16 / 504
iì
treated
of
nor
the petfons ,
for whofe
fakes cheifly
this labour
was
undertaken admit
of
an accuratè
fcholaftical procedure in
all parts
of
the Treatife. The do
&rine affected
,
andthe
errour
oppofed,
are
the
concernments
of
the common petiple
of
Chriftianity.
eArminianifine
is
crept into the
bodies
of
fundry congregations and the weaker men are, who
entertaine it, the more
grofs
and
carnal are their
notions
,
and
Conceptions in,and
about
it.
Pelagiue himfelfe
was never
fo
injurious
to
the
grace
of
God,as
Tome
amongft
us.
Now the
fouls
of
men
,
whofe
good
is
fought
in
this work
,
are no
lets pre-
cious in
the tight
ofGod
though
they
are
unacquainted with Philofophical
termes, and wayes
of
ar-
going,than the
foules
of
the molt
learned.
Betides
,
that
which weaccount our wifedome
,
and lear-
ning,may,if too
rigoroufly
attended,be
our folly:when we think to fharpenthe reafon
of
theScripture,
we
may
firaighten
the
Efficacy
of
the fpirit
of
it.
It
is
oftentimes more effectual
in
it's own
liberty,then
when reftrained
to our
methods
of
arguing.And
the weapons
of
it
keener in their own foft breathings,
then
when fharpned
in
the forge
of
Ariflotle.
There
is
a
way
of
perfwafion and convi &ion in
the
Scri-
prures,that
is
more
divine &
fublime,
then to
be reduced
to
any Rules
of
Art that
men can reach
unto.
God
in his
word
,
inftrut.`ts
men
to make
them
wife unto
falvarion. Syllogifinesare
not
(
doubtlefs
)
the
only way
of
making men
wife
with humane
wifedome
,
much
lefs
divine :
Some
Teftimonies,
o.
this account,are
left at
their ownliberty,improved only by Explanation,
that
they might tote nothing
of
o*ne
ftrength,feeing no
other
can be added
to
them: Where the corrupt Philofophy,
or
fopht-
focal
arguings
,
or indeed regular fyllogiftical proceedings
of
the
Adverfaries have rendred
a
more
dole
Logical way
of
proceeding neceflary
, I
hope your favourable judgments
will
not
find caufe
to
complaine
of
the want thereof. Whatever
is
amifs,
what
ever
is
defe&ive,what ever upon
any
account,
cometh fhort
of
defire
or
expe&ation,as
I
know none in the world more
able
to difcerne,and findout,
then your
felves,fo
there
are
none from whom
I
can expe&,and
juftly
promife
my
Idle,
a
more
ear}, 8e
candid
Cenfure
,
a
more free and general
pardon,a more
favourable
Acceptation
of
this
endeavour for
the
fervice
of
the
Truth
,
then
from
you.
Befides
that
perfonal
Amity,
and refpeét,
whichGod
by his
providence bath
given me
(
one altogether unworthy
of
fuch
an
allay
of
common perplexities
in
hispilgrimage ) with
you,and amongft
you,befides
that
readinefs
and ingenuous
promptnefs
of
mind,
unto
condefcention and candid reception
of
laboursin this kind
,
which
your own great worth
and
abilities furnifh
you withal,
exempting
you,and
liftingyou above
that
Pedautickjeverity,and humour
of
cenfure,which
pof(eth
Sciolifls
& níen corrupted
with
a
defire
of
emerging
in
the repute
of
others.
You
know full well,in
what ftreights, under what
diverfions, imployments,buiinefs
of
fundry natures
incumbent on me,from the Relations wherein
I
ftand,intheUniverfity,and on fundry other
accounts,
this
work bath beencarried on.
The
truth
is,no (mall
portion
of
it,owes it's
rife
to Journeyes,and
fuch
like avocations from my
ordinary
courfe
of
ftudies,and imployments, with
Tome
(pare
!mutes,
for the
moft
part
in cinse
of
abfence, from
all books
and
alisffances
of
that nature
whatever.
Not
longer
to
be
burthenfome unto you, with things
of
no greater concernment, then what
may haverefpe&
to
one
everyway
fo
unworthy
as
my felfe,
what
is
of
the
feed
which
God
hath
gracioufly
fupplyed,I
am fure
will
find acceptance
with you
;andwhat
is
of
it's
worthlefs
Author
,
or
that I
have
added,
I
am
fully
content
may beconfumed by the
fire, that
tryes our
worker
of
what fort they
are.
My dayly prayer
(
Houourtd Brethren
)
thall
be
on your behalfe,that
in the dayes, wherein we
fee
fo many
fall from the
truth,&
oppofe
it,on the one
hand;
a
great indifferency
as
to
the things
of
God,
leading Captive
fo
many
on the
other,
fo few remaining, made
ufeful
to
God
in
their generations,by
a conjunction
of
zeale
for the truth,
and
ability
unto
it's defence,and thofe for the
molt part
fo
clofely
engaged in,and their hands
fo filled,
with
the work
of
publique
befeeching
Men
to
be
reconciled
to God
in
Chriff,and building
up
of
them,who
are called in their moft holy faith;You may receivehelpe from a-
bove,and encouragement
to
engage you by all meanes pollible,
to
fpread
abroad
a
favour
of
the Gof-
pel
of
Jefas
Chrifi,&
to
labour continually
that
the
truths
of
God,
(for
whofe defence
you are patti.
cufatly
appointed)may not
becaft
down,nor
trampled on under the
feet
of
men
of
corrupt
minds,iv-
ing in wait to
deceive,
alluring
&
beguiling unftable foules,with enticingwords
of
humane
wifedo;::
or
any glorious
thew
and
pretence whatever, turning them
from
the
fimpliciry
of
the
Gofpel,and
thé
truth
as
it
is
in
Jefusahat
you may
not
faint,nor
waxe
weary,
notwithfìanding
all
the oppofition,con-
tempt,fcorne,you
do,or
may meet withal
;nor
ever
be
turned
afide
to
corrupt Dalliances with errour,
and falth000d,
as
is
the
manner
of
fome,who
yet
would be accounted found
in
the
faith
;
but keeping
dole
to the forme
of
wholefome words,&anfwering
the mould ofGofpel do&rin,whereinto you
have
been
caft,may thine
as
Lights,in
the
mida
of
a
crooked and
perverfe
generation;knowing,that it
is
but
yet
a
little while, and he
that
fhall come, will come,;& will
not
tarry;
yea
come Lord Jefus,come
&c.
So pray
es
Your unworthy
fellow Labourer
and
Brother
in
our
Beare
Lord
yefnt:
JOHN Ow
E
N.