A whip for the lecturers of Lewis, and for all those Presbyterians, and others of the clergy which maintain that damnable opinion of absolute reprobation, according to the sense of the within written paper. With an exact copy of two several letters sent unto the the said lecturers, wherein the author desires satisfaction concerning the said opinion, with an answer to one of the said letters, being a true copy also. / By Edward Choune ...

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 abso∣lute 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 Chri∣stian 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 de∣sire 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 quo∣ted 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 compassionate∣ly? 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 mainte∣nance 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 blasphe∣mous opinion is grown high & monstrous, that it is like unto Go∣liah 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 Do∣ctor 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 bre∣thren, read also Haggars Stoicks, and Moalamb on Rom. 9. and many other books, but beyond all compare let me com∣mend unto you Mr. Hoord and Mr. Piercy's books, for I be∣lieve they have so sufficiently maintained that doctrine against your blasphemous opinion, as they call it, of absolute reproba∣tion, both by Scripture, by Antiquity, and by Reason, that the wit of man is not able to give any considerable answer by Scri∣pture, by Antiquity, by Reason to gain-say it; doubtless these men will give you satisfaction if any scruple do arise. My de∣sire 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 mainte∣nance of my opinion, then ever I received from any of you against it, provided you will come with an humble spirit, keep∣ing close unto the Scriptures, and cast away all carnall inventi∣ons; 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 Eng∣land. And in their words, for the greatest part of the Prote∣stants 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 Bi∣shops,

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, Do∣ctors, 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 allow∣ing 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 Re∣venues 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 be∣lieving, because his Priest believes it, to give a satisfactory an∣swer, 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 re∣spect 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 repro∣bates from damnation; this being granted, if I am in an errour, I have a longing desire to be convinced by Scripture and rea∣son. I have already written to you under my hand, which opinion I suppose you maintain, because I never heard from you, that I had belied you in the least degree: as for rendring your opinion odious, and for giving the maintainers of it, that

true character of juglers; I am very confident I cannot do God greater service then by so doing, as long as you maintain one thing privately, and preach publickly clean contrary; you write that you will pass by my unchristian language, and will pray unto the Lord for my pardon and repentance: For my un∣christian language, I know of none I used towards you, unless you will acknowledge it is unchristian language, to call blasphe∣mers, Jesuites Jews, or Turks, by the names of dissemblers, or jug∣lers; if you do, then I must confess I have touched your copy∣holds. For your prayers, I am not sensible I have sinned against the most high in that particular; therfore my advice is unto you, as Christ said unto the daughters of Jerusalem, weep for your selves; I know the Apostle tells us, the prayer of the faithsull availeth much with God for sinners; but I believing your selves not to be of that number, as long as you continue in that cur∣sed opinion, I will as soon sue unto the Pope, or to the great Turk for their prayers, as for yours. Thus desiring the Al∣mighty to open the eyes of our understandings, both of your selves and my self, and all other people of what Religion so∣ever, that we may clearly see those things that belong unto our peace, before that peace be taken from us, or we taken from it, and be no more seen. So resteth him that is no well-willer unto your opinion, and not ashamed to set my hand for the mainte∣nance of my own.

EDWARD CHOUNE.

Kingston-Bowsey, March 24. 1655.

I am assured you will not find two lines more then in the original Letters.