A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

by which the Signification of our Minds is quick and easy, and our Speech is delivered from the Burden of a continual Reiteration of diffuse Descriptions, with which it must otherwise be embarrassed.

by which the Signification of our Minds is quick and easy, and our Speech is delivered from the Burden of a continual Reiteration of diffuse Descriptions, with which it must otherwise be embarass'd.

That the Difference of the Opinions of those, who in their general Scheme of Divinity agree with these two noted Men, Calvin, and Arminius, is a Thing there is often Occasion to speak of, is what the Practice of the latter, it self confesses; who are often, in their Discourses and Writings, taking Notice of the supposed absurd and pernicious Opinions of the former Sort. And therefore the making Use of different Names in this Case can't reasonably be objected against, or condemned, as a Thing which must come from so bad a Cause as they assign. It is easy to be accounted for, without supposing it to arise from any other Source, than the Exigence and natural Tendency of the State of Things; considering the Faculty and Disposition God has given Mankind, to express Things which they have frequent Occasion to mention, by certain distinguishing Names. It is an Effect that is similar to what we see arise, in innumerable Cases which are parallel, where the Cause is not at all blame-worthy.

Nevertheless, at first I had Thoughts of carefully avoiding the Use of the Appellation, Arminian, in this Treatise. But I soon found I should be put to great Difficulty by it; and that my Discourse would be so incumber'd with an often repeated Circumlocution, instead of a Name, which would express the Thing intended, as well and better, that I altered my Purpose. And therefore I must ask the Excuse of such as are apt to be offended with Things of this Nature, that I have so freely used the Term Arminian in the following Discourse. I profess it to be without any Design, to stigmatize Persons of any Sort with a Name of Reproach, or at all to make them appear more odious. If when I had Occasion to speak of those Divines who are commonly called by this Name, I had, instead of styling them Arminians, called them these Men, as Dr. Whitby does Calvinistic Divines; it probably would not have been taken any better, or thought to show a better Temper, or more good Manners. I have done as I would be done by, in this Matter. However the Term Calvinist is in these Days, among most, a Term of greater Reproach than the Term Arminian; yet I should not take it at all amiss, to be called a Calvinist, for Distinction's Sake: tho' I utterly disclaim a Dependence on Calvin, or believing the Doctrines which I hold, because he believed and taught them; and cannot justly be charged with believing in every Thing just as he taught.