What do you think?
Rate this book
Treatise on Grace: And Other Posthumously Published Writings
Three essays on Grace and the Trinity by the great 18th century American evangelical, published together for the first time.
- GenresTheology
131 pages, Paperback
Published October 14, 2000
About the author
Jonathan Edwards
1,712 books544 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database named Jonathan Edwards.
Jonathan Edwards was the most eminent American philosopher-theologian of his time, and a key figure in what has come to be called the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s.
The only son in a family of eleven children, he entered Yale in September, 1716 when he was not yet thirteen and graduated four years later (1720) as valedictorian. He received his Masters three years later. As a youth, Edwards was unable to accept the Calvinist sovereignty of God. However, in 1721 he came to what he called a "delightful conviction" though meditation on 1 Timothy 1:17. From that point on, Edwards delighted in the sovereignty of God. Edwards later recognized this as his conversion to Christ.
In 1727 he was ordained minister at Northampton and assistant to his maternal grandfather, Solomon Stoddard. He was a student minister, not a visiting pastor, his rule being thirteen hours of study a day. In the same year, he married Sarah Pierpont, then age seventeen, daughter of Yale founder James Pierpont (1659–1714). In total, Jonathan and Sarah had eleven children.
Stoddard died on February 11th, 1729, leaving to his grandson the difficult task of the sole ministerial charge of one of the largest and wealthiest congregations in the colony. Throughout his time in Northampton his preaching brought remarkable religious revivals.
Yet, tensions flamed as Edwards would not continue his grandfather's practice of open communion. Stoddard believed that communion was a "converting ordinance." Surrounding congregations had been convinced of this, and as Edwards became more convinced that this was harmful, his public disagreement with the idea caused his dismissal in 1750.
Edwards then moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, then a frontier settlement, where he ministered to a small congregation and served as missionary to the Housatonic Indians. There, having more time for study and writing, he completed his celebrated work, The Freedom of the Will (1754).
Edwards was elected president of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in early 1758. He was a popular choice, for he had been a friend of the College since its inception. He died of fever at the age of fifty-four following experimental inoculation for smallpox and was buried in the President's Lot in the Princeton cemetery beside his son-in-law, Aaron Burr.
Jonathan Edwards was the most eminent American philosopher-theologian of his time, and a key figure in what has come to be called the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s.
The only son in a family of eleven children, he entered Yale in September, 1716 when he was not yet thirteen and graduated four years later (1720) as valedictorian. He received his Masters three years later. As a youth, Edwards was unable to accept the Calvinist sovereignty of God. However, in 1721 he came to what he called a "delightful conviction" though meditation on 1 Timothy 1:17. From that point on, Edwards delighted in the sovereignty of God. Edwards later recognized this as his conversion to Christ.
In 1727 he was ordained minister at Northampton and assistant to his maternal grandfather, Solomon Stoddard. He was a student minister, not a visiting pastor, his rule being thirteen hours of study a day. In the same year, he married Sarah Pierpont, then age seventeen, daughter of Yale founder James Pierpont (1659–1714). In total, Jonathan and Sarah had eleven children.
Stoddard died on February 11th, 1729, leaving to his grandson the difficult task of the sole ministerial charge of one of the largest and wealthiest congregations in the colony. Throughout his time in Northampton his preaching brought remarkable religious revivals.
Yet, tensions flamed as Edwards would not continue his grandfather's practice of open communion. Stoddard believed that communion was a "converting ordinance." Surrounding congregations had been convinced of this, and as Edwards became more convinced that this was harmful, his public disagreement with the idea caused his dismissal in 1750.
Edwards then moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, then a frontier settlement, where he ministered to a small congregation and served as missionary to the Housatonic Indians. There, having more time for study and writing, he completed his celebrated work, The Freedom of the Will (1754).
Edwards was elected president of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in early 1758. He was a popular choice, for he had been a friend of the College since its inception. He died of fever at the age of fifty-four following experimental inoculation for smallpox and was buried in the President's Lot in the Princeton cemetery beside his son-in-law, Aaron Burr.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 1, 2026
Very good! Hard to follow at times - but very rewarding. Reading Edward’s is nearly always as fascinating as it is soul enriching.
July 18, 2024
THREE DOCTRINAL ESSAYS BY EDWARDS
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was a Calvinist minister---who played a key role in the Great Awakening---and theologian. He wrote many works (e.g., The Great Awakening, 'Apocalyptic Writings,' 'The Religious Affections,' 'A Narrative of Surprising Conversions,' etc.).
This book contains the Treatise on Grace; Observations Concerning the Trinity and the Covenant of Redemption; and An Essay on the Trinity. It begins with a 25-page historical Introduction.
In the "Grace" treatise, Edwards makes the observation that although we often read in the Bible of the Father Loving the Son, and the Son loving the Father, we never once read either of the Father or the Son loving the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit loving either of them. He explains, "It is because the Holy Spirit is the Divine love itself, the love of the Father and the Son." (Pg. 63)
In the "Observations" essay, he suggests that "there is a subordination of the persons of the Trinity, in their actings with respect to the creature"; nevertheless, the persons of the Trinity are "not inferior one to another in glory and excellence of nature." (Pg. 77)
In the "Essay," he notes that the Father is the "foundation of the Godhead," which "has led some to think that He only was truly and properly God"; but he attributes this to their individual "economical office," which allows the Holy Spirit to "proceed" from the Father and the Son, "and yet that all the persons should be coeternal." (Pg. 122)
This is an interesting brief collection of some of Edwards' lesser-known writings.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was a Calvinist minister---who played a key role in the Great Awakening---and theologian. He wrote many works (e.g., The Great Awakening, 'Apocalyptic Writings,' 'The Religious Affections,' 'A Narrative of Surprising Conversions,' etc.).
This book contains the Treatise on Grace; Observations Concerning the Trinity and the Covenant of Redemption; and An Essay on the Trinity. It begins with a 25-page historical Introduction.
In the "Grace" treatise, Edwards makes the observation that although we often read in the Bible of the Father Loving the Son, and the Son loving the Father, we never once read either of the Father or the Son loving the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit loving either of them. He explains, "It is because the Holy Spirit is the Divine love itself, the love of the Father and the Son." (Pg. 63)
In the "Observations" essay, he suggests that "there is a subordination of the persons of the Trinity, in their actings with respect to the creature"; nevertheless, the persons of the Trinity are "not inferior one to another in glory and excellence of nature." (Pg. 77)
In the "Essay," he notes that the Father is the "foundation of the Godhead," which "has led some to think that He only was truly and properly God"; but he attributes this to their individual "economical office," which allows the Holy Spirit to "proceed" from the Father and the Son, "and yet that all the persons should be coeternal." (Pg. 122)
This is an interesting brief collection of some of Edwards' lesser-known writings.
August 19, 2018
Great little primer on grace. Some great thoughts pertaining to the Holy Spirit, particularly of His role in the love of the Trinity.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews