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laft Importance, plainly taught by the Church, as well as by the Scripture, in Terms fo exprefs, That a great man in the Learned World, one of the eminent Heads and reputed Oracles of his Univerfity, (my worthy Friend, lately gone to Reft from his arduous Labours,) could not forbear to make the ingenuous acknowledgment, That I had the Articles of our Church clearly on my fide. And when I minded him of a penetrating Expofitor prefiding in this "Church, who (a little before,) had endeavoured to give thofe Articles a Turn the Remonftrant way, He reply'd with fome heat, 'Twill never do: and that it was a vain thing for any one to attempt it. Tho', at the fame time, Himfelf thought fit to undertake the Vindication of that very Caufe, which he confeft was Opposite to the undoubted Senfe of his own Church.

I am willing to think, That it was only (difputandi gratiâ,) to Tempt the Countrey-Parfon. For when he first fhew'd me his celebrated Book, (now Publifh'd,) his expreffion was, That he had there Stab'd the Socinian Caufe.

But

But I am apt to think That none who is in earnest on the part of Arminius, can ever give Socinus any Thruft to reach the Heart.

Tho' few Pelagians think fit to own the hateful Name, even while they Stickle for the peftilent Doctrine; According to S. Jerom's obfervation,That Pelagianism is the only Herefy, which is afham'd to appear for the Cause àbroad, which its Fautors fuggeft and propagate in Corners: Tet Experience tells us, What Credit a prevailing Mode can give to things none of the Beft. Tea, let them be never fo Indefenfible, yet if fmiling upon depraved Nature, they'll not want for Champions and Abetters to maintain the Caufe, even to death.

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

Herb. So Raves the man who is in (not his Pure, but) his Corrupt Naturals.

Naturam expellas furcâ licet,

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But whatever Palliators of man's wicked Apoftacy may fly in my Face; Where I have begun to break up the Fallow-ground, I shall not take my hand off from this Plough.

And to fee the Faith of Chrift ASAf faulted and Attack'd; not only, (as when it first fet out,) by Open Adverfaries and Profeffed Infidels; But by fuch as Lurk within the Church, and pafs under the Chriftian Name ; is enough to raife every Believer's Indignation, that would not be a Traytor to his own Profeffed Religion.

Indeed the Caufe which 1 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 hall 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 best Chriftian, or by the greatest Scholar

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in the World. No, The lofty Opinion which they have of their own Sufficiency, makes 'em fo Affuming; to DiEtate, 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 Seven Minutes, than any one that Labours in the Word and DoElrine, fhall do in Seven 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. Tho' they will not Suffer us to Recede a tittle from the Express Words of Scripture; when 'tis their Pleasure: Yet let us but offer to hold them to it; And then, 'Tis none of God's Word, but only our Senfe: And what reafon have they to be Determin'd by that? Their own Reafon, (as the Candle of the Lord,) they are ready to fall down and Adore. Not remembring, That still 'tis but a Candle; And fo Diminish'd fince the Fall, as to Dwindle in the Socket. And all the Candles upon earth must

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never offer to Vye 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 grafp, and easily deal with. And if they abide ftill peremptory by it, That what's above our Reafon to Conceive, is above our Faith to Believe: (Keeping ftrictly Tenacious of that Maxim,) they must turn fuch Scepticks, as to Disbelieve, 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, just before them; which will fo Baffle them, That they shall never be able to Refolve Nicodemus's Question, How can these things be?

Tho' it's true, Men are not to pull out their own Eyes, because these cannot fee quite within the Heavens; Nor Renounce their Understanding, because it is not Infinite, to parallel his that gave it. For Reafon in its own Sphere,

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