Barnard, Edward. Sermons
Collection History
Please note that as of January 2022, the Edward Barnard sermons, 1739-1774, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.
Rev. Edward Barnard (1720-1774) was the son of Rev. John Barnard of Andover. A classical scholar, he graduated at Harvard in 1736 and was ordained in 1743, ministering to the First Church in Haverhill, Mass. Four of his sermons and one poem were published. Rev. Barnard's personal theology tended toward the doctrine known as Arminianism, which emphasized the importance of free will in personal salvation. This caused controversy within the Haverhill church, and a portion of the congregation consequently ceded and became Baptist. The volumes below include over two-hundred of Rev. Barnard's sermons, preached mainly at Haverhill. The first three sermon volumes are dated and encompass a broad swath of Rev. Barnard's career, from 1739-1774. The latter six volumes are largely undated, with occasional exceptions.
The original manuscripts in this collection are owned by our project partners, the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum. Further information about the collection can be found in the Phillips Library's catalog.
Digital Materials
This volume comprises Rev. Barnard's early sermons preached at various locales such as Bradford, Wilmington, Salisbury, and Andover, and later re-used during his appointment at Haverhill. Each sermon is prefaced with a bible verse, with preaching dates and locations typically listed after the main text.
The bulk of these sermons were preached at Rev. Barnard's local parish of Haverhill, with occasional guest preaching in nearby parishes such as Andover and Boxford. Preaching locations and dates are listed in the sermon headers.
These later sermons were delivered almost exclusively at Rev. Barnard's parish at Haverhill, with occasional guest preaching nearby. Locations and dates are listed in the sermon headers.
These four manuscrupt sermons by Rev. Barnard, though listed as undated, actually contain two dates of first preaching, namely 1732 and 1745/6. The remainder are undated.
- Partial sermon
- Psalms 119:16 – "I will not forget thy word..."
First preached 24 October 1732 - Chronicles 28:9 – "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever…"
First preached at Haverhill, 12 January 1745/6 - Psalms 119:113 – "I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love…"
These four manuscript sermons by Rev. Barnard are all undated, and one is partial, with the verse text unidentifiable.
- Psalms 90:10 – "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away…"
- Jude 1:6 – "The judgement of the great day…"
- Partial sermon
- Galatians 6:15 – "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature…"
These four manuscript sermons by Rev. Barnard are undated, and the first, which is only identified as "no. 1130" has no verse text listed.
- Sermon no. 1130
- Isaiah 2:5 – "O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord…"
- James 1:25 – "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed…"
- Romans 12:12 – "Patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…"
First preached at Haverhill
These three manuscript sermons by Rev. Barnard are all undated. Each takes its verse text from books in the New Testament.
- 2 Timothy 2:19 – "let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity…"
- Romans 6:13 – "But yield yourselves unto God…"
- John 7:17 – "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself…"
These three manuscript sermons by Rev. Barnard are undated, and preached on verses from the Old and New Testaments.
- Ephesians 2:10 – "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…"
- Jeremiah 7:4 – "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place…"
- John 5:28 – "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation…"
These four manuscipt materials by Rev. Barnard consist of three sermons, one of which is dated (1739) as well as an essay on the concept of Jacob's Ladder.
- Essay on Jacobs Ladder
- 1 Peter 2:21 – "Leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps…"
First preached at Newbury, 7 October 1739 - Zechariah 13:1 – "a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness…"
- 1 Corinthians 1:2 – "Sanctified in Christ Jesus…"
Related Materials
Haverhill, Mass. First Congregational Church, 1719-1756
Special Thanks
These digital resources have been made possible in part by the Council on Library and Information Resources, through a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent those of the Council on Library and Information Resources.
