A Good evening to you Sir: How have you led your life all along?

Even as the Omnipotent God, who works all things according to the counsel of his own will, pleased to decree from all Eternity, and effect in time concerning me.

You say well, but I do not like this; but I like you worse in that you are thus fettered, nor can [Page 2] expect nothing but a certain, sud­den and detestable death.

'Tis true; but I don't know whether it becomes you or me thus to grieve, when neither you nor I are certain whether God from E­ternity by some immutable Decree have predestinated me either to life or death eternal.

We will speak of that by and by: and in the mean while, because ye are condemned to die to mor­row, I am appointed here to be rea­dy with you; and am come to know whether thou desirest to be translated with the Thief into Pa­radise: Tell me what sins you have committed, that I may the better order my Instructions and Exhor­tations to you, and teach you bet­ter for your Souls health.

I shall willingly, if you will but be pleased to hear. My Parents had a care that I should be bred up in learning from a childe: At last intending to send me to the Uni­sersity, thought what they should do; Leyden was full of Heresies, Franeker of Deboistness and Duel­lings. [Page 3] Nevertheless, the Parson of our Parish would have me go to Franeker, forasmuch as it is better to be Bacchus or Mars his Scholar, than an Heretick; because the first destroy but the Body, the last mur­ther the Soul. After this, away went I for Franeker, where the Ale was so good, the Wine so cheap, the Company so ingenious, that I spent all my money in jolletting. As soon as my friends heard of this, that I was more in the Alehouse than my Study, and drunk more than I read, they call'd me home, and sent me into France, where they live spa­ringly, and count Drunkenness both a shame and a sin. But I went to Paris, where is a general concourse of all Travellers: There the best Wine is worth little or nothing, and I believed drinking strifly would do my business for me, I spent my whole time in drinking and wench­ing. Living so egregiously and o­penly wicked, my friends had no­tice of it; who as soon as they heard it, sent Letters to some in Geneva, and to me, that I should [Page 4] presently go live there, if I expect­ed their blessing: For our Parson had possest my friends, that it was a most sanctified City, in which they would neither suffer Rioting or Drunkenness, Levity or Wanton­ness, or any other unlawful or sin­ful action. Hence the credulity of my Parents presently perswaded them, that I should live there no otherwise than another Samuel with a good old Eli in the Temple of God. Well, there is no avoid­ing of it, I must for Geneva, or else they will neither own me or main­tain me. Being come thither, I hapned to lodge where the woman of the house was exceeding hand­some, and the Maid exceeding af­fable; yet both of them so adorning their professions by their walking, and their beauty with such a ma­jesty, that you would take them to be beauty and goodness it self, go­ing to Lectures every day, recei­ving the Sacrament often, so that at the first I durst scarce open my eyes to look upon them. But Time, that brings all things to pass, at [Page 5] length answered my expectations in all things. But first of all, that I might get the good word of all the Preachers and Consistory, I ne­ver neglected any opportunity of going to private Meetings, and hear­ing of Sermons: Then going to Church with a great Bible under my arm, I would never take up my standing but under or near the Pul­pit, where I would enquire again all the Proofs quoted by the Mini­ster, and then with a sigh as from the bottom of my heart, and eyes lift up to heaven, I would look on the place and turn it down. So by this means I became famous for a Lecture-monger and a Christian. In the mean while, being diligent to be counted a Gentleman, I got me a Sword by my side, a Foot-boy at my heels, and a Madam by the hand, who when her stockings were off would prove her self a woman. And when I was got into this equi­page, I must needs travel, and with Glycerio I walked thorough the craggy Mountains, and grass-bear­ing Plains, not denying my self [Page 6] Wine, Gaming, strange Beasts or Birds, or any thing that might move or make delight. I had the Fidlers daily; and lest their noise should be too much taken notice of, I had the trick to make them play their easier strains: and on high days in eminent places, the Curtains drawn, the Torches light, we in our Pumps did dance & tear the ground.

I, but if it had been known what you did, they would have or­dered you: for in Geneva, that ho­ly City, it is counted a great of­fence to dance.

I would that were all: for once the bufiness being made com­mon, I and all my Companions were warn'd to appear before the Bishop. I thought that we should have been so sore punish'd, that we should scarce have had enough of Bread and Wa­ter; but our Companions came to us daily, and we eat and drunk of the best, and danc'd till the house shook again, all the while we were there. As soon as our Penance was terminated, we were brought be­fore the Consistory, where with ma­ny [Page 7] grievous words they aggravated to us the foulness of the fact. After this, we were forced in a full Con­gregation to creep before the Pul­pit on our hands and our feet, to ask God and the Church forgive­ness of the scandal we had com­mitted. But this disgrace lasted not long, for the multitude of ex­amples swallowed it up, whilst not onely the greatest part of the best sort of Citizens, but Consuls and Preachers too equally suffered it: Yet nevertheless, I timely foresee­ing, that if once this rumour should become childrens talk amongst the Battavi, I should quite lose my cre­dit, I thought it high time, since my credit lay thus at stake, to pro­vide for my fame, confidering more seriously with my self what I should do before this was spread through Battavia, I prepared my self, and went before the Consistory, where I did counterfeit to fetch from the bottom of my heart, heart-killing sighs, and throbbing words, but no hummings and hawkings: I told them I was a stranger, who neither [Page 8] knew the Laws of their Nation, nor the genius of their people: I cried out I was seduced, and in the nar­ration of it expostulated with my self, how ever such an one as I should be thus deluded into wicked­ness, whose conversation hitherto had been so holy and unblameable. Wherefore I greatly intreated them to inform me which was the best and nighest way to avoid and aban­don such wayes and Company. I howl'd like any Dog in the Church, and roaring, and twisted my hands into as many postures and folds as a Suake can; and did so maintain it by my actions and expressions, that no one but was affected with my misery, and thought me to be a fit object of their commiseration. After this, I went to a Minister by my self, told him with weeping eyes my sad condition, and complained that I had sinned so far, that I was almost, if not quite past remedy; but much sad that I was to depart thence for home, like to a wandring sheep, who durst not so much as dare to look his Parents in the face, or [Page 9] come into their fight. The Mini­ster hearing this, comforted me with the example of David, Solo­mon, Manasses, Mary Magdalen, and many others, who had all egregi­ously and notoriously sinned. But, in short, I so smoothed the Parson up with these fine words, that he writ to my Father, and commended my ingenuity, diligence, behaviour, after an extraordinary manner, and bids my friends they should not fear, but that whatsoever cost they bestowed on me, would redound both to their great delight, and my profit. I presently took a special care these Letters should be sent a­way, with some more Manuscripts of mine, Of Absolute and Free-will, which I had subtilly disputed, deckt above with Hebrew, Greek, Latine and French Vowels, I commended the sanctity of the City, extolled the Learning and the Piety of its Pastors, giving thanks to my Pa­rents, that they had reduced me in­to the ways of health and of truth. This Messenger did so rejoyce my aged Parents hearts, that I was pre­sently [Page 10] the richer by two Crowns: but this will do no good, he that has already ore-run his bounds, has out-run all shame too: So that I grew worse every day than other, and was grown so intollerably ex­orbitant, that I was commanded home; but I was afraid of Amster­dam Prison, and long look'd for came at last, but I made shift to break Prison and escape, and resol­ved for Rome: I made a Gown of my Cloke, as all those do who tra­vel for Religions sake; to my Cap I fastened a Canna, as all those do who go a Pilgrimage to see the Re­liques of St. Jacob, that I might have the safer egress and regress in­to Ostiaries and Monasteries. But this kinde of life spoke low, there­fore I resolved for Attalia, where I plaid the Thief both in Woods and Roads, in the Towns a Cut-purse and House-breaker. After this rate and life past I through all Germany into Holland, where, with all the art and strength I had, I both rob­bed City and Country, stole Goods and Cattel. After this rate in the [Page 11] company of Whores andRogues have I merrily spent this six years, and now it seems that one sad half hour must end all this sweet plea­sure.

I understand you are a pre­cious Rogue, a grand Sinner, who deserve to be hanged twice for all your Roguery; nay Hell fire it self for your sins: so that I wonder you tell such stories and laugh, as if there were no grief or punishment more to be feared to your Soul: Therefore tell me now you are a going out of this world, whether do you think you shall go.

To heaven as well as you, who art not much better than I.

Do you think then you are as good and as honest as I am?

Yes that I do, and that I will prove out of your own proper Confession ^a one for all; Your best works in themselves are filthy, deformed, detestable, nay meer [Page 12] abominations and sins, and like an unclean woman, alwayes infected with filth and spots, so that you are not accepted or esteemed of God for any of your works, because that they ^b deserve nothing but eternal punishment; and that ^c you altogether grievously sinn'd against all the Commandments of God, neither have observed any one of them; nay, that you are al­together prone to all manner of malice and hatred both against God and your Neighbour. In those printed Prayers at the end of your Psalter, you confess (worthy Sir!) your worchiness not onely to be blinde in your understanding, but unapt to all good; that it strayes from God, follows its own vain imaginations; that it daily sins, and that most hainously; and that it is by our Original Sin sometimes so corrupted and instigated, that by reason of it there rise many and sinful thoughts, which fight against [Page 13] God and your Neighbour: so that many times you transgress the com­mands of God without intermis­sion. In brief, you are a miserable sinner, conceived and born in all sin and corruption, prone to all evil, unapt and averse to all good, so that you have uncessantly, by your sins throughout your whole life, excited the anger of the Lord against you, and according to his righteous judgement, has deserved on thy self his eternal (the more the pity) Condemnation. Your Conscience accuses you of this, ^d nay your very sins witnesse a­gainst you; so that being convinced you often groan under the sense of your corruption, and desire to be freed from the body. I will speak in short: Since your being of lit­tle or no profit; for ^e from your nativity you have been a childe of wrath, and heir of Divine venge­ance, hadst communion with dam­ned Devils when thou wast in thy [Page 14] Mothers womb; full of all natu­ral poison, whence all evil actions proceed; that you can do nothing more than sin; yea, when thou wast an Infant, hadst thou but been tempted by the least occasion: for you are naturally as propense to sin, as the Serpent is to bite or sting: and as is the Serpent odious to men, not for the mischief it has done, but the poison it carries a­bout with it; so even you are coun­ted odious by God, by reason of that poison of Original Sin, in which you were born and concei­ved. All this, and much more of the same kind, you say of your selves, and have subscribed it with your own hand: Nay, you brand all those which deny to affirm these things with you, by the name of Hereticks, as Arminians, Pelagians, and such like Names; and how would you take it if some one, Shi­mei like, should make it his business to reproach and assault you with dishonesty and maledictions, and vomit out, if there be any things worse than these, upon you?

For the honour of God, and the exalting of the superabundant riches of his grace, I willingly con­fess my self guilty of all this; nay, God will that his chosen and faith­ful should be such sinners, that they should not boast of themselves, but ^f be humble; which humility confists in this, that we empty our selves of all goodnesse whatsoe­ver.

And of late I have believed this to be true too, Sir; and I did further judge, if I may speak my minde in this case, that I was forth­with to do no good my self, for the further I was off from doing any good, the truer I could confess my self to be void of all righteousness and goodness.

I would not have you so un­derstand me, as if God would have us to be sinners, and not endevour to do good works; but that 'tis onely by his grace, lest we should seek to be justified by our works.

I believe the same yet; and [Page 16] because I well know how deadly a sin it is to lean to good works for justification, and see with what sub­tilties the devil does hunt men, how with heresies he entraps men, I have even lain aside doing good, if I could, onely leaning to the free grace of God.

Must you have your will and your judgement afore all others, and interpret our doctrine no o­therwise then if it were the cause of your perverse life? Fy, Fy. God intends this, that men should not seek to be justified by works, but faith.

By faith, what faith?

As our Catechism has it in the 60 question; I believe onely in Jesus Christ, through whom by faith I shall be justified before God. My conscience accuses me of all these things, that I have sinned most hainously against all the command­ments of God, that I have obser­ved none of them, and am now li­able to all evil; yet the good God, without any merit of mine, out of his own meer grace, both gives and [Page 17] imputes to me the perfect satisfacti­on, justice, and sanctification of Christ, as fully as if I had commit­ted no sin; yea, as if I had per­formed all that righteousnesse and obedience which Christ either did or suffered in my own person, as I apply this by belief to my heart.

You say well Sir, this pure and sound faith has been alwayes my faith, and so that I am more perswaded I have alwayes stuck close to that Doctrine of the refor­med Churches; so that I have al­most wearied God, if it were possi­ble, with my prayers, in which faith, without any good works I persist. Furthermore, this was al­wayes in my mind, often in my mouth, ^g That it was the chiefest art of a Christian to know no law, no good works, no not a tittle as to justification: ^h for a Christian nei­ther wants works or the law, after by faith he is freed from all laws. [Page 18] ⁱ Faith is onely necessary to salva­tion, other things we are freed from whether commanded or forbid. Goodworks make not men good, nor bad ones bad, and as to unbelievers no good work profiteth to their sal­vation, so on the contrary, no bad action makes a man bad or con­demns him, but onely unbelief: For where faith is, no sin can hurt.

What then? have you such an esteem of good works indeed; we teach indeed, that faith in Christ does alone justifie, yet notwithstand­ing we are bound to observe the precepts of God, as it is written, if you will enter into life eternal, keep the commandments.

Gently good brother; ^l for thus you deny Christ, and destroy faith, attributing that to Divine commands, or the law, which is onely due and proper to God. Fur­thermore, I am almost induced to believe, that you are an heretick, whilst you attribute something to [Page 19] good works in our justification be­fore God. ^m I say further, Sir, be­cause the way is narrow, you ought to be lowly and humble if you in­tend to passe: for those that are loaded with good works, are like those we see go pilgrimage to the re­liques of S. James, so incompassed with reeds, that they cannot passe thither; ⁿ therefore if you come to heaven with a great bag full of good works, you will be forced to lay them down, for you cannot get in with them.

I confesse that good works are not looked upon as the impul­sive cause of our justification, and salvation; yet for all that we are to take heed that we commit no bad ones.

Very right Sir; we do be­ware of sins, ^o but much more of the law and good works, onely heeding divine promises and our end. Good God! What good can such misera­ble sinners as we do? when as [Page 20] the most holy men who ever lived, whilst they were in this life, have had so small beginnings of obedience, that you could not out of all their actions pick out one which did not deserve the just punishment; yea, the eternal punishment rather of Gods wrath, then worthy of the reward of eternal life. Go to there­fore you Pedlers and Sectaries in religion with your good works, and follow me, who onely build my faith and help in the free grace and mercy of God. ^p For a baptized Christian is so rich, that no sinnes whatsoever they be, can rob him of his inheritance, or impoverish him, unlesse he fall away of himself from the faith. All these are the very expresse words of Luther and Cal­vin: and are these of your refor­med Divines?

Yes; but I perceive friend, that you confiding in these and such like expressions, have taken too much liberty to commit hain­ous sins; therefore 'tis necessary [Page 21] that you be instructed of that will of God, by which he will be o­beyed.

You speak well Sir; but don't you think that I have often thought of it? truly I have, and have often and much considered with my self about it; for ^y I knew the will of God was twofold, either Secret or Revealed: So that God wills many things, which he will not reveal, ^z as is clear by this instance, ^a God promulga­ted this edict by Moses to Pharaoh, saying, Let my people go, when as the secret will of God, and purpose, was, that he should not let the peo­ple go. Neither ^b ought this to seem a wonder to you, because God has by his secret will decreed some to sin, who by his revealed will he has commanded to do no evil.

Why so? do you believe you perform the will of God when you commit iniquity?

If ^c you look after the hidden will of God, whereby he has ordered all things to work for his glory, wicked men do do the will of God: but [...]f you look to the revealed will of God, wicked men do it not.

You say right; therefore you are alwayes to be intent on the ex­ternal revealed will of God, be­cause his hidden will you do not, cannot know.

Truly Sir, these same two wills in or of God, have alwayes made a great noise in my head, and sounded very strangely in my ears: ^d for seeing God does not al­wayes will what he ^e does reveal to us to have willed, and his reveal­ed will to be call'd so, but impro­perly, his hidden properly: fur­thermore, ^f that God should by his ineffable counsel will a thing to this end, and make it for another, [Page 23] and forbid that to be done which he wills to have done, I was not very inquisitive about this revealed will.

How dare you belch forth such Blasphemies?

I speak the very truth it self; for when-as ^g the secret will of God is wholly, onely, and alwayes done, and nothing happens in the world, but God did before decree it, nay when this hidden Decree of God is the necessary cause of all things; so that God himself wills sin by the will of his bene placet; I have alwayes counted it safe to fol­low the efficacious will of God, lest otherwise I should take labour in vain.

^h It is manifest that the Omnipotent God, according to his secret Decree and bene placet, would not have done what he has com­manded to men in his revealed word; and that ⁱ all things, as [Page 24] it appears, according to God and his Decree, infallibly and necessa­rily come to pass. I go not about to deny, nay I expresly hold this opinion in my judgement: yet ne­verthelesse you ought to be the more sollicitous and careful over your self.

I have read in Scripture, Sir, that Christ forbids all manner of vain sollicitousness of minde, as to adde one cubit to ones height, to make one hair black or white, and others of these sorts: Thence I judge, I should do a great deal foo­lisher, as well as more irreligious, if I should presume to endeavour and strive against the decree and efficacious will of God. Therefore you ought to confess with me, that all operations, humane commo­tions, internal and external, as well the bad as good, whether of under­standing, heart or will, have both their rise and efficacy from the force and impulse of Divine Pro­vidence, so that they cannot but chuse whatsoever God shall will: So that in Adams fall God had [Page 25] destinated his heart both to that end and action: And hence it is ^l that men can never will or do any thing, but what God prompts them too, whether it be good or evil; so that he sometimes guides their hands, sometimes holds them, now turns them this way, then that way, and what way soever he plea­ses, that they may effect whatever he has decreed, which is only not to be understood of actions which are, but of bad and evil likewise: for ^m men sometimes, like unto sa­vage beasts, run into all manner of viciousness; yet for all this it often happens, that they are so held in and curbed by an invisible and se­cret bitt, that they are not able so much as to move their finger amiss of themselves, but rather effect the will of God than their own; ⁿ for God so works by instruments, that he does not onely permit that they should do such an action, and it [Page 26] should fall out to such an end, but he himself also excites, impels, moves, governs, (and what is more than this) creates alone and above, that what he has decreed should come to pass by these very means; and without question 'tis for this very cause, that God has given ^o a will and inclination to the worst of men, that for this very reason he might be said to be the sole and genuine Cause of all things whatsoever, willing and effecting ^q that wicked men should live in their lusts, and this same necessity of sinning is imposed by God: Therefore you Mr. Parson, all that you have said of this same special care and watchfulness, is meer nonsense, and the absolute issue of your imprudence; for ^{r s} wicked men are by the secret hand and power of God, as by a hidden string, not knowing them­selves directed and twitched to an [Page 27] end and design of which they are altogether ignorant, as a man is that shoots at a mark, and missing that, hits some neighbouring thing, which he neither intended or knew of.

You prate to me, as if you should not brush to affirm God to be the author of your sins.

If by Author ^t you mean one who perswades, impels, or any other way administers an occasion of doing any thing, you may very safely call God the Author of sin; as for example, when ^u Adam is the cause of sin, and God the cause of Adam, why may you not call God the cause of sin? Nay, God is the very prime first Cause of sin; ^x but this you must take with a grain of salt, as thus? The same act, ^y as Adultery or Homicide, as God is the Author and impulsive cause, is no sin, but as it is the work [Page 28] of man is a shameful and Soul-kil­ling wickedness: For, for just cau­ses, ^z although unknown to us, wickedness comes forth from God, which are unjustly committed by men; ^a and God does secretly stir up men to those villanies he has openly forbid: Nay, ^b God him­self works all things in all men, yea their very sins, and whatsoever is done, is irresistibly done; which is thus evidenced; ^c God by an ef­fectual Decree and Providence com­pels Thieves to Homicide, as a King compels his Subjects to pay their Tribute; or as one on horse-back makes the horse to go what pace and what way he will.

Therefore you do not be­lieve that 'tis you have done all this wickedness and roguery?

Yes, but I do, to wit, against the external will of God, but against his internal will and providence [Page 29] not a jot, for this will ^d of the Divine bene placet of God, is then also done, when a man sins against the Precepts of God.

Then you did not so much as think of the internal and secret will of God?

Why Sir, can you think I could think so? was I able (the Divine Providence and will of God premised) to think any otherwise than I did? for if it were the hid­den will and providence of God that I should think so, who was I, or what could I do to resist it? but because it was not his internal Decree, according to our Doctrine, I could not so much as think it; nay, as soon as ever I perceived any motions or suggestions in my self, to any thing which God had for­bidden by his Law, it presently run in my minde, whether God or no had not by his secret will pre-or­dained that I should do it; and whether or no he did not excite and impel me to it, that he might [Page 30] bring to pass by me, what he had from all Eternity inevitably de­creed of or for me: reasoning thus with my self; If I resist, I shall be counted, with Lucifer, to be an ene­my to God, and a fighter against him; and on this, Whithersoever the dictates of my will (though de­praved) carried me, I acted it, and hurried that way with all violence, so that I know now as sure as God's in heaven, that whatsoever wicked­ness I committed, was the internal will bene placet and Decree of God. For had it not been agreeable to his internal will, it would never have come to pass so long as the world had stood. But to say a lit­tle more: If at any time I went but about to consider more accu­rately and exactly with my self, I was all on a fire till I had multi­plied faults, and sinn'd to some tune, seeing it highly acceptable to God for me to do such things: ^e for God has as it were a necessi­ty of our sinning, that he may the [Page 31] more manifest his glory, because he cannot exalt his mercy, or bestow it but on those that are miserable sinners, and have need of it; nei­ther justly damn men, unless they were sinners: ^f So that unless this be granted, God could not, if he would, bring about his principal end, which are the shewing of his Mercy and Justice towards some, to manifest his Mercy for their deli­verance, and in their salvation; towards other, to manifest the ex­actness and rigor of his vengeance in their destruction and damnation. ^g Therefore it was necessary that man should fall from grace, that God might have an occasion and reason of declaring both his Mercy and Justice. Furthermore, ^h sins make as well to Reprobation as Predestination, for who are repro­bated, are by them brought to de­struction; who predestinated or sa­ved [Page 32] (for here it is all one thing meant) by their sins do so much the more illustrate the goodness and glory of God, whilst they are redeemed out of them, for all them. And again, seeing God so allow of sin, that he let it exist, I thought my self his creature, and have of­ten ingeminated this saying, Be­hold thy Servant, Lord, alwayes ready and willing to sin.

But do you hear friend, were you alwayes wont to live free of all anxiety and terrors of conscience?

No: I was alwayes merry since I was born, thinking thus with my self, If I am elected, the Spirit of Christ will work conversion and faith in me with that force and power, which is to the elect irre­sistible: for Renovation is a second Creation, which does not depend upon the will of man, but sole power of God. ^{i k} For as those which are dead cannot raise them­selves [Page 33] againe; so I can by no means raise my self from the death of sin, how much soever the word of God sound against, threatning to re­ward this Spirituall death with an eternall, unless God himself be pleased to give a new Spirit unto me: wherefore I did wisely even to tarry ^l till God should come in upon me, and by his word and instructions turn my heart; for when I should be compeld I could not chuse but follow. On the other side, I concluded with my self thus: If I am reprobated, all that lies in me either to do or suffer will be vaine; my doings can do me no good, may be they may do me harm; ^m nay though I should perform all the good deeds ⁿ that all the Saints ever did or shall do, I could not be saved, the decree of God stands so firme and sure.

You should have observed the outward and inward call of [Page 34] God both by his word and spirit.

Could I have behaved my self any otherwise then I have done? ^o for who are not outwardly by the Gospel and inwardly by the Spirit, called according to the good purpose of God, cannot obey this call, neither can they believe, or ^p convert themselves; and God ^q draws those that believe so that they will not, cannot, neither can will to resist his will. Whom God enlightens, and whose hearts he moves, are compelled, and cannot but follow when 'tis God that calls. To illustrate this by an example: ^{r s} as none can hinder his own production, or resurrection, so none can hinder the Free-grace of God working in Jesus Christ for our regeneration and resurrection to a spirituall life: from these you abundantly see, if I had bin [Page 35] thus handled and called of God, I could have done no other then followed and obeyed his will.

Did you then never heare God thus calling, nor find your self ever moved?

Yes, I have often heard; yet you very well know, that as God has an internall and externall will, so there is an internall and ex­ternall call: ^t but if this exter­nall call shall be joyned with the internall, 'tis to be an effect and an ineffable figne of his predestina­tion; and this is what the Synod of Dort have not of late so clearly demonstrated. ^u Some have faith bestowed on them by God, and others have not, proceeds from the eternall decree of God; according to which decree, he softens the hard hearts, and bends their wils to believe: but the non-elect (the elect by his just judgement) he leaves to the hardness and malice of their own hearts. Therefore, Sir, you [Page 36] seeme to be easilier bafled then one of your Coat should be, bawling at me so often, that I did not hearken to the call and invitation of God; and fishing out of me, whether I had not heard this call or no, and was moved at it. ^x For that some are called and converted by the Mi­nistry of the Gospell, is not to be ascribed to man, as if by his own free will from others instructions, he could discern and follow suffici­ent grace and works for his con­version, (which that proud Heresie of Pelagius affirms) but to God, who as he hath from all eternity chosen his in Christ, so in time he doth effectually call them, bestows on them Faith and Repentance, and translates them out of dark­ness into the Kingdom of his dear Son; nay, ^y God creates this new creation in us, without us, by such a virtue which is not inferior to that of the great Creation or Resurrection: So that all those in [Page 37] whose hearts God has thus strange­ly and wonderfully wrought, are infallibly regenerated, and do actu­ally believe. Why do you accuse me that I am not converted? when to speak the truth, I do not see how 'tis possible, that one who is al­wayes tottering and doubting whe­ther he be elected or not, can con­form himself to the eternal Call, this lett being left too over and above, that this internal Call doth not concur.

Have you then all this while judged your self to be a reprobate? O sad to relate!

That I have; and that not without a cause too: because God of his own good pleasure has re­probated the greatest part ^z of Mankinde, and reprobates ^a are not damn'd for their sins, neither are fore-seen sins the cause why any should be reprobated; so that 'tis necessary we confess, ^b evil [Page 38] works and incredulity not to be the cause of reprobation: So that God out of his will and counsel hath ordained, That some should be born as infallibly heirs of Hell as of their Parents, that by their destru­ction his Name might be glorified. Pondering these things in my minde, I have oftentimes silently thought, O good God! hast thou also reprobated me with the great­est part of Mankinde? I did easily believe it, because thou hast so or­dered our reprobation, that though it be our misery, it turns to thy glory.

This is very true, that God ^c from eternity, without any respect to sin, by his pure & absolute Decree, which no man can understand, has rejected the greatest part of Man­kinde, and created them to destru­ction, or bequeathed them to de­struction in Adams fall, from an im­mutable and inevitable Decree, which he decreed with and in him­self: [Page 39] nay, if any one ^d shall dare to say, God hath not decreed to hate man, as man, his creature, but as a sinner, he contradicts the Apo­stle, and so consequently won't take the Authority of God him­self: yet for all this you are not by and by without any more ado to conclude your self a Repro­bate.

You say well; but how is it possible, that a man whose faith is oppugned with so many various and strong temptations, who is given to so many lusts, should easily perswade himself not to be repro­bated? as for example, if a man knowes and weighs with himself, that not onely aged people, but also Infants are of this number, ^e so that among Infants that die, ^f some are saved, some damned, and that before they have done either good or evil, for that decree ^g concerning reprobated Infants [Page 40] is so; born, and died, and damn­ed, as it were all in an instant, for the guilt of orignall and innate sin which they brought into the world with them; and for this cause ^h many children are taken out of this world, and God, as it were, snatches the tender Infant from its mothers breast, and throwes it headlong into eternall death: but, what is more, God does not onely deal so with the children of Jews, Turks, Infidels, but ⁱ also with the baptised children of Christians and believers, that some of them dying in their Infancy are damn­ed. Whether all the children of Believing parents dying such shall certainly and undonbtedly be saved, the word of God is silent; but I dare say a little more with Infants ^l which die in Christ before they are able to do good or evil, 'tis thus, they must either be saved by grace, or damned by [Page 41] nature as children of wrath as well as others. Truly Mr. Parson, this is harsh Doctrine for him who is bound to observe your Creed, so that I scarce understand what to make of it.

But heare, friend; ^m if it be in the power and liberty of man to kill an Oxe or a Sheep for his use, to hunt an Hare or Partridge to death for his pleasure; much more does it lye in the will and freedom of the Creator, without any in­justice, to reject or desert his creature, for his own glory: nay, 'tis a thousand times equaller, that all the creatures both in heaven and earth should by their generall and eternall destruction demonstrate the divine glory and majestie, then that the death of one single Fly or Gnat should go, for the demonstrating of the glory of all the men in the world. And this in God is not to be spoken against, but prayed against; and the elect cannot but give God [Page 42] thanks that he has condemned the wicked, although he did decree them to it, because he reprobated them for their good, and to testifie how great his love was towards them: nay, the very damned have not whereof to complain, but ra­ther to give thanks; for though they be fitted to destruction, God fitted them not to it in vain, but for many special ends, and princi­pally his own glory.

And for this very cause ⁿ I have often thought, we reprobates ought to be so much the quieter: for if private and peculiar good were onely to be looked after, it were better not to live at all, than to live a little, or be a while a dy­ing, till we plunge into eternal death; yet for a publick and uni­versal good in this world, the con­trary (to wit, Damnation) is better, that the particular may serve for the good of the whole, and the Creature make way for the glory of [Page 43] its Creator. Therefore although in the middle of Summer my no­strils should be frozen up close, yet nevertheless I might be in a possibi­lity of smelling that it would be, though we be cast into hell by God, & tormented, yet we shall be forced to thank him, that he has honoured us his Creatures with so divine a service, because the ^o dignity of the chief glory of God, and of the elect, is so great an advantage, that the Elect by an absolute inward propensity, actuated by the Spirit of God, would wish (if it were pos­sible) though by their own proper damnation and destruction, the sal­vation of reprobated Jews, though unbelieving and obstinate: So that this same ran often in my minde, how exceedingly happy shall even we the reprobated be.

You seem to me to have used all the industry, and weighed all the Arguments that are or can be said or done about this Argument [Page 44] of Reprobation; yet it behoved you onely to have led your life by that Word and Doctrine by which he call'd you.

I do not deny, truly, but that this same Reprobation hath a long time had deep impression in me, and being often troubled with it, satis­fied my self thus: The reprobated cannot at all obey God, nor be­lieve, nor convert, nor justifie, nor save ^p themselves, though God himself should call them, and therefore are not converted, be­cause God will not have it so: ^q nay God does offer his grace both in his Word and Sacraments to some Reprobates within the pale of the Church, not to that end, ^r that they should be saved by those means, but on the contrary, that they might have less excuse than others, and might be more se­verely punished in the end.

All this is as true as truth it self: ^s for, whom God has call'd to the ignominy of life, and certain­ty of eternal death, that they should be the instruments of his wrath, and examples of his Justice, he deprives of the faculty of hear­ing his Word, and afterwards more and more blinds and hardens them, that they may be brought to those ends to which he has appointed them. Oftentimes also ^t there is such a faith found in Reprobates, which has a great affinity and simi­litude with the faith of the very Elect; and experience teaches us, that oftentimes they are carried with the same motion and sense that the elect are; so that often­times they judge themselves to be such in truth and in deed: and sometimes it happens, ^u that some are so lift up by the help of grace it self, that they think they taste of the joyes to come, and are real­ly [Page 46] ingrafted into the true Church; so that they mayshew others the way of life, and believe & judge of them­selves no otherwise then that they are elected. O how miserable are these men, who ascend but to fall the lower, and that God might cast them many stories lower into Hell!

And truly I knew this very well, and therefore so much the more avoided all Exhortations, Sermons, and reading of the Word, and abandoned all good works, lest my blindness should be greater, and my damnation heavier: Nay, and did affirm, ^x as it is not the pur­pose and minde of God, to save those hereafter which he does not call here; so neither those Repro­bates which he does call here, be­cause it does not please him to give them faith and repentance, without which they cannot be saved. God ^y requires worship and obedience from all men, but has not decreed to give all men the power of obey­ing [Page 47] in this faln corrupted condi­tion; God requires faith of all to whom the Word is preached, but will not give faith to all to whom it is revealed.

You seem to me to have been alwayes of this opinion.

I was not so wedded to this opinion, till such thoughts as these ran alwayes in my minde, that I was really of the number of the Elect.

Do not presume rashly, you too confidently pronounce your self Elect, when from your Child­hood you have been such a rake­hell, and have not to this day men­ded your course, these are but small fruits or signs of your Ele­ction.

O good Sir! you must know, that all ^z the Elect are not called so soon as born, nor all at one and the same time: nay, before they are congregated to the Supreme Pastor, they wander in the common desert of this world in sin, and are [Page 48] neither known to others or them­selves to be elected to life, till the peculiar mercy of God keep and guide them. ^a Neither is God bound to any time when, or per­sons which to call, so that 'tis for no one to doubt when he shall be call'd; for no sin is so great as to [...]inder when heaven calls. Whence it appears, clear as Noon-day, I am not presently to despair, if I have not lived so unblameably as you would have me.

Yet it was your duty, as the Apostle sayes, by good works to make your salvation sure.

How came you to speak so unadvisedly, Sir? does our Ele­ction depend on good works? I'll prove it does not: and further, I am perswaded that the Elect may fall ^b into great and hainous sins, as Adultery, Murther; nay sometimes into such errours, by which some­times partly, sometimes wholly, the very foundation of Salvation is [Page 49] turned topfie-turvy; or otherwise against their Conscience to sin foul­ly and grievously ^c against any of the Commandments of God: but all these things hinder little or no­thing. For, ^d God will not damn any of the elect though they sin, because the foundation of their safety lies in his eternal act of their election; neither can a thousand, nay the sins of the whole world, nor all the Devils in Hell destroy one of the Elect: Our sins may harden our hearts, weaken our faith, but cannot quite destroy it, nor extinguish the Spirit of God utterly: So that God damns none for their sins, whom he has adopted in Christ.

What, then you did not fear to be damned?

No, not I, a jot: for who are ^e predestinated, cannot be [Page 50] cast off for ever, because once e­lected by the immutable Decree of God; and again, because whom Christ loves, he loves unto the end.

But you ought to have turn'd and conform'd your self according to the will of God, that you might have obtained the remission of your sins.

For any thing I understand, you have even the same conception of ^f the New Covenant, as of the Old, which was placed in the condition of Works; as if we would constantly believe, and do this and thus, God would again do for us so and so, &c. which rule is diame­trically opposite to the New Cove­nant conditions. ^g God makes a New Covenant with us, and pro­mises us, not onely when we are without any, but have strayed a long way from the condition, whilst we wallow in the midst of sin; ^h Behold, God forgiveth sin, be­fore [Page 51] he renews the heart, and does both these before we have done any good; nay, whilst we are in our sins, and do profane his Name. Hence 'tis abundantly evident, ⁱ that God does prosecute all his Elect with a singular, eternal, gra­cious, and saving love, before they believe or repent: For truly, as the Synod of Dort ^k sayes, Ele­ction is made not from any fore­seen faith, obedience, fanctity, or any other good quality or disposi­tion, as a pre-requisite cause or con­dition in us, that we should be thus elected; but are chosen to faith and obedience: so that Election is the cause from whence all good works flow, and from hence faith, holi­ness, all spiritual gifts flow, and at last life it self, as the fruit and ef­fect meerly of it.

Whither do you intend to protract this Dispute? hold your tongue, and leave this disputing; think with your self how far the [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] night is spent, and how nigh your life is to its period, and be more sollicitous how you may be saved when you shall depart this life. Consider those words of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 6.10. Nor thieves nor drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God; yet you must possess it, if you be saved.

Do you think you can shew your self a Physician to my sinful sick Soul?

Believe in Jesus Christ, mourn for your sins, beg a blessed change from God, an happy hour, wherein he may give you the remission of your sins, and life everlasting.

What must I believe, that I may believe in Christ aright?

You must believe that Jesus Christ, by his Death and Passion, merited the remission of sins, and life eternal, and that for you par­ticularly. This is commanded you in the Gospel.

Whatsoever the Gospel says, is it true or false?

'Tis truth it self.

Has Christ by his Death and [Page 53] Passion purchased these things for all?

^l Although humane Rea­son, and in good men, has thence taken scandal, and some of the E­vangelical Doctors much rage & rail, when they hear any teach, that God would not have all men to be saved, but onely such and such, and Christ is not dead for all, but we firmly believe on either side, and that from Scripture it self; so that I may assert in plain words, ^m God has constituted no Mediator for the reprobated; for Christ is the Re­deemer of the Elect onely, and not of others.

Is not Christ then dead, and made ⁿ an offering for Repro­bates?

I pray, Sir, if you be one of Christs elect Sheep, why do you thus patronize the Reprobate and Damned? Reade the judgement of [Page 54] the Synod of ^o Dort, that will teach you, that this was the free counsel & gracious intention of God the Father, & of the precious death of his onely Son, to effect grace and Salvation in all the Elect, gi­ving them alone justifying faith, and by it infallibly bringing them to heaven; that is, God would that Christ by the blood of his Cross (by which he ratified the new Cove­nant) should effectually redeem out of every Tribe, People, Language and Nation, those, and those onely which were elected to Salvation from eternity, and were given to him of his Father, giving them like­wise faith and spiritual gifts, which he acquired by his sufferings.

Are all men elected?

No: ^p for God meerly out of his own will, without any respect to future impieties, ordained the greatest part of mankinde to utter destruction.

Now at length, tell me se­riously from your heart what you think of me, am I of the Elect or no? Why do not you answer? Speak out, and speak plain, hide not truth under the ambiguity of words, neither let your tongue dis­sent from your heart, for they ought not to be divorced, but speak can­didly; for 'tis necessary that I know this: If I am a Reprobate, I should believe a lie, for Christ has purchased nothing for Reprobates; if I am Elect, I follow the truth, and not a lie. Now to follow the truth, is a work of the Gospel; therefore before I do any thing else, I will know whether I am elected or not.

^q Whosoever is within the pale of the Church, is bound to be­lieve that he is redeemed by Christ, the Reprobate as well as the Elect, yet each after a peculiar manner; the Elect is bound, that believing he may possess the benefit of his E­lection; [Page 56] the Reprobate is bound to believe from the intention of God, he may have the less to plead for himself: and therefore ^r Christ is offered to Reprobates, not that they should be saved, but that be­ing convicted from the incredulity and refractoriness of their hearts, they may want all manner of ex­cuse.

Will you say, God would have Reprobates to believe that which is a lie, and damn them eter­nally too if they will not believe it? and what hinders but it is so? for ^s after he has once resolved to damn them, he may do it which way he pleases.

Pray Sir leave off these nice­ties, we have more need to pray to God, that he would save your Soul.

If you will be praying, pray for your self; for my part, I will not spend time and labour so idlely. If I am reprobated, 'tis impossible [Page 57] to acquire Salvation, though I should spend a thousand years in praying: for the Decree stands so sure, ^t that as the Elect cannot be reprobated, so the Reprobated cannot become Elect; for Repro­bation is as immutable in respect of God reprobating, as man reproba­ted. What good can prayers do then? On the contrary, if I am elect, God has destinated me to sal­vation from Eternity; ^u and all whom God has ordained to salva­tion from the foundation of the world, are brought to it by the Al­mighty Power of God (that the purpose of Election might stand sure) that it is impossible for them any way to perish. This has been alwayes my belief, according to which I have lived, and the Synod of Dort have so confirmed me in it, that I would sooner be burnt than depart an hair from it. And as God ^x himself is most wise, im­mutable, [Page 58] omniscient, omnipotent; so that Election by him made, can neither be changed, revoked or bro­ken, nor the Elect perish, or their number admit of addition or sub­traction. 'Tis granted ^y more­over, that the Elect sometimes, by the permission of God, fall into grievous sins, as David, Peter, and other Saints; and they do offend ^z God by such sins, and incur the guilt of death, grieve the holy Spirit, destroy the exercise of their faith, wound their consciences, and many times lose the sense of grace for a while: God nevertheless, for the immutable Decree of his Ele­ction, does not in sad failings quite take his Spirit from them, neither does he suffer them to fall ^a so low, as to fall from the state of Adoption or Justification, or to sin unto death, or against the holy Ghost, so that he should utterly desert them, and leave them to perish infallibly for ever. So that they obtain not any [Page 59] thing by their owne worth and strength, but of the meer bounty of God, ^b that they neither fall totally from grace, nor unavoid­ably into Hell. But, what is more than all this, when as both inter­nal and eternal Reprobation is the operation of God, which does not really differ from the essence of God himself, why may not we dis­course and descant of Election? ^c 'Tis granted on all hands, that Reprobation, as well as Election, does not really differ from the Es­sence of God, and therefore it is God himself, who in himself is al­together immutable; and far be it from me to ask, how God can be mutable.

Good God! what a sad hear­ing is this? Can a man proceed so far, as to be burthened with sin and misery as you are, and yet will not call upon his God?

I would sooner, Sir, sing that excellent Hymn made by Bernard [Page 60] Biscop, heretofore Preacher at Oyen in Gelderland, now Preacher at Ʋ ­tricht, till my Chamber rung a­gain.

If that man has made a Hymn, 'tis necessary it be good, for he is one teaches all Orthodox Do­ctrine: Let me hear it.

Hearken diligently: the me­lody of it shall answer to the 103 Psalm: You shall briefly perceive in it the universal Rule of my Be­lief, according to which I intend to live and die.

Pray make an end, will you? I have enough of these Dis­putes and Rhymings: Is this one of your godly Hymns? This is a Song indeed befits a Rogue, and deserves singing by none but a Club of Whores and Rogues met at a Bawdy-house. Your faith and your manners are even much alike.

Even jeer on, good-man Rogue, as much as you will: yet I esteem it for an excellent Hymn; and were I to die, I would sing it on the top of the highest Round of the Ladder, before that of Ex pro­fundis Domine, &c. Out of the deep, O Lord, &c. The Composer of it was one of the Orthodox Contra-Remonstrants: Not long ago he being called out of a little Village into the City of Ʋtricht, he there [Page 63] so abundantly well argued for, and defended this Hymn, that there it was received into the Orthodox Church, as really consentaneous to Scripture.

Is this that same Ortho­dox Doctrine, about which these Provinces are so devillishly trou­bled and pester'd: Which that it may be had in holy reverence with the Church, Synods and Souldiers, use all their Authorities? Truly it is a very pretty thing.

Sirrah, you ought to hold your tongue of such things, con­cerning which you know no more than a Dog. Look to it what you say, and leave to calumniate the Church and her Doctrine, or it shall go worse with you, for ere long you shall be so far from being head Jay­lor, that you shall scarce be admit­ted to run of a Rogues errand.

If these be your best Ar­guments, Mr. Parson, yours is not so certain and good a Religion as you talk for. For all your hot words, I'll tell you but thus much, that you may very well know that [Page 64] I understand you have done little or nothing (for all your many words) to the turning this poor Soul from sin, and translating him from death to life: nay, which is worse, he is now much more hard­ned than before. Indeed I have heard much of your opinions be­fore, but never believed it till now, where I have been an eye and ear-witness of all is come out of your mouth. Is this your Reformed Re­ligion in good sooth? If you had call'd it the Deformed Religion, you had hit it, as that which is not able to effect any thing of it self, unless to stir up security in men, and give them an occasion, nay spur them to go on in sin. There­fore, Mr. Parson, because you can­not profit this sick sinful Soul any thing by your Doctrine, you may walk, for I'll light my Candle, and go fetch another, who shall contra­dict your Institutions, and be of an­other-guess Opinion, who I suppose will far sooner and surer bring a man to sorrow for his sin, and a better life.

Do what you please; so that you take it for granted, you shall not thus scape unpunish'd.

Do what you can, I e­steem this mans Soul more than your favour. In the mean while, though you shew your envy and bitterness too much. But however, God give you good night.