The True Idea of Jansenism Both Historic and Dogmatic, Foreword
A Premonition.
THis little Treatise owes … Production to a sober …riosity the Author had, to satis… himself and some inquisiti… friends, touching the …rue Id… Rise, and Progress of Jansenism … which has, for well nigh the… thirty years, made so great noise in Europe; and in all like… hood, will yet prove more dif…sive. And that which more ef…ctually engaged the Author in … Inquisition, was some advanta… he had to informe himself the… in, from his personal Conversat… among the different Parties, co…cerned in this Controversie.
The Author himself being a person disinteressed, he conceives he may, with a greater liberty, and exactitude of Spirit, make some Reflections on, and Relation of this Affair. Neither does he act the part of a Disputant, but Historian; with endeavours nakedly and faithfully to relate matters of fact, and Doctrine, according to the best Memoires he could procure, both from one & t'other Partie: wherein if he has failed of his design, it must be imputed to the defects of his Intelligence, and not to any voluntary injustice of Spirit.
Such was the Original of this little Piece; which was, in its first lines, formed into a Letter, not exceeding the bounds of one Sheet, for the private satisfaction, or rather divertisement, of some friends; but since enlarged upon the perswasion of intelligent persons, that the subject may be o… use, to awaken mens expectations, &c. The Author has con…sidered, that this small tract i… like to meet with as many Judges as Readers; neither is he ignorant what an hazard he runs, by committing it to publique view … but that, which he mostly affects▪ is such an exact and just Temperament of spirit, as not to be moved or influenced by the various Judgements, much less humors of men, farther than they tend to correct what is defectuous, and render him more serviceable to the Publique: and so far he hopes, that the most severe Censures will not be less welcome, than advantageous.