a few, that on fundry accounts, which I shall not mention, may poffibly be expofed unto disadvantage and prejudice thereby; it hath been thought meet by fome, that the facred truths which these men oppofe, fhould be plainly and briefly afferted and confirmed from the fcripture; that thofe of the meanest fort of profeffors, who are fincere and upright; exercising themselves to keep a good confcience in matters of faith and obedience to God, may have, fomewhat in a readiness, both to guide them in their further enquiry into the truth, and alfo to confirm their faith in what they have already received, when at any time it is fhaken or oppofed by the cunning fleights of men that lie in wait to deceive.

And this comprifeth the defign of the enfuing difcourfe. It may poffibly be. judged needlefs by fome, as it was in its first propofal by him by whom it is written, and that because this matter at prefent is by an especial providence cast on other hands, who both have, and doubtless, as occafion fhall require, will well acquit . themselves in the defence of the truths. opposed. Not to give any other account of the reafons of this fmall undertaking, it may fuffice that in publico difcrimine omnis

bomo

homo miles eft. Every man's concernment lying in a common danger, it is free for every one to manage it as he thinks beft, and is able, fo it be without prejudice to the whole, or the particular concerns of others. If a city be on fire, whose bucket, that brings water to quench it, ought to be refufed? The attempt to caft fire into the city of God, by the opinions mentioned, is open and plain, and a timely ftop being to be put unto it, the more hands are orderly employed in its quenching, the more fpeedy and fecure is the effect like to be.

Now, becaufe the affertors of the opinions mentioned do feem to fet out themfelves to be fome great ones, above the ordinary rate of men, as having found out, and being able publicly to maintain fuch things, as never would have entered into the minds of others to have thought on, or conceived; and alfo that they feem with many to be thought worthy of their confideration, because they now are new, and fuch as they have not been acquainted withal; I fhall in this prefatory entrance, briefly manifeft that those who have amongst us undertaken the management of thefe opinions, have brought nothing new unto them, but either a little contemptible fophistry and caption of words on the one

hand,

hand, or futilous, affected, unintelligible expreflions on the other; the opinions themselves being no other, but fuch as the church of God having been oppofed by, and troubled with from the beginning, hath prevailed againft, and triumphed over in all generations. And were it not that confidence is the only relief which engaged impotency adheres unto, and expects fupplies from, I fhould greatly admire that thofe amongst us who have undertaken an inforcement of thefe old exploded errors, whofe weakness doth fo openly discover and proclaim itself in all their endeavours, fhould judge themselves competent to give a new spirit of life to the dead carcafs of thefe rotten herefies, which the faith of the faints in all ages hath triumphed over; and which truth and learning have, under the care and watchfulnefs of Chrift, fo often baffled out of the world.

The Jews in the time of our Saviour's converfe on the earth, being fallen greatly from the faith and worship of their forefathers, and ready to fink into their laft and utmost apoftacy from God, feem ainongst many other truths, to have much loft that of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and of the perfon of the Meffiah. It was indeed fuited in the difpenfation of

God,

God, unto the work that the Lord Jefus had to fulfil in the world, that before his paffion and refurrection, the knowledge of his divine nature as unto his individual perfon, fhould be concealed from the moft of men. For this caufe, although he was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God; yet he 'made himself of no reputation, by taking 6 on him the form of a fervant, and was 'made in the likenefs of men; that being found in the fafhion of a man, he might be obedient unto death,' Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. whereby his divine glory was vailed for a . feafon, until he was declared to be the

Son of God with power, according unto 'the spirit of holiness by the refurrection 'from the dead,' Rom. i. 4. and then was glorified with that glory, which he had

with the Father before the world was,' John xvii. 3. And as this difpenfation' was needful unto the accomplishment of the whole work, which as our Mediator he had undertaken; fo in particular he, who was in himself the Lord of Hofts, a fanctuary to them that feared him," became hereby a ftone of ftumbling, and a rock of offence to both the houfes of Ifrael, for a gin and for a fnare to the inhabitants of Jerufalem,' Ifa. viii. 13, 14.

See

See Luke ii. 34. Rom. ix. 33. 1 Pet. ii. 8. Ifa. xxviii. 26. But yet notwithstanding, as occafions required, fuitably unto his own holy ends and defigns, he forbare not to give plain and open teftimony to his own divine nature, and eternal pre-existence unto his incarnation. And this was it, which of all other things moft provoked the carnal Jews with whom he had to do. For having, as was faid, loft the doctrine of the Trinity and perfon of the Meffiah in a great measure; whenever he afferted his deity, they were immediately enraged and endeavoured to deftroy him. So was it plainly, John viii. 56, 57, 58, 59. Saith he, Your father Abraham rejoiced to fee my 'day, and he faw it and was glad. Then faid the Jews unto him, thou art not yet fifty years old, and haft thou feen Abraham? Jefus faid unto them, verily I fay ' unto you, before Abraham was, I am. • Then took they up ftones to cast at him.' So alfo, John x. 30, 31, 32, 33. "I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up ftones again to ftone him. Jefus anfwered them, many good works have I 'fhewed you from my Father, for which ' of those works do you ftone me? The Jews answered him faying, for a good ' work we stone thee not, but for blas

'phemy,