A23636:86
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.
Sect. 1. He seems here to bid fair for an Agreement, at least in the first sort of the Controversy, i. e. between men & men, for we have only outwardly to deal one with another; and he assures us that the Scripture is the Touchstone by which the Doctrine is to be tried; and then surely it must judge and determine, or what is the Advantage of Trying? Only he spoils all by telling us, They have a greater proof, viz. the inward Testimony of the Holy Ghost. We would only for the present ask him, (though that is not all we have to say to him) whether this inward Testimony be greater (as a rule) to judge another by, & set him down? and this because his words import that we are to judge by the Scripture whether the Testimony be from the Spirit or no; for in what other way can the Spirit of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets? else when a Quaker comes to tell us he hath a Revelation, and this is a Testimony above the Scriptures, it would be impudence in us to search the Scripture, if the thing revealed be so or no.
Sect. 1. He seems here to bid fair for an Agreement, at least in the first sort of the Controversy, i. e. between men & men, for we have only outwardly to deal one with another; and he assures us that the Scripture is the Touchstone by which the Doctrine is to be tried; and then surely it must judge and determine, or what is the Advantage of Trying? Only he spoils all by telling us, They have a greater proof, viz. the inward Testimony of the Holy Ghost. We would only for the present ask him, (though that is not all we have to say to him) whether this inward Testimony be greater (as a rule) to judge another by, & set him down? and this because his words import that we are to judge by the Scripture whether the Testimony be from the Spirit or no; for in what other way can the Spirit of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets? else when a Quaker comes to tell us he hath a Revelation, and this is a Testimony above the Scriptutes, it would be impudence in us to search the Scripture, if the thing revealed be so or no.
What though the Spirit witnesseth in us that this is the Rule, doth it hereby become ⟨p. 37⟩no Rule, or an inferior one? how absurd!