To this Dominican I shall only add the testimony of two famous Jesuits, upon whose understandings the light of this glorious truth prevailed, for an acknowledgment of it. The first of these is Bellarmine, whose disputes to this purpose being full and large, and the author in all men's hands, I shall not transcribe his assertions and arguments; but only refer the reader to his lib.ii., De Grat. et Lib. Arbit. cap. xii., " Denique ut multa alia testimonia," etc. The other is Suarez, who delivers his thoughts suc- cinctly upon the whole of this matter. Lib. xi. De Perpetuitat. vel Amis. Grat. cap. ii., sect. 6, saith he, " De pra3destinatis verum est infallibiliter, quod gratiam finaliter seu in perpetuum non amittunt; unde postquam semel gratiam habuerant, ita reguntur et proteguntur a Deo, ut vel non cadant, vel si ceciderint resurgant; et licet ssepius cadant et resurgant, tandem aliquando ita resurgunt ut amplius non cadant." In which few words he hath briefly comprised the sum of tliat which is by us contended for.
It was in my thoughts in the last place to have added the concurrent witness of all the reformed churches, with that of the mo?t eminent divines, which have written in the defence of their concessions, but this trouble, upon second consideration, I shall spare the reader and myself; for as many other reasons lie against the prosecuting of this design, so especially the uselessness of spending time and pains for the demonstration of a thing of so evident a truth prevails with me to desist. Notwithstanding the en- deavours of Mr Goodwin to wrest the words of some of the most ancient writers who laboured in the first reformation of the churches, I presume no unprejudiced person in the least measure acquainted with the system of that doctrine which, with so much pains, diligence, piety, and learning, they promoted in the world, with the clearness of their judgments in going forth to the utmost compass of their principles which they received, and their constancy to themselves in asserting of the truths they embraced, — • owned by their friends and adversaries until such time as Mr Goodwin
74 A PREFACE TO THE HEADER.
discovered their self-contradictions, — will scarce be moved once to question their judgments by the excerpta of ]\lr Goodwin, chap. xv. of his treatise; so that of this discourse this is the issue.
There remains only that I give a brief account of some concernments of the ensuing treatise, and dismiss the reader from any farther attendance in the porch or entrance thereof.
The title of the book speaks of the aim and method of it. The confu- tation of Mr Goodwin was but secondarily in my eye ; and the best way for that I judged to consist in a full scriptural confirmation of the truth he opposed. That I ciiiefly intended; and therein I hope the pious reader may, through the grace of God, meet with satisfaction. In my undertak- ing to affirm the truth of what I assert, the thing itself first, and then the manifestation of it, were in my consideration. For the thing itself, my ar- guing hath been to discover the nature of it, its principles and causes, its relation to the good-will of the Father, the mediation of the Son, and dis- pensation of the Holy Ghost to the saints thereupon; and its use and ten- dency in and unto that fellowship with the Father and the Son whereunto ■we are called and admitted.
As to the manner of its revelation, the proper seats of it in the book of God, the occasion of the delivery thereof in several seasons, the significant expressions wherein it is set forth, and the receiving of it by them to whom it was revealed, have been diligently remarked.
In those parts of the discourse which tend to the vindication of the arguments from Scripture whereby the truth pleaded for is confirmed, of the usefulness of the thing itself contended about, etc., I have been, I hope, careful to keep my discourse from degenerating into jangling and strife of words (the usual issue of polemical Avritings), being not altogether ignorant of the devices of Satan, and the usual carnal attendancies of such proceedings. The weight of the truth in hand, the common interest of all the saints in their walking with God therein, sense of my own duty, and the near approach of the account which I must make of the minis- tration to me committed, have given bounds and limits to my whole dis- course, as to the manner of handling the truth therein asserted. Writing in the common language of the nation about the common possession of the saints, the meanest and weakest as well as the wisest and the most learn- ed, labouring in the work of Christ and his gospel, I durst not hide the understanding of what I aimed at by mingling the plain doctrine of the Scripture with meta})hysical notions, expressions of art, or any pretended ornaments of wit or fancy; because I fear God. For the more sublime consideration of things, and such a way of their delivery as, depending upon the acknowTedged reception of sundry arts and sciences, which the generality of Christians neither are nor need to be acquainted withal, scholars may communicate their thoughts and apprehensions unto and among themselves, and that upon the stage of the world, in that language whereunto they have consented for and to that end and purpose. That I have carefully abstained from personal reflections, scofis, undervaluations, applications of stories and old sayings, to the provocation of the spirit of them with whom I have to do, I think not at all praiseworthy, because, upon a review of some passages in the treatise (now irrecoverable), I fear I have scarce been so careful as I am sure it was my duty to have been.