opposition that may come from them. I had no other design in this work, but first to find out the truth myself, and then to help others to find it out. If I succeed to any degree in this design, I will bless God for it: and if I fail in it, I will bear it with the humility and patience that becomes me. But as soon as I see a better work of this kind, I shall be among the first of those who shall recommend that, and disparage this.

There is no part of this whole work, in which I have laboured with more care, and have writ in a more uncommon method, than concerning predestination. For, as my small reading had carried me further in that controversy than in any other whatsoever, both with relation to ancients and moderns, and to the most esteemed books in all the different parties; so I weighed the Article with that impartial care that I thought became me; and have taken a method, which is, for aught I know, new, of stating the arguments of all sides with so much fairness, that those, who knew my own opinion in this point, have owned to me, that they could not discover it by any thing that I had written. They were inclined to think that I was of another mind than they took me to be, when they read my arguings of that side. I have not, in the explanation of that Article, told what my own opinion was; yet here I think it may be fitting to own, that I follow the doctrine of the Greek Church, from which St. Austin departed, and formed a new system. After this declaration, I may now appeal both to St. Austin's disciples, and to the Calvinists, whether I have not stated both their opinions and arguments, not only with truth and candour, but with all possible advantages.

One reason, among others, that led me to follow the method I have pursued in this controversy, is to offer at the best means I can for bringing men to a better understanding of one another, and to a mutual forbearance in these matters. This is at

present the chief point in difference between the Lutherans and the Calvinists. Expedients for bringing them to an union in these heads, are projects that can never have any good effect: men whose opinions are so different, can never be brought to an agreement: and the settling on some equivocal formularies, will never lay the contention that has arisen concerning them: the only possible way of a sound and lasting reconciliation, is to possess both parties with a sense of the force of the arguments that lie on the other side; that they may see they are no way contemptible; but are such as may prevail on wise and good men. Here is a foundation laid for charity: and if to this, men would add a just sense of the difficulties in their own side, and consider, that the ill consequences drawn from opinions, are not to be charged on all that hold them, unless they do likewise own those consequences; then it would be more easy to agree on some general propositions, by which those ill consequences might be condemned, and the doctrine in general settled; leaving it free to the men of the different systems to adhere to their own opinions; but withal obliging them to judge charitably and favourably of others, and to maintain communion with them, notwithstanding that diversity.

It is a good step even to the bringing men over to an opinion, to persuade them to think well of those who hold it. This goes as it were half way; and if it is not possible to bring men quite to think as we do, yet a great deal is done both towards that, and towards the healing those wounds in which the Church lies a bleeding, when they come to join in the same communion, and in such acts of worship as do agree with their different persuasions. For as in the sacrament of the Eucharist, both Lutherans and Calvinists agreeing in the same devotions and acts of worship, a mere point of speculation concerning the manner in which Christ is present, ought not to divide those who agree in every thing

else that relates to the Sacrament; every one may in that be left to the freedom of his own thoughts, since neither opinion has any influence on practice, or on any part either of public worship, or of secret

devotion.

Upon the same account it may be also suggested, that when all parties acknowledge that God is the sovereign Lord of the universe; that he governs it by a providence, from which nothing is hid, and to which nothing can resist; and that he is likewise holy and just, true and faithful, merciful and gracious in all his ways; those who agree about all this, should not differ, though they cannot fall into the same methods of reconciling these together. And if they do all agree to bless God for all the good that they either do or receive, and to accuse themselves for all the ill that they either do or suffer if they agree that they ought to be humble, and to mistrust their own strength, to pray earnestly to God for assistance, and to depend on him, to trust to him, and likewise to employ their own faculties with all possible care and diligence, in the cleansing their hearts, and governing their words and actions; here the great truths of both sides are safe; every thing that has an influence on practice is agreed on; though neither side can meet in the same ways of joining all these together.

In the Church of Rome the difference is really the same between St. Austin's disciples, and the followers of Molina: and yet, how much soever they may differ and dispute in the schools, their worship being the same, they do all join in it. We of this Church are very happy in this respect; we have all along been much divided, and once almost broken to pieces, while we disputed concerning these matters but now we are much happier; for though we know one another's opinions, we live not only united in the same worship, but in great friendship and love with those of other persuasions. And the boldness of some among us, who have re

flected in sermons, or otherwise, on those who hold Calvin's system, has been much blamed, and often censured by those who, though they hold the same opinions with them, yet are both more charitable in their thoughts, and more discreet in their expressions.

But till the Lutherans abate of their rigidity in censuring the opinions of the Calvinists, as charging God with all those blasphemous consequences that they think follow the doctrine of absolute decrees; and till the Calvinists in Holland, Switzerland, and Geneva, abate also of theirs, in charging the others as enemies to the grace of God, and as guilty of those consequences that they think follow the doctrine of conditionate decrees, it is not possible to see that much wished for agreement come to any good effect.

He who believes that an ill consequence is justly drawn from any opinion, is in the right, when he is by that determined against it. But because he think he sees that the consequence is clear, and cannot be avoided; he ought not for that to judge so ill of those who hold the opinion, but declare at the same time, that they abhor the consequence; that they prevaricate in that declaration; and that they both see the consequence, and own it; though for decency's sake they disclaim it. He ought rather to think, that either they do not see the consequence, but satisfy themselves with some of those distinctions, with which it is avoided; or, that though they do see it, yet they look on that only as an objection, which indeed they cannot well answer. They may think that a point of doctrine may be proved by such convincing arguments, that they may be bound to believe it, though there lie objections against it which they cannot avoid, and consequences seem to follow on it which they abhor, and are sure cannot be true, though they cannot clear the matter so well as they wish they could do. In that case, when a man is inclined by strong

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arguments to an opinion, against which he sees difficulties which he cannot resolve, he ought either to suspend his assent; or, if he sees a superiority of argument of one side, he may be determined by that, though he cannot satisfy even himself in the objections that are against it: in that case he ought to reflect on the weakness and defects of his faculties, which cannot rise up to full and comprehensive ideas of things, especially in that which relates to the attributes of God, and to his counsels or acts. If men can be brought once to apprehend this rightly, it may make propositions for peace and union hopeful and practicable; and till they are brought to this, all such propositions may well be laid aside; for men's minds are not yet prepared for that which can only reconcile this difference, and heal this breach.

I shall conclude this preface with a reply, that a very eminent Divine among the Lutherans in Germany made to me, when I was pressing this matter of union with the Calvinists upon him, with all the topics with which I could urge it, as necessary upon many accounts, and more particularly with relation to the present state of affairs. He said, he wondered much to see a Divine of the Church of England press that so much on him, when we, notwithstanding the danger we were then in, (it was in the year 1686,) could not agree our differences. They differed about important matters, concerning the attributes of God, and his providence; concerning the guilt of sin, whether it was to be charged on God, or on the sinner; and whether men ought to make good use of their faculties, or if they ought to trust entirely to an irresistible grace? These were matters of great moment: but, he said, we in England differed only about forms of government and worship, and about things that were of their own nature indifferent; and yet we had been quarrelling about these for above an hundred years; and we were not yet grown wiser by all the