N05035:320
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. XVII. If a Profession of Godliness be a Thing required in order to Admission into the Church, there being some true Saints who doubt of their State, and from a tender Conscience will not dare to make such a Profession; and there being Others, that have no Grace, nor much Tenderness of Conscience, but great Presumption & Forwardness, who will boldly make the highest Profession of Religion, and so will get Admittance: it will hence come to pass, that the very Thing, which will in Effect procure for the latter an Admission, rather than the former, will be their Presumption and Wickedness.
ANSW. 1. 'Tis no sufficient Objection against the Wholesomeness of a Rule established for the regulating the civil State of Mankind, that in some Instances Men's Wickedness may take Advantage by that Rule, so that even their Wickedness shall be the very Thing, which, by an Abuse of that Rule, procures them temporal Honours and Privileges. For such is the present State of Man in this evil World, that good Rules, in many Instances, are liable to be thus abused and perverted. As for Instance, there are many humane Laws or Rules, accounted wholesome and necessary, by which an accused or suspected Person's own solemn Profession of Innocency, his asserting it upon Oath, shall be the Condition of Acquittance and Impunity; and the Want of such a Protestation or Profession shall expose him to the Punishment: And yet by an Abuse of these Rules, in some Instances, nothing but the horrid Sin of Perjury, or that most presumptuous Wickedness of false Swearing, shall be the very Thing that acquits a Man: while another of a more tender Conscience, who fears an Oath, must suffer the Penalty of the Law.
ANSW. 1. 'Tis no sufficient Objection against the Wholesomeness of a Rule established for the regulating the civil State of Mankind, that in some Instances Men's Wickedness may take Advantage by that Rule, so that even their Wickedness shall be the very Thing, which, by an Abuse of that Rule, procures them temporal Honours and Privileges. For such is the present State of Man in this evil World, that good Rules, in many Instances, are liable to be thus abused and perverted. As for Instance, there are many humane Laws or Rules, accounted wholesome and necessary, by which an accus'd or suspected Person's own solemn Profession of Innocency, his asserting it upon Oath, shall be the Condition of Acquitnce and Impunity; and the Want of such a Protestation or Profession shall expose him to the Punishment: And yet by an Abuse of these Rules, in some Instances, nothing but the horrid Sin of Perjury, or that most presumptuous Wickedness of false Swearing, shall be the very Thing that acquits a Man: while another of a more tender Conscience, who fears an Oath, must suffer the Penalty of the Law.