puritanlit

[puritanlit]

Christ took the nature of a creature, not only because the creature's great love to him desired familiar communion with him, more familiar than his infinite distance would allow, but also because his great love to us caused him to desire familiar communion with us. So he came down to us, and united himself to our nature.

Incarnation, from the Miscellanies of Jonathan Edwards. An admirable fragment, communicating complex theological doctrine in non-theoretical language. Here Edwards characterizes the Incarnation in Augustinian terms, formulating the union of the divine and human natures in Christ as consisting in caritas, Love, as opposed to the 'natural' philosophical formulation of the Incarnation as consisting in a union of ousia, or essence.

#theology #calvinism #early American literature #jonathan edwards #American literature #reformed theology

[puritanlit]

An humble, faithful life, O Lord, Forever let me walk; Let my obedience testify My praise lies not in talk.

from the Meditation of May 11th, 1661 by Anne Bradstreet

#American literature #american poetry #calvinism #puritan literature #puritanism #early American literature

[puritanlit]

Shall not thy Rose my Garden fresh, perfume? Shall not thy Beauty my dull Heart assaile? Shall not thy golden gleams run through this gloom? Shall my black Velvet Mask thy fair Face Vaile? Pass o’re my Faults: shine forth, bright sun; arise! Enthrone thy Rosy-selfe within mine Eyes.

from The Reflexion by Edward Taylor 

#poetry #early American literature #calvinism #puritan literature #puritanism #american poetry