Hinton-Ampner, a living in Anglesea, and another in Carnarvonshire.
Edwards published the first part of his 'Preservative against Socinianism' in 1693, but the work was not completed till ten years later. His fundamental position is that Faustus Socinus is not to be allowed to rank as a heretic, but treated, like Muhammad, as the founder of a new religion (pt. i. p. 7). The Socinians, who had many passages of arms with Edwards's contemporary and namesake, John Edwards, D.D. (1637–1716) [q. v.], scarcely noticed the 'Preservative; 'in fact, by the time it was finished, the Socinian controversy was practically over, its place being already taken by the Arian controversy, initiated by Thomas Emlyn [q. v.] The title of Edwards's book was borrowed by Edward Nares, D.D. (1746–1841) [q. v.]
Edwards figures in the Antinomian controversy which agitated the presbyterians and independents of London, in consequence of the alleged anti-Calvinistic tendency of Dr. Daniel Williams's 'Gospel Truth,' 1691. Stephen Lobb, the independent, quoted Edwards as condemning the positions of Williams, but Edwards in a letter to Williams (dated from Jesus College, 28 Oct. 1697) justified the statements of Williams on the points in dispute. A controversy on original sin with Daniel Whitby, D.D., Edwards did not live to finish. He died 20 July 1712. He is buried in the chapel of Jesus College, to the repairs of which he had given nearly 1,000l. His books he left to the college library.
He published:
- 'A Preservative against Socinianism,' &c., pt. i. Oxford, 1693, 4to; 3rd edition, 1698, 4to; pt. ii. 1694, 4to; pt. iii. mdcxdvii, i.e. 1697, 4to; pt. iv. 1703, 4to; the Index to the four parts is by Thomas Hearne.
- 'Remarks on a Book … by Dr. Will. Sherlock … entitled, A Modest Examination of the Oxford Decree,' &c., Oxford, 1695, 4to.
- 'The Exposition given by the Bishop of Sarum of the 2nd Article … examined,' 1702 (Watt).
- 'The Doctrine of Original Sin … vindicated from the Exceptions … of D. Whitby,' Oxford, 1711, 8vo (Whitby replied in 'A Full Answer,' &c., 1712, 8vo). Edwards's letter to Williams appears at p. 70 of the latter's 'Answer to the Report which the United Ministers drew up,' &c., 1698, 12mo.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. 1692. ii. 898; Chalmers's Biog. Dict. 1814, xiii. 52; Edwards's works.]
EDWARDS, LEWIS, D.D. (1809–1887), Welsh Calvinistic methodist, son of a small farmer, was born at Pwllcenawon, Llanbadarn Fawr, Cardiganshire, 27 Oct. 1809. The family library was all Welsh, consisting chiefly of religious books, and of these Edwards made good use. His first school was kept by a superannuated old soldier, the second by an uncle, the third by a clergyman. At this last he began his acquaintance with Greek and Latin. His father intended him to remain at home on the farm. Probably about this time he puzzled his neighbours with metaphysical questions, asking, for instance, whether it were more proper to consider the creation as existing in God or God in creation. A neighbour induced the father to send him to resume his studies at Aberystwyth. He formed a permanent friendship with his new teacher, a Mr. Evans, who was a good mathematician. His resources failing, he set up a school on his own account. About this time he first saw an English magazine. A chance sight of 'Blackwood' gave him a strong desire to know something of English literature.
His next move was to Llangeitho, to a school kept by a Rev. John Jones. Here he read the classics and began to preach. He failed in fluency, and his voice was not good. In 1830 he left Llangeitho to become a teacher in a private family. Here he heard of the new university in London. He knew of no other open to a Calvinistic methodist, and sought the necessary permission of the association to study there. It was at last granted, but his funds only supported him in London through one winter. In 1832 he took charge of the English methodist church at Laugharne in Carmarthenshire, where he remained a year and a half, and had useful practice in speaking English. He next studied at Edinburgh, where he worked hard, and was enabled, through the intervention of Professor Wilson (Christopher North), with whom he was a great favourite, to take his degree at the end of three, instead of four, years. He returned to Wales the first of his denomination to win the degree of M.A. He was ordained at Newcastle Emlyn in 1837, and shortly after opened a school at Bala in conjunction with his brother-in-law, the Rev. David Charles [see Charles, Thomas, ad fin.], and for fifty years was principal of what has now long been known as Bala College. In 1844 he started a small magazine, 'Yr Esponiwr' ('The Expositor'), and in January 1845 he sent forth the first number of 'Y Traethodydd' ('The Essayist'), a quarterly magazine, which has continued to appear regularly ever since. Of this he was editor for ten years, and in it some of his best essays made their first appearance. This magazine took its place at once as the best in the lan-
