of God; as being a thing highlygencies in thy hands, and may < reasonable in its own, nature, and that might be of em❝inent service to keep me fteady in my Christian courfe, to roufe me out of floth and indolence, and • uphold me in the day of tempta..tion."

ation of the County of Litchfield. I people, until June 1799. In this

The eleven months between the time when he was licensed to preach, and the time when he was recalled to Princeton by his appointment, the writer believes he spent as a candidate for the miniftry; but where he was during this period has not been afcertained.

town he intended to have spent the remainder of his days, had it been the pleasure of his Divine Master. A change of audience enabled him to relax from the duty of a weekly preparation for the fabbath, and furnished him with more time to purfue his favourite study of theology, in a lefs confined manner, To this the retired fituation of Colebrook greatly contributed. Nor was this favorable opportu

lected. But his continuance in this defirable retreat was not of long duration. In the fummer of 1799, he was elected Prefident of a College in the town of Schenectady and the state of New York, which had recently been inftituted and endowed. The election was immediately communi

During his refidence at Princenon, he was invited to preach to the fociety of White-Haven, in the town of New-Haven, in Con-nity, of purfuing his ftudies neg necticut. On the 5th day of January 1769, he wa sordained to the paftoral charge of that Church and Society, and continued there until the month of May 1795; when he was difmiffed by an Ecclefiaftical Council, at the mutual request of the Paftor and Society. For feveral years previous to his difmiffion, an uneafinefs had fubfift-cated to him, with an invitation to ed in the fociety, arifing from different religious opinions which fprung up, and were adopted by fome of the leading, and most influential men among his parifhion

remove, as foon as he conveniently could. In confequence of this invitation he was again difmiffed, by an Ecclefiaftical Council, from his paftoral office, in the month of Thofe fentiments, which ori- June, and in the July following he ginated the uneafinefs, were of a removed to Schenectady. From nature oppofite to the fentiments of this time his talents and attention Mr. Edwards, and of the Church were appropriated, with uninter and Society, at the time of his or-rupted affiduity, to the concerns of dination. This diverfity of fen- this newly inftituted feminary. In timent and opinion, may juftly be this fituation he continued, until a confidered as the principal caufe bout the middle of July A. D. of the feparation between Doctor 180r, when his labors were fufEdwards and his people; though pended by an intermitting fever of others of inferior moment, and the regular type, unattended with taking their rife from this princi- any immediately alarming fymp pal one, had their influence; but toms. But about eight days be the oftenfible caufe affigned by the fore his deceafe, nervos fymptoms fociety, was their inability to fup- fhewed themfelves, and indicated port a minifter. Doctor Edwards his approaching diffolution. The did not continue long in this fitu- progrefs of the difeafe, from this ation, for in January 1796, he was date, was very rapid, and he experi inftalled Paftor of the church in enced its impairing effects fo much, Colebrook, in Litchfield county, that, within three days, he was alin Connecticut, where he continu-moft entirely deprived of his fpeech, ed miniftering to a very affectionate of the regular exercife of his limbs,

In reviewing the life of Prefident Edwards, we are prefented with many particulars which furnifh a ftriking refemblance to the

and, at intervals, of his reafon. Thus he continued regularly to decline until the 1st of Auguft 1801, when he expired. By the effects of his diforder, he was unavoida-life of his father. A few of them bly prevented from expreffing his deferve to be mentioned. They views and feelings on the approach had the fame name, were liberally of eternity for the five laft days of educated; were diftinguished fcholhis life. In the early stages of ars; were tutors in the feminahis illness however, he expreffed ries in which they were educated; his entire, and willing refignation were preachers; were fettled in to the pleafure of God; and is congregations, in which their ma gone, we hope, and confidently ternal grandfathers were alfo fettruft, to receive the reward of his tled before them; were dismissed faith and perfeverance, at the hand on account of their religious opiniof his beloved Lord and Mafter. ons; were fettled again in retired fituations; were elected to the Prefidency of a College, and within a fhort time after they were inaugurated, died the one in the 56th and the other in the 57th year of his age. To this may be added, that in perfon, mind, and life, they were remarably alike.

The year after Mr. Edwards was ordained to the charge of White Haven fociety in NewHaven, he married Mifs Mary Potter, daughter of the honora ble Eleazer and Mrs. Sarah Porter of Hadley, in Maffachusetts. By her he had four children, three of whom furvive him.

This ex

Doctor Edwards when a child was fingularly dutiful and confcientious; a fpirit which manifested itfelf through his life.

About the time that he firft dedicated himself to the service of God, when he was little more than eighteen years of age, he began a diary of his religious life. This he con

cellent lady was drowned in the month of June A. D. 1782. The circumftances of this unhappy event were thefe: Doctor Edwards and his wife were taking an airing in their chaife, in the north eaftern part of New-Haven, and at fome diftance from home, the Doctor was called away to attend to fometinued a few months, and then veneceffary bufinefs. As Mrs. Ed wards was returning, the fuffered the horfe to drink at a watering place, in a fmall river, with the depth of which fhe was wholly unacquainted. The horfe fuddenly plunged and fell, and threw her from the chaife into the river, where he was drowned.

ry abruptly relinquished it-for what reafon is not known. It is probable that it was a reafon which he had deliberately weighed, as he never refumed it afterwards. From this diary he appears early to have determined conftantly to frive againft fin and temptation, and to live in a manner becoming his holy profeffion, and to devote himself wholly to the fervice of God. The bleffing with which God accompa

After the death of Mrs. Edwards he married Mifs Mercy Sabin, daughter of Mr. Hezekiah and Mrs. Mary Sabin, of New-nied thefe pious exertions, was vifHaven; fhe is ftill living. The ible throughout the remainder of furviving children of Prefident Ed- his life. wards, are one fon, and two daugh

ters.

By nature Doctor Edwards was of an ardent, irritable difpofition,

As a husband and parent, he was kind, faithful and affectionate. Being bleffed with good health, he generally rofe early, and immediately began his regular diurnal rotine of duty and business, which he obferved through life with great

was not eafily diverted. He confidered his immediate duty to his Creator as requiring his first obedience and attention; and then the relative and focial duties of life, were not to be neglected in their turn. His exercife, ftudies, and all his other concerns, fo far as was confiftent with his parochial du ties, were fyftematized, and regu larly attended to in their proper feafons.

of which he appears to have been | might be expected from such a mind, early conscious. Whilft he was his writings were closely confined quite young, he formed a refolu- to his fubject; always prefenting tion, uniformly, and with an una- fomething new, original, and in bating watchfulness, to withstand ftructive. He was a fon, worthy this propensity, until it fhould | of his parents.-As a brother he be fubdued. This he entered up-merited, and poffeffed, the refpect, on, as upon an important business esteem, and affection, of all his for life- as an atchievment which brothers and filters. must be accomplished, however dif ficult, and arduous the talk might prove. And fuch a bleffing attended his diligent, and indefatigable vigilance as enabled him to poffefs an unusual command over his paflions, and to pass through a life, attended by many trying circumftan-uniformity; and from which he ces, with the reputation of uncommon equanimity. Like St. Paul, "he knew what it was to be abafed, and also what it was to abound." But in profperity and adverfity he appeared the fame. His fortitude under trials, was great; a fortitude founded in a conftant réliance in Providence, and in refignation to the will of God; as different as poffible from the frigid apathy of the Stoic. As a man of learning and strength of mind, he probably had not a fuperior in the United States, and but few in the world. His logical powers were pre-emi-quaintance-the latter looked to nent and little, if at all, inferior to thofe of his father; and, being bleffed, generally, with good health, he improved his talents for the defence, fupport, and advancement of that religion which he profeffed, and of the caufe in which he was a champion. As a preacher, in his manner of delivery he was bold and animated-but he addreffed the understanding and confcience rather than the paffions of his audience. All who have had the pleafure to hear him, will acknowledge with readiness, that, in his own mode, he was rarely, if ever exceeded. His reafonings were Arong and conclufive; and, as

He poffeffed and merited, the respect and affection of an extenfive literary and minifterial ac

him, under 'God, as to one of the firmeft pillars, and ableft defenders of the church, in this day of declenfion and infidelity; and in his death, the cause, both of science and religion, has fuffered a lofs which God alone can repair.

His literary productions are ift, a work entitled, "The Salvation of all Men ftrictly examined, and the endless punishment of those who die impenitent, argued and defended, against the reafonings of Doctor Chauncey, in his book en titled the Salvation of all Men." I vol 8vo.

2d. A Differtation on Liberty and Neceffity. This was written

during his refidence at Colebrook. | dealing with men, would fave him!