A23636:95
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. 4th. of Ministerial Gifts &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. 1. He hath cased us of some Trouble ⟨p. 41⟩by acknowledging, that the things contained in this Chapter have a close connection with the matter of the preceding, i. e. if his Doctrine about Revelation & Inspiration will not hold, neither will the ensuing: there will therefore (having already detected the Fallacy of those) be need of little more than brief touches at the things here asserted.
Sect. 1. He hath cased us of some Trouble ⟨p. 41⟩by acknowledging, that the things contained in this Chapter have a close connection with the matter of the praeceding, i. e. if his Doctrine about Revelation & Inspiration will not hold, neither will the ensuing: there will therefore (having already detected the Fallacy of those) be need of little more than brief touches at the things here asserted.
His Charge in this Section, that we assert, Natural and acquired gifts of letter Learning (without a divine Inspiration) to be sufficient to qualify a Gospel Minister, and that Grace or true Piety is only accidental; may look black at the first view: but let our Judgement in that point be fully weighed, and we shall have no reason to be ashamed of it.
His Charge in this Section, that we assert, Natural and acquired gifts of letter Learning (without a divine Inspiration) to be sufficient to qualifie a Gospel Minister, and that Grace or true Piety is only accidental; may look black at the first view: but let our Judgement in that point be fully weighed, and we shall have no reason to be ashamed of it.
That a man may be so Qualified, as to be capable of being Called to the Office of a Minister by a Gospel Church, and yet not truly pious, we fear not to assert, but still we believe that no man can discharge any Office of Trust acceptable to God, without saving Grace. We here presume (and shall have occasion to prove it anon) That there's a mediate Call necessary to introduce a man into the work of the Ministry; since the Apostles times; and they who are to call them, must have some rule of discerning to regulate their Call by, which must be something