) leave them. But I am now a little better acquainted with the world, and the heft part of the world then before I was. The Reafons ofmy publifhing that book ( at firft drawn forth by the occafion of one QL.teltion, about the fence of toVat. 25.) were thefe t. A hopeofclearer difcoveryof fome common Truths, by difpelling fome confufions, and fome cloudy novel groundlefs diftinaions ; That fo when truthwas more clearly feen, it might be more deeply received, affeaionatly entertained, firmly retain- ed, and fuccefsfully improved. z. A ftrong conceit that I fhould take out ofthe hands ofmany adverfaries ( Papifts, Pelagians and Libertines-) 'fome great advantages which formerly come have given them againft us, and fhould,clear in fome meafure, the way ofa more effeaual confutation of their Errors. Efpecially,I con- fefs, mine eye was upon the Libertines, commonly called Antino- mians, through thewhole, being wakened to a compaffion ofma- ny ignorant well meaning Chriftians, who were then following their delufions in a full career., 3. A hope alfo I had that many Chriftians who had feemed to 'differ more then indeed they did, in thefe points, might be brought toan Agreement by the Evi- dence of truth;at !nit that meer verbal differences might not feem Real and Doarinal. But I quickly found that fome thought too well, and fome too ill of what I had written. Left therefore I should prove a further offence to my Brethren, and a wrong to the Church ; I defired thofe that thought it worth their labor to vouchfafe me their Animadverfions, which I have fpent much of thefe three laft years inconfidering, that I might Correa whatfoever was difco- vered to be Erroneous, andgive them an account of my Reafons ofthe reft. I have not only fence fuppreffed that Book whichdid offend them, but alfo laid by thofe Papers of Univerfal Redemp- tionwhich I had written, left I fhould be further offenfive. But I find all this gives no fatisfaaion. Some further courfe therefore I am obliged to take : For if the offencehad been only taken and not given, yet' Chriftian Charity binds me to do my heft to re- move it : But when I do freely confefs that fome part of the of# fence was given by me, by fome indigefted and obfcure paffages, and fome over-fights in that book, I am much more bound to fa- tisfietheoffended, as far as is in my power to do. To this end.I have two forts of men to addrefs my fpeech to Thofe
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