Endeavouring therefore to make ⟨p. 23⟩one truth stand by another, and to ward off the blow given by the Arminians in such sort that it should neither bring hurt to the truth, nor give advantage to error, admit I failed of mine intent, I ought to be accounted rather an oppugner than any wise an abettor of their fancies. That for the Arminians. Now for Mr. Culverwell, That which I have heard him charged withal, is the former extremity, which in my Letter I did condemn, viz. That Christ in such sort did die for all men, that by his death he made an actual reconcilement between God and man; and, That the special reason why all men reap not the fruit of this reconciliation; is the want of that faith, whereby they ought to have believed that God in this sort did love them. How justly he hath been charged with this error, himself can best tell; But if ever he held it, I do not doubt, but he was driven thereunto by the absurdities, which he discerned in ⟨p. 24⟩the other extremity; For what would not a man fly unto rather then yield, that Christ no manner of way died for any Reprobate, and none but the elect had any kind of title to him, and yet so many thousand Reprobates should be bound in conscience to believe that he died for them, and tied to accept him for their Redeemer and Saviour; yea, and should be condemned to everlasting torments for want of such a faith, (if we may call that faith, which is not grounded upon the word of truth) whereby they should have believed that which in it self was most untrue, and laid hold of that in which they had no kind of interest; If they, who dealt with Mr. Culverwell laboured to drive out one absurdity by bringing in another, or went about to stop one hole by making two, I should the less wonder at that you write, that though he hath been dealt withal by many brethren, and for many years, yet he could not be drawn ⟨p. 25⟩from his error. But those stumbling-blocks being removed, and the plain word of truth laid open, by which faith is to be begotten, I dare boldly say he doth not hold that extremity wherewith he is charged, but followeth that safe, and middle course, which I laid down; for after he had well weighed what I had written, he heartily thanked the Lord and me, for so good a resolution of this Question, which for his part he wholly approved, not seeing how it could be gainsaid. And so much likewise for Mr. Culverwell.
Endeavouring therefore to make ⟨p. 23⟩one truth stand by another, and to ward off the blow given by the Arminians in such sort that it should neither bring hurt to the truth, nor give advantage to error, admit I failed of mine intent, I ought to be accounted rather an oppugner than any wise an abettor of their fancies. That for the Arminians. Now for Mr. Culverwell, That which I have heard him charged withall, is the former extremity, which in my Letter I did condemne, viz. That Christ in such sort did die for all men, that by his death he made an actuall reconcilement between God and man; and, That the special reason why all men reap not the fruit of this reconciliation; is the want of that faith, whereby they ought to have believed that God in this sort did love them. How justly he hath been charged with this error, himselfe can best tell; But if ever he held it, I do not doubt, but he was driven thereunto by the absurdities, which he discerned in ⟨p. 24⟩the other extremity; For what would not a man fly unto rather then yield, that Christ no manner of way died for any Reprobate, and none but the elect had any kind of title to him, and yet so many thousand Reprobates should bee bound in conscience to believe that he died for them, and tied to accept him for their Redeemer and Saviour; yea, and should be condemned to everlasting torments for want of such a faith, (if we may call that faith, which is not grounded upon the word of truth) whereby they should have believed that which in it selfe was most untrue, and laid hold of that in which they had no kinde of interest; If they, who dealt with Mr. Culverwell laboured to drive out one absurdity by bringing in another, or went about to stop one hole by making two, I should the lesse wonder at that you write, that though he hath been dealt withall by many brethren, and for many yeares, yet he could not be drawn ⟨p. 25⟩from his errour. But those stumbling-blocks being removed, and the plain word of truth laid open, by which faith is to be begotten, I dare boldly say he doth not hold that extremity wherewith hee is charged, but followeth that safe, and middle course, which I laid down; for after he had well weighed what I had written, he heartily thanked the Lord and me, for so good a resolution of this Question, which for his part he wholly approved, not seeing how it could bee gainesayed. And so much likewise for Mr. Culverwell.
