Jonathan Edwards was a North American revivalist preacher, philosopher, and Congregationalist Protestant theologian. Edwards is widely regarded as one of the America’s most important and original philosophical theologians.
His works focused mainly on the metaphysical concepts of theological determinism. Moreover, Edwards played a vital role in the religious movement of The First Great Awakening. Inspirational Jonathan Edwards quotes will enlighten you, encourage you in your daily walk and boost your faith.
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Most Famous Jonathan Edwards Quotes
Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected. Jonathan Edwards
God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of him is our proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean. Jonathan Edwards
The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh. Jonathan Edwards
You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary. Jonathan Edwards
Sincere friendship towards God, in all who believe him to be properly an intelligent, willing being, does most apparently, directly, and strongly incline to prayer; and it no less disposes the heart strongly to desire to have our infinitely glorious. Jonathan Edwards
Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs. Jonathan Edwards
I assert that nothing ever comes to pass without a cause. Jonathan Edwards
God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion. Jonathan Edwards
The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music. Jonathan Edwards
Of all the knowledge that we can ever obtain, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves, are the most important. Jonathan Edwards
Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life. Jonathan Edwards
Resolution One I will live for God. Resolution Two If no one else does, I still will. Jonathan Edwards
True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought not to will. Jonathan Edwards
Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life. Jonathan Edwards
To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Jonathan Edwards
All truth is given by revelation, either general or special, and it must be received by reason. Reason is the God given means for discovering the truth that God discloses, whether in his world or his Word. While God wants to reach the heart with truth, he does not bypass the mind. Jonathan Edwards
Oh, that God would purge away my dross, and take away my sin, and refine me seven times. Jonathan Edwards
A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom; and that it is by God’s power that he is upheld and provided for, and that he needs God’s wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him to do what he ought to do for Him. Jonathan Edwards
The good Lord grant, that false religion may cease, and true religion prevail through the earth! Jonathan Edwards
Surely there is something in the unruffled calm of nature that overawes our little anxieties and doubts; the sight of the deep blue sky and the clustering stars above seems to impart a quiet to the mind. Jonathan Edwards
We ought not to limit God where He has not limited Himself. Jonathan Edwards
He that has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without affection, never is engaged in the business of religion. Jonathan Edwards
Nothing grieves me so much as that I cannot live constantly to God’s glory. Jonathan Edwards
Truth is the agreement of our ideas with the ideas of God. Jonathan Edwards
All our good is more apparently from God because we are first naked and wholly without any good, and afterwards enrich with all good. Jonathan Edwards
Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions. Jonathan Edwards,
Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is to life. Jonathan Edwards
A truly Christian love, either to God or men, is a humble broken hearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires. Their hope is a humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable and full of glory, is a humble broken hearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behaviour. Jonathan Edwards
Faith abases men and exalts God; it gives all the glory of redemption to God alone. Jonathan Edwards
Seek not to grow in knowledge chiefly for the sake of applause, and to enable you to dispute with others; but seek it for the benefit of your souls. Jonathan Edwards
Nature is God’s greatest evangelist. Jonathan Edwards
Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering. Jonathan Edwards
Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions. Jonathan Edwards
Nothing sets a Christian so much out of the devil’s reach than humility. Jonathan Edwards
How can you expect to dwell with God forever if you so neglect and forsake him here? Jonathan Edwards
From love arises hatred of those things which are contrary to what we love, or which oppose and thwart us in those things that we delight in. Jonathan Edwards
Greatest concern is not for your health or temporal welfare, but for the good of your soul. Though. Jonathan Edwards
Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life. Jonathan Edwards
The deceitfulness of the heart of man appears in no one thing so much as this of spiritual pride and self righteousness. The subtlety of Satan appears in its height, in his managing persons with respect to this sin. And perhaps one reason may be that here he has most experience; he knows the way of its coming in; he is acquainted with the secret springs of it it was his own sin. Experience gives vast advantage in leading souls, either in good or evil. Jonathan Edwards
Of all kinds of knowledge that we can ever obtain, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves, are the most important. Jonathan Edwards
Holiness appeared to me to be of a sweet, pleasant, charming, serene, calm nature; which brought an inexpressible purity, brightness, peacefulness and ravishment to the soul. Jonathan Edwards
That the Will is always determined by the strongest motive. Jonathan Edwards
One of these grand defects, as I humbly conceive, is this, that children are habituated to learning without understanding. Jonathan Edwards
A man never, in any instance, wills anything contrary to his desires, or desires anything contrary to his Will. Jonathan Edwards
If I murmur in the least at affliction, if I am in any way uncharitable, if I revenge my own case, if I do anything purely to please myself or omit anything because it is a great denial, if I trust myself, if I take any praise for any good which Christ does by me, or if I am in any way proud, I shall act as my own and not God’s. Jonathan Edwards
For the very notion of the hardness of heart implies moral inability. Jonathan Edwards
True virtue never appears so lovely as when it is most oppressed; and the divine excellency of real Christianity is never exhibited with such advantage as when under the greatest trials; then it is that true faith appears much more precious than gold, and upon this account is found to praise and honour and glory. Jonathan Edwards
Of all the knowledge that we can ever obtain, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves, are the most important. Jonathan Edwards
Grace is the seed of glory, the dawning of glory in the heart, and therefore grace is the earnest of the future inheritance. Jonathan Edwards
Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better. Jonathan Edwards
But it is doubtless true, and evident from the Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in this divine affection, and an habitual disposition to it, and that light which is the foundation of it, and those things which are the fruits of it, consists the whole of religion. Jonathan Edwards
Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die. Jonathan Edwards
Oh, the closest walk with God is the sweetest heaven that can be enjoyed on earth! Jonathan Edwards
He that sees the beauty of holiness or true moral good sees the greatest and most important thing in the world. Jonathan Edwards
All our good is more apparently from God, because we are first naked and wholly without any good, and afterwards enrich with all good. Jonathan Edwards
Assurance is not to be obtained so much by self examination as by action. Jonathan Edwards
Resolved to live with all my might while I do live, and as I shall wish I had done ten thousand years hence. Jonathan Edwards
The ingenerating of a principle of grace in the soul seems in Scripture to be compared to the conceiving of Christ in the womb. And the conception of Christ in the womb of the blessed virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost, seems to be a designed resemblance of the conception of Christ in the soul of a believer by the power of the same Holy Ghost. Jonathan Edwards
Grace is the seed of glory, the dawning of glory in the heart, and therefore grace is the earnest of the future inheritance. Jonathan Edwards
Nothing grieves me so much as that I cannot live constantly to God’s glory. Jonathan Edwards