N05035:86
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.
First, I shall endeavour to establish this Point, viz. That it is the Duty of God's People thus publicly to own the Covenant; and that it was not only a Duty in Israel of old, but is so in the Christian Church, and to the End of the World; and that it is a Duty required of adult Persons before they come to Sacraments. And this being a Point of great Consequence in this Controversy, but a Matter seldom handled (tho' it seems to be generally taken for granted) I shall be the more particular in the Consideration of it.
First, I shall endeavour to establish this Point, viz. That it is the Duty of God's People thus publickly to own the Covenant; and that it was not only a Duty in Israel of old, but is so in the Christian Church, and to the End of the World; and that it is a Duty required of adult Persons before they come to Sacraments. And this being a Point of great Consequence in this Controversy, but a Matter seldom handled (tho' it seems to be generally taken for granted) I shall be the more particular in the Consideration of it.
This not only seems to be in it self most consonant to Reason, and is a Duty generally allowed in New-England, but is evidently a great Institution of the Word of God, appointed as a very important Part of that public Religion by which God's People should give Honour to his Name. This Institution we have in Deut. vi. 13. Thou shall Fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt SWEAR BY HIS NAME, 'Tis repeated ⟨p. 24⟩Chap. x. 20. Thou shalt Fear the Lord thy God, him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and SWEAR BY HIS NAME. In both Places it might have been rendered; Thou shalt swear in his Name, or into his Name. In the original, Bishmo, with the Prefix Beth which signifies in or into, as well as By. And whereas in the latter Place in our Translation it is said, to him shalt thou cleave, and Swear by his Name. The Words are thus in the Hebrew, Ubho Thidhbák Ubhishmo Tisshàbhéang. The literal Translation of which is, […] shalt thou cleave [or unite] and into his Name shalt thou Swear. […] the same Prefix, Beth, before him, when it is said, Thou shalt cleave to him, as before his Name, when it is said, Thou shalt Swear by his Name. Swearing into God's Name, is a very emphatical and significant Way of expressing a Person's taking on himself, by his own solemn Profession, the Name of God, as one of his People; or by swearing to or covenanting with God, uniting himself by his own Act to the People that is called by his Name. The Figure of Speech is something like that by which Christians in the New-Testament are said to be Baptized [Greek or Hebrew] INTO THE NAME of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. So Christians are said to be baptized into Christ,