by Edward D. Griffin
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE BY WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE, D.D.
On the heels of the First Great Awakening in America came the French and Indian War, the War of Independence, false French philosophies and widespread infidelity. It was a time of great discouragement for the Church in America. Yet, when things seemed the darkest, the fires of revival once again broke forth. From the rough western frontier of Kentucky to the halls of Yale and Princeton, the country suddenly seemed to be consumed with only seeking Christ. Beginning in 1790 and continuing for the next 45 years, America entered into a remarkable era called the Second Great Awakening.
One of the forgotten giants of this age of continuous revival was Edward Griffin. "The history of his life seems little less than the history of one unbroken revival; and it would perhaps be difficult to name the individual in our country since the days of Whitefield who has been instrumental of an equal number of hopeful conversions." Had Edward Griffin lived at an earlier time, he would have certainly been recognized as a true man of God, yet he came into God's harvest fields during the springtime of revival. He burst upon the scene at the precise moment when all was made ready by divine providence and prayer. Mr. Griffin's ministry was blessed from its inception with great success.
A hearer of Mr. Griffin in New Jersey in 1829 gives us a description of his preaching and of the love and brokenness which gave that preaching its power. "During most of the sermon his face was wet with tears, and for nearly an hour he spoke to us with such tender and appealing sentences that it seemed as if his hearers must cry out in an agony of fear and trembling . . . But what a climax the ending was! It was a wonder how he endured the strain so long and that he had not given up physically exhausted. The mental agony, the heartbreaking sympathy, were enough to break an angel down! When he fell on his knees as if he had been knocked on the head with an ax, with outstretched arms, tears coarsing down his face, he cried out; 'Oh! my dying fellow sinners, I beseech you to give your heart to the Savior now. Give your life to Jesus Christ, do not put it off! Do not leave this house without dedicating yourself to His service, lest you be left at last to cry, the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved.'"
The instruments of true revival are always fashioned by God in the secret place of prayer. Edward Griffin was always aware of his own need of gaining a daily glimpse of Jesus in prayer. Describing the transforming effects of such moments Mr. Griffin writes, "it is only when with open face we behold the glory of the Lord that we are changed from glory to glory. A view of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ, is the faith which purifies and produces good works. When God is seen in all the majesty of His glory, in the awful purity of His holiness, the Christian cannot, dare not willfully sin. He pants after universal purity with groanings that cannot be uttered. This is the faith 'which worketh by love.' Under the influence of these views the Christian knows what it is to be moved to action by the love of God in Christ. . . "
Even as an old man Edward Griffin was still pursuing a greater degree of intimacy with Christ. Thirsting for more of Jesus he wrote, "I long and pray for high communion with God and for affections more ardent and delightful than I ever felt before." This is the kind of revival we need, a revival of loving and longing for Jesus. As a nation our walls are broken down and our gates are burned. This nation is crumbling from within because the very foundation of the Church has slipped. No longer is Christ alone all-sufficient for all our needs. Jesus has become far less than preeminent among the very ones who claim His name. The brick and mortar of our fleshly methods have failed to repair the spiritual breaches of our walls. How long shall we try in vain to repair our outer walls while God's house of prayer still lies neglected and in ruins?
David Smithers
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Table of Contents
MEMOIR
CHAPTER I: Previous to his settlement at New-Hartford
CHAPTER II: His residence at New-Hartford
CHAPTER III: His first residence at Newark
CHAPTER IV: His residence at Andover and Boston
CHAPTER V: His second residence at Newark
CHAPTER VI: His residence at Williamstown
CHAPTER VII: His last residence at Newark, and his death
CHAPTER VIII: General estimate of his character and influence:
SERMONS
SERMON I: The knowledge of God - COL. 1:10
SERMON II: The tender mercies of God - ISA. 63:7
SERMON III: Adam our federal head - ROM. 5:12–19
SERMON IV: The abominable nature of sin - JER. 44:4
SERMON V: The worth of the soul - MAT. 16:26
SERMON VI: Tokens of perdition - MAT. 24:32, 33
SERMON VII: The heath in the desert - JER. 17:5, 6
SERMON VIII: Taking the kingdom by violence - MAT. 11:12
SERMON IX: The band which took Christ - JOHN 18:6
SERMON X - The fruitless fig tree - LUKE 13:6–9
SERMON XI: JER. 8:20–22 - Harvest past and balm of Gilead
SERMON XII: What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee - JER. 13:21
SERMON XIII: The strait gate - LUKE 13:24
SERMON XIV: Gospel despisers passed by, and the heathen taken - MAT. 8:11, 12
SERMON XV: Quench not the Spirit - 1 THES. 5:19
SERMON XVI: Exhortation to serve the Lord - DEUT. 10:12
SERMON XVII: Excuses - LUKE 14:18
SERMON XVIII: Let us reason together - ISAIAH 1:18
SERMON XIX: Hobab - NUM. 10:29–32
SERMON XX: Returning from the crucifixion - LUKE 23:47–49
SERMON XXI: Jesus of Nazareth passing by - MAT. 20:29–34
SERMON XXII: The brazen serpent - JOHN 3:14, 15
SERMON XXIII: Noah's ark - HEB. 11:7
SERMON XXIV: A friend closer than a brother - PROV. 18:24
SERMON XXV: Christ a covert from the tempest - ISAIAH 32:2
SERMON XXVI - The high priest - HEB. 7:26
SERMON XXVII: Christ the resurrection and the life - JOHN 11:25
SERMON XXVIII: The ascension and dominion of Christ - LUKE 24:50, 51
SERMON XXIX: The patience of Christ - 1 TIM. 1:16
SERMON XXX: Christ's kingdom not of this world - JOHN 18:36
SERMON XXXI: Calling on the name of Jesus - ACTS 7:59
SERMON XXXII: Self denial - GEN. 22:2
SERMON XXXIII: Enoch walked with God - GEN. 5:24
SERMON XXXIV: When I am weak, then am I strong - 2 COR. 12:10
SERMON XXXV: The faithfulness of God - ISAIAH 49:14–16
SERMON XXXVI: Son and heir through Christ - GAL. 4:7
SERMON XXXVII: Love to our neighbor - MAT. 22:35–40
SERMON XXXVIII: Where is the Lord God of Elijah? - 2 KINGS 2:14
SERMON XXXIX: The better resurrection - HEB. 11:35
SERMON XL: When I was a child I thought as a child - 1 COR. 13:11
SERMON XLI: The pilgrim - HEB. 11:13
SERMON XLII: Whom have I in heaven but thee - PSALM 73:25
SERMON XLIII: Forsaken the first love - REV. 2:4, 5
SERMON XLIV: The dove - GEN. 8:8, 9
SERMON XLV: REV. 2:17 - Manna
SERMON XLVI: The heart of God affected by prayer - GEN. 32:28
SERMON XLVII: Jehovah Jireh - GEN. 22:14
SERMON XLVIII: All these things are against me - GEN. 42:36
SERMON XLIX: Heaven - HEB. 11:10
SERMON L: New heavens and new earth - 2 PET. 3:13
SERMON LI: The Lamb in the midst of his Father's throne - REV. 5:6
SERMON LII: How can I put thee among the children? - JER. 3:19
SERMON LIII: What aileth thee? - GEN. 21:17
SERMON LIV: Can these bones live? - EZEK. 37:3
SERMON LV: Arrows sharp in the heart of enemies - PSALM 45:5
SERMON LVI: Salvation taken into God's own hands - JER. 31:31–34
SERMON LVII: Abraham's steward - GEN. 24:49
SERMON LVIII: The watchman - EZEK. 33:7, 8
SERMON LVIX: The weeping at the last day - LUKE 13:28