N05035:190
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.
Herein seems much to consist the Nature of Scandal in the Members of a Church, viz. Such an Offence as is a Wound & Interruption to this kind of Affection, being a Stumbling-Block to a Christian Judgment, in Regard of it's Esteem of the Offender as a real Christian, and what much lessens the visibility of his Christian Character. And therefore when Scandal is removed by visible Repentance, the Church is directed to confirm their Love to the Offender, 2 Cor. ii. 8.
Now this intimate Affection towards others as Brethren in Christ and Fellow-Members of him, must have some Apprehension of the Understanding, some Judgment of the Mind, for it's Foundation. To say, that we must thus love others as visible Members of Christ, if any Thing else be meant, than that we must love them because they are visibly, or as they appear to our Judgment, real Members of Christ, is in Effect to say, that ⟨p. 74⟩we must thus love them without any Foundation at all. In order to a real and fervent Affection to another, on Account of some Amiableness of Qualification or Relation, the Mind must first judge there is that Amiableness in the Object. The Affections of the Mind are not so at Command that we can make 'em strongly to go forth to an Object as having such Loveliness, when at the same Time we don't positively judge any such Thing concerning them, but only hope it may be so, because we see no sufficient Reason to determine the contrary. There must be a positive Dictate of the Understanding, and some Degree of Satisfaction of the Judgment, to be a Ground of that Oneness of Heart and Soul, which is agreeable to Scripture-Representations of [Greek or Hebrew] or brotherly Love. And a Supposition only of that moral Sincerity and Virtue, or common Grace, which some insist upon, tho' it may be a sufficient Ground of neighbourly and civil Affection, can't be a sufficient Ground of this intimate Affection to them as Brethren in the Family of a heavenly Father, this fervent Love to them in the Bowels of Jesus Christ; that implying nothing in it inconsistent with being Gospel Sinners and domestic Enemies in the House of God; which Christians know are the most hateful Enemies to Christ, of all the Enemies that he has.