CHAPTER TEN: Seventeenth-Century Voices Augment Conditionalist Witness

Sharp debate over the nature and destiny of man continued to characterize the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, along with bitter antagonism against those contending for Conditionalism. This milder reaction replaced the cruel persecution formerly visited upon its proponents during the previous century. “Innumerable” tracts and books, as one contemporary described them, were issued. There was avid interest, and the battle line of pens swayed back and forth with a slow but definite gain for the advocates of Conditionalism.CFF2 176.1

Most of the lesser voices were, of course, merely echoes, or restatements, of what had been set forth many times before. Nevertheless, the question continued under constant debate, covering its many angles and championed by stalwarts on both sides. We will survey a few of the more prominent penmen, and allude to lesser lights who were likewise avowed Conditionalists. Let us first turn to the Continent for an early seventeenth-century Conditionalist there.CFF2 176.2