N05035:79
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.
9. 'Tis evident, that 'tis not only a Visibility of moral Sincerity in Religion, which is the Scripture Qualification of Admission into the Christian Church, but a Visibility of Regeneration and Renovation of Heart, because it was foretold that God's People and the Ministers of his House in the Days of the Messiah, should not admit into the Christian Church any that were not visibly circumcised in Heart. Ezek. xliv. 6,—9. And thou shalt say to the Rebellious, even to the House of Israel, Thus faith the Lord God, O ye House of Israel, let it suffice you of all your Abominations, in that ye have brought into my Sanctuary Strangers uncircumcised in Heart, and uncircumcised in Flesh, to be in my Sanctuary to pollute it, even my House, when ye offer my Bread, the Fat and the Blood; and they have broken my Covenant, because of all your Abominations: And ye have not kept the Charge of mine holy Things, but ye have set keepers of my Charge in my Sanctuary for your selves. Thus faith the Lord, no Stranger uncircumcised in Heart, nor uncircumcised in Flesh, shall enter into my Sanctuary, of any Stranger that is among the Children of Israel.
The venerable Author of the Appeal to the Learned, says, Pag. 10. That this Scripture has no particular Reference to the Lord's Supper. I answer, tho' I don't suppose it has merely a Reference to that Ordinance, yet I think it manifest, that it has a Reference to admitting Persons into the Christian Church, and to external Church-Privileges. It might be easy to prove, that these nine last Chapters of Ezekiel must be a Vision and Prophecy of the State of Things in the Church of God in the Messiah's Days: But I suppose it will not be denied, it being a Thing wherein Divines are so generally agreed. And I suppose, none will dispute but that by the House of God & his Sanctuary, which it is here foretold the uncircumcised in Heart should not be admitted into in the Days of the Gospel, is meant the same House, Sanctuary, or Temple of God, that the Prophet had just before been speaking of, in the foregoing Part of the same Chapter, and been describing throughout the four preceding Chapters. But we all know, that the New-Testament House of God is his Church.