Wednesday Testimony- Jonathan Edwards in Love

Proverbs-18:22

Ok, this is not really the same kind of testimony I usually write about on Wednesday. I just couldn’t let this go, it’s too unique. With the series on The Saddest Wedding ending yesterday, I felt like a beautiful love story would lighten the mood. This is the very thing Jonathan Edwards wrote about his future wife, after meeting her. Prepare yourselves for better writing then Shakespear ever dreamed of…

“They say there is a young lady in [New Haven] who is beloved of that Great Being, who made and rules the world, and that there are certain seasons in which this Great Being, in some way other or invisible, comes to her and fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight, and that she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on him – that she expects after a while to be received up where he is, to be raised up out of the world and caught up into heaven; being assured that he loves her too well to let her remain at a distance from him always. There she is to dwell with him, and to be ravished with his love and delight forever. Therefore, if you present all the world before her, with the richest of its treasures, she disregards it and cares not for it, and is unmindful of any pain or affliction. She has a strange sweetness in her mind, and singular purity in her affections; is most just and conscientious in all her conduct; and you could not persuade her to do anything wrong or sinful, if you would give her all the world, lest she should offend this Great Being. She is of a wonderful sweetness, calmness and universal benevolence of mind; especially after this Great God has manifested himself to her mind. She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly; and seems to be always full of joy and pleasure; and no one knows for what. She loves to be alone, walking in the fields and groves, and seems to have some one invisible always conversing with her.”

This is a testimony to Gods great love, and kindness, in that He saw it was not good for man to be alone. So He created a helpmeet for man, I can think of only one example more beautiful of that union than the one we see here, between Jonathan and Sarah Edwards. That’s the love between Christ and His church, which is consistently compared to marriage throughout the Bible. How much did Christ love His church? He died for her. What is usually called Gods ‘common grace’ becomes decidedly uncommon when looked at in the light of salvation. 

Ephesians-5:31-32

What is this great grace God has shown, this unimaginable love, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us? Irresistible grace! Beloved, this God that we serve is deserving of all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength. So, be good Berean’s, and study to show yourselves approved. 

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