IT is above a twelve moneth since I did write both these Let­ters, I have several times sollicited for Mr Pickering and one Minister more, with two or three Laicks, to give me a meeting, and I to have one Minister, with two or three men answerable [Page 13]more, they refuse, saying, if I come onely, what good they can they will do, but will have nothing to do with others.

About four or five moneths since, Mr Newton the Minister of my parish did recant his blasphemous opinion before my Brother Bray Choune, and my Brother John Choune and my self; they being both at my house, we all went to hear him preach; after the Sermon they were much troubled there should be such a difference betwixt the Minister and my self in our judgment, supposing it to be, for want of a right under­standing, there having been some distance in affection be­twixt my Brother Bray and my self about this judgment, in op­posing the Ministers. I was very importunate with him to send for Mr Newton over, living but cross the way, and so to en­deavour a reconciliation; he did come over, and after some discourse, in conclusion did own these following words.

To this his recantation I have both my Brothers hands.

At the writing of this opinion, he did say he did own it, and also promised that he would presently set his hand unto it; I answered, if he would, I would presently burn before their faces all manner of writing, concerning our difference; and that if he would not swerve from these particulars in his preaching, nor after by his opinion, I would cut off a piece of my tongue rather then revile him for keeping unto this opinion; he consi­dering of it, did say for the present he would not set his hand unto it, but said he did owne every word of it, but would take some farther time for the setting his hand unto it, and so we parted, he taking this his opinion along with him in writing to consider of: Since which time he came over unto my house, but refused to set his hand to the above-said opinion, which he formerly owned, before my brothers and my selfe as aforesaid, and discoursing with him did find him like the dog unto the vo­mit, or the washed sow into the wallowing in the mire, returne againe unto the maintaining of his old blasphemous opinion of [Page 14] absolute reprobation as formerly, how that Christ dyed for none but the Elect, and how that the greatest part of Man-kind shall most certainly perish, having no meanes left them for their salvation; that their preaching and praying onely concernes the Elect. I have asked them, Wherefore all those souls which are in hell, and shall goe to hell, are damned? Their mouthes are so stopped, that they can say, For nothing but Adams sin; for which they have no colourable Scripture to maintaine, as ever I heard of; onely they pretend Rom. 5. will maintain them, but so poorly, that it cannot hold water; and men of an ordi­nary capacity must easily conclude it a piece of non-sense; for in the 18. and 19. verses of the same Chapter, the same all that were condemned in Adam, the same all were justified in Christ, and the same many as were made sinners through the disobedi­ence of Adam, the same many shall be made righteous by the obedience of Christ. And he also wretchedly maintaines ac­cording unto a blasphemous Marginal note on Deut. 2.30. that as God hath appointed the end of the reprobate, which is dam­nation; so hath he appointed the means tending to their dam­nation; notwithstanding a man cannot hear one Sermon of ten but the whole drift of their Sermons runs clean contrary against this their odious opinion.

A man would admire that those Ministers that hold this cursed opinion of absolute reprobation, should not blush, tremble, and quake, for fear of some present judgment from the all-knowing God, for telling of so many palpable lies in most of their Ser­mons they preach, as saying, God would have all to be saved; and how God swers by his life he doth not desire the death of a sinner; how mournfully he wisheth it, O that my people would have hearkened, that it might go well with them and their children for ever: And Christ came to save the greatest of sinners, and how he wept over Jerusalem bemoaning them, saying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered you toge­ther, as a hen doth her chickens, and ye would not? How the grea­test of sinners have found mercy, as David, Manasseh, Peter, and many others, and how Christ was a general Saviour, as Paul saith, who was not a reconciliation for our sins onely, but for the sins of the whole world. I say let any man deny this if [Page 15]he can; if this be not the ordinary way of preaching, in stuf­fing their Sermons with the free and universal mercies of God unto the sons of men, and how that alwayes in the method of Gods dealing with the greatest of sinners, he is so unwilling 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 [Page 16]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 [Page 17]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 life and conversation was not agreeable un­to [Page 18]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 [Page 19]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 [Page 20]that perish, had not sufficient of means afforded them to life and happiness there can be no pain of loss, but rather comfort themselves, that their misery was unavoidable, and so saith he the case would be still alike, for they were lost before they were borne, and therefore no more to blame themselves, then an heir hath reason to blame himself, because his father spent his inheritance before he was borne: it would rejoyce my heart to see these Authors well answered by Scripture and Reason; I could instance in many Authors more, but I will forbeare, onely commend the Reader to Mr Hoards book called Gods love to Mankind, who will tell thee their wretched opinion is contra­ry unto Gods nature, the Scripture, and sound reason: who will tell thee it overthroweth all Religion, and how it makes God a meer deluder, and his Ministers false witnesses, for they offer unto men salvation conditionally, whose damnation is de­termined absolutely, and how it maketh the whole circle of a mans life nothing but a meer destiny.

In a word, read but his book twice over, and then if thou art not too much byassed, in beleeving as the Priest beleeves, right or wrong, Pope-like, I am very confident thou wilt doe as I my selfe am resolved, never to reverence these Reprobatari­ans more, untill such time they will better satisfie me by Scri­pture and reason for the maintenance of their most impious opinion.

Besides what I have read, I do believe I have discoursed with thousands of people, some of them Doctors of Divinity, and many of them Ministers, and very many of them, in the esteem of the world, have been a precise, religious, knowing sort of people for the most part, have concluded with me that their opi­nion of absolute reprobation, they holding of it as aforesaid, is a most damnable, erroneous, blasphemous opinion: saying, if a truth of God, no matter for Ministers, nor the Scriptures, nor for Christ Jesus his coming. Notwithstanding it doth appear, both by Scripture and the learned, that the whole body of Di­vinity turns on this hinge, and no matter for any religion, if that be a truth of God; yet I have been deeply censured by many of my friends for being so singular in the opposing and reviling those Ministers which maintain it.

Now in regard I see very few Ministers will stand in the gap to oppose them, for fear of losing their Bacon, or their noble Tithes; and other men, they do not care for troubling themselves, desiring to live quietly: my answer shall be Luther's own words, as he is quoted in the Book of Martyrs; when he alone appeared against the Papists, many of his friends perswaded him to be silent for fear some temporal persecution should be inflicted on him, his answer was, saying, If there were as many Divels in the town of Wormes in Germany, as there were tiles on the houses, yet he would appear in that cause.

This cause having much more need for another Luther to appear then ever the other had, and yet there be but very few dare shew themselves in this great work; therefore by Gods help, I will with my very small abilities, appear to the utmost of my power in this cause, until such time as I am convinced by Scripture and Reason, and then I shall most willingly lie down at their feet.

I confess some have seemingly reproved me for using passionate expressions in the forewritten letters, as they say, in calling the Ministers jugling Priests, and saying they are more sitting to keep hoggs then to continue in the Ministery, and such like words: but doubtless no Christian upon due consideration, can think there is any passion used; in regard they are such blasphemers, in making God the Author of sin; for they say, As God hath ordained the end of the Reprobate, which is damnation; so hath he ordained the means tending thereunto: by which plain words, let the world judge if they do not make God the Author of all sins.

But many of these men that I have to deal withall, are meer shuttle-cocks, saying one thing to day, and denying it to morrow, especially Priest Newton to my knowledge; therefore look on the Marginal notes on Deut. 2. and v. 30. there you shall find those very blasphemous words above written, of Gods appointing the means unto the end; which I suppose was done by their Geneva brethren, [Page 22]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 [Page 23]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 [Page 24]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 [Page 25]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.