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Note amongst them, however Voluminous, however Refuted and Worthless, but they have been careful to preserve it, and encourage its Revival: whilst we ingloriously leave the Productions of the Champions of our Communion to Moths and Oblivion.

Whether we have been happy in the Choice of the Tracts now Reprinted, we muft allow our felves too Partial to determin: On which account, we shall not run out into long Encomiums upon them, but give a brief account of them and their Authors, and leave them, as we must do, to the Judgment of others.

The first of them with great Perfpicuity and Brevity tayeth down the several Opinions about Predestination, and the Objections which most of them seem liable to; and propofeth one, as the most Free from juft Exception, and Satisfactory in folving the Difficulties which crowd in upon us, when we are Laboring to form some Determination about the Order and Manner of that deep and abstruse matter. The Reader will find that the Author advan

ceth

ceth his Notions in a regular Method, and fets them in an advantageous Light, by e. vincing their confiftency with Reafon and Scripture: He may with Pleasure behold the Terms made use of in these disputes clearly explained, many knotty Difficulties removed, the several Questions, depending on this of Predestination and each other, fairly stated in all their several Branches, accurately Handled and judiciously Determined: and it will be withal apparent, that the proper Decision of each Question Question confirms what is on other Grounds concluded in the rest, and all together strengthen and establish the Positions at first laid down. In short we doubt not but it may be faid without Vanity, that more Satisfaction may be had from a careful perusal of these few Sheets than from many Volumes on the Same Subject; and that there is not a more happy Clue, for preventing Mens bewildering themselves in the infinite Labyrinths of these Disputes, than this Tract. These Excellencies preserved it in the Studies of Some Fudicious and Learned Persons, when it was lost almost every where else; it hath been nearly followed in many things, by a Celebrated and Valuable * Writer in Divinity; and was recommended by † Another, to be used as an introduction to the reading of these Controverfies.

We may by the way obferve that the fourth and fifth Opinions proposed by Plaifere seem to be very little different, or rather the latter to be only the other more fully expressed, and better guarded from Cavils and Exceptions: and if so, the Objections made by him against the first of them must be of no great weight, as they do not indeed appear to be, if they are well confidered. But the Name of a Remonftrant or Arminian was in his days very odious, nothing being more Common in many of the invective Writings of that Age, than to jumble Arminians, Papists, and Atheists together, as if they were Synonimous Terms: It is no wonder therefore that the Author endevored to Screen himself a little from the iniquity of the Times, by distinguishing his Tenets from

Dr. Claget on the Operations of the holy Spirit. + Dr. Bennet's Direction for Studying a Body of Divinity. Pag. 17. thofe

those of the Arminians; which Caution is also obfervable in Dr. Potter's Letter.

We have not been able to inform our Selves, where the Author of this Treatise was Born, or had his Education: there being a large Chasm in the Matricula about the time of his Admiffion. Poffibly he might be a Relation of Dr. Tho. Plaifere, who was the Lady Margaret's Profeffor of Divinity in Cambridge till the Year 1609. and if so, it is not unlikely that he as well as the other, might be of St. John's College. However it is most probable that he was brought up in Cambridge: for Sidney Suff. College being founded in 1599, he was admitted the year following into a Fellowship founded there by Mr Smith Citizen of London; and in the same year he had both the Sacred Orders conferr'd on him by John the Suffragan Bp. of Colchester. In the Year 160s he was * Presented by John Jermin Esq. of Debden in Suffolk to the Rectory of that Parish, in which he continued about 25 Years, without other addition to his Fortunes that we can hear of, and we suppose ended his Life there.

* E Libr. Institut. Ep. Norvis.

The Appendix to this is newly Added ; of which we shall say nothing, but that we hope the Hypothefis proposed in it will meet with a candid Reception; it having fo much Humanity in it that a good natured Man would wish it to be well grounded, if it be not.

Dr. Potter's Letter was occafioned by Some Exceptions which were made to certain Passages in a * Sermon of his ftill Exftant, which was Preached at his Uncle Dr. Barnaby Potter's Confecration to the See of Carlifle. The pleasing account which he gives in it of the Manner of his Converfion from a violent Oppofer to a Favorer of the Arminian Tenets, and the great Piety and sweetness of Temper which he Manifests, adds Weight and Lustre to his Judgment, and the Caufe he pleads for.

He was Born at Kendal in Westmorland, and at fifteen years old was Clerk, and afterwards Tabarder of Queen's Col

On. Joh. 21. 17.

lege

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