The Works of President Edwards ...

THEr who have a relish for the study of the scriptures, and have access to peruse the following sheets, will, I am persuaded, deem themselves much indebted to the Reverend Mr. EDWARDS of Newhaven for consenting to publish them. Though the acute philosopher and deep divine appears in them, yet they are in the general better calculated for the instruction and improvement of ordinary Christians, than those of President EDWARDS's writings, where the abstruse nature of the subject, or the subtle objections of opposers of the truth, led him to more abstract and metaphysical reasonings. The manuscript being entrusted to my care, I have not presumed to make any change in the sentiments or composition. I have, however; taken the liberty to reduce it from the form of sermons, which il originally bore, to that of a continued treatise; and I have so altered and diversified the marks of the several divisions and subdivisions, that each class of heads might be easily distinguished.

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PREFACE.

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 considera-
ble 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. EDWARDS and to the cause of truth.
The consequence was, that they gave their advice for pub.
lishing 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. EDWARDS 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 put 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 públication. On that account, the reader cannot reasonably expect all that from them, which he might justly have expected, bad 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 writ-
ings, though destitute of the ornaments of fine language, have
it seems that solid merit, which has procured both to them-
selves 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 ora-
cles, and real unfeigned piety; and that, as the plan is new,
and many of the sentiments uncommon; they may afford en-
tertainment and improvement to the ingenious, the inquisitive,
and the pious reader; may confirm their faith in God's gov-
ernment of the world, in our holy Christian religion in gen-
eral, 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 con-
versation becoming the gospel.

圖書