I should hope to be a constant hearer of him and also be very sorry for what I have writ and said against him and others formerly and for the time to come I should think my self an accursed of God if I should continue in that reviling and railing way against them and also that I could not go to Church upon any other account untill I were satisfied then Christ bid his Disciples and the multitude go to hear the Scribes and Pharisees and doubtless I may say of these men as hereticks and dissemblers Matth. 23.1 2 3 4 5. vers what they bid you observe that observe and do for they say and do not so we may say of these men being rotten Calvinists in this opinion and Arminians in their Pulpits for they believe one thing and say clean contrary several other reasons I did give as my wife being unsatisfied which was no small trouble unto me and also for the disciplining of my family in the wayes of God and how that many of my friends and acquaintance do think me a very factions and dissenting man though I could never hear any give any other then a popish reason because I will not believe as my Priest believes which belief as yet is non-sense unto me but all would not prevail with him neither now nor before to set pen to paper to give me the least satisfaction Now Gentlemen if you think their opinion to be a truth of God which for my part as yet I say God for bid it should then my earnest suit unto you is that all or some one of you would do that Christian-like favour as to give me a plain and distinct answer unto Three Questions which I shall propose The first question is that God having ordained that the greatest part of man-kind shall certainly perish for their sins not having any means given from above tending unto their salvation That whether all those souls that shall so perish are not damn'd for not doing impossibilities The second question is they say as God hath ordained the end of the reprobates which is damnation so hath he ordained the means tending unto their damnation For this I desire to know how God can be excused from not being called the absolute Author of sin which is blasphemy of the highest degree The third question is to give a reason why should all sorts of Ministers in very many of their Sermons be very commonly bawling and crying upon every man telling us it is our own faults and for our own wickedness God will damn us and that they have discharged their duties in telling us of our sins and of the dangerous consequence that will follow which is Hell-fire and so perswading us to repentance and amendment of life that we may attain everlasting glory and so we may thank our selves for our own damnation because we would not believe and repent when their cursed opinion stares them in the face with a lie that we could not believe and repent because of Gods decree so that now if you please to make a satisfactory answer unto these three Questions here propounded I am confident both my self and many thousands more will have very high thoughts both of your selves and also of that opinion In regard I did make bold with Mr Smith and Mr Montagues names formerly for to receive satisfaction of Mr Pickering and Mr Newton it being a business of so high a nature in respect of mens salvations I will once more presume upon their goodness as not to take exceptions that I will nominate them again and in case they do receive satisfaction from you in writing within a moneth I hope that then I shall not be so refractory but to acknowledge my rashness I do believe I am much envyed by many men of your coats for the writing such harsh language concerning Mr Pickering and Mr Newton in saying if they would not give a satisfactory answer unto my Letter about this opinion men would not onely think them a parcel of dunstical fellows but also judge them a parcel of mercenary Priests more fitting for to keep Hogs then to continue in the Ministery for to befool the people any longer I confess for Mr Pickerings part I could wish I had been a little more sparing but assure your selves I can shew cause for it but for Mr Newtons part if it had been five times worse he had but his deserts but I hope my writing in that language unto them your charities will be such that you will not refuse the answering of this in case you should my desire is for you to do me the favour in presenting my service by a Letter unto Dr Channell who in the esteem of the world is a very eminent knowing man I do not doubt but he will endeavour to clear this point of conscience which I profess before Almighty God there is nothing I aime at more then to have my minde and conscience well setled which hath broken more hours of sleep with me then every one can imagine but in case none of you will answer it let me desire this one favour of you that you wil speedily acquaint Colonel Morley with this writing or some other knowing Justice of the Peace that if it do appear I have offended the laws of God or man I shall desire no favour and if I have not offended I hope they may be as instruments for the stopping of the mouthes of all such jugling Teachers So concludeth he whose mite of prayer I hope shall never be wanting to be cast into the treasury of the Almighty for the peace of Jerusalem Kingston-Bowsey Jan. 26. 1655. EDWARD CHOUNE A Copy of the Answer unto this fore written Letter I received fom the Lecturers of Lewis and Brighthelmeston Sir WE judge it needless to answer your paper in writing you have a full answer in those who have answered your Authors who strengthen you in your opinions as in Bishop Carleton Dr Featly Bishop Davenant Dr Kendall Dr Twisse Dr Prideaux Dr Ames read some of these with a single eye pray for understanding if any scruple remain we shall at all opportunities by conserring either joyntly or severally and when you please clear the truth unto you provided that you come in the spirit of meekness take notice that the truths which you decry as horrid and cursed are held forth in the publick confessions of the Protestant Church beyond the Seas in the Articles of Religion and Confessions of Faith of the Church of England whereof you profess your self a member what you utter or write let it be against those and in their own words not as you report opinions to render them odious we pass over your unchristian language praying the Lord to give you pardon and repentance and to grant you the spirit of truth who is also the spirit of meekness that he may lead you into all truth casting down your reasonings and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
yet by all the endeavours that is possible the creature can use will any thing avail with God to free themselves from that place of to ment And also maintain that as God hath ordained the end of the reprobate which is damnation so hath he ordained the means tending unto their damnation These opinions appearing so dreadful unto me I have often sollicited them how I might hear them preach and pray with any comfort for answering me in writing they are so ashamed of their opinion that they would never set pen to paper for to give the least satisfaction and all the summe of their discourse is nothing but this if a man be not reprobated he shall be sure to have comfort by their preaching which for my part I think if there be no more satisfaction to be given for this simple opinion all you Ministers may go into your pulpits and tell us stories of Tom an Oaks and John a Styles and as much good it will do in respect of our salvations I have heard one of them should say I were so wilful I would not be satisfied whereupon I writ unto them if they did but give Mr Smith and Mr Mountague both Ministers who are not unknown unto you satisfaction I would then acknowledge my rashness but instead of giving them satisfaction upon a Sunday Mr Newton having not the fear of God before his eyes told me a most damnable lie of Mr Smith saying he disavowed my opinion much wondring at me I admiring at this change in Mr Smith meeting with him that week did charge him with it he professed to me that he did not deny it in the least tittle but told me Mr Pickering desired to speak with him they did meet and Mr Pickering had framed a writing about the opinion and was very importunate for Mr Smith to set his hand unto it which he refused to do telling Mr Pickering they were not to preach unto stocks and stones but unto rational creatures as for Mr Mountague he denied his setting his hand unto Mr Pickerings writing also and I suppose is unmoveable in respect of this opinion now let the world judge if Mr Newton did not tell a most wilful lie of Mr Smith A man would much wonder to see men quote St Augustine Bishop Overal the Church of England and many others to maintain both sides opinions being as much difference as there is betwixt light and darkness I will instance in some of their sayings as they are quoted unto me Bish Davenant quotes Austin in these words Whether ye run or sleep or whether ye receive the word into your hearts or reject it yet in the conclusion ye shall be such as God who is invincible decreed you should be This saith Davenant is a most true doctrine but because in the manner of propounding it seemeth to separate the end from the means and invite men unto slothfulness therefore as it is most true so it is most wicked to teach The other side quotes Austin in these words We abominate the blasphemy of those who teach that any thing is commanded of God which is impossible for man to do and also saith that Austin shall speak so plainly and as strongly to maintain reprobation to be a conditional thing as any man that can be bribed to be an advocate or a witness Bishop Davenant quotes the Church of England and Bishop Overall calling him the judicious Bishop to maintain that God by his eternal decree did give his infallible grace unto some for bringing them to glory which he resolved not to bestow unto others which must perish The other side quotes the Church of England saying it is precisely the judgment of the Church and quotes Bishop Overol for the interpreting the mind of her articles in this particular that reprobation is a conditional thing and saying he was as well able to do it as any man that ever lived also quoting the 2.7 and 31. Articles to make it good I will write down the 31 Article The oblation of Christ once made is a perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world as well original as actuall Either those men which I have read on both sides are mistaken in their interpretations or else St Austin Bishop Overall and the framers of the Articles of the Church of England and others were fools and knaves to write such things for the shewing themselves to be Jack on both sides yet I confess this wonder may quickly cease considering a Proverb now used that men are not ashamed in making Gods word a Nose of Wax for the framing of it unto any fashion doubtless a man may quote thousands of places of Scripture which do evidently make it appear that reprobation is a conditional thing I will instance in but a few and them I will forbear writing down knowing who I write unto as Deut. 5.29 Psal 7.13 the whole 15 Psalme and Psal 81.14 15. Psal 145.9 Ezek. 18.21 and 33.11 Hosea 13.9 Micah 7.18 Matth. 25.41 Mark 16.15 Luke 13.34 and 19.42 John 1.9 and 3.19 Acts 17.30 Rom. 14.15 1 Cor 8.11 1 John 2.2 1 Tim. 4.6 2 Pet. 3 9 now if all these places cited do not sufficiently prove reprobation to be a conditional thing and that every son of Adam especially all those that live under the sound of the Gospel are in a capacity of salvation notwithstanding any decree of God For my part I do verily believe 't is not a three penny matter whether Christ had ever shed any bloud or whether there were any Scripture or no and also no matter whether ever any Minister preach or pray more This is my belief if I am in an errour the Lord help and instruct me for if God hath decreed from all eternity infallibly to save the smallest part and infallibly to damn the greatest part of man-kind I would fain see any rational cause given why all men should be invited to look heaven-ward when this cursed opinion saith all the Devils in hell cannot keep one of the elect from glory and all the saint-like actions in the world that is posble for the creature to do cannot keep one of the reprobates from damnation But I thank my God being of a contrary judgment I do think Christ shedding his bloud the Scriptures and the praying and preaching of Ministers to be all very necessary unto salvation I hearing Mr Newton preach about a moneth since did like his Sermon and Prayer very well because it did not clash with the Scripture but very much with his opinion I sent him a Letter with some of the heads of his Sermon and Prayer advising him if he could make it appear that the doctrine of his Sermon and Prayer did not contradict his private judgment before any rational man that then I would very willingly shake hands with him concerning his opinion and telling him whereas I had not heard him preach above three or four times for above a twelve moneth
to whose grace you are commended by your well wishing friends The Lecturers of Lewis and Brighthelmston I received this the 12 of March 1655. they sending it without dating A Copy of the Answer unto this Letter before written Sirs I Received a thing like a Letter with no mans hand unto it wherein you judge my Paper sent unto you concerning absolute reprobation needless to be answered in regard some learned Bishops and Doctors have answered my Authors fully as you say wishing me to read their works with a single eye and then if any scruple arise if I come unto you with the spirit of meekness you would by conference cleer the truth for what I have read and heard of Bishop Davenant Doctor Twisse and Doctor Prideaux it hath more confirmed and strengthened me in my opinion then otherwise it is above a year since that I did first speak and write unto many of you upon several Christian considerations to give me some satisfaction and now at the last you have sent me a piece of Paper which is little better worth then to wipe ones breech for any satisfaction I can see in it Now if this be all the advice you can give me let me desire you all that writ unto me for to accept of the same advice from me In the first place with an honest and consciencious heart read the word of God Austin and Tertullian being quoted unto me I will also put you in mind of their sayings Austin saith you must not contradict plain places of Scripture because your shallow brains cannot comprehend the obscure Tertullian saith A few testimonies must receive an exposition answerable unto the current of the Scriptures not contrary And as Mr. Pierce saith Is there no other way to understand those Texts in Rom. 9. then to make those Texts which sound severely to clash with those that sound compassionately let us not do so having a thousand compassionate plain places of Scripture unto one harsh and obscure read also Bishop Montague and he will tell you that you swerve from the Church of England in maintaining your erroneous point of absolute reprobation one of my Authors quoted Bishop Overal in his interpretation of the 39. Articles who saith the maintenance of absolute reprobation is precisely against the judgement of the Church of England pray read also Bishop Harsnets Sermon on Ezek 33. v. 11. which will tell you your blasphemous opinion is grown high monstrous that it is like unto Goliah that men tremble and shake at it and no man reacheth his hand to Davids sling to cast it down but in the name of the Lord of hosts we will encounter it for it hath not reviled the host of the living God but the God of hosts read also Doctor Jacksons Treatise on Gods attributes Doctor Hammonds Fundamentals who will tell you that your opinion is against the judgement of the Church of England read Doctor Potters Apology Mr. Goodwin his agreement and distance of the brethren read also Haggars Stoicks and Moalamb on Rom. 9. and many other books but beyond all compare let me commend unto you Mr. Hoord and Mr. Piercy's books for I believe they have so sufficiently maintained that doctrine against your blasphemous opinion as they call it of absolute reprobation both by Scripture by Antiquity and by Reason that the wit of man is not able to give any considerable answer by Scripture by Antiquity by Reason to gain-say it doubtless these men will give you satisfaction if any scruple do arise My desire is that any two of you Lecturers will give me a meeting five ten or twenty miles from home and I will meet you and by Gods help will give you better satisfaction for the maintenance of my opinion then ever I received from any of you against it provided you will come with an humble spirit keeping close unto the Scriptures and cast away all carnall inventions but to meet a multitude I will not be baited at or for fear I may be jugled out of my wits by such a company you would have me also utter and write against the Protestants beyond the Seas and the Framers of the Articles of the Church of England And in their words for the greatest part of the Protestants beyond the Sea holds against your wretched opinion as I have been well satisfied and will sooner close with the Papists in respect of their religion then with your selves as for the Church of England the framers of the Articles have left them in such a dubious way that some Bishops and Doctors and other inferiour Ministers do interpret the Articles absolutely against that horrid point of absolute reprobation and some Bishops Doctors and other inferiour Ministers do interpret the same articles making absolute reprobation a truth of God just as they do the Scripture framing it unto any fashion or shape Now if this be a truth as you maintain that God by his eternal and unalterable decree hath elected the smallest part of mankind infallibly unto glory and reprobated the greatest part of man-kind unto damnation I would fain hear any rational man give a reason why it should be an errour in me for saying I would not give three pence a dozen for all the Bishops Doctors and other inferiour Ministers in Christendome unless I had a commission to sell them to the great Turk and also for my wondering that our forefathers should so unadvisedly suffer these drones to suck so much of the good of the land as allowing in all places the Tenth of the Revenues and in many places to my knowledg at this day they enjoy the sixth part of the Revenues of the land and beyond sea amongst the Papists as I have read all sorts of their dronish Clergy enjoy almost half of the revenues of their lands now if this be a truth of God what is the Priests work both here and beyond sea but onely to enslave mens consciences whilest they live here on earth and I would fain see any judicious man who renounceth his believing because his Priest believes it to give a satisfactory answer why so many bagpipe players as there are Priests which may be competently maintained with an hundredth part of the Priests charge may not do God and man as good service in respect of mens salvation to keep one merry day in a week let it be Sunday or any other day either in this Nation or in any other part of the world provided that that judicious man shall grant that which all you maintain that is that all the Devils in Hell cannot keep one of the Elect from glory neither Christ Jesus nor all the Saint-like actions in the world that is possible for the creature to do can keep one of the reprobates from damnation this being granted if I am in an errour I have a longing desire to be convinced by Scripture and reason I have already written to you under my hand which opinion I suppose you maintain because I