N05035:107
An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications…
An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications requisite to a complete standing and full communion in the visible Christian church. By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the First Church in Northampton. ; With an appendix by Mr. Foxcroft. ; [Ten lines of quotations]An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications requisite to a compleat standing and full communion in the visible Christian church. By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the First Church in Northampton. ; With an appendix by Mr. Foxcroft. ; [Ten lines of quotations]
Boston: : Printed & sold by S. Kneeland in Queenstreet, 1749
Title page typeset from the transcription.
An Inquiry into the Qualifications for full Communion in the visibl… › Part 2
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.
but a Profession of Historical Faith implies no Profession of accepting Christ as our King, nor Engagement to submit to him as such.
When the Israelites publicly covenanted with God according to the Institution in Deuteronomy, they did not only promise something future, but professed something present; they avouched Jehovah to be their God, and also promised to keep his Commands. Thus it was in that solemn Covenant-Transaction between God and the People on the Plains of Moab; which is summarily described, Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. Thou hast avouched the Lord this Day to be thy God, and to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Statures, and his Commandments, and his Judgments, and to hearken unto his Voice; and the Lord hath avouched thee this Day to be his peculiar People, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldst keep all his Commandments. The People in avouching God for their God, professed a compliance with the Terms of the Covenant of Grace; as the Covenant of ⟨p. 34⟩Grace is summarily expressed in those Words, I will be thy God, and thou shalt be my People. They that avouch the Lord to be their God, do profess to accept of Jehovah as their God: and that is to accept him as the Object of their supreme Respect and Trust. For that which we choose as the Object of our highest Regard, that and that only do we take as our God. None therefore that value and love the World more than Jehovah, can without lying, or being deceived, avouch Jehovah to be their God: And none that don't trust in Christ, but trust more in their own Strength or Righteousness, can avouch Christ to be their Saviour. To avouch God to be our God, is to profess that he is our God by our own Act; i. e. that we choose him to be our chief Good and last End, the supreme Object of our Esteem and Regard, that we devote our selves to, and depend upon. And if we are sensible that we don't do this sincerely, we can't profess that we actually do it; for he that don't do it sincerely, don't do it at all: There is no Room for the Distinction of a moral Sincerity and gracious Sincerity in this Case: A supreme Respect of Heart to God, or a supreme Love to him, which is Real, is but of one Sort: It would be absurd, to talk of a morally sincere supreme Love to God in those who really love Dirt and Dung more than him: Whoever does with any reality at all make God the Object of the supreme Regard of his Heart, i. e. certainly a gracious Person: