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
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
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
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