`I be Preface. printed, till further confidered and corrected : Hereupon had the great benefit ofAnimadverfions frommany, whom I accounted the moll judiçious and worthy perforas that I had heard of: Firfl;sny friend -M1r. JohnWarren began; next came Mr. G. Larnon's, ( the moil judicious Divine that eyer I was acquainted with in my judgement, ( yet living ), and from whom I learned more than from any man) : next came Mr. Chriflopher Cartwright's (then ofYork ; the Author of the Zabbinical Comment. on Gen. chap. i, 2, 3. and of the;Defence of King Charles agáinft the Marquefs of Worcefler ). Anavers and Rejoinders to there took me up much time : next came a moll judiciousand friendly MS. from Dr, fohn Wallis ; and another from Mr. Tombes ; and fomewhat I extorted from Mr. Burgs : the anfwers to which two fail are publifhed. To all thefe Learned men I owe very great thanks and I never more owned or publifhed my 4phorifm s ( but the Cambridge Printer fiole an Imprellìon without my know- ledge ). And though moll of there differed as much from one another (at lean) as from me ; yet the great Learning of their various Writings, and the long Study which I was thereby engaged in, in anfwering and rejoyningto themoll; was a greater advantage tome; to receive accurate and di- gefted conceptions on thefe fubjels, than private Students can expe&. . My mind being thus many years immerfl in fludies of this nature, andI having alto long wearied my felf in fearch- ing what Fathers and SchoQlmen have Paid of fuch things before us, andmyGenius abhorringConfu f on andEquivocals; I cameby many years longer fludy toperceive, that moll of the Vo trinal Controverfies among Proteftants ( that Ifay not in the Chráf{ian World) are far more about equivocal words, than matter ; and it wounded my foul to perceive what work both. Tyrannical, and unskilful lVi[Puting Clergie-men had made thefe thirteen hundred years in the world ! And experience lince the year i 643. till this year 0675. hath loudly called to me to Repent of myown prejudices, fidings and cenfurings of cages and per/our not underflood, andof all the mifcarriages of myMinifiry and life, which have been thereby caufed and tomake it my chief work to call men that are within my hearing to more peaceable thoughts, affècîions andpratli- tes: And my endeavours have not been in vain, in that the Minii++erss,, of the Countrey where I lived, were very many of fuch a peaceable temper (though fince call out), ( and a great
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