N05401:338
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.
According to Mr. W. 'tis not lawful for a Man to come unless he is morally sincere. (Pref. P. 2. & 3. P. 21. b. 25. d, e. 30. d. 35. e. 36. a. 111. b, c. 115. b.) And, according as he has explained that moral Sincerity, which is necessary in Order to come to Sacraments, it implies A real Conviction ⟨p. 141⟩of the Judgment and Conscience of the Truth of the great Things of Religion,— a deep Conviction of a Man's undone State without Christ, and an earnest Concern to obtain Salvation by him, — a fervent Desire of Christ and the Benefits of the Covenant of Grace, with an earnest Purpose and Resolution to seek Salvation on the Terms of it;— A Man's being willing to do the utmost that he can, by the utmost Improvement of his natural and moral Power, in the most earnest and diligent Use of the Ordinances of Salvation;— being resolved for Christ, coming to a Point, being engaged for Heaven;— having a settled Determination of the Judgment & Affections for God;— giving up all his Heart and Life to Christ, &c. &c. *Such moral Sincerity as this is necessary, according to Mr. W. to be found in professing Christians, in order to their lawful coming to Christian Sacraments. And he says, they are received into the Church, on like Terms, by entering into Covenant in like Manner, as the Jews; and that their Holiness, both real, and federal, is the same with theirs. (P. 56, 57. P. 61. e. P. 65. c.) So that according to this Scheme, none but those that had such Qualifications as these, such a Sincerity and Engagedness in Religion as this, might lawfully come to the Passover.— But now do the Things alleged agree any better with this his Scheme, than with mine? If the Case be so, to what Purpose is it alleged, that God in Numb. Chap. ix. expressly commanded all of that perverse, rebellious and obstinate Generation in the Wilderness, and the whole Nation of Israel in all Generations, to keep the Passover, excepting such as were ceremonially unclean or in a Journey, without the Exception of any other? Was every one else of such a Character as is above described? Was every one under deep Convictions, and Persons of such earnest Engagedness in Religion, of such settled strong Resolution to give up their utmost Strength & all their Heart and Life to God, &c? Mr. W. suggests, that those who had not moral Sincerity are expressly excepted from the Command. (P. 93. d.)
According to Mr. W. 'tis not lawful for a Man to come unless he is morally sincere. (Pref. P. 2. & 3. P. 21. b. 25. d, e. 30. d. 35. e. 36. a. 111. b, c. 115. b.) And, according as he has explain'd that moral Sincerity, which is necessary in Order to come to Sacraments, it implies A real Conviction