where he might generare patres, be instrumental in converting those, whose profession it would be to convert others. After some time, upon the resignation of De Chadderton, he was appointed master of Emmanuel-college, through the unanimous consent of the fellows, and especially by means of the duke of Buckingham. Here he employed himself with uncommon diligence, and was of the most eminent service to that foundation.

Upon an intention of sending Sir Arthur Chichester (the ancestor of the earls of Donegal) ambassador into Germany, it was resolved that Mr Preston should attend him as his chaplain; and, upon this occasion, for the more honour, was admitted doctor in divinity. But this embassy did not take place; and so the doctor remained at home.

Soon after this he was chosen lecturer of Trinity-church in Cambridge, after much opposition, and against the will of the court, excepting the duke of Buckingham, who took all opportunities to oblige the Puritans, whose power (says Clarke) in parliament was now grown very formidable.' This was the last preferment Dr Preston had and this he held till his death.

Our Author had a remarkable controversy with Dr Mountague, the famous Arminian of that day, with an account of which we will present our Readers in the words of Mr Clarke, (or rather Mr Ball) who hath written both it and his life, though not with the greatest precision and accuracy.

• Dr Preston's friends would not be satisfied, but urged a conference, whereunto they were encouraged by some orthodox and very learned bishops, and at last it was concluded by two religious noblemen, that a conference there should be, the bishop of Rochester and Dr White, then dean of Carlisle, on the one side, and the bishop of Coventry and Litchfield, and Dr Preston on the other. A day was set, a Saturday in Hillary term, at four of the clock in the afternoon; the place was York-house, and Dr Preston sent to in the morning for to attend it. The noblemen came unto the bishop's lodgings, about two of the clock, and sent for Dr Preston to them, who gave many reasons why he could not go, but they were resolute, and taking the bishop with them went without him; but the doctor considering, and fearing his absence might betray the cause, and give encouragement unto the other side, went afterward himself unto the place, and sat by as an hearer silent until all was done; but talking afterwards occasionally of

falling,

falling from grace, the bishop shewed that a godly matt might go far, and yet return, by the instance of the prodigal, Luke xv. but Dr White exclaimed against any that should think the prodigal in acts of drunkenness and whoredom not to be fallen from grace, and urged that of the apostle, Rom. i. 32. that those that do such things are worthy of death; that is, said he, in a state of everlasting death, and therefore fallen from grace; so 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. shall not inherit the kingdom of God; that is, are not sons, for if sons, then heirs, Rom. viii. 17.

But Dr Preston answered, that these sins made indeed a forfeiture of all their interest into the hands of God, and he might make the seisure if he pleased, but did not unto those which were his children, and in covenant with him; as two tenants, by not paying of their rent, or keeping covenants, forfeited their leases, yet the lord might seize the one, and not the other, as. he pleased. But the bishop and the dean both cried out, this was the way to all licentiousness and looseness. To which the doctor answered, that the seed of God, as the apostle calls it, 1 John iii. 9. remained in the sinning saint, or son, and would repair him; as in water, there remains a principle of cold, even when it boileth " over, that will undoubtedly reduce it, when the heat and fire is removed, as in Pèter, David, Samson, and others, was apparent; so that they could not run out into all licentiousness, for the Spirit lusted against the flesh, that they cannot do the things they would, Gal. v. 17. and though he did not disinherit them, and blot their names out of the book of life, Phil. iv. 3. yet he might, and would withdraw his favour, imbitter all their comforts, Matt. xxvi. 75. raise trouble to them from their dearest interests, 2 Sam. xii. 11. fill them with anguish, Psalm xxxviii. 3, 4. which in reason will keep them from running out, seeing the evil is commensurable unto that good of pleasure or profit their sin • afforded; and if need be, he can add unto it eternal apprehensions, and make them feel the fierceness of his anger, Psalm lxxxviii. 6, 7. without any hope of being eased; anda fter this can restrain and withhold them, as he did Abimelech, Gen. xx. 6. For if one cease to be a son, because he commits a sin that doth deserve eternal ' death, then every sin a child of God commits, rends his relation or sonship off; for every sin deserves eternal death, Rom. vi. 23. and because in many things we of• fend

fend all, James iii. 2. we should be always out of sonship, and have neither certainty nor comfort in our estate, unless he could give some ground out of the scripture, to assure what sins put us out, and what did not. When the time came for the second conference, the doctor readily appeared, and the first thing he charged Mr Mountague withal, was about his doctrine of traditions, which he affirmed he had delivered as grossly and erroneously as any papist, Gag. p. 38, 39, 40. For he justified that place in Basil, where he says, The doctrine retained in the church, was delivered, partly by < written instructions, partly by unwritten traditions, having both a like force unto piety; which was so unlike to Basil, and the opinions of those times, that it was generally believed to be put in by the Papists of later times. Mr Mountague confessed, it was suspected by some of the preciser cut; but Dr Preston told him, bishop Bilson was none of them, yet he did judge it suppositious; and it must be so, or Basil, acknowledged to be erroneous. For he instanceth in praying towards the east, and use of chrism, or oil in baptism; both which being rejected by the church of England, argues they held that place of Basil not canonical.

Mr Mountague answered, that doya there used by St Basil, might signify a thing that seemed so, and so the sense might be, that some things that seemed true, of less esteem and consequence, might be delivered by tradition, as long as matters more substantial were taken from the scriptures. But Dr Preston shewed that doyua ⚫ signified oftentimes doctrine, and was used here by Basil for those heads of doctrine that were more principal, and less exposed, comparing them unto those places in the temple, whereunto the people had not access.

Mr Mountague answered farther, that his assertion was hypothetical, that if a doctrine came from the same author, it was no great matter, whether it were by writ⚫ing or word of mouth, for either had the same authority. < But Dr Preston told him, Basil was positive, and spake directly, and him he justified, and therefore could not be hypothetical, as he pretended.

It is a great step unto victory somtimes to divide. Paul 'sets the Pharisees against the Sadducees, Acts xxiii, 6, 7, 8. that he might save himself. The Jesuits are so good at it, that though they have but one to be their adversary, they will endeavour to divide him from himself, by moving passion, or compassion, or some affection of his $ OWB

' own against him. Dr White had openly in the commencement house, maintained that election is not ex prævisis operibus, and therefore Dr Preston resolved to pinch Mr Mountague in that particular, that he might ‹ bereave him of his animating champion, Dr White.

There were four several places that Dr Preston had • observed to make good this charge, the first which he produced, was Gag. p. 179. Some Protestants hold, that Peter was saved, because God would have it so, without respect unto his faith and obedience; and Judas ⚫ damned, because God would have it so, without respect ⚫ unto his sin. And added, this is not the doctrine of the ‹ Protestants, this is not the doctrine of the church, the church of England hath not taught it, doth not believe it, hath opposed it.

Now Dr White was very fierce and eager to engage, told him it was no doctrine of the church of England, but a private fancy of some, that Judas was condemned ⚫ without respect unto his sin; For the wages of sin is death, Rom. vi. 23. The soul that sinneth shall die, Ezek. . xviii. 4. But Dr Preston answered, he did not charge that upon Mr Mountague, but the former part of the assertion, that Peter was not saved, without respect unto his believing and obedience, and so election should not be absolute, but grounded upon faith and works, foreseen. • Then saith Dr White, I have nothing against that, but leave Mr Mountague to answer for himself.

Dr Preston was glad that he was eased of Dr White, and yet resolved to make advantage of it, and therefore told Dr White, if he thought election was not ex fide pravisá, he desired to know whether saving grace were an effect, and fruit of election, or no? Dr White acknowledged readily it was; then said Dr Preston, whosoever hath saving grace is elected. Now you know that an elect person can never finally miscarry, or fall away; therefore whoever hath true grace, can never fall away. The old man saw the snare, and would have avoided it, by denying the consequence. But the doctor urged, that wheresoever the effect is, there must be the cause, but saving grace is an effect of election. This Dr White would have denied, but the hearers murmured that the effect could not be without the cause, as the day is not without the presence of the sun. Then Dr White answered, that saving grace was an effect indeed, but a common effect. But Dr Preston urged, that it was not more common than election; for all the • elect

elect had saving grace, and none but they; and therefore they could never fall away. But this (said he) is by the way, I will now apply myself to Mr Mounta.6 gue.

But when Mr Mountague perceived that his great Goliah, Dr White, forsook him, he was greatly troubled, and cavilled at the words a while, but the book adjudg⚫ing it for Dr Preston, he said the church of England ⚫ had not declared any thing against it. Dr Preston al⚫ledged the seventeenth article, but told master Mounta< gue, that he had affirmed the church of England did oppose it, and he desired to know where?

But after one of the lords had whispered with Mr Mountague, he confessed, that for Arminius, he had never read him, and that he had written some things negligently in that book, which he never thought should thus be scanned among friends, and therefore promised to write another book in butter and honey, and therein more exactly to acquit himself.

Some of the good lords proposed that, instead of this book which Mr Mountague had promised to write, the synod of Dort might be received and established as the doctrine of the church of England, seeing there was nothing there determined but what our delegates approved. But Dr White opposed this mainly; for (said he) the ⚫ church of England in her catechism teacheth to believe in • God the Son, who redeemed me and all mankind, which that synod did deny.

6

Dr Preston answered, that, by redemption, there was only meant the freeing of mankind from that inevitable ruin the sin of Adam had involved them in, and making of them saveable upon conditions of another covenant, John iii. 16, 17. so as now salvation was not impossible, as it was before the death of Christ, but might be of⚫fered unto any man, according to the tenor of that commission, Mark xvi. 15, 16. Which could not be unto ⚫ the devils, for they were left in that forlorn condition, whereunto their sin and disobedience put them, Heb. ii. 16. 2 Peter ii. 4. that the jailor was a boisterous bloody fellow, Acts xvi. 24, 27. yet Paul makes no doubt to • tell him, ver. 31. That if he believed on the Lord Jesus, he should be saved with his house.

But Dr White in no sort received this but affirmed earnestly, that Christ died for all alike in God's intention and decree; for Cain as well as Abel, for Saul as much as David, for Judas as much as Peter, for the re• probate