N05035:140
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.
which seems most naturally to represent this to us, that however Hypocrites may maintain their Hopes while they live, and while their Judge is at a Distance, yet when they come to be alarmed by the Sound of the last Trumpet, their Hopes will immediately expire and vanish away, and very often fail them in the sensible Approaches of Death. Where is the Hope of the Hypocrite, when God takes away his Soul? But 'till the Midnight-Cry the foolish Virgins seem to entertain the same Hopes with the Wise; when they first went forth with the wise Virgins, their Lamps shone in their own Eyes and in the Eyes of others, in like Manner with the Lamps of the wise Virgins.—So that by this Parable it also appears, that all visible Members of the Christian Church or Kingdom of Heaven are those that profess to be gracious Persons, as looking on themselves, and seeming, or at least pretending to be such.
And that true Piety is what Persons ought to look at in themselves as the Qualification that is a proper Ground for them to proceed upon, in coming into the visible Church of Christ and taking the Privileges of its Members, I think, is evident also from the Parable of the Marriage, which the King made for his Son, Matth. xxii. Particularly the 11th and 12th Verses, And when the King came in to see the Guests, he saw there a A•an which had not on a Wedding-Garment: And he faith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a Wedding-Garment? And he was Speechless.—Mr. Stoddard says (Appeal, Pag. 4, 5.) Here is a Representation ⟨p. 50⟩of the Day of Judgment; and such Persons as come for Salvation without a Wedding-Garment shall be rejected in that Day. So that here being nothing sai• about the Lord's Supper, all arguing from this Scripture falls to the Ground. Upon which I take Leave to observe, that the King's coming in to see the Guests, means Christ's visiting his professing Church at the Day of Judgment, I make •o Doubt: But that the Guests coming into the King's House means Persons coming for Salvation at the Day of Judgment, I am not convinced. If it may properly be represented, that any Reprobates will come for Salvation at the Day of Judgment, they won't do so before the King appears; But Christ will appear first, and then they will come and cry to him for Salvation. Whereas, in this Parable, the Guests are represented as gathered together in the King's House before the King appears, and the King as coming in and finding 'em there; where they had entered while the Day of Grace lasted, while the Door was kept open, and Invitations given forth; and not like those who come for Salvation at the Day of Judgment,