N01201:51
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.
That which I am to show is, That some Unsanctified men have a right before God to the Lords Supper. Surely the Children of Israel had a right before God to the Passover; when God commanded them to celebrate it; and they had a right to Circumcision, when God commanded Joshua to circumcise them. And those that are the Covenant People of God have a right to keep the Covenant; we are commanded to teach such as are baptised to observe all things that Christ hath commanded, Mat. 28.19, 20. The second Command requires men to observe and keep pure & entire all such Religious Worship & Ordinances as God requireth in his word.
That which I am to shew is, That some Unsanctifyed men have a right before God to the Lords Supper. Surely the Children of Israel had a right before God to the Passover; when God commanded them to celebrate it; and they had a right to Circumcision, when God commanded Joshua to circumcise them. And those that are the Covenant People of God have a right to keep the Covenant; we are commanded to teach such as are baptised to observe all things that Christ hath commanded, Mat. 28.19, 20. The second Command requires men to observe and keep pure & intire all such Religious Worship & Ordinances as God requireth in his word.
If I may gather up what he aims at, I would reduce it to these two heads.
1. That Unregenerate men are not in Covenant with God. This is a great ⟨p. 21⟩mistake, tho' Unregenerate men are not in the internal, they have not performed any act of Saving Faith, which is the condition of the Covenant, and God is not bound to give Saving Blessings of the Covenant to them: yet they are in the external Covenant. Moses saith, the Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb,