N05035:75
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.
6. That the Visibility was not only of moral Sincerity, but saving Grace, is manifest, because the Apostle speaks of visible Christians as visible Members of Christ's Body, of his Flesh of his Bones, and one Spirit with him, and Temples of the holy Ghost. Eph. v. 30, and 1 Cor. vi. 16, 19. And the Apostle Peter speaks of visible Christians as those who were visibly such righteous Persons as should be saved; and that are distinguished from the ungodly, and them that obey not the Gospel, who shall perish. 1Pet. iv. 16, 17, 18. Yet if any Man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this Behalf. For the Time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God; and if it first begin at US (us Christians, comprehending himself and those to whom he wrote, and all of that Sort) what shall the End of them be that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the Righteous Scarcely be saved, where shall the Ungodly and Sinner appear?
7. That the Visibility was not merely of moral Sincerity, but of that Sort of Saintship which the Saints in Heaven have, is manifest by this, that they are often spoken of as visibly belonging to Heaven, and as of the Society of the Saints in Heaven. So the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians speaks of them as visibly of the same Household or Family of God, a Part of which is in Heaven. Chap. ii. 19. Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Foreigners, but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, •nd of the Household of God. Together with the next Chapter, Ver.15. Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named. Where the Context and Continuation of Discourse demonstrates, that he is still speaking of the same Family or Household he had spoken of in the latter Part of the preceding Chapter. So all visible Christians are spoken of as visibly the Children of the Church which is in Heaven.