N05035:95
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.
and ordinarily requisite to Salvation; not that it is necessary in the same Manner that Faith is, but in like Manner as Baptism is. Faith and verbal profession are jointly spoken of here as necessary to Salvation, in the same Manner as Faith and Baptism are, in Mar. xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. And I know no good Reason why we should not look on oral Profession and Covenanting with Christ, in those who are capable of it, as much of a stated Duty in the Christian Church, and an Institution universally pertaining to the Followers of Christ, as Baptism.
And if it be so, that explicit open Covenanting with God be a great Duty required of all, as has been represented; then it ought to be expected of Persons before they are admitted to the Privileges of the Adult in the Church of Christ. Surely it is proper, if this explicit Covenanting takes Place at all, that it should take Place before Persons come to those Ordinances wherein they by their own Act publicly confirm and seal this Covenant. This public Transaction of Covenanting, which God has appointed, ought to be or have an Existence before we publicly confirm and seal this Transaction. It was that by which the Israelites of old were introduced into the Communion of God's nominal or visible Church and holy City; as appears by Isai. xlviii. 1, 2. Hear ye this, O House of Jacob, which ARE CALLED BY THE NAME OF ISRAEL, and are come forth out of the Waters of Judah, WHICH SWEAR BY THE ⟨p. 28⟩NAME OF THE LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in Truth nor in Righteousness: FOR THEY CALL THEMSELVES OF THE HOLY CITY, &c. When and after what Manner particularly the Israelites ordinarily performed this explicit Covenanting, I don't know that we can be certain; but as it was first done on Occasion of God's first Promulgating his Law or Covenant at Mount Sinai, and was done again on Occasion of a Repetition or renewed Promulgation of it on the Plains of Mob, and was done on Occasion of the public reading of the Law in Josiah's Time (