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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79533	A whip for the lecturers of Lewis, and for all those Presbyterians, and others of the clergy which maintain that damnable opinion of absolute reprobation, according to the sense of the within written paper. With an exact copy of two several letters sent unto the the said lecturers, wherein the author desires satisfaction concerning the said opinion, with an answer to one of the said letters, being a true copy also. / By Edward Choune ...	Choune, Edward.	1657 (1657)	Wing C3929; ESTC R171318	20,781	29

life and conversation was not agreeable unto justice and equity as Jacobs but his own malice for there is mentioned nothing at all in that place that Esau was disinherited of eternall life but that he should be inferiour to his Brother Jacob in this world as the Prophet Malac. chap. 1. makes it appeare who saith S. Paul useth this example of Jacob and Esau in Rom. 9 for none other purpose but to take away from the Jews the thing that they most put their trust in to lay the vaine hope they had in their carnall lineage and naturall descent from the family and houshold of Abraham and likewise the false confidence they had in the keeping of the Law of Moses Pauls whole purpose is in this Epistle to bring Man unto the knowledge of his sin and to shew him how he may be remitted He also speaking of severall impediments which hinder us from keeping of Gods Law men will not returne from their evill and licentious wayes by repentance but mount straight wayes into Gods Providence searching the privities and secrets of God which were never made known unto Man or Angel and in another place the Bishop saith our Gospellers are better learned then the holy Ghost for they wickedly attribute the cause of punishment and adversity to Gods providence which is the cause of no ill as he himself can do no ill and of every mischief that is done they say it was Gods will The Holy Ghost putteth another cause that is to say sin in man and contempt of his holy word further the pain is not inflicted by predestination to loose man but both predestination and the affliction extend to call man from damnation The blind Sooth sayers that write of things to come are more to be esteemed then these curious and high-climbing wits for they attribute the cause of ill to the ill aspects and sinister conjunctions of the Planets Also he saith the commands of God are easie to be observed we need not sail to the Indies with danger of our lives for it he saith no man is so cruel but he may wax meek if he give a willing ear to discipline all men are bound to know upon pain of damnation the Articles of their faith to know God in Christ the ten Commandments for to know what works to do and what to leave undone and also the Pater noster Christs prayer which is an Abridgment Epitome or a compendious Collection of all the Psalms and Prayers written in the whole Scripture in which thou prayest for the remission of sins as well for thy self as for all others desirest the grace of the holy Ghost to preserve thee in virtue givest thanks for the goodness of God towards thee and all others he that knoweth less then this cannot be saved and he that knoweth no more then this if he follow his knowledge cannot be damned The third Author is Dr. Hammond in his Fundamentals who p. 130. saith That Christ dying for none but the Elect it is asserted without any pretence or colour of Scripture-proof nay in opposition to as plain distinct affirmations as can be produced for any Article of the Greed and saith that Christs dying for all is the express doctrine of the Scripture concludes that ch 14. p. 144. as necessary as hope is to labour encouragement to quickening of action so necessary is the belief of universal redemption to the superstructing of Christian life The fourth Author is Mr. Pierce in his vindication of some notes concerning Gods decrees written this very year p. 85. saith treating of the error of Christs dying onely for the Elect that it is a pernicious heresie being contrary to Scripture and the clearest Scriptures that can be named for universal redemption is exhibited to us in Scripture by all expressions of universal which the tongue of Men and Angels is possibly able to express he concludes his 23. Sect. of his third Chapter the adversary disclaiming this error of Christs dying only for the elect all the rest will tumble of their own accord The fifth Author is Mr Sanders in his book Gods love manifested unto all men p. 161. saith they that teach Christ died onely for a few take away the true Gospel and ground of faith and do introduce a false Gospel which affords men no grounds to believe I have read several Authors which maintain we shall not be damn'd for original fin and they say themselves that Adam the great offender was certainly saved I have heard Mr Hugh Peters himself preach Let men talk what they will said he that in his judgment the pain of loss in respect of hell fire which loss was the being deprived of the presence of God and his Angels would be greater then the pain of sense Now Sanders saith pag. 60. and p. 79. no man shall ever perish for Adams sin I speak of this in answer to Mr Peters judgment for saith Sanders if those that perish had not sufficient of means afforded them to life and happiness there can be no pain of loss but rather comfort themselves that their misery was unavoidable and so saith he the case would be still alike for they were lost before they were borne and therefore no more to blame themselves then an heir hath reason to blame himself because his father spent his inheritance before he was borne it would rejoyce my heart to see these Authors well answered by Scripture and Reason I could instance in many Authors more but I will forbeare onely commend the Reader to Mr Hoards book called Gods love to Mankind who will tell thee their wretched opinion is contrary unto Gods nature the Scripture and sound reason who will tell thee it overthroweth all Religion and how it makes God a meer deluder and his Ministers false witnesses for they offer unto men salvation conditionally whose damnation is determined absolutely and how it maketh the whole circle of a mans life nothing but a meer destiny In a word read but his book twice over and then if thou art not too much byassed in beleeving as the Priest beleeves right or wrong Pope-like I am very confident thou wilt doe as I my selfe am resolved never to reverence these Reprobatarians more untill such time they will better satisfie me by Scripture and reason for the maintenance of their most impious opinion Besides what I have read I do believe I have discoursed with thousands of people some of them Doctors of Divinity and many of them Ministers and very many of them in the esteem of the world have been a precise religious knowing sort of people for the most part have concluded with me that their opinion of absolute reprobation they holding of it as aforesaid is a most damnable erroneous blasphemous opinion saying if a truth of God no matter for Ministers nor the Scriptures nor for Christ Jesus his coming Notwithstanding it doth appear both by Scripture and the learned that the whole body of Divinity turns on this

hinge and no matter for any religion if that be a truth of God yet I have been deeply censured by many of my friends for being so singular in the opposing and reviling those Ministers which maintain it Now in regard I see very few Ministers will stand in the gap to oppose them for fear of losing their Bacon or their noble Tithes and other men they do not care for troubling themselves desiring to live quietly my answer shall be Luther's own words as he is quoted in the Book of Martyrs when he alone appeared against the Papists many of his friends perswaded him to be silent for fear some temporal persecution should be inflicted on him his answer was saying If there were as many Divels in the town of Wormes in Germany as there were tiles on the houses yet he would appear in that cause This cause having much more need for another Luther to appear then ever the other had and yet there be but very few dare shew themselves in this great work therefore by Gods help I will with my very small abilities appear to the utmost of my power in this cause until such time as I am convinced by Scripture and Reason and then I shall most willingly lie down at their feet I confess some have seemingly reproved me for using passionate expressions in the forewritten letters as they say in calling the Ministers jugling Priests and saying they are more sitting to keep hoggs then to continue in the Ministery and such like words but doubtless no Christian upon due consideration can think there is any passion used in regard they are such blasphemers in making God the Author of sin for they say As God hath ordained the end of the Reprobate which is damnation so hath he ordained the means tending thereunto by which plain words let the world judge if they do not make God the Author of all sins But many of these men that I have to deal withall are meer shuttle-cocks saying one thing to day and denying it to morrow especially Priest Newton to my knowledge therefore look on the Marginal notes on Deut. 2. and v. 30. there you shall find those very blasphemous words above written of Gods appointing the means unto the end which I suppose was done by their Geneva brethren and unto this purpose if you will but look into those cursed Authors Zanchius Crowley and Knox they will tell you all those who are or shall be damned are necessarily damn'd and that by Gods predestination we are compelled to do those things for which we shall be damned Reverend Calvin himself as some call him but for my part I think if all his works were answerable unto this most abominable and blasphemous expression his title onely deserves Calvin Sir Reverence where he faith lib. 1. c. 27. § 11. That the wicked are not onely bound in fetters but are guided by Gods bridle to do all manner of their wicked actions Many such damnable expressions of such wicked Authors I have lying by me but I will forbear Some men have imagined that I was set on by some Jesuit or some other wicked men or else distracted or else I would not so violently oppose those cursed Reprobatarians doubtless it had been no sin against God or man if thousands had joyned with me in this nature for the opposing sucha dwellish heresies I suppose the very style of this writing will so cleer the business that no Scholar hed any hand in it but I profess in the presence of that God before whom I write this that never any man did dictate one line unto me what I should write either now or whatever I did write before or ever gare me any enconragement to oppose them in this nature If ever I do suffer any temporal punishment for these my own actions I will give you four unanswerable reasons which moved me unto it The first reason is Gods word which will be an unquestionable evidence for the clearing of me at the last day The second reason my reading of many eminent mens works upon that subject which concur with the Scriptures The third reason several conferences I have had with many Godly well disposed Christians which have agreed with me in this judgment The fourth and last reason is my own conscience which I make no doubt of but will prove a continual feast unto me As for my being distracted I never did know my temporal judgment in a better condition blessed be that God who is the onely continuer of it and I suppose I have not give any of my acquaintance cause to think the contrary As for my comfortable assurance of my eternal welfare I can boldly speak it if I were now at this instant to give an account for all my wicked actions I do verily believe that my gracious God is not in the least degree angry with me for any thing I have said or written against those Ministers which maintain that blasphemous opinion of absolute reprobation but I have great cause to think rather that my gracious God doth very much own these my undertakings and I do also verily believe in respect of my souls salvation I am at this present writing and have been ever since the fortunate difference betwixt the Parson and my self brake out in a more blessed condition then I was before for a long time I will draw towards a conclusion with a learned mans character of the Clergy in general his book is called The Modern Policy to be sold at the George in Fleet-street a little book about eight pence price I confess I shall rove from the subject in hand onely I will make some use of it by way of application I have not read in this book very lately yet I will not add one line more then his own words he saith it much pierceth his heart to see the Clergy in such a high degree accessary to the civil distempers how they have every where shaken the foundations both of Church and state and how it hath been observed that there hath been no floud of misery but did spring from or at least was much swelled by their holy water saith he I have searched the Evangelical records and there was nothing but milde and soft doctrines I enquired into the breathings of the Spirit and they were pacificatory I wondered from what presidents and Scripture-encouragements these men deduced their practises and at last was forced to conclude that they were only pretended chaplaines unto the Prince of peace it is hard to find in any place any tragical scene or bloudy Theatre but a Jesuite or some stone-Priest hath had a part in it He also saith the Politician must nourish some mercenary Jesuite or other Divines to cry up their aimes in their Churches that so the poyson may insinuate more generally into all for the sharpest sword in his Army cannot vie services with his subtil quill and so we may see those torches that should have been for saving light were degenerated into fire-brands those trumpets that should have sounded retreats to popular furies knew no other musick but martiall allarums I confess I have both read and discoursed with many of the same judgment but until within these two or three years I was very unwilling to entertain such vile thoughts of them but now I confess if this plain English be a truth of God which those I write against maintain it to be that is to say all the Devils in hell could not keep any of those which are in heaven from that place nor shall be any hindrance to any of those that shall be heaeafter received into that place of glory nor Christ Jesus Ministers praying and preaching nor all the Saint-like actions that are possble for the Creature to do could keep any of those which are in hell nor can keep any of those which shall hereafter go into hell from that place of torment if this be a truth then Iverily believe the character the learned man gives as aforesaid of the Clergy may be as true as the Gospel they having nothing to do for to imploy their wits on but on such devillish designs but for my part believing their opinion to be one of the Devils truths for indeed it is impossible for the Devil to be a deceiver if their opinion be a truth of God therefore I hope to have more honourable thoughts of those Clergy which discovered that hellish opnion Though I confess to my knowledge many of them ought to have a slash provided for them because they will not shew themselves in this great work for the opposing of such a devillish heresie and very many Ministers have abominated this opinion unto me in such like termes and yet all the reason they can give to excuse their silence is only as I said before for fear they should lose their Bacon O sad sad sad are these miserable times we live in but I hope yet in Gods good time we shall have a through reformation for doubtless as in the 106. Psalm were there not some Moses's that did stand in the breach to stop the fury of the Lord many may expect the same judgment which was inflicted on Dathan and Abiram for this their most damnable opinion There have many eminent men for learning and piety both formerly and lately shewed themselves in print for the opposing of this heresie and I doubt not but many more will appear in this great work not onely to reprove the Reprobatarian Ministery but also other Ministers which are of the contrary judgment and yet think themselves to be Gods labourers though they will not appear in Gods vineyard to do the work of the Lord which doubtless is to inveigh in their pulpits against those wicked Reprobatarians in the bitterest language which can be invented which may prove under God to be the onely means for the suppressing this most damnable and most blasphemous heresie Although I am my self but a Farmer and was never since I was 14 years of age capable of any better preferment yet I would most willingly ride 500 miles and spend or give 100 l. upon some charitable use that this Nation were well satisfied concerning this heretical opinion which is so stifly maintained by Mr Newton the Presbyterian Priest of my parish and other men of that stamp and so farewell FINIS