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

But I must leave all these Things to the Consideration of the fair and impartial Reader; and when he has maturely weighed them, I would propose it to his Consideration, whether many of the first Reformers, and others that succeeded them, whom God in their Day made the chief Pillars of his Church, and greatest Instruments of their Deliverance from Error and Darkness, and of the Support of the Cause of Piety among them, have not been injured, in the Contempt with which they have been treated by many late Writers, for their teaching and maintaining such Doctrines as are commonly called Calvinistic. Indeed some of these new Writers, at the same Time that they have represented the Doctrines of these ancient and eminent Divines, as in the highest Degree ridiculous, and contrary to common Sense, in an Ostentation of a very generous Charity, have allowed that they were honest well-meaning Men: Yea, it may be some of them, as tho' it were in great Condescension and Compassion to them, have allowed that they did pretty well for the Day which they lived in, and considering the great Disadvantages they laboured under: When at the same Time, their Manner of Speaking has naturally and plainly suggested to the Minds of their Readers, that they were Persons, who through the Lowness of their Genius, and Greatness of the Bigotry, with which their Minds were shackled, and Thoughts confined, living in the gloomy Caves of Superstition, fondly embraced, and demurely and zealously taught the most absurd, silly and monstrous Opinions, worthy of the greatest Contempt of Gentlemen possessed of that noble and generous Freedom of Thought, which happily prevails in this Age of Light and Enquiry. When indeed such is the Case, that we might, if so disposed, speak as big Words as they, and on far better Grounds. And really all the Arminians on Earth might be challenged without Arrogance or Vanity, to make these Principles of theirs wherein they mainly differ from their Fathers, whom they so much despise, consistent ⟨p. 293⟩with common Sense; yea, and perhaps to produce any Doctrine ever embraced by the blindest Bigot of the Church of Rome, or the most ignorant Mussulman, or extravagant Enthus••st, that might be reduced to more, and more demonstrable Inconsistencies, & Repugnancies to common Sense, and to themselves;

But I must leave all these Things to the Consideration of the fair and impartial Reader; and when he has maturely weigh'd them, I would propose it to his Consideration, whether many of the first Reformers, and others that succeeded them, whom God in their Day made the chief Pillars of his Church, and greatest Instruments of their Deliverance from Error and Darkness, and of the Support of the Cause of Piety among them, have not been injured, in the Contempt with which they have been treated by many late Writers, for their teaching and maintaining such Doctrines as are commonly called Calvinistic. Indeed some of these new Writers, at the same Time that they have represented the Doctrines of these antient and eminent Divines, as in the highest Degree ridiculous, and contrary to common Sense, in an Ostentation of a very generous Charity, have allowed that they were honest well-meaning Men: Yea, it may be some of them, as tho' it were in great Condescension and Compassion to them, have allowed that they did pretty well for the Day which they lived in, and considering the great Disadvantages they boured under: When at the same Time, their Manner of Speaking has naturally and plainly suggested to the Minds of their Readers, that they were Persons, who through the Lowness of their Genius, and Greatness of the Bigotry, with which their Minds were shackled, and Thoughts confined, living in the gloomy Caves of Superstition, fondly embraced, and demurely and zealously taught the most absurd, silly and monstrous Opinions, worthy of the greatest Contempt of Gentlemen possessed of that noble and generous Freedom of Thought, which happily prevails in this Age of Light and Enquiry. When indeed such is the Case, that we might, if so disposed, speak as big Words as they, and on far better Grounds. And really all the Arminians on Earth might be challenged without Arrogance or Vanity, to make these Principles of theirs wherein they mainly differ from their Fathers, whom they so much despise, consistent