N05401:190
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.
If any should say, that Mr. W. when speaking of an express Profession, don't mean a Profession in Words, but only in Actions; such as an outward Attendance on Ordinances and Duties of Worship: I answer, if such Actions are a Profession, yet certainly they are not an express Profession; they are no more than an implicit Profession. And besides, 'tis very plain, the Profession he speaks of is a verbal Profession, or a Profession in Words ▪ Thus (P. 36. b.) when describing ⟨p. 81⟩the Profession which ought to be made, he says, It is in as strong WORDS, as were used by any whom the Apostles admitted. And elsewhere (as was before noted) he often insists, that a Profession should be made in WORDS without any Discrimination as to their Meaning. Which shows, it is a Profession in Words, that he designs. And although' (P. 104. e.) he speaks of a Performance of the outward Duties of Morality and Worship, as the only Way that God ever appointed of making real Saintship visible: Yet this is only another Instance of his great Inconsistence with himself; as appears by what has already been observed, and appears further by this, that when he speaks of a Profession of Consent to the Terms of the Covenant, &c. he often speaks of it as a Profession which ought to be made in Order to Admission to these Ordinances. (P. 5. b, c. 10. a. 35. e. 36. a, b, c. 132. b. and other Places) If so, then how can the Attendance it self, on these Ordinances of Worship, be all the Profession which is to be made? Must Men first come to Ordinances, in Order to Admission to Ordinances! And moreover, Mr. W. himself distinguishes between Engaging & swearing to keep Covenant in the public Profession, and Attending on the Ordinances and Duties of Worship, which he speaks of as belonging to the Fulfilment of the Engagement & Oath. (P. 130.) And lastly I would observe, tho' it could be consistently made out (which it can never be) that Mr. W. don't mean a Professing in Words, it would be nothing to the Purpose. If it be in Words, or in other Signs which are equivalent to Words and which are a full and express Profession (as Mr. W. says) it is exactly the same Thing as to my Purpose, and the Consequence of the Argument, which was, that real Godliness must be professed. And indeed this very Thing which I endeavoured to prove by all that I said on this Head, is expressly again and again allowed by Mr. W.
If any should say, that Mr. W. when speaking of an express Profession, don't mean a Profession in Words, but only in Actions; such as an outward Attendance on Ordinances and Duties of Worship: I answer, if such Actions are a Profession, yet certainly they are not an express Profession; they are no more than an implicit Profession. And besides, 'tis very plain, the Profession he speaks of is a verbal Profession, or a Profession in Words Thus (P. 36. b.) when describing