Humble Inquiry into the Qualifications for Full Communion

A pivotal 18th-century treatise arguing that only those who credibly profess genuine saving faith — not merely moral sincerity — should be admitted to the Lord's Supper and full church membership. With careful biblical exegesis and rigorous logic, Edwards challenges the open communion practice of his own grandfather, Solomon Stoddard, distinguishing between real saints and visible saints to establish that the church must require evidence of true piety. This bold work, which cost Edwards his Northampton pastorate, remains essential reading for understanding Reformed ecclesiology and the nature of the visible church.