A23636:54
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 Chap. 1. of the Holy Scriptures.
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. 2. Here we have a great stir about the word (Logos,) but indeed a mere Logomachy, and lest he should not have senses enough to lose it in, he falls into Tautologies: Somebody might do well to ask him, what different sense he finds between, Communication, Words, Talk, & Speech? But the knack is, it signifies the Scripture only in a thirteenth rare & improper sense; and yet this is more than some of his friends will allow it.
Sect. 2. Here we have a great stir about the word (Logos,) but indeed a meer Logomachy, and lest he should not have senses enough to lose it in, he falls into Tautologies: Somebody might do well to ask him, what different sense he finds between, Communication, Words, Talk, & Speech? But the knack is, it signifies the Scripture only in a thirteenth rare & improper sense; and yet this is more than some of his friends will allow it.
But let that pass. He hath two or three Queries to puzzle us withal; though he takes upon him to answer them himself.
His first Query is, Whether the Scriptur• contains all the Word or Words of God? and that he denies, for the reasons already given, which are none at all: Well, if they will not set us down, he will try what Scripture-Metaphors will do; and now we must observe that The Word is compared to the Rain & Dew, Deut. 32.2. and to Bread, Jer. 15.16. Now the drops of Rain & dew, and the small grain• of flower in bread cannot be numbered; ergo the Scripture contains not all the Word of God. But let us ask him (if he may be spoken to after such a profound Revelation as this) whether he allows it to be a good Interpretation of Scripture Allusions, to apply all that is in the thing alluded to, to that which it is compared with? or is it more safe to restrain it to that particular thing for which the Comparison was made? Why then may not the Word be Resembled to the Rain & Dew, for the fruitful Efficacy of it on the hearts of God's people? and to Bread, from the spiritual Nutriment it affords? wiser men than G. K. have thought so.