prosecuted my studies in this method, the more habitual it became, and the more pleasant and profitable I found it. The farther I travelled in this way, the more and wider the field opened, which has occasioned my laying out many things in my mind to do in this manner, if God should spare my life, which my heart hath been much upon; particularly many things against most of the prevailing errors of the present day, which I cannot with any patience see maintained (to the utter subverting of the Gospel of Christ) with so high a hand, and so long continued a triumph, with so little control, when it appears so evident to me that there is truly no foundation for any of this glorying and insult. I have already published something on one of the main points in dispute between the Arminians and the Calvinists, and have it in view, God willing (as I have already signified to the public), in like manner to consider all the other controverted points, and have done much towards a preparation for it.

His plan contemplated a series of essays similar to his 'Freedom of the Will,' a history of the 'Work of Redemption,' a body of divinity in an entire new method being thrown into the form of history, and a still larger work on the 'Harmony of the Old and New Testaments,' in three parts. His view of his activity as chief officer of the college was:

If I should see light to determine me to accept the place offered me, I should be willing to take upon me the work of a president, so far as it consists in the general inspection of the whole society; and to be subservient to the school, as to their order and methods of study and instruction, assisting myself in the immediate instruction in the arts and sciences (as discretion should direct, and occasion serve, and the state of things require), especially of the senior class; and, added to all, should be willing to do the whole work of a professor of divinity in public and private lectures, proposing questions to be answered, and some to be discussed in writing and free conversation, in meetings of graduates and others, appointed, in proper seasons, for these ends.

JONATHAN EDWARDS.

b. October 5, 1708-d. March 22, 1758.

This eminent divine and metaphysician, after his graduation at Yale College in September, 1720, before the completion of his seventeenth year, spent nearly two years at New Haven preparing himself for the work of the ministry, and from August, 1722, preached with great acceptance in New York for eight months, when he returned to his father's house in Windsor, in April, 1723. During this period he formed a series of resolutions to the number of seventy to regulate his own heart and life. These resolutions were plainly intended solely for his own eye and guidance, and were published for the first time by his biographer, Rev. Sereno Edwards Dwight, D.D., in the collected edition of his works in 1829. From this biography we reproduce them, omitting the formal Resolved which preceeds in the original the substance of each resolution. The first twenty-one were written at once, with the same pen; as were the next ten at a subsequent sitting and up to thirty-four were written before Dec. 18, 1722. The particular time and occasion of making the rest are mentioned in his Diary. The last was written in August, 1723.

RESOLUTIONS,

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, 80 far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake.

Remember to Read Over these Resolutions Once a Week.

1. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved, so to do, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever. 2. To be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance, and invention, to promote the fore-mentioned things.

3. If ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember when I come to myself again.

4. Never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God, nor be, nor suffer it, if I can possibly

avoid it.

5. Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. To live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

8. To act in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. Vid. July 30.

8. To think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. When I feel pain, to think of the pains of Martyrdom and of Hell. 11. When I think of any Theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder

12. If I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any

such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. To be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality, 14. Never do anything out of revenge.

15. Never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings. 16. Never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. That I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. To live so at all times as I think is best in my most devout frames, and when I have the clearest notions of the things of the Gospel and another world.

19. Never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if I expected it would not be above an hour before I should hear the last trump.

20. To maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking,

21. Never to do anything which, if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.

22. To endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert in any way that can be thought of.

23. Frequently to take some deliberate action which seems most unlikely to be done for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God's glory to repute it as a breach of the fourth Resolution.

24. Whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. To examine carefully and constantly what that one thing in me is which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. To cast away such things as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Never wilfully to omit anything except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same. 29. Never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. To strive, every week, to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace than I was the week before.

31. Never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the Golden Rule; often, when I have said anything against any one, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. To be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Prov. xx, 6, A faithful man, who can find? may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. To do always what I can towards making, maintaining and preserving peace, when it can be done without an overbalancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.

34. In narrations never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity. 35. Whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call to it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. To enquire every night, as I am going to bed, Wherein I have been negligent; what sin I have committed; and wherein I have denied myself;also, at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.

38. Never to utter anything that is sportive, or matter of laughter, on a Lord's day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Never to do anything of which I so much question the lawfulness, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission. 40. To enquire every night before I go to bed whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723. 41. To ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

42. Frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God which was made at my baptism, which I solemnly renewed when I was received into the communion of the church, and which I have solemnly re-made this 12th day of January, 1723.

43. Never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own,