N05401:225
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.
In P. 74. a, b. Mr. W. represents me as supposing, that in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, both the covenanting Parties, viz. Christ and the Communicant, seal to the Truth of the Communicant's Faith; or that both seal to this as true, that the Communicant does receive Christ. Whereas, by me, no such Thing was ever thought; nor is any Thing said that has such an Aspect. What I say, is very plain and express, (P. 75.) That Christ by his Minister professes his Part of the Covenant, presents himself, and professes the Willingness of his Heart to be theirs who receive him. That on the other Hand, the Communicant in receiving the offered Symbols, professes his Part in the Covenant, & the Willingness of his Heart to receive Christ who is offered. How different is this from both Parties sealing to the Truth of the Communicant's Faith?
In P. 76, 77, & 80. He greatly misrepresents my Argument from 1 COR. xi.28. Let a Man examine himself, &c. as tho' I supposed, the Greek Word translated examine, must necessarily imply an Examination to Approbation; that it signifies to approve; and that a Man's Examination must mean his approving himself to himself to be sanctified. This Representation he makes over & over, and builds his Answer to the Argument, upon it; and in Opposition to this, he says (P. 77. c.) Wherever the Word means to examine to Approbation, it is not used in its natural Sense, but metonymically. Whereas, there is not the least Foundation for such a Representation: No such Thing is said or suggested by me, as if I supposed that the Meaning of the Word is to approve, ⟨p. 95⟩or to examine to Approbation. What I say is, that it properly signifies proving or trying a Thing, whether it be true and of the right Sort. (P. 77. d.) And I there, in the same Place, expressly speak of the Word (in the Manner Mr. W. does) as not used in its natural Sense, but metonymically, when it is used to signify approve. So that Mr. W—ms's Representation is not only diverse from, but contrary to what I say. Indeed I suppose (as well I may) that when the Apostle directs Persons to try themselves with Respect to their Qualifications for the Lord's Supper, he would not have 'em come, if upon Trial they find themselves not qualified. But it would be ridiculous to say, that I therefore suppose the Meaning of the Word, Try or Examine, is to Approve, when 'tis evident that the trying is only in order to knowing whether a Thing is to be approved, or disapproved.