N05401:5
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.
THE PREFACE.
SINCE I have been so repeatedly charged by Mr. Williams, with indecent and injurious Treatment of Mr. STODDARD (whom doubtless I ought to treat with much Respect) I may expect, from what appears of Mr. Williams's Disposition this Way, to be charged with ill Treatment of Him too. I desire therefore that it may be justly considered by the Reader, what is, and what is not, injurious or unhandsome Treatment of an Author in a Controversy. And here I would crave Leave to say, that I humbly conceive, a Distinction ought to be made between opposing & exposing a Cause, or the Arguments used to defend it, and reproaching Persons. He is a weak Writer indeed, who undertakes to confute an Opinion, but dares not expose the Nakedness and Absurdity of it, nor the Weakness or Inconsistence of the Methods taken and Arguments used by any to maintain it, for fear he should be guilty of speaking Evil of these Things, and be charged with reproaching Them. If an Antagonist is angry at this, he thereby gives his Readers too much Occasion of Suspicion towards himself, as chargeable with Weakness, or Bitterness.
I therefore now give Notice, that I have taken full Liberty in this Respect; only endeavouring to avoid pointed and exaggerating Expressions. If to set forth what I suppose to be the true Absurdity of Mr. Williams's Scheme, or any Part of it, that it may be viewed justly in all it's Nakedness; withal observing the Weakness of the Defence he has made, not fearing to show wherein it is weak, and how the Badness of his Cause obliges him to be inconsistent with himself, inconsistent with his own professed Principles in Religion, and with Things conceded ⟨p. ii⟩