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

WHETHER the Things which have been alleged, are liable to any tolerable Answer in the Ways of calm, intelligible and strict Reasoning, I must leave others to judge: But I am sensible they are liable to one Sort of Answer. 'Tis not unlikely, that some who value themselves on the supposed rational and generous Principles of the modern fashionable Divinity, will have their Indignation and Disdain raised at the Sight of this Discourse, and on perceiving what Things are pretended to be proved in it. And if they think it worthy of being read, or of so much Notice as to say much about it, they may probably renew the usual Exclamations, with additional Vehemence and Contempt, about the Fate of the Heathen, Hobbes's Necessity, and making Men mere Machines; accumulating the terrible Epithets of fatal, unfrustrable, inevitable, irresistible, &c. and it may be, with the Addition of horrid and blasphemous; and perhaps much Skill may be used to set forth Things which have been said, in Colours which shall be shocking to the Imaginations, and moving to the Passions of those who have either too little Capacity, or too much Confidence of the Opinions they have imbibed, and Contempt of the contrary, to try the Matter by any serious and circumspect Examination. ^†Or Difficulties may be started and insisted on ⟨p. 286⟩which don't belong to the Controversy; because, let them be more or less real, and hard to be resolved, they are not what are owing to any Thing distinguishing of this Scheme from that of the Arminians, and would not be removed nor diminished by renouncing the former, and adhering to the latter. Or some particular Things may be picked out, which they may think will sound harshest in the Ears of the Generality; and these may be glossed and descanted on, with tart and contemptuous Words; and from thence, the whole treated with Triumph and Insult.

WHETHER the Things which have been alledged, are liable to any tolerable Answer in the Ways of calm, intelligible and strict Reasoning, I must leave others to judge: But I am sensible they are liable to one Sort of Answer. 'Tis not unlikely, that some who value themselves on the supposed rational and generous Principles of the modern fashionable Divinity, will have their Indignation and Disdain raised at the Sight of this Discourse, and on perceiving what Things are pretended to be proved in it. And if they think it worthy of being read, or of so much Notice as to say much about it, they may probably renew the usual Exclamations, with additional Vehemence and Contempt, about the Fate of the Heathen, Hobbes's Necessity, and making Men meer Machines; accumulating the terrible Epithets of fatal, unfrustrable, inevitable, irresistible, &c. and it may be, with the Addition of horrid and blasphemous; and perhaps much Skill may be used to set forth Things which have been said, in Colours which shall be shocking to the Imaginations, and moving to the Passions of those who have either too little Capacity, or too much Confidence of the Opinions they have imbibed, and Contempt of the contrary, to try the Matter by any serious and circumspect Examination.