N05401:52
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.
VII. To make my Scheme still more obnoxious & odious, Mr. W. once and again insinuates, that I insist on an Account of such inward FEELINGS, as are by Men supposed to be the certain discriminating Marks of Grace (So P. 7. b. & 141. e.) tho' I never once used the Phrase any where in my Book. ⟨p. 19⟩I said not a Word about inward Feelings, from one End of it to the other: Nor is any inward Feeling at all more implied in my Scheme, than in his. But however, Mr. W. knew that these Phrases, Experiences and inward Feelings, were become odious of late to a great Part of the Country; and especially the latter of them, since Mr. Whitefield used it so much: And he well knew, that to tack these Phrases to my Scheme, and to suggest to his Readers that these were the Things I professed to insist on, would tend to render me and my Scheme contemptible. If he says, tho' I use not that Phrase, yet the Things I insist on, are such as are inwardly felt; such as saving Repentance, Faith, &c. I answer, These Things are no more inward Feelings, than the Things he himself insists on; such as a deep Conviction of a Man's undone State, unfeigned fervent Desires after Christ, a fixed Resolution for Christ, Engagedness for Heaven, &c.
VIII. Mr. Williams abundantly, in almost all Parts of his Book, represents my Principles to be such as suppose Men to be the SEARCHERS of others Hearts. For which I have given no other Ground, than only supposing that some such Qualifications are necessary in Order to Communion, which have their Seat in the Heart, and so not to be intuitively seen by others; and that such Qualifications must, by Profession and Practice, be made so visible or credible to others, that others may rationally judge they are there. And Mr. W. supposes the same Thing as much as I. In P. 111. c. he expressly speaks of the Qualifications necessary to Communion, as being in the Heart, and not possible to be known any other way than by their being seen there: and also often allows, that these Qualifications must be exhibited, and made visible, by a credible Profession, and answerable Practice: yea, He goes further, He even supposes that those who admit them to Sacraments, ought to be satisfied by their Profession, that they really have these Qualifications. Thus he says, P. 54. c. The Baptizer ought to be satisfied by a Person's Profession, that he really believes the Gospel, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Saviour.