N05035:250
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.
OBJECT. IV. 'Tis not reasonable, to suppose, that the Multitudes which John the Baptist baptized, made a Profession of saving Grace, or had any such Visibility of true Piety, as has been insisted on.
ANSW. Those whom John baptized, came to him confessing their Sins, making a Profession of some Kind of Repentance; and 'tis not reasonable to suppose, the Repentance they professed, was specifically or in Kind diverse from that which he had instructed 'em in and called them to, which is called Repentance for the Remission of Sins; and that is saving Repentance. John's Baptism is called the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins: I know not how such a Phrase can be reasonably understood any otherwise, than so as to imply, that his Baptism was some Exhibition of that Repentance, and a Seal of the Profession of it. Baptism is a Seal of some Sort of religious Profession, in adult Persons: But the very Name of John's Baptism shows, that it was a Seal of a Profession of Repentance for the Remission of Sins. 'Tis said, Luke iii. 3. John PREACHED the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins. What can be understood by this, but his preaching that Men should now speedily turn to God, by true Repentance and Faith in the promised Saviour, and come and confess their Sins, and openly declare this Repentance towards God, and Faith in the Lamb of God, and that they should confirm and Seal this their Profession by Baptism, as well as therein receive the Seal of God's Willingness to remit the Sins of such as had this Faith and Repentance. Accordingly, we are told, the People came and were baptized of him, confessing their Sins, manifesting and professing that Sort of Repentance and Faith which he preached. They had no Notion of any other Sort of Repentance put into their Heads, that they could suppose John called them to profess in Baptism, but this accompanied with Faith in the Lamb whom he called them to behold; for he preached no other to them. The People that John baptized, professed both Repentance for the Remission of Sins, and also Faith in the Messiah; as is evident by Acts. xix. 4, 5. John verily baptized with the Baptism of Repentance, saying unto the People, that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on CHRIST JESUS: When they heard this [John's Preaching] they were baptized in the Name of the Lord JESUS.