N05401:180
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 having suggested concerning Mr. Stoddard's Doctrine of admitting more unconverted than converted, by attending Christ's Rule, that this supposes it to be the Case of the Members of the visible Church, that the greater Part of 'em are more provoking Enemies to God than most of the Heathen; Mr. W. represents himself as greatly alarmed at this: He calls it an extraordinary Passage, and puts five Questions about it to my serious Consideration. (P. 72, 73.) The first and chief Question is this; Did Mr. S. ever say in the Appeal, or any where else, of most of our Fellow-Worshippers at the Sacrament, that we have no Reason to think concerning them, but that they are more provoking Enemies to the Lord, whom Christians love and adore, than most of the very Heathen? His three next Questions are to represent the Heinousness of such supposed ill Treatment of Mr. S.— And I think will be sufficiently answered, by what I shall offer in Reply to the first.
I will tell him what Mr. S. said. Speaking to such as don't come to Christ, living under the Gospel, he said (Safety of Ap. P. 234, 235.) You mayn't think to escape as the Heathen do: Your Load will be heavier, & your Fire will be hotter, and your Judgment sorer, than the Judgment of other Men. God will proportion every Man's Misery to his Iniquity. And as you have enjoyed greater Light and Love, so you must expect more amazing and exquisite Wrath, than other Men: Conscience has more to accuse you of & condemn you for; and so has God: And you will sink down deeper into Hell, than other Men. You are treasuring up a greater Measure of Wrath, than others, against the Day of Wrath. You will wish you had lived in the darkest Corners of the Earth among Scythians and Barbarians. —
And Mr. W. must allow me to remind him of what another Divine has said, and that is himself. In his Sermon on Isa xlv.11. (P. 25, 26.) he says, It's to be feared, there are great Numbers here present, that are in an unconverted, unrenewed, unpardoned State; Strangers from God, and Enemies to him. Yet you now look with great Pity and Compassion on that poor Captive, for