THE HISTORY OF REDEMPTION by Jonathan Edwards 1 CONTENTS Preface 3 Advertisement 5 General Introduction and Doctrine 6 PERIOD ONE: FROM THE FALL TO THE INCARNATION 15 Part One: From the Fall to the Flood 16 Part Two: From the Flood to the Calling of Abraham 27 Part Three: From the Calling of Abraham to Moses 32 Part Four: From Moses to David 42 Part Five: From David to the Babylonian Captivity 58 Part Six: From the Babylonian Captivity to the Coming of Christ 78 Period 1 Improvement 100 PERIOD TWO: THE TIME OF CHRIST’S HUMILIATION 108 Part One: Of Christ’s Becoming Incarnate to Qualify Himself for the Purchase of Redemption 108 Part Two: Of the Purchase Itself 114 Improvement 130 PERIOD THREE: FROM CHRIST’S RESURRECTION TO THE END OF THE WORLD 138 Introduction 139 Part One: Of Those Things Whereby Christ Was Put Into an Immediate Capacity for Accomplishing the Ends of His Purchase 145 Part Two: How Christ Accomplished This Success 148 Application 189 Improvement of the Whole 224 2 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 considerable 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 honour 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 publishing them. The other obstacle was removed by a gentleman in the church of Scotland, who was formerly 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 presidency of Princeton college, lest the duties of that office should put it out 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 publication. On that account, the reader can not reasonably expect all that from them, which he might justly have expected, had 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 writings, though destitute of the ornaments of fine language, have it seems that solid merit, which has procured both to themselves 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 oracles, and real unfeigned piety. And that, as the plan is new, and many of the sentiments uncommon, they may afford entertainment and improvement to the ingenious, the inquisitive, and the pious reader, may confirm their faith in God’s government of the world, in our holy Christian religion in general, and in many of its peculiar doctrines, may assist in studying with greater pleasure and advantage the historical and prophetic books of Scripture, and may excite to a conversation becoming the gospel. 3 That this volume may produce these happy effects in all who shall peruse it, is the hearty desire and prayer of the reader’s most humble servant, JONATHAN EDWARDS JNR. New Haven, February 25, 1773. 4 ADVERTISEMENT They 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 New Haven 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’ 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 it 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. JOHN ERSKINE Edinburgh, April 29, 1774 5 GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND DOCTRINE “For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever, and my navigation from generation to generation.” Isaiah 51:8 The design of this chapter is to comfort the church under her sufferings, and the persecutions of her enemies. The argument of consolation insisted on is, the constancy and perpetuity of God’s mercy and faithfulness towards her, which shall be manifest in continuing to work salvation for her, protecting her against all assaults of her enemies, and carrying her safely through all the changes of the world, and finally crowning her with victory and deliverance. In the text, this happiness of the church of God is set forth by comparing it with the contrary fate of her enemies that oppress her. And therein we may observe, 1. How short lived the power and prosperity of the church’s enemies is, “The moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool,” i.e. however great their prosperity is, and however great their present glory. They shall by degrees consume and vanish away a secret curse of God, until they come to nothing. All their power and glory, and so their persecutions, shall eternally cease. They will be finally and irrecoverably ruined, as the finest and most glorious apparel will in time wear away, and be consumed by moths and rottenness. We learn who those are that shall thus consume away, by the foregoing verse, viz. those that are the enemies of God’s people, “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their reviling.” 2. The contrary happy lot and portion of God’s church, expressed in these words, “My righteousness shalt be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” Who are meant as those that shall have the benefit of this, we also learn by the preceding verse, viz. They “that know righteousness,” and “the people in whose heart is God’s law,” or, in one word, the church of God. And concerning this happiness of theirs here spoken of, we may observe two things, viz. 1. Wherein it consists. 2. Its continuance. (1.) Wherein it consists, viz. In God’s righteousness and salvation towards them. By God’s righteousness here, is meant his faithfulness in fulfilling his covenant promises to his church, or his faithfulness towards his church and people in bestowing the benefits of the covenant of grace upon them. These benefits, though they are bestowed of free and sovereign grace, are altogether undeserved. Yet as God has been pleased, by the promises of the covenant of grace, to bind himself to bestow them, so they are bestowed in the exercise of God’s righteousness or justice. And therefore the Apostle says, Heb. 6:10, “God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love.” And so, 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So the word righteousness, is very often used in Scripture for God’s covenant faithfulness. So it is used in Neh. 9:8, “Thou hast performed thy words, for thou art righteous.” So we are often to understand righteousness and covenant mercy for the same thing, as Psa. 24:5, “He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psa. 36:10, “Continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.” And Psa. 51:14, “Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy 6 righteousness.” Dan. 9:16, “O Lord, according to thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away.” And so in innumerable other places.