Eccl esiastical writings
By: Jonathan Edwards ; edited by David D. Hall.
Contributors: Hall, David D.
Series: The Works of Jonathan Edwards ;; v. 12
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 1994
Place of publication: New Haven
Language: eng
Number of pages: 644
Subjects: Church -- Early works to 1800; Congregational churches -- Massachusetts -- Northampton -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800
Description: This volume includes four documents by Jonathan Edwards on the nature of the church, documents that reveal his views on ecclesiology, congregational autonomy, ordination, and admission to church membership and to the sacraments. The first document, reprinted here for the first time since the eighteenth century, is Edwards' defense of his fellow Hampshire County ministers in the Robert Breck controversy of 1735-36. The other three documents relate to Edwards' efforts to restrict admission to the sacraments at Northampton in 1749-50, actions that ultimately led to his dismissal as pastor: An Humble Inquiry explicates his reasons for refuting his grandfather and predecessor Solomon Stoddard's open admission policy; Misrepresentations Corrected is Edwards' response to his cousin Solomon Williams' criticisms of the Humble Inquiry; and Edwards' untitled narrative, available before only in Sereno Dwight's 1829 edition and here newly re-edited, gives details his final conflict with his Northampton congregation.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Table of contents: title: A letter; title: An humble inquiry; title: Misrepresentations corrected; title: "Narrative of communion controversy."