EDWARDS. 



361 



remained nearly six years lunger, but was at length for- 

 Jonathan. ma lly dismissed by a vote of his congregation, in which 

 '"""""'' only 20 persons appeared in his favour, and more than 200 

 against him. During the whole of this afflicting Strug- 

 gie, he preserved the greatest calmness and meekness 

 under the most injurious treatment, and, within a few 

 \ ears after his removal, was amply vindicated by the 

 public acknowledgment of one of his most virulent per- 

 SL-cutors. He was, in short, the last minister in New 

 England, of whom such an event could have been anti- 

 cipated ; ami the whole transaction presents one of the 

 strongest objections, from actual experience, to those 

 forms of church government which empower the peo- 

 plc to dictate to their religious instructors. In 1751, 

 Mr Edwards was appointed Indian missionary, at the 

 town of Stockbridge, in Massachusetts, where he was 

 honourably supported by the Society in London for 

 Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; and where, 

 for the space of six years, he discharged the duties of 

 his office to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. 

 During his residence in this retired situation, he produ- 

 ced the most valuable of his writings. In the year 1757, 

 without any solicitation, and even with much reluctance 

 on his part, he was elected to the presidency of the 

 college of New Jersey, and removed to Prinretown in 

 the beginning of the following year. Scarcely had he 

 entered upon the duties of his office, and given testimo- 

 ny of his eminent qualifications, when he proposed, with 

 the advice of the physicians, and the consent of the cor- 

 poration, to be inoculated with the small -pox, which 

 was then spreading its ravages in his neighbourhood. 

 He had the disease in a favourable manner, and all 

 danger w.-;s considered as past, but a secondary fever 

 put an end to his valuable life, on the 22d of March 

 1758, in the 55th year of big age. He uttered very 

 few words during his sickness, but evinced, in every 

 stage of his disease, the most patient submission to the 

 Divine will ; and died at last with the utmost compo- 

 sure, as one falling asleep. Mr Ld wards had a very 

 infirm constitution of body; and, on that account, as 

 .well as from religious principle, was remarkably abste- 

 mious in his diet. He was nevertheless capable of great 

 mental application, constantly rising about four or five 

 o'clock in the morning, and commonly spending thirteen 

 hours every day in his stu ly. Mis usual recreation j" 

 siimindr \o i-;<r.i( on iiuiseUack, or walking; and in 

 winter he was accustomed, by way of exercise, to spend 

 half an hour or more every day, in chopping wood 

 with an axe. He possessed an uncommon thirst for 

 knowledge, and read all the books, especially in divini- 

 ty, that were within his reach. His own principles were 

 strictly Calvinistic : but he drew them for him.self from 

 a thorough investigation of the sacred scriptures, and 

 was least of all men led by the mere authority of others. 

 He always studied with his pen in I, is hand, and, in 

 this way, cominitted to paper many observations on al- 

 most every subject in divinity. The number of these 

 miscellaneous reflections amounted to more tlian 1400, 

 and a selection of them was published, in one volume, 

 after his death. He was particularly careful in the 

 composition of his sermons, which, for the first twenty 

 year.-* of his ministry, he generally wrote out at full 

 length, and currying them with him to the pulpit, 

 usually read the greater part of what he had written. 

 This, however, he considered as one of his deficiencies 

 as a preacher. Hi* mode of delivery was easy and 

 natural, deficient in gesture, but full of solemnity. His 

 voice was not strong, but distinct ; and his' words, 



*0t. VIII. PART I. 



without much noise or exlt-inal'uuotion, \\ere so full 

 of meaning and expressive of inward fervour, that 

 few speakers were more successful in commanding 

 the attention of an audience. He was seldom te- 

 dious either in prayer or preaching, and generally 

 employed the greater part of his discourses in the 

 application or improvement of the subject. Unless 

 when he was called by the sick, or heard that any of 

 his people were under some particular affliction, he did 

 not visit them in their own houses ; because he was 

 aware that his talent consisted in preaching and writing, 

 rather then in teaching by conversation ; but he en- 

 couraged all who desired his advice, to repair to hi? 

 study, and regularly catechised the young persons and 

 children, both in public and in his own house. He kept 

 himself remarkably free from worldly cares, and com- 

 mitted the direction of his domestic concerns so entire- 

 ly to Mrs Edwards, that he seldom knew even whence 

 his table was supplied, or how many cattle he posses- 

 sed. He was, however, most anxiously pttentive to the 

 education of his children; and his parental authority, 

 exercised with uniform calmness, was productive of the 

 most cheerful obedience. He spoke little in geneiv.l 

 society ; avoided disputes in mixed companies ; and 

 was rather reserved among strangers ; but, with his in- 

 timate friends, whom he selected with the greatest cau- 

 tion, he was peculiarly affable, communicative, and in- 

 structive in conversation, patient of contradiction, and 

 ready to hear every objection that could be made to his 

 sentiments. He was distinguished by inviolable inte- 

 grity in his dealings, and a sacred regard to truth in 

 his words ; uniformly, impressed by a profound senti- 

 ment of piety, and characterized by an unaffected gra- 

 vity of demeanour ; exemplary in practising, as he was 

 most urgent in recommending, charity to the poor ; 

 but always inclined to conceal the amount of his alms 

 deeds, and the e.\ercises of his private devotions. His 

 principal writings, besides single sermons and smaller 

 tract*, were, " A Treatise on Religion!- Affections," pub- 

 li-hi-cl in the year 1746 ; " An Account of the Life oj.' 

 the Rev. David Brainerd, Missionary to the Indians, in 

 17*9" "An Inquiry into the modern Notion of that 

 Freedom of the Will which is supposed to be essential 

 to Moral Agency," in 175* ; " A Defence of the Chris- 

 tian Doctrine oi Original Sin," which was in the j.i < 98 

 at the time of his death ; " A History of the Work of 

 Redemption ;" " Miscellaneous Observations ;" and 

 " Eighteen select Sermons," with an account of his 

 life and character, which were published from hi- ma- 

 nuscripts. His writings, though expressed oi'ten in p 

 clumsy and disjointed style, ami capable of being great- 

 ly improved by judicious abridgment, have been high- 

 ly valued, and extensively useful in the Christian world. 

 He was certainly one of the greatest divines, and ablest 

 metaphysicians, of the age in which he lived ; and, 

 whatever may be the theological sentiments of his 

 readers, they must, if at all capable of appreciating 

 hi- talents, allow him the praise of having possessed 

 extensive knowledge of liis subject ; of having exer- 

 cised sound judgment in his argument; and of having 

 produced the ablest defence of the doctrines which he 

 espoused. See General Biography, and The Life and 

 Character of Mr Jonathan Edwards, prefixed to eigh- 

 teen of his select sermons. (<j) 



EGBERT. See ENGLAND. 



EGG. See CHEMISTRY and OHNITHOLOCY, 



EGG. SeeANGuiMJM OVUM. 



2Y 



Edwards 

 Jonathan. 



