History of the Work of Redemption Vol I of the Works - Edwards - X - Period II concluded

Required readingHistory of the Work of Redemption in Vol I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Part III of Period II.

My summary.

Today Edwards seeks to make some 'improvement' of what has been said about how God prepared the way for Christ redemption's and how redemption was made.

Firstly he starts with reproof: 

(i) of unbelief;

(ii) of self-righteousness;

(iii) of a careless neglect of the salvation of Christ.

Then Edwards encourages burdened souls to put their trust in Christ.

What grabbed me

A most evangelistic reading.

I particularly liked how Edwards unpacked what it means to trust in yourself for salvation: 'You that trust to your own righteousness, arrogate to yourselves the honour of the greatest thing that ever God himself did. You seem not only sufficient to perform divine works, but such is your pride and vanity, that you are not content without taking upon you to do the very greatest work that ever God himself wrought. You see by what has been said, how God has subordinated all his other works to this of redemption. God's works of providence are greater than those of creation; and all his works of providence, from the beginning of the generations of men, were in order to make way for the purchasing of redemption. To take on yourself to work out redemption, is a greater thing than if you had taken it upon you to create a world. What a figure you would make, if you should seriously go about to create a world: or decking yourself with majesty, should pretend to speak the word of power, and call an universe out of nothing, intending to go on in order, and say," Let there be light; Let there be a firmament," &c. But then consider, that in attempting to work out redemption for yourself, you attempt a greater thing than this, and are serious in it, and will not be dissuaded from it. You strive in it, are full of the thought that you are sufficient for it, and big with hopes of accomplishing it.'

If you trust in your own righteousness, you are a fool!

Next week's reading

Read Sections I to IV of Period III.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.