Qualifications for Communion in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - II - Part II commenced

Required readingInquiry Concerning Qualifications for Communion in Vol I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Section I of Part II.

My summary.

Now Edwards begins to give proofs for his position that only godly saints should be admitted to communion.

Firstly Edwards explains that saints should be visibly manifest and that piety of heart is the vastly most important and essential part of that religion.

Edwards also answers objections from those with an opposing view, including that a 'gracious character' is the thing that ought to be aimed at in admitting persons into the communion of the church.

He finishes the section with nine observations of how saints are described in the Scriptures that fits with his understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

What grabbed me

I liked this declaration of what is essential to Christianity: 'In order to a man's being properly a professing Christian, he must profess the religion of Jesus Christ: and he surely does not profess the religion that was taught my Jesus Christ, if he leaves out of his profession the most essential things that belong to that religion. That which is most essential in that religion itself, the profession of that is essential in a profession of that religion; for (as I have observed elsewhere) that which is most essential in a thing, in order to its being truly denominated that thing, the same is essentially necessary to be expressed or signified in any exhibition or declaration of that thing, in order to its being truly denominated a declaration or exhibition of that thing. If we take a more inconsiderable part of Christ's religion, and leave out the main and most essential, surely what we have cannot be properly called the religion of Jesus Christ: so if we profess only a less important part, and are silent about the most important and essential part, it cannot be properly said that we profess the religion of Jesus Christ. And therefore we cannot in any propriety be said to profess Christ's religion, unless we profess those things wherein consist piety of heart, which is vastly the most important and essential part of that religion, and is in effect all; being that without which all the rest that belongs to it, is nothing, and wholly in vain. But they who are admitted to the Lord's supper, proceeding on the principles of those who hold it to be a converting ordinance, do in no respect profess christian piety, neither in whole nor in part, neither explicitly nor implicitly, directly nor indirectly; and therefore are not professing Christians, or saints by profession. I mean, though they may be godly persons, yet as they come to the ordinance without professing godliness, they cannot properly be called professing saints.'

A godly life goes hand in hand with a godly profession.

'Next week's reading

Read Section II and III of Part II.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.