N01201:30
An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints…
An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints to the Lords Supper, though they be destitute of a saving work of God's spirit on their hearts: against the exceptions of Mr. Increase Mather. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton. ; [Two lines from Daniel]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1709
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A third Scripture that he brings to make good his Argument is, Ezek. 44.7, 9. You ⟨p. 10⟩have brought into my Sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, & uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my Sanctuary to pollute it, even my house: when you offer my Bread, the Fat, and the Blood, and they have broken my Covenant. — Thus saith the Lord, no stranger uncircumcised in beart, shall enter into my Sanctuary.
A third Scripture that he brings to make good his Argument is, Ezek. 44.7, 9. You ⟨p. 10⟩have brought into my Sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, & uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my Sanctuary to pallute it, even my house: when you offer my Bread, the Fat, and the Blood, and they have broken my Covenant. — Thus saith the Lord, no stranger uncircumcised in beart, shall enter into my Sanctuary.
I Answer, 1. That this Scripture has no particular reference to the Lords-Supper. If he had blamed them for suffering such persons as were uncircumcised in heart and flesh to come to the Passover, which was a Sacrament of confirmation as the Lords Supper is, he might have pleaded that it had a particular reference to the Lords Supper, but the fault was that they brought strangers into the Sanctuary: but the Passover was eaten in their own houses.
2. The fault is charged on the Priests, that they brought in such as were uncircumcised in flesh & in heart: therefore it must necessarily be understood of such as were visibly uncircumcised in heart; for the Priests were not to blame for letting in such as were visibly circumcised in heart, though not really so: for they were bound by Gods Ordinance to do it. Yea Mr. M. goes a great deal further than I