Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

THE WORKS OF JONATHAN EDWARDS

YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS

Contents

Editorial Committee.........................................vList of Illustrations.......................................viiiNote to the Reader..........................................ixEditor's Introduction.......................................1The "Miscellanies," Entry Nos. 833-1152.....................41General Index...............................................527Index of Biblical Passages..................................553

Chapter One

833. Occasion of the Fall of the Angels. Christ had his delegated dominion over the world committed to him as soon as the creation of the world was finished. For though Christ did [not] actually begin the work and business of a mediator till man had fallen, yet seeing the world, even in its very creation, was designed to be for the use of Christ in the great affair of redemption, and his purposes in that work were the end of the creation, and of all God's providences in it from the beginning; therefore, the government of the world was committed into his hands from the very beginning, for even the very creation was committed into his hands for that reason, as the Apostle intimates, Eph. 3:9-10. Much more have we reason to think that the disposal of it was committed into his hands when it was made, because it was created for his disposal and use. It was therefore most fit that it should be committed to him, not only in the actual accomplishment of that great work of his, the work of redemption, but also in those antecedent dispensations that were preparatory to it. During that short space of time that was taken up in the preparation before the work of redemption actually began, it was most meet that Christ should have the disposal of those things that were to prepare the way for his own work; otherwise the work would not wholly be in his hands. For the accomplishing of the work itself, so as best to suit his own purpose and pleasure, depends in a great measure on the preparation that was made for it; and so there is the same reason that the preparation should be in his hands as the work itself.

There is the same reason that those things that are without the limits of the work itself, as to time, should be in the hands of Christ, because of the relation they have to that work, as that those things that are without the limits of the work itself, as to place and nature and order of being, should be in his hands, as the angels in heaven. Indeed, all the works of God that were before the fall of men were parts of the work of preparation for the work of redemption. The creation itself was so, and for this reason the creation of the world was committed into his hands. And there is no reason to suppose that part of this work of preparation was committed into Christ's hands, because it was a preparation for his work, and not other parts of the preparation for the same work. All things are for Christ for his use; and therefore God left it with him to prepare all things for his own use that in everything he might have the preeminence, and that in him might all fullness dwell, a perfect sufficiency every way for the design that he had to accomplish. And therefore, by the will and disposition of the Father, all things were made by him and all things consist by him; and he was made head over all things to the church, and for the purposes of the work of redemption that he was to accomplish for the church. Col. 1:16-19, "For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created by him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body of the church: who is the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Eph. 1:22, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church." 'Tis manifest by these things that not only the creation of the world, but the upholding and government of the world, were committed into the hands of Christ, and doubtless it was so from the beginning. As Christ's delegated dominion over the world will not be at an end till his use of it is finished, and he has completed that work in which its great use consists, and has fully obtained his end of it, which will be at the end of the world when he will deliver up that kingdom to the Father; so doubtless that delegated dominion over the world began when his use of it began, which was at the beginning of the world, or as soon as the world was finished, and that then the kingdom was committed to him of the Father.

Why the Work of Creation was Committed into the Hands of Christ. Creation. Providence. Redemption. As the glory of the church has various beginnings or periods, steps and degrees of inchoation-one is at the first founding of the church after the fall; another at that other founding of it in the call of Abraham; another founding is at the covenanting after coming out of Egypt; another on Christ's resurrection; another at the fall of Antichrist; another at the end of the world-so it is with the glory of Christ, as head over all things to the church.

1. He was in a sense invested with this honor from eternity in the eternal covenant of redemption; then was the government of the future world committed to him. But,

2. He actually began to exercise this power that was committed to him in the creation of the world, for he created the world as the Father's delegate, and therein began to act as the head over all things in his delegated power. 3. He was solemnly and visibly invested with this authority, that he as God's delegate might dispose and govern the world in the sight of the angels, the created inhabitants of heaven, as soon as the world was finished. And God beheld all his works that Christ had made, and saw that he had therein perfectly finished the work that he had given him to do, and that all was good and that he had done all things well. Then, when he rested and rejoiced and was satisfied in the creation that Christ had made, on the latter part of the sixth day, or beginning of the seventh or sabbath day, did he solemnly commit to him the dominion over this world, that he might govern it as his delegate.

4. After man fell, he actually took on him[self] the work of the Mediator, and began to govern the world as mediator, and as actually fulfilling the work of such an office.

5. His most solemn investiture of all into his delegated kingdom was that which he received as God-man on his ascension into heaven. As the creation of this visible world was in the sight of the angels-for then "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" [Job 38:7]-so this solemn investing [of] Christ with the dominion over the world, on the finishing of the creation, was doubtless visible to them. It must needs be so, for this committing [of] the government of the world to Christ in part consisted in committing the angels, God's servants and the ministers of his providence, to him to be his servants and as ministers of providence subject to him in his delegated kingdom.

And seeing this great...