A23636:143
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. 5. Of God, His Decrees &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.
What he saith of Gods Hardening of men, That it is by His withdrawing of His Spirit from them, is a Truth, but not the whole Truth, there is more contained in it; sometimes it is by denying them softening means, sometimes by presenting before them Objects, sometimes by a judicial delivering 'em up to Satan, & their own hearts lusts; and all these ways are according to Scripture.
What he saith of Gods Ha•dning of men, That it is by His withdrawing of His Spirit from them, is a Truth, but not the whole Truth, there is more contained in it; sometimes it is by denying them softning meanes, sometimes by presenting before them Objects, sometimes by a judicial delivering 'em up to Satan, & their own hearts lusts; and all these wayes are according to Scripture.
Sect. 5. Here we are told that the honest Quakers believe all that the Scriptures say, concerning Election; and who would desire more? But if they believe not the things which the Scripture necessarily intends, they prevaricate, for the mind of the Word is the Word. and now see how it will appear, he presently tells us, that We no-where find in Scripture ⟨p. 74⟩that God reprobated any part of mankind before the foundation of the world. That He made 'em on purpose to damn them, is none of our Doctrine, but Scandalously imputed to us: We say He made them for the glory of his Justice, which is exalted in their Damnation, procured by their own fault; and for proof, follow him but three or four lines, and he confesseth as much himself, or else he speaks he knows not what; for he acknowledgeth an everlasting counsel about them that Perish; yea, (p. 76.) that Christ in His infinite Justice permits such to resist grace; and had he understood himself, what could he say more, His saying that God considers them in his eternal counsel as having resisted all grace, & having hardened themselves finally, helps him not, for he must grant (and does) that if God had done as much for them, as He doth for his elect, it had been otherwise, but because He decreed not to do it, they naturally lie and die in sin; and certainly He could not fore-see all this but in his own purpose.