And the very truth is , Sir , I my self am much astonished at the Bulk , now all is finished . But I shall give you my Reasons , that made the work to enlarge thus insensibly under my hands .

Sir , you have an Adversary more Confident then strong ; one that ( as I could tell you from credible information ) does not only Publickly brag that he has made you a Dunce , but in every Sermon almost of note that he makes has one Use of Confutation against the learned D. Hammond : Nay that his ordinary Countrey Lectures , and Homilies to the People are full of such Ovations , and not the meanest Pulpit round about him , but has been turned into a Divinity Chair , where Professor-like , he has disciplined , and arraigned , and condemned you in a Scholasticall way .

But I insist not on Report , it is his Pamphlet I fix on . That you , and the world may see , I do not wrong him ( especially because he † † It is my desire and purpose , to have fair wars with you , and my Pen shall not drop a disrespective syllable of you . pag. 17. I hope it may contend with your reply for Civility and fairness in carriage of the Controversie between us , pag. 39. professes Respect ) I shall here , with your Patience , give you in a short List of his Fair and Civill usage .

First then , in a Sarcasticall Irony and Jeer , he calls you great Critick , that is in plain Terms , an empty whiffling Grammarian , and sayes , he is a a Pag. 10. loth to enter into a Contest with so great a Critick , as your self , touching the meaning of a word . And what is it ? The poor English Monosyllable , Mince .

Then in the very same Section he ranks you among the number of those b b Pag. 10. erroneous Persons ( no less then Hereticks without doubt ) that in the first broaching of their Errours Mince the matter and speak more Cautelously , then afterwards , when they are fleshed , and encouraged with success .

Next he tells you ( and in the very same breath where he professes Respect ) that he is c c pag. 17. resolved to swallow none of your Proofless dictates ; and that d d pag. 15. you must pardon him if he entertain not your vehement Asseverations , as solid Arguments , as if they were Propositiones per se notae .

But he has hitherto used you kindly . For in another place in plain terms he challenges you e e pag. 19. to shew any thing for the justification of your Tenent from any Schoolman to be had in Pauls-Churchyard , or at least in the Library at Oxford , the great Bodleys Library .

And as if this had been too little , again he tells the world , that he is f f pag 37. confident that no learned man , either Protestant , or Papist did ever ascribe such growth to the Ardency of Christ as ( you ) this Replyer does .

Then almost in every Section he slyly questions * * Pag. 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 21 , 24 , 34 , 37 , 38 , your Philosophy , and Logick , and skill in the Art of Reasoning , and Syllogism , or sayes † † Pag. 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 16 , 18 , 21. you are impertinent , and speak little sense or * * Pag. 3 , 13 , 14 , 19 , 21 , 22 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 30 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 38 , 39. scornfully puts you to learn , what you are yet ignorant of , from such a place in Scheibler , and Suarez , in Thomas , or Scotus , in Petrus Hurtado de Mendoza , Capreolus , Albertinus , Raunandus , and Collegium Complutense , ( hard names , and that make a deep and reverend sound in our English ears , not acquainted with such charms , ) and this with such slighting behaviour , as if you were some Novice or Fresh-man in the Schools , and knew not how to speak , but in a Criticall way .

But , what is worst of all , he craftily accuses you as a Factor for Popery and broaching such doctrines , that ●a . ●9 , 30 , 31. the Protestants generally oppose in Bellarmine and his Complices .

Nay he is not ashamed to charge your Doctrine , as if it were little less then * * Pag. 27. Hereticall , and speaks in plain terms that your Assertion is * * Nay not only Aquinas , but generally all the Schoolmen and Civilians too , are so precise in this Particular , as that among the Degrees of Damnable Propositions are ranked by them , not onely Propositions downrightly Hereticall , but also , Propositio sapiens Haeresin , Propositio male sonans , every Proposition that doth but smell , that hath but a smack of Heresie , that sounds but ill and suspiciously &c. Mr. H. Jeanes of Abstinence from all Appearance of Evill . 8o . Oxon. 1640. p. 34 , 35. and for this he quotes Albertinus , and Alphonsus à Castro . vid. loc. Propositio male sonans , harshly sounding in the ears of Christians , that are jealous of their Masters honour , and that now ( since his Resutation is published ) he hopes it will be ingeniously confessed by your self upon a review of it .

And then ( for a close ) he declares in his very Title Page that he has proved it to be utterly irreconcilable with the 1. Fullness of Christs Habituall Grace . 2. The Perpetuall Happiness , and 3. the Impeccability of his Soul .

I confess at first reading I was troubled at this usage : but since I see it is the Mode of confuting D. Hammond . And therefore finding the Adversary Confident and Scornfull but withall very weak , I resolved to display both his Ignorance and Folly to the view of all , even the meanest spectators . Nor could I in Justice do less to one , that had so unworthily handled you , without any Provocation .

Indeed what course was else to be taken to answer such severe , but uningenuous Criminations ? Should I onely have tamely replyed , that I had well weighed your Reasons and considered his Replyes , and carefully consulted the Authors he referrs to , and had found he was mistaken , and so left him to a further Proof and Confirmation of his Objections ? I confess that this had been a very short way , and satisfactory enough . For by the Laws and Rules of Disputation , nothing more is required of the Respondent but to deny , or distinguish , where he sees cause , or else plainly to grant the Argument : and the Opponent ( whose place your Refuter evidently sustains ) is bound to prosecute his Objection , till he make the Defendent to yield to the force of his Reason , or by Distinction to shew that it concerns not the Question . But then withall I considered , that if I should have taken this course , I should have said little , to the greatest part of Readers in your Apologie and Defence .

For first , I saw that his Reply was Printed ( I suppose with Licence and Approbation of the present University ) at Oxford . And then secondly , I understood that he had many Admirers , especially among Countrey Divines , and young Students , for his skil in Schoole-learning now a stranger among us . And thirdly I considered , that he being a writer of tall Name , and strong repute among many , I should have gained nothing but contempt among them , for such Answers ; and that the Denyall of a Nameless Author , without Credit , and without Fame , would not at all have Ballanced against the weight of so valued a Schoolman . But lastly , which most moved me , I was not ignorant , that as the Books he referrs to , were very rarely to be had , especially in Private Studies , so even those , that had them , would rather have believed his suggestions , against mine , then put themselves to the Trouble and Expence of consulting and perusall of Authors , to umpire the difference . And therefore I judged it necessary for the Readers satisfaction , and the full defence of that Truth you maintain , to lay down the Authors words at large , and clearly thence prove either his prevaricating or mistakes .

And this is one main Reason of the increase of the Bulk .

A second Motive that drew me to this length , was my unwillingness altogether to spend time in the unprofitable discoveries of an other man's errours , but I rather desired to be didacticall and instructive . And therefore where I saw reason , and the argument was profitable and materiall , I let my pen run beyond the ordinary limits of an elenchticall discourse . And because I saw little or nothing as yet said on either side , to explain the nature of that ardency and love , which was the subject matter of the Dispute , I resolved , as occasion offered , to state it as clearly , as I could , and to my poor abilities open the true nature of it , that so the Reader might be satisfied in the business of the Controversie , and not altogether lose his prospect after the substance , amidst the clouds and smoke of contention , but aswell discover the full lineaments and pourtraicture of that truth , you maintain , as the mistakes of your adversary , and his false shapes and phantasms of it .

A third Reason was because I found your Refuter , having upon the matter done with your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fall to oppose your Doctrine in gross , by Arguments drawn from the fullness and perfection of Christs habituall grace , his perpetuall uninterrupted happiness and impeccability , and from thence had largely digressed to censure a passage in your Treatise of Will-worship , about the sense of the first and great Commandment of Love , and this I must confess made me willing to amplifie and digress , as well as he . Nor have I onely contented my self to answer his Arguments , and acquit and vindicate your Doctrine from the coarse aspersions thrown upon it of Popishly affected , but in a Scholasticall way have treated of the Themes themselves , as well as discovered the gross ignorance of your Adversary . And because his discourse lead me to consider those high and noble Themes of the Love of God , and perfection both Legall and Evangelicall , as also Christs two fold state of Comprehensor and Viator , I was willing to treat of them with that Industry and care , as so weighty Arguments deserved , and have as well Didactically as Eristically considered them . And withall upon occasion where M. Jeanes and M. Cawdrey did agree upon the same common principles of opposition to you , I have ( though contrary to my first design and aim ) fallen upon a vindication of some passages in your Tract of Will-worship , which M. Cawdrey and he had censured , and upon that occasion also I have cleared and confirmed diverse passages in your Account to the Triplex Diatribe .

And then , which is the last great Reason of the bulk of this Discourse , I have taken occasion to prove the Invariability , of Gods love , and to demonstrate that it is no changeable transcendent quality , but one immutable and substantiall act against Crellius and the Socinians , and yet withall declare how God notwithstanding this , is , and may be said to love some more , and some less . I have spoken also of the nature of Acts and Habits , in order to that habituall and actuall love of Christ the main business of the Controversie ; I have proved and confirmed the fullness of Christs habituall grace ; I have treated of his merits , and the nature of his sufferings , and the greatness of them in his bloody agony ; of his twofold will ; and how as God-man he was in capacity to pray ; of his ardency in prayer , and how he might earnestly desire a removall of that cup , which yet he came to drink off . I have treated also of the severall kinds of love agreeing to him , as viator and comprehensor ; of his zeal and hope , and trust in God , and shewed what love of concupiscence and complacency in him was capable of increase , and how all these are different from ardency in Prayer . I have also taken occasion in order to M. Cawdrey but with some reflexions on M. Jeanes to treat of counsels Evangelicall , and Gospel-freewill-offerings , of perfection of life and perfection of state , of works of supererogation , to speak of originall sin , and the opinion of S. Austin in it ; of Man's threefold state ; of growth in grace ; of different degrees in glory ; of the inequality of the Saints and Angels love of God in heaven ; and of Adam's possibility of proficiency in grace in the state of Innocence ; of lukewarmness and sincerity ; of justification , and of the difference of the two Covenants , and Mans severall obligation under them , with other points of this nature , together with some Metaphysicall and Philosophicall notions interspersed . All which as they are themes of high nature , and would not admit of a running discourse , so they are not altogether digressions from the main Argument , especially in order to the Refuters manner of reasoning , that in many parts required it . And becausethe Reader will not ordinarily meet with such arguments treated on in our language , especially in a Scholastical way , I was willing to gratifie him in them , to the utmost of my power . And if he be offended with this my labour of love , and too officious desire to please him , I here promise before you , that if he pardon me this once , he shall not have occasion to blame me for a second-such-offence .

And now having given you the true Reasons of the length of this Discourse , it will be fit I also make you some account of my stile , and my manner of handling it .

As then your Refuter every where pretends to Philosophy and the Schools , so fit it was I should treat him in a Scholasticall way and in writings of this kind : The best ornament arises from the strength and reason of the discourse , and he is most eloquent , that can express his matter clearest , and make such knotty stuff plain . I have seen the statue of a Roman Gladiator pourtrayed naked , and as combating his enemy in the midst of the Amphitheater . And it was a piece of high worth , and curious art , and more rich in the lively representation of the wrathfulness of the look , the stretched and well set muscles , the strong and brawny parts , and the vigour and agility of the limbs , then if he had been carved in the robes of a Senator .

And therefore since my work was for argument and defence , I chose to build my Fabrick not curious , but strong , and because much of my materials were of marble , I laboured onely to polish , not to paint it . And this is the genuine true beauty , that springs from the naturall compactedness , and solidity of the stone ; and he that strives to trim it with painting , though of gold and vermilion , doth but hide , not adorn it . Such embellishments are onely fit for less solid materials . And therefore , Sir , as I cannot tempt my Reader , or beguile his patience to the end of the discourse , with artificiall expressions , and curious conceits , and lively flashes of wit : so I must tell him that if he look for colours , and varnish and eloquence , he must not seek after Architects and Schoolmen , but Limners and Romances . For though Embroderies and lace , rich jewels , and curled tresses , are the usuall ornaments of brides , yet they are as unhandsome , and commonly suspected as meretricious in matrons .

I care not then for neatness , if you , that are best able , judge me solid and strong . And I doubt not but the knowing Reader will be better contented with the plain demonstration and proof of a conclusion , then if I had written in a strain of the declamations of Quintilian and Seneca's controversies .

But yet Sir , because the age is more for phansie then reason , and better pleased with fine and aery discourses , then with solid and plain , and because I have known some exquisite Architects that have been curious Painters too , I was willing , where the matter would bear , and needed rather illustration then proof , to let my phansie take wing , and to range and sore about like a haggard Hawke , that in a Sunshine day more minds her weathering then her prey . And willing I was , though in the middest of the Schools not to be alwayes severe , but amidst business and reason to yield a little to the garbe and mode of the age , and to gratifie the Printer so far , as to let the world see , that where my expressions are plain , and after the manner of the Schools , it arose not altogether from barrenness of wit , and a lowness of expression , but election and choice .