of that holy Faith, which he was fo firmly attached to, and so strenuous a Defender of. He exhibited much of Spirituality, and a heavenly Bent of Soul. In him one faw the lovelieft Appearance, a rare Affemblage of Chriftian Graces, united with the richest Gifts, and mutually fubferving and recommending one another,

As a Scholar, his intellectual Furniture exceeded what is common, confidering the Disadvantages we labour under in this remote Corner of the World. He very early discovered a Genius, above the ordinary Size: which gradually ripened and expanded, by daily Exertment and Application. He was remarkable for the Penetration and Extent of his Understanding, for his Powers of Criticism and accurate Distinction, Quickness of Thought, Solidity of Judgment, and Force of Reafoning; which made him an acute and strong Difputant. By Nature he was formed for a Logician, and a Metaphysician; but by Speculation, Obfervation, and Converfe, greatly improved. He had a good Infight into the whole Circle of liberal Arts and Sciences; poffeffed a very valuable Stock of Claffick Learning, Philofophy, Mathematicks, Hiftory, Chronology, &c. By the Bleffing of God on his indefatigable Studioufnefs, to the laft, he was conftantly treasuring up ufeful Knowledge, both human and divine.

Thus he appears uncommonly accomplished for the arduous and momentous Province, to which he was finally called. And had Heaven indulged us with the Continuance of his precious Life, we have Reason to think, he would have graced his new Station, and been a fignal Bleffing to the College,

and

1

and therein extenfively ferved his Generation, according to the Will of God.

After all, it must be owned, Divinity was his Favourite Study; and the Ministry, his most delightful Employment. Among the Luminaries of the Church, in thefe American Regions, he was juftly reputed a Star of the first Magnitude: Thoroughly verfed in all the Branches of Theology, didactic, polemic, cafuiftic, experimental, and practical: In Point of divine Knowledge and Skill, had few Equals, and perhaps no Superiour, at least in these foreign Parts. On the matureft Examination of the different Schemes of Principles, obtaining in the World, and on comparing them with the facred Scriptures, the Oracles of God and the great Standard of Truth, he was a Proteftant and a Calvinist in Judgment; adhering to the main Articles of the Reformed Religion with an unfhaken Firmness, and with a fervent Zeal, but tempered with Charity and Candour, and governed by Difcretion. He feemed as little as most Men under the Bias of Education, or the Poffeffion of Bigotry. As to practical and vital Christianity, no Man appeared to have a better Acquaintance with its Nature and Importance; or to understand true Religion, and feel its Power, more than he: which made him an excellently fit Guide to inquiring Souls, and qualified him to guard them against all falfe Religion. His internal Senfe of the Intercourfe between God and Souls, being brought by him to the fevere Test of Reason and Revelation, preserved him, both in Sentiment and Conduct, from the least Tincture of Enthusiasm. The accomplished Divine enters deep into his Character,

As

As a Preacher, he was judicious, folid, and inftructive. Seldom was he known to bring Controverfy into the Pulpit, or to handle any Subject in the nicer Modes and Forms of fcholaftic Differtation. His Sermons, in general, feemed exceedingly to vary from his controverfial Compofitions. In his Preaching, ufually all was plain, familiar, fententious, practical; and very diftant from any Affectation of appearing the great Man, or displaying his extraordinary Abilities as a Scholar. But ftill he ever preserved the Character of a skilful and thorough Divine. The common Themes of his Miniftry were the moft weighty and profitable; and in special, the great Truths of the Gospel of Christ, on which he himself lived by Faith. His Method in preaching was, first to apply to the Understanding and Judgment, labouring to enlighten and convince them; and then to perfuade the Will, engage the Affections, and excite the active Powers of the Soul. His Language was with Propriety and Purity, but with a noble Negligence; nothing ornamented. Florid Diction was not the Beauty he preferred. His Talents were of a fuperiour Kind. He regarded Thoughts, rather than Words. Precifion of Sentiment and Clearnefs of Expreffion are the principal Characteristicks of his Pulpit-Stile. Neither quick nor flow of Speech, there was a certain Pathos in his Utterance, and fuch Skill of Addrefs, as feldom failed to draw the Attention, warm the Hearts, and ftimulate the Confciences of the Auditory. He ftudied to fhew himself approved unto God, a Workman that needed not to be afhamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. And he was one that gave himself to Prayer, as well as to the Miniftry of the Word. Agreeably it pleafed God to put great Honour upon him, by crowning his Labours with furprifing Succeffes,

in

in the Converfion of Sinners, and the Edification of Saints, to the Advancement of the Kingdom and Glory of God our Saviour Jefus Christ,

Mr. EDWARDS diftinguished himself as a Writer, especially in Controverfy, which he was called to on a Variety of Occafions. Here the Superiority of his Genius eminently appeared. He knew to arrange his Ideas in an exact Method: and clofe Application of Mind, with the uncommon Strength of his intellectual Powers, enabled him in a Manner to exhaust every Subject he took under Confideration. He diligently employed the latter Part of his Life in defending Christianity, both in its doctrinal and practical Views, against the Errors of the Times. Befides his excellent Writings in Behalf of the Power of Godlinefs, which fome Years ago happily prevailed in many Parts of the British America; he alfo made a noble Stand against Enthusiasm and false Religion, when it threatened to spread, by his incomparable Treatise upon religious Affections. And more lately in Oppofition to Pelagian, Arminian, and other falfe Principles, he published a very elaborate Treatife upon the Liberty of the human Will. A Volume, that has procured him the Elogy of eminent Divines abroad. Several Profeffors of Divinity in the Dutch Univerfities very lately fent him their Thanks, for the Affistance he had given them in their Inquiry into some controverted Points; having carried his own further than any Author they had ever seen. And now this Volume of his, on the great Chriftian Doctrine of Original Sin, is prefented to publick View. Which, though ftudiously adapted to lower Capacities, yet carries in it the evident Traces of his great Genius, and feems with fuperiour Force of Argument to have entirely baffled the Opponent.

Befides

Befides numerous other fair Manufcripts, he has a Volume on the NATURE of VIRTUE; which he defigned should follow the prefent one into the publick Light. It is hoped, that we shall yet fee it; and that they who have the Care of his Papers, will confult the common Benefit, by publishing more of the valuable Remains of this great Man: by which, he being dead, may still speak, for the Inftruction of Survivors *.

His Writings will perpetuate his Memory, and make his Name bloffom in the Duft. And the Bleffing of Heaven attending the Perufal of them, will make them effectually conducive to the Glory of God, and the Good of Souls; which will brighten the Author's Crown, and add to his Joy, in the Day of future Retribution.

THE

*It is imagined that the above-mentioned Piece, with other of his Works, were printed the last Year at Boston, though not yet received.