Jonathon Edwards was an important early American.
writer because of his talent and skill at expressing.
himself and his spiritual inclinations. He was a major.
religious influence in 18th century America. Other.
religious leaders sought his advice and opinion about.
the historical "Great Awakening" of that era. His.
masterful sermons and eloquent philosophical writings.
were widely recognized as going beyond preaching the.
Word of God; as intuitively examining and testing the.
logic in scripture and that which genuinely moves one's.
spirit. On first impression after reading Edwards".
"Personal Narrative," I seriously entertained the idea.
that maybe he was manic-depressive! He seemed to go.
through many emotions both in an upward and downward.
fashion. He was quite admirably dedicated to.
Christianity and constantly examining himself with great.
criticism in his own relationship with God. Edwards".
spiritual ramblings are expressive, creative, and ever.
so picturesque and beautiful as prose can be. One can.
see from his writings that he was a person of great.
philosophical thought with a compelling restlessness. He.
paints with words an exhausting glimpse into his.
personal struggle with wanting to be perfect. In "A.
Divine and Supernatural Light," Edwards displays with.
painstaking detail his understanding and interpretation.
of scripture and by what power humans come to be.
accepting of it and receive its true enlightening.
blessing. He sees people as naturally doubting and blind.
to the truth, but explains how a spiritual.
transformation brings truth of the divine word suddenly.
and immediately through a receptive individual's natural.
faculties. In proving his theories, he convincingly.
states his reasons and causes and uses scriptural.
evidence. In that way he was gifted and intelligent and.
would have made an effective attorney of law. In.
his, "Letter to Rev. Dr. Benjamin Colman," Edwards gives.
his detailed observations of the historical "Great.