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the author must suppose that they find it much easier to meet his work with silent neglect, than fairly to reply to the arguments which it contains: for he will not affect to believe, that it has been considered by them as too insignificant to be worthy of any public notice or reply. He would, however, confidently challenge any of them fairly to answer his arguments; and he must conclude, till this be done, that they are considered as unanswerable.

Aston Sandford, March 5, 1817.

REMARKS

ON THE

'REFUTATION OF CALVINISM.'

ON THE PREFACE.

His Lordship, though he says, 'The design of 'the following work is, to refute the peculiar doc'trines of the system of theology, which was main'tained by Calvin,' undoubtedly intends to refute modern Calvinists; and therefore their, tenets should, in the first place, have been stated with precision and accuracy.

In addition to the multifarious quotations which have been made from authors of discordant sentiments, or perhaps in preference to some of them, a collection of passages should, in fairness, have been brought from the works of that company whose opinions were to be refuted. The want of this must be sensibly felt by all serious and impartial inquirers after truth; by all readers who, in the true spirit of an English jury, desire to have the witnesses examined, and the counsel heard, on both

1

sides, even before they hear the judge sum up the evidence, and deliver his charge: much more before they bring in the important verdict, on which the property, the liberty, the reputation, the country, or even the life, of a fellow citizen may depend.

BOOK I.

ON ORIGINAL SIN, FREE-WILL, AND THE OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

CHAPTER I.

ON ORIGINAL SIN, AND THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF OUR FALLEN NATURE.

SECTION I.

On Original Sin.

As the whole argument, concerning the several doctrines maintained in this publication, is inseparably connected with the fall of Adam, and its consequences on all his posterity, it is of the highest importance for us to obtain distinct and scriptural views on that leading subject: and it is indispensable to the right understanding of what follows, that the author should clearly state his sentiments respecting it.

"God created man in his own image and like"ness :" he then pronounced the whole of what he had created" very good ;" and he "rested," as acquiescing with perfect satisfaction in the work which he had finished. He placed our first parents in the garden of Eden, and gave them permission to eat of all its fruits, except the fruit of one tree,

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