N05035:228
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 3
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.
Whether I have succeeded, in rightly explaining these Matters, or no, yet my failing in it is of no great Importance with Regard to the ⟨p. 91⟩Strength of the Objection, that occasioned my attempting it; which was, that scandalously wicked Men among the Jews are called God's People, &c. The Objection, as I observed, is as much against the Scheme of those whom I oppose, as against my Scheme; and therefore it as much concerns them, to find out some Explanation of the Matter, that shall show something else is intended by it, than their having the Qualifications of visible Saints, as it does me; and a failing in such an Attempt as much affects and hurts their Cause, as it does mine.
Whether I have succeeded, in rightly explaining these Matters, or no, yet my failing in it is of no great Importance with Regard to the ⟨p. 91⟩Strength of the Objection, that occasioned my attempting it; which was, that scandalously wicked Men among the Jews are called God's People, &c. The Objection, as I observed, is as much against the Scheme of those whom I oppose, as against my Scheme; and therefore it as much concerns them, to find out some Explanation of the Matter, that shall shew something else is intended by it, than their having the Qualifications of visible Saints, as it does me; and a failing in such an Attempt as much affects and hurts their Cause, as it does mine.
OBJECT. III. Those in Israel, who made no Profession of Piety of Heart, did according to divine Institution partake of the Passover; a Jewish Sacrament, representing the same Things, and a Seal of the very same Covenant of Grace with the Lord's Supper; and particularly, it would be unreasonable to suppose, that all made a Profession of Godliness whom God commanded to keep that first Passover in Egypt, which the whole Congregation were required to keep, and there is no Shadow of any such Thing as their all first making a solemn public Profession of those Things wherein true Piety consists: & so the People in general partook of the Passover, from to Generation to Generation; but it would be hard to suppose, that they all professed a supreme Regard to God in their Hearts.