Jonathan Edwards in the Pulpit: Famous Sermons

The five sermons of Jonathan Edwards chosen for this edition have shown enduring popularity. "A Divine and Supernatural Light" contrasts having an intellectual knowledge against having a supernatural experiential knowledge of God. "The Justice of God and the Damnation of Sinners" is a discourse on why it is just for God to render a harsh judgment. "The Excellency of Christ" clarifies the almost contradictory conjunctions of Christ, such as being a lion and a lamb. "Heaven, a World of Love" shows the glories of heaven and discusses the objects, subjects, and circumstances of love in heaven. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," the best known of Jonathan Edwards' sermons, promotes the seriousness of sin and the mercy of God as the only way to stay out of hell.

JONATHAN EDWARDS (1703-1758) was born in East Windsor, Connecticut. His father, Timothy Edwards, was the minister at East Windsor. Jonathan attended Yale to receive his B.A. and M.A. degrees. In 1727, he was ordained and became an assistant pastor with his grandfather, Rev. Solomon Stoddard, at the church in Northampton, Massachusetts. The same year he married Sarah Pierpont with whom he raised a large family. He became active in revivals and is said to be a stimulator of the ＂Great Awakening＂ along with George Whitefield. He became president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton) in 1758.