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
that any soul should perish that he will still have his instruction go before his destruction so that if the creature would but seek and knock God is so gracious that he upbraids no man they might both find and have the gate of heaven opened unto them for they are sent as Ambassadours from Christ to this purpose for to proclaim these rich mercies unto the world and to entreat us to be born again for the preventing of our souls damnation and are not onely sent to proclaim these rich mercies but are also sent to assure us we may have all our soules saved if we will not now reject these present offers of grace but if we will not believe and repent the Lord will require our bloud at our own hands for they have discharged their duties in telling us of our sins and of the dangerous consequence which will follow Now this is one I say of the great things which doth daily trouble my thoughts to see these Ministers which are sent as they say Ambassadours from Christ to proclaim these precious Gospel truths as before written which without doubt they are so and yet privately to maintain such a diametrically opposite and contradictory opinion which is such a gallimafry that no rational man can tell what to make of it for to my knowledge notwithstanding those rich mercies above written which they are sent to proclaim yet they privately maintain that there is never a soul in hell nor any hereafter that shall go to hell but that God from all eternity did bar them from all his mercies that Christ shed not one drop of bloud for them that Ministers prayers and preaching doth not concern them that all the Saint-like actions that is possible for them to do all will not avail with God to free them or any one of them from that place of torment Surely if men were not altogether bewitched unto their Priests right or wrong they might easily discern with half an eye most sordid contradictions and also confess that there cannot be greater impostors juglers call them what you will in any religion amongst the Papists Jews or Turks then these men are which would be accounted the onely Zelots of the Nation For my part I do much wonder that all men which stand in the presence of God to hear them do not stand amazed to see this their abominable wickedness in their offering all men salvation conditionally when their damnation is determined absolutely as appears by their cursed opinion Which damn'd opinion cuts asunder the very sinews of religion encourageth prophaneness draws away the strongest enducements unto a holy life roots up virtue plants vice leaves no place for reward or punishment for by this cursed opinion all our actions and ends are fastned at the foot of Gods chair leaving us nothing to do but onely to obey our own fates to follow the duct of the Stars or necessity of those Iron thaines we are born under our end is pitched therefore we may sit down and take our ease and wait what the Lord will do unto us for we have our supersedeas I will set down the judgment of four or five Authors in their own words for the maintenance of universal redemption which being against their abominable doctrine of Christs dying onely for the elect the first Author is Bishop Latimer I hope he is authentick because he was burn'd for his Religion in Queen Maries dayes he sayes in a Sermon of his preached in Lincolnshire it is no more but to believe and hath not Christ shed as much bloud for Judas as he did for Peter Peter believed and was saved Judas would not believe and was condemned and in another Sermon of his saith The preaching of the Gospel is universal it appertaineth to all man-kind through the whole earth their found is heard and that there is no man so wicked but he may have a remedy for his salvation The second Author is Bishop Hooper who died also a holy Martyr in queen Mary's dayes being against them some part of his sayings being also for the maintenance of Universall Redemption as God accounted in Adams sin all mankind being in his loynes worthy death so accounted in Christ or to be saved from death all those promises that appertained unto the salvation of Adam and his posterity were made in Christ and for Christ onely and appertained to our Fathers and us as we appertained to Christ He is the door the way and the life he is the onely Mediatour between God and man without whom no man can come to the father Celestiall John 1.3 6. The vertue and strength of Gods promise extendeth as far to save man as the rigour and justice of the Law for sin to damn man Rom. 5.17.18 For by the offence and sin of one man death was extended and made common to all men unto condemnation as Paul saith so by the justice of the one is derived life unto all men to justification as we were in Adam and partakers of his ill so we were in him when God made him a promise of grace and partakers of the same grace Not as the children of Adam but as the children of the Promise the as sins of Adam without priviledge or exception extended and appertained unto all Adams and every of Adams posterity so did his promise of Grace generally appertain as well to every and singular of Adams posterity as to Adam as it is more plainly expressed Gen. 15.4 5. and 17.1 where God promiseth to bless in the seed of Abraham all the people of the world Saint Paul maketh no diversity in Christ of Jew nor Gentile as Galat. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Further Saint Paul doth by collation of Adam and Christ Sin and Grace thus interpret Gods promise and maketh not Christ inferiour to Adam nor Grace unto Sin and likewise Christ saith That the gate is strait that leadeth to life and few enter Thus the Scripture answereth That the promise of Grace appertaineth to every sort of men in the world and comprehendeth them all Howbeit within certain limits and bounds the which if men neglect or pass over they exclude themselves from the promise in Christ as Cain was no more excluded till he excluded himself then Abel Saul then David Judas then Peter Esau then Jacob by the Scripture it seemeth that the Sentence of God was given to save the one and damn the other before the one loved God or the other hated God howbeit these threatnings of God against Esau if he had not of his wilfull malice excluded himself from the promise of Grace should no more hinder his salvation then Gods threatnings against Ninive Jonas 1.2 which notwithstanding that God said should be destroyed within forty dayes stood a great time after and did penance Esau was circumcised and presented unto the Church of God by his Father in all externall ceremonies as well as Jacob the Sentence of God unto Rebeccah was not in the fault that Esau his