Edwards was the second son of Thomas Edwards, author of Gangræna. He was born at Hertford26 February 1637, and admitted into Merchant Taylors' School at the age of ten. Having spent seven years there under Mr. Dugard's care, he was appointed sizar of St. John's College, Cambridge, which at that time was under the presidency of Anthony Tuckney, a presbyterian. Edwards's conduct and proficiency secured him a scholarship, and before graduating he was appointed a moderator in the schools. In 1657 he was admitted B.A., elected fellow 23 March 1658-9, and proceeded to the degree of M.A. in 1661.
Church life
Soon afterwards he was ordained deacon by Robert Sanderson, bishop of Lincoln, who at the same time engaged him to preach a sermon at the next ordination. In 1664 he took the charge of Trinity Church, Cambridge, where his preaching – plain, practical, and temperate – attracted notice, and he won the good opinion of his parishioners during an outbreak of plague. A few years later, having taken the degree of B.D., he was chosen lecturer of Bury St. Edmunds, but retained the office only twelve months, preferring college life. His position, however, at St. John's became untenable on account of his Calvinistic views. As he met no sympathy from the master, he resigned his fellowship and entered Trinity Hall as a fellow commoner, performing the regular exercises in civil law. But the parishioners of St. Sepulchre's, Cambridge, having invited him to be their minister, he resumed his clerical functions, and about the same time married the widow of Alderman Lane, who had been a successful attorney in the town. After declining other preferment he was presented to the vicarage of St. Peter's, Colchester, a benefice which he retained some three years until declining health and waning popularity induced him to seek retirement in a Cambridgeshire village, and to make the press, rather than the pulpit the means of diffusing his opinions. In 1697 he was once more in Cambridge. In 1699 he took the degree of D.D., and until the close of his long life, which occurred on 16 April 1716, devoted himself to study and to the publication of theological works. He was left a widower in 1701, and soon afterwards married Catherine Lane, who survived until 1745.
