The Principle and Person of Divine Love: Edwards on the Relationship between Grace and the Holy Spirit
This article originated as a theology paper written as part of my studies with Union Theological College in Spring 2025.
Divine grace is a prominent theme in the theology of Jonathan Edwards.[1] Indeed, Paul Helm suggests that he understood ‘a revelation of God’s redemptive grace’ to be the unified theme of all Scripture.[2] Nevertheless, the trinitarian nature of this grace, and especially the role of the Spirit in relation to it, must not be overlooked. For in his Treatise on Grace, Edwards builds on the Reformed tradition to both emphasise and elevate the work of the Spirit in grace. This assignment examines his thought in this treatise. Firstly, it discusses how he distinguishes between saving and common grace. It then explores how Edwards demonstrates saving grace to ‘partake in the nature of the Holy Spirit in a peculiar way.’[3] It will show that he believes this is evident from: (1) the use of the term spiritual, and (2) the identity of the Spirit as divine love. It concludes by considering Edwards’ perspective in relation to the wider Reformed tradition.
Distinguishing Saving Grace from Common Grace
The Reformed tradition tends to focus on the Spirit’s work in salvation, although theologians such as John Owen and Petrus van Mastricht do at least acknowledge that he also has a more universal work.[4] On the contrary, Edwards starts by emphasising this wider work, arguing that both common and saving grace are ‘kinds of influence of God’s Spirit on the hearts of men.’[5] Edwards appears to view common grace in a similar way to William Perkins, who holds that the Spirit brings benefits to all creatures through creation and preservation, and to all men through vocation and illumination.[6]Indeed, Edwards elsewhere agrees with Perkins that common grace can even include spiritual gifts.[7] Nevertheless, both Perkins and Edwards draw a distinction between this common work for all and the Spirit’s saving work in the elect. For although they are both works of the same Spirit, Edwards insists that common and saving grace are not only different ‘in degree, but entirely diverse in nature and kind.’[8]
Edwards understands saving grace to be the ‘peculiar kind or degree of operation of God’s Spirit whence saving actions and attainments do arise in the godly.’[9] As Robert W. Caldwell summarises, it is ‘the Holy Spirit’s salvific presence in the soul of the saint.’[10] Edwards concludes natural men do not have such grace, for the Spirit does not indwell them and enable communion with the Father and Son (John 3:6; Rom. 8:9; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Cor. 2:14).[11] In contrast, in the hearts of Christians, this grace is ‘the root and source of all holy acts of every kind, and the fountain of every good stream, into which all Christian virtues may ultimately be resolved, and in which all duty and holiness is fulfilled.’[12] Edwards shows from Scripture and reason that this ‘principle in the soul of the saints’ is nothing less than ‘divine love’ (Rom. 13:8; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Tim. 1:5).[13] In this way, saving grace is seen as ‘the soul’s relish of the supreme excellency of the divine nature, inclining the heart to God as the chief good.’[14] As a result, Edwards avoids the common Reformed tendency of ‘limiting the work of the Spirit to the application of salvation.’[15] On the contrary, Edwards consciously elevates the Spirit’s role to be equal to that of the Father and Son. For he is not only the gift’s bearer, but the very gift itself.
Demonstrating Saving Grace as Peculiarly Spiritual
Saving grace clearly comes into existence through the Spirit’s influence (Ezek. 36:26-27; John 3:5-6; Titus 3:5).[16]However, Edwards takes this further by asserting that it ‘seems to partake of the nature of the Spirit of God in some very peculiar manner.’[17] He gives two main arguments for this. The first is the terminology of Scripture (Rom. 8:6; 1 Cor. 2:15; Gal. 6:1; Col. 1:9), for he points out it ‘speaks of this holy and divine principle in the heart as not only from the Spirit, but as being spiritual.’[18] Rather than interpreting this as ‘the spiritual part of man’, as opposed to the body, Edwards believes that it refers to the Spirit of God.[19] This is how he consistently understands such language throughout his works. For example, he writes elsewhere, ‘Christians are called spiritual persons, because they are born of the Spirit, and because of the indwelling and holy influences of the Spirit in them.’[20]
Edwards’ second argument builds on ‘what has already been said of the nature of saving grace.’[21] For having shown that such grace is a principle of divine love, he now demonstrates that the Spirit is also identified as the same. Caldwell suggests that in all of Edwards’ works, this section is the ‘most extended discussion on the nature of the Holy Spirit in himself.’[22] Here Edwards argues that the Spirit is ‘in a peculiar manner called by the name of love.’[23] Like many before him, he proves this from 1 John 4:8–16.[24] As he puts it elsewhere, this shows the Spirit ‘dwelling in us, and his love–or the love that he hath or exerciseth–being in us, are the same thing.’[25] He also supplies other ‘standard scriptural witness used to support this mutual love model.’[26] This includes observing that just as the Son is identified as God’s understanding or wisdom, the Spirit is identified as God’s will or love.[27] In this way, Edwards largely follows both Augustine and Aquinas.[28] Like them, he sees the Spirit as ‘the divine love of the immanent Trinity.’[29] As Edwards has already equated saving grace with divine love, he can conclude that salvific grace in the soul of the saints is the Spirit himself. This is what Edwards means by stating that saving grace ‘seems to partake of the nature of the Spirit of God in some very peculiar manner.’[30] The principle of divine love is simply the presence of divine love himself, and by his indwelling we partake in the mutual and eternal love of the three divine persons.[31]
Conclusion
Ulrich Lehner correctly concludes that Edwards trinitarianism is ‘thoroughly orthodox’ and often ‘Augustinian’.[32]Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that he also departs from this tradition in several notable ways. For example, he defines personhood differently to Augustine, using perichoresis to support a concept of ‘communal’ personhood.[33]Further, by equating the Spirit with saving grace, he avoids Aquinas’ distinction between uncreated and created grace.[34]Edwards instead ties gracious habits so closely to God’s gracious presence that to remove the latter would mean reversing the former.[35] However, in at least one important area, he advances rather than amends the thought of Augustine and Aquinas. For by ‘mingling’ love and holiness, Edwards reveals the true meaning of the name ‘Holy’ Spirit.[36] Although Augustine and Aquinas draw limited ad intra inferences from his holiness, they largely explore the names of gift and love.[37] In contrast, Edwards shows that holiness is ‘the objective side of divine love.’[38] For ‘the holiness of God himself consists in infinite love to himself. God’s holiness is the infinite beauty and excellency of his nature.’[39] As a result, Edwards demonstrates ‘holiness and love are two terms describing the same reality in God.’[40] Therefore, although he certainly strengthens the Reformed tradition by emphasising the Spirit’s work in common grace, and elevating his work in saving grace, Edwards’ most significant contribution is arguably the new light that he sheds on the very name of the Holy Spirit himself.
[1] Stephen R. Holmes, God of Grace and God of Glory: An Account of the Theology of Jonathan Edwards (Edinburgh, 2000).
[2] Paul Helm (ed.), ‘Introduction’, in Treatise on Grace and Other Posthumously Published Writings (Cambridge, 1971), 6.
[3] Jonathan Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, in Writings on the Trinity, Grace, and Faith, eds Sang Hyun Lee and Harry S. Stout (New Haven, 2003), 180.
[4] John Owen, The Works of John Owen, ed. W.H. Goold, 23 vols (Edinburgh, 1850-55), iii:103; Petrus van Mastricht, Theoretical-Practical Theology: Volume 2: Faith in the Triune God, trans. Todd M. Rester (Grand Rapids, 2019), 574.
[5] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 153.
[6] William Perkins, The Works of William Perkins: Volume 5, ed. Ryan Hurd (Grand Rapids, 2017), 308–9.
[7] Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, eds John E. Smith and Harry S. Stout (rev. edn, New Haven, 2009), 199; Perkins, The Works of William Perkins, 310.
[8] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 154.
[9] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 153.
[10] R.W. Caldwell, ‘Pneumatology’ in The Oxford Handbook of Jonathan Edwards (Oxford, 2021), 159.
[11] Ibid., 157–58.
[12] Ibid., 166.
[13] Ibid., 167.
[14] Ibid., 173.
[15] W. van Vlastuin, ‘Retrieving Jonathan Edwards’ Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit’, 237.
[16] Ibid., 176.
[17] Ibid., 180.
[18] Ibid., 178.
[19] Ibid., 178.
[20] Edwards, Religious Affections, 198.
[21] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 180.
[22] R.W. Caldwell, Communion in the Spirit: the Holy Spirit as the Bond of Union in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards (Milton Keynes, 2006), 42.
[23] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 181.
[24] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 81; Caldwell, Communion in the Spirit, 47.
[25] Jonathan Edwards, ‘Discourse on the Trinity’, in Writings on the Trinity, Grace, and Faith, eds Sang Hyun Lee and Harry S. Stout (New Haven, 2003), 122.
[26] Caldwell, Communion in the Spirit, 47.
[27] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 183.
[28] Augustine, De Trinitate, XV.31; Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 1a 36.1.
[29] Caldwell, ‘Pneumatology’, 153.
[30] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 180.
[31] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 188.
[32] Ulrich L. Lehner, ‘The Trinity in the Early Modern Era (c.1550–1770)’, in G. Emery and M. Levering (eds), The Oxford Handbook of the Trinity(Oxford, 2011), 250.
[33] Caldwell, ‘Pneumatology’, 155.
[34] M.J. McClymond and G.R. McDermott, The Theology of Jonathan Edwards (New York, 2012), 267; Adonis Vidu, The Divine Missions: An Introduction (Eugene, 2021), 56; Helm, ‘Introduction’, 9.
[35] Edwards, ‘Treatise on Grace’, 196.
[36] B.W. Davidson, 'Not from ourselves: Holy Love in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards', Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 59 no. 3 (2016), 576.
[37] Augustine, De Trinitate, XV.17; Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 1a 36.1.
[38] Caldwell, Communion in the Spirit, 50.
[39] Edwards, ‘Discourse on the Trinity’, 123.
[40] Caldwell, Communion in the Spirit, 50.