modern Humanitarian who renounces the doctrine of the Trinity. If the Primitive Church, replies the Socinian, knew nothing of my doctrine; and if that be a solid reason for rejecting it: truly the Primitive Church knew just as little of your System of Election; and, therefore, that System must be rejected also. 3. But, on the contrary, let us take the solid ground of Antiquity, as directed by the admirable canon of Tertullian: and we shall have taken a ground, rendered impregnable by the inevitable deduction from historical testimony. I say inevitable, not because some wrong-headed individuals may not refuse to draw such a deduction, but because, according to the dictates of right reason, such a deduction cannot but be drawn from such premises. Hence the general result will be: that The System of Election, received and taught by the earliest Church of the two first centuries, cannot fail to set forth the real sense of Divine Revelation. V. To prevent any misapprehension as to the nature and object of the present Work, it may be proper, once for all, to state: that, agreeably to its title, I wish it to be considered, not as controversial according to the usual import of the term controversial, but altogether as historically inquisitorial. Doctrinal Accuracy is, at all times and in all cases, desireable: and, even on points which are so far open, that they involve not, either by their admission or by their rejection, our eternal welfare; it is better, to theologise correctly, than to theologise incorrectly. With a sole view, then, to Doctrinal Accuracy, and not for the purpose of what is called writing against any particular class of opinions, I have instituted this Inquiry (and I would have it deemed only an Inquiry) into the sentiments of the Primitive Church, and, through the medium of those sentiments, into the real mind of the holy revealed word of God. Yet, in prosecuting such an Inquiry, it is obvious, that the Truth could not be ascertained without a collateral exhibition and rejection of Error. Nevertheless, since my researches lead me to esteem both Arminianism and Nationalism and Calvinism, as alike, though in different degrees, erroneous; because they have alike, though in different degrees, departed from the apostolic judgment of the earliest Christian Antiquity: I may perhaps, if I can claim nothing else, at least hope fairly to claim the praise of rigid and honest impartiality. Sherburn-House, Dec. 6. 1834. CONTENTS. Since SOME doctrine of Election is undeniably taught in Scrip- ture, the question is WHAT doctrine ought to be received as the true scriptural doctrine. p. 3. |