N05401:156
Misrepresentations corrected, and truth vindicated. In a reply to the Rev. Mr. Solomon Williams's…
Misrepresentations corrected, and truth vindicated. In a reply to the Rev. Mr. Solomon Williams's book, entitled, The true state of the question concerning the qualifications necessary to lawful communion in the Christian sacraments. / By Jonathan Edwards, M.A. Minister of the Gospel at Stockbridge. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]Misrepresentations corrected, and truth vindicated. In a reply to the Rev. Mr. Solomon Williams's book, intitled, The true state of the question concerning the qualifications necessary to lawful communion in the Christian sacraments. / By Jonathan Edwards, M.A. Minister of the Gospel at Stockbridge. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland, 1752
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
I. There is no such Thing as moral Sincerity, in the Covenant of Grace, distinct from gracious Sincerity. If any Sincerity at all be requisite in Order to a Title to the Seals of the Covenant of Grace, doubtless 'tis the Sincerity which belongs to that Covenant. But there is only one Sort of Sincerity which belongs to that Covenant; and that is a gracious Sincerity: The Covenant or Grace has nothing to do with any other Sincerity. There is but one Sort of Faith belonging to that Covenant; and this is saving Faith in Jesus Christ, called in Scripture unfeigned Faith. As for the Faith of Devils, it is not the Faith of the Covenant of Grace.
Here the Distinction of an internal & external Covenant, will not help at all; as long as the Covenant, of which the Sacraments are Seals, is a Covenant of Salvation, or a Covenant proposing Terms of eternal Salvation. The Sacraments are Seals of such a Covenant: They are Seals of the New-Testament in Christ's Blood, (Matth. xxvi.28. Luk. xxii.28.) a Testament which has better Promises than the Old, (Heb. viii.6.) and which the Apostle tells us, makes us Heirs of the eternal Inheritance (Heb. ix.15.)—Mr. W. himself speaks of the Covenant sealed in Baptism, as the Covenant proposing Term of Salvation. (P. 23. b. c.) So he speaks of the Covenant entered into by a visible People, as the Covenant in which God offers everlasting Happiness. (P. 24, 25.)— But ⟨p. 66⟩there is no other Religion, no other Sincerity, belonging to this Covenant of Salvation, but that which accompanies Salvation, or is saving Religion and Sincerity. As it is written (Psal. li.6.) Behold, thou desirest Truth in the inward Parts.—