Jonathan Edwards was born and raised in Colonial America. By the way, did you know that 50% of the marriages in colonial America had a newborn baby 8 months in to the marriage? Yeah...not so pure, right? Anywho, Jonathan Edwards was brilliant. He was born and raised in staunch Puritan doctrine and theology. He was born in 1703, close to 100 years after the Puritans had arrived. He was a classic case of "one who knew all the right answers." He would lay for hours outside observing nature, mainly moths and butterflies. He went to Yale at the age of 13 and graduated from Yale at 17. However, Jonathan lacked affections of the heart in regards to Christ. He intellectually rejected the Gospel. He realized he could not come to God on his own and that the Holy Spirit would have to intervene, giving him new life. Fortunately, God drew Jonathan to Himself and made him extraordinary. His wife was named Sarah and they had 11 children. (Sidenote: It was believed at that time that the day of the week a child was born was the day the child had been conceived. Being that 6 of his children were born on a Sunday, he was considered a little scandulous! :) Okay, maybe, maybe not!) Jonathan spent 13 hours a day in study of the Word, which included praying and fasting. He always read his sermons. He attributed his success not to skill but the desire of holiness. He was not a dramatic man (like some pastors today). In 1739 the Great Awakening began and it lasted for 4 years. George Whitefield and the Wesley brothers began preaching. George Whitefield was good friends with Benjamin Franklin, who was no friend to the Gospel. However, Ben Franklin would publish Whitefield's sermons and negotiate on his behalf with pastors/churches who declined him time at their pulpit. Edwards is most well-known for his sermon titled "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" which many of us had to read in our high school lit class. During the Great Awakening people would be overcome and begin to shake, tremble and fall down. Someone asked Edwards if this was the work of God. He simply replied it doesn't matter what happened physically, the proof would be afterwards and how these people would live.
His constant "meat of the matter" had to do with the affections of the heart. The heart is our greatest motivator as it is the center of the human personality. Everything we do or value is motivated by the affections of the heart. Our feelings are part of that, but our affections go beyond our feelings. Remember, the Bible says our heart is deceitfully wicked...so, it makes sense. What are the affections of your heart?
Anywho, after serving for over 25 years in the pastorate at his church he was voted out by his congregation. It was something that was so stupid but I can't remember and I didn't write it down. He and his family moved to minister to the Indians, holding several services each Sunday. They would also minister to soldiers who were fighting in the French-Indian War. Finally, Princeton University contacted him and asked him to serve as the President of the University. He initially declined because he felt he was less than qualified for the job. However, after the panel protested he told them he would seek the counsel of his closest friends. They told him YES!! At the time the small pox vaccine was created. Being a science minded man, he was innoculated. Unfortunately he ended up contracting the disease and died shortly after being installed as the new President.
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