N05401:95
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.
Mr. Stoddard (whose Principles Mr. W. in Preface P. 3. a. declares himself to be fully established in) not only says, that some unsanctified Men have a Right before God to the Lord's-Supper, but strongly asserts, over and over, that they are FIT to be admitted to the Lord's Supper, that they are DULY QUALIFIED, FIT MATTER for Church-Membership (Appeal. P. 15, 16.) and Mr. W. argues that such Qualifications as some unsanctified Men have, are SUFFICIENT to bring 'em into the Church. Now if it be so, what Business have we to demand Evidence or a Pretence of any Thing further? What Case in the World can be mentioned parallel to it, in any Nation or Age? Are there any such Kind of Laws or Regulations to be found in any Society, Nation, City or Family, Civil Society, military or academic, stated Society or occasional, that the Society should be required to insist on some credible Pretence and Evidence of a certain Qualification, in Order to Persons being admitted to the Privileges of the Society; prohibiting their being admitted under any other Notion than as Persons possessed of that Qualification, or without a Respect in their Admission to such a Character appearing on them: and yet at the same Time, by the Laws of that very Society, or the Head of it, that Qualification is not necessary; but Persons are declared, without any such Qualification, to have a LAWFUL RIGHT, to be FIT MATTER, to be DULY QUALIFIED, and to have SUFFICIENT Qualifications to be admitted to these Privileges, without that Qualification?
Mr. Stoddard (whose Principles Mr. W. in Preface P. 3. a. declares himself to be fully establish'd in) not only says, that some unsanctified Men have a Right before God to the Lord's-Supper, but strongly asserts, over and over, that they are FIT to be admitted to the Lord's Supper, that they are DULY QUALIFIED, FIT MATTER for Church-Membership (Appeal. P. 15, 16.) and Mr. W. argues that such Qualifications as some unsanctified Men have, are SUFFICIENT to bring 'em into the Church. Now if it be so, what Business have we to demand Evidence or a Pretence of any Thing further? What Case in the World can be mention'd parallel to it, in any Nation or Age? Are there any such Kind of Laws or Regulations to be found in any Society, Nation, City or Family, Civil Society, military or academick, stated Society or occasional, that the Society should be required to insist on some credible Pretence and Evidence of a certain Qualification, in Order to Persons being admitted to the Privileges of the Society; prohibiting their being admitted under any other Notion than as Persons possess'd of that Qualification, or without a Respect in their Admission to such a Character appearing on them: and yet at the same Time, by the Laws of that very Society, or the Head of it, that Qualification is not necessary; but Persons are declared, without any such Qualification, to have a LAWFUL RIGHT, to be FIT MATTER, to be DULY QUALIFIED, and to have SUFFICIENT Qualifications to be admitted to these Privileges, without that Qualification?