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Page 89-93, Toplady and divine predestination (something never discussed by Angican un-Bishops, non-Bishops, and anti-true Bishops)
"Dr. Nowel peremptorily asserted the Arminianism of the Church of England in answer to Pietus Oxoniensis. This called forth the pen of our author, in a treatise published in the year 1769, with the following title : `The Church of England vindicated from the Charge of Arminianism, in a Letter addressed to Dr. Nowel.`He has therein shewn, by the clearest deduction of argument, unconnected with laboured sophistry, or the studied distinctions of the subtilties of the declaimer, on which side the Church leans. In the same year our author published a tract in English, from the. Latin of Jerom Zanchius, with this inscription, `The Doctrine of absolute Predestination stated and asserted, with a Preliminary Discourse on the Divine Attributes, accompanied with with the Life of Zanchius.' This piece was finished by Mr. Toplady when he was about twenty years of age, but by a modesty of disposition, bordering upon timidity, it was not announced to the public until nine years after. The translation was undertaken with a view to illustrate the principles of the reformation, and obviate objections that have been urged, that the doctrine of predestination was but partially received. by those eminent men, who had then lately left the Church of Rome, at the same time the principles are discussed upon Scripture premises, and irr analogy with the divine attributes."
Page 94, Toplady and predestination
"The doctrine of predestination, though written as it were with a sun-beam in the volume of revelation, and which is to be found in the archives of every sound Protestant reformed church, is certainly offensive to the pride of the human heart. Hence we find, though our clergy solemnly and unequivocally aver before God, at their ordination, that it is a doctrine `Full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort' yet, no sooner do they enter upon the sacred office, but the greater part of them do all in their power to depreciate, and to annul it altogether. Let us hear this preacher's opinion why it -ought not to be suppressed nor mutilated. Treating upon the publishing of this doctrine, he asks: 'why should not this doctrine be preached and insisted upon in public, as a doctrine which is of express revelation; a doctrine that makes wholly for the glory of God; which conduces, in a most peculiar manner, to the conversion, comfort, and sanctification of the elect; and leaves even the ungodly without excuse.'"
Page 104, Toplady, rumours of retrenchment on Calvinism, and the Arminian Wesley
"Whereas, some time since, a wicked, scandalous and false report was diffused, in various parts of this kingdom, by the followers of Mr. John Wesley; purporting, that I have changed some of my religious sentiments, especially such of them as relate more immediately to the doctrines of Grace, I thought it my mdispensible duty, on the Sunday after I received this information, which was the 13th of June last, publicly to declare myself, from the pulpit in Orange-street Chapel, to the following effect: `It having been industriously circulated, by some malicious and unprincipled-persons, that, during my present long and severe illness, I expressed a strong desire of seeing Mr. John Wesley before I die, and revoking some particulars relative to him, which occur in my writings: Now, I do publicly and most solemnly aver, that I have not, nor ever had, any such intention or desire; and that I most sincerely hope, my last hours will be much better employed) than in conversing with such a man.' To which I added: 'So certain and so satisfied am I, of the truth of all that I have ever written; that, was I now sitting up in my dying bed, with a pen and ink in my hand, and all the religious and controversial writings I ever published (more especially those relating to Mr. John Wesley, and the Arminian controversy), whether respecting facts or doctrines, could at once be displayed to my view, I should not strike out a single line relative to him or them."
Page 109, Toplady and justification (Article 11 or the 39 Articles), the all-sufficiency of Christ, Cross, Atonement, and Sola Deo Gloria
"In conversation with a gentleman of the faculty, not long before his death, he frequently disclaimed with abhorrence, the least dependence on his own righteousness, as any cause of his justification before God, and said, that he rejoiced only in the free, complete, and everlasting salvation of God's elect by Jesus Christ, through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We cannot satisfy the reader more than by giving this friend's own relation of intercourse and conversation. A remarkable jealousy was apparent in his whole conduct, for fear of receiving any part of that honour, which is due to Christ alone. He desired to be nothing, and that Jesus might be all, and in all,— His feelings were so very tender upon this subject, that 1 once undesignedly put him almost in an agony, by remarking the great loss, which the Church of Christ would sustain by his death, at this particular juncture. The utmost distress was immediately visible in his countenance, and he exclaimed to this purpose; What; by my death? No! by my death? No. —Jesus Christ is able, and will, by proper instruments, defend his own truths. —And with regard to what little I have been enabled to do in this way; not to me, not to me, but to his own name, and to that only, be the glory."
Page 112, Toplady and divine election
"Conversing upon the subject of election, he said; `That God's everlasting love to his chosen people; his eternal, particular, most free, and immutable choice of them in Christ Jesus; was without the least respect to any work, or works, of righteousness^ wrought, or to be wrought, or that ever should be wrought, in them or by them: for God's election does not depend upon our sanctifcation, but our sanctification depends upon God's election and appointment of us to everlasting life.—At another time he was so affected with a sense of God's everlasting love to his soul, that he could not refrain from bursting into tears."
Page 117, Wesley's calumny against Toplady
"The precious remains of this good man had not been long in the earth, when Mr. Wesley publicly asserted that he died blaspheming, and in the horror of despair; such unparalleled virulence of conduct, undoubtedly exposed the personal enmity that rankled in Mr. Wesley's breast towards Mr. Toplady. Men have a natural propensity to divide in opinion; an aberration from the purest system, may attend the path of the most cautious traveller, and no impeachment whatever, may be charged upon his benignity ornntegrity; but when materials, or facts of an important tendency, are accessible, and these are reversed or distorted by an interested falsehood, a display of a conduct so mischievous in its consequence, must lose all pretensions to veracity, and be too obvious to need any comment."
Page 119, letter to Wesley rebutting Wesleyan-driven rumour about Rev. Toplady that, given his Calvinism, he died in dark despair. Quite false, but it made papers in Wesley's day.
"Copy of a Letter addressed to the Rev. John Wesley, which appeared in the General Advertiser on the eighth Day of October last.
'Rev. Sir,
I give you this public notice, that certain persons who are your enemies, perhaps only because you keep clear of their calvinistic doctrines, have thought proper to affirm, that you and some of your preachers, have been vilifying the ashes, and traducing the memory of the late Mr. Augustus Toplady. Nay, it was even positively alledged, that you told Mr. Thomas Robinson of Hilderthorpe, near Bridlington in Yorkshire, and the Rev. Mr. Greaves, curate to Mr. Fletcher of Madeley, that the account published concerning Mr. Toplady's death, was a gross imposition on the public; for that he died in black despair, uttering the most horrible blasphemies; and that none of his friends were permitted to see him. All which was repeated at Bridlington, by one of your preachers, whose name is Rhodes, who further compared Mr. Toplady's case, to the, awful one of Francis Spira: and added, `that the dreadful manner in which he died, hadcaused a woman who attended him to join your societies."
Now, Sir, as many living respectable witnesses can testify that Mr. Toplady departed this life in the full triumph of faith, and that the account published to the world of the state of soul he was in during bis long illness, and at the hour of dissolution, was strictly and literally a true one, you,are earnestly requested, for the satisfaction of your friends, thus publicly to assure the world, that you ,never advanced any thing of this sort tp Mr. Robinson, Mr. Greaves, or to any other person ; or else that you will produce your authority for your assertions; otherwise, it is to be feared, that your own character will suffer much, for having vented a most gross malicious falsehood against a dead man who cannot answer for himself, in order to support your own cause and party.
I am, Rev. Sir,
Your sincere well-wisher,
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