A23636:110
The principles of the Protestant religion maintained, and churches of New-England, in the profession…
The principles of the Protestant religion maintained, and churches of New-England, in the profession and exercise thereof defended against all the calumnies of one George Keith, a Quaker, in a book lately published at Pennsylvania, to undermine them both / by the ministers of the Gospel in Boston.The principles of the Protestant religion maintained, and churches of New-England, in the profession and exercise thereof defended against all the calumnies of one George Keith, a Quaker, in a book lately published at Pensilvania, to undermine them both / by the ministers of the Gospel in Boston.
printed by Richard Pierce, 1690
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Introduction › Reflections on Chapt. 4th. of Ministerial Gifts &c.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
His Similitude of Ministers being called Flames of Fire (if it intend Ministers, and not rather Angels) is not Argumentative, •hey may be so compared, for their Activity, and Zeal, and not from the Efficacy in themselves. And as little Cogent is his Instance of the Disciples, Luc. 24.32. for •e forgot that Christ Himself was then the Preacher, who had a Divine Power; and ⟨p. 52⟩yet we deny not but that the same may be said of the preaching of another, but then it is the Spirit of God coming in between the mouth of the Speaker, and the hearts of the hearers who doth it, yea, though Christ had the Spirit without measure, yet how often did He preach without such Efficacy? hence His Complaint, Isa. 49.4. Yea, there were more plentiful Conversions after His Ascension, by His Apostles, when the Holy Ghost was given, Act. 2. The Scripture by which he would prove this, 1. Pet. 4.11. is nothing to his purpose; For the Ability there spoken of, is an outward estate enabling them to give Alms, and more especially concerneth the office of the Deacon in Relieving the poor out of the Church Treasure, which must be done according to the stock in hand; and what is this to an inward Power of Converting souls?
His Similitude of Ministers being called Flames of Fire (if it intend Ministers, and not rather Angels) is not Argumentative, •hey may be so compared, for their Activi•y, and Zeal, and not from the Efficacy in •hemselves. And as little Cogent is his Instance of the Disciples, Luc. 24.32. for •e forgat that Christ Himself was then the Preacher, who had a Divine Power; and ⟨p. 52⟩