spirits of many and great persons to stand on his side, and help to maintain that quarrel of his covenant. It is not unworthy our notice, and deepest resentment, how zealously affected some men are in behalf of such tenets as stand in direct opposition to the grace of God, and their own eternal happiness; how they spare neither arts nor calumnies to disgrace the assertors of those very truths that make up the mystery of godliness; yea, to scandalize and suppress the truths themselves; as if reason and learning were given to no better ends, than to vilify religion. And further, how pronely addicted men are, having imbibed the Arminian points, to take in those that are of most fatal consequence: so far are those principles from yield ing any effectual influence towards holiness, or well grounded peace, notwithstanding their pretended adaptedness to promote them, which might be largely insisted upon, but that the designed brevity of this address forbids it. But whatever the ends of men are, or their interest, in defaming the wisdom, sovereignty, and grace of God, and that in a method more arrogant and daring, than persons of the same principles have hereofore ventured to do; the Lord's ends in permitting them are holy and good: and we are assured, that he would not have suffered those dangerous errors to re-invade his church, and his glorious truths to be so coarsely and contumeliously treated, but in order to their further illustration and conquest: and that therefore, as he hath, so he will, of his abundant goodness to the world, and faithfulness to his elect, raise up such as with meekness, light and power, shall withstand their furious torrent, and transmit to the following generations, those blessed and greatly important truths which the world are so implacably bent against, and seek to eradicate.

It is somewhat perceptible of itself, and so acknowledged by the author, that in writing this treatise he had little or no intercourse with books, but those of the holy scripture: which is here mentioned to magnify the grace of God that was with him. And by thi may be gathered that a serious and diligent consulting the sacred oracles, with an humble dependance upon God for teaching and sue cess, as they are duties of great importance, so of answerable improvement; the properest and surest means of instruction, touching the mystery of his will, with that orderly and harmonious connexion of the divine attributes for recovering apostate creatures from their dreadful lapse, and placing them in a condition transcendently better than their primitive state: all which, by the Pelagian articles, are reduced to nothing. Yea, there are some peculiar advantages which accompany this discourse. 1. That it is founded and built on the testimony of God alone; whose authority and truth are the only unerring rule, and immoveable basis of divine faith, and its properest touchstone; and the lesser diversions there are to other ways of proof and argumentation, in things of this nature, the more convincing, and free from retortion; and the sooner will our souls be brought to acquiescence and settlement. 2. That the doctrines being declared and vindicated, there is all along a useful improvement made of them, to excite and influence our hearts and lives according to the genuine tenor and import of those truths, very much beyond what the contra ry doctrines have ever pretended to. It may be a supplement to oth

er books, where the same truths are wartkily contended for, but yet defective in this particular: and so it is not only a work of good use in itself, but it also relieves these doctrines from one of the worst as persions they have been calumniated with. Divers other things might be mentioned, which reflect a worth upon the ensuing discourse, and bespeak an esteem for it, which, for brevity' sake, are referred to the reader's judicious observation.

That the book may be entertained by men according to its deserts, and blessed of God for the ends it is designed and suited unto, is, and shall be the desire of,

JOHN OWEN.
S. ANNESLEY.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A LEARNED DIVINE, UNKNOWN TO THE AUTHOR.

SIR,

ALTHOUGH I am a stranger unto you, yet having read your excellent book (which I did but borrow) I thought good to let you understand, with how great delight I did read it; and also how great satisfaction and comfort I received by it. I studied these points several years ago very hard; being then put upon it by a strong adversary, one of subtle wit, though otherwise a very common and mean man. But I have said often, that I was much beholden to him for his opposition; for I would not, for much worldly substance, be without that knowledge, which, I hope, through the grace of God, I then attained in those great points by reason thereof. I think that then, and since, I have read most of the best books that have been written upon those points; but especially that book of books, the BIBLE: yet after all those other books, I must confess, that yours hath given me the most content and satisfaction. For you have most nervously and judiciously laid open the truth, and as strenuously refuted the objections. I bless and adore that divine grace of the Lord, who of his rich goodness and mercy to his poor distressed and distracted church in this nation, hath raised you up, in an especial manner, to be such an instrument of his glory, in vindicating its sovereignty, especially in these high and mysterious points of predestination, particular redemption, the efficacy of grace in conversion, and the perseverance of the saints in holiness. As touching the absoluteness of the covenant of grace, I cannot but admire to see how you coincide with me. I used to say often several years ago, what I find now in your book, that if the covenant of grace were not absolute, salvation would be as difficult by it, as by the covonant of works; because it is as hard for a natural man to believe and live, as it is for him to do and live. Well you have, in my judgment, performed your business most ptously, practically, and strongly; and your arguments are invincible; many of which yet I had never met with: and I doubt not but you do return the praise and glory of all

into our great and gracious Lord, who by his mere free grace hath enabled you to perform this work; which is so much for the glory of his holy name. I commend you, with your labors, to the grace of our merciful Father, and rest,

October 16, 1667.

Your most affectionate friend,

W. W.

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TREATISE AND PUBLICATION.

THE principal heads of the following discourse, (generally owned by the churches of Britain,) the author was somewhat instructed in from his childhood; having heard, till a few years since, but little concerning the general point: that, he means, which is commonly so called, as holding the grace of God in Christ to be generally designed and dispensed alike to all; suspending the whole virtue and success thereof on the human will; without peculiar respect or assistance af. forded to any, but what is given in common unto men. Which doctrine might rather be termed general, as the generality of men, in nature, are patrons and abettors of it. Not that he thinks all who hold it to be in their natural state; for, as of most, their judgment is better than their practice; so, of some, he hopes their practice may be sounder than their judgment: but so, to hold and practise accordingly, he cannot but think extremely perilous to the souls of men. Divers conferences (accidentally) he had with those of that way: in all which he found it their drift to insinuate that principle; not caring much to discourse of any point else, how useful soever, and importantly need. ful to be known; but still diverting into that channel: maintaining also their notions, with that confidence of their own, and contempt of the contrary judgment; such uncomely reflections upon their opponents, and slight regard of the Scriptures brought against them, as did in no wise become a contending for the faith: (which has made him think that ironical speech of Job to his friends, too applicable to these: "No doubt ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you." Job 12:2.) He also found their tenets mostly grounded upon words and phrases of a variable construction; as not weighing the scope of the texts, nor how the sense they gave of them might accord with those of a contrary tenor; still citing such as were plain and express, to be tried by those of a doubtful sound; whereas the contrary course would have been more genuine, and nearer to find out the truth. Not that any Scripture is doubtful in itself, or inconsistent with others; nor would seem so to us, if its scope and context were duly weighed; but the

same word being used on different occasions to a different purpose a heedless attention to the context induces the loss of its proper intention. That he found among them, a general agreement against our doctrine of election, is true: and no less true, that they differ among themselves as much as they do from us; only they bear each other's dissent more quietly than ours. Some of them hold election apon works foreseen; others, that men are elected when they do actually believe, and not before; others of them, that no man is elected, until he hath persevered in believing to the last moment of his life; and others again, that there is no election at all, of particular persons as such, but of the entire species of men from eternity. This put him upon searching the scriptures more freely touching the doctrine of election; and the farther he went, the more he was confirmed in what he had first received. And as he proceeded, he found those other points of peculiar redemption, effectual calling, and final perseverance, so interwoven with that of election, and dependant upon it, as very naturally drew on a discussion of those also. As preparatory to this, it seemed expedient to preface the whole with the doctrine of God's sovereignty, together with his righteousness; the reasons of which, with its usefulness, you may find in the treatise itself. It also lay before him, to observe what useful instructions arose from these doctrines above those of the contrary side; which he hopes will not prove inconsiderable to those who have their senses spiritually exercised to discern.

This work was frequently suspended and laid aside, with the inten tion of proceeding no farther; and this not from the want, but the redundancy of matter, which he found in the scriptures for it, but himself much too weak to comprehend, and to make it out: partly, also, from the difficulty of reducing his mingling fragments to an orderly consistence. But, by one impulsive occurrence or other,among which, the inward delight he had in the work, though sometimes intermitted, was not the least,-it still revived and went on afresh, until, by degrees, his gleanings grew into a shock, which he then bound up, designing it only for private use. It so happened, however, that some parts of it (providentially) came to the view and hearing of certain ancient and sober Christians, who, expressing a hearty approbation of it, warmly advised its being printed for more general use, as that which might help at least to confirm the tenure of those already possessed of the truth, but still remain subject to sift. ing. One who had cast a favorable eye on the contrary points, professed himself well satisfied with what he found in this, touching the tendency of natural free-will, though assisted with general grace, and urged also the publication of it, thinking its plainness might render it more convincing to some, than scholastic disputes, which are found to obscure and puzzle, rather than illuminate and settle the judgment of illiterate persons. Another consideration was, that it might serve as an antidote for young professors; who, being scarcely out of the shell of their natural understanding, are pronely receptive of notions that spring from a covenant of works; which, by means of so plain a discourse on nature's weakness, together with the necessity, constant readiness, and invincible efficacy of divine grace, they might happily be armed against.

Repeated instances induced, at length, a willingness to make it public, provided it should also obtain the approbation of divines to whom he should submit it: their approbation it has received. He yet retains a deep sense of his manifold insufficiency for such a work, and prays that his personal meanness and obscurity may not prejudice the truth.

This being the account formerly given, some later occurrences have induced this farther addition. After the first impression, the author was frequently encountered by persons of the contrary persuasion; by which he came to know more of their spirit and principles than before, but not to his better liking of either. He speaks but of such as he himself conversed with.

Some he found to cry up that excellent creature man; and the great things he is able to do: a taking lure! and consequently the more dangerous to such as are not well settled in principles, because of the marvellous aptness there is in nature to be taken with its own commendation, and to fancy itself considerable in procuring its own happiness; as well as from the difficulty of taking up our rest in the will of another, whose wisdom and love we are little acquainted with, nor can be, until we are pitched upon it. But, for the present ability of this once excellent creature, we have but verbal report, and must therefore suspend our belief, until they produce some credible evidence for it. If those who assert it, have such a talent, it ought not to be hid in the earth: they should be still turning the penny; and the greatness of their stock should be seen by the richness of their effects. It is no point of honor or prudence to boast of possessions, and all things at will; and yet live at the rate of an underling tenant, who holds his all at the will of another. It is surely a rational thing, that, "to whom much is given, of him the more should be required." It behooves, therefore, to ponder these serious questions, What singular thing do ye? and, "What do ye more than others?" That is, What earnings have ye made of those larger talents ye profess to be endowed with? This they should give some tolerable account of, or else they will be thought to boast of a false gift; for it is not words, but performances, must justify abilities, and make out the virtue of principles. Their fellow-christians are, "of themselves, not sufficient to think;" how then will those answer it, with all their florid endowments, to be found even as they?

And because scriptural deductions are most pressing, some have a device to put by their force without resistance: what they cannot answer, they will not understand: it must bear the name of unintel ligible notion. The vanity of this evasion is obvious to any that will but consider it; since the rudiments of any science, which by instruction and use are familiar to one, may be strange and uncouth to another, though of more pregnant parts than he, and better skilled in other faculties.

Another thing is, their needless commixing, and consequently per. plexing, secret things with those revealed: while they cannot be ignorant, that the decree is God's rule, (which cannot be known to us but by the event,) the law and the testimony ours, by which alone all doctrines are to be tried, and our whole course, both of judg ment and practice, to be regulated here, and judged at last. We