lrsen ademptum , a dark,difmal, uncomfortable, fruitlt/}, death-procuring dollrine ; fuch as it is marvei- ions, that ever any poor foul fhould embrace or choofe for a Companion or guide , in its pilgrimage towards heaven. Rolling through this feud , his expreffions fwell over all bounds and limits ; meta- phors, fmilitudes, parables, all help on the current: though the ftreames of it being(hallow and wide, a little oppofition eafily turnes it for the moft part alide ; a noife it makes indeed with agoodly thew and appearance. Herculeii non mole minor -- Agylleus Sednon ille rigor , patriami in corpore robar. Luxuriant artus , effuf.s fanguinelaxo tillembra natant -- This, ( as I Paid, ) prompts (I fears )the learned perfonofwhom wefpeak,to dealefo huffily with fomeofthemwith whom he hath to do. Andit is hill feared , that ---partt s toiit cornaa; ,2zalis Lycambafpretut infido goner , & elot acerhaliteBapalo. It might indeedbe themore cxcufable, if evident provocation were alwaies ready at hand to be charged with the blame of this procedure , ifhe faid only &fin, quit atro dente me petiverit c4'[abtus utflebopuer? Butfor aman to warme hirnfelfe , by rafting about his own pen , until it be fo filled withindigna Lion and frotte , as to blur every page andalmoft every line is a courfe'that will never promote the praife,nor adorne theTruth ofGod. For what romainesconcerning him; do illi ingeniam,do eloguen- tiam, & indufiriam; fadem, Fr veritatem atinam coluiffet, The Courte &Condition ofmy procedure with him , whether it be fuch as becomethChriftian mo- deity, and tobrrety, withan allowance of thofe ingredientsof zeal, in contending for thetrut,hwhicb in fuch cafes the Holy Ghoftgives a command for is referred to theJudgment ofall who are con- cerned.and :recount themfelves fo,in the things of God. As to any bitternefsofexprellion, perfonal tefieltions by application of Satyrical invecìives, I know nothing by my felfe , and yet I dare not ac- counr,that I am hereby juftified. Thecalme and indifferent Reader,not fenfible ofthofe commotions, which the difcoveryofSophtfocal evafions,pretlïngofinconfequent confequences, bold Affections&ec will fornetimes toile in the molt candid and ingenuous mind,rnay ( and efpecially ifhe be an obferver of failings in that kind ) efpie once and againe , tome fagnes and appearances of fuch exafperations as ought to have been allayed with a fpirir ofmeeknefs , before the thoughts that flirted them up,had been turned out ofdootes,in the expreffions obferved.Although I am nor confcious ofthedelivery of try felfe in any termes, intimating aCaptivitie under the poweroffuch a fnare for a momcnt,yet what (hail to the Chriflían Reader occurreof fuch a teeming tendency , I humblyrefer it to his judgment, being content to fuffer lofs in any hay orhobble what ever , that I may have layd upon the foundation of truth , which I am Pure is firmly fixed by God himfelfe , in the bufinefs in hand. For what further concernes my manner cf dealing in this Argument , I have only a few things to mention, ( Reverend Brethren) andyou will be difcharged of the trouble ofthis prefatory addrefs un- to you. The matter in hand I hope you will find attended and purfued,without either Jocular or hifto' rical diverGons, which are judgedmeet by force tomanic the fpirits, andintice the minds of the Rea.. dens , which are apt to faint and grow weary ifaiwaies bent to the confideration ofthings weighty and ferious. Withyou , whoare continuallyexercifed with feverer thoughts and ftudies , then the molt of men can immix themfelves withal fuch a condefcention to the vanity ofinens minds, and lightnefs of their fpirits,I am Purecan find no approbation. And asfor them who make it their bu- finefs,to run through books ofa Polemical nature,in what fubjeet foever,in purfuit ofwhat is perfonal, ridiculous, invedl ue, beating every Chapter, and Salim ,to find only what ought not to be there,and recoyling in their fpirits,upon theappearance of thatwhich is ferious,and periling to the taufe in hand, I fuppole you judge them not worthy to be attended to, with fuch an impoGtionupon the time and diligence of chofe who Gncrely feek the Truth in love , as the fatisfying of their vaine humour would requite. It is indeed offad confideration to fee,how tome learned men ( forgetting the lofs ofpreci- ous hoares,wherewith they panifia their Readers thereby)in dilcourfes ofthis naturedo, offend againff their profeffed intendments , by perpetual diverfions in long perfonal Harangues, delighting tome for a moment , inftruéing none , in the mattrer inquired into. Some parts of thisTreatife you may perhaps judge not fo clofeiy, & fcholaftically argumentative,as the regular !awes ofanaccuratedifpu- cation would require. In the fame judgment with you, is the Authour:where yet he fuppofes himfelfe not without ju".i Apologie,ar.d that fuch as renders his wayofprocedure not blame worthy: where- as other wife he flrould not think any excufe fufficient to expiate fuch anerrour. He is worthily blam- rued,who had not rather chufe to want a fault, then an excufe. Thetruth is,neither would the matter treated .
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