pursuance of the plan uniformly adopted through. out this Apology, it has been thought expedient to quote the corresponding parts of the original; and they are accordingly given in the Notes. Having mentioned these two books, the Writer thinks it incumbent on him to state, that neither of the Authors is responsible for any of the sentiments expressed in this Apology. He could not cite them as authorities; he would not dare to use the fruits of their labours without acknowledgment; and, in fact, they were never consulted till the conclusion presented itself to be drawn up. Should a conformity of ideas in any instances be found between these publications and this now in the hands of the Reader, the discovery will be highly gratifying to the Author of this Apology. There will be a sufficient difference observable to vindicate the originality of this Work, while the agreement will give additional strength to the common sentiment.

To enable such of the Readers of this Apology as are not familiar with the pages of the Inquiry, to enter upon the perusal of this Work, with some portion of the satisfaction which is derived from a previous acquaintance with the subject to be discussed, it is thought advisable to put them,

6

in a few words, in possession of the plan of that

• Treatise.'

The Author of the Inquiry, in his Preface, states, "Since the sentiments advocated in this Treatise are stigmatized under the name of Calvinism, it is his object to shew, that they are not the opinions of Calvin only, but of all the reformed Divines." The imputation of these his sentiments being stigmatized under the name of Calvinism he rebuts, not because it is untrue, but because its partiality associates to it a stigmatizing singularity. The accomplishment of this object is, towards the conclusion of the Treatise, announced by saying, "We have now laid before the Reader a series of evidence respecting the tenets under consideration, extending from the first attempts at Reformation by the Waldenses, to the final establishment of it in England, in the days of Elizabeth; a series of evidence which, though but part of what might be adduced, is, we hope, sufficiently strong to satisfy an unprejudiced mind, that these tenets, so far from being novel, sectarian, or opposed to the sentiments of our Church, are ancient and orthodox; the very principles of the Reformation, and the very doctrines of the Church, as by law established." (a)

(a) Inquiry, Part ii. page 239.

"

It is then to be understood to be the object of the Author of the Inquiry to shew, that the doctrines of the Church, as by 'law established, are the sentiments which are stigmatized under the name of Calvinism; and that the tenets of this Church are not those of Calvin only, but of all the reformed Divines. The form of argumentation which is adopted in the Inquiry to establish this position is Induction. As in that argument, "the posi tion of the whole is concluded from the position of all the parts, and the universal conclusion is overturned, if there can be shewn a contrary instance," it will, we think, occur to our Readers, that scanty means of reference," complained of in the Preface, do not very well accord with this extensive project; and that it would be almost miraculous, if, in so extensive a range as that which all the reformed Divines, furnishes, the conclusiveness of the Induction could not be defeated by producing a contrary instance.' Objections, too, might be taken to the indefinite phrase, formed Divines," rendered still more indefinite by the Author's ascending to a period greatly anterior to that which is usually denominated the Era of the Reformation. But these observations are made rather to intimate what has been scrupulously avoided, than what the Reader may

́" re

expect to find in the following pages. All technical objections have been waved, because it is not the defeat of an opponent that should be desired, but the victory of truth; and the validity of the conclusion insisted upon by the Inquiry will be questioned, not by overturning its universality, but by establishing its contradictory on, as the writer thinks, the most certain principles.

That series of evidence on which the Author of the Inquiry relies, not only for effacing from the sentiments which he advocates, the stigma of their being solely Calvin's, but for proving that the docrines of the united Church of England and Ireland are identified with those maintained by Calvin, is drawn up in two parts, of which thẹ Inquiry consists. The former part is assigned to Extracts expressive of the sentiments" of the early opponents of the Church of Rome, and of the foreign Reformers, and reformed Churches on the subjects of Inquiry;" the latter part "to those of our own Reformers, and to what is professed by our national Church." (b) What the sentiments of Calvin were, will be ascertained by referring to the conclusion of this Apology: what the sentiments of the Author of the Inquiry, con

(b) Inquiry, Part ii. page 3.

curring with those of Calvin, are, will be found in the 49th page of this Work; and, on turning to the 19th page, it will be seen, in the words of the Inquiry, that they who maintain these tenets hold that the doctrines of Redemption and Grace are inseparable from that of unconditional Election. The plan of the Inquiry has accordingly been, to furnish proofs of the existence of that relation whenever it was practicable; but if, in any instances, it has not been able to shew, that they who held the doctrines of preventing Grace, Justification without Works, &c. held that of unconditional Election also, in all those instances, the only plan which could support the positions of the Inquiry has not been executed; it has failed of attaining its object.

It is to be presumed that our Readers know that there are two species of Election spoken of by Divines; the conditional and the uncondi tional. Keeping this distinction in mind, they will perceive, that the bare mention of Election, in of the Extracts made by the Inquiry, as any connected with preventing Grace, &c. will not appropriate to that Work the support which it seeks from those Extracts. The Election spoken of must expressly exclude the foresight of the cooperation of man's will with God's Spirit.