A23636:165
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 Cap. 6. of Christ's dying for all, &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.
That it is every mans Duty to improve all the means of salvation, notwithstanding he is not sure of his Election, is true, but that he can use grace to that end, before he hath any, is hard to understand; he should first seek for grace, for that universal grace he speaks of is a meer Non-entity. Nor doth our Doctrine of Reprobation (as he chargeth it, pag. 99.) make the effectual use of means absolutely impossible to any, so as to leave them under discouragement: for he himself tells us, that it is the Duty of all men to use the means, and yet he saith, that there are elect, and that none but these shall be saved: and we say the others are the Reprobate: and if all are to use means, and are not discharged, though but some (viz: the Elect) shall obtain, what discouragement is their more in our Tenet than in his?
That it is every mans Duty to improve all the meanes of salvation, notwithstanding he is not sure of his Election, is true, but that he can use grace to that end, before he hath any, is hard to understand; he should first seek for grace, for that universal grace he speaks of is a meer Non-entity. Nor doth our Doctrine of Reprobation (as he chargeth it, pag. 99.) make the effectual use of meanes absolutely impossible to any, so as to leave them under discouragement: for he himself tells us, that it is the Duty of all men to use the means, and yet he saith, that there are elect, and that none but these shall be saved: and we say the others are the Reprobate: and if all are to use meanes, and are not discharged, though but some (viz: the Elect) shall obtain, what discouragement is their more in our Tenet than in his?
Sect. 3. He well knew that Universal Redemption, without sufficient help, would render his Doctrine ridiculous; here therefore he tells us, how a sufficiency of means is afforded to all men; and First, That Christ by His Death procured for all men an inward principle of divine grace, light, life, &c. the Contrary to which is true; He purchased these only for his Elect, for whose sakes He died. The Scripture makes a difference between his being head of the Church, Eph. 5.23. and his being head over all things to the Church, Cap. 1.22. But supposing a purchase, what benefit can they have by it if it be not applied? Well, he will give an account of that too, as good as he can, (p. 100) Where outward means fail, God supplies this with inward teachings, and some other secret ways of Providence: and are these sufficient to lead men to Salvation, or bring men to Christ? The Apostle then must use a fallacious Enthymeme,