Mrs. Gerstner wrote this book in the mid-1960's, but it was not published until 1995. Using the actual diaries of the Edwards family members, she tells the story of their life together from the time of Edwards' dismissal from the Northampton church to his death shortly after accepting the presidency of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton). This is charming, delightful reading in which we are given a rare glimpse into the private life of one of history's great figures.

Sarah Edwards was the wife of America's greatest theologian, Jonathan Edwards. Her narrative took place in the year 1742. In it, she chronicled the grace of God in opening the eyes of her heart to receive an uncommonly clear sight of His love made manifest in Christ crucified. As she beheld Him in His beauty, she was melted into His image and transformed into His likeness. To use the words of Solomon, she was "lovesick." Her heart was lifted up to heaven to partake of the sweetest, most holy communion with God. She experienced a holy intercourse with God which she described as a constant flowing back and forth of love. Everything on earth seemed inconsequential, so long as she had Christ. The more she saw Him by faith, the more she saw her own sinfulness. She was grieved, humbled, and broken. Yet, at the same time, she abounded in joy, for the more she saw her own unworthiness, in contrast to His great worth, the more she could comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of His love in giving up of Himself for her. O the praise that involuntarily springs up at such sights! These sights were what God used to free her from sin, wean her from the world, and grace her to surrender to His providence, as well as to enable her to overflow with love for the brethren, to be full of concern for the lost, to be committed to His glory above all things.

Conversion narratives were one of the earliest forms of public expression for American women writers, sanctioned—and indeed welcomed—for their personal, first-hand testimonies about seasons of religious grace. Two eighteenth-century women, Sarah Pierpont Edwards and Sarah Prince Gill, wrote conversion narratives of remarkable craft and insight. These pieces, collected for the first time in The Silent and Soft Communion, represent two generations of Calvinist evangelism, addressing the social implications of spiritual regeneration and presenting full, fascinating accounts of Calvinist religious life.Sarah Pierpont Edwards is best known as the wife of Jonathan Edwards, one of the most renowned theologians in eighteenth-century New England. Asked by her husband to “draw up an exact statement” of her rebirth in Christ, she complied, creating in 1742 a work that was of considerable interest to both her husband’s constituency and now to modern scholars. A rich and revealing document, her narrative expresses her immense joy in the presence of God and the intimacy of her relationship with God. Both a private and public statement, her testimony is remarkable for its position on the social imperative of spiritual regeneration and speaks to the social and political issues facing her Northampton community.The companion conversion narrative by Sarah Prince Gill, never before published, offers the perspective of the next generation of Calvinist women, whose religious orientation was inflected by Enlightenment values. Gill, an educated Bostonian and close friend of the Edwards family, documents in her 1742 narrative the dramatic story of her struggle for spiritual enlightenment. A private document, Gill’s journal offers a striking contrast to Edwards’s more public writings.Featuring scholarly annotations and an extensive introductory essay, The Silent and Soft Communion is an invaluable historical and theological resource.

In his essay The End for Which God Created the World, the great theologian Jonathan Edwards proclaimed that God's ultimate end is the manifestation of his glory in the highest happiness of his creatures. Pastor John Piper has devoted his years of ministry to exploring the implications of this stunning truth for life and ministry. Understanding that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him has made all the difference for John Piper-and can transform your life as well. Here Piper passionately demonstrates the relevance of Edwards's ideals for the personal and public lives of Christians today through his own book-length introduction to Edwards's The End for Which God Created the World. This book also contains the complete essay supplemented by almost a hundred of Piper's insightful explanatory notes. The result is a powerful and persuasive presentation of the things that matter most in the Christian life.

As part of his passion to bring glory to God, Ernie Klassen is particularly interested in the revival of God's people and the awakening of the lost. He believes strongly that God-honoring, Christ-exalting, and Spirit-empowered preaching plays a critical role in revival and awakening. No one models this dynamic better than Jonathan Edwards. He was a pastor who was a protagonist of the First Great Awakening. He thought deeply and critically about religious movements, and his reflections and sermons provide valuable "fodder" for reflection. Revival Preaching extracts the most important lessons of Edwards's writings and sermons for preaching in today's world.