The Precious Treasure of the Bible

"What a precious treasure God has committed into our hands in that he has given us the Bible. How little do most persons consider how much they enjoy in that they have the possession of that holy book....What an excellent book is this, and how far exceeding all human writings....He that has a Bible, and doesn't observe what is contained [in] it, is like a man that has a box full of silver and gold, and doesn't know it."

--Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Jonathan Edwards and the Ministry of the Word, Douglas Sweeney

Edwards on Pride

Jonathan Edwards on the danger and deceit of pride:

[Pride is] the worst viper that is in the heart...

[Pride is] the greatest disturber of the soul's peace and sweet communion with Christ...

[Pride is] the most hidden, secret and deceitful of all lusts....

What a foolish, silly, miserable, blind, deceived, poor worm am I, when pride works.

--Quoted in Humility: True Greatness, C.J. Mahaney

Edwards on Pride and Humility

An excellent quote from Jonathan Edwards on the difference between spiritual pride and Christian humility:

Spiritual pride tends to speak of other persons’ sins with bitterness or with laughter and levity and an air of contempt. But pure Christian humility rather tends either to be silent about these problems or to speak of them with grief and pity. Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others, but a humble Christian is most guarded about himself. He is as suspicious of nothing in the world as he is of his own heart. The proud person is apt to find fault with other believers, that they are low in grace, and to be much in observing how cold and dead they are and to be quick to note their deficiencies. But the humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own heart and is so concerned about it that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He is apt to esteem others better than himself.

HT: Ray Ortlund

The Silkworm as a Type of Christ

Over the holidays, I have been enjoying Douglas Sweeney's biography of Jonathan Edwards (and quoted from it earlier this week). One of the things I have found interesting (and helpful) about Edwards was his refusal to limit typology to the text of sacred Scripture; he saw divine images and patterns imprinted in all things God had created and formed. He even saw a glimpse of the gospel in such things as silkworms:

The silkworm is a remarkable type of Christ, which, when it dies, yields us that of which we make such glorious clothing. Christ became a worm for our sakes and by his death finished that righteousness with which believers are clothed, and thereby procured that we should be clothed with robes of glory.

--Jonathan Edwards, "Images of Divine Things," in Typological Writings

The Precious Treasure of the Bible

"What a precious treasure God has committed into our hands in that he has given us the Bible. How little do most persons consider how much they enjoy in that they have the possession of that holy book....What an excellent book is this, and how far exceeding all human writings....He that has a Bible, and doesn't observe what is contained [in] it, is like a man that has a box full of silver and gold, and doesn't know it."

--Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Jonathan Edwards and the Ministry of the Word, Douglas Sweeney

268th Anniversary of Edwards' Famous Sermon

July 8 was the 268th anniversary of Jonathan Edwards' famous (though some would say infamous) sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." There is a great post at "A Divine and Supernatural Light" that helps clarify the circumstances surrounding this sermon. In addition, it sheds light on the fact that a sermon like "Sinners" was not the regular diet of preaching that Edwards gave his hearers.

If your high school literature class was like most, you will appreciate this more accurate reflection of Edwards' sermon.

And to listen to a free MP3 download of Max McLean's powerful presentation of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," click here.