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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

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 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 of Kingston-Bowsey in the County of SUSSEX LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold at Mr Richard Dodsons shop a Goldsmith at Lewis near the Market-house in Sussex 1657. To all Christian people but especially unto all those that live under the Ministery of a parcell of Jugling Priests being many of them LECTURERS of LEWIS in the County of SUSSEX Mr Pickering of Lewis and Mr Newton of Kingston-Bowsey being two of them Good Christian ALthough I am no scholar to brangle in a sophistical way with some Ministers which maintain that blasphemous opinion of absolute reprobation but blessed be God there are very many Ministers which are very well able to encounter them and well known to be better scholars then themselves yet by the mercies of God and education of my Parents I have been trained up in such a measure of learning as hath enabled me to understand plain English I was 39 years of age before I did think there could be such a horrid opinion as absolute reprobation harboured amongst Christians and do believe for ought I know I might have lived 39 years longer before I should have needed to have troubled my thoughts with such a whimsey had not Mr Newton the Minister of my Parish about two years and a half since plaid the fool in making of it a pulpit story in these very words following I would have you enquire of God Almighty whether he had passed his decree of reprobation against you or no in case he had he was just no hope of recovery Which bloudy inquisition did so set me in a fire that I have many times laboured with the said Mr Newton and many other Divines whose judgments were for it and against it to be well satisfied since which time I thank my God I have studied the Scriptures more then formerly I have also enquired into mens works on both sides and at this present I do find my self in such a happy condition that the wit of man by Scripture and reason is not able to quench that fire which was first kindled in me as aforesaid and I do new think it is not possible for me to do God greater service then by reviling this sort of people in all places and upon all occasions with the highest expressions that is possible for the wit of man to invent This written paper thou mayest call it what thou pleasest it being a business of high concernment in respect of mens salvation my desire is that thou wouldst read it twice over before thou pass thy censure if thou doest approve of it I have my desire and thou mayest do well to acquaint thy neighbours and relations in what manner we are led by the nose with such a jugling Ministery and if thou doest not approve of it but doest think I have offended the Laws of God and man thou mayest do well to acquaint Authority with these my actions for I desire no favour for the Ministers about Lewis are such dunces that they dare not come upon the stage I have often dared them unto it and not one of them dares to engage therefore let the world judge if their cause doth not stink in the nostrils of God and man upon several considerations more both in respect of the glory of God and mens eternal welfare I can give when I am thereunto called I am now resolved to make them ashamed of their private damnable erroneous opinion or else they shall make me ashamed of my rashness if there hath been any in me Thus leaving all unto your Christian consideration I remaine Yours in Christ Jesus EDWARD CHOUNE Kingston-Bowsey April 15. 1657. A Copy of the LETTER sent unto the LECTURERS of LEWIS Gentlemen NOtwithstanding what I have formerly writ unto Mr Pickering and Mr Newton and to some others of the Lecturers of Brighthelmeston concerning an opinion they maintain I will also make bold to give you a particular of it doubtless it is a subject of high concernment in respect of mens salvation but yet being question'd by such a man as my self who am no scholar I know it disrelisheth with many but considering the censure of men cannot be greater against me for writing the opinion of others then it is against many Ministers who preach other mens works verbatim and against all Ministers who preach nothing but was taught before they were borne and doubtless those which own this opinion for the most part of their preaching is nothing but a parcell of non-sense therefore I care less for their censures Now I will state the business in difference betwixt us in as brief a way as I can hoping I may receive some satisfaction which is more then ever I could do from them in the least degree About one year and an half since Mr Newton the Minister of my Parish delivered in his pulpit How that all of us should enquire of God whether he had passed his decree of Reprobation against us or no in case he had he was just and no hopes of recovery This confounded doctrine did so puzzle me that I could not be at quiet but addressing my self unto Gods word I found much comfort and did begin to be satisfied that God intended no such matter And then I challenged him for his doctrine which he ingeniously confessed he did deliver saying He knew no better way to make our callings and elections sure then by such an inquisition Afterwards I did repair to many Divines who did satisfie me it was thundering doctrine and did wish me to read several books which I have now lying by me which do make appear their damnable opinion of absolute reprobation to be most horrid blasphemy being against the whole Scripture all the Attributes of God and our own reason for the books say they have no colour of Scripture to maintain it and there is the whole current of the Scripture against them that Reprobation is a conditional thing and that men shall not be damned for not doing impossibilities as they most wickedly affirme they shall which I now shall make appear by their opinion Since discoursing with Mr Pickering and Mr Newton they say and will maintain as a truth of God that there is never a soul which now lieth damned in bell nor never a soul which shall hereafter be damned in hell could have or can have whilest they live here on the earth any possible means by Christ Jesus his death or by the preaching and praying of Ministers though the Scriptures say the prayers of the faithful availeth much with God for sinners nor

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