THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE LATE REVEREND, LEARNED, AND PIOUS MK JONATHAN EDWARDS, PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY. TOGETHER WITH Extracts from his Private Writings and Diary. AND ALSO EIGHTEEN SELECT SERMONS ON VARIOUS IMPORTANT SUBJECTS. The righteous fhall be in everlasting remembrance, Pfal. cxii. 6. EDINBURGH: Printed for and by ALEXANDER JARDINE, Back of PREFACE. RESIDENT EDWARDS, in the esteem of all the judicious, who were well acquainted with him, either perfonally, or by his writings, was one of the greatest bestand most useful of men, that have lived in this age. He discovered himself to be one of the greatest of di vines by his conversation, preaching, and writings: one of remarkable strength of mind, clcarnefs of thought, and depth of penetration, who well understood, and was. able, above most others, to vindicate the great doctrines of Christianity. And no one, perhaps, has been in our day more uni verfally esteemed and acknowledged to be a bright Chriftian, an eminently good man. His love to God and man; his zeal for God and his caufe; his uprightness, humili ty, felf-denial, and weanednefs from the world; his clofe walk with God; his confcientious, conftant, and univer fal obedience, in all exact and holy ways of living: in one word, the goodnefs, the holiness of his heart, has been as evident and confpicuous, as the uncommon greatnefs and ftrength of his understanding. And that this diftinguished light has not fhone in vain, there are a cloud of witneffes, God, who gave him his great talents, led him into a way of improving thein, both by preaching and writing, which has doubtless proved the means of converting many from the error of their ways; and of greatly promoting the interest of Chrift's church, both in America and Europe. And there is reafon to hope, that though he is now dead, he - will yet fpeak for a great while to come, to the great comfort a 2 |