A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

THE late learned and ingenious Mr. Edwards left in MS. several hundred sermons on doctrinal and practical subjects, explications of above 500 texts of scripture, and essays on the truth and excellency of the Christian religion, the harmony of the Old and New Testament, the divinity of Christ, the necessity and reasonableness of atonement and of the imputation of merit, the eternity of hell-torments, the foreknowledge of God, predestination universal and particular redemption, efficacious grace, justification, perseverance, &c. Though he had no design to publish these in the form in which he left them, yet, in the opinion of good judges in America who have perused them, they contain a variety of new and striking sentiments, on many important and difficult subjects, which might communicate to the Christian world much useful instruction. When writers excel only in style and composition, they can derive little honour, and the public can reap small improvement, from the printing their loose unfinished papers; but important original thoughts, tho' not accurately methodized, nor adorned with the beauties of eloquence, will merit being preserved from oblivion. If so much of the authors penetration and judgement appear in the preceding sheets, written about 20 years before his death, much more may be expected from compositions in a period, when years, study and experience, had greatly increased his stock of knowledge. Whether the publisher shall favour the world with any more of these valuable remains, will probably in a good measure depend on the encouragement this work meets with.

THE late learned and ingenious Mr. Edwards left in MS. several hundred sermons on doctrinal and practical subjects, explications of above 500 texts of scripture, and essays on the truth and excellency of the Christian religion, the harmony of the Old and New Testament, the divinity of Christ, the necessity and reasonableness of atonement and of the imputation of merit, the eternity of hell-torments, the foreknowledge of God, predestination universal and particular redemption, efficacious grace, justification, perseverance, &c. Though he had no design to publish these in the form in which he left them, yet, in the opinion of good judges in America who have perused them, they contain a variety of new and striking sentiments, on many important and difficult subjects, which might communicate to the Christian world much useful instruction. When writers excel only in style and composition, they can derive little honour, and the public can reap small improvement, from the printing their loose unfinished papers; but important original thoughts, tho' not accurately methodized, nor adorned with the beauties of eloquence, will merit being preserved from oblivion. If so much of the authors penetration and judgement appear in the preceding sheets, written about 20 years before his death, much more may be expected from compositions in a period, when years, study and experience, had greatly increased his stock of knowledge. Whether the publisher shall favour the world with any more of these valuable remains, will probabably in a good measure depend on the encouragement this work meets with.