20 / 504
A
Preface to
the
Rcacfer.
as
groundlefs,fo
that
we (hall
not
need
to
take them
into the
flax of
the
controverfy
in
hand,
though
I
íhall
have oceafion once
more
to
reflect
upon
them ,
when
I
come
to the
confidera-
tion
of
the
doctrine
of
the
School
-men,
in
reference
to the
opinion propofed to
debate.
The
mayne
of
our enquiry
,
is
after the Turpofe, Covenant
,
and
premifes
of
God
,
the underta-
king
ofChrift,
the
fupplies
of
Grace
promifed and
bellowed
in
him
ton
which accounts
we
doe
eifert and
maintaine
;
That
all
true
Believers
who are
in
being
fo, interetîed
in all
thole
caufes
of
prefervation , !hall infallibly
be
preferved
unto the
end ,
in the favour
of God,
and
fach
a
courfe
of
Gofpel
obedience
as
he will
accept
in
JelusChrift.
That,
(
as was
formerly fayd)
which at prefect
I
ayme
at
in
Reference
to
this
Truthis , to
declare it's
Rife
and
Progrefs,
its
courfe,
and oppofition, which it
bath found
in feveral
Ages
of
the Church
,
with it's diateand condition at this day
, in refpeet
of
Acceptance
with the
people
of
God.
lt's
rife
,
with all other
divine
truths
, it owes
only to Revelation from
God
,
manifefted
in
the
Scriptures
of
the
Old
and new
Teflament
;
:Come
of the
molt
eminent places
wherein it
is
delivered in
the
old
Teftament
are
;
Gen:
3.
17,
chap
:
17.
I.
Dent:
33.3.
yofh:
r.5.
I
Sato:
12.22.Pjal:I,3.Pfa1:23,4,6.
Pja1:37.39,40 Pfal:52.8,9.T1a1
:89.31,322,33,34,
35.
Tf81: 33.9,10,55.
Pfat:92.13.c
-c.
If
27
3,4.1f: 46.4,11:
59,2i.1f:54.9,1o.1f
:4.4,
5:Ifi4o.27,28,26,30.1f :43.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.7er:
3.
3,
31
,32,33,34.3er:3z.38,39.4o.Ezek
36.
25,26,27.
Hof
ea:2.19,z0.Zach:10.12.(Ma1:3.6:
with innumerable other
places.
In the new
Teftament God
hash
not
lefs this
truth
,
andwork
of
his
Grace without
witnefs;
as
in fundry
other
places,io
it
is
teftified
unto,tMath;6.13.Mar.7.i4,25Mat.
X
2.20.Mat
:I6.18.M4r24.
24.
L(4,1.
70,
71,
72, 73, 74,
75
.Lak¿:8.5,8.Lukaz.321oh:3,36.
7oh.4.13,14,16.Ych.s.24.4oh:
6.3
5,36,37,38,39,57
}oh
:7.38.1oh:8.3
5,
f
oh:
to.27,z8,z9,3o.7sh
:13.1.
yob
:14
15,16,17.74:
16.27
feh:17. throughout:
All
:z.47.A11:13.48.Ro
:6.14.
Ram
:8.í,16,17,z8,29,30,31,32,33,
34,
&c.
1
Cor
:t.8,9,
I
Cor:
10.13,14,
I
Cor:15.49,58.
z
Cor:I.21,Eph
:1.13,14.Eph.3,17.
Eph:4
3o.Eph.
5.
23,Ga1
:2.2a:Phi1:1.6,Phi1:z.13.
1
The
/:5.24.2Tim:4.17,18.
Pit:t.l.Flrb:
6.19.Hrb:10.38,39.
Heb
:1z.He6:9.14.Heb:a3.5i21.
I
Pet.1.2,3,4,5.
1
7oh.z 19,24.
I yob:3.
9,19. 17oh,5.14,18.7ude
1
Rev:20.6.
So
plentifully
bath the
Lord
fecured
thistarred
Truth
wherein he
hash enwrapped fo
much,( if
not
, as
in the
means of
conveyance the
whole )
of
that
peace
,
confolation
, and
Joy
,
whichhe
is
willing
the
/mires
of
promife
fhould
receive.
Whether the faith hereof
thus plentifully
delivered
to the
Saints,
found Acceptance with
the
primitive
Chriflians,
to the moll
of
whom
it
was given
not
only to
believe,but
info to
fuller
for
Chrill
to
me is
unqueftionable.
And I
know no better
proof
of
what thofe
fiat
Churches
did believe
,than
by
!hewing
what
they
ought
to
believe, which I (hall
unqueflionably
be per
-
fwaded they did believe , unlefs
molt
pregnant Teftimony
be given
of
their
ApoJlacy. 1
hat
Past
believed
itfor
himfelfe,and concerning
others
is
evident.Ro.8.38,3
a.
í
Cor.I.8,9.Phio':
1.6.
Heb.
6..9,50,
are
fufficient
proof
of
his
faith
herein
:That
he built up others in
the
fame
perfivaf,on
,
to the
enjoyment
of
the
fame peace
and Affurance with
himfelfe
, is
undenyable.
And
if
there be any demonftration
to
be made
of
the beliefe
of
the
fit
ft Chriftians
,
of
any e-
vidence comparable unto
this,I
fhall not deny but
that
it
ought to
be
attended unto.(
But
that
we may
not
feem
willing
to
decline
the Confideration
of
what thofe who went before
us
in
the
feveral
Ages
and
Generations
paff
,
apprehended
and haveby any means
communicated
unto
us
,
of
their thoughts about the
buf
neffe
of
our conteft
,
(
havingno reafon
fo
to
be)
f
(hall
after
a
little preparation made
to
that
work prefect
the
Reader with fomething
of
my
Obfervations
to that
end and purpofe.
Of
the
Authority
of
the
Ancients
in
matters
of
Religion
and
worthip
of God,of
the
Right
ale and
improvement
of
theirwritings
of
the
feveral Confiderations
thatate
to be had
and
exercifed by
them who would
read
them with profit and Advantage,after many difputes
and
comets
between
the
Pap!
fls , and Divines
of
the Reformed
Churches
,
the whole concernment
of
thatControverfy
,
is
fo
clearely Rated
,
Mannagedand
refolved by
Mounfeiur
?Vie
in
his Book
of
the Right aft
oftbe
Fathers, that
I fuppofe all
farther labour
in
that
kind'may
be
well
(pared.
Thofe who intend to weigh their Teftimony
to
any head
of
Chriffian
Doelrine,
doe
commonly diffinguifh
them
into three
greater
periods
of
time
:'
The
firft
of
thefe
is
corn-
prehenfive
of
them,who
lived
and wrote
before
the
Dacirine,
concerning which they
are called
out to
give in
theirthoughts
and verdict , had
received
any frgnal
oppofition
,
and
eminent
dif
cuffion in
the Church
on
that
acccount.
Such are
the
Writers
of
the
firft 300 yeares
,
be-
fore the
21iiceneCounfel
,
in reference
to the Doctrine
of
the Trinity:
and
fo
the
fucceeding
writers, before
The ftating
of
the (Macedonian, Eutichian, and Neflorian
Heretics.
In the
next are
they
ranked who bare
the
bsrthen and
heat
of
the
Oppofition
made
to
any
Truth, and
on