Customer Reviews

The Works of Jonathan Edwards, volume 1 of 2 (Samizdat Edition with Active Table of Contents), improved 2/5/2011

5 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Edwards was unsurpassed at combining passion for spiritual renewal with solid theological scholarship, and Volume 1 is a goldmine of some of his best work, including his Memoirs, Dissertation on the End for Which God Made the World, Treatise on the Religious Affections, Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God, Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Relgion, and his sweeping History of the Work of Redemption. All of these are the full-length works, not excerpts or abridgements.

I purchased the book in December 2010 and was quite happy with it, but there were minor inconveniences. In particular, the table of contents provided just a single link to the beginning of each title's content; for full-length books like Religious Affections or History of Redemption, it was somewhat cumbersome to try to find individual chapters or sections. The February 2011 update has remedied that with detailed tables of contents for each individual title. As the publisher has noted in his own review, those who already have purchased this volume can downloaded the update for free, and it is well worth the minimal time and effort.

In the history of North American no mind shone brighter, no spirit flew higher, and no fallible soul ever desired to glorify God more than Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). And here, "The Works of Jonathan Edwards, volume 1 of 2: Kindle" is a colossal offering (eight plus megabytes) from the impressive works by America's greatest theologian. This volume is expansive in range, biblical in approach from one of the last preachers to advocate the admirable Puritan tradition before the Revolution. Sermons, treatises, and essential works from Edwards are contained within.

At 12 years of age he entered Yale College graduated with the highest honors of his class; an important aspect of his study was a focus in school was the study of Locke on the Human Understanding. After he graduated he ministered at the Congregational Church at Northampton. As a youthful preacher Edwards was renowned for his substantial thought and effective preaching as he deeply touched many of his listeners. He (along with George Whitefield) was mightily used to help birth the Great Awakening. Edwards did not endorse the wild emotionalism/enthusiasms often attending the fervent revivals as he aimed to glorify God. Later he was released by his church (1750) for advocating that only practicing Christians can receive the sacraments.

Edwards observes: "Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected."

Famous works include:

- Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (Boston, 1741)
- Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God
- Some Thoughts concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England
- A Treatise concerning Religious Affections (1746).

Edwards muses: "Can the believing husband in Heaven be happy with his unbelieving wife in Hell? Can the believing father in Heaven be happy with his unbelieving children in Hell? Can the loving wife in Heaven be happy with her unbelieving husband in Hell? I tell"

A number of Edwards Resolutions:
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, 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 myriad's 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 to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, 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. Resolved, 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 avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, 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.
Edwards the apologist opines: "I assert that nothing ever comes to pass without a cause."

There are over 60 more of these sanctifying maxims that Edwards applied to his life in Christ. He was a great preacher, a commanding revivalist, an exceptional philosopher, and a true legend who desired to serve and love the one true God.
God Does Exist!: Defending the faith using presuppositional apologetics, evidence, and the impossibility of the contrary or
One Way to God: Christian Philosophy and Presuppositional Apologetics Examine World Religions

The only drawback is you can't access the Table of Contents from Menu >> Go To >> Table of Contents. You have to use Menu >> Go To >> Cover, in order to access the Table of Contents.

The book delivers on what it promises, and it's worth the cheap-as-dirt price tag. Edwards is amazing!

I would have given this edition of Volume I of the Works of Edwards five stars except to see that the publisher simple copied and pasted the text and did not put in any of the original languages (they all say "NOT ENGLISH" where the words should be) when he downloaded the text from ccel.org. Such sloppy publishing should be banned from Kindle. (See image for an example)

Appended 9/11/11
-Footnotes are not linked.

This collection contains everything from Johnathan Edwards. I really appreciate his works and this collection captures them all. Also, putting those works in context through narration added a new dimnetion to his writings. And for the price, this is an outstanding value. Highly recommended!

I downloaded this book about a minute ago, so I can't provide a lot of insight. However, contrary to what the title says, there is no Table of Contents, and the book is not indexed, which mean's you can't perform searches within the book. This is a major problem as this book is so massive. While the content is very valuable, this book is almost worthless.