copious Defence of thefe momentous Doctrines, bad undertaken it, and thereby prevented a feebler one. The Author of which being fully perfuaded of their ' real Excellency and fingular Weight, be cannot but wish to fee them in the beft Manner defended. As I greatly defired this, I waited a confiderable Time, with Expectation of feeing fo neceffary a Piece of Service perform'd ; but have been difappointed herein. Thinking it bigbly needful, that fomething fhould be offered in Vindication of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints, in Answer to the Book above mentioned, and no Perfon, that I knew of, of fuperior Abilities undertaking this Task, I could not but interpret it, as a Call upon me in Providence, to fet about a Labour, which I know, as it requires, it also deserves a much abler Hand. If any thing I have advanced in Favour of what appears to me to be the Doctrine of Scripture, may in the leaft Meafure, convince Oppofers, fettle wavering Minds, and establish thofe Truths of Chrift, which have formerly been own'd and contended for, as fuch, by the Church of God, it will give me a peculiar Pleafure. To which I think, I may fubjoin, that fuch is my religious Regard to the Principles, I undertake to defend, that it would be a Satisfaction to me, to fee this Work, which I prefent to the pious and impartial Reader fink in his Efteem, by the Publication of a learned and judicious Defence of thofe Principles. a Till then, it may be this Performance, fuch as it is, will not be wholly useless; but it may afford fome Affiftance to the common Reader, at least, in bis Enquiries about the fublime and glorious Doctrines of the Grace of God, of the Merit and Satisfaction of Chrift, and concerning the Work of the boly Spirit on the Souls of Men in Regeneration. Perhaps fome may think, that fince Deifm and Infidelity greatly spread, in this unhappy Age, it is very unfeasonable to oppofe a Writer, who appears an Advocate for the Chriftian Religion, and endeavours to fet any Scriptural Doctrines in an eafy and unexceptionable Light, tho' be may be miftaken in fome particular Things, especially, when it is his profeffed Defign to compofe the Differences which fubfift among the Friends of Revelation, to the great Difadvantage of that Revelation, may not this Caufe its Enemies to fneer and triumph? In answer to which I obferve, 1. We are under an indifpenfable Obligation, not only to vindicate the boly Scripture from thofe Objections, which bold and daring Men are pleafed to frame against it; but alfo to contend for the gloricus Truths therein exprefs'd, by whom foever they are misreprefented, or corrupted, or oppos'd. It feems to me a Conduct not the muft confiftent, to maintain the Credibility of the Bible, and decline or cenfurc an Attempt to defend and fupport its Doctrines. 2. If one Chrif tian Writer takes the Liberty to oppose the Sentiments of other Chriftians, why may not they be allowed to offer to public View, the Reasons which induce them to embrace and adhere to thofe Principles? Surely this can't be thought in the leaft unreasonable. 3. As for the Improvement, that Deifts and Infidels may make of the different Sentiments of Chriftians, to the Prejudice of the Chriftian Revelation or Religion, unless I am very much miftaken, far greater Advantage is given them, by a Connivance Connivance at the Errors and Mistakes of fuch who profefs to maintain a Veneration for the facred Pages: For many of the Deifts have Penetration fufficient to difcover, that the most peculiar and myf- terious Doctrines, which one Sett of Christians contend for, are really contained in the holy Scriptures, tho other Chriftians may think differently, and therefore they take the impious Freedom to disbelieve Revelation, and deny its Authority. 4. An Attempt to reconcile Chriftians, whofe Sentiments are oppofite, concern- ing the momentous Doctrines of a Sinner's Juftification before God, and of the Operations of the holy Spirit in Regeneration, will ever prove fruitless, and greatly prejudicial to Truth: For no Conceffions can be made to those who think, that Chrift's Righ- teoufnefs alone, is not the Matter of our Acceptance with God, without great Detriment to the good old Proteftant Doctrine of Juftification by Faith in Op- pofition to Works. Nor may any Conceffions be made to thofe, who apprehend, that the Will of Man is actively concern'd in Regeneration, confiftent with this most important Truth, that the Saints are the Workmanship of God created in Chrift Jefus unto good Works. Of this Opinion was the great Dr. Owen, (who was a very competent Judge in the Cafe) as appears by the Advice he gives to Minifters, with which I fhall clofe my Preface. Hold fast the Form of wholefome Words and found Doctrine, know that there are other Ways of Peace,and Accommodation with Diffenters, than by letting go the leaft Particle of Truth. When Men fhould accommodate their own Hearts to Love and Peace they must not double with their Souls, and accommodate dle Way in Divinity between Diffenters: But what is the Iffue for the most Part of fuch Propofals? After they have by their middle Ways raised no lefs Contention, than was before, between the Extremes, (yea whenThings before were in fome good Meafure allayed,) the Accommodators themselves, through an ambitious Defire, to make good, and defend their own Expedients, are infenfibly carried over to the Party and Extreme, to whom they thought to make a Condefcenfion unto; and by endeavouring to blacken their Opinions to make them feem probable, they are engaged to the Defence of their Confequences, before they are aware, Amyraldus, whom I look upon, as one of the greatest Wits of thefe Days, will at prefent go a middle Way between the Churches of France, and the Arminians: What bath been the Iffue? Among the Churches, Divifions, Tumult, Diforder; among the Profeffors and Minifters, Revilings, Evilfurmifings; to the whole Body of the People, Scandals and Offences; and in respect of himself, Evidence of bis daily approaching nearer to the Arminian Party, until as one of them faith of him be is not far from (their) Kingdom of Heaven. (a) But (a) Amyraldus was of the fame Sentiments with the Author of the Ruin and Recovery of Mankind, fays he, Duo funt igitur Genera Hominum a Chrifto redemptorum, Electi fcilicet & non Electi. De non Electis certum eft Fidem illis a Chrifto nullo modo fuiffe impetratam, quam ipfi certe præftare tenentur, & ni id faciunt, Juftiffime puniuntur a Deo. Ad Electos quod fpectat, Fides illis ita impetrata fuit ut Impetratio omnem Conditionem excludat. Speciminis Animad. General. Exerc. de Grat. Univerf. Pars III. p. 190. His Opinion was, that the Salvation of the Elect is certain and infallible, and that a conditional Provifion of Salvation is made for the Non-Elect. The just Cenfure therefore which the pious and learned Dr. paffes upon him equally concerns and affects this Author. If good Dr. Owen was now in Being, I doubt not but his holy Zeal for the Proteftant Doctrine of the real Merit, and Satis faction |