A23636:148
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.
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 Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. from a true interpretation, and force it to accept of a false one: and let us see what he hath to say against ⟨p. 77⟩our glosses upon it.
He tells us that the Apostles design is to show that God had chosen the line of Jacob before the line of Esau, and that only to be His Church in the peculiar dispensation of the Mosaical law. That Paul is here treating of the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation, hath been fully evinced by many learned Orthodox. That he makes way to this by asserting the Sovereignty of God, is clear in the Chapter: That his Instance of Jacob and Esau, did historically intend what G. K. allegeth we deny not: But here it is to be noted, that there was a Typical Representation of greater things in these instances: & it is the Apostles manner to argue from the Type to the thing signified, see