The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Something unto this purpose I had written long since in a practical Discourse concerning Communion with God. And whereas some men of an inferior condition, have found it useful for the strengthening themselves in their dependencies on some of their superiors, or in compliance with their own Inclinationt, to cavil at my Writings and revile their Author; that Book hath been principally singled out to exercise their faculty and Good intentions upon. This course is steered of late by one Mr. Hotchkisse, in a Book about Justification, wherein in particular he falls very severely on that Doctrine which for the substance of it, is here again proposed, pag. 81. And were it not that I hope it may be somewhat useful unto him to be a little warned of his Immoralities in that Discourse, I should not in the least have taken ⟨p. 51⟩notice of his other Impertinences. The Good man I perceive can be angry with Persons whom he never saw, and about things which he cannot or will not understand, so far as to revile them with most opprobrious Language. For my part although I have never written any thing designedly on this subject, or the Doctrine of Justification before now; yet he could not but discern by what was occasionally delivered in that Discourse, that I maintain no other Doctrine herein, but what is the common Faith of the most Learned men in all Protestant Churches. And the Reasons why I am singled out for the object of his petulancy and spleen, are too manifest to need Repetition. But I shall yet inform him of what perhaps he is ignorant; namely, That I esteem it no small honour that the Reproaches wherewith the Doctrine opposed by him is reproached do fall upon me. And the same I say concerning all the reviling and contemptuous Expressions that his ensuing pages are filled withal. But as to the present occasion I beg his excuse if I believe him not, that the reading of the passages which he mentions out of my Book, filled him with Horror and Indignation, as he pretends.

Something unto this purpose I had written long since in a practical Discourse concerning Communion with God. And whereas some men of an inferiour condition, have found it useful for the strengthening themselves in their dependencies on some of their superiours, or in compliance with their own Inclinationt, to cavil at my Writings and revile their Author; that Book hath been principally singled out to exercise their faculty and Good intentions upon. This course is steered of late by one Mr. Hotchkisse, in a Book about Justification, wherein in particular he falls very severely on that Doctrine which for the substance of it, is here again proposed, pag. 81. And were it not that I hope it may be somewhat useful unto him to be a little warned of his Immoralities in that Discourse, I should not in the least have taken