N05035:152
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.
One Thing which makes it very evident, that the inspired Ministers of the primitive Christian Church looked upon saving Faith as the proper Matter of the Profession requisite in Order to Admission into the Church, is the Story of Philip and the Eunuch in Act. viii. For when the Eunuch desires to be baptized, Philip makes answer, ver.37. If thou believest with all thine Heart, thou mayst. Which Words, certainly imply, that believing with all his Heart was requisite in Order to his coming to this Ordinance properly and in a due Manner. I cannot conceive what should move Philip to utter these Words, or what he should aim at in them, if he at the same Time supposed, that the Eunuch had no manner of Need to look at any such Qualification in himself, or at all to inquire whether he had such a Faith, or no, in Order to determine whether he might present himself as the Subject of Baptism; many that are without it, being as properly qualified for this, as they that have it.
It is said by some, that Philip intended nothing more by believing with all his Heart, than that he believed that Doctrine, That Jesus Christ was the Son of God, with a moral Sincerity of Persuasion. But here again I desire, the Scripture may be allowed to be its own Interpreter. The Scripture very much abounds with such Phrases as this, with all the Heart, or with the whole Heart, in speaking of religious Matters. And the manifest Intent of them is to signify a gracious Simplicity &godly Sincerity. Thus […] Sam. xii. 20. Turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your Hearts. So ver.24. Only fear the Lord, and serve him in Truth, with all your Heart. […] Kings viii. 23. Who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants, that walk before thee with all their Heart. Chap. xiv. 8. My Servant David, who kept my Commandments, and who followed me with all his Heart. ⟨p. 56⟩Kings x. 31. But Jehu took no Heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his Heart. 2 Chron. xxii. 9. Jehoshaphat fought the Lord with all his Heart. Chap. xxxi. 20 21. Hezekiah wrought that which was good and right, and Truth before the Lord his God; and in every Work that he began in the Service of the House of God, and in the Law, and in the Commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his Heart.