A23636:145
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.
And his Assertion is extremely ridiculous, Viz. That Election and Reprobation are not contradictory, and that Election signifies a preference of some before other, it doth not argue a total reprobation of others. Certainly, if it be to glory that some are elected and others are ⟨p. 75⟩not, then they are reprobated i. e. God hath not seen meet to choose them, which necessarily argues His purpose to leave them to perish in their sins, and what is this but Reprobation? He himself therefore grants, that in the end they shall be found Reprobates; and how is that, but by appearing not to have been chosen of God? Especially if it be well pondered what he saith concerning God's Elect, p. 76.
And his Assertion is extreamly ridiculous, Viz. That Election and Reprobation are not contradictory, and that Election signifies a praeference of some before other, it doth not argue a total reprobation of others. Certainly, if it be to glory that some are elected and others are ⟨p. 75⟩not, then they are reprobated i. e. God hath not seen meet to chuse them, which necessarily argues His purpose to leave them to perish in their sins, and what is this but Reprobation? He himself therefore grants, that in the end they shall be found Reprobates; and how is that, but by appearing not to have been chosen of God? Especially if it be well pondered what he saith concerning God's Elect, p. 76.
There is a great fallacy lurks in his saying, (p. 76.) that as God hath provided grace whereby some shall certainly be saved; so by the same all are put under a possibility; and that they are not, is not for want of Sufficiency or Efficacy in this grace of its own nature. We grant there is a sufficiency in the means that God affords to save all such as enjoy the Gospel, i. e. a sufficiency of means Isa. 5.4. there need no more: nor doth He use more with them that are saved than with them that perish,