The sermons and discourses are arranged chronologically by Schafer number, text, doctrinal statement or main subject, and date (Dating techniques and nearly all of the early chronology are the work of Thomas A Schafer. See WJE, 13, 59-109). Other information, such as occasion, repreaching, and publication history, is also included where available. Unless otherwise indicated, manuscripts are at Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (General Manuscripts 151). For some sermons, only a record from a diary or other source is available, in which case the reference is provided.
Edwards did not date his sermons until January 1733; consequently, sermons numbered 1-265 are arranged canonically in batches within discrete time periods as determined by WJE editors through ink, handwriting, and watermark analyses. Sermons thought to date from the period 1720-1732 for which only printed texts survive can be found at nos. 266-269. Undated manuscript sermons and sermons from 1734-1739 for which only an undated copy or printed text survive are at nos. 498a-d; those from 1739-1742 are at nos. 693a-r. Later undated sermons from 1743-1758 (nos. 1170ff.), as well as sermon fragments (nos. 1195ff.), are given at the end of the list.
