N05401:193
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.
III. Mr. W. in these last cited Words, explains the Phrase of giving the Hand to the Lord, as signifying engaging themselves to God in Covenant, and consenting to the Terms of the Covenant (as the Reader sees) and yet in the next Page but two, he contemns and utterly disallows my interpreting the same Phrase in the same Manner. Mr. W. says (P. 21. c.) As to the Words of Hezekiah, when he called the Israelites to the Passover, bidding them yield or give the Hand to the Lord; and in Ezra, They gave the Hand to put away their Wives; which he thinks to be an Hebrew Phrase for entering into Covenant, it carries its own Confutation with it.
III. Mr. W. in these last cited Words, explains the Phrase of giving the Hand to the Lord, as signifying engaging themselves to God in Covenant, and consenting to the Terms of the Covenant (as the Reader sees) and yet in the next Page but two, he contemns and utterly disallows my interpreting the same Phrase in the same Manner. Mr. W. says (P. 21. c.) As to the Words of Hezekiah, when he call'd the Israelites to the Passover, bidding them yield or give the Hand to the Lord; and in Ezra, They gave the Hand to put away their Wives; which he thinks to be an Hebrew Phrase for entring into Covenant, it carries its own Confutation with it.
IV. Mr. W. often speaks of the Professions made by the ancient Israelites and Jewish Christians, when they entered into Covenant, and were admitted into the Church. Whereas, according to the Doctrine of the same Author, in the same Book, we have no Account of any Profession made by either, on any such Occasion. For he insists, that the Children of such as are in Covenant, are born in Covenant; and are not admitted into Covenant, any otherwise than as they were seminally in their Ancestors; and that the Profession of their Ancestors, at the Head of the Covenant-Line, is that individual Profession, which brings them into Covenant. His Words are (P. 135. e. P. 136. a, b, c.) It is one and the same individual Profession and Engagement, which brings them and their Children into Covenant. And if there is one Instance in the Bible, where God ever took any Man into Covenant, and not his Children at the same Time, I should be glad to see it. It is by virtue of their being in Covenant, that they have a Right to the Seals. And if these Children are not cast out of Covenant by God, their Children have as good a Right to the Seals as they had. 'Tis God's Will, that his Mark & Seal should be set upon Them, AND THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEIR CHILDREN FOR EVER, 'till God casts them out of Covenant.—'Tis certain, they have an Interest in the Covenant, and they have a Right to the Privileges of the Covenant so long as they remain in Covenant; and that is, 'till God cuts them off, and casts them out.