N05401:275
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.
But the Thing which is called begging the Question, is the making use of the very Point, that is the Thing in Debate, or the Thing to be proved, as an Argument to prove itself. Thus, if I were endeavouring to prove that none but godly Persons might come to Sacraments, and should take this for an Argument to prove it, That none might come but such as have saving Faith, taking this for granted; I should then beg the Question: for this is the very Point in Question, whether a Man must have saving Faith or no? 'Tis called begging the Question, because 'tis a depending as it were on the Courtesy of the other Side, to grant me the Point in Question, without offering any Argument as the Price of it.
And whether the Point I thus take for granted, be the main Point in Question, in the general Dispute, or some subordinate Point, something under Consideration, under a particular Argument; yet if I take this particular Point for granted, and then make use of it to prove it self, 'tis begging the Question.
Thus if I were endeavouring, under this general Controversy between Mr. W. & Me, to prove that particular Point, That we ought to love all the Members of the Church as true Saints; and should bring this as a Proof of the Point, That we ought to love all the Members of the Church as true Christians, taking this for granted; this is only the same Thing, under another Term, as the Thing to be proved; and therefore is no Argument at all, but only begging the Question.