Monday, May 19, 2014

Book Review: (The Puritan Pulpit) Jonathan Edwards

(Puritan Pulpit) Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758. (Containing 16 Sermons Unpublished In Edwards' Lifetime) Compiled and Edited by Dr. Don Kistler. Soli Deo Gloria. 286 pages. [Source: Bought]

I have been wanting to read Jonathan Edwards for over a decade. I own several books by Jonathan Edwards. But this collection of previously unpublished sermons turned out to be the most reader-friendly of the bunch. I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who wants a more reader-friendly introduction to Jonathan Edwards. I have two ideas on what might make this one more reader-friendly. One, each sermon stands on its own. So as a reader, you can approach each sermon on its own. I found the chapters to be of a good length, a varying length. Some sermons being about twelves pages perhaps, and, others being a bit longer. Personally, I set out to read one to two sermons per day over two weeks. I found this worked really well. Two, sermons have a definite audience. These sermons were written, were preached, to an audience with the intent of being understood. So there is a certain clarity. He wanted to save souls; he wanted to reach the lost and/or teach the saved. Here we find instruction and food for thought. His sermons offer a bit of a challenge in that they are asking the reader (or the listener, originally) to evaluate where he/she stands in relation to Christ. Each sermon is broken down into two sections: Doctrine and Application.

Here are the sixteen sermons:

  1. God Never Changes His Mind
  2. It Is Well For Us That God Is Not As We Are
  3. God Doesn't Thank Men For Doing Those Things He Commands Them
  4. Men's Addiction to Sin is No Excuse, But An Aggravation
  5. God Is Kind to the Unthankful and the Evil
  6. A Man May Eternally Undo Himself in One Thought of His Heart
  7. There Is A Mutual Abhorrence Between God and Wicked Men
  8. There Is Nothing Like Seeing What God Is To Make Men Sensible To What They Are
  9. God Does What He Pleases
  10. Tis The Spirit of a Truly Godly Man to Prefer God Before All Other Things Either In Heaven or On Earth
  11. Christ is the Christian's All
  12. God Is Everywhere Present
  13. Spiritual Appetites Need No Bounds
  14. There Is Much of the Goodness and Mercy of God Appearing in the Commands He Has Given Us
  15. Contending With God
  16. God Is A Being of Transcendent Mercy

I loved, loved, loved this collection. Did I love, love, love each sermon equally? Did I profit by each sermon equally? Of course not. I needed to hear some more than others. I am so glad I didn't assume that this collection of sermons would be "too difficult" for me to read and appreciate!


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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