Altogether Lovely: Jonathan Edwards on the Glory and Excellency of Christ.

Earlier, I reviewed Ian Murray’s new biography on Jonathan Edwards. In my review, I encouraged the reader to consider mining the spiritual wealth left by Edwards in his published writings. Never having read much by Edwards personally, I determined to follow my own advice and so set out to read some of his printed sermons. Quite honestly, the thought of wading through the small print of the two volume work containing his writings in my library was intimidating enough to dissuade me from starting. My first task therefore was to find a small, readable volume of sermons by Edwards. Fortunately, the publishers at Soli Deo Gloria had just the thing in their line of titles associated with Jonathan Edwards. They have for some time published a compilation of Edwards’ sermons on Christ in a small volume entitled Altogether Lovely.

This small volume is truly an undiscovered treasure. The nine sermons by Edwards that comprise this volume all have as their chief theme some aspect of the glory or excellency of Christ. It was Edwards’ belief that once a sinner had seen the “glory of God in the face of Jesus” (II Corinthians 4:6), that sinner (after conversion) would ever see Christ as the most desired object above all others. To this end, he preached these nine messages. Over two and one half centuries later, they are as powerful and fresh today as they were when Edwards preached them.

The sermons are arranged in the form and style common to Edwards’ preaching. A thesis is presented after which careful explanation is made and logical reasons supporting the thesis are laid out for the hearer. The final portion of the sermon is devoted almost entirely to application. Even a casual reading of these messages reveals the passion and spiritual fervency Edwards brought to the pulpit as he preached these messages. He desired Christ above all else, and he wanted to fan this same desire in the hearts of his hearers.

The first sermon in the book, “God the Best Portion of the Christian,” is both a good example of the remaining sermons as well as a spiritual appetizer to whet the reader’s appetite for what follows. Edwards’ took the familiar refrain “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee” (Psalm 73:25) as his text. After a few opening comments, he observed that the godly have a much better portion in Christ than the wicked, even though they may have no other portion. From this observation he set forth his premise – “It is the spirit of a truly godly man to prefer God before all others things, either in Heaven or on earth.” He then developed this proposition along two distinct lines and concluded with a section of penetrating application.

His first point simply stated from the text is that a truly Godly person prefers God before anything else in heaven. He prefers God before anything that is physically in heaven. Our hearts long for heaven not because of any of the delights which Scripture assures us are there, but because God is present there.

“Now the main reason why the godly man has his heart thus to heaven is because God is there; that is the palace of the Most High. It is the place where God is gloriously present, where His love is gloriously manifested, where the godly may be with Him, see Him as He is, and love, serve, praise, and enjoy Him perfectly. If God and Christ were not in heaven, he would not be so earnest in seeking it, nor would he take so much pains in a laborious travel through this wilderness, nor would the consideration that he is going to heaven when he dies be such a comfort to him under toils and afflictions.”

Not only does a godly man prefer God before anything that he knows exists in heaven, he prefers God before any pleasure or desirable thing that he could imagine might exist in heaven.

“If God were not to be enjoyed in heaven, but only vast wealth, immense treasures of silver and gold, great honor of such kind as men obtain in this world, and a fullness of the great sensual delights and pleasures – all these things would not make up for the want of God and Christ. If heaven were empty of God, it would indeed be an empty, melancholy place.”

Edwards’ second point is that a truly Godly man prefers God before all other things on earth. He prefers what of God may be obtained in this life before all other things obtainable in the world. Not content to wait until heaven, truly godly believers desire more of His presence now. The truly godly believer also prefers what he already has of God before anything he might obtain in this world. He treasures his present relationship with God above any other earthly friendship; earthly achievement, earthly position or honor, or any treasure or pleasure that might be his.

“It is the spirit of the godly man to prefer God to any earthly enjoyments of which he can conceive. He not only prefers Him to anything which he now possesses, but he sees nothing possessed by any of his fellow creatures as so estimable. Could he have as much worldly prosperity as he would, could he have earthly things just to his mind, and agreeable to his inclination, he values the portion which he has in God incomparably more. He prefers Christ to earthly kingdoms.”

Edwards concludes the sermon by making two powerful applications. First, the man who prefers God above all other things either in earth or in heaven has found great happiness because he has chosen the one portion that will never change or pass away and of which he can never be denied no matter what other changes may come his way.

Second, if we desire any other portion either in heaven or on earth, we have good cause to examine ourselves to see if we be in fact a truly godly person. What is the main reason you want to go to heaven? If it is not God, then examine your life. If you could avoid death and have your choice, would you choose to live always in this world without being in the presence of God or would you choose to leave this world in God’s time and way in order to be with Him? Do you prefer Christ to all others as the way to heaven, or would you choose some other way if you could? Perhaps the most penetrating question of all -- If perchance your lot was to spend eternity in this world, would you choose to spend life in holy living and in mean and lowly circumstances with Christ or would you chose to live in eternal wealth, pleasure, and honor without God?

As I read this first sermon, I found myself transported as it were to the very pews in Edwards’ church hearing along with the congregation the powerful and penetrating truths as they must have been delivered by Edwards. I admit to coming under great conviction upon hearing (reading) these penetrating statements and coming to grips with the evidence of how far short my own life falls from preferring God as the best portion. In the succeeding weeks, each sermon I have read has had as powerful an effect if not more so than this first one. I have shared the first of these treasures with you the reader, and I leave you with the challenge to seek out and mine the rich treasure that is contained in the remaining eight messages!