A23636:72
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. 2. of New Revelations and Inspirations.
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.
His following Rhapsody in commendation of the Quakers silent Meetings we leave to themselves; for our own parts we have no such way of the Communion of saints, and yet let not any think that we deny the sweetness of retired Communion between God and the ⟨p. 29⟩souls of His People in secret prayer, meditation &c. his language therefore about it •oucheth us not.
His following Rhapsody in commendation of the Quakers silent Meetings we leave to themselves; for our own parts we have no such way of the Communion of saints, and yet let not any think that we deny the sweetness of retired Communion between God and the ⟨p. 29⟩souls of His People in secret prayer, medita•ion &c. his language therefore about it •oucheth us not.
To what purpose he (p. 16.) concludes his long Section with a Comparison taken •rom humane sciences, which are taught only •o such as have innate principles in them upon which Teachers build, we know not, •f it be (as it seems) to prove that men have the seeds of all Divine Truths in their natural light, and therefore the Revelations of God's Spirit are only the drawing out of these Principles into exercise, by the mere improvement of their Reason, and discovering only that the knowledge whereof they had in them seminally before; it labours of two faults, Falsehood and Impertinency. Falsehood, inasmuch, as, tho' the light of nature hath in it the Remains of many Theological notions, and tho' man, as a reasonable Creature, is a Subject capable of receiving the impression of Revelations, yet there are no seeds of Evangelical Truths in the hearts of men; nor is there, any witness antecedently in the Consciences of men, to assert to the Truth of them; the credit of them wholly depending upon divine Testimony. Impertinency, because it serves not to prove new Inspirations, but rather to prove them needless;