TO ALL THE SAINTS OF GOD
By Jonathan Edwards
Soli Deo Gloria. 401 pages. ($28.95)
ISBN 1 57538 143 7
What would Jonathan Edwards have made of the church today? Don Kistler has compiled, edited and re-typeset this collection of 12 sermons of the New England divine for easier reading.
In this book, Edwards opens a window into his pastoral heart and how he views the relationship between the minister and his flock. Topics covered range from ecclesiological and membership issues (when did you last read a sermon on excommunication?), to the sovereignty of God, right down to personal duties. In our age of self-fulfilment, his sermon on "the necessity of self-examination" does not make for comfortable reading. Edwards's concern throughout is to earth doctrine and set forth Christ; many of the sermons conclude with an 'application' section, making it impossible to escape the force of what he is saying.
Clear typeface apart, this book is not an easy read. Edwards's infamous and rigorous logic probes the Scriptures relentlessly but reverently, demanding our full attention. Often Edwards offers new insights but equally often he reiterates truths already known, bringing them home with a new clarity and immediacy. I would recommend To All the Saints of God wholeheartedly - but be prepared!
