Antidote Against Arminianism, Frontispiece – Preface
Christopher Nelse aetatis suae 56: 1678 Minniſter of the Goſpel in fleet ſtreet London.
AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST Arminianiſm: OR, A Succinct DISCOƲRSE, to Enervate and Confute all the five Points thereof, to wit, Predeſtination grounded upon Man's foreſeen Works. Univerſal Redemption. Sufficient Grace in All. The Power of Man's Free-will in Converſion, and The Poſſibility of True Saints falling away Totally and Finally. All which are Demonſtrated here to be Damnable Errours, both by Scriptures and Reaſon, &c. All Undeniable and Uncontroulable.
Publiſhed for Publick Good By CHRISTOPHER NESS, Author of the Hiſtory and Myſtery of the Old and New Teſtament, and of many more Books, &c.
In magnis voluiſſe ſat eſt.
Difficilium facilis eſt Venia.
LONDON, Printed by R. Tookey for Tho. Cockerill, at the Bible and Three Leggs, over againſt Grocers-Hall, in the Poultrey. 1700.
THE PREFACE.
Candid READER,
OBſerve theſe Few Conſiderations: Altho? this Enchiridion, or Small Manual and Portable Pocket-Book be very little in it Self and Subſtance, yet ought it not therefore to be deſpiſed: For,
Firſt, We read how the Mighty Angel of the Covenant, had a very little Book open in his Hand, Rev. 10.2. The Greek Word is [foreign] not foreign, but a Threefold Diminutive, as Liber, Libellus and Libellunculus; yet this little Book did contain in it, the great Concerns of the Redeemers little, little Flock [foreign] a double Diminutive, as Chriſt calls them, Luk. 12.32. The Bible it ſelf is but a little Book, in compariſon of thoſe vaſt Folio's of School-Doctors and Popiſh Decretals, wherewith the World is peſter'd, &c. and that little Book was not ſhut or ſealed, but it was open by the Lamb's Purchaſe: 'Tis the Work of Antichriſt to keep it ſhut, yea, and it muſt alſo be eaten, ver. 10. that is, it muſt go down and be Hid in our Hearts, Pſal. 119.11. then the ſimpleſt Soul may have right Conceptions of it, Deut. 30.11.
Secondly, This little Book hath coſt me great Study and Labour to compoſe it, that it might contain the very Cream and Quinteſſence of the beſt Authors upon this Subject: Moreover, It hath coſt me likewiſe many Ardent Prayers to God, and many Earneſt Wreſtlings with God, that I might not be one of thoſe that rebel againſt the Light, Job 24.13. but that in His Light I might ſee Light, Pſal. 36.9. and to have my Eyes anointed with Chriſt's Eye-ſalve, Rev. 3.18. that I might ſee more clearly into theſe Profound Points, which hath very much puzzled ſo much of the Chriſtian World. Inſomuch that the Orthodox do complain in our Day (only with a little Difference) as bleſſed Athanaſius did in his Day, who then ſigh'd out thoſe ſad Words [Totus Mundus eſt Arrianus] ſo 'tis the ſad ſigh of our preſent Times, that [Totus Mundus eſt Arminianus].
Thirdly, Leſt this overflowing Deluge ſhould bring Deſtruction upon us, there is great need that ſome Servants of Chriſt ſhould run to ſtop the farther ſpreading of this Plague and Leproſie: Thus Moſes, God's Servant, ſtood in the Gap, and ſtopped the Deſtruction of Iſrael, Pſal. 106.23. & Numb. 14.10,11,12., to 20. And at another Time this Moſes (who was quick-ſighted by his great Familiarity with God) did ſoon ſee that Wrath was gone out from the Lord againſt Iſrael, then he commands Aaron to run, and take a Cenſer and offer up an Atonement, &c. all which when Aaron had done, the Plague was ſtayed, Numb. 16.46,47,48. And the Neglect of this Duty the Lord complains of, that He found none of his Servants to ſtand in the Gap, &c. Ezek. 13.5. & 22.30. While I was conſidering thoſe Things, the Lord ſtirred up my Spirit, to do as is done in Common Conflagrations, when every one runs with the beſt Bucket he can get, wherewith to quench the Devouring Flames, and to ſtop them, that they may not proceed to lay all waſte before them.
Fourthly, When I had compleated this ſhort Compendium (which I drew up many Years ago) I ſhewed it to Dr. John Owen, Mr. Nicholas Lockier and Mr. George Griffith; Who all Unanimouſly approv'd of it, and wrote an Epiſtle Commendatory to it, ſubſcribing it with all their Three Hands, which is too large here to inſert, becauſe I am confined to but four Pages for my Preface, &c. the Truth of the Premiſſes I do affirm (as the Phraſe is) In Verbo Sacerdotis, &c.
Fifthly and Laſtly, As a Little Map doth repreſent a Large Country at one View, which will take up much Time to Travel over, &c. So this foreign, Multum in Parvo, read it ſeriouſly without Partiality, and the Lord give you Underſtanding in all, &c.
So prayeth Yours in the beſt Bonds, Chriſto. Neſs. Sept. 30. 1700.