N05035:346
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.
This Method of Proceeding must inevitably have one of these two Consequences: Either there must be no public Notice at all given of it when so signal a Work of Grace is wrought, as a Sinner's being brought to ⟨p. 134⟩repent and turn to God, and hopefully becomes the Subject of saving Conversion; or else this Notice must be given in the Way of Conversation, by the Persons themselves, frequently, freely, and in all Companies, declaring their own Experiences. But surely, either of these Consequences must be very unhappy.—The former is so, viz. the forbidding and preventing any public Notice being given on Earth of the Repentance of a Sinner, an Event so much to the Honour of God, and so much taken Notice of in Heaven, causing Joy in the Presence of the Angels of God, and tending so much to the Advancement of Religion in the World. For 'tis found by Experience, that scarce any one Thing has so great an Influence to awaken Sinners, and engage them to seek Salvation, and to quicken and animate Saints, as the Tidings of a Sinner's Repentance, or hopeful Conversion: God evidently makes use of it as an eminent Means of advancing Religion in a Time of remarkable Revival of Religion. And to take a Course effectually to prevent such an Event's being notified on Earth, appears to me a counter-acting of God, in that which he ever makes use of as a chief Means of the Propagation of true Piety and which we have Reason to think he will make use of as one principal Means of the Conversion of the World in the glorious latter Day.—But now as to the other Way, the Way of giving Notice to the Public of this Event, by particular Persons themselves publishing their own Experiences from Time to Time and from Place to Place, on all Occasions and before all Companies, I must confess, this is a Practice that appears to me attended with many Inconveniences, yea, big with Mischiefs. The abundant Trial of this Method lately made, and the large Experience we have had of the evil Consequences of it, is enough to put all sober and judicious People for ever out of Conceit of it. I shall not pretend to enumerate all the Mischiefs attending it, which would be very tedious; but shall now only mention two Things. One is, the bad Effect it has upon the Persons themselves that practise it, in the great Tendency it has to spiritual Pride;
This Method of Proceeding must inevitably have one of these two Consequences: Either there must be no publick Notice at all given of it when so signal a Work of Grace is wro't, as a Sinner's being bro't to