During the time of my restraint and confinement to my chamber; (which I am not yet wholly freed from) by a late sickness, that brought me very low, and some relapses, that kept me down; being by a friend, that came to visit and assist me, advertised, that there was a Treatise abroad, of one Mr. John Saltmarsh, (a man to me then, save by one or two short Pamphlets, utterly unknown) wherein I was among other late writers produced, (traduced, I might say) as giving some Testimony to the Tenets of the Antinomian party: I could not but desire greatly to see it; wondering not a little, asa Phocion sometime, what should slip from my tongue or pen, that to that party should be pleasing. Having therefore, to satisfy my self therein, procured a sight of the book, and finding therein the matter reported answerable to the report that had been made to me of it; I was the rather thereby induced to look into the work; albeit the veryb specious, glorious and deep promising Title it self, (which yet sometime is wont to move matter ofc suspicion) that the Frontispiece at first presented me with, as affording upon an experiment of many years, a clearer discovery of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, sundry soul-secrets opened, and the Gospel in its glory, liberty, freeness, and simplicity for salvation further revealed; might have beend a bush sufficient of it self to invite to such precious pretended liquor, and to such choice, abstruse and useful matter. I took some time therefore to read it thorough; and having upon a serious and advised survey of it, observed, that not ⟨image 3⟩only the godly Ministry both of these and former times, (and as well the Divines themselves as their Divinity) was therein grievously traduced; but the doctrine of the Gospel also miserably corrupted; I could not forbear, notwithstanding my present weakness, yet to strain a little; and to hazard the incurring of some inconvenience; partly for the clearing of my self from compliance with those, whose opinions both in Pulpit and by Press I have publicly protested against; and partly to unbowel and lay open some part of that unsound stuff that lies closely couched in this covert vault; leaving the further prosecution and discovery of it to some other skilful Anatomists, of more strength, and of better abilities for such a business then my self.
DUring the time of my restraint and confinement to my chamber; (which I am not yet wholy freed from) by a late sicknesse, that brought me very low, and some relapses, that kept me down; being by a friend, that came to visit and assist me, advertised, that there was a Treatise abroad, of one Mr. John Saltmarsh, (a man to me then, save by one or two short Pamphlets, utterly unknown) wherein I was among other late writers produced, (traduced, I might say) as giving some Testimony to the Tenents of the Antinomian party: I could not but desire greatly to see it; wondring not a little, asa Phocion sometime, what should slip from my tongue or pen, that to that party should be pleasing. Having therefore, to satisfie my selfe therein, procured a sight of the book, and finding therein the matter reported answerable to the report that had been made to me of it; I was the rather thereby induced to looke into the work; albeit the veryb specious, glorious and deep promising Title it selfe, (which yet sometime is wont to moove matter ofc suspition) that the Frontispice at first presented me with, as affording upon an experiment of many yeers, a cleerer discovery of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, sundry soul-secrets opened, and the Gospel in its glory, liberty, freenes, and simplicity for salvation further reveiled; might have beend a bush sufficient of it self to invite to such pretious pretended liquor, and to such choise, abstruse and usefull matter. I tooke some time therefore to read it thorough; and having upon a serious and advised survey of it, observed, that not ⟨image 3⟩only the godly Ministry both of these and former times, (and as well the Divines themselves as their Divinity) was therein grievously traduced; but the doctrine of the Gospel also miserably corrupted; I could not forbear, notwithstanding my present weaknesse, yet to strain a little; and to hazzard the incurring of some inconvenience; partly for the cleering of my self from compliance with those, whose opinions both in Pulpit and by Pres I have publikely protested against; and partly to unbowel and lay open some part of that unsound stuff that lies closely couched in this covert vault; leaving the further prosecution and discovery of it to some other skilful Anatomists, of more strength, and of better abilities for such a businesse then my self.
- a[Greek or Hebrew] Plut. in apophth. & in Phoc.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Plut. in apophth. & in Phoc.
- bFree Grace: or, The flowings of Christs Blood freely to Sinners, &c. too long at full length to relate.
- cMulta fidem promissa levant, ubi plenius aeqo Lavdat venales, quas vult obtrudere merces. Flaccus ad Florum.
- dInscriptiones propter q•• vadimonium de•••i possit. Plin. in praefat. hist. not.Inscriptiones propter q•• vadimonium de•••i possit. Plin. in praefat. hist. nat.
