,a  ,,solemn ,,caution  ,,against ,,the 
,,ten ,,horns ,,of ,,calvinism4   ,,by  
,,philalethes1  ,,lately ,,escaped4     
,,fourth ,,edition1 ,,corrected4   ,and 
,i stood upon the sand of the sea1 and  
,i saw a beast rise up out of the sea1  
having seven heads and ,ten ,horns4     
,rev4 xiii4 #a4   ,,leeds3  ,,printed   
,,by ,,james ,,nichols1 #cf1 ,,briggate1
 ,,and ,,sold ,,by ,,other              
,,booksellers4  #ahai4     ,,to  ,,the  
,,rev4 ,,john ,,wesley4   ,reverend     
,sir1  ,,the author of the following    
strictures hopes your candour will      
pardon his addressing you in this public
 manner4 ,who he is1 or what he is1     
signifies very little2 only he begs     
leave to intimate1 that he hopes he is a
 follower of that ,saviour who gave     
himself a ransom for all4 ,he was       
convinced when young in years1 in a     
great measure1 by reading ,alleine's    
,alarm2 and the ,calvinists being the   
only professing people near him1 he soon
 got acquainted with them1 and was1 for 

some time1 in their connexion4 ,being   
young in years1 experience1 and         
knowledge1 he saw with their eyes1 and  
heard with their ears2 yet not without  
many scruples concerning the truth of   
several of their tenets4 ,sometimes he  
proposed his doubts1 yet seldom had much
 satisfaction2 but rather was a little  
brow-beaten for being muddy-headed4 ,he 
often paused1 and pondered1 and read1   
and rubbed his head1 and wondered what  
he ailed4 ,cole on ,god's ,sovereignty  
was put into his hands to clear his dull
 head1 and make him quite orthodox2 but 
still he could not see how ,god could be
 just in condemning men for exactly     
doing what he had decreed them to do4   
,after many conflicts1 your little      
piece1 entitled1 ,predestination ,calmly
 ,considered fell into his hands2 he    
read it over with that attention which  
both the doctrine and performance       
deserve2 and never had a doubt1 from    
that day to this1 that ,god is loving to
 every man4 ,you will1 dear sir1 excuse 

the liberty which he has taken in       
recommending that little useful piece1  
as well as some others1 which are       
published in your catalogue4 ,but1      
perhaps1 you will say1 ,who hath        
required this performance at your hands8
 ,are there not already better books    
written upon the subject than yours8 ,he
 answers1 ,yes2 there are books much    
better written3 ,they are really written
 too well for the generality of readers4
 ,he wanted to adapt something to the   
genius and pockets of the people4 ,the  
generality of such as profess religion  
are poor1 and have little time1 little  
capacity1 little money4 ,if they read   
and understand this1 perhaps they may be
 capable of relishing something better4 
,however1 the writer throws in his mite1
 and hopes it will be acceptable4 ,in   
the meantime may you1 who have much to  
cast into the divine treasury1 go on and
 abound until you finish your course    
with joy4 ,i am1 ,reverend ,sir1 your   
obedient and humble servant1  ,,the     

,,author4  ,december #eth1 #aggi4     ,a
  ,,solemn ,,caution1  c4   ,when the   
forerunner of our blessed ,lord came    
preaching his dispensation among men1 it
 is said1 the same came for a witness1  
to bear witness of the light1 that all  
men through him might believe4 ,he was  
not the light1 but was sent to bear     
witness of the light4 ,that was the true
 light which lighteth every man which   
cometh into the world4 ,it is farther   
added1 this is the condemnation1 that   
light is come into the world1 but men   
love darkness rather than light4  ,one  
would think such express testimonies    
were sufficient to convince any man who 
attentively considers what is here      
spoken1 and who spake these words1 that 
,christ tasted death for every man2 and 
that he would have all men to be saved1 
and come to the knowledge of the truth4 
,yet it is well known1 men have found   
the art of torturing these and many     
other scriptures to death1 so as to     
leave neither life nor meaning in them4 

,for many years ,i did not see the bad  
tendency which unconditional            
predestination has2 for though ,i was   
convinced that it was not a scriptural  
doctrine1 yet knowing some who held it  
to be gracious souls1 ,i was ready to   
conclude that all or the greater part   
were thus happily inconsistent1 and so1 
contrary to the genius and tendency of  
their doctrine1 were perfecting holiness
 in the fear of the ,lord4 ,but latter  
years have convinced me to the contrary2
 and though many are either afraid or   
ashamed to hold it forth in its full    
extent1 and have kept its chief features
 out of sight1 yet it is still like that
 second beast which is mentioned in the 
,revelation1--its horns are like a lamb2
 but attend closely to it1 and it speaks
 like the true dragon1 and with its ten 
horns is pushing at the saints of the   
,most ,high2 and1 ,i fear1 has cast down
 many1 and is still pushing every way to
 the great danger of many more4 ,many   
who were simply going on their way1     

rejoicing in a crucified ,saviour1      
denying themselves1 and taking up their 
cross1 --no sooner has this beast       
obstructed their way1 but they have     
unwarily been seduced from the path of  
life4 ,having now their eyes opened1    
they are become wise in their own       
conceits1 and are no longer the same    
simple1 patient followers of the ,lamb2 
but soon become positive1               
self-conceited1 and gradually fall back 
into the world again4  ,it is true1 many
 excellent checks have been given to    
this growing plague2 several of which   
are mentioned in the subsequent part of 
this little performance3 ,yet they are  
really too well written1 and too large1 
for the generality of readers4 ,such    
arguments as ,mr4 ,toplady and ,mr4     
,hill have made use of1 that is1 being  
pretty liberal in calling foul names1   
are far more taking than rational       
scriptural reasoning4 ,i could not      
prevail upon myself to stoop so low2    
truth does not require it4 ,yet a few   

plain strictures1 just giving a concise 
view of some of the principal features  
of this beast1 is what is pretended to  
here4 ,i think ,i shall avoid all       
railing accusations1 all personal abuse2
 there being something so low and mean  
in scurrility1 that it can never help   
the cause of pure and undefiled         
religion4 ,the following positions1     
concerning absolute predestination1 ,i  
hope to make appear4  ,the sum of       
,calvinism is contained in that article 
in the ,assembly's ,catechism1 viz41    
that ,god1 from all eternity1 hath      
ordained whatsoever comes to pass in    
time4 ,from hence naturally follow the  
ensuing ten blasphemous absurdities3--  
,i4 ,if it is so1 that1 ,god has from   
all eternity ordained whatsoever comes  
to pass in time2 then it is certain1    
nothing can come to pass but what he    
hath ordained or appointed4--,but1 we   
are sensible1 the most shocking things  
have come to pass2 such is the rebellion
 and fall of the angels1 who kept not   

their stations1 but are become the      
enemies of ,god and man1 and seeking to 
do all the mischief they can in the     
world4 ,but if ,god has1 by an express  
decree1 ordained whatsoever shall come  
to pass1 he has ordained that these     
angels should sin1 and fall1 and become 
devils2 they could not help it2 and all 
the mischief they do in the world is but
 fulfilling the divine decree4 ,likewise
 it was ordained1 that they should      
seduce man1 and that he should fall1 and
 propagate a race of sinful creatures   
like himself1 and that all the shocking 
consequences should follow2 that ,cain  
should murder his brother2 that the old 
world should be immersed in sin and     
sensuality1 and then be drowned2 and1   
though ,noah was a preacher of          
righteousness a hundred and twenty      
years1 that none should believe and be  
saved2 likewise the arriving of the     
,sodomites to such an enormous pitch of 
wickedness1 was ordained2 and that they 
should burn in lust1 working that which 

was unseemly1 and perish by fire2 also  
that the ,israelites should murmur1     
tempt ,god1 commit fornication in the   
wilderness1 and their carcases should   
then fall2 in like manner1 after they   
were settled in the promised land1 that 
they should fall in with the various    
abominations1 such as burning their     
children to ,moloch1 use enchantments1  
witchcrafts1 and every other abomination
 which we find them charged with4 ,then 
was not the cruelty exercised by        
,pagans1 or ,papists1 or ,mahometans all
 ordained8--also all the massacres1     
treacheries1 plundering1 burning of     
towns and cities1 dashing poor infants  
to pieces1 or starving them to death1   
ripping up their mothers1 together with 
all the rapes1 murders1 and sacrileges  
which have ever come or shall come to   
pass8 ,i say1 this doctrine charges the 
blessed1 the merciful ,god with it all1 
by ordaining from all eternity          
whatsoever shall come to pass in time4  
,here is no overstraining1 no forcing   

things2 it is the unavoidable           
consequence1 as much as a man charging1 
pointing1 and firing a cannon at any one
 or number of men is the cause of their 
death4 ,the powder1 cannon1 and ball    
only do what the men appoint them to do4
 ,reader1 is not this shocking8 ,does   
not thy blood chill at reading all this 
blasphemy8 ,i am sure mine does at      
writing4 ,i know1 great care is taken to
 hide their monstrous visage2 but as it 
is there1 ,i am determined to drag it   
out to light4  ,,ii4 ,this doctrine     
makes the day of judgment past2--a      
heresy which very early found its way   
into the church of ,god1 and thereby    
overthrew the faith of some4 ,if ,god   
from all eternity ordained whatsoever   
shall come to pass in time1 then he     
ordained who should1 and who should not1
 be damned4  ,now if there be anything  
in the day of judgment analogous to what
 is transacted in courts of justice     
here1 then causes are to be tried by the
 law or word1 and such as have          

voluntarily committed crimes are to be  
punished accordingly1 and every cause is
 to have a fair hearing1 ,rev4 xx4 #ab4 
,but1 according to the scheme of        
absolute predestination1 all is settled 
and fixed already2 then there is no     
judging of every man according to his   
works1 but according to what is before  
ordained concerning him4 ,so that the   
clay of judgment is a solemn farce1 or  
rather we may call it the day of        
execution1 seeing it is only to execute 
what was long ago determined4 ,what a   
ridiculous idea does this give us of the
 proceedings of that great and awful    
day6 ,should the king summon a number of
 cannons to take their trial in         
,westminster-,hall for blowing down some
 city1 which cannon had been fired by   
his secret orders1 would not every one  
who knew the affair both despise1 and in
 their judgment condemn1 such a foolery8
 ,but how does judging men for doing    
that which ,he has before determined    
they should do1 reflect upon the wisdom 

and goodness of the ,almighty8 ,it is   
said of ,nero1 that he secretly ordered 
,rome to be set on fire1 and then laid  
the blame upon the ,christians1 and     
ordered them to be persecuted for the   
same4 ,but is it not horrid beyond      
conception to represent the ,god of     
wisdom1 mercy1 and goodness1 even worse 
and more ridiculous than ,nero8 ,such is
 the consequence of absolute            
predestination4  ,,iii4 ,it contradicts 
the plain word of ,god4--,to quote all  
the texts of ,scripture which it        
contradicts1 would quite swell this     
little performance too large4 ,a few1   
however1 shall be selected4 ,the ,lord  
is good to all2 and his tender mercies  
are over all his works1 ,psalm cxlv4 #i4
 ,as ,i live1 saith the ,lord ,god1 ,i  
have no pleasure in the death of the    
wicked2 but that the wicked turn from   
his way and live4 ,turn ye1 turn ye from
 your evil ways3 ,for why will ye die1  
,o house of ,israel8 ,ezek4 xxxiii4 #aa4
  ,these two testimonies from the ,old  

,testament cut off all absolute         
predestination at a stroke4 ,if ,god is 
good to all1 or if he is loving to every
 man1 how can this consist with his     
,consigning their unborn souls to hell1 
,or damning them from their mother's    
womb8  ,if his tender mercies are over  
all his works1 how can this consist with
 fore-ordaining that the greatest part  
of mankind should sin and be damned for 
ever8 ,now1 what loving tender heart can
 take any satisfaction in any such broad
 blasphemies8  ,again3 if ,god takes no 
pleasure in the death of a sinner1      
certainly he affords him proper means of
 living2 but that he takes no pleasure  
in the death of such1 we have not only  
his word1 but his oath for it2 and1 as  
he could swear by no greater1 he has    
sworn by himself4 ,as ,i live1 saith the
 ,lord ,god1 ,i have no pleasure in the 
death of the wicked1 c4 ,now1 must he   
not have a large stock of impudence who 
can give the ,god of truth here the lie8
 ,what kind of brass must his brow be   

cased with8 ,for me to see a poor       
creature hanging over a dreadful fiery  
furnace1 and have it in my power to help
 him with a word1 and will not help him1
 nay1 order him secretly to be pushed   
in1 and yet stand1 and in the most      
solemn manner cry1 ,as ,i live1 ,i have 
no pleasure in your death2 yea1         
passionately cry out1 ,why will ye die8 
turn ye1 turn ye2--now ,i say1 where    
would be my sincerity all the time8     
,when ,i have pushed the contenders for 
reprobation in this manner1 the cry has 
been1 ,o1 that is your carnal1 human    
reason6 ,indeed ,i think the other is   
devilish1 inhuman reason4  ,i shall now 
select a few witnesses from the ,new    
,testament4 ,hear the lip of truth      
expostulating with the unhappy          
,jerusalem1 a little before it suffered3
 ,o ,jerusalem1 ,jerusalem1 which       
killest the prophets1 and stonest them  
that are sent unto thee1 how often would
 ,i have gathered thy children together1
 as a hen gathereth her brood under her 

wings1 and ye would not6 ,luke xiii4    
#cd4 ,of a truth ,i perceive1 that ,god 
is no respecter of persons2 but in every
 nation1 he that feareth him1 and       
worketh righteousness1 is accepted with 
him1 ,acts x4 #cd1 #ce4 ,for ,god hath  
concluded them all in unbelief that he  
might have mercy upon all1 ,rom4 xi4    
#cb4 ,who will have all men to be saved1
 and come unto the knowledge of the     
truth1 #a ,tim4 ii4 #d4 ,who gave       
himself a ransom for all1 to be         
testified in due time1 #a ,tim4 ii4 #f4 
,for the grace of ,god1 that bringeth   
salvation1 bath appeared to all men1    
,titus ii4 #aa4 ,he1 by the grace of    
,god1 should taste death for every man1 
,heb4 ii4 #i4  ,i shall multiply no more
 quotations2 these are sufficient4 ,only
 ,i would ask1 ,is there any meaning in 
language8 ,or are words intended to     
convey any fixed and determined meaning8
 ,if that is the case1 then absolute    
predestination manifestly contradicts   
the plain testimony of ,scripture1 and  

therefore must spring from the father of
 lies2 and1 as such1 is to be abhorred4 
,,iv4 ,it has a tendency to render all  
means useless4--,i know it is asserted1 
that ,he who has ordained the end1 has  
appointed the means thereunto3 ,and this
 observation1 understood rightly1 is a  
great truth4 ,but has ,god so ordained1 
that there is no liberty left for free  
agency8 ,has he appointed that one must 
be a preacher1 and another a curser and 
swearer8 that one must give his goods to
 feed the poor1 and another must steal  
and plunder1 and so live upon spoil and 
rapine8 ,or has the ,lord given a power 
to every man either to choose or refuse8
 ,this is what the ,bible maintains1 or 
otherwise the many exhortations1        
reproofs1 expostulations1 and           
threatenings are in vain4 ,now we are   
exhorted to pray3 ,to pray6 for what8   
,such things as we are sensible we stand
 in need of4 ,yea1 and it is said1 ,ye  
have not3 ,and why had they not8 ,was it
 because ,god had decreed to give them  

nothing8 ,no such thing2 they have not1 
because they did not ask4 ,for if ,god  
had decreed to give them nothing1 then  
they had not been to blame2 but they are
 charged with neglect in not asking1 and
 that is assigned as the reason of their
 not receiving4 ,this is perfectly      
consistent with what our ,lord has said1
 ,ask1 and it shall be given2 seek1 and 
ye shall find2 knock1 and it shall be   
opened4 ,well1 but all this asking1     
knocking1 seeking1 is all lost labour1  
if there be any such decree as is       
mentioned above4 ,for can all this      
praying1 and asking1 and seeking1 alter 
what is irreversibly decreed to be done8
 ,indeed this borders upon deism2 for   
the deists argue1 ,do you think that    
praying will make ,god change his mind8 
,now if we believe the ,bible1 we must  
ask ,god to give us the blessings we    
stand in need of1 and cannot warrantably
 expect to receive without asking4 ,the 
same holds good with regard to family   
prayer4 ,i ask eternal life for my wife1

 children1 or friends4 ,how vain is all 
my labour6 ,for if ,god has decreed to  
give them eternal life1 they shall have 
it in the way1 time1 place1 and manner  
it is decreed for them1 whether ,i pray 
or not4 ,and if ,god has not decreed to 
give it unto them1 all my praying can   
never change the decree4  ,i find a love
 to poor perishing sinners in some town 
or village1 and ,i go to persuade them  
to be reconciled to ,god3 ,many of them 
use me ill1 not only with reviling      
language1 but even with sticks1 or      
stones1 or clods1 or rotten eggs4 ,why1 
what a fool was ,i to expose myself on  
any such account6 ,if they are decreed  
to be saved1 they shall be saved2 or    
lost1 they shall be lost3 ,so that my   
suffering and preaching are entirely in 
vain4--,see that pert young man1 he has 
just left his loom or his plough1 and he
 is going to hammer at a bit of ,latin2 
by and by1 he becomes a mighty          
smatterer3 ,with his little sense1      
little grace1 and next to no learning1  

he harangues famously about a decree and
 a covenant1 and puffs and parades1 and 
shouts out amain1 ,o the sweetness of   
,god's electing love6 ,having by this   
time acquired a pretty good stock of    
assurance1 he looks out for a shop1 that
 is1 in the quaint phrase1 he waits for 
a call2 by and by the desired object    
appears1 the bargain is struck1 and the 
stipend is settled1 and now we have our 
pert youngster a ,reverend ,sir6--,well1
 but what is he to do8 ,why1 we should  
think1 call sinners to repentance1 and  
comfort mourners1 and establish         
believers1 and help their faith4 ,but1  
alas6 this is all in vain4 ,this        
,reverend ,sir might as well have stayed
 at his loom or plough1 as take the poor
 people's money for watching over their 
souls1 when all from first to last was  
settled by an unalterable decree4  ,such
 is the consistency of predestinarian   
teachers4 ,poor simple souls1 who are   
thus led1 do not you see that if such a 
decree is gone forth1 you are supporting

 an idle man in vain8#a--,what end is   
preaching to answer8 ,let him lecture   
with ever such state and assurance1 if  
the time1 the place1 the manner be all  
fixed3 ,i say he is an ignorant1 lazy   
drone1 who is picking his poor people's 
pockets2 but1 perhaps1 it was decreed   
that it should be so4#b  ,v4 ,it makes  
promises and threatenings useless4--,i  
apprehend promises are intended to      
encourage the fainthearted1 and such as 
are ready to be discouraged in their    
way2 and the ,lord who has made them1 no
 doubt1 designs to fulfil the same4     
,they are not mere baubles1 but the firm
 and never-failing words of ,god4 ,yet  
they are conditional4 ,i know no promise
 made to us1 in the way of experience1  
but there is a condition either         
expressed or implied4 ,the only promises
 which can in any measure be said to be 
unconditional1 are such as respect      
,christ's coming into the world1 the    
pouring out of the ,spirit1 or the      
preaching of the ,gospel4 ,but as for   

such as respect the forgiveness of sins1
 consolation1 sanctification1 or        
glorification1 they are all conditional1
 and1 as such1 are intended to encourage
 all who are travelling to ,mount ,zion4
  ,so with regard to the threatenings2  
they are intended to warn the unruly1   
and put a check upon the disobedient2 so
 that no sinner may rush upon his own   
damnation1 without being duly apprised  
of the same4 ,and why is he apprised8   
,barely to torment him before the time8 
,no1 verily2 but1 like the citizen's    
hearing the sound of the trumpet1 that  
he may take the warning1 and escape the 
danger4 ,but if there is an irrevocable 
decree1 if all things are so ordered and
 fixed from eternity1 then are the      
threatenings mere scare-crows2 they can 
answer no valuable end at all1 and might
 as well be given to stocks and stones  
as to human beings1 if they have no     
power to take the awful warning4 ,and   
does not this make the word of ,god of  
none effect8 ,certainly2 if promises    

have no power to allure and encourage1  
that is1 if the human race are not to be
 moved by them1 and if their power of   
obeying is wholly taken from them1 it is
 in vain for ,god to call out1 ,how     
long1 ye simple ones1 will you love     
simplicity8 ,turn ye at my reproof4     
,unto you1 ,o men1 ,i call6 and my voice
 is unto the sons of men4 ,it is in vain
 for him to say1 ,come1 let us reason   
together2 though your sins be like      
scarlet1 they shall be white as wool3   
,and though they be red like crimson1   
they shall be as snow4 ,come1 let us    
reason together6 ,reason6 with what8    
,brutes1 nay stocks and stones6 ,how    
absurd6 ,would a wise man make such a   
proposal8 ,how does this inconsistent   
scheme reflect upon the infinitely wise 
and gracious ,god8 ,shall vain man throw
 such an odium upon his ,maker8 ,god    
forbid6 ,but such an odium does this    
decree throw upon unerring wisdom2 and  
all the quibbles in the world cannot    
clear it of the same4 ,again3 let ,god  

speak like thunder1 ,the wicked shall be
 turned into hell1 and all the people   
that forget ,god6 yet if the sinner is  
incapable of taking the warning1 what   
empty bombast does it make of the awful 
threatening6 ,but let ,god be true1 and 
every man a liar who can cast such vile 
reflections upon his righteous          
proceedings4  ,,vi4 ,it is contrary to  
every attribute in the ,deity4--,now his
 justice is the severest attribute of   
the blessed ,god2 that is manifest when 
its sword awaked against the ,man who   
was his fellow1 when the great ,mediator
 bled for human crimes4 ,yet even this  
attribute must be consistent with mercy 
and goodness2 nay1 the very term itself 
implies there is no wrong in it4 ,but   
how can we clear the justice of ,god1 if
 he has ordained that man shall sin2    
nay1 is made for that very end1 and then
 to be damned for it8 ,there is nothing 
equal to this in the whole compass of   
history4 ,that which bears the nearest  
resemblance is the well-known instance  

of ,tiberius2 when determined to destroy
 a noble family root and branch1 finding
 a young virgin who could not1 by the   
,roman laws1 be put to death1 he ordered
 the hangman to ravish the poor         
innocent1 young and helpless creature1  
and then to strangle her4 ,such a horrid
 picture do these low advocates draw of 
the justice of the ,supreme             
,being6--,and what shall we say of his  
love8 ,nay1 hear what ,david said of it1
 namely1 that ,he is good to all1 and   
his tender mercies are over all his     
works4 ,hear what the lip of truth      
himself hath said1 ,god so loved the    
world1 that he gave his only-begotten   
,son1 that whosoever believeth in him   
should not perish1 but have everlasting 
life4 ,god so loved the world2 that is1 
say they1 the elect world4 ,and what    
proof do they bring for such an         
interpretation8 ,none2 nay1 that is a   
circumstance which is often forgotten4  
,but we need go no farther than the text
 itself1 to confute that rugged         

interpretation2 only let the grammatical
 sense of the words be attended         
unto1--,god so loved the elect world1   
that whosoever of the elect world       
believeth in him should not perish1 but 
have eternal life4 ,then what is become 
of the elect world which do not believe 
in him8 ,according to this scheme1 there
 are some of the elect world which will 
not believe in him1 and so perish4 ,see 
what consequences follow such           
absurdities6 ,st4 ,john says1 ,behold   
what manner of love the ,father hath    
bestowed upon us1 that we should be     
called the sons of ,god4 ,but the poor  
reprobates may argue1 ,behold what      
manner of hate and destruction the      
,father hath bestowed upon us1 that we  
should thus by his decree be called     
reprobates1 children of darkness1       
enemies to ,god1 strangers to the       
commonwealth of ,israel1 and enemies to 
the cross of ,christ4  ,and what can we 
say1 upon such principles1 for the pity 
of ,him whose bowels melt with          

tenderness8 ,who are the objects of his 
pity8 ,are not poor miserable objects1  
who are plunged into a hopeless1        
helpless situation through the fall1 and
 become offenders through the original  
transgression8 ,the doctrine under      
consideration is so far from            
representing any pity to such           
unavoidable objects1 that it really     
represents ,god1 of his own sovereign   
good-will and pleasure1 bringing them   
into that deplorable situation1 and then
 leaving them to perish without remedy1 
and taking a horrid pleasure in their   
everlasting destruction4 ,o thou pitiful
 anti compassionate ,lord ,god1 what a  
picture of vindictive cruelty does this 
sad doctrine exhibit of thy tenderness  
and pity to poor sinners6  ,and what    
plea is there for the goodness of ,god1 
upon the same gloomy doctrine8 ,i can   
see none4 ,now goodness does not seem to
 be so much any one attribute1 as a     
blessed assemblage of them all put      
together4 ,it seems a collection of all 

the glorious and blessed qualities in   
the adorable ,deity1 shining out in     
countless rays on every side2 an image  
of which is the sun which shines on the 
evil and good1 and the innumerable drops
 of rain which fall on the just and the 
unjust4  ,some have asked me1 ,do you   
not think that ,god might have justly   
passed you by1 and left you without his 
grace or help at all8 ,i answered1 ,no2 
,i think he could not have done any such
 thing4 ,that ,i was shapen in iniquity1
 and in sin conceived1 ,i allow2 its    
woeful effects ,i feel to this day4 ,but
 then that was not my fault4 ,i could   
not help it2 and certain ,i am1 that    
,god never demands the taking up of that
 which he never laid down1 or reaping   
where he has not sown4 ,that ,i have1   
times without number1 rejected that     
grace which brings salvation to all1 and
 abused it again and again1 ,i do with  
shame and confusion acknowledge2 and    
that he might have taken away the abused
 talents1 and1 from my so frequently    

turning a deaf ear to his loving voice1 
have sworn ,i should not enter into his 
rest1 is a truth which ,i feelingly     
confess4 ,but that he could or would    
leave me a slave to everlasting misery  
on account of my original depravity1 ,i 
utterly deny4  ,where shall we find the 
mercy of ,god1 according to this        
merciless doctrine8 ,it is said that    
mercy is his darling attribute1 and that
 judgment is his strange work4 ,but     
according to this scheme1 we must       
reverse this sentence1 and say that     
judgment1 or rather everlasting         
destruction1 is his darling attribute2  
and that mercy is his strange work4 ,it 
is said1 that his tender mercies are    
over all his works4 ,this must mean over
 such as have sinned2 for such as have  
not sinned1 do not stand in need of     
mercy4 ,but this narrow limited doctrine
 does not make his mercy extend to a    
tenth part of his works4 ,if ,i see a   
multitude of poor wretches hanging over 
a dreadful fiery furnace1 and can extend

 my help to them all as easily as to    
one1 but will not1 this speaks but      
little for my mercy2 and as little does 
this doctrine speak for the unbounded   
mercy of ,god4#c  ,,vii4 ,it contradicts
 common sense4--,there is something of a
 light in the breast of every one1 which
 the ,author of our being has planted1  
and which we call the understanding4 ,by
 this we are enabled to see things in   
common life which are consistent or     
inconsistent2 so even in religious      
matters there may be asserted some      
things so shockingly inconsistent as may
 affront even what we call common sense1
 and perhaps may be a stumbling-block in
 the way of many4 ,should the           
legislative power of ,england give out  
laws or acts of parliament to be obeyed1
 and rewards promised to the obedient1  
and punishments denounced to the        
disobedient2 but at the same time1 by   
some secret springs of management1      
should so order it1 that a certain      
number should be constrained to obey1 in

 some particular time1 called a day of  
power2 and the remaining part should be 
under an unavoidable necessity of       
disobeying1 either by being constrained 
to disobedience1 or for want of that    
ability to obey which the government    
could only give1 but it was denied them3
 now must it not shock all common sense1
 and all degrees of truth and justice1  
to find these poor impotent wretches    
brought to the stake to be burnt alive1 
because they could not do               
impossibilities8 ,and does not every one
 see the case is parallel1 when the     
great ,judge shalt pass the sentence of 
condemnation at the last day1 ,go1 ye   
cursed1 into everlasting fire8--,why1   
what for8 ,because ,i have decreed it   
shall be so8 ,no3 ,i was hungry1 but ye 
gave me no meat2 ,i was thirsty1 but ye 
gave me no drink4 ,we do not find them  
objecting any such decree being made    
against them2 if there had1 how could   
they have been furnished with a better  
plea8 ,they might have said1 ,lord1 thou

 knowest we could not reverse thy       
decree1 nor avoid our impending doom4   
,didst thou not ordain that we should   
just do as we have done1 seeing thou    
hast fore-ordained from eternity        
whatsoever should come to pass in time8 
,so that we have just fulfilled thy     
counsel1 and done all thy pleasure4     
,here it seems pretty plain that such a 
scheme must fill the prisoner's mouth   
with undeniable arguments1 while the    
judge has his mouth stopped4 ,how horrid
 the bare thought appeared1 in so much  
as it shocks me to make the supposition6
 ,and yet it is no more than what this  
uncouth system inevitably holds forth2  
it is the plain undeniable consequence4 
,let them shift it off that can2 and if 
they cannot1 let them renounce so       
unscriptural1 so absurd a scheme1 which 
fathers such broad blasphemies upon the 
,father of mercies1 and the ,god of     
truth4  ,,viii4 ,it has a tendency to   
licentiousness4#d--;,it is well known   
that the human heart is deceitful above 

all things1 and desperately wicked2 that
 it is prone to every vice1 and is glad 
to catch at anything to keep itself in  
countenance4 ,but can anything be better
 calculated to cause a poor fallen      
creature to sing to his lusts1 and sound
 a requiem to his sensual soul1 than a  
doctrine which informs him1 that all    
things are ordained from eternity1 and  
he must sit still1 and1 if he is a      
chosen vessel1 he will some time or     
another be called upon2 and1 if         
otherwise1 all his striving or seeking  
will avail nothing at all4 ,besides1 if 
he feels propensities to any sensual    
appetites1 like a true free-thinker1 he 
may say1 ,what are these passions or    
appetites for1 but that ,i may gratify  
them8 ,or1 why should ,i endeavour to   
deny myself1 seeing ,i cannot alter what
 ,god has decreed8 ,i may eat1 drink1   
dance1 sing1 swear1 live in uncleanness1
 just as my inclinations lead me4 ,to   
stem the torrent is in vain1 seeing it  
is fixed1 unalterably fixed1 nor is it  

in my power to reverse the same4 ,nor do
 there want instances in history of such
 as have died under the grossest        
delusions1 affirming1 if they were      
deceived1 it was ,god who had deceived  
them4 ,all the calls to repentance1 all 
the invitations to ,christ1 all the     
exhortations to holiness1 self-denial1  
and mortification1 plainly imply a      
capacity to prevent them in the parties 
addressed1 or their labour is absurd2   
but absolute predestination supposes no 
such thing1 any more than if the stones 
in the street were exhorted to arise and
 run1 or the sign-posts were exhorted to
 take up arms and defend the city4      
,,ix4 ,it makes the ,god of all grace   
and goodness worse than the devil4--,one
 of the names given to satan is         
,apollyon1 that is1 a destroyer2 but    
then he is not destroying his own work1 
he is seeking to destroy the works of   
,god1 whose daring enemy he is1 and     
thereby acts consistently with himself4 
,but this gloomy scheme represents ,god 

bringing innumerable beings into        
existence1 not barely to destroy them1  
but to torment them for ever4 ,can      
anything be greater blasphemy8 ,but be  
it what it will1 it is the natural      
consequence of all things being ordained
 from eternity1 which are to come to    
pass in time4 ,what a dismal picture of 
the blessed ,god6 ,when ,i have read of 
some of the ,popish massacres1 ,i have  
been much shocked1 and my very blood has
 run chill2 much more so1 when ,i have  
read of some religious rites of the     
heathens2 such as their offering the    
captives1 who were taken in war1        
sacrifices to their devil-gods1 nay1    
even their own children that have been  
offered up in the flames2 ,i have found 
it raise an unspeakable indignation     
against both them and their religion4   
,and what idea must a person have of    
that ,god who has made on purpose       
millions of rationals to fulfil his     
decree here1 censuring and frowning for 
ever over them1 while they are tormented

 with endless flames1 for just doing    
what he has ordained them to do8 ,lord1 
how is thy name blasphemed by doctrines 
so contrary to thy goodness1 pity1 and  
love8  ,x4 ,lastly4 ,if the             
unconditional decree be a true doctrine1
 then there is no such thing as sin in  
the world4--,everything is just going on
 as he would have it to be2 all are     
acting in the department of life which  
is appointed4 ,therefore go on1 ye jolly
 drunkards1 and jovial song-singers2    
proceed1 ye numerous tribes of profane  
swearers and sabbath-breakers2 curse on1
 ye horrid blasphemers and swarms of    
liars2 ye murderers1 plunderers1 unclean
 profligates1--ye are all doing the will
 of ,god1 answering the great ends for  
which you were made4 ,what avails all   
the noise the preacher makes about the  
wicked being turned into hell1 and all  
the nations which forget ,god8 ,let him 
cry out1 till his face is black1 ,turn  
ye1 turn ye1 from your evil ways4 ,if ye
 be ordained to turn1 ye shall turn2 if 

not1 all his zeal will avail no more    
than a tinkling cymbal4 ,therefore1 he  
that is praying1 and he that is         
preaching2 he that is speaking the      
truth1 and he that is lying2 he that is 
labouring honestly1 and he that is      
stealing2 he that is chaste1 and he that
 is impure2 he that is over-reaching1   
and he that deals honestly2 he that     
sings the songs of ,zion1 and he that   
sings the songs of satan2 in a word1 he 
that is converted1 and he that is       
unconverted2 he that is a believer1 and 
he that is an unbeliever2 are all doing 
the will of ,god1 which none can acid   
to1 and none can take from2 but all     
things are just in the state and        
condition which ,god has appointed1 and 
all are just doing what his will is1 and
 then there is no such thing as sin in  
the world4  ,i should now have finished 
this small affair1 only two or three    
objections1 which have sometimes been   
made against ,universal ,redemption1 may
 justly and with very great propriety be

 retorted upon the objectors4  ,first4  
,to assert that ,christ died for every  
man1 or1 what is the very same thing1   
that all men may be saved if they will1 
is mere heathenism4  ,answer4 ,whether  
it be heathenism or not1 ,i am certain  
that absolute predestination is4 ,for it
 is well known that the stoics were a   
very extensive sect among the heathens1 
and it is equally known that they held  
an absolute fatality1 that is1 absolute 
predestination4 ,they even made         
,jupiter1 their supreme deity1 subject  
to the fates2 and even that father of   
gods and men1 as they termed him1 could 
not reverse what the fates had decreed  
to be done4 ,their fates determined what
 kingdoms should rise1 and what should  
fall2 what heroes should conquer1 and   
what should be conquered4 ,this doctrine
 runs throughout the poem of ,homer     
called the ,iliad2 so that he makes the 
fates determine the ends of his two     
chief heroes1 ,hector and ,achilles4    
,and though the former was knocked down 

several times in the different          
engagements and dangerously wounded1 yet
 as the fates had decreed that he should
 fall by the hand of ,achilles1 he is   
rescued from destruction by a deity1    
because the time of his death was not   
yet arrived4 ,so that whether our       
asserting that all may be saved1 if it  
is not their own fault1 be heathenism1  
it is certain that unconditional        
predestination is2 and if that proves   
the untruth of it1 then are their       
absolute decrees untrue4  ,secondly4    
,they say that our doctrine is ,popery4 
,this has as frightful an aspect as the 
other1 and perhaps more so2 as many     
think there is less danger of their     
turning ,heathens1 than their turning   
,papists4 ,but be not frightened at     
nothing2 perhaps the tables again may be
 turned upon the objectors4 ,whether    
,christ's tasting death for every man be
 ,popery or not1 ,i am sure absolute    
predestination is2 and it argues1 that  
they who start that objection are       

ignorant of the tenets of the ,papists4 
,it is well known1 that that large      
fraternity among the ,papists called    
,dominicans1 were all rigid             
predestinarians1 as well as those called
 ,jansenists4 ,and ,i very much question
 if ,calvin himself did not spring from 
the former stock2 and1 when he came from
 the church of ,rome1 brought that      
branch of ,popery along with him1 by    
which means the leaven spread among many
 of the ,protestants4 ,it would shock   
any mind which is not quite intoxicated 
with the absolute decrees1 to read what 
some writers of the above-mentioned     
classes have said concerning ,god       
fore-ordaining sin and misery1 and how  
much he is pleased with the same1 nay1  
how he is glorified thereby1 far more   
than by holiness4 ,from hence it is very
 evident1 that absolute predestination  
is downright ,popery4  ,again3 the      
,mahometans are rigid                   
predestinarians2--a doctrine which suits
 that cruel disposition for which they  

are so remarkable2 the same leaven which
 spreads among the predestinarians among
 those which are called ,christians4    
,the same vindictive1 sour spirit we    
find in ,calvin2 witness his conduct    
towards ,servetus1 who was by his means 
burned to death4 ,the same savage turn  
we see in ,knox4 ,let any one read the  
proceedings of the infamous ,synod of   
,dort4 ,could any ,popish tribunal be   
more boisterous or arbitrary8 ,how were 
the poor ,remonstrants dragooned from   
place to place6 ,it seemed as if that   
time was come1 when no man should buy or
 sell who had not the mark of the beast 
of predestination either in his forehead
 or in his right hand2 that is1 either  
public or private4 ,let any one read the
 book called the ,cloud of ,witnesses4  
,did they die like true martyrs1 calling
 for mercy upon their persecutors8 ,no2 
the book is full of very dreadful       
execrations and horrible anathemas1     
pronounced with their dying breath4     
,does the spirit of ,jesus breathe out  

threatening and slaughter in such a     
manner1 so as to bind eternal vengeance 
upon any one8 ,let any one consult the  
spirit of the ,seceders and             
,sandemonians1 and they will see the    
same genuine ,mahometan spirit1 which is
 as contrary to that doctrine which     
says1 ,let all bitterness1 and malice1  
and anger be put away from you1 as      
darkness is to light4 ,certain it is1   
that love worketh no ill to any one2    
nay1 it thinketh no evil2 it is the end 
of the commandment out of a pure heart4 
,reader1 weigh these things attentively2
 consult the ,scriptures1 comparing     
,scripture with ,scripture2 and consider
 the nature of that ,deity whose        
essential character is ,love4   ,,the   
,,end4   ,james ,nichols1 ,printer1     
,leeds4     ,footnotes   #a ,i presume1 
nothing is intended here against any    
humble1 pious1 good man4 ,ed4  #b ,it is
 easy to observe1 that the above        
entirely refers to the predestinarians  
of the ,dissenting party2 whatever may  

be said of them1 it must be             
acknowledged1 they act a far more honest
 and ingenuous part than the            
predestinarians who are ,ministers of   
the established ,church4 ,as ,dissenting
 ,ministers are maintained by the       
voluntary contributions of their        
hearers1 their hearers are at liberty to
 withdraw their assistance2 but then    
,ministers1 who obtain parishes and     
lectureships1 c41 yet being             
predestinarians1 are preying upon the   
emoluments of the ,church1 and are real 
,dissenters within her own walls4 ,but  
perhaps a half sheet may take a little  
farther notice of them shortly4  #c ,it 
is not the design of this small         
dissertation to prove what is asserted  
at large1 or answer the objections which
 have been made against ,god's being    
loving to every man1 or to explain the  
,scriptures which ,calvinists bring in  
to defend their tenets4 ,no1 my design  
is only to present the reader1 who has  
no better way of knowing1 with a few of 

the principal features of ,calvinism4   
,but ,i wish to recommend ,john         
,goodwin's ,redemption ,redeemed2 or    
,mr4 ,sellon's answer to ,cole1 or his  
,arguments against ,general ,redemption 
,considered4 ,who or what this ,sellon  
is1 ,i know not1 except from his        
writings1 having never to my knowledge  
seen the gentleman in my life2 but by   
his writings ,i find that he is an      
honest1 consistent ,minister of the     
establishment2 and that he is a sensible
 man1 and a scholar1 one who has well   
studied the original ,scriptures1 and   
the nature of the controversy4 ,likewise
 ,i beg leave to recommend what entirely
 satisfied me on this head1 ,mr4        
,wesley's ,predestination ,calmly       
,considered4 ,that1 and his ,sermon on  
,free ,grace1 ,i wish every reader duly 
to consider4  ,mr4 ,sellon's works have 
lately been published in #b vols4 #hvo4 
price #afs4 by ,blanshard1 ,london4 ,ed4
  #d ,of this tendency we have but too  
many lamentable proofs4 ,ed4