Humble Inquiry into the Qualifications for Full Communion, Title page – Preface 2
AN Humble INQUIRY INTO The Rules of the WORD of GOD, CONCERNING The QUALIFICATIONS Requisite to a Compleat Standing and full Communion IN THE Visible Christian CHURCH.
By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the first Church in Northampton. With an Appendix by Mr.Foxcroft.
JOB xxxiii. 2, 3. Behold now I have opened my Mouth:—My Words shall be of the Uprightness of my Heart.
Confitebatur [Lutherus] dolorem suum, quod ab ipsis reflorescentis Evangelii Primordiis, quosvis absque Discrimine ad Coenam dominicam admisisset, quodque Disciplinam, Fratrum Disciplinae similem, apud suos non constituisset.—Quia objiciebatur, Fratres non habere Ecclesiam apertam;—Responsum fuit, Sancta dare non Sanctis prohibuisse Christum:—Errorem [in Papatu] corrigi non posse aliter quam ut certa Probation…, nec illa subitanea, Cordium Arcana revelunter, Novitiique diu & caute tum informentur, tum explorentur. Ratio Discipl. Fratr. Bohem.
BOSTON: Printed & Sold by S. KNEELAND in Queenstreet, 1749.
The Author's PREFACE.
MY appearing in this publick Manner on that Side of the Question, which is defended in the following Sheets, will probably be surprizing to many; as 'tis well known, that Mr STODDARD, so great and eminent a Divine, and my venerable Predecessor in the pastoral Office over the Church in Northampton, as well as my own Grandfather, publickly and strenuously appear'd in Opposition to the Doctrine here maintain'd.
However, I hope, it will not be taken amiss, that I think as do, meerly because I herein differ from him, tho' so much my Superiour, and One whose Name & Memory I am under distinguishing Obligations, on every Account, to treat with great Respect and Honour. Especially may I justly expect, that it will not be charged on me as a Crime, that I don't think in every Thing just as he did, since none more than he himself asserted this Scriptural and Protestant Maxim, that we ought to call… Man on Earth Master, or make the Authority of the greatest and holiest of meer Men the Ground of our Belief of any Doctrine in Religion. Certainly we are not obliged to think any Man infallible, who himself utterly disclaims Infallibility. Very justly Mr.Stoddard observes in his Appeal to the Learned, (Pag. 97.) All protestants agree, that there is no Infallibility at Rome; and I know no Body else pretends to any, since the Apostles Days. And he insists, in his Preface to his Sermon on the same Subject, That it argues no Want of a due Respect in us to our Forefathers, for us to examine their Opinions. Some of his Words in that Preface contain a good Apology for me, and are worthy to be repeated on this Occasion. They are as follows:
It may possibly be a Fault (says Mr. Stoddard) to depart from the Ways of our Fathers: But it may also be a Vertue, and an eminent Act of Obedience, to depart from them in some Things. Men are won't to make a great Noise, that we are bringing in Innovations, and depart from the old Way: But it is beyond me, to find out wherein the Iniquity does lie. We may see Cause to alter some Practices of our Fathers, without despising of them, without priding our selves in our Wisdom, without Apostacy, without abusing the Advantages God has given us, without a Spirit of Compliance with corrupt Men, without Inclinations to Superstition, without making Disturbance in the Church of God: And there is no Reason, that it should be turned as a Reproach upon us. Surely 'tis Commendable for us to examine the Practices of our Fathers, we have no sufficient Reason to … upon Trust from them. Let them have as high a Character … belongs to them; yet we may not look upon their Principles as O…cles. NATHAN himself miss'd it in his Conjecture about building the House of God. He that believes Principles because they affirm them, makes Idols of them. And it would be no Humility, but Baseness of Spirit, for us to judge our selves incapable to examine the Principles that have been handed down to us. If we be by any Means fit to open the Mysteries of the Gospel, we are capable to judge of these Matters: And it would ill become us, so to indulge our selves in Ease, as to neglect the Examination of received Principles. If the Practices of our Fathers in any Particulars were mistaken, it is fit they should be rejected; if they be not, they will bear Examination. If we be forbidden to examine their Practice, that will cut off all Hopes of Reformation.
Thus, in these very seasonable and apposite Sayings, Mr. STODDARD, tho' dead, yet speaketh: And here (to apply them to my own Case,) he tells me, that I am not at all blameable, for not taking his Principles on Trust; That notwithstanding the high Character justly belonging to him, I ought not to look on his Principles as Oracles, as tho' he could not miss it, as well as NATHAN himself in his Conjecture about building the House of God; Nay, surely that I am, even to be commended, for examining his Practice, and judging for myself; That it would ill become me, to do otherwise; That this would be no Manifestation of Humility, but rather shew a Baseness of Spirit; That if I ben't capable to judge for my self in these Matters, I am by no Means fit to open the Mysteries of the Gospel; That if I should believe his Principles, because he advanc'd them, I should be guilty of making him an Idol.—Also he tells his and my Flock, with all others, that it ill becomes them, so to indulge their Ease, as to neglect examining of received Principles and Practices; and that it's fit, Mistakes in any Particulars be rejected: That if in some Things I differ in my Judgment from him, it would be very unreasonable, on this Account to make a great Noise, as tho' I were bringing in Innovations, and departing from the old Way; That I may see Cause to alter some Practices of my Grandfather & Predecessor, without despising Him, without priding my self in my Wisdom, without Apostacy, without despising the Advantages God has given me, without Inclination to Superstition, and without making Disturbance in the Church of God; In short, that 'tis beyond him, to find out wherein the Iniquity of my so doing lies; and that there is no Reason why it should be turned as a Reproach upon me. Thus, I think, he sufficiently vindicates my Conduct in the present Case, and warns all with whom I am concerned, not to be at all displeased with me, or to find the least Fault with me, meerly because I examine for my self, have a Judgment of my own, and am for practising in some Particulars different from him, how positive soever he was that his Judgment & Practice were right. 'Tis reasonably hoped & expected, that they who have a great Regard to his Judgment, will impartially regard his Judgment, & hearken to his Admonition in these Things.
I can seriously declare, that an Affectation of making a Shew as if I were something wiser than that excellent Person, is exceeding distant from me, and very far from having the least Influence in my appearing to oppose, in this Way of the Press, an Opinion which he so earnestly maintained & promoted. Sure I am, I have not affected to vary from his Judgment, nor in the least been governed by a Spirit of Contradiction, neither indulged a cavilling Humour, in remarking on any of his Arguments or Expressions.
I have formerly been of his Opinion, which I imbibed from his Books, even from my Childhood, and have in my Proceedings conformed to his Practice; tho' never without some Difficulties in my View, which I could not solve: Yet, however, a Distrust of my own Understanding, and Deference to the Authority of so venerable a Man, the seeming Strength of some of his Arguments, together with the Success he had in his Ministry, and his great Reputation & Influence, prevailed for a long Time to bear down my Scruples.—But the Difficulties and Uneasiness on my Mind increasing, as I became more studied in Divinity, & as I improv'd in Experience; this bro't me to closer Diligence & Care to search the Scriptures, and more impartially to examine & weigh the Arguments of my Grandfather, and such other Authors as I could get on his Side of the Question. By which Means, after long searching, pondering, viewing & reviewing, I gain'd Satisfaction, became fully settled in the Opinion I now maintain, as in the Discourse here offered to publick View; and dared to proceed no further in a Practice and Administration inconsistent there with: Which brought me into peculiar Circumstances, laying me under an inevitable Necessity publickly to declare & maintain the Opinion I was thus establish'd in; as also to do it from the Press, and to do it at this Time without Delay. 'Tis far from a pleasing Circumstance of this Publication, that 'tis against what my honoured Grandfather strenuously maintain'd, both from the Pulpit and Press. I can truly say, on Account of this and some other Considerations, 'tis what I engage in with the greatest Reluctance, that ever I undertook any publick Service in my Life. But the State of Things with me is so ordered, by the Sovereign Disposal of the great Governour of the World, that my doing this appeared to me very necessary and altogether unavoidable. I am … the Interest of Religion concerned in this Affair, but my … Reputation, future Usefulness, and my very Subsistence, all seem to depend on my freely opening & defending my self, as to my Principles, and agreable Conduct in my Pastoral Charge; and on my doing it from the Press: In which Way alone am I able to state & justify my Opinion, to any Purpose, before the Country (which is full of Noise, Misrepresentations, and many Censures concerning this Affair) or even before my own People, as all would be fully sensible, if they knew the exact State of the Case.
I have been brought to this Necessity in divine Providence, by such a Situation of Affairs & Coincidence of Circumstances and Events, as I chuse at present to be silent about; and which it is not needful, nor perhaps expedient for me to publish to the World.
One Thing among others that caused me to go about this Business with so much Backwardness, was the Fear of a bad Improvement some ill-minded People might be ready, at this Day, to make of the Doctrine here defended: particularly that wild enthusiastical Sort of People, who have of late gone into unjustifiable Separations, even renouncing the Ministers & Churches of the Land in general, under Pretence of setting up a pure Church. 'Tis well known, that I have heretofore publickly remonstrated, both from the Pulpit and Press, against very many of the Notions and Practices of this Kind of People: and shall be very sorry if what I now offer to the Publick, should be any Occasion of their encouraging or strengthning themselves in those Notions and Practices of theirs. To prevent which, I would now take Occasion to declare, I am still of the same Mind concerning them, that I have formerly manifested. I have the same Opinion concerning the Religion and inward Experiences chiefly in Vogue among them, as I had when I wrote my Treatise on religious Affections, and when I wrote my Observations and Reflections on Mr.Brainerd's Life. I have no better Opinion of their Notion of a pure Church by Means of a Spirit of discerning, their censorious Outcries against the standing Ministers & Churches in general, their Lay-Ordinations, their Lay-Preachings, and publick Exhortings, and administring Sacraments; their assuming, self-confident, contentious, uncharitable separating Spirit; their going about the Country, as sent by the Lord, to make Proselytes; with their many other extravagant and wicked Ways. My holding the Doctrine that is defended in this Discourse, is no Argument of any Change of my Opinion concerning them; for when I wrote those two Books before mentioned, I was of the same Mind concerning the Qualifications of Communicants at the Lord's Table, that I am of now.
However, 'tis not unlikely, that some will still exclaim against my Principles, as being of the same pernicious Tendency with those of the Separatists: To such I can only by a solemn Protestation aver the Sincerity of my Aims, and the great Care I have exercised to avoid whatsoever is erroneous, or might be in any Respect mischievous. But as to my Success in these my upright Aims and Endeavours, I must leave it to every Reader to judge for himself, after he has carefully perused, and impartially considered the following Discourse: which, considering the Nature and Importance of the Subject, I hope, all serious Readers will accompany with their earnest Prayers to the Father of Lights, for his gracious Direction and Influence. And, to Him be Glory in the Churches by Christ Jesus. AMEN.
J. E.
ERRATA.
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PREFACE.
THO' the Doctrine here maintained by our dear & Rev. Brother was bro't over hither by the pious and judicious Fathers of this Country from the Puritans in England, and held by them & their Successors in our Churches above Threescore Years without Dissention; yet some good and learned Men have since gone into another Way of thinking in this Matter. And as the WORD OF GOD is our only Rule of judging, and this only can bind the Conscience in Religion; it must needs concern every Man to search the Scriptures, that he may come to as satisfying a Knowledge as may be, whether he has a Right to the Lord's Supper, and whether it be his immediate Duty to partake of it, or admit of others. And for all that we had hitherto read on this Subject, it seem'd to us, there wanted further Searchings and Discoveries.
And tho' we have not all had Opportunity to read the Composure following; yet we apprehend the Reverend Author singularly qualified to manage this important Argument, from his great Acquaintance with the Scriptures, and diligent Application to the study of them with a special Aim to find the Mind of CHRIST and settle his Judgment in this Particular; both to get more Light himself, and communicate the same to others. And we have this peculiar Motive to excite Attention to what he writes; that he is so far from arguing from the Prejudice or Influence of Education, that being bro't up in the contrary Way of Thinking, and more inclin'd thereto from a special Veneration of his Reverend Grandfather; yet on careful searching the sacred Volumes he was obliged to yield to these Convictions they produced in him, & change his Judgment.
The following Treatise contains the Substance of these Convictions, or the particular Reasons of this Alteration. And if those who are now in his former Way of Thinking, would with due Seriousness, Humility, Calmness, Diligence & Impartiality, search the Scriptures, and consider his Arguments derived from them, looking up to GOD thro' CHRIST, and subjecting their Minds intirely to Him; they may either see and yield to the same Convictions, & find Cause to change their Judgments also, or will at least continue their fraternal Affection to the worthy Author and Others in the same Sentiments with him.
We heartily pray that the Rev. Author and his Flock may for a long Time be happy together; that their cordial Love and …derness to each other may continue and operate in mutual and all lawful Co …escentions and Forbearances under different Sentiments in these Particulars; that every One may be open to Light, and guard against all Prejudice, Precipitance and Passion; that they may be very watchful against the Devices of Sata… to disunite or disaffect them; that they may study the Things that make for Peace and Edification.—And the GOD of Light, Love & Peace will continue with them.
Boston, August 11th 1749.
Thomas Prince
John Webb
Thomas Foxcroft
M. Byles.