undertake the Vindication of that very Caufe, which he confeft was oppofite to the undoubted Senfe of His bown Church.

I am willing to think, that it was only (difputandi gratia,) to tempt the Country Parfon, for when he firft fhewed me his celebrated Book, (now published) his Expreffion was, "That he had there ftabbed the Socinian Caufe." But I am apt to think, that none who is in earneft on the Part of Arminius, can ever give Socinus any thruft to reach the Heart.

Though few Pelagians think fit to own the hateful Name, even while they ftickle for the peftilent Doctrine, according to St. Jerom's Obfervation, that Pelagianifm is the only Herefy which is afhamed to appear for the Caufe abroad, which its Fautors fuggeft and propagate in Corners; yet Experience tells us, what Credit a prevailing Mode can give to Things none of the beft. Yea, let them be never fo indefenfible, yet if fmiling upon depraved Nature, they will not want for Champions and Abettors to maintain the Caufe, even to Death.

Full of Rebellion, I would die,
Or Fight, or Travel, or deny
That thou haft ought to do with me.

HERB. Sobraves the Man who is in (not his pure, but) his corrupt Naturals.

Naturam expellas furcâ licet,

But whatever Palliators of Man's wicked Apoftacy may fly in my Face, where I have begun to break p the Fallow-ground, I fhall not take my Hand off from this Plough.

And to fee the Faith of CHRIST affaulted and attacked, not only (as when it first fet out) by open Adverfaries and profeffed Infidels; but by fuch as Jurk within the Church, and pass under the Chriftian Name; is enough to raise every Believer's Indigna

tion that would not be a Traitor to his own profeffed Religion

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Indeed, the Cause which I take upon me here to maintain, as it deferves, fo it has many much better Champions. But yet, I hope, it may receive no Detriment from my Concern in it; when it fhall appear, that one of fuch small Accomplishments has yet fo much to fay for it. And truly that which is of GOD needs little of Man; where holy Scripture fhall but be heard. But whoever they be that can make light of what is spoken by the LORD, are not like to regard what is faid by the beft Chriftian, or by the greatest Scholar in the World. No; the lofty Opinion which they have of their own Sufficiency, makes them fo affuming to dictate, as Oracles infallible, to all the World; yea, and to model all the Word of GOD, and teach Men more by a few Words, in feven © Minutes, than any one that labours in the Word and Doctrine fhall do in feven Years. Alas, we darken the Matter, but they make it plain; plain indeed, that they would explain the Faith of our LORD quite out of the Church, and out of the World. Though they will not fuffer us to recede a Tittle from the exprefs Words of Scripture, when it is their Pleafure, yet let us but offer to hold them to it, and then, it is none of God's Word, but only (our Senfe: And what reason have they to be deter→ mined by that? Their own Reafon (as the Candle of the Lord) they are ready to fall down and adore, not remembring, That ftill it is but a Candle; and fo diminished fince the Fall, as to dwindle in the Socket. And all the Candles upon Earth must never offer to vie with the Sun in the Heavens; nor can they, with all their Light united together, ever make fuch a Day as he alone does make. Yet will they not give the Father of Lights leave to reveal any thing but what their Reafon can fathom, and gralp, and easily deal with. And if they abide fill peremptory by it, that what is above our Reafon to

conceive,

conceive, is above our Faith to believe; (keeping ftrictly tenacious of that Maxim) they muft turn fuch Sceptics, as to difbelieve, not only the infinite eternal Being of God, but the very Frame and Union of their own Souls and Bodies; and a hundred Incomprehenfibles in common Nature, juft before them, which will fo baffle them, that they fhall never be able to refolve Nicodemus's Queftion, "How can thefe Things be?"

Though it is true, Men are not to pull out their own Eyes, because these cannot see quite within the Heavens; nor renounce their Understanding, because it is not infinite, to parallel his that gave it; for Reason in its own Sphere, is an excellent Guide, and as far as it demonstrates we may be certain. But then there are Demonftrations of the Spirit, as well as of Reafon; and I hope, those shall be allowed fuperior to these. For though the Spirit of a Man knows the Things of a Man, yet the Things of God know no Man, but the SPIRIT of GOD, 1 Cor. ii. 11. joBut, even thefe Things, fome, notwithstanding, would be thought as able to mafter, as any thing else. And where they are above them, even for that Reafon they will take leave to reject them; nor think it enough to pass by them, but they must alfo caft their Scoffs at them, and blunder on ftill, even as much as that Ruler of the Jews did, John iii. concerning Regeneration, and the other Doctrines of Faith thereon dependent.

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But, what Chriftians indeed can they be this while, that were never born of the SPIRIT of CHRIST, nor by that Spirit and Faith conjoined to the glorious Head of Chriftians? Yea, what Part are they like to have in Regeneration, or in CHRIST himself, that feem neither to know nor to care, whether there be any HOLY GHOST, by whonr alone they can be fo renewed and united? and instead of feeking to partake of him, are readier to do Defpight to him? And how can we ever believe them to be led by that Spirit, which they have the Foreheads to

mock

mock and blafpheme? Let them pretend to be never fo good, I cannot admire the Goodnefs of those Men, that are for tearing up the very Roots upon which all true Goodnefs fhall grow. Rather do I admire their Confidence, to pretend either to Goodnefs, or to the Chriftian Name, who fet fo light by that bleffed Spirit which makes all the true Chrif tians that are in the World.

How allowable foever it might be for Heathens, who knew no better, to fet up natural Light above all; yet when fuch as have the bleffed Gofpel cannot forbear to burlefque and expound it even all away, they may look for the heavier Sentence from him, with whom they make fo bold; when one of his great Indictments now against the World, is of Sin, because they believe not on him, John xvi. 19. Though this they may not think fit to reckon among their Sins; yet is it, indeed, the great leading Sin that threatens them with a dreadful Doom, if they do not mend their Creed, as well as their Morals; and make better Friends with the Son of GOD, and acknowledge his Deity, and beg his Mercy, and look to be pardoned and faved by his Merits. But O how far are they from this, whofe Confidence of their own Opinion rifes fo high, as even to give Defiance to all that dare but make any Queftion of it, Whether they may not be deceived?"

It is true, they had a noble Mafter here in England for one of their Founders, whofe Writings we know; and fome of his dying Words to his Children, (I have heard) were to the fame Tune: Saying, "They talk of trufting in CHRIST for "Salvation; but I would have you to be virtuous,

and trust to your Virtue to make you happy." Yet after the little Brokers and Well-Willers here to the Cause have been fetching from their Factors Beyond Seas, and alfo drawing from the Stock of this, learned Deift at home, notwithstanding all the Helps they have, and all the Pains they take, never

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are they like to find a quiet Trade, and good Succefs, as long as the Gofpel lies but open and fo clear against them; unless we should put fuch an unreasonable 2 Value on their Reasonings, as to hearken to them more than to our LORD himself, and all his own binfpired Meffengers.

Such as fet up their new Fangles, instead of the Faith once delivered to the Saints; and not only yilify, but even nullify the Grace of Faith; and : while they make fuch a Scorn of others Syftems, and pretend to give us a Pandect of the Chriftian Docstrine, either quite leave out Faith, as an Ingredient of little or no Ufe; or, if they cannot, for fhame, - omit the mention of that which the Gospel all along fo much inculcates, yet fpeak of it fo fparingly, or triflingly as if it were needlefs to infift upon it, and we might even do as well without it or call that the juftifying Faith, and a Faith as much as is needful for any to make them Chriftians, which is indeed a believing no more than the Devils do, no more than any Hypocrites, unregenerate Perfons, and impenitent Sinners may believe, viz. that JESUS of Nazareth is the MESSIAH: (A ftingy hide-bound Faith, by which they fhall not be obliged to believe either his Incarnation or Satisfaction; nor fo to degrade themselves, as to put all their Truft in him, and to look for their whole Salvation from him.) And when they take upon them to enumerate all the Benefits we have by our bleffed SAVIOUR, speak not a Word of his Merit, or Redemption through his Blood: No, but rather deny his Death to be in the Room and Stead of Sinners, and depend not on the Blood of GOD to make their Peace, and reconcile all. Things to himself; and while they are fuch bufy Men, to ruin their own and others Comfort and Salvation, would be thought yet the Only Chriftians. Our Church (Hom, of Sal.) will not allow them to be fo much as Chriftians at all, When it tells us, ["That this Faith in the Merits of CHRIST'S "precious