A COPY of a LETTER WRITTEN BY T. M. In the Year, 1699. My LORD, WAS it ever known, that the Doctrine of a Persecuting Church was True? Did St. Paul order any Corporal Punishment merely for Opinion in Religion? Did it ever destroy Truth? And doth it not rather establish an Error? A Fallen Brother, (at first at least) ought to be restored in the Spirit of Meekness: 'Tis Worldly interest and blind Zeal, brought in Perfection. I have received an Answer from Hicks' 〈◊〉 to my Question of a Definition of a Sa●●●g Faith, which I proposed to Mr. P—▪ Mr. Mr.—, whom, I am informed, you ●●●er'd to Discourse me, but they flatly de●●d to do it in Writing. The Ignorance of Natural Men, (or Menot taught of the Holy Ghost) have charged Three things against my Book, viz. 1st. That it promotes Sin. 2ly. That it is Seditious. 3dly. That 'tis Blasphemy. As to the first, or the Promotion of Sin. THE very same Consequence that Natural Men drew from St. Paul's Preaching in those days, you yourselves draw now from my Doctrine; for when Paul said, As Sin had abounded, so Grace did superabound, they retorted, Let us commit Sin, that Grace may abound; they not knowing the Mystery of these things: Whereby they made God's Mercy (ungratefully) the cause of Sin. Doth not Paul also say, Let the Mercies of God, move you to please him the more. The greater the Mercy then, the greater the Love, and they to whom much is forgiven, they love much. Hence the Doctrine of the Salvation of all Men, may be made a means to love God, which Love rooted in the Heart, is the Fountain of good Works: But the Doctrine of Hellfire can't be made a Means to love God; for threatening to Burn me, can't make me Love; and Hell-fire is often the means of hard thoughts of God, Despair and Self-Murder. But this might strike the World Dumb, if they did but seriously consider, that Means signify nothing in themselves, except Grace apply those Means. Hence a good Consequence or an ill Consequence may be drawn from the same Doctrine, as from St. Paul's Doctrine of Mercy before. Whereby we see ill Consequences drawn from a Doctrine, proves not the Doctrine to be Erroneous. And what then have I to do with the ill Consequences of this Doctrine? My Doctrine itself, aught to be proved from Scripture, True or False. Vain then is that Expression of J. P—, viz. If all Men are Saved, we'll live as we please. Upon that Consequence he judged my Merciful Doctrine Erroneous and Seditious. If Mr. P— or others, shall bring any Evidence, that my Doctrine is the promotion of Sin in some to whom Grace is not given, I question not (besides what I have said before) but to balance that with sufficient proof of such that have been drawn from Despair and Murdering themselves; and not only so, but hate Sin through love to God, much more than when they were ignorant of my Book. Certainly Self-Murder is accounted one of the worst of Sins; and in this Particular, that it can admit of no Repentance for it on this side the Grave; which is never the effect of a Merciful Doctrine. But if I hold and Hell-fire, and yet by Experience, I find not a sufficient to save me, being of a tender Conscience, I fall into Despair, as Thousands, for aught I know, have done▪ And many Ministers of such a Doctrine have Destroyed themselves through Despair. But we'll suppose▪ I deny (as doth the Common-Prayer Book and Articles of the Church of England) and yet own a Hell-fire, I am in as bad a condition; for this renders God to me Tyrannical: I don't say such a Doctrine is Blasphemous, yet it hath the same effects as the other, viz. Despair and Self-Murder. Pray, My Lord, judge Impartially, whose Doctrine then promotes Sin the most, yours or mine? Or whose promotes the greatest Sins? Or whose Doctrine then is most Seditious? When Men of my Judgement, also are as ready (not so much fearing Death) to venture their Lives cheerfully in his Majesty's Service. And the more there are of this Judgement▪ the more and better Subjects his Majesty will have, in that this Doctrine, as it doth not diminish from Loyalty, so it adds to Valour. Dr. Tillotson, late Archbishop of Canterbury, his Book comes very little short of mine, in this Saying, That Hell-fire may be Threatened, and not Intended. So that this Great Prelate being not sure of a Hell-fire, is a sufficient Argument for me to inquire, whether you, (my Lord)▪ are certain there is such a Place; which you ought to be sure of, otherwise, another cannot be safely Persecuted for disowning that which your Church Doubts of▪ The next Charge against my Book, is, SEDITION. I have said enough to this, in proving, that the ill Consequences Men draw from a Doctrine, proves it not Erroneous, and so not Seditious. The Doctrine than itself, aught to be Disputed by the union of the Scriptures. All Doctrines, we find, are Seditious one to another, but may not be to the King and Government. It was not the Doctrine of the Apostles that was Seditious, but the Ignorance of the People made it so, and said, If we suffer these things, the Romans will come and take our Land from us. And, now, how can my Doctrine be proved Seditious, when Men of my Judgement, own it their Duty, to be obedient to the Powers that are, knowing All Power is of God. And the more there are of this Judgement, the more and better Subjects his Majesty will have; in that this Doctrine, as it doth not diminish from Loyalty, so it adds to Valour. I know Men say, that many commit Sin the more freely because of my Book, but it may be in their Hearts (if not in Act) they have committed the same Sins, or at least loved those Sins before, which is Sin, and so cannot be said but to be guilty of those Sins before; as our Saviour said, He that lusteth after a Woman, commits Adultery in his Heart. If for fear of Punishment only, (as every ●n carries its own Punishment with it) they have avoided the committing in Act, those Sins, yet it they loved those Sins, and would commit them but only for fear of Punishment, may be, in the sight of God, as guilty of them, as he that actually commits them. 'Tis not from Love to God, but only from Self-love, that he acts them not, to avoid Punishment, and such Service is not worth accepting. 'Tis Love, or the Heart, the Lord delights in; and what Service proceeds from that, adopts us to the title of Sons, and not Slaves. But whilst I thus Argue, my best Plea is, that Means, in themselves, signify nothing for the avoiding of Sin, except Grace apply the Means: Nor can any thing be made a Means for the commission of Sin, where Grace preserves; not forgetting my Doctrine excels others in this, that it can't be made a means for Despair and Self-Murder, and its Service is the more acceptable as proceeding from Love. Neither doth the ill Consequences Men draw from my Doctrine prove it Erroneous. The Third Charge against my Doctrine, is, BLASPHEMY. IT is impossible to unite the Scriptures in Sense one with another, except we say Sin is Ordained, and that God is the Author of it, but to good Ends and Purposes; and he that cannot unite the Scriptures in Sense one with another, cannot be a Minister of them, because besure than he doth not understand them. They who charge fewer Doctrine with Blasphemy, need look back to their own. I do not say, my Lord, that you charge it with Blasphemy, but some have done it, and I am thereby obliged to clear it from that Aspersion. Predestination, which is Divinity, the Ministers, in their Pulpits, own they do not understand. Let that Doctrine be what it will, that shall from Scriptures, or otherwise endeavour to prove God Tyrannical, and the cause of Sin to bad Ends, is a Blasphemous Doctrine in my Judgement. I say no more than what you say, that God is the cause of Sin, not to bad Ends, but to good Ends, as the Crucifixion of Christ, St. Peter's Denying him, etc. And I make Sin Ordained, to set forth God's Hatred to it, (not loving Sin) by punishing Men with Temporal Punishments for it; which not only sets forth his hatred to Sin, but also sets forth his other Attributes, and renders Man Satisfaction through Christ, for this, by Gloryfication: See my Second Addition, pag. 21. where you have the full Meaning, or Mystery of Sin Ordained. Had I said, that God ordained Sin to bad Ends, and that he loved Sin, and delighted in the destruction of his Creatures, than I had rendered him Tyrannical, or Unjust, Unholy, Unmerciful to the highest. Now, to pass by what I have said as to the Common-prayer-Book and Articles of the Church of England, I will examine a Doctrine that hold a certain number are ordained, (and that from all Eternity, as I have heard) to Hell-fire unavoidably, and do conclude also, that God is Glorified by this. But, for my part, I cannot think Tyranny and Injustice, Cruelty, and the worst of Cruelties, can add Honour and Glory to any Being. So that you see there are worse Doctrines than mine in the World: And this Doctrine, which is downright Blasphemy, in my Judgement, is taken little Notice of, when a Merciful Doctrine is called into Question, which promotes Good, or at least never so ill Consequences as this hath done, viz. Despair and Self-Murder. Can that be a Blasphemous Doctrine, where Grace can apply it as a means to love God and our Neighbour, on which Christ saith, Hang or depend, all the Law and Prophets, in that such a Doctrine is the foundation of all Good flowing from such Love? Now, if (as I have proved) that my Merciful Doctrine, through Grace applying it, promotes love to God, which none can deny; and if I deny , I conclude my Neighbour can't help his Infirmity, and so I am in the greater Charity towards him. All which things would far more appear true, if a Discourse were ventured concerning a Definition of a Saving Faith. But we'll suppose that which is not, that both Blasphemy and promotion of Sin were in my Doctrine, was not the Original Copy showed to Dr. Stillingfleet and others, and I could have no Answer from them? My Clavis Aurea hath been Printed about four Years, and no Divine hath Answered it; only Dr. C. a Physician, hath written something against it, which Mr. P. and others, say is Orthodox, but hath left the most material part of my Book Unanswered. If you allow his Answer true Divinity, and a sufficient Answer to my Book, I have Printed an Answer to it. Some say, I ought not to have printed my Judgement in Divinity: I Answer, I can't see People in Despair, and not relieve them, and there may be many such I never heard of, that may see my Book. If this be against Law, 'tis not against Reason, which ought to be the foundation of Law. Our Laws were made by Christians, and so not intended against Spiritual Men: But 'tis Ignorance, (like the Grand-Jury) who I suppose never read my Book, so as to Consider it, which they ought to have done, nor can Discourse it, yet they found a Bill against me) that Persecuted a Spiritual Man by those Laws: Therefore Natural Men cannot be Lawful Judges of Spiritual Men. Until a Definition of a Saving Faith be throughly Discoursed, your Preaching can give no Satisfaction in Salvation, neither can you be a competent Judge what is Blasphemy in what I have writ. And truly, I am fully satisfied, that Men would not have had recourse to Persecution, (disgracing the Church, with such a resemblance to the bloody Church of Rome) if Ministers were able to Confute me. How Sin was compelled, by way of a lively Representation, to set forth unto us the knowledge of Sin the more lively, is a deep Discourse, beyond a Natural Man's finding out. See my Second Addition, pag. 21. And if Sin be an Infirmity, (as the Common-Prayer-Book allows of) it consequently follows, there's no in Man.— Hence 'twas a Sin for Joseph's Brethren to Sell him; but Joseph saith, It was not you, but God that sent me hither. This very Mystery hath confounded the Wisdom of World in Divinity, and can never be throughly reached by any, without a Disputation, or Satisfaction in a Definition of a Saving Faith. How highly then then it concerns us to search into that Faith and its Circumstances, I need not farther urge, only to say thus, There's no Satisfaction can be had in Preaching without it. The words of the Common-Prayer-Book, which make Sin an Infirmity, are these, Lord, incline our hearts to keep this Law. Hence our very Desires must be moved in us to Good. Again, Though we be tied and bound with the chain of our Sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy Mercy losen us, etc. Hence 'tis evident, that Men bound in Chains, cannot act as Men at Liberty, and are forced to betake themselves to God's Mercy to lose them, they not being able to help themselves. And in another Place, the Church prays for the continual Dew of God's Blessing, or Grace. And the Tenth Article of the Church saith, that Man cannot turn and prepare himself to Faith and Prayer, without the Grace of God by Christ first moving us thereto, that we may have a good Will, and Working with us when we have that good Will. Who can't every day see, that to those who are hardened, or Grace not given them, 'tis neither the Mercies of God can allure them, nor the fear of Hell deter them from Sin. Now, if we can't but acknowledge such Power, nor that we can proceed in Good the least step farther than Grace assists us, it will give us to understand, that we may wholly and only trust in God, (which is not to lie in a Ditch and cry God help) for then he will take us into his protection to Govern and Defend us. Hence my Doctrine teacheth, First, to become Vile in our own Eyes, and to trust in God wholly and only. Secondly, To Love him above all things imaginable. Thirdly, To love our Neighbour as ourselves, denying in him, Which are the highest Duties in Christianity, and Fountain of good Works: Which Doctrine then is True and Safe, promoting Good, but not without Grace given to receive it with Love. I have done with the false Aspersions cast on my Doctrine. I come now to caution Men concerning Persecution in matters of Religion. No Man can be of what Judgement he pleases, as will be lively set forth by an humble desire to you, to resolve me, whether it lies in your Power to be of my Judgement or not? So that a right Judgement produces good Actions, and a false Judgement produces ill Actions. Hence 'tis often that the Persecutor and the Persecuted are both satisfied in Conscience, the one to Persecute, the other to Suffer: As 'tis Writ, Some of You they shall Kill, and think they do God good Service. But who was in the Right, the Apostles, or the Jews? If the Scripture speaks of a Spiritual Man to come, it will be worth our Enquiry how to know him, and in the next place, how to avoid the Persecuting of him. We are satisfied, in John 10. 41. that John did no Miracle: It was never known, but that the Doctrine of Spiritual Men, hath been esteemed Blasphemy, promoting Sin and Sedition, and were Murdered for supposed Blasphemy: 'Tis a hard matter then, to know such a Man by his Doctrine. The only way that I can propose is this, First, Let not Passion nor unbelief of his Doctrine (let it seem never so Blasphemous) domineer over your Reason; but let former Examples of the Murder of the Apostles, deter you from such Practices. If his Doctrine cannot be Overthrown by the whole World, or no Man can be found that can Discourse him, so as to overthrow his Doctrine, you need not question but such a Man is a Spiritual Man, taught by the Holy Ghost. In vain have Disputations been amongst Natural Men, because amongst such, none could be found that understood the Mysteries of the Scriptures, and so Disputations could have no end. But when a Spiritual Man is come, he overthrows all Men, and then Disputes in Divinity will have an end to the Satisfaction▪ of many. These things strikes deep with me (though I do not say I am a Spiritual Man) partly from the Visions I have had, partly from my Doctrine, by Natural Men esteemed Blasphemy, a promotion of Sin and Sedition, and partly from the Malice of many, who are for Burning me and my Book, yet cannot Overthrow it. It's safe for Men, (and God expects no more from them) to rest satisfied with a Doctrine that cannot be Overthrown, notwithstanding they cannot altogether believe it. Had the Jews done this, they had not Murdered the Apostles. But some are for pinning their Opinions on Great and Learned Men's Judgements, when poor men that are despised, God hath chosen to confound the Wisdom of the World: Even the Great and Learned men who sat in Council, Crucified Christ, and ordered the Apostles, (some of whom were poor Fishermen) to be Punished. And now I see the unruly Multitude are for Great and Learned men, and for Murdering me for that I cannot help, nor they Confute. I can say little more to this, and enough is said, if well considered; I shall only Answer one Objection, and so take my Leave of you. Many say, It's not worth the Minister's time to Answer me. I Answer; If my Doctrine be the greatest Truth, or the greatest Error, it ought to be Answered, either Confuted, or Preached up. Again, many receive it, and if it be a damnable Doctrine, the Consequence is easy, it must of necessity then be damnable for those that can Answer it and will not: Which I think, is a full satisfaction, that it ought to be Answered: Then if they Answer it not, it must be for want of Ability. If my Lord, these Arguments affect you not, but still I must suffer for my Conscience sake, through the Ignorance of those men that cannot Discourse me, I hope God will strengthen me that I may (since from you I cannot get better Satisfaction) not draw back, but rather rejoice to Seal what I have writ, tho' it be with the Sacrifice of my Life. Yet, that I may have a clearer Conscience, I must inform you, how that Natural Man, J. P— hath forejudged my Book to be Burnt, and myself to be set in the Pillory: Where if by the maliciousness of the Ignorant (who are generally most Envious, I am there Murdered, I am clear of it, since I have first informed you of that Danger. Mr. P— and Mr. M—, say I am no Scholar, and cannot write Sense; truly than I am the easier Answered, and they are Senseless they have not done it. Neither do I care to puzzle the Vulgar, my Enemies, with obscure words; so that for the word Praevious, I writ Foregoing; for Inevitable, I say Unavoidable, and for Arcana's, I say Secrets, & c. And tho' I do not pretend to much Learning, I am not so Illiterate, but I can find much Learned Nonsense in the World. No more at present, but humbly craving your Lordship's due consideration of th●● Matter, whereby (under God) I shall account myself Obliged to you, who am Your Lordship's Most Humble Servant in Christ, T. M.