N05035:61
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.
In order to a M•n's being properly a professing Christian, he must profess the Religion of Jesus Christ: And he surely don't profess the Religion that was taught by Jesus Christ, if he leaves out of his Profession the most essential Things that belong to that Religion. That which is most essential in that Religion itself, the Profession of that is essential in a Profession of that Religion; for (as I have observed elsewhere) that which is most essential in a Thing, in order to its being truly denominated that Thing, the same is essentially necessary to be expressed or signified in any Exhibition or Declaration of that Thing, in order to its being truly denominated a Declaration or Exhibition of that Thing. If we take a more inconsiderable Part of Christ's Religion, and leave out the main and most essential, surely what we have can't be properly called the Religion of Jesus Christ: so if we profess only a less important Part, and are silent about the most important and essential Part, it can't be properly said that we profess the Religion of Jesus Christ. And therefore we can't in any Propriety be said to profess the Christian or Christ's Religion, unless we profess those Things wherein consists Piety of Heart, which is vastly the most important & essential Part of that Religion that Christ came to teach and establish in the World, and is in Effect all; being that without which all the Rest that belongs to it, is nothing, and wholly in vain. But they who are admitted to the Lord's Supper, proceeding on the Principles of those who hold it to be a converting Ordinance, do in no Respect profess Christian Piety, neither in Whole nor in Part, neither explicitedly ⟨p. 15⟩nor implicitedly, directly nor indirectly; and therefore are not professing Christians, or Saints by Profession. I mean, tho' they may be godly Persons, yet as they come to the Ordinance without professing Godliness, they can't properly be called professing Saints.
Here it may be said, that although' no explicit and formal Profession of those Things which belong to true Piety, be required of them; yet there are many Things they do, that are a virtual and implicit Profession of these Things: Such as their owning the Christian Covenant, their owning God the Father Son and Holy Ghost, to be their God; and by their visibly joining in the public Prayers and singing God's Praises, there is a Show and implicit Profession of supreme Respect to God and Love to him; by joining in the public Confessions, they make a Show of Repentance; by keeping Sabbaths and hearing the Word, they make a Show of a Spirit of Obedience; by offering to come to Sacraments, they make a Show of Love to Christ and a Dependence on his Sacrifice.