A23636:147
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.
In p. 77. he tells us that Election goes before Reprobation, and is not coaetanous with it; and yet a little before (pag. 75.) he owns Reprobation (though Conditionally) to be eternal; and who taught him to make Periods in Eternity? Yea, Reason it self tells us that in the very nature of Choosing some before others, these others are in that very Act and instant, necessarily left out, which is Reprobation.
In p. 77. he tells us that Election goes before Reprobation, and is not coaetanous with it; and yet a little before (pag. 75.) he owns Reprobation (though Conditionally) to be eternal; and who taught him to make Periods in Eternity? Yea, Reason it self tells us that in the very nature of Chusing some before others, these others are in that very Act and instant, necessarily left out, which is Reprobation.
Sect. 6. Here he undertakes the Patronage of poor Infants, (and it is pity but they who cannot speak for themselves should have somebody to speak for them) whom he finds sadly exposed by this Doctrine of absolute Reprobation: and is in no little passion for them, to think that we should insinuate that some of these are by the decree left finally to perish: but though we may and ought to commiserate them, yet we cannot help them, beyond what God hath purposed concerning them.
Sect. 6. Here he undertakes the Patronage of poor Infants, (and it is pitty but they who cannot speak for themselves should have somebody to speak for them) whom he finds sadly exposed by this Doctrine of absolute Reprobation: and is in no little passion for them, to think that we should insinuate that some of these are by the decree left finally to perish: but though we may and ought to commiserate them, yet we cannot help them, beyond what God hath purposed concerning them.
His main Labour in this paragraph is to free