nents, the force with which he states their objections, and even suggests others, which perhaps had escaped them, the scrupulous avoidance of all personality in his controversies, and of course, of all abuse and unjust insinuation, by which he gives them no opportunity of evading the point in dispute, but compels them to meet him in the open field of controversy, and to grapple with the plain arguments by which he would establish the truth. In order justly to estimate the degree in which Edwards is distinguished, for these qualities, it is necessary to consider that the greater part of his writings is controversial, that he selected for controversy those truths which unavoidably awaken the most bitter opposition in the human heart, and maintained them in a manner wholly unanswerable, and yet at this day no judicious disputant would dare to attack them in his manner of reasoning, or to shift the controversy from the arguments to the author. If he should, his efforts would rebound upon himself. One of his antagonists, however, while he was living in attempting an answer to his first controversial publication, attacked the author in person, and misrepresented his opinions, his arguments, and his motives, and added abuse of a nature still more personal. We cannot regret the event, as it afforded our author an opportunity of at once stating and exemplifying, under trying circumstances, the rules which he prescribed to himself in all his controversial publications. As we do not recollect to have seen the principles of christian controversy more correctly stated, we extract the whole passage. Since I have been so repeatedly chared by Mr. Williams, with indecent and injurious treatment of Mr. Stoddard, (whom doubtless I ought to treat with much respect) I may expect from what appears of Mr. Williams's disposition this way, to be charged with ill treatment of him too. I desire therefore that it may be justly considered by the reader, what is and what is not, injurious or unhandsome treatment of an author in a controversy. And here I would crave leave to say, that I humbly conceive, a distinction ought to be made between opposing and exposing a cause, or the arguments used to defend it, and reproaching persons. He is a weak writer indeed, who undertakes to confute an opinion, but dares not expose the nakedness and absurdity of it, nor the weakness nor inconsistence of the methods taken and arguments used by any to maintain it, for fear he should be guilty of speaking evil of those things, and be charged with reproaching them. If an antagonist is angry at this, he thereby gives his readers too much occasion of suspicion towards himself, as chargeable with weakness, or bitterness. I therefore now give notice, that I have taken full liberty in this respect: only endeavouring to avoid pointed and exaggerating expressions. If to set forth what I suppose to be the true absurdity of Mr. Williams's scheme, or any part of it, that it may be viewed justly in all its nakedness; withal observing the weakness of the defence he has made, not fearing to shew wherein it is weak, and how the badness of his cause obliges him to be inconsistent with himself, inconsistent with his own professed principles in religion, and things conceded and asserted by him in the book especially under consideration; and declaring particularly wherein I think his question, or being impertinent and beside arguments fail, whether it be inbegging the the question, or arguing in effect against himself; also observing wherein Mr. Will iams has made misrepresentations of words reproaching him, and injurious treatment or things; I say, if to do these things be of him, then I have injured him. But I think I should be foolish, if I were afraid to do that (and to do it as thoroughly as I can) which must be the design of my writing, if I write at all in opposition to his tenets, and to the defence he makes of them. order to make it appear in the worst colIndeed if I misrepresent what he says, in ors; altering his words to another sense, to make them appear more ridiculous; or adding other words, to heighten the sup posed absurdity, and give me greater advantage to exclaim; if I set myself to aggravate matters, and strain them beyond bounds, making mighty things of mere trifles; or if I use exclamations and invectives, instead of arguments; then Mr. Williams might have just cause to complain and the reader would have just reason for disgust. But whether I have done so or not, must be judged by the reader; of whom I desire nothing more than the most impartial and exact consideration of the merits of the cause, and examination of the force and weight of every argument. I desire, that no bitter reproachful invectives, no vehement exclamations, no supercilious assuming words and phrases may be taken for reasoning on either side If the reader thinks he finds any such in what I have written, I am willing he should set them aside as nothing worth; carefully distinguishing between them and the strength of the argument. I desire not, that the cause should be judged of by the skill which either Mr. Williams or I do manifest, in flinging one at another. If in places where the argument pinches most, and there is the greatest appearance of strong reason, in Mr. Williams's book, I do (as some other disputants) instead of entering thoroughly into the matter, begin to flounce and fling, and go about to divert and drown the reader's attention to the argument, by the noise of big words, or magisterial and disdainful expressions; let the reader take it (as justly he may) for a shrewd sign of a consciousness of the weakness of my cause in that particular, or at least of a distrust of my own ability to defend myself well in the reader's apprehension, and to come off with a good grace any other way.--Vol.I. pp. 339–340. To these rules he most conscientiously adhered in all his controversial writings. He has indeed been charged with sometimes treating an adversary with needless severity, but it is to be remembered that he felt himself justified in exposing the fallacy of his opponents' arguments, the impertinence of his objections, the absurdity of his conclusions and the inconsistency of his whole system. To accomplish this to the utmost, we may well suppose that in the exertions of his gigantic pen, he often handled his weaker antagonist with a severity not absolutely necessary, and of which perhaps he was not wholly conscious. It must be remembered also that he was anxious not only to prostrate error, but to give it a death stroke, that it might never rise again, and the proof of his good intentions, in all cases, is, that he never aimed a blow at his antagonist in his character as a man, but solely as a supporter and promulgator of error. Could the same abilities, and the same spirit be often united in the defence of truth, it might be safely predicted, that the time would soon come, when contro, versy would not be necessary in the ehristian world. It rarely happens to the same man to be greatly distinguished in different pursuits. When, however, such His a union of excellencies is seen in any person, it never fails to impress us with the real greatness of his character. He must possess unusual powers, or make an unusual application of them, who arrives to that eminence, in different pursuits, which few are able to attain, by applying all their talents and efforts to a single object. Such a man, stands at the head of the first class of his species, and this honour, to a degree, certainly belongs to Edwards. Many have, like him, been distinguished for the extent and accuracy of their religious knowledge, many also, though not like him, have been distinguished among the ranks of controversial writers, and able defenders of the faith once delivered to the saints; many also have been eminently powerfn! and successful preachers of the gospel-and many, faithful, and useful pastors over the flock of Christ-but few like him, have united all these characters in the same person. character as a theologian, and a controversialist, we have already considered, his character as a laborious and faithful minister of Christ, and especially as a powerful and successful preacher, may be seen in the history of his life, and of the time in which he lived. His extensive reputation was formed, by his preaching and his pastoral labours. Most of his laboured productions were published after his death, and the others but just before; but long ere this, his fame as a preacher and minister of Christ extended over New-England, and was known in Great Britain. Whitefield made a journey to visit him, when he first came into this country; he was often invited to great distances to preach, and these occasional sermons, sometimes produced a wonderful effect. Men are now living, who heard him in their youth, and who still distinctly remember the powerful impressions left on their minds, by his preaching, and even particularly describe his appearance in the pulpit, the still, unmoved solemnity of his manner, the weight of his sentiments, first fixing the attention, and then overwhelming the feelings of his audience. In his own congregation, the visible effects of his preaching and ministerial labours, were such as had then never been parallelled in New-England. His whole congregation was at different times under the strongest religious impressions, and great numbers were added to his church. The general structure of his sermous, in all his printed discourses at least, is unusually uniform. On the manner in which each part is executed, we hazard a few remarks. In the introduction, which invariably consists of an explanation of the passage, selected as a text, he manifests unusual ability. To catch distinctly and completely the views of the sacred penman in any particular passage, and to exhibit them so as to produce entire conviction in the hearer, is at once a difficult and important part of a preacher's business. We can safely say, that we never read the discourses of an author who accomplished this delicate task more sucessfully than President Edwards. The language of his explanations is not remarkably clear, and never elegant, but the justness of his thoughts, his simple and unbiassed love of truth, the sagacity to discover it and the comprehensive grasp of mind, which seizes at once the whole train of an author's meaning, will astonish any one acquainted with the difficulty of the undertaking, and with the imperfect and even careless manner in which it is executed by too many preachers. red in it, its importance, its design, use, &c. The most striking peculiarity, in this part of his sermons is its descriptive character. He places the truth, on which he is discoursing, directly before the mind, as a fact, and paints it to the imagination of his hearers. The doctrines of the Bible in his hands, are not abstract propositions, but interesting realities, distinctly apprehended by the author's faith, and expressed with so much minuteness, simplicity, and earnestness, as can scarcely fail to make his hearers feel the same conviction of them which exists in his own mind. The doctrine of the future punishment of the wicked, for instance, which, in different views of it, is a frequent subject of his discourses, is not once proved by a long course of argumentation, but is assumed, as the simple declaration of the text, and perhaps of a few select, parallel passages, and is then described as a fact which every impenitent sinner will one day know. He seems always to suppose that it will be effected by means of fire, literally applied to the body after the resurrection, and when described in his full, distinct, and vivid manner, it is a picture which almost shocks while it overwhelms the imagination. In a similar manner, the doctrine of the depravity of mau, is exhibited in a description of the actual wickedness of life, and corruption of heart, as they exist among men. So the virtues and graces of the real christian, are sketched as a picture of his own emotions and exercises, corrected by The doctrine which is immediately the descriptions of God's word. The deduced from the explanation of the labored proof of the different doctrines text, is followed by that which is some of the gospel, the comparison of a times termed the body of the sermon. vast number of distinct passages This however does not consist, in our from the scriptures, by which they author's discourses, as in those of are established, together with their some others, in an elaborate proof mutual connection and dependence, from revelation and reason of the as seen by reason, which so strongly truth stated in the doctrine, but of characterize some of his productions, several parts, such as an explanation wholly disappear in these discourses. of the doctrine or a description if we The result of such a mental process may so express it of the fact decla- is what he here presents to his hearVol. 3.-No. VI. 39 ers, and directly applies to their hearts and consciences. The example of so great a master, may well excite the enquiry whether any thing is to be gained by the fashionable departure from such a standard. It may well be doubted whether the truth itself of a proposition, is so firmly fixed in the minds of a common congregation, by the ablest course of reasoning, such for instance as our author could have followed, as it is by a simple exhibition of the declarations of scripture, applied to the feelings and experience of every hearer. In point of impression there can certainly be no comparison. Let a line of argumentation be supposed so clear as to completely overcome the implied doubt with which it commenced, a conviction may be yielded to the truth as stated in the proposition, without any distinct conception of the fact which this truth announces. On the other hand, the simple statement of a truth, such for instance as the depravity of the heart, will often so reach the conscience, and meet the experience of a sinner, as to produce complete conviction, without the aid of any other argument whatever. Some remarks which recently met our eye, in the pages of an eloquent preacher, would seem to have been written with a direct reference to the practice of Edwards. We can hardly doubt that the writer had his eye on this illustrious example: "It appears a very presumptuous attempt, on the part of a human interpreter, when the object which he proposes, and which he erects into a separate head of discussion, is to prove the assertion of the text.Should not the very circumstance of its being the assertion of the text, be proof enough for you?" ing divine truth, as that in which his peculiar excellence principally consisted. We give a few specimens of his manner, which will more clearly set it before our readers. There will be that sinking of beart, of which we now cannot conceive. We see how it is with the body when in extreme pain. The nature of the body will sup port itself for a considerable time under very great pain, so as to keep from whol ly sinking. There will be great struggles, lamentable groans and panting, and it may be convulsions. These are the strag glings of nature to support itself under the extremity of the pain. There is, as it were, a great loathness in nature to yield to it; it cannot bear wholly to sink. But yet sometimes pain of body is so very extreme and exquisite, that the nature of the body cannot support itself under it; however loath it may be to sink, yet it cennot bear the pain; there are a few struggles, and throes, and pantings, and it may be a shriek or two, and then nature yields to the violence of the torments, sinks down and the body dies. This is the death of the body. So it will be with the soul in hell; it will have no strength or power to deliver itself; and its torment and horror will be so great, so mighty, se vastly disproportioned to its strength, that having no strength in the least to support itself, although it be infinitely contrary to the nature and inclination of the soul utterly to sink; yet it will sink, it will utterly and totally sink, without the least degree of remaining comfort, or strength, or courage, or hope. And though it will never be annihilated, its being and perception will never be abolished; yet suck will be the infinite depth of gloominess that it will sink into, that it will be in a state of death, eternal death. is the nature of the soul to crave and thirst The nature of man desires happiness; it after wellbeing; and if it be under misery, it eagerly pants after relief; and the greater the misery is, the more eagerly doth it struggle for help. But if all relief be withholden, all strength overborn, all support utterly gone; then it sinks into the darkness of death.-Vol. vii, pp. 386, 387. Sometimes the intenseness of the author's own feelings gives an unusual strength to his expressions, which even become figurative in a high degree. If the excellence of any peculiar kind of preaching, may be estimated from the character and extent of its effects, there can be no hesitation in ascribing an uncommon degree of excellence to that of Edwards, and as little we should suppose, in fixing upon his descriptive manner of exhibit-ly greater still, if you knew you must en But what would be the effect on your soul, if you knew you must lie there enduring that torment to the full for twentyfour hours! And how much greater endure it for a whole year; and how vastwould be the effect, if you knew you must Jure it for a thousand years! O then, how would your hearts sink, if you thought, if you knew, that you must bear it for ever and ever! That there would be no end! That after millions of millions of ages, your torment would be no nearer to an end, than ever it was; and that you never, never should be delivered! But your torment in hell will be immensely greater than this illustration represents, How then will the heart of a poor creature sink under it! How utterly inexpressible and inconceivable must the sinking of the soul be in such a case! ⚫ This is the death threatened in the law. This is dying in the highest sense of the word. This is to die sensibly; to die and know it; to be sensible of the gloom of death. This is to be undone; this is worthy of the name of destruction. This sinking of the soul under an infinite weight, which it cannot bear, is the gloom of bell. We read in scripture of the blackness of darkness; this is it, this is the very thing. We read in scripture of sinners being lost, and of their losing their souls: This is the thing intended; this is to lose the soul; They that are the subjects of this are utterly lost.-Vol. vii. p. 388. Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not that so is the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burthen to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wicknedess to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the name of life in your vitals, while you spend your lite in the service of God's enemies. God's creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subsubserve to any other purpose, and groan and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereigu band of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are the black clouds of God's wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.-Vol. vii. pp. 494, 495. The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one mo. ment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus are all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, (however you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the houses of God, and may be strict in it) you are thus in the bands of an angry God; it is nothing but bis mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction.-Vol. vii. pp. 495, 496. We can easily conceive, that the weight of the author's character, the great earnestness and solemnity of his manner, indicating his own conviction of the truths he was uttering, the infinite importance of these truths, and the vivid descriptive manner in which he exhibited them, must have made a deep, and often a lasting impression on almost any assembly. The peculiarity of President Edwards' manner of preaching, on which we have so long dwelt, was not confined to the body of his sermons, it equally appears in their application which is, we think, the most important part of our author's discourses, the most extended, the most interesting and impressive, the part on which he principally laid out his strength, believing it to be the most useful to his hearers. This portion of his sermons, is also characterized by the plainness with which it is addressed directly to the heart and conscience of his hearers, by the minuteness with |