To the READER.

To the READER.

I Had so honest a Design in writing the following Discourse, which I have endeavoured to compose in cool and calm Thoughts undisturbed with Heat or Passion, as I am armed against their Censures, who will perhaps resent it very ill to see their Darling Notions exposed. My poor Labours are recommended by the alone consideration of the Truths, in whose Defence they are employed, and this is abundantly sufficient; and therefore I need only to desire thee to consider the Arguments with an impartial Mind. If thou lovest the Gospel, do not suffer thy Thoughts, looking on it, to be distorted by Prejudice or Passion. As the Truths here asserted are of great moment, so they deserve thy most serious Attention. If they were only subtle Niceties for a trial of Wit, or to make an Experiment who could make Words to dance most nimbly, I would never have misemployed my self in writing this Discourse, nor caused thee to misspend so much time in reading it. But since I can assure thee that I have asserted nothing but what I not only really believe to be true, but to be of high Importance to the Salvation of my own Soul, (which is very clear Evidence that a Man is in good Earnest) I hope thou wilt consider, whether it may not concern thine too. There are two great Rocks which threaten the hazard of a Shipwreck, Popery and Arminianism; and for my own part I am terribly afraid of coming in any nearness to the danger. Popery hath been so uncased of its Disguise, that it appears in its natural figure; and those who know any thing of the Gospel, startle at the first Entrance of its affrighting Shape: But Arminianism surprises the Uncautious, appearing with a fairer Face and more specious Colour; and yet really, if the Holy Ghost speaks truly to us in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, (as I am sure he doth) this almost generally beloved Doctrine is as contrary to the Gospel as Popery it self; and if God speaks true, it is undoubted, that what the Arminians tell us is false. God tells us, that in him we live, and move, and have our being: The Arminians would dispute us out of this great Privilege, and endeavour to persuade us, that when God hath once formed us and thrown us out of his Hands, we may move alone without him. God teacheth us, that he effectually accomplisheth the Counsels of his Will, and that nothing can obstruct or frustrate the success:

I Had so honest a Design in writing the following Discourse, which I have endeavoured to compose in cool and calm Thoughts undisturb'd with Heat or Passion, as I am arm'd against their Censures, who will perhaps resent it very ill to see their Darling Notions expos'd. My poor Labours are recommended by the alone consideration of the Truths, in whose Defence they are employ'd, and this is abundantly sufficient; and therefore I need only to desire thee to consider the Arguments with an impartial Mind. If thou lovest the Gospel, do not suffer thy Thoughts, looking on it, to be distorted by Prejudice or Passion. As the Truths here asserted are of great moment, so they deserve thy most serious Attention. If they were only subtle Niceties for a trial of Wit, or to make an Experiment who could make Words to dance most nimbly, I would never have misimploy'd my self in writing this Discourse, nor caused thee to mispend so much time in reading it. But since I can assure thee that I have asserted nothing but what I not only really believe to be true, but to be of high Importance to the Salvation of my own Soul, (which is very clear Evidence that a Man is in good Earnest) I hope thou wilt consider, whether it may not concern thine too. There are two great Rocks which threaten the hazard of a Shipwrack, Popery and Arminianism; and for my own part I am terribly afraid of coming in any nearness to the danger. Popery hath been so uncas'd of its Disguise, that it appears in its natural figure; and those who know any thing of the Gospel, startle at the first Entrance of its affrighting Shape: But Arminianism surprizes the Vncautious, appearing with a fairer Face and more specious Colour; and yet really, if the Holy Ghost speaks truly to us in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, (as I am sure he doth) this almost generally belov'd Doctrine is as contrary to the Gospel as Popery it self; and if God speaks true, it is undoubted, that what the Arminians tell us is false. God tells us, that in him we live, and move, and have our being: The Arminians would dispute us out of this great Privilege, and endeavour to perswade us, that when God hath once form'd us and thrown us out of his Hands, we may move alone without him. God teacheth us, that he effectually accomplisheth the Counsels of his Will, and that nothing can obstruct or frustrate the success:

The Arminians tell us, that God is heartily desirous of the Salvation of all Men, but cannot save the greatest part of them, because they are unwilling. God plainly tells us his own Mind, that none are saved, but whom he hath eternally ordained to that happy State: But the Arminians insinuate, that those may be saved whom God never thought of for such a Design, and that he will be surprised at the arrival of new Colonies in Heaven, which he never appointed to come thither. God, who justifies the Ungodly, expressly declares, that we must be justified freely of his Grace, not by our own but Christ's Righteousness. The Arminians bring us to a new Court of Judicature, where God sits not, nor hath any thing to do; for there our Faith in obedience ⟨image 3⟩to the Gospel, is pleaded instead of perfect Obedience owing to the Law, and the Plea is admitted; for (as that Prodigy of Learning Grotius speaks) as a Work grateful to God, it meets with acceptance. In a Word, their Opinions tear the Volume of God's Word to pieces, and un-God God himself: They pull him out of his Throne, and strike the Sceptre out of his Hands, and snatch the Crown from his Head. Their Opinions take aim to destroy the very Being of the Divinity; for take away his Perfections and Attributes of absolute Power and Wisdom, and God is an imaginary Nothing: Who can conceive of him but as an independent Sovereign? and yet their Doctrine allows less Power to him in the disposal of his Creatures, than a petty Negro Prince hath over his Subjects within the Compass of his narrow Dominions. Who can think of God but as All-knowing, and having at one view a certain Prospect of all Persons and Things, past, present, and to come? and yet their Doctrine makes him to guess at the Future, as an Astrologer by the Stars.

The Arminians tell us, that God is heartily desirous of the Salvation of all Men, but cannot save the greatest part of them, because they are unwilling. God plainly tells us his own Mind, that none are saved, but whom he hath eternally ordain'd to that happy State: But the Arminians insinuate, that those may be sav'd whom God never thought of for such a Design, and that he will be surpriz'd at the arrival of new Colonies in Heaven, which he never appointed to come thither. God, who justifies the Vngodly, expresly declares, that we must be justified freely of his Grace, not by our own but Christ's Righteousness. The Arminians bring us to a new Court of Judicature, where God sits not, nor hath any thing to do; for there our Faith in obedience ⟨image 3⟩

Ay but it will be said, What is all this to the Purpose of the present Controversy, wherein we have not to do with Arminians? 'Tis true we have not, but it concerns every Minister of the Gospel, to put a stop to any Opinion which hath the least tendency to Arminianism. We are not as idle Spectators, to stand by with patience to see the Truths of the Gospel, either openly invaded, or secretly supplanted; but as long as we are able to frame a Thought, or hold a Pen, it is our Duty to make a vigorous Opposition. We have the Example of those worthy Divines in France, the old Du Moulin, and others, to animate and encourage us. When Testard and Amyrault advanced some new Opinions to meet Arminianism in the middle Course, which were soon, by an unhappy Wind, wafted over into England; these worthy Persons (who were as firmly resolved that the old Gospel should not be altered, as we English are zealous that our old Fundamental Laws be not changed) presently took the Alarm, and resisted the Invasion. Complaints were made in their Synod against Testard and Amyrault, as Corrupters of the Protestant Doctrine, and they were^a openly censured. The Pastors^b and Professors of the Church of Geneva, ^cthe Professors of Divinity in the Universities of Leiden and Groningen sent their Letters, protesting against these Innovations in the old Protestant Doctrine. And the Famous^d Du Moulin, who with so much Wit and Learning wrote against Popery and Arminianism, sends a Letter particularly to the same Synod, and with an Apostolical Zeal and Plainness, complains that these Innovators corrupted the Ancient Faith, and changed the very Nature of God, of the Law, and of the Gospel. These Examples should teach us to be earnest for the same Truths which they maintained so vigorous and I have endeavoured to be zealous for them without being angry.

Ay but it will be said, What is all this to the Purpose of the present Controversy, wherein we have not to do with Arminians? 'Tis true we have not, but it concerns every Minister of the Gospel, to put a stop to any Opinion which hath the least tendency to Arminianism. We are not as idle Spectators, to stand by with patience to see the Truths of the Gospel, either openly invaded, or secretly supplanted; but as long as we are able to frame a Thought, or hold a Pen, it is our Duty to make a vigorous Opposition. We have the Example of those worthy Divines in France, the old Du Moulin, and others, to animate and encourage us. When Testard and Amyrault advanc'd some new Opinions to meet Arminianism in the middle Course, which were soon, by an unhappy Wind, wafted over into England; these worthy Persons (who were as firmly resolv'd that the old Gospel should not be alter'd, as we English are zealous that our old Fundamental Laws be not chang'd) presently took the Alarm, and resisted the Invasion. Complaints were made in their Synod against Testard and Amyrault, as Corrupters of the Protestant Doctrine, and they were