Ivan
Pastor
And, of course, that is not true. Did Edwards leave Congregationalism? No, he did not.
Though it is of little consequence to the larger issue, the following statement of Edwards might be of interest. It has been brought up on the PB a few times; here is one post with his sentiments on the Presbyterial system:
You are pleased, dear Sir, very kindly to ask me, whether I could sign the Westminster Confession of Faith, and submit to the Presbyterian form of Church Government; and to offer to use your influence to procure a call for me, to some congregation in Scotland. I should be very ungrateful, if I were not thankful for such kindness and friendship. As to my subscribing to the substance of the Westminster Confession, there would be no difficulty; and as to the Presbyterian Government, I have long been perfectly out of conceit of our unsettled, independent, confused way of church government in this land; and the Presbyterian way has ever appeared to me most agreeable to the word of God, and the reason and nature of things; though I cannot say that I think, that the Presbyterian government of the Church of Scotland is so perfect, that it cannot, in some respects, be mended. Works of President Edwards I, 412 (copied from this post)
I've read the quote many times; I could say something similar, yet Edwards still did not change in reality. Edwards could have been pastor of a Presbyterian-style church yet he did not become one. He remained a Congregationalist.
---------- Post added at 09:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:21 PM ----------
Man can corrupt any system, I suppose.
Indeed.