For his being a Papist, I have not much to say. Let his epistles (published by his friends) written to Dionysius Petavius the Jesuit be jJerused, and you will see the character which of himself he gives, ^ as also what in sundry writings he ascribes to the pope.
What 1 have performed, through the good hand of God in the whole, is humbly submitted to your judgment. You know, all of you, with what weight of busi- ness and employment I am pressed, what is the constant work that in this place
' "Grotius, in lib. v. De Veritat. Relig. Christian, in notis R. Scl. Alien Ezra et Onkelos adilucit. Sed alienis ociilis hie vidit, aut aliena fide retulit (forte authoribus illis aut non intellectis, aut propter occupationes non inspectis), aut animositati et authoiitati in citandis authoribus, et referendis dictis aut factis, ut ipsi hoc usui veniebat, nimiura in scriptis theologicis indulserit."— Voet. Disput. de Ad- vent. Messi.
2 " Keverende domine, swpc tibi molestus c?se cognr .Sumpsi banc nltiuiam operam, moa
ante hac dicta et famam riuocjue a ministris allatratam tuendi : in co .scripto si quid est, aut Calliolicis S"ntentiis ditcongru'ns, aut catoroqui a veritate alienum, de eo abs te viro eruditissimo," etc., "cujua judicium plurimi facio moueri percupio."— Kpist. Grot, ad Dionys. Petav. Ep. 201.
10 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
is incumbent on me, how many and how urgent my avocations ai-e; the considera- tion whereof cannot but prevail for a pardon of that want of exactness which per- haps in sunih-y particulars will appear unto you. With those who are neither willing- nor able to do any thing in this kind themselves, and yet make it their business to despise what is done by others, I shall very little trouble myself. That which seems, in relation hereunto, to call for an apology, is my engagement into this work, wlierein I was not particularly concerned, suffering in the meantime some treatises against me to lie unanswered. Dr Hammond's answer to my ani- madversions on his dissertations about episcopacy, Mr Baxter's objections against somewhat written about the death of Christ, and a book of one Mr Home against my treatise about universal redemption, are all the instances that I know of which in this kind may be given. To all that candidly take notice of these things, my defence is at hand. I do not know that I am more obliged to answer a treatise written against myself than any other ^^ ritten against the truth, though I am not particularly named or opposed therein ; nor do I intend to put any such law of disquietness upon my spirit as to think myself bound to reply to every thing that is written against me, whether the matter and subject of it be worth the public ventilation or no. It is neither name nor repute that I eye in these contests; so the truth be safe, I can be well content to suffer. Besides, this present task was not voluntarily undertaken by me; it was, as I have already given account, imposed on me by such an authority as I could not waive. For Mr Home's book, 1 suppose you are not acquainted with it; that alone was extant before my last engagement. Could I have met with any one uninterested person that wovild have said it de- served a reply, it had not have lain so long unanswered. In the meantime, I cannot but rejoice that some, like-minded with him, cannot impute my silence to the weakness of the cause I managed, but to my incompetency for the work of maintaining it. To ]\Ir Baxter, as far as I am concerned, I have made a I'eturn in the close of this treatise; wherein I suppose I have put an end to that contro- versy. Dr Hammond's defensative came forth much about the time that half this treatise was finished, and being about a matter of so mean concernment, in comparison of those weighty truths of the gospel which I was engaged in the defence of, I durst not desert my station to turn aside thereto. On the cursory view I ha^'e taken of it, I look upon what is of real difference between that learned person and myself to be a matter of easy despatch. His leaves are much more soft and gentle than those of Socinus, Smalcius, Crellius, and Schlichtingius. If the Lord in his goodness be pleased to give me a little respite and leisure, I shall give a farther account of the whole difference between the learned doctor and me, in such a way of process as may be expected from so slow and dull a pei-son as I am. In the meanthne, I wish him a better cause to manage than that wherein against me he is engaged, and better principles to manage a good cause on than some of those in his treatise of schism, and some others. Fail he not in these, his abilities and dib'gence will stand him in very good stead. I shall not trouble you with things which I have advantages other ways to impart my thoughts concern- ing; I only crave that you would be pleased candidly to accept of this testimony of my respects to you, and, seeing no other things are in the ensuing treatise pleaded for but such as are universally owned amongst you, that, according to your several degrees, you would take it into your patronage or use, affording him in his daily labours the benefit of your prayers at the throne of grace, who is your unworthy fellow-labourer,