A Preface to the Reader. which I Rand, and make it my glory to own) íhould fuller. How to proceed to the heft advantage of truth, was with me the great queffìon;I law perfonal confliáls and bickerings of this nature (where ever I meet with them) to be wearifome &ungratèful,there is much time often (pent with very little fatisfadion to the Reader, even where moll fatisfaóion is given to the adverfary ; He muff be followed in fuch paths he goes, which often are nor very acceptable to the Reader to accompany.And for the bufinef e in hand,tiil the around -work be right laid, and well underflood, the fuper- &rudure in any fuch difpute (managed in the molt dextrous way that is conceivable ) will fcarce fettle thofe that are weak, and not yet well informed or eftablifhed. I judged it therefore a way molt fatisfatory, and of greateff and molt probable hopes, fo the clearing not only of this Controver- fie, but many more now in agitation, to adventure upon a full Treatife of the Covenaat,whichGod bath entered with man, and the various difpenfations, and diverfifications of it;whether fuch as were occafioned by mans fall,or thatGod according to his Sovereignty, by his juft Prerogative hath been pleafed to order ; where this is not in force meafure clear, the ftate of the Queftion about Infant- Baptifine,and many more truths of greater weight will lie obfcu re. Matter Baxters words in his Preface to the Reader before his Apho- rifines of Juftification are very remarkable: rt is not in flu- dies (faith he) « it is in manifaaures, that one man may begin where another`é t; but every man muff fetch it from the very principles him el f neither can we take the words of those that haveftudied it before us, for that is neither a found nor f atisfa- ¿tory knowledge (quoting Mr.Pemble,) thence it comes to pale e that while we are bu f e in examining our fore - fathers inventi- ons, and pofterity employed in trying our Examinations, neither -we nor they have much time to adde any thing frr the encreá fe of learned knowledge. Now the Covenant muff needs. be the a z principle
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