N05035:65
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.
Thus it is evident, that those who are admitted into the Church on the Principles that I oppose, are not professing Saints, nor visible Saints; because that Thing which alone is truly Saintship, is not what they profess, or make any Pretence to, or have any Visibility of, to the Eye of a Christian Judgment. Or if they in Fact be visible and professing Saints, yet, they are not admitted as such; no Profession of true Saintship, nor any Manner of Visibility of it, has any Thing to do in the Affair.
There is one Way to evade these Things, which has been taken by some, and that they plead: Although' it be true, that the Scripture represents the Members of the visible Church of Christ as Professors of Godliness; and they are abundantly called by the Name of Saints in Scripture, undoubtedly because they were Saints by Profession, and in Visibility, and the Acceptance of others; yet this is not with any Reference to saving Holiness, but to quite another Sort of Saintship, viz. moral Sincerity; and that this is the real Saintship, Discipleship, and Godliness, which is professed, and visible in them, and with Regard to which, as having an Appearance of it to the Eye of Reason, they have the Name of Saints, Disciples &c. in Scripture.
There is one Way to evade these Things, which has been taken by some, and that they plead: Altho' it be true, that the Scripture represents the Members of the visible Church of Christ as Professors of Godliness; and they are abundantly called by the Name of Saints in Scripture, undoubtedly because they were Saints by Profession, and in Visibility, and the Acceptance of others; yet this is not with any Reference to saving Holiness, but to quite another Sort of Saintship, viz. moral Sincerity; and that this is the real Saintship, Discipleship, and Godliness, which is profess'd, and visible in them, and with Regard to which, as having an Appearance of it to the Eye of Reason, they have the Name of Saints, Disciples &c. in Scripture.