A23636:112
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 Comparing Ministers to Fathers is Scriptural; but the Improvement of the Similitude is his own, and like him. There are some things in which there is a likeness between these, which gave occasion to the Comparison, but yet they are far unequal Causes. A natural Father is a Father properly, for all G. K. denies it, and is something more than an Instrument, he is a natural Efficient, a procreant cause, but the Minister is not so in the spiritual Regeneration, but merely instrumental (which he also grants) and then ew-born Christian derives no part of his new Nature from him, Joh. 1.13. And as unhappy is his improvement of the Metaphor of Seed, 2. Cor. 9.10. Isa. 55.10. The former of which Texts only intends, that God hath given them an estate to be able to relieve others withal; the latter is of the Word it self; (which is likened to grain, which the Minister only soweth) and which taketh rooting in the heart; and fructifies; and what is all this to the Ministers being able to convert? or what Force will it give to his Inference, Viz. How then can a graceless man have any fruit or success; seeing all fruit and success belongs not to the instrument as proceeding from it? It's easily retorted, ⟨p. 54⟩Why may not God (if he will) make use o• such men to convert others by, since it depends not on them but Him? Herein H• may make His power the more to appear […] tho' we have already said, we believe tha• God ordinarily blesseth the labours of th• faithful with the greatest success. But we limit Him not.
His Comparing Ministers to Fathers is Scriptural; but the Improvement of the Similitude is his own, and like him. There are some things in which there is a likeness between these, which gave occasion to the Comparison, but yet they are far unequal Causes. A natural Father is a Father properly, for all G. K. denies it, and is something more than an Instrument, he is a natural Efficient, a procreant cause, but the Minister is not so in the spiritual Regeneration, but meerly instrumental (which he also grants) and then ew-born Christian derives no part of his new Nature from him,