A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards

Profiles in Reformed Spirituality

by Michael A.G. Haykin, Jonathan Edwards

A Sweet Flame introduces readers to the piety of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). Dr. Haykin's biographical sketch of Edwards captures the importance the New England minister placed on Scripture, family piety, and the church s reliance upon God. The remainder of the book presents 26 selections from various letters written by Edwards, two written by family members at his death, and an appendix drawing upon Edwards's last will and the inventor of his estate. Table of
To Mary Edwards
To Benjamin Colman
To George Whitefield
To Deborah Hatheway
To Sarah Edwards, Jr.
To Joseph Bellamy
To James Robe
To Thomas Prince
To Elnathan Whitman
To William McCulloch
To Joseph Bellamy
To William McCulloch
To Sarah Edwards
To John Erskine
To John Erskine
To John Erskine
To Mary Edwards
To Joseph Bellamy
To John Erskine
To Lady Mary Pepperell
To William McCulloch
To Timothy Edwards
Letter to Edward Wigglesworth
To the Trustees of the College of New Jersey at Princeton
To Esther Burr
To Lucy Edwards
Sarah Edwards to Esther Burr
Susannah Edwards to Esther Burr
Jonathan Edwards' Last Will, and the Inventory of His Estate

Genres: Biography, History, Spirituality

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin is the Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality and Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He is also the editor of Eusebeia: The Bulletin of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. His present areas of research include 18th-century British Baptist life and thought, as well as Patristic Trinitarianism and Baptist piety.

Haykin is a prolific writer having authored numerous books, over 250 articles and over 150 book reviews. He is also an accomplished editor with numerous editorial credits.

Reviews

[Darlene Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Edwards’ heart for the Lord is perfectly displayed in this collection of letters. What a treasure these letters must have been to the recipients. Each letter was well thought out, each word carefully chosen. There is depth and meaning in every line. This book left me wondering what we will leave behind for the generations after us. An email? A social media rant? A text?

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent exploration of the Piety of Jonathan Edwards as seen in his letters.

[Andrzej Stelmasiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for Edwards, no discussion about that!

2 stars for Haykin and RHB staff. Most of JE's letters come from 2 vol. edition of his works (reprinted by the Banner of Truth, Hendrickson) - I was expecting more reliance on vol. 16 of Yale University Press edition.

Historical note is brief and boring, something you would expect to see in one of those monthly magazines/newspapers for evangelical Christians.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of letters, which are always interesting, often pastoral, and at times deeply moving. This may be an excellent introduction for those who've had little or no engagement with Edwards.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful help for growing in godliness is imitating those who excel us and go before us, and Edwards provides a wonderful example in this book. Very helpfully ministered by the editor.