The scripture-doctrine of predetermination, lays the axe to the very root of this potent delusion. It assures us, that all things are of God. That all our times, and all events, are in his hand. Consequently, that man's business below is to fill up the departments, and to discharge the several offices, assigned him in God's purpose, from everlasting and that, having lived his appointed time, and finished his allotted course of action and suffering, he that moment quits the stage of terrestrial life, and removes to the invisible state.

The late deservedly celebrated Dr. Young, though he affected great opposition to some of the doctrines called Calvinistic; was yet compelled, by the force of truth, to acknowledge, that "There is not a fly but has had infinite wisdom concerned, not only in its structure, but in its destination."* Nor did the late learned and excellent Bishop Hopkins go a jot too far, in asserting as follows: "A sparrow, whose price is but mean, two of them valued at a farthing (which some make to be the 10th part of a Roman penny, and was certainly one of their least coins,) and whose life, therefore, is but contemptible, and whose flight seems giddy and at random; yet it falls not to the ground, neither lights any where, without your Father. His all-wise Providence hath before appointed what bough it shall pitch on; what grains it shall pick up: where it shall

"Centaur not Fabulous, Letter II

lodge, and where it shall build; on what it shall live, and when it shall die.-Our Saviour adds, The very hairs of your head are all numbered, God keeps an account, even of that stringy excrescence. Do you see a thousand little motes and atoms wandering up and down in a sunbeam? It is God that so peoples it; and he guides their innumerable and irregular strayings.

Not a dust rises in a beaten road; but God raiseth it, conducts its uncertain motion, and, by his particular care, conveys it to the certain place he had before appointed for it: nor shall the most fierce and tempestuous wind hurry it any farther. Nothing comes to pass but God hath his ends in it, and will certainly make his own ends out of it. Though the world seem to run at random, and affairs to be huddled together in blind confusion and rude disorder; yet God sees and knows the concatenation of all causes and effects, and so governs them, that he makes a perfect harmony out of all those seeming jarrings and discords. It is most necessary, that we should have our hearts well established in the firm and unwavering belief of this truth; That whatsoever comes to pass, be it good or evil, we may look up to the hand and disposal of all, to God-In respect of God, there is nothing casual, nor contingent, in the world. If a master should send a servant to a certain place, and command him to stay there till such a time; and, presently after, should send another servant to the same [place ;] the meeting of these two is wholly casu

al in respect of themselves, but ordained and foreseen by the master who sent them. So it is in ALL fortuitous events here below. They fall out unexpectedly as to us; but not so as to God. He foresees, and he appoints all the vicissitudes of things."*

To illustrate this momentous doctrine, especially so far as God's sovereign distribution of grace and glory is concerned, was the chief motive that determined me to the present publication. In perusing the works of that most learned and evangelical divine, one of whose performances now appears in an English dress; I was particularly taken with that part of his Confession of Faith (presented A. D. 1562, to the Senate of Strasburgh,) which relates to Predestination. It is, from beginning to end, a regular chain of solid argument, deduced from the unerring word of divine revelation, and confirmed by the co-incident testimonies of some of the greatest lights that ever shone in the Christian church. Such were Austin, Luther, Bucer. Names that will be precious and venerable as long as true religion has a friend remaining upon earth.

Excellent as Zanchy's original piece is, I yet have occasionally ventured both to retrench and to enlarge it, in the translation. To this liberty I was induced, by a desire of rendering it as complete a treatise on the subject as the allotted com

*Sermon upon Providence; from Matth. x. 29, 30.

pass would allow. I have endeavoured rather to enter into the spirit of the admirable author; than with a scrupulous exactness to retail his very words. By which means the performance will prove, I humbly trust, the more satisfactory to the English reader; and, for the learned one, he can at any time, if he pleases, by comparing the following version with the original Latin, both perceive wherein I have presumed to vary from it; and judge for himself whether my omissions, variations, and enlargements, are useful and just.

The Arminiaus (I know not, whether through ignorance, or to serve a turn) affect at present to give out, That Luther and Calvin were not agreed in the article of Predestination. A more palpable mistake was never advanced. So far is it from being true, that Luther (as I can easily prove, if called to it) went as heartily into that doctrine as Calvin himself. He even asserted it with much more warmth, and proceeded to much harsher lengths in defending it, than Calvin ever did, or any other writer I have met with of that age. In the following performance, I have for the most part, carefully retained Zanchy's quotations from Luther; that the reader, from the sample there given, might form a just idea of Luther's real sentiments concerning the points in question.

Never was a publication of this kind more seasonable than at present. Arminianism is the grand religious evil of this age and country. has more or less infected every protestant deno

It

mination amongst us, and bids fair for leaving us, in a short time, not so much as the very profession of godliness. The power of Christianity has, for the most part, taken its flight long ago; and even the form of it seems to be on the point of bidding us farewell. Time has been when the Calvinistic doctrines were considered and defended as the palladium of our established church, by her bishops and clergy; by the universities, and the whole body of the laity. It was (during the reigns of Edward VI. Queen Elizabeth, James I. and the greater part of Charles I.) as difficult to meet with a clergyman, who did not preach the doctrines of the church of England, as it is now to find one who does. We have generally forsaken the principles of the reformation; and Ichabod, or Thy glory is departed, has been written on most of our pulpits and church-doors ever since.

66 Thou, O God, hast brought a Vine out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

"Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root; and it filled the land. "The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

"She sent out her boughs to the sea, and her branches unto the river.

"Why hastthou then broken down her hedges, so that all they, who pass by the way, do pluck her?