THE

WORKS,

PRESIDENT EDWARDS:

IN TEN VOLUMES.

VOL. IV.

CONTAINING,

1. NARRATIVE OF SURPRISING CONVERSIONS.
II. THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL IN 1740.
III. QUALIFICATIONS FOR COMMUNION.
IV. REPLY TO WILLIAMS.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME IV.

1. NARRATIVE OF SURPRISING CONVERSIONS.

Page

Preface .................

11

Narrative . . . .

17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . .

..

. .

Sect. 1. Introductory Statement ...............

2. Manner of conversion ...

3. Particular instances ....................

II. THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, IN

NEW-ENGLAND, IN 1740.

... 124

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 1. The Work a glorious Work of God. ....,

79
Sect. 1. We should judge of it by its effects ............

79

2. We should judge by scripture ..............

3. We should not judge of ihe whole by a part .......

4. Nature of the work . ...

105

5. Nature of the work in a particular instance ....

110

6. The work glorious ...................

118

PART II. Obligations to promote it. ................

Sect. I. Indifference dangerous . .....

. 124

2. The probability that the latter-day glory will begin in America . . 128

$. The danger of slighting the work . .............. 133

4. Obligations of rulers and others to promote the work ...... 144

PART III. Offence iaken beyond just cause................. 156

PART IV. Things to be avoided . .............

,. 178

Sect. 1. Spiritual pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . 182

2. Wrong Principles .......

. ..198

3. Ignorance of inward experiences. ..

.. 220

4. Of censuring professing Christians ...

.. 233

5. Errors relative to lay-exhorting

. ... .. .

.... 241

6. Errors relative to singing ...,

.... 246

PART Y. Things to be done ...:::::

• 252

Sect. 1. We sliould remove stumbling-blocks ..

2. What should be done to advance it ...

3. Some things that concern all ................ 268

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.

.

• III. QUALIFICATIONS FOR COMMUNION.

estion

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Author's preface ..

Preface by friends.............

..... 287

PART I. Question explained ::::::::

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART II. Reasons for the negative of the question . .

.... 296

Sect. 1. Church members should be visible saints

· · · · ·

2. Profession of religion ....

3. Profession should be of real piety.

320

4. Reason requires a hearty profession . .

5. Christ requires it ..................

339

6. Primitive admissions ..........

7. The Epistles prove it .................

8. Members united by brotherly love ...

. 365

9. Qualifications for the Lord's Supper. .............

CONTENTS.

Page

PART III. Objections answered .....................

375

OBJ. 1. The church is the school of Christ. ...........

375

2. Israel was God's people. .......

. . . . . . 378

3. Jews partook of the Passover ..........

. . . . . . .

385

4. John's disciples made no profession of piety...

393

5. Many are called, but few chosen .....

395

6. Wheat and tares grow together. ......

397

7. Case of Judas................

398

8. No certain rule given. :::::.... . . . . . . . . . 401

9. If grace be required, it must be known ..

. . . . . . . . · 402

. 402

10. Perplexity occasioned. ..........

• 407

11. All duties of worship holy. ...

. 409

12. Tendency of the Lord's Supper ............... 411

13. God does not require impossibilities.

. . . . . 413

14. Unsanctified persons may live as saints.

. . . . . . . . . 416

15. Better admit hypocrites than exclude saints .......... 417

16. Hypocrites will be admitted ....

.. 419

17. True saints doubt of their state. ..........

18. Men's opinion of themselves no criterion ........... 422

19. Intant bapti-m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423

20. Some have been converted at the sacrament. ......... 428

Appendix, Mr. Foxcroft's letter ................... 434

IV, REPLY TO WILLIAMS.

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. . 420

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Preface. :::::::

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. . . . 455

PART I. Misrepresentations of Mr. Williams

*. Williams . . . . . . . . .

. . . . 459

Sect. 1. What is the question ? . .

. . . . . . . . . 459

. .

2. Degree of evidence ..

. . . . . . . .

· 464

PART II. Mr. Williams's scheme .......

. . . . . . 476

Sect. 1. His concessions ..........

. 476

2. Consequences. ............

..479

3. Of ungodly men's communing ......

4. Of an indeterminate profession ........

• 490

5. Mr. W. inconsistent with Mr. Stoddard. .

496

6. Visibility without probability ......

504

7. A converting ordinance ........

507

8. Of Sincerity ............

510

9. Public covenanting .. .......

. . 521

PART III. Exceptionable mode of reasoning :::

532

Sect. 1. Method of disputing.

.

. . . . . . 532

532

2. Misrepresentations.

ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537

537

3. Irrelevant arguments ........

4. Extraordinary notions. ........

. . . . . . . . 544

544

5. Assertions instead of arguments .......

..547

6. Sacramental actiojis,

.. 548

7. Begging the question.

550

8. Mr. W. begs the question.......

554

9. Mr. W. is inconsistent with bimself ...

558

10. Other inconsistencies ......

. . . . . . . .

. 563

11. Arguments hostile to both sides . ..

. . . . . . . . . . . . • 566

12. The passover and circumcision ..., ........ 570

13. Of Judas's communicating . ... . . . . . . . . . 573

14. Of beirg born in covenant . .....

... 575

15. Of coming without a known right .

581

16. Tendency to perplexity .....

585

17. Of companding to partako. ................ 589

Appendix. A letter to the people of Northampton. .......... 597