Surprises In The Life of Jonathan Edwards

I've recently finished Elisabeth Dodds' book, 'Marriage to a Difficult Man.' I love reading about Jonathan Edwards, because he makes me want o love God more. This books was good because it made me want to love my wife more as well! Edwards is undoubtedly one of the finest minds America has ever produced. How many other men from before the revolutionary war are still influencing the life and thought of the church today? There are some strange things in Jonathan Edwards life though, strange things that reflect the providence of God, and strange things that should encourage us all.

First of all, Edwards was sacked by his church in Northampton. Sacked! Imagine that! The man whose preaching was used to spark two huge revivals, the man whose books are still read two hundred and fifty years later, sacked by his church. Murray's biography puts this down mainly to Edwards views on communion. He thought and taught that only those who professed faith in Christ should take communion in the church. A big deal in a small town before the separation of church and state. Dodds makes a bigger deal of the lack of a relationship between Edwards and his people. He wasn't a great visitor, which hurt him. He was also, a genius, which puts distance between one man and others. All these things are no doubt true, but providence played a role. Nothing, even the circumstances taken together constitute a sackable offence, Edwards Lord had different plans for him.

And those plans? A big name church in a city, or even in UK? Presidency of the new college in Princeton, New Jersey (he felt he was under qualified for this post!) Both were considered. But he ended up a frontier missionary to Native Americans in Stockbridge, essentially on the edge of the known world. What this small, remote parish gave him the freedom to do was write. Without his writings, we wouldn't know him now. In this hidden away part of the world, his mind bloomed, free from the restrictions and pressures of Northampton. We can read those books today. Stockbridge was a mysterious move for Edwards, but a providential one.

Finally, Edwards died of a smallpox inoculation, shortly after he was installed as the President of Princeton. He's not the only man to die from a vaccination of course, but to think that he was taken at the beginning of what would have been another fruitful season is another mystery. He was working on at least two new books, one of which was on the harmony of the Old and New Testaments. Can you imagine! But the smallpox ran riot through his weary body, and he died peacefully and faithfully.

So what can we learn from these moments in Edwards life? Jonathan and Sarah were held close to each other, and God, by the knowledge that God worked all things, from the death of children, to leaving their home, for their good. That God works for our good, doesn't mean life will always go according to our plans. It probably means that we need to abandon our plans when we're saved. But what lessons in providence God teaches us through Edwards' life. Lessons i'm keen to learn.