The Forerunner to a Further Answer

Th • Forerunner to a further Answer (if occasion serve) to two Books lately Published against Tho. Grantham of Norwich.

Briefly showing the Spirit and Temper of the Calvinists, and particularly of Mr. Finch and his Precursor, &c.

IN Psal. 94. 20▪ this Question is put, Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth Mischief by a Law? The Sense of the place is, No such thing can please God, &c.

Now of all Mischief, Sin is the worst, and indeed the Cause of all the rest. It must therefore be exceeding Evil, for any to make the Holy God the Ordainer and Commander of all the Sins of Angels and Men, and that freely, without any Provocation, and infallibly and unchangeably also, that they must even so come to pass as he hath (not only) foreseen them, but ordained and commanded them. This is the Doctrine which I chiefly opposed in my Dialogue. And though I have made this very manifestly appear to be the Doctrine of the principal Men of the Presbyterian and Calvinistical Perswasion, yet I will here add one Passage more out of Mr. Calvin, Inst. L. 3. c. 24. Sect. 6. where he boldly tells us, That God doth none otherwise foresee the things that shall come to pass, than because he hath ordained they shall so come to pass. It is vain to move Controversy about Foreknowledge, where it is certain rather by Ordinance and Commandment. So then, let the Action be never so wicked, he makes it infallibly necessary, by virtue of God's Ordinance and Commandment. Than which I do aver▪ nothing can be spoken more dishonorable to God, nor more mischievous to Men. Yea, Zanchius is as bold as Calvin, for he saith, Damus Reprobos necessitate p •• candi, eoque & pereundi, ex hac Dei ordination constringi, atque ita constringi ut nequeant non peccare atque periere: That is, We grant that Reprobates are held so fast under God's Almighty Decree, that they cannot but sin and perish. These I call the worst Doctrines in the World.

And finding this worst of Doctrines to have much prevailed in the City of Norwich, I have endeavored to make the Citizens sensible of the danger of it, both by Preaching and Writing. For which Work and Labor of Love (and to their Souls especially who are most deceived by it) I have been ill requited by many Slanders and Reproaches; and particularly by a very foolish Pamphlet, as a Forerunner to that Book of Mr. Finch, which he calls, An Answer to my Dialogue, [which scurrilous Pamphlet was published with his Privity and Allowance, as I suppose] in both which, one great Design is, to disgrace my Person by unseemly Epithets, and very false Stories; and particularly for that which I writ against Calvin for his Rage and Cruelty, in procuring one Michael Servetus to be burnt to death at Geneva, Anno 1553. Concerning which the Pamphleteer calls Calvin, a renowned Man a Star of the first Magnitude; and Servetus, an infamous Wretch; and myself, a paltry groveling Fellow. And Mr. Finch calls me, a boisterous quarrelsome Man, one that hath the Spirit of Slumber, as a check and punishment to defame such a Man as Calvin; and to extol Servetus, an Antitrinitarian; and says, I have lost all Credit and Esteem with all wise and knowing Christians. But yet I hope all wise and knowing Christians will hear me speak for what is Truth, and so for myself also before they condemn me. And,

1. Wherein do I defame Calvin? That he did certainly procure the death of Servetus, a very learned Man, and of that exact Life, that nothing is objected against him, though I doubt he did err in some things; I sa 〈…〉 at Calvin did procure his Death▪ is p 〈…〉 he saith, I freely confess the Accuser came out from me, I hope at the least he shall be put to death . I have not then defamed Calvin, unless Mr. Finch and his little Lawyer can justify that cruel Action; as indeed they seem willing so to do, by approving Dr. Owen his Sentence, who tells us, as Mr. Finch quotes him, p. 115. That Servetus is the only Person in the World that he ever heard of, that ever died upon the account of Religion, in reference to whom the Zeal of them that put him to death may be acquitted. And thus Mr. Finch, Dr. Owen, &c. have bathed their Hands in the Blood of poor Michael Servetus. Behold, and wonder! and wonder the more, because neither of them ever saw the Book which Servetus died for, but take their Grounds from the Pens of his Murderers, who would not speak the best of him you may be sure. But,

2. Wherein do I extol Servetus? I said he was a Learned and worthy Man, and pious, though mistaken in some things perhaps. And do I not call him Pious in conjunction with Calvin? Now I conceive that in Charity, I may hope many were pious Men, who did not rightly understand the Mystery of the Trinity. Yea, I have the charity to think, that Calvin was a pious Man, and yet I believe and know that he was very Erroneous in many things, and that he was acted by Cain's Spirit, when he procured the Death of Servetus, who could not deny either the Father, Son, nor Holy Spirit, because he held true Baptism in the Name of all the Three; though I fear his Sentiments were not so clear as they ought to have been concerning the Unity of these Three. And who can say that he so fully knows this great and glorious Mystery as he ought to do? I am far from justifying Servetus in his Error, yet I think they ought to have spared his Life, though they had laid some Restraint upon him.

3. Let us hear what Learned Protestants have said before me, in the Case of Servetus.

1. Grotius, a Man that had but few Equals for Wisdom and Moderation, tells us; Servetus Libri non Genevae tantum, sed in aliis Locis, per Calvini diligentiam exusti sunt; fateor tamen unum me exemplum vidisse Libri Servetiani, in quo certe ea non reperi quae ei objicit Calvinus, Vot. pro p • ce, p. 16. That is, By the Diligence of Calvin, all the Books of Servetus were not only burnt at Geneva, but in other Places. Yet I have seen one Copy of Servetus' s Books, in which truly I do not find the Things which Calvin does object against him.

And saith Dr. Pierce, (a Learned and Able Minister of the Church of England )

And he tells us also,

And by this we may perceive, how little Credit there is to be given to Dr. Owen and Mr. Finch, or his Little Precursor, not one of them having seen the Book which they condemn, but receive their Information from them that were his Murderers.

And grant that Servetus did err in that great Mystery of the Trinity, yet must he for this be burnt to death? Why then, Dr. Owen, Mr. Finch, and his Little Lawyer, would make bloody Work, even in England, where there are too many who are as erroneous concerning that glorious Mystery, as Servetus was, (the more is the pity); for seeing they justify Calvin in that bloody Act, how can they refuse doing the like, were it in their Power, unless they will come short of that Zeal which they commend in Mr. Calvin? By this print of the Foot, we may know the stature of that Monster of Persecution, which did not the Law restrain, would appear in too many Professors at this Day. I speak what I know by the Usage I have met with in this City, both from Professors and Profane.

4. Now let us hear how famous Mr. Calvin was in the Judgment of some Learned and Sober Protestants.

(1.) He is thought to err in the Mystery of the Trinity as well as Servetus, though perhaps not so much. These are his words, (speaking of the Three Persons, &c. )

(2.) He condemns the Ancient Fathers, because they were not of his Mind in the Case of Irrespective Reprobation, but hold, That there was Salvation for all Men through God's Mercy in the Gift of his Son. He brands them (saith a Learned Protestant) as Pelagianising in their Opinions.

But (3.) his rudeness of Speech was intolerable: He called great and good Men by Titles unseemly; as Serpent, Pest, Lossel, Fool, Knave, Devil, filthy Dog, impudent Hangman, &c. And Bucer (a Learned Protestant) calls him, Fratricide, a Murderer of his Brethren. And Grotius says, He grew worse and worse; and that Calvin' s Disciples are such themselves in Disposition, as they make God to be in their Imaginations towards the greater part of Mankind.

And truly this is too apparent in two of his Followers, I mean, the Little Precursor and Mr. Finch, whose study has been to render me very odious, though I am sure they know no Evil by me, more (no nor so much) as they know by themselves. And yet thus I am represented by them, viz. audacious, impudent, turbulent, impetuous, impertinent, scurrilous, prejudiced Mechanic; a Fool, despicable, wise Mr. Grantham, a despised Man, Coxcomb, addleBrain, dull Kitching-pate, Clown, Blunderbuss, dissembling Prater, Brawler, bellowing, hideous, bleat, thick-skull Momus, one decreed to steal, wrangling Fellow, Dolt, poor Fop, soft-pated Clod, Caviller, Brazen- • orehead, inconsiderate Fellow, gagling Goose, a quarrelsome boisterous Man, one that has lost all Credit and Esteem with all wise and knowing Christians that worship the Holy Trinity; one, like a Woman scolding and quarrelling in the Streets, one like an impertinent Woman, &c. So that I think these two Calvinists have come near the pitch of their Master. And such as will not spare Men's Reputation, are not to be trusted with their Lives, anymore than Mr. Calvin.

5. There is one thing which runs through Mr. F 's Epistle and Book, and that is a talk of special discriminating Grace. As if God's Grace, which he gives to most Men, were of little use for them that have it; yea, of no use at all, in respect of Eternal Life. All that Mr. F. allows that Grace to effect for them in the other World, is only to make their Punishment less in Hell, as you may see in p. 15. of his Answer; which is a piece of as woeful Divinity as ever was heard surely.

Reader, I humbly advise thee to take heed how thou receivest these Dictates, and esteem all (even the least Measure of Grace from God) to be a special favor, and such as in its Nature and Effect ( if it be all that • e designed for thee, be it never so little ) will certainly lead thee to Heaven, thou being a faithful improver of it, sincerely, though under many Infirmities; and this through his own Goodness, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time, 1 Tim. 2. 6.

(2.) Again observe, that these terms, discriminating Grace, &c. are not found in the Scripture; nor wisely made use of to render some of God's Grace not to be discriminating, (as they please to phrase it). We know God gives more Talents to some than he does to others, yet Grace is the same in Nature and Efficacy, if improved, and to leave the Receiver under unpardonable Guilt if not improved, Mat. 25. and we shall only be accountable for what God gives to each one, and for no more; nor will he deal in severity, but where his Grace hath been contemned.

(3.) Consider that very many of those who most talk of discriminating Grace, are greatly destitute of that tender Love which Paul had for them that rejected Christ, Rom. 9. 1, 2, 3. & 10. 1, 2, 3. but are filled with hatred against all that oppose their Conceit of irrespective Reprobation; being indeed fierce and of a cruel Disposition, full of Passion, quickly angry, &c. These things I have found to be true (God knows it) among such as pretend very high to discriminating Grace more than amongst others: but I fear it will prove but a special discriminating Conceit in the end to very many of them.

6. There is a great talk also, both in his Epistle and Book, about God's absolute Sovereignty. As if because he is so, he might make Angels and Men on purpose to damn them to Everlasting Fire, without giving them (at any time) any Means sufficient to prevent their Destruction. To avoid this Rock upon which they often split themselves, let us consider, That though God's Sovereignty is incomprehensible, yet it is every way better both in its Mercy and Justice, and in the exercise of both, than any Sovereignty that Men do receive or exercise under him. Now we know, that what Prince soever exerts his Sovereign Power, to impose absolute Impossibilities upon his Subjects, and Death for non-performance, is a very cruel and unrighteous Prince in the exercise of that Sovereignty. Such was Pharaoh, Exod. 5. condemned by God and Man.

O how ill would it become a Prince to cut off the Feet of many of his Subjects, and then Gibbet them alive, because they do not run as well as those whose Feet he spared? And yet even thus do these Calvinists represent the most merciful Sovereign that ever was: For they hold and teach, that God did freely and unchangeably decree, precisely such a number of Angels and Men, Women and Infants, to be damned, and that unspeakable Time, before there was either Angel or Man created; and this, not because God foresaw they would sin, and despise the Riches of his Goodness; but he also ordained them that they should commit so many Sins, yea, all the Sins that they ever shall or can commit, that so he might glorify the Sovereignty of his Justice (as they speak) in such a voluntary and dismal destruction of his Creatures.

7. These things I made evident from the Learned Calvinists own Pens, as alleged against them by their fellow Protestants; and Mr. Finch is so far from answering them, that he plainly tells you, he will not meddle with any of my Quotations, and yet he calls his Book an Answer to mine. He says also, he will not justify all the Phrases of Learned and Godly Men; and thus he will hold to their Opinion, but not to their Phrases. Hence he likes not Dr. Collings 's using the Phrase, as if God did not seriously act, &c. when indeed he makes the Case far worse: for though Peter told the Jews, God sent Christ to them to bless them, in turning everyone of them from their Iniquities, Mr. F. tells you, it was far from Peter' s meaning, p. 21. And when our Savior bewails Israel, for not knowing the things that belonged to their Peace; Mr. F. tells us, Christ did not weep for their Spiritual Peace, but to prevent their Ruin by the Romans; as if Christ did more tender their Bodies than their Souls: It seems he had ordained the Devil should lead them to Hell, but for this Christ would not weep as a Mediator, but he wept as Man only for that they should be destroyed by the Romans; and yet, if you sound him to the bottom, it was infallibly and unchangeably decreed by Christ as God, that they should be destroyed by the Romans, for he holds that God did unchangeably decree whatsoever comes to pass. O unwise Expositor! and thus does he abuse most of the Texts which he meddles with, which speak of God's Love to Mankind universally, as every careful Reader may perceive: And very unworthily declares, That God hath many holy Ends in affording the preaching of the Word to many, upon whom he never purposed nor intended to bestow special and saving Grace, p. 15. And what is this, but to tell the World, that God merely mocks the greatest part of Men to whom the Gospel is preached? for whatever he speaks by the Gospel to them, he never intended them any Salvation by it. And thus Mr. Finch, and all such Preachers as he is, are mere Hypocrites, for they cannot intend any Salvation to all they preach unto, but only to a very few▪ and they know not so much as one of them.

Nay, so greedily does he fancy that God will absolutely damn the greatest part of Mankind; that he will not spare the poor dying Infants, but cast them into Hell also; and his Reason is, That as Men do kill the young Cubs of Foxes and Wolves, though they never yet did any Mischief, so God may, if he please, glorify his Justice upon Infants, though they die in their Infancy▪ p. 88, 89. And thus our gracious God is made more cruel to his Off-spring, (for such is all Mankind, Acts 17. 28.) than the very Wolves and Foxes are to their young Ones. An • what is now become of that gracious Speech of Almighty God, Psal. 145. His tender Mercies are over all his Works? Sure, damned Infants have no share at all in his Mercy, no not so much as a Toad by a thoasand degrees. O ye Fools, when will ye be wise? Psal. 94. 8.

Mr. Finch quarrels with the Title of my Book, and says, We read of John the Baptist, not of Thomas the Baptist. But this only shows his weakness; I speak not of Thomas the Baptist. I intend by the Baptist, all that own the Doctrine and Baptism of Repentance for remission of Sins, including John the Baptist as the first Teacher of that Baptism, for the manifestation of Christ to Israel, and that all Men through him might believe, John 1. 7, 31. This Doctrine Mr. Finch and the Presbyterians do oppose, both in the extent of this blessed Object of Faith for all Men, by narrowing it up to they know not who, and therefore preach they know not what. And also by Sprinkling poor Infants (many times fast asleep) in opposition to John the Baptist, who baptized Repentant Believers in the River, or where there was much Water, Mark 1. 17. John 3. 23. Mr. Finch also quarrels my Office as a Messenger of the Baptized Churches, &c. But of this I have given an account, in my Book entitled, Christianismus Primitivus, to which I refer the inquisitive Reader, and remain,