1. Age of Reason and Revival II
Edwards, Whitfield, Wesley and Awakening

2. Jonathan Edwards
Born in 1703 to Timothy Edwards and Esther Stoddard their only son and 5th of 11 children
Grew up somewhat sheltered and was much fascinated with nature, especially spiders
Learned Latin by age 6, and had a command of the “three learned languages” by 13
1716 at 13 years old he entered Yale College
Graduated in 1720, but stayed until 1722 to study divinity
Taught in New York then became tutor at Yale
Read excerpts from resolutions
Conversion Feelings in Faith in the Age of Reason p. 149

3. Jonathan Edwards
1727 became assistant pastor in Northampton under his grandfather Solomon Stoddard
Married Sarah Pierrepont, a model wife, mother and housekeeper. Started having the first of their 12 children
During his youth and schooling Edwards was a very prolific writer and influenced by Locke
1729 became head pastor diligently studying (13-15 hours a day) and leading
1735(39)-41 the First Great Awakening broke out in his Church, He preached against abuse but fully acknowledged “Religious Affections”
Read excerpts from Advice to Young Converts

4. Jonathan Edwards
1749 Published a memoir of David Brainerd his Son-in-law to be who had died from Tuberculosis
Edwards disputed over communion being given to nominal/non Christians
Criticized the sons of leading members of the community
1750 He was dismissed from his pastorate
He left with dignity, but expressed his dislike for Congregationalist church government preferring Presbyterianism
Had found out boys were reading obstetrics journals (18th century porno) and were still taking communion
“Society in London for Propagating the gospel in New England and the Parts Adjacent” – his missions organization to the Housatonic Indians
Will , Original Sin 1758, The End for Which God Created the World and Nature of True Virtue 1765, unfinished History of Redemption in 1772

6. Jonathan Edwards
Edwards became a missionary to the Native Americans in the frontier town of Stockbridge
While struggling against a corrupt missions board Edwards wrote his more famous books
1758 became President of the College of New Jersey aka Princeton
After becoming president he was inoculated against smallpox, then rampant, and died
Contrast this great man of God with his contemporary. I quote from Al Sanders in Crisis in Morality!
"Max Jukes, the atheist, lived a godless life. He married an ungodly girl, and from the union there were 310 who died as paupers, 150 were criminals, 7 were murderers, 100 were drunkards, and more than half of the women were prostitutes. His 540 descendants cost the State one and a quarter million dollars.
"But, praise the Lord, it works both ways! There is a record of a great American man of God, Jonathan Edwards. He lived at the same time as Max Jukes, but he married a godly girl. An investigation was made of 1,394 known descendants of Jonathan Edwards of which 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials in other capacities, 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries. His descendants did not cost the state a single penny. 'The memory of the just is blessed' (Prov. 10:7)."

7. George Whitefield
Born 1714 to Thomas and Elizabeth at the Bell Inn in Gloucester, England
He was educated in the Crypt School until 15 when he dropped out to help his mother
He got measles that left him squint eyed
Worked at the Bell Inn for a year and a half before completing school and going to Oxford
While at Oxford he became religious, initially ascetic, then later genuinely converted
Along with John and Charles Wesley he founded the Oxford “Holy Club”
Until 15 Whitefield was a “bad boy” and irreligious “He confesses that he was “addicted to lying, filthy talking, and foolish jesting,” and that he was a “Sabbath-breaker, a theatre-goer, a card-player, and a romance-reader.” All this, he says, went on till he was fifteen years old.” J.C. Ryle Christian Leaders of the 18th Century p. 32
On asceticism – “I always chose the worst sort of food. I fasted twice a week. My apparel was mean. I thought it unbecoming a penitent to have his hair powdered. I wore woollen gloves, a patched gown, and dirty shoes; and though I was convinced that the kingdom of God did not consist in meat and drink, yet I resolutely persisted in these voluntary acts of self denial, because I found in them great promotion of the spiritual life.” Ibid. p.34

8. George Whitefield 1735 he claimed to have been truly converted
Asceticism left him weak so he returned home
He was noticed by Bishop Benson who wanted to ordain him, he returned to Oxford, became ordained at 22
Preached his first sermon in Saint Mary de Crypt
Began teaching in various places and was invited by the Wesley’s to come to Georgia
In Georgia he helped with an orphanage and other efforts before returning home
RE: salvation “I  know the place...Whenever I go to Oxford,  I cannot  help running  to the spot where Jesus Christ first revealed  him- self to me, and gave me the new birth.”
On being ordained "My heart was melted down,  and I offered my whole spirit, soul and body to the service of God's sanctuary."
Thoughts on first sermon Ryle p.35

9. George Whitefield
Upon return from Georgia he was ordained a Priest in the Anglican church by Benson
He had lost favor with much of the England crowd and had an increasingly hard time finding pulpits in which to preach
Preached in whatever pulpits were open to him regardless of denomination, but most were too small
Turned to the “highways and hedges” to “compel them to come in”

11. George Whitefield
Began preaching to the colliers (coal miners) in Kingswood, to increasingly large crowds
Traveled to London to preach, but was kicked out of church so he turned to the fields
He began a long and massive itinerant evangelistic career
Traveled across the Atlantic 13 times spending over two years on water
Continued working with and building the orphanage in Georgia
Ryle p. 37 thoughts on preaching to colliers
"I was honored with having stones,  dirt, rotten  eggs and pieces of dead cats thrown at me."

13. George Whitefield
1740 played a major role in the Great Awakening in America
Met and preached to Benjamin Franklin
Split with John Wesley over the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, becoming the father of Calvinist Methodism
Was beaten several times but proclaimed “We are immortal ‘til our work is done”
Married Elizabeth James who bore him one son who died as an infant
A censorious professor of religion asked him “whether he thought they would see John Wesley in heaven?” “No, sir,” was the striking answer; “I fear not. He will be so near the throne, and we shall be at such a distance, that we shall hardly get a sight of him.” Whitfield in Ryle p. 60

14. George Whitefield
He vastly changed the philosophy of preaching and evangelism, emphasizing charismatic and heartfelt sermons
Had a very aggressive approach to preaching
Preached 13 sermons per week all extemporaneously
1770 He died in Newbury Port leaving very little behind
Aggressive preaching – “He was the first to see that Christ’s ministers must do the work of fishermen. They must not wait for souls to come to them, but must go after souls, and “compel them to come in.” Ryle p. 48
Wake up sermon pp
Sermon Excerpt pp

15. John Wesley Born 1703 in Epworth, England to Samuel and Susanna
Susanna was a strong influence on him and took a firm hand in her children’s education
At 6 years old he was saved from a fire “a brand plucked from the burning”
Studied in London at the Charterhouse School then went to college in Oxford
He was studious and did well with his studies
Unsure what to do with his life he looked for direction before deciding on preaching
Contemporary comparison to Whitefield Ryle, p. 79 footnote
Teaching children to read, Ryle p. 66
On Susanna’s vigour and willingness to proclaim the bible, ibid. p. 67
“when they brought me to the house where my father was, he cried out, ‘Come, neighbours, let us kneel down! Let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children; let the house go, I am rich enough.’” Ibid. p. 68

16. John Wesley
He founded the Holy Club at Oxford trying to live a religious life
1734 His father died and he received a call to go to Georgia
Went to Georgia, did little and learned much
Along the way he became acquainted with Moravian missionaries who challenged him to know his salvation
1738 due to trouble in Georgia he returned to England.
On his mission in Georgia: Some of the charges brought against him were on account of his unusual liturgical “experiments”. A journal entry in 1735 reports that he spent 3 hours “revising” the Book of Common Prayer. One of his parishioners reportedly told Wesley, “The people… say they are Protestants. But as for you, they cannot tell what religion you are of. They never heard of such religion before. They do not know what to make of it.”
Are you saved? Wesley’s journal entry in Ryle pp.75-6

17. John Wesley
He continued studying and like Luther “felt his heart strangely warmed”
Began preaching, but was increasingly unwelcome in churches so turned to the fields
From here he embarked on 53 years of itinerant preaching
The social conditions of England at the time were appalling, full of poverty and immorality
Wesley traveled over 250,000 miles on horseback during his ministry
He was still unhappy about the idea of field preaching, and would have thought, "till very lately," such a method of saving souls as "almost a sin."
“I desire to have both heaven and hell ever in my eye, while I stand on this isthmus of life, between two boundless oceans.”
-John Wesley in a letter to Charles Wesley

18. John Wesley
As he traveled Wesley founded groups and organizations which became the Methodist Church
He initially didn’t want to break with the Anglican church, but had to, being unwilling to reject inward and present salvation by faith
Broke with Whitefield in proclaiming his Arminianist doctrine, though they made up and remained friends.
At 48 he unwisely married to a wife who made him miserable for 15 years then left
General rules (full) Ryle p.100
General Rules of Methodism): It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,
First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind . . . ;
Secondly: By doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all . . . ;
Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God
On his wife’s leaving “I did not forsake her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her.” Ryle p.82

19. John Wesley
He rejected leisure and pursued the work of God with all he had
Was always up early usually at 4am and in bed at 10pm
Wesley died in bed at 88 years old. He sang a hymn, encouraged his brothers, and said “farewell”
“But though I am always in haste,” he said, “I am never in a hurry, because I never undertake any more work than I can go through with perfect calmness of spirit.” Ryle p.84
Death narrative Ryle. P.81
At the age of 63, he wrote to his brother, "I do not love God. I never did. Therefore I never believed, in the Christian sense of the word. Therefore I am only an honest heathen...And yet, to be so employed of God!" (Quoted, Tomkins John Wesley: A Biography (Eerdmans, 2003) 168.)
If extra time read sermon Ibid. pp