by any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power or authority hath heretofore beene or may lawfully be exercised or vsed for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall State and persons and for reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of Haeresies Errors Scismes and Ecclesiasticall Abuses Offences and Enormities much more haue they Iurisdiction of these things themselues else they could not collate or transferre such Iurisdiction vnto others Is it then because the worthy iudicious members of our present Parliament want learning iudgement or sufficiencie to discerne of Spirituall Truthes to vnderstand the sense and meaning of our Articles which themselues long since confirmed to distinguish Popish and Arminian Errors from receiued from vndoubted Orthodox conclusions or because they are so barbarously illiterate or irreligiously ignorant as not to know the obuious professed established and long continued Doctrines of our Church which euery catechized Country Peasant or Schoole-boy can repeate Alas what English Spanish Romish spirit can be so impudently absurd so prodigiously intoxicated as thus to idioâ—ize yea quite vnchristen the Piety and all-sufficiencie of our selected Senate the most iudicious and supreame Counsell of our King and State Can any man who knowes their most accomplished abilities their dexterity and insight in Religion so much as once conceiue such a grosse stupidity or more then damnable and vnchristian ignorance in this very flower of our Church and Pillars of our State as that the proper sence of our receiued Articles or the long-continued plaine and oft-resolued Doctrines of our Church are yet kept sealed from them What is this but to brand them all for ignorants or to stitch the Colliers or Papists blinde implicite faith vpon them to beleeue onely as our Church beleeues and yet to know no distinct particular Tenents which she doth beleeue What but to aduance our Ecclesiasticall Commissioners aboue our Parliament in admitting them to bee competent and able Iudges of Haeresie Scisme and of the sence and meaning of our Articles when as the Parliament which confirmed them are not such and to denie that priuiledge of iudging Doctrines trying spirits prouing all things distinguishing the voyce of Christ and of his Spirit from the voyce of Strangers Theeues and false seducing Spirits to the prime and choysest of Christs Flocke which is common to inseparable from the very meanest of his Lambes and Sheepe If then Parliaments haue alwayes anciently intermedled with matters of Religion by a constant iust and Legall right If there bee now no sufficient disability either in the Members Iurisdiction Skill or requisite Abilities of our present Parliament to censure or examine the Violations of our established Articles and Religion or to settle protect define declare and ratifie the proper sense and meaning of our Articles and the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church I see no cause why any Clergy men vnlesse they are guilty of Sophisticating or betraying the Truthes and Doctrines of our Church and therefore feare the doome of Parliaments from which there is no euasion should quarrell or except against your pious progresse in matters of Religion which most of all concerne vs nor yet repine at Laicks as they do for writing in their iust defence This stumbling-blocke of Parlimentary Iurisdiction in causes of Religion which stickes and takes with many being thus in briefe remoued and your present Honourable proceedings in the examination of the innouations and violations of the ancient Religion and the resolued Doctrines of our Church absolued from the vniust exceptions of ignorant obnoxious or ill-affected Spirits who only censure and dislike them It may be here demanded what Doctrines what Religion are now to be established Surely no other but those Ancient Orthodox and Dogmaticall Conclusions which the Church of England since her Reformation hath alwaies constantly embraced ratified and defended as her owne but those especially which Popery and Arminianisme haue of late inuaded Yea but how may Parliaments infallibly discerne what Tenents are our Churches genuine Doctrines when as both sides lay equall claime and title to our Church Arminians now appealing to Her aswell as their Opposers For resolution to this Quaere I shall first of all take two things as vndoubted Theories First that the Church of England hath some certaine positiue particular established receiued yea resolued Doctrines which shee may truely call her owne in which all necessary Truthes especially such wherein the very marrow efficacy life and power of grace and all true Christian comfort doe subsist are actually euidently and fully comprehended Else it will ineuitably follow that as yet shee hath no sound Religion in her and is as yet no true no Christian Church Secondly that all these seuerall Doctrines are not onely cognoscible in themselues but likewise publikly indiuidually and distinctly known in our Church else all our Articles Preaching writing and Disputes together with the bloud shedde of our famous Martyrs and all Apologies for our Religion from the beginning of reformation to this present are in vaine and wee haue yet no other but an indefinite confused Religion an ambiguous implicit Popish Faith which in truth is no Religion no Faith at all and so our danger is our condemnation shall be greater then euer Sodomes or Gomorrahs were who neuer had such meanes such light as we These two irrefragable Conclusions being thus praemised This Quaere may be thus resolued The onely infallible way to determine to finde out the ancient the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church is to compare them with the Rules of triall The originall Touch-stone by which all Theologicall Conclusions must bee examined is the Scriptures and these together with the Ancient Fathers and approued Councels wee dare to challenge as our owne if the naked truth of our Assertions were the thing in Issue But our present inquirie being of a different nature to discouer the true Ancient Doctrines of our Church and distinguish them from pestilent vpstart Errors wee must heere proceed by other Triers euen the Articles Homilies Common Prayer Booke the publike Euidences Records and Declarations with the concurrent Testimony of all the learned Writers of our Church the onely Grand-Iury-men to try the best Euidences the sole Witnesses to proue the most impartiall and able Iudges to determine the Doctrines of our Church That which all these doe ioyntly cleerely fully vote confirme approue and testifie a Parliament may safely declare and ratifie to bee that which they all or most disclaime a Parliament may iustly censure not to bee the vndoubted and resolued Doctrine of our Church If then all these giue vp their ioynt and seuerall suffrages for our Anti-Arminian Conclusions If they all passe Sentence against their opposite Arminian Errors as this present Treatise will vndenably prooue them to haue done you may confidently declare resolue re-establish the one as being exile yea damne the other as not being the Ancient receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of our English Church And why should you now
conuert and be saued when they will themselues hee therefore that maintaines this Doctrine of Free-will or vniuersall and sufficient grace le ts loose the raines to all prophanesse wickednesse securitiâ— and licenciousnesse that the hearts of men can harbor Fifteenthly it placeth all men in an equall ballance and sutable condition it makes the Pagan and the Christian the godly and vngodly the Elect and Reprobate all alike since all of them may be aequally saued aequally damned if they will Now what can be more derogatory to Gods especiall and peculiar loue more discomfortable vnto all good Christians more aduantagious vnto Satanmore gratefull vnto all licencious persons or more pernicious to mankind it selfe then thus to plucke vp all the stakes and bounds of Gods aeternall fore-limiting and irremouable Decrees to throw downe all the hedges and inclosures of his more speciall loue to lay them common vnto all without distinction and so to place the saluation estates and spirituall conditions of all men in an aequipage which God himselfe and all Diuines haue rancked into different orders Sixteenthly it not onely takes away repentance and saluation it selfe but euen the very possibility and hopes of all repentance and saluation from the sonnes of men For if our conuersion saluation grace and glorie are thus suspended on our most impotent depraued vnconstant and perfidious wills what man can once be saued If it were past the power of our father Adam in his first and purest state to keepe himselfe from falling or his soule from ruine though hee had a power not to sinne needes then must it be impossible for any of the weake depraued progenie of Adam who haue a necessitie of sinning since his fall by any generall grace or power of their owne to raise conuert to keepe or saue themselues from endlesse condemnation into which they could not chuse but fall had they no supporter but themselues Were our graces portions saluation and inheritances in the tuâ—â—lage or wardship of our wills alone what flesh what person could be saued Her then that thinkes himselfe secure in his owne possession let him imbrace this Free-will Doctrine and so perish with it but let all who would be sure of their owne saluation as it is onely alwayes sure in Gods custodie quite renounce it since the vndoubted ship wracke and damnation of mankinde is the vneuitable consequence the onely benefit that attends it Seuenteenthly it ineuitably depriues all Infants of saluation who want both knowledge to discerne and will for to desire it because they know not what it meanes Eighteenthly it reuiues the old Pelagian Tenent that a man may liue and keepe himselfe without sin For if men haue such an abilitie of will or grace as to conuert or change their hearts whiles they are held captiues vnder sinne and Sathans bondage which is the greater much more being thus rescued from the power of sinne may they keepe themselues vnspotted from it which is in truth the lesse if men may master sinne in its greatest strength much more may they totally suppresse it being wounded Nineteenthly it makes grace more ample then the Decree of Gods Election or the inward or outward meanes of grace God hath not actually Decreed to saue or call all men alike neither hath he tendred or purposed to offer effectuall or soule-sauing meanes of grace to all men this Scripture this experience witnesse and if it were not so I see no reason but all men should be saued all conuerted since Gods Decrees are true and neuer fall to ground for want of execution Either therefore wee must admit an vniuersall Election of all men vnto life a dreame an haeresie long since exploded by all reformed Churches or disclaime this strange Chymera of vniuersall grace a monster in Diuinitie else we must make grace more ample then Gods Decree of grace and so the effect more general then its cause which were a grosse absurditie Twentiethly it makes vniuersall or sufficient grace which is no true sauing grace the genetrix or parent of speciall sauing and effectuall grace which differs toto genere from it as an vnnaturall and strange production as togather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Such as the mother is such is the daughter such as the cause is such is the effect such as the tree is such is the fruite that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that only is spirit which is borne of the spirit Either then this vniuersall grace is sauing grace which cannot be for then all men should bee saued by it yea grace it selfe against all rules of reason should be the cause and author of it selfe or else it cannot be the author or procurer of true sauing grace which so farre differs from it both in kind and eminency Furthermore it baptizeth mans naturall freedome with the name of grace For what else is vniuersall grace but the the very naturall abilities of mans will If it be grace in truth as well as in name how then is it deriued vnto all men in the same Geometricall proportion or degree when as all other graces are peculiar vnto some and vnaequally distributed vnto most that haue them There is not a text in Scripture not a Pelagian or Arminian now in nature that can shew me either warrant or example of any one sauing or common grace that was euer yet in the same aequality conferred vpon all men and shall wee begin to â—orge such graces now But to passe on further and to search into the very depth and bottome of this praetended grace I would demand of any Arminian this one Quaere Whether this vniuersall sufficient grace which I take to be nothing else but a power or facultie in the will to regenerate and transforme the soule or to embrace Christ Iesus and apply his merits when the Gospell offers them be a natiue and inherent faculty of the will or onely an aduentitious acquisite or infused quality not borne not produced with it If the former onely it is verily then no grace but nature if the latter then it must either bee an acquisite deriuatiue or an infused quality If acquisite either by art or industrie of our owne then it can be neither vniuersall nor sufficient it being proportionably originally on none acquisitely in few since few men seeke it fewer purchase it If deriuatiue not from our Parents not from Adam for then it were not grace but nature not from Christ or from his Spirit for they deriue grace only to their liuing and beleeuing members not generally vnto all that by meanes which are neither coÌ„mon nor effectuall vnto all not immediatly If by infusion only without meanes I pray what Scripture proues it if any then shew it if none let none beleeue it But if it be thus generally infused then tell me how or when whether with the soule or after it whether in the embrio infancy
THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDS OLD ANTITHESIS TO NEW ARMINIANISME Where in 7. Anti-Arminian Orthodox Tenents are euidently proued their 7. opposite Arminian once Popish and Pelagian Errors are manifestly disproued to be the ancient established and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England by the concurrent testimony of the seuerall Records and Writers of our Church from the beginning of her reformation to this present By WILLIAM PRYNNE Gent. Hospitij Lincolniensis GALATIANS 1. 9 2. IOHN 10. If any man preach any other Gospell vnto you then that you haue receiued let him be accursed If there come any vnto you and bring not this Doctrine receiue him not into your house neither bid him God speede Vincentius Lerinensis contra Haereses Cap. 39. Quicquid omnes vel plures vno eodemq sensu manifeste frequenter perseueranter velut quodam sibi consentiente magistrorum Concilio accipiendo tenendo tradendo firmauerint id pro indubitato certo ratoq habeatur London 1629. TO THE HIGH AND Honourable Court of Parliament now assembled RIght Christian Honourable and Religious Senators that all-disposing Prouidence of our euer-blessed GOD which hath lately Conuented and since that Centered you with an vnanimous and inflexible resolution vpon the examination of the seuerall Innouations Restraints and Pressures of our much endangered Religion to the great content and ioy of all good Christians hath at this time directed me to pen and inuited me to publish this ANTI-ARMINIAN Index which here lies prostrate at your feete imploring your most gratious and free Protection to further your religious and happy Proceedings in the discouery and suppression of those Hereticall and Grace-destroying Arminian nouelties which haue of late inuaded affronted and almost shouldred out of doores the ancient established and resolued Doctrines of our Church to the intolerable griefe of all true Christian hearts the exultation and triumph of our Romish Aduersaries the prouocation of Gods heauy wrath and curse against vs who hath blasted all our publike Enterprises since these Arminian Errous haue crept in among vs and to the great endammagement and disturbance of our Church and State which are like to sincke and perish vnder them vnlesse your medicinall and helping hands forthwith support them For me or any other now to question as I feare too many doe Whether Parliaments haue any true or legall right in the reformation establishment and rescue of Religion in the explanation of our Articles or in Church affaires were but to dispute not onely our Non-Preaching Pluralitie Commenda and Non-resident men the chiefe Fomenters of Popery and Arminianise and the onely Cauellers at Parliamentary proceedings in matters of Religion out of all their Benefices and Ecclesiasticall Promotions a happy and much desired worke but euen all our Bishops our Ministers our Sacraments our Consecration our Articles of Religion our Homilies Common-Prayer Booke yea and all Religion out of our Church which are no other way publikly receiued supported or established among vs but by Acts of Parliament as I haue more largely proued in a former Epistle Hee who hath seriously suruayed the Statutes of our Kingdome shal finde Religion and Church-affaires determined ratified declared and ordered by Act of Parliament and no wayes else euen then when Popery and Church-men had the greatest sway ingrossing all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction to themselues alone and shall wee then doubt whether Parliaments haue any Conusance of Religion now It is the positiue Resolution of all the Fathers of all Proâ—estant and I thinke of most Popish Diuines That Kings and temporall Magistrates ought to bee the chiefe Defenders and Patrons of Religion the suppressors of Haeresies Idolatries and false Doctrines the principall Reformers of the Church and they produce the Examples of Moses Ioshua Dauid Iehosaphat Solomon Hezechiah Iosiah Constantine Charles the Great Iustinian Theodosius William the Conquerour Henry the first of England Canutus Edgar Edmund Richard the second Henry the fifth King Iue Alured Ercombert Ethelbaldus and others together with the Prophesie of Isay cap. 9. 13. Kings shall bee thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Nurses the 17. of Deutr. 18. 19. Psalm 2. 10. the 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. Iude 1. 2. and other Scriptures for to prooue it Why then may not our King our Parliament and Temporall Magistrates now as well as heretofore intermedle with Religion if all these examples this conclusion passe for currant Is it from any disability in their persons because they are but Laicks Why such were all these Kings and Magistrates Such were all the Ancient and Moderne Reformers of the Church that euer I could read of Such were all our Parliamentary men in former Ages who established Poperie and since that abolished it by publike Acts of State confirming that Orthodox and true Religion in our Church which now we all professe yet none findes fault with them Such a one was Valdo that Citizen of Lions the Father of the renowned Waldenses or Protestans in France and the originall Author of the first open defection from the Antichristian Church of Rome yet all good Protestants applaud this Act of his Such are the Maior part of our Ecclesiasticall Commissioners who yet determine of Haeresies false Doctrines Scismes and the sense and meaning of our Articles yet no man quarrels or excepts against them Why then should they deny this power vnto Parliaments because they are but Lay which they acknowledge and admit in these Especially since all our Churchmen are virtually included in our Parliament and so suffragate to its Conclusions in our Prelates the vnquestionable Iudges of Points and Controuersies in Religion who are chiefe Members of this mixt Assembly compacted both of Church and State and so not wholly Lay or Ciuill as some vainely fancy Is it because Parliaments want Conusance or power to deale in Church affaires and matters of Religion How then was Popery heretofore implanted since that exiled and our present Orthodoxe Religion with all its seuerall circumstances and adiuncts estated and lawfully setled in our Church by Act of Parliament if Parliaments haue no Legall but onely an vsurped Iurisdiction in Matters Articles Rites and Tenents of Religion as some Papists haue auerred and the fore-quoted learned Prelates and Writers of our Church refelled Certainely if our Parliaments haue such a transcendent power as to authorize Sheriffes in their Turnes and Stewards in their Leetes and Wapentakes to enquire of haeresie and haeretiques as to enable Iustices of the Peace and Quorum to indite and punish Scismatiques as to associate an equall number of the Temporalty with the Clergie in collecting ordering and composing Ecsiasticall Canons Lawes and Constitutions for the regulating of Ecclesiasticall Courts and persons and the better ordering of the Church As to authorize his Maiesties Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall though Lay-men as many of them are to exercise all Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdictions Priuiledges Superiorities Preheminences and Authorities as
Doctrine of the Church of England as the Booke it selfe together with two Reuerend Prelates of our Church who haue lately in two printed Letters expresly â—uerâ—ed That the Arminian Errors condemned in the Synod of Dort cannot stand with the Doctrine of the Church of England And that none can embrace Arminianisme in the Doctrine of Predestination and grace but he must first desert the Articles agreed vpon by the Church of England nor in the point of Perseverance but hee must vary from the common Tenet and receiued opinion of our best approued Doctors in the English Church will iustifie against all Opposers Therefore it is not within the intent or limitts and so not within the Danger of his Maiesties Declaration which I would not wilfully not willingly oppose Secondly I conceiue that this Declaration prohibits nothing but vnnecessary and curious Disputes vpon bare coniectures on or strained Collections from our Articles But in this Antithesis you haue onely abare historicall recitall in nature of a Catalogue of those scattered Records and writers of our Church which haue constantly oppugned these new Arminian Errors from the beginning of reformation to this present It comes not therefore within the sphere of this Declaration Thirdly his Maiesties Declaration was chiefly to suppresse all Innovations in Religion together with such vnnecessary Controuersiâ—es as might disturbe the Peace and settled Doctrines of our Church But this Antithesis serues onely to suppresse the Innouations in Relâ—gion and to allay all moderne Arminian Controuersies which interrupt our Churches Peace and Doctrines by disprouing Arminianisme to be the Doctrine of our Church in such an apparant manner that none can contradict it Therefore it is wholly with this Declaration not against it Lastly his Maiesties Declaration prohibits principally vnnecessary disputes about curious nice and needlesse Schoole-points of which men may be ignorant without great danger But I take it vnder correction that our Anti-Arminian Tenets can which the whole fabricke of our saluation the whole Doctrine and structure both of mans fall and corruptionâ— of grace and glory of Election Reprobation Predestination Vocation Iustification Sanctification Perseuerance and Glorification are suspended are no superfluous nice or curious speculations vnfit vnneedfull to be taught or published but most necessary essentiall comfortable and fundamentall Truthes in which the whole pith and marrow of Divinity the whole Doctrine of grace and mans salvation are included This all the ancient Councels ana voluminous Treatises of the Fathers in the pâ—imatiue Church this all the moderne Synods Articles Confessions Resolutions and Writings both of our owne and other Churches against Pelagius Arminius and their followers as the professed enemies of the grace and Gospell of God as Atheisticall Sectaries yea wicked pestilent and blasphemous heretiques as our late learned Soueraigne hath rightly stiled them doe abundantly testifie All which would neuer questionlesse haue waged such fierce such perpetuall and implacable wars against these Pelagian and Arminian Heresies were they suchinnoxius or triuiall Differences such vnnecessary such curious speculations as some of their Abetters who then me thinkes should be ashamed contenâ—iously to foment them to the great disturbance of our Churches peace would seeme to make them because they would more easily induce men to neglect them till they had gotten strength and then to imbrace them to their eternall ruine Since therefore these Anti-Arminian Tenets which I here onely vindicate to be the ancient genuine vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England are points of highest consequence of greatest weight and vse whence they haue beene more ab undantly patronized propagated and propugned not onely in the primitiue Câ—urch but likewise in most moderne Protestant Churches and in the Church of England then any other substantiall points of Diuinity whatsoeuer as is most apparently euident Since their opposite Arminian Errors which are in truth meere Popery and Semi-Pelagianisme at least a bridge a way and portall to them both haue beene most constantly oppugned both in the Primatiue our owne and other Reformed Churches as a dangerous and grace-nullifying Heresie And since Prosper himselfe hath expresly recorded it long agoe That St. Augustine hath constantly piously and abundantly proued that predestination in which there is the preparation of grace and grace in which there is the effect of predestination and the prescience of God by which he foreknew before all worlds on whom he would bestow his gifts of grace ought to be preached to the Church Of the preaching of which saith he I pray obserue his words and marke them well whosoeuer is an impugner he is a most apparant furtherer of Pelagian pride which I dare presume is farre from his Maiesties royall thoughts to be I may safely as I hope conclude on all these premises That this my Antithesis which I haue divulged onely for the peace and benefit of our English Church and the stopping of all Arminians mouthes who now must either holde their peace and yeeld their cause or else periuriously sacrilegiously renounce their Mother Church and these her Doctrines which they haue subscribed if not sworn to is clearly without the verge and danger of his Maiesties Declaration who neuer did intend so farre to countenance to grace an heresie so branded censured and condemned by the primitiue Church by forraigne Protestant Churches by the whole Church of England with all her learned writers from her first reformation to this present and more particularly by his Royall Father whose faith whose steps he meanes to follow as for its sake its growth and greater safety to put these established and professed Anti-Arminian Doctrines of our Church to silence which is almost the highest dignity the greatest conquest that Arminianisme can or would aspire to And now right Reuerend Fathers hauing cleared this obiection giue me leaue to close vp this Epistle with a word of exhortation which I beseech you for to suffer Remember I intreat you in the name and feare of God that you together with the rest of our reuerend and learned â—lergie are the Watchmen the Garrisons and Bulwarkes of our Israel to giue her warning of to protect and shield her against those pernicious subdolous and seducing heretiques those Popish and Arminian Aduersaries which warre against her faith her peace Gods grace our soules If you then through worldlinesse negligence sloathfulnesse Epicurisme or the sweete Syrenian songs of enchanting Mercuries begin to sleepe to slumber to remit or else giue ouâ—â— your spirituall watch and ward against these sheep like wolues friend-seeming Enemies which come for to deuoure vs If you proue dumb dogs that will not cannot barke at their approach or treacherous Centinells false posternes to beâ—ray vs to their infernall malice we must then bâ— needs surprised yea captivated destroyed in a moment through this your negligence and default but yet our blood shall be required at your
which must needes be accompanied with the very wrath and curse of God because it nullifies his fauour and disauowes his grace hath crept into them It is but a bridge an vsher vnto Popery and all Popish Ceremonies which winde themselues into our Church apace if Parliament complaints prooue true by their Arminian Agents as some new erected Altars Images Tapers and late vsurped Altar-adorations with the reuolt of sundry Arminians vnto Popery doe experimentally testifie O therefore as we tender the peace and safety of our Church and State the supportation soueraignty or aduancement of Gods Grace the peace the comfort or saluation of our endeared soules the perpetuity and perennious preseruation of our graces or the prosperity and happinesse of our declining Nation As wee desire the subuersion of the Pâ—pall or Spanish Monarchy the defeatment of all Iesuiticall combinations against our Church or State the ouerthrow and extirpation of Popery the continuance safety growth and flourishing of our precious Protestant Religion which Arminianisme and Popery vndermine almost as fast at home as Popish Policies or Spanish Forces doe abroad let vs now at 〈◊〉 lay downe these grosse Arminian Errors which haue constantly beene brandid censured and condemned by all the Euidences yea Writers of our Church embracing from and with our hearts and iudgements these Orthodox sweet and gracious Anti-Arminian Dogmaticall Conclusions heere recorded wherein our happinesse comfort and saluation rest as the ancient established professed and vndoubted Doctrines of our Church as this whole Antithesis infallibly prooues them that so our Church and Kingdome which being diuided against themselues by these distracting opinions and other ciuill dissentions cannot stand may once more flourish in these declining turbulent and perplexing dayes and repossesse that former vnitie safety honour peace and glory which wee all desire Wee all know in what dangerous and fickle times wee liue We see the generall desolations and lamentable ouertures of Gods Church abroade Wee see Religion sincking Grace decaying Popery triumphing Arminianisme spreading Heresies and new Errors springing and getting head in euery corner We see Nation rising vp against Nation Kingdome against Kingdome Church against Church yea we may behold one Church one state one People one House yea the Members of one and the selfe same Body diuided against it selfe Looke we vpon all the Christian World abroad vpon our selues at home wee can behold nought else but the fatall Symptomes and dismall Characters of an almost ineuitable and neere-approaching confusion O therefore let vs now cast Anchor and take Sanctuary in Heauen Let vs draw neere and sticke fast vnto our God let vs cleaue inseparably to these Anti-Arminian Conclusions and Doctrines of our Church which will be our onely cordialls our all sufficient contentment our best security support and comfort in the midst of all the ruines calamities and miserable perplexities which befall the World If our Religion be but safe our Church our State our Goods our Liberties our very soules and bodies all we haue are then secure if we hold but this all else is sure if we part with this then farewel all let vs neuer expect one halcion happy day or houre more Whiles Religion flourished and grew great among vs wee were then the head of Nations the dread the honour the mirrour and paradise of the World since the Tares of Popery and Arminianisme haue sprung vp within our Church since we haue halted and declined in our Faith wee haue beene the very obloquie scorne derision and taile of all our neighbour nations Plagues haue deuoured Diuisions weakned discontents decay of Trade with sundry other grieuances impouerished vs at home Enemies tempests vnskilfulnesse and ouer-reaching Policies consumed defeated and dishonoured vs by Sea by Land abroad All our counsels haue beene infatuated our designes frustrated our hopes dashed our prayers vnanswered our Parliaments broaken vp in discontent the curse and vengeance of God hath clinged close vnto vs to our great destruction and for all this we see we finde we feele and I pray God wee may be truely sensible of it ere it bee too late Gods anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still against vs because wee reuolt from him and our long-professed and established Religion more and more Let vs therefore now at last remember whence we are falne and doe our first workes Let vs hold fast our first professed Religion constant to the ende VVe were borne we were baptized bred and nursed in it we haue growne vp safely wee haue prospered happily vnder it we haue hitherto liued in it by it Let vs now die in it yea with it for it if God calls vs to it lest we all suddenly perish consume and die eternally without it because we haue thus backe-slided from it Farewell The true endeauourer of Religions safety and our Churches Vnitie WILLIAM PRYNNE Anti-Arminianisme OR THE CHVRCH OF Englands old Antithesis to new ARMINIANISME IT is the aduice and counsell of an Ancient Father for the suppression of such Haeresies or vpstart Errors which seeke to shrowde themselues vnder the fraudulent couert of wrested and mis-applied Scriptures to examine them by to encounter them with the opinions and vnanimous resolutions of those Ancient godly Fathers who haue either dyed in Christ or suffered for Christ that so they may bee manifestly discouered without ambiguity and finally condemned without reuocation or reuiewe This Fatherly and graue Aduice of his I haue made choice to follow in the discouery both of the nouelty and falsenesse of those Arminian Tenents which would willingly harbour themselues vnder the roofe and Patronage of the Church of England whose Doctrines they of late praetend they are The issue which the Arminians and Anti-Arminians if I may so stile them are now come to ioyne and on which they must receiue their final doome is onely this Whether the Arminian or Anti-Arminian Positions be the receiued and vndoubted Doctrines of the Church of England The onely Euidences and Grand-Iury-men to try this Issue are the Articles Homilies Common-prayer Booke and the authorized Writings of all the Learned Orthodox Writers of the Church of England from the beginning of Reformation to this present If all these suffragate or passe their Verdict for the Arminians and their erronious Assertions let iudgement then be openly pronounced for them we will foorth with yeeld vp to them without any more dispute both cause and right at once But if all or either of these giue euidence against them as in truth they doe If they all yeeld vp a ioynt vnanimous verdict for Anti-Arminians and their authentique Positions I hope they shall then receiue not only a speedy and finall iudgement on their side which no subsequent Reuiew nor writ of Error shall hencefoorth reuerse but likewise a Parliamentary Decree to establish them in their ancient and long-continued peaceable possession without disturbance for all future times For triall of this waighty
or breaking of Gods commandements without repentanceâ— pertaineth not euerlasting life but euerlasting death Therefore let vs set our whole faith and trust in GOD and neither the world the deuill nor all the power of them shall preuaile against vs. Let vs by such vertues as ought to spring out of faith shew our election to be sure and stable as S. Peter teacheth Endeuour your selues to make your calling and election certaine by good workes If you feele and perceiue such a faith in you reioyce in it and be diligent to maintaine it and keepe it still in you let it bee daily increasing and more and more by well working and so shall you be sure that you shall please GOD by this faith and at the length as other faithfull men haue done before so shall you when his will is come to him and receiue the end and finall reward of your faith as S. Peter nameth it the saluation of our soules But euerlastingâ— thankes bee to Almighty GOD for euer there is neuer a one of all these causes no nor yet them altogether that can make a true Christian man afraid to die who is the very member of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost the Sonne of God and the very inheritour of the euerlasting kingdome of heauen but plainely contrary he concieueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallible and euerlasting trueth of the word of GOD which mooueth him not onely to put away the feare of bodily death but also for the manifold benefits and singular commodities which ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of the same to wish desire and long heartily for it For death shall bee to him no death at all but a very deliuerance from death from all paines cares and sorrowes miseries and wretchednesse of this world and the very entry into rest Why then shall wee fâ—ere to die considering the manifold and comfortable promises of the Gospel and of holy Scriptures GOD the Father hath giuen vs euerlasting life saith S. Iohn and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life And this I write saith S. Iohn to you that beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of GOD that you may know that you haue euerlasting life and that you doe beleeue vpon the Name of the Sonne of GOD. And our Sauiour Christ saith Hee that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting and I will raise him from death to life at the last day All those therefore haue great cause to bee full of ioy that bee ioyned to Christ with true Faith stedfast Hope and perfect Charitie and not to feare death nor euerlasting damnation For death cannot depriue them of Iesus Christ nor any sinne can condemne them that are graffed surely in him which is their onely ioy treasure and life Let vs repent our sinnes amend our liues trust in his mercy and satisfaction and death can neither take him from vs nor vs from him For it is of the free grace and mercy of GOD by the mediation of the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ without merite or deseruing on our part that our sinnes are forgiuen vs that we are reconciled and brought againe into his fauour and are made heires of his heauenly kingdome Grace saith S. Augustine belonging to GOD who doth call vs and then hath he good workes whosoeuer receiued grace Good workes then bring not foorth grace but are brought foorth by grace The wheele saith he turneth round not to the end that it may be made round but because it is first made round therefore it turneth round So no man doth good works to receiue grace by his good workes but because heâ— hath first receiued grace therefore consequently he doth good workes For the Scripture doeth acknowledge but two places after this life The one proper to the elect and blessed of GOD the other to the reprobate and damned soules The onely Purgatory wherein wee must trust to be saued is the death and blood of Christ which if wee apprehend with a true and stedfast faith it purgeth and cleanseth vs from all our sinnes euen as well as if hee were now hanging vpon the Crosse. The blood of Christ saith Saint Iohn hath cleansed vs from all sinne The blood of Christ saith Saint Paul hath purged our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD Also in another place hee saith Wee bee sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Christ done once for all Yea hee addeth more saying With the one oblation of his blessed body and precious blood he hath made perfect for euer and euer all them that are sanctified Noe in his drunkennesse offended GOD highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest Wee ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godly men as they were which otherwise felt inwarldly GOD sholy Spirit inflaming in their hearts with the feare and loue of GOD could not by their owne strength keepe themselues from committing horrible sinne but did so grieuously fall that without GODS great mercy they had perished euerlastingly How much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of GOD within vs at all continually to feare not onely that wee may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not though through infirmity wâ—e chance at any time to fall yet wee may by hearty repentance and true faith speedily rise againe and not sleepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doeth All men haue not faith This therefore shall not satisfie and content all mens mindes but as some are carnall so they will still continue and abuse the Scriptures carnally to their greater damnation The vnlâ—arned and vnstable saith Saint Peter peruert the holy Scriptures to their owne destruction Iesus Christ as S. Paul saith is to the Iewes an offence to the Gentiles foolishnesse But to Gods children aswell of the Iewes as of the Gentiles he is the power and wisedome of GOD. The holy man Simeon saith that hee is set foorth for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel As Christ Iesus is a fall to the reprobate which yet perish through their owne default so is his word yea the whole booke of GOD a cause of damnation vnto them through their incredulitie And as he is a rising vp to none other then those which are GODS children by adoption so is his word yea the whole Scripture the power of GOD to saluation to them onely that doe beleeue it Christ himselfe the Prophets before him the Apostles after him all the true Ministers of GODS holy word yea euery word in GODS Booke is vnto the reprobate the fauour of death vnto death Christ Iesus the Prophets the Apostles
particular sinnes are freely forgiuen him neither doeth it follow hereupon that that Petition of the Lords prayer to wit forgiue vs our Trespasses is needlesse for in that Petition we aske not onely the guist but also the increase of Faith Sixtly these words escaped me in my Sermon viz. As for those that are not saued I doe most strongly beleeue and doe freely protest that I am so perswaded against Caluin Peter Martyr and the rest that sinne is the true proper and first cause of Reprobation But now being better instructed I say that the Reprobation of the wicked is from Euerlasting and that that saying of Augustine to Simplician is most true viz. If sinne were the cause of Reprobation then no man should be elected because God doeth foreknow all men to bee deâ—iled with it And that I may speake freely I am of the samâ— mind and doe beleeue concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as the Church of England beleeueth and teacheth in the booke of the Articles of Faith in the Article of Predestination Last of all I vttered these words rashly against Caluin a man that hath very well deserued of the Church of God to wit that he durst presume to lift vp himselfe aboue the High and Almighty God By which words I confesse that I haue done great iniurie to that most learned and right godly man and I doe most humbly beseech you all to pardon this my rashnesse as also in that I haue vttered many bitter words against Peter Martyr Theodore Beza Ierome Zanchius Francis Iunius and the rest of the same Religion being the Lights and Ornaments of our Church calling them by the odious names of Caluinists and other slanderous termes branding them with a most grieuous marke of reproach whom because our Church doth worthyly reuerence it was not meet that I should take away their good name from them or any way impaire their credit or dâ—hort others of our Cuntrey-men from reading their most learned workes I am therefore very sorry and grieued for this most grieuous offence which I haue publikely giuen to this most famous Vniuersity which is the Temple of true Religion and sacred receptacle of Piety And I doe promise that by Gods helpe I will neuer hereafter offend in the like sort and I doe earnestly beseech you Right worshipfull and all others to whom I haue giuen this offence either in the former Articles or in any part of my said Sermon that you would of your courtesie pardon mee vpon this my repeâ—tance That the authoritie and consequence of this precedent Recantation may bee more fully manifested I will briefely relate both the occasion and the carriage of it One Maister Barret of Kayes Colledge Preaching a Concio ad Clerum in Saint Maries Church in Cambridge on the 29. day of Aprill 1595. made bold to vent these then Pelagian and Popish but now both Popish and Arminian Tenents which are here recanted which gaue such generall offence vnto all the Auditors that on the 5. of May next following about nine of the clocke in the fore-noone hee was conuented for the publishing of these Erronious Tenents and his reuiling of Caluin Beza Peter Martyr Luther Iunius Zanchius and others before all the Heads of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge to wit Master Doctor Some Doctor Duport Doctor Goade Doctor Tindall Doctor Whitaker Doctor Barwell Doctor Iegon Doctor Preston Maister Chaderton and Maister Clayton Thomas Smith the publique Notary of the Vniuersitie being there present who appointed him to appeare againe before them at three of the clocke in the afternoone at which time Dr. Duport being then Vicechanceller read openly certaine Articles containing the positions which Maister Barret had broached in his foresaid Sermon alleaging these his assertions to bee Erronious false and opposite to the Religion receiued and established in the Kingdome of England by publique and lawfull Authoritie to which Articles he required Maister Barret to giue an answere who confessed that he had published in his Sermon the-Positions comprised in the said Articles but with all denied them to be contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Whereupon the Vicechancellor and the forenamed heads entring into a mature deliberation and diligently weighing and examining these Positions because it did manifestly appeare that the said Positions Were false erronious and likewise manifestly repugnant to the Religion receiued and established in the Church of England adiudged and declared that the said Barret had incurred the penaltie of the 45. Statute of that Vniuersity De Concionibus and by vertue and tenor of that Statute they decreed and adiudged the said Barret to make a publike Recantation in such words and forme as should bee prescribed vnto him by the Vice-chancellor and the said Heads or any three or two of them or ese vpon his refusall to recant in this manner to be perpetually expelled both from his Colledge and the Vniuersitie binding him likewise in an assumpsit of forty pounds to appeare personally vpon two dayes warning before the said Vice-chancellor or his Deputy at what time and place they should require Afterwards this Barret was re-summoned before the Vice-chancellor Doctor Goade Dr Tindall Dr. Barwell and Doctor Preston his assistants who deliuered him this praecedent Recantation in writing admonishing and peremptorily enioyning him on Saturday following being the 10. of May immediatly after the Clerum ended to goe vp in person into the Pulpit of Saint Maries where hee had published these errors and there openly in the face of the Vniuersity to read and make this Recantation which he did accordingly Not long after this Palinodium Master Barret to shew that these positions are but a bridge to Popery departs the Vniuersitie and gets beyond Sea where he as Bertius and some other Arminians since haue done turnes a professed Papist After this he returned into England where he liues a Laymans life being still an open dangerous violent and most pernicious and seducing Papist as some men of credit in these very termes haue informed me who both know and will auerre him to be such a one This is the true Relation and carriage of this Recantation which I haue taken verbatim out of a Transcript of the Vniuersitie Register of Cambridge vnder the Registers owne hand wherein all the passages of it are entred and recorded for the benefit of posteritie For the recantation it selfe of which Thysius and others make some mention it was fairely Printed and Published in Queene Elizabeths dayes some Copies of it being yet extant in the very selfesame words and forme as here you see it And that none may suspect it to be forged or corrupted I haue a transcript of it in Latine taken out of an Originall Coppy vnder Master Barets owne hand which agrees verbatim with this English one onely in this they differ that our 17. Article is at large recited in the Latine Coppy in the ende of the 6. Section wheras as
it is onely named in the English From this Recantation and the carriage of it it is cleerely euident That the Vniuersitie of Cambridge in those dayes did vndoubtedly beleeue and mainetaine the now Arminian Heresies of the finall and totall Apostasie of the Saints Of vncertainety of Saluation of Election from faith and Reprobation from sinne foreseene Of a personall not a reall difference betweene temporary and true sauing Faith the Points which Barret recanted to be not onely false and erronious but likewise manifestly repugnant to the Religion and Doctrine established and setled in the Church of England and to the 17. Article For so are the expresse words of the Order and Articles recorded in the Vniuersitie Register If they were thus euidently repugnant to them then I doubt not but they are so now at leastwise in all Cambridge mens repute who will not at leastwise should not so farre dishonor their renowned Mother as to degenerate from her ancient Orthodoxe and Dogmaticall Resolutions These are the more ancient publike Monuments and Euidences of our Church by which the subsequent Conclusions now in Issue must bee iudged The seuerall figures inserted into them and likewise placed in the Margent haue reference to the 7. Anti-Arminian Positions following the figure of 1 noting out such passages as punctually confirme the first the figure of 2 such clauses as euidently backe and proue the second of these Assertions and so euery figure successiuely answers to its proper Position If then all these Records which doe either Really containe or at leastwise euidently declare the ancient established and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England giue punctuall Euidence for these Conclusions oppugning the contrary Arminian Theses in terminis or substance as they doe this question will be then resolued and our succeeding Anti-Arminian Conclusions acknowledged the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church without any more debate Hauing thus at large recited the seuerall Grand-chartersâ— and more eminent Records and euidences which our Church affords for triall of this weightie cause I come now to apply them to the points in issue which I shall distinctely lay downe in this ensuing Antithesis Anti-Arminianisme THe Anti-Arminian orthodox Assertions now incontrouersie which I shall proue to be the ancient and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England contracte themselues into these 7. dogmaticall conclusions 1 That God from all eternity hath by his immutable purpose and Decree praedestinated vnto life not all but onely a selected number of particular men which can be neither augmented nor diminished commonly called the elect inuisible true Church of Christ others hath he eternally reprobated vnto death 2 That the only moâ—uing and efficient cause of Election and Praedestination vnto life is the meere good pleasure and grace of God not the coÌ„sideration of any â—ore-seene faith perseuerance good worâ—s good will good endeauours or any other quality or condition whatsoeuer in the persons elected 3 That though sinne be the only cause of damnation yet the sole and primarie cause of Reprobation or Non-election that is why God doth passe by this man rather then another why hee reiected Esau when he elected Iacob is the meere freewill and pleasure of God not the confideration or fore-sight of any actuall sin infidelity or finall impenitency in the persons reiected 4 That there is not any such Free-will or vniuersall or sufficient grace communicated vnto all men whereby they may repent beleeue or be saued if they wil themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died sufficiently for all men his death being of sufficient merit to redeeme saue them but primarily effectually for the Elect alone for whome alone hee hath actually and effectually obtained remission of sinnes and life aeternall 6 That the Elect doe alwayes constantly obey neither can they finally or totally resist the powerfull and effectuall call and working of Gods Spirit in the very act of their Conuersion neither is it in their owne power to conuert or not conuert themselues at that very time and instant when they are conuerted 7 That the Elect and truely regenerate who alone are iâ—â—ued with true iustifying and sauing faith doe constantly perseuere vnto the end and though they sometimes fall into grieuous sinnes yet they neuer fall finally nor totally from the habits seeds and state of grace Arminianisme THe whole erronious doctrine of Arminianisme which hath alwayes beene oppugned by the Church of England from the beginning of reformation to this present may be reduced to these 7. generall Propositions 1 That there is no absolute nor irreuocable but only a conditionaâ— and mutable Decree of Praedestination vnto life death and that not of particular persons but generally of all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers so that the number of the Elect and Reprobate is not so certaine but that it may be diminished or augmented 2 That the consideration and foresight of faith perseuerance good works and the right vse of grace receiued are praerequited conditions and efficient causes of Election or Praedestination vnto life not Gods free-grace and mercy onely without respect to these as to a cause 3 That the originall and proper cause of Reprobation that is of its Decree not of its execution is the consideration and foresight of infidelitie sin finall impenitency in the persons reiected not the meere Free-will and pleasure of God 4 That there is â—an vniuersal or sufficient grace deriued vpon all mâ—n since the fall of Adam by vertue of which they may repent beleeue and be saued if they will themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died alike primarily and effectually for all men whatsoeuer without any intent to saue any particular persons more then others be they reprobates or elect with a purpose to saue all men alike vpon condition of beleeuing which is suspended on their owne actuall power not on Christs actuall application of it to them by his Spirit 6 Thâ—t it is in the power of men either finally or totally to resist the inward call and effectuall working of Gods Spirit in their hearts in the very acte of their coÌ„uersion so that they may either withstand oâ— imbrace their conuersion at their pleasure 7 That true iustifying faith is neither a fruit of election nor yet proper vnto the Elect alone it being oft-times found in reprobates and that the very Elect by falling into sinne both may and doe fall finally and totally from the habits seeds and state of Grace These are the fundamentall and maine points of difference that are now in question and dispute among vs whether of these haue best right and title to the Church of England which of them are her anciently receiued approued established professed and vndoubted Doctrine is the onely issue that we are now to trie For the full and finall resolution of which grand yet doubtlesse Quaere I shall lay downe these three Conclusions which euery man must subscribe to First That
114. â—xpositio◠〈◊〉 Creed page 277. to 299. A Treatise of 〈◊〉 Tom. 2. page 606. to 641. Exposition on lude 〈◊〉 page 516. 517. Of Master Greenham A Treatise of 〈◊〉 sednesse page 207. Of Doctor Robert Some 〈◊〉 of Praedestination and Tractatus De Tribus Quaâ—tâ—onâ—buâ— Quaest. 1. and 3. Of Master Iohn Hill Life euerlaâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 page 526. 527. 528. in the Raigne of blessed Elizabeth 〈◊〉 our late learned Soueraigne K. Iames. ConfereÌ„ce at HaÌ„toâ— Court page 43. Where his Maiestie expresly deliuereth his Royall Resolution of this point in these puctuall â—earmes Praedestination and Election depends not vpon any qualities actions or workes of man which be mutable but of Gods eternall and immutable Decree and purpose in which Resolution hee constantly continued till his death as his Commentary on the Lords Prayer and the Reuelation his Declaration against Vorstius his Approbation of the Synodicall Resolutions and Conclusions at Dort and his Conference with two of our English Diuines about a month before his death newly published by Doctor Daniel Featly page 31. 32. will fully euidence Of laborious and learned Doctor Willet Commentarie on Rom. 8. Controuersie 16. 17. 18. cap. 9. Controuersie 7. 8. 10. cap. 11. Controuersie 3. Synopsis papismi page 881. 904. to 908. 918. to 922. Of eminent and incomparable Doctor Reinolds Thesis 4. and Apologia Thesium sect 14. to 23. of Master Thomas Bell in his Downefall of Poperie London 1608. Article 5. page 61. in his Catholicke Triumphe London 1610. cap. 9. page 244. to 448. Of learned Doctor Robert Abbos late Bishop of Salisburie Lectura 1. De Gratia Perseuerantia Sanctorum sect 3. De Veritate Gratia Christi Iuly 8. 1615. sect 12. to the end Octobris 15. 1615. sect 5. 6. 7. 8. Oratio 4. eodem Anno Octobris 29. sect 6. Animaduersio in Thampsoni Diatribam cap. 4. 5. Of Master Thomas Rogers Analysis on the 17. Article Proposition 5. Of Doctor Field Of the the Church lib 1. cap. 1. to 7. Of Master Samuel Hieron Abridgement of the Gospell in his workes part 1. page 104. 105. The worth of the water of life page 203. 204. The spirituall Son-ship page 370 371. Of Doctor Iohn White Way to the true Church Digressio 41. sect 43. 44. 45. 49 Defence of the way cap. 21. 25. 38. sect 6. 10. to 16. Sermon at Pauls Crosse sect 8. Of Doctor Francis White now Bishop of Norwitch in his Orthodox cap. 8. Of Doctor Crakenthorpe in his Sermon of Praedestination Of Doctor Ames Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Artic. 1. and 2. Of Doctor Griffith Williams Delights of the Saints part 1. page 68. 69. 70. 93. Or Doctor Sclater Sermon at Pauls Crosse 1â—09 An Exposition on the Thessalonians lately published cap. 5. v. 9. 10. page 438. to 455. on Epistle 2. cap. 1. ver 11. page 67 cap. 2. verse 13. page 178. to 190. Of Master Elnathan Parre Grounds of Diuinitie Edit 4. page 285. to 341. Of Master Draxe in his Wolds Resurrection page 3. 78. 110. Of Master Samuel Crooke Guide to Godlinesse sect 4. and 17. Of Mast 1 Iohn Downame Summe of Diuinitie lib. 2. cap 1. and 6. Of Master Paul Baine Commentarie on Ephesians 1. page 71. to 150. where this point is largely handled Of Master Elton and Master Randall in their Sermons on Romans 8. 29. 30. Of Doctor Boyes Whitâ—unday Euening prayer page 940. to 944. in his workes Of Master Robert Yarrow Soueraigne Comfort for a troubled Conscience cap. 28. to the end of cap. 36. Of Doctor Benefield De Sanctorum perseuerantia lib. 2. cap. 18. 20. Of Master Humfry Sydenham his Iacob and Esanâ— preached at Pauls Crosse 1622. part 1. Of Sir Christopher Sybthorpe in his friendly Aduertisement to the praetended Catholiâ—kes of Ireland cap. 7. 8. Of eminent and acute Doctor Prideaux Lecture Oxontae in Comitijs Anno 1616. De absoluto Decreto Of Master Nathaniel Bifield in his Treatise of the Promises cap. 11. 13. Exposition on the Colossians cap. 3. ver 12. page 74. 75. Of Master Thomas Wilson Exposition on Romans 9. ver 11. 12. Of incomparable Doctor Vsher now Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland his Answere to the Iesuites Challenge of Free-will page 464. to 492. With all our famous Dort Diuines Synod of Dort Arcicle 1. iâ— the Raigne of famous King Iames. â— Oâ— Reuerend and learned Bishop Carlton Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 3. 4. Of learned Doctor Dauenat Bishop of Salisburie Expositie Epistolae â—aulâ— ad Colossenses cap. 3. ver 12. page 390. 391. Of solid Doctor Ward Concio ad Clerum Cantabrigiae Ian. 12. 1625. page 30. to 33. Of acute Doctor Featly his 2. Parallel page 1. to 14. and in his and Doctor Thomas Goads ioint Pelaguos Rediuiuuâ— Of Master Henry Burton Plea to an Appeale page 39. to 71. Truth triumphing ouer Trent cap. 17. Of Doctor Iohn Bastwicke Elenchus Religionis Papisticae cap. 8. 9. and 11. Of Master Yates Ibis ad Caesarem part 1. cap. 6. 7. 8. 10. 18. part 2. cap. 1. 2. 3. Of Master Wotton A Dangerous plot Discouered cap. 19. 20. Of Master Francis Rouse The Doctrine of King Iames page 1. to 25. Of Master Richard Scudder The Christians daily walke Edit 2. London 1628. page 431. 439. 613. 615. Master William Pemble in his Vindiciae gratiae page 38. to 44. Of Master Thomas Vicars in his Pusillus Grex Oxoniae 1627. Of M. Richard Bernard Rheemes against Rome p. 311. 312. Of Master Iohn Barlow Exposition on the 2. Tim. 1. 9. and cap. 2. 19. 20. 21. Of Doctor Sclater Exposition on the Epistles to the Thessalonians sore-cited All these most Reuerend eminent and learned Martyrs Praelates Doctors Diuines and Writers of our Church in these their seuerall workes and ages haue punctually and copiously concurred in the vnanimous defence and confirmation of this our second Anti-Arminian Conclusion oppugniâ—g refuting the contrarie Arminian Position as Pelagian Semi-Pelagian Popish Arminian erronious and opposite to the receiued Doctrine of our Church not one authorized Author or Orthodox Writer of our Church so much as one dissenting from them therefore we may vndoubtedly receiue it declare it and adiudge it as the established resolued and professed Doctrine of our English Church The third of these fore mentioned Anti-Arminian Conclusions touching the absolutenesse immutabiliâ—ie and impulsiue or primarie cause of the Decrâ—e not of the Act or execution of Reprobation or Non-election is necessarily implied and raised from our 17. Article as Doctor Whitakers and others haue obserued it is fully warranted and proued by the 1. and 4. Articles of Lambeth which well explaine our 17. Article in this point as learned Doctor Prideaux hath obserued by the 11. 12. and 14. Articles of Ireland by our fore-named Homelies figures 3 by the Cathechisme of Praedestination figures 3 by the Synod of Dort Articles 1. 2. and by the expresse worâ—s of Barrets Recantation composed by the Vniuersitie Heâ—ds
of Cambridge section 6. where our 17. Article is likewise quoted for to warrant it Our learned godly Martyrs in the Regiment of King Henry the VIII haue suffraged to this Tenent witnesse Master VVilliam Tyndalls Parable of the Wicked Mammon page 80. Col. 2. Answere to Master Moores fourth Booke cap. 10. page 329. Master Iohn Frith A Mirrour to know thy selfe page 84. and learned Doctor Barnes That Freewill of her owne strenth can doe nothing else but sin page 270. 271. 274. 276. to 283. where this point is largely handled Our learned Diuinitie Professors in King Edwards dayes are full and copious in this point witnesse Peter Martyr in his Comment in Epist. ad Romanos cap. 9. Tiguri 1559. page 697. 718. and Locorum communiuns Classis 3. cap. 1. sect 15. 28. to 32. 36. being Lectures read in the Uniuersitie of Oxford by King Edwards appointment and earnestly desired by diuers of the Vniuersitie for the presse as himselfe records in his Epistle Dedicatorie together with Master Martin Bucer in his Commentarie on the selfesame Chapter ver 11 to 24. Whence eminent Doctor VVhitakers in his Cygnea Cantio pa. 15. informes vs That Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer of honourable memorie did professe this Doctrine of absolute and irrespâ—ctiue Reprobation in both our famous Vniuersities and that our Church which was most abundantly watered with the fountaines of these two eminent Diuines in the dayes of King Edward the VI â—â—d alwayes hold it since the restitution of the Ghospell to her This then was the receiued Doctrine of our Church in King Edwards dayes as our 17. Article which was then composed together with our Homelies forequoted will euince there being no approued Writer of our Church now extant that did oppugne it in that age and should we begin to doubt it now If any obiect that Master Iohn Bradford in his Summe of the Doctrine of Praedestination and Reprobation affirmes that our owne wilfulnesse sinne and contemning of Christ are the cause of Reprobation therefore this doctrine was not then so generally receiued I answere First that Master Bradfords explanation of himselfe in the subsequent liâ—es will take off this obiection For he informes vs that he speakes only of the second cause of Reprobation that is of the execution not of the Decree of Reprobation which is onely sinne not of the first cause of it the thing we haue now in quaestion which we cannot comprehend it being the vnsearchable will of God which we should not search into further then God doth giue vs leaue in his VVord Secondly that Master Bradford speakes this onely to silence Reprobates and damned men aduising them to looke first vpon their owne sinnes which bring damnation and Gods hatred on them not vpon Gods secret Decree of Reprobation which as it doth not impose a necessitie of sining vpon men so it neuer brings daâ—â—ation on them but for sinne M. Bradford then speaking only of the actuall execution of Reprobation not of the Decree it selfe of the secondary cause of it not of the first which is onely the vnsearcheable will of God makes wholy for our present Tenent not against it The selfe-same answere may be giuen to that of Bishop Hooper in his Epistle to the Christian Reader praefixed before his Declaration of the Commandements where he writes thus The cause of reiection or damnation is sinne in man which will neither receiue the promise of the Gospell c. Where reiection is put for the execution of Reprobation or actuall damnation as this disiunctiue or explanatorie coniunction or the cause of reiection or damnation and this marginall note The cause of damnation in man annexed to it due infalliblie demonstrate of which euery man doth readily acknowledge sinne to be the onely cause not for the Decree of Reprobation which hath no other primarie moouing or impulsiue cause but Gods meere will and pleasure these writers then make wholy for vs not against vs if rightly vnderstood This was the constant Tenent and resolution of our eminent Diuines in Queene Elizabeths dayes witnesse Iohn Veron his Fruitfull Treatise of Praedestination and the Apologie for the same where it is largely proued all obiections and cauils against it being there fully answered witnesse Master Iohn Fox his Martiriologe page 1506. line 50. Master Thomas Palfryman Treatise of heauenly Philosophy cap. 7. Master Iames Price his Fanne of the Faithfull cap. 1. 3. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Master Iohn North-brooke his Poore mans Garden cap. 1. Master Arthur Gurney his Fruitfull Dialogue betweene Reason and Religion fol. 38. to 42. Master Anwicke his Meditations of Gods Monarchie and the Deuils Kingdome cap. 6. 7. Learned Doctor Fulke and Master Cartwright Answere to the Rhemish Testament Notes on Rom. 9. sect 2. 3. 5. Master Edward Deering on the Hebrewes Lecture 9. Reuerend and godly Bishop Babington Sermon at Pauls Crosse 1590. part 1. and learned Matthew Hutton Arch-Bishop of Yorke De Electione Reprobatione Commentatio together with Arch-Bishop Whitguift and all those learned Praelates Doctors and Diuines who composed the Assertions of Lambheth and Barrets Recantation Iudicious and solid Doctor VVhitakers in his Cygnea Cantio page 3. to 18. Master VVilliam Perkins his Treatise of the Order of causes of Election and Reprobation cap. 7. 50. 51. Tom. 1. page 16. 95. 114. his Exposition on the Creedâ— p. 277. to 299. and Treatise of Predestination Tom. 2. page 608. to 641. his Exposition on the Epistle of Iude ver 4. Tom. 3. page 516. 517. and Master Iohn Hills Life euerlasting lib. 5. p. 599. to 612. where this our praesent Assertion is punctually maintained Of learned King Iames himselfe Meditation on the Lords Prayer and Conference at Hamptâ—n Court page 30. 43. Of Doctor Robert Abbot late Bishop of Salisbury and Diuinity Professor in Oxford Oratio quarta De Veritate gratiae Christi October 1615. sect 6. Of Doctor Iohn VVhites Way to the Church Digression 41. sect 44. 45. 49. and Defence of the way cap. 25. sect 10. to the end where this point is learnedly handled Of Doctor Francis VVhite now Bishop of Norwitch in his Orthodox cap. 8. paragraph 1. 2. Of Doctor Crackenthorpe in his Sermon of Praedestination Of Doctor VVillet in his Commentary on Romans 8. Controuersie 16. cap. 9. Controuersie 7. 9. 10. 11. and Synosis Papismi page 881. 882. 913. 920. Of Doctor Field Of the Church-Booke 1. cap. 4. Of Doctor Ames Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Articulus 1. and 2. Of Doctor Benefield De Perseuerantia Sanctorum lib. 2. cap. 18. 20. Of Doctor Prideaux De Absolut Decreto Lectura 1. Of Master Thomas VVilson Exposition on Romans cap. 9. v. 11. 12. to 27. and cap. 11. ver 7. Of Master Thomas Rogers Analysis on the 17. Article Proposition 4. and 5. Of master Samuel Crooke in his Guide â—ect 4. and 9 Of Master Elnathan Parre Groâ—â—ds of Diuiniâ—â— page 211. to 309. Of Master Paule â—ayne Commentarie
Appeale pleadeth against the Articles of Lambheth and iustifieth the Doctrine of Barret Baro and Thomson auerring the same to be the Doctrine of the Church of England This he doth not by naming of those men whose names he knew would bring no honour to this cause but by laying downe and iustifying their doctrines and suggesting that they who maintained the doctrines contained in the Articles of Lambheth are Caluinists and Puritanes So that those Reuerend Arch-Bishops Whitgift and Hutton with the Bishops of our Church who then liued are in his iudgement to be reiected as Puritans The question is Whether of these two positions wee must now receiue for the doctrines of our Church that which Barret Baro and Thompson would haue brought in which doctrines were then refuted and reiected by our Church Or that doctrine which the Bishops of our Church maintained against these men which doctrine hath been since vpon diuers occasions approued If ther were no more to be said I dare put it to the Issue before any indifferent Iudges Thus far this reuereÌ„d Bp. whose testimony alone might sufficiently determine our present Controuersie The third witnesse is Doctor Samuel Ward in his Concio ad Clerum preached in St. Maries in Cambridge Ianuary 12. 1625. page 45. This also saith he I can truely adde for a conclusion that the Vniuersall Church hath alwayes adhaered to St. Augustine in these points speaking before of some Anti-Arminian conclusions all which are fully related in his Suffragium Brittanorum annexed to this Clerum euer since his time till now the Church of England also from the beginning of reformation and this our famous Academie with al those who from thence till now haue with vs enioyed the Diuinity Chaires if we except one forraigne French man to wit Peter Baro one I say who by the vigilancy of our Ancestors and the large authority of the most Reuerend Arch-Bishop Whitgist was compelled to renounce his chaire haue likewise constantly adhaered to him And if to him then certainly to vs as the 2. part of his 7. To me which makes wholy for vs will infallibly euidence By these three seuerall testimonies it is abundantly euident that our Diuinity Professors and first reformers of Religion in King Edward the 6. his dayes our Reuerend and learned orthodox Diuines that either suffered or escaped Martyrdome in Queene Maries dayes our Bishops Diuines and learned Cleargie who composed our Articles in Queene Elizabeths dayes our famous Vniuersities of Oxford and Cambridge with all their Diuinity Professors from the beginning of reformation to this present excepting Baro who was conuented and in a manner expelled for his erronious Tenents together with the whole Church of England from her first reformation to this instant haue constantly approued vnanimously embraced and resolutely maintained our Anti-Arminian conclusions as the vndoubted resolutions and Doctrines of our English Church and will any man now be so audaciously absurd as to call them into question whether they are the Doctrines of our Church or no Not to speake of Master Samuel Ward or Master Carpenter or M. Deubtie or other of our late vnrecited writers who condemne Arminianisme in the grosse not yet to mention any of the fore-quoted Authors my 4th Euidence to proue our Anti-Arminian Tenents the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church is the authorized translating and printing in our English dialect not only of St. Augustines cheife workes against the Pelagians but euen of Caluin Beza Zanchius Bucaniâ—â— Trelcatius Bastingius Vrsin Kimedoncius Piscator Fayus Olenian Iunius Reniger and Moulins workes against the Pseudo-Lutherans and Arminians who passe for orthodox and approued Authors in our Church whom some stile a Caluinist Certainely if the Doctrine of our English Church were various from these Authors Tenents they being the greatest Anti-Arminians this day exstant their names would neuer be so venerable their workes not so highly esteemed in our Church as to be thus englished authorized sold and printed here among vs as we know they are without controll Since then our Church hath thus indenized and adopted these forraigne Authors with their Anti-Arminian Writings since she thus claimes them for and rankes them with her owne her Doctrines questionlesse are the same with theirs and so wholy ours not our Arminian Opposites whom all these pointblancke oppugne You haue seene now pious Readers what plentifull numerous punctuall full and faire Euidences Records and witnesses of all sorts and ages our Anti-Arminian Tenents haue produced to vindicate and proue themselues the ancient established professed resolued and vndoubted Doctrines of the Church of England Let vs now examine on the other side what euidences what testimonies these Arminian Errors can rake vp together to intitle themselues vnto our Church First of all they haue none of the fore-quoted Articleâ— Homâ—lies Common prayer Booke Chatechismes Synâ—d or Recantation no publike record or monument of our reformed Church to iustify them Yea all these as our Church hath alwayes hitherto expounded them doe positiuely condemne them for insufferable and branded Errors Secondly there is neuer a Martyr neuer a Diuinity Professor in either of our Vniuersities Baro a spurious Frenchman excepted neuer an orthodox or approued English Writer that I know off from the beginning of Reformation to this instant that can giue in any euidence in one particular point much lesse in all points on their side being rightly vnderstood where as we haue produced a whole Century of Authors if not more against there The only Authors that they can produce and those but partiall maimed and obscure witnesses not intire or perspicuous are Peter Baro in Queene Elizabeths Thompson in King Iames and M. Mountague and Iackson in King Charles his raigne men branded and condemned in our Church The first of these being an exortique Frenchman was solemnely conuented and censured for his erronious Bookes and Tenents first at Lambeth by the composers of the Lambheth Articles and afterwards in the Vniuersity of Cambridge by all the heads of Houses vpon the complaint of diuers Batchellors of Diuinity vpon which heâ— was forced to forsake that Vniuersity and our Kingdome too This branded and illegall witnesse then being at the very best a forraigner doth only marre not helpe their cause The second was but an Anglo-Belgicus a dissolute ebrious and luxurious English-Dutchman his Booke was denyed Licens here as being contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and being printed at Leyden after his death for want of licens here it was presently refelled by a reuerend and learned Prelate of our Church Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury whose Booke now extant was imprinted by authority and dedicated to our royall Soueraigne then Prince of Wales If then the life or posthumus Booke of this second Witnesse be examined his testimony will but cast not further not aduance their right The third of these Witnesses who was lately rumored to disclaime his testimony and
will either euade or else withdraw and retract his euidence when he comes to triall as he is a principal in the present controuersie so no competent Iudge or Witnesse so he hath beene 4. seuerall times impeached by the high Court of Parliament for giuing false testimony in the points in Issue besides his testimony is wauering dubious and repugnant to it selfe and it hath beene counterpleaded by diuers of our Church and generally disclaimed by most as false and spurious Therefore it doth but weaken yea betray their cause and strengthen oures The last of these being transported beyond himselfe with metaphisicall Contemplations to his owne infamy and his renowned Mothers shame I meane the famous Vniuersity of Oxford who grieues for his defection from whose duggs he neuer suckt his poysonous Doctrines as his euidence is intricate and obscure beyond the reach or discouery of ordinary capacities so it hath beene blanched and blasted by a Parliament examination excepted against by the Conuocation house answered by some disanowed by most of our Diuines his single testimony therefore especially in his owne particular case where he cannot be both a party and a witnesse too makes nothing for their title to our Church These are the only euidences and Authors to my knowledge that our Arminian Tenents can produce to interest them in our Church and these all circumstances being well confidered make flat against them since our Chuch hath vtterly disauowed and distasted them reiecting yea condemning these their writings as diametrally opposite to her established Doctrines If any Arminian can produce any other English Writers whom our Church approues to patronize these errors I shall be willing to be informed of them for my owne part I neuer met with any but with these I confesse that some would wrest Bishop Hooper to the contrary in the point of Reprobation and vniuersall redemption but in truth he is for vs not against vs in these very points if rightly apprehended howeuer he is euidently for vs in the rest But admit he were not yet he is but one his singular opinion therefore will not preiudice vs since we haue an whole Century of better more punctuall witnesses for to backe vs. Thirdly our Church hath beene so farre from reputing these her established and receiued Doctrines that she hath conuented censured such as oppugners of her Doctrine and disturbers of her peace who haue hitherto published or patronized them in their Bookes or Sermons witnesse the solemne Conuiction and Recantation of Barret Baro and others in the yeere 1595. they being the first that broached them in our Church witnesse the Recantation of Master Sympson in Cambridge in King Iames his latter time and the late conuention of one Brookes in Oxford for broaching these Arminian Tenents witnesse the proceedings in Parliament against Master Mountagues and Iacksons Arminian Bookes which are generally distasted throughout the Kingdome and can any then be so shamelesly audacious as now for to auerre them to be the vndoubted established or receiued Doctrines of our Church Fourthly the whole Armie streame and torrent of the fore-recited learned Authors of our Church both of ancient moderne and present times haue alwayes constantly professedly oppugned them as directly opposit to the established receiued Doctrines of the Church of England as stigmatical damnable old-condeÌ„ned Errors first hatched by Pelagius theÌ„ nursed by his Followers fomented by Demi-Pelagians reuiued propagated by Popish Schoolemen and since that abetted by Pseudo-Lutherans Socinians Anabaptists and Arminians sects branded and condemned in our Church and can we then bee so stupendiously so damnably absurd as to affirme or iudge them the vndoubted the embraced Doctrines of our Church Certainely that which hath no Records no Euidences no authorized Writers of our Church to patronize it all of them to oppugne it that which our Martyrs neuer sealed but cancelled with their blood our first reformers neuer planted but displanted in our Church our Diuinity Professors neuer iustified but condemned in our Vniuersity Schooles that which all our Authors neuer patronized but constantly refelled as a branded Error in their writings that which both our Church and Vniuersities haue neuer constantly affirmed but solemnly enioyned men to recant as expresly contrary to the professed and resolued Doctrine of our Church cannot be the Doctrine of the Church of England But this is the case of all the fore-mentioned Arminian Errors witnesse all the praemises Therefore they cannot bee the professed and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England let Arminians vainely boast and babble to the contrary what they will Lastly that which sundry ancient Councels Fathers and moderne Synods haue positiuely censured and condemned as a pestilent dangerous and grace-destroying Error and not so much as one ancient Orthodox Councell Father or moderne Synod euer ratified as the ancient Catholicke and vndoubted truth can neuer be reputed the professed established and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England But sundry ancient Orthodox Councels Fathers and moderne Synods haue positiuely censured and condemned these very Arminian Tenents as a pestilent dangerous and grace-destroying Error and not so much as one ancient Councel Orthodox Father or moderne Synod euer ratified them as the ancient Catholicke vndoubted truth Therefore they can neuer be reputed the professed established and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England The affirmatiue part of my Assumption the Councels Fathers and Synods quoted in the margent with sundry others which I haue at large recited in my Perpetuity of a Regenerate mans estate page 213. to 270. to which I shall referre you doe fully warrant For the negatiue part let our Arminians disproue it if they can since I must needs affirme that I know not so much as one ancient Councell or moderne Synod no nor yet one orthodox Father of the Primatiue Church vnlesse Faustus an absolute Semi-Pelagian though in shew a professed Anti-Pelagian may be reputed orthodox when as both Protestants and Papists haue hitherto branded him as vnsound and Haeterodox in his Tenents that did euer yet maintaine or iustify these Semi-Pelagian or Arminian Errors If then they were neuer the receiued or approued Doctrines but the branded Haeresies of the Primitiue Church if they were neuer yet confirmed and setled in any Christian Church by any one nationall or generall Councell whether ancient or moderne though they haue beene censured and condemned by diuers they cannot be the established the vndoubted Doctrines of the Church of England You haue heâ—re good Christian Readers both heard and seene the seuerall Euidences and Witnesses which Anti-Arminianisme and Arminianisme can produce to intitle themselues vnto the Church of England to which they both of late lâ—y claime You haue seene the Articles of England Lambheth and Ireland the Common prayer Booke and Homelies established in our Church The authorized Catechisme of King Edward the 6. The Questions and Answers of Predestination The Synod of Dort The
The intire Church of England consists of three grand members The Church of Ireland the Church of Scotland and the Church of England the mother or mistres of the other two If then I can vncontroulable euidence that these three seuerall Churches did constantly heretofore and doe as yet vnanimously acknowledge defend and iustify these our Anti-Arminian Conclusions the victory triall and points in praesent issue must be yeelded to me For the Church of Ireland it s out of quaestion that she hath alwayes both in ancient and moderne ages concluded with vs. For in ancient times in the points of the immutabisity aeternity and freenesse of Gods Election the praedetermined number of Gods Elect the infallible certainety of their effectuall calling and saluation Reprobation Freewill and vniuersall grace we shall finde Saint Gallus Sedulius and Claudius three ancient Irish Fathers and with them the ancient Irish Church concurring fully with vs and with St. Augustine in these our orthodox positions as that Reuerend learned and incomparable Irishman Doctor Vsher Arch-Bishop of Ardmagh the honor of our Church and glory of his Nation hath euidently and largely proued in his Epistle of the Religion professed by the ancient Irish bound vp at the end of Sir Christopher Sybthorpes workes page 7. 8. 9. to which I will referre you What the moderne Doctrine of the Church of Ireland is the fore-recorded Articles of Ireland composed in the Conuocation at Dublin in the yeere 1615. which conclude in terminis for vs together with Bishop Vshers Answer to the Iesuits Challenge his now recited Epistle and Sir Christopher Sybthorpes Aduertisement cap. 7. 8. sufficiently euidence so that both the Primatiue and praesent Irish Church are wholy fully for vs point-blancke against our Opposites That the ancient and moderne Church of Scotland hath suffragated vnto our Conclusions it is vndeniablie euident by their vnanimous and generall Confession of the true Christian faith and religion subscribed by King Iames himselfe his houshold with sundry others at Edenborough the 28. of Ianuary in the yeere 1581. being the 14. yeere of his Maiesties raigne Articles Of Originall sinne Of Election of Faith in the holy Ghost Of the cause of good workes Of the Church of the immortality of the soule by M. Knox in his Answ. against the Aduersaries of Gods Praedestination by Master Rollocke Rector of the Vniuersitie of Edinburgh his Commentary on the Ephesians cap. 1. 2. 3. and 5. and on Psalme 51. By Master William Cowper Bishop of Galloway in Scotland once Minister of Perth in his Heauen opened on Rom. 8. v. â—9 28. to the end and in sundry other of his workes By Master Iohn Weenise his Portraiture of the Image of God in man cap. 16. of Freewill where all or most of these Arminian pointâ— are pithily discussed By Sharpius a learned Scot Professor of Diuinity now in Dyon Tractatus De Iustificatione cap. 5. and Syntagâ—â—a Theologiae who all concurre vnanimously with vs in these our praesent conclusions which they professedly and pertinaciously maintaine and iustify That the Primatiue Church of England hath suscribed to our praesent Assertions her ancient publicke opposition to Pelagianisme her Bede her Anselme her Bradwardine and Wickliffe testify in that they constantly adhaered to St. Augustines and so to our Assertions as the vndoubted truth oppugning these now Arminian then Pelagian Tenents as dangerous and grace-opposing errors as their places quoted in the margent and in part recited in my Perpetuity p. 257. 261. c. will more at large declare The ancient Church of England and these her famous writers were professed Anti-Pelagians therefore Anti-Arminians What this our Church hath beene of latter times the fore-recited euidences and Authors doe abundantly testify I need not here repeat it I will therefore onely adde some further euidences to proue our Anti-Arminian positions to be our Arminian noualties not to be the ancient receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of our Church My first of these more full and puctuall euidences is the ingeminated confession and reiterated protestation of of the Heades of the Vniuersity of Cambridge in a memorable Letter of theirs purposely written about the suppression of these new Arminian errors to their honoured Chancellor and subscribed with their seuerall hands March 8. 1595. which Letter I haue truely transcribed out of the originall Coppy remaining in the hands of Doct. G who can produce it if occasion serue in sorâ—e as followeth RIght Honourable our bounden dutie remembred Wee are right sorry to haue such occasion to trouble your Lordship but the peace of this Vniuersity and Church which is deare vnto vs being brought into perill by the late reuiuing of new oppinions and troublesome Controuersies amongst vs hath vrged vs in regard of the places we here sustaine not onely to be carefull for the suppressing the same to our powers but also to giue your Lordship further information hereof as our Honourable head and carefull Chancellor About a yeere past amongst diuers others who here attempted publikely to teach new and strange opinions in Religion one Master Barret more boldly then the rest did preach diuers Popish Errors in Saint Maries to the iust offence of many which he was inioyned to retract but hath refused so to doe in such sort as hath beene praescribed him with whose fact and opinions your Lordship was made acquainted by Doctor Some the deputis Vice-Chancellor Hereby offence and diuision growing as after by Doctor Baroes publike Lectures aâ—d doterminations in the Schooles contrary as his Auditors haue informed to Doctor Whitakers and the sound receiued truth euer since her Maiesties raigne Wee sent vp to London by Common consent in Nouember last Doctor Tyndall and Doctor Whitakers men especially chosen for that purpose for conference with my Lord of Canterbury and other principall Diuines there that the controuersies being examined and the truth by their consents confirmed the contrary Errors and the contentions thereabout might the rather cease By whose good trauell with sound consent in truth such aduice and care was taken by certaine propositions containing certaine substantiall points of Religion taught and receiued in this Vniuersity and Church during the time of her Maiesties raigne and consented vnto and published by the best approued Diuines both at home and abroade for the maintaining of the same truth and peace of the Church as thereby wee inioyâ—ed here great and comfortable quiet vntill Doctor Baroe in Ianuary last in his Sermon Ad Clerum in Saint Maries contrary to restraint and commandement from the Vice-Chancellor and the Heads by renewing againe these Opinions disturbed our peace whereby his Adhaerents and Disciples were and are much emboldened to maintaine false Doctrine to the corrupting disturbing of this Vniuersity and Church if it be not in time effectually praeuented For remedy hereof we haue with ioynt consent and care vpon complaint praeferred
by diuers Batchellors in Diuinity proceeded in the examination of the cause according to our Statutes and vsuall manner of proceeding in such causes whereby it appeareth by sufficient testimonies that Doctor Baroe hath offended in such things as his Articles had charged him withall There is also since the former another complaint praeferred against him by certaine Batchellors in Diuinity that he hath not onely in that Sermon but also for the space of these 14. or 15. yeeres taught in his Lectures preached in Sermons determined in the Schooles and printed in seuerall Bookes diuers points of Doctrine not onely contrary to himselfe but also contrary to that which hath beene taught and receiued euer since her Maiesties raigne yet agreeable to the Errors of Popery which we know your Lordship hath alwayes disliked and hated So that we who for the space of many yeeres past haue yeelded him sundry benefits and fauours here in the Vniuersity being a stranger and forborne him when hee hath often himselfe busie curious inalienarepublica broached new and strange questions in Religion now vnlesse we should be carelesse of maintaining the truth of religion established and of our duties in our places cannot being resolued and confirmed in the Truth of the long professed and receiued Doctrine but continue to vse all good meanes and seeke at your Lordships hands some effectuall remedy hereof least by permitting passage to these Errors the whole body of Popery should by little and little breake in vpon vs to the ouerthrow of our Religion and consequently the withdrawing of many here and elsewhere from true obedience to her Maiestie May it therefore please your good Lordship to haue an honourable consideration of the premises and for the better maintaining of peace and the truth of Religion so long and quietly receiued in this Vniuersity and Church to vouchsafe your Lordships good ayde and aduice both to the comfort of vs wholy consenting and agreeing in iudgement and all others of the Vniuersity soundly affected and to the suppression in time not only of these Errors but euen of grosse Popery like by such meanes in time easily to creepe in among vs as wee finde by late experience it hath dangerously begun Thus crauing pardon for troubling your Lordship commending the same in prayer to the Almighty God we humbly take our leaue From Cambridge the 8. of March 1595. Your Lordships humble and bounden to be commanded Roger Goade Procan R. Some Thomas Legge Iohn Iegon Thomas Neuill Thomas Preston Humphry Tyndall Iames Mountague Edmund Barwell Iames Chaderton THe seuerall obseruations from this Letter I haue briefely touched in the margent yet giue me leaue to trauerse them once againe since repetition will make them more obseruable First it is euident by this Letter that the Articles of Lambheth are no fained no priuate Articles or priuate spirits as some repute them since not only our two Arch-Bishops and their other Associates but euen the whole Vniuersity of Cambridge concurred in their composition in their two famous Doctors Tyndall and Whitakers men specially chosen by them for this purpose Secondly that the Articles of Lambheth which were afterwards printed at Cambridge by themselues and since that with the last Lectures of Doctor Whitakers were after their constitution approued and receiued by the Vniuersity of Cambridge who inioyed much peace and quiet by them which disproues that forged storie of Coruinus touching the reuocation of the Articles by Queene Elizabeth and of Bishop Whitgifts incurring a Praemunire and the Queenes displeasure by them Thirdly that the Articles of Lambheth containe in them no noualties but only the substantiall points of Religion taught and receiued in the Vniuersity of Cambridge the Church of England and consented vnto by the best approued Diuines both at home and abroad during the whole raigne of Queene Elizabeth Therefore we may safely embrace them as a full declaration of the professed and vndoubted Doctrines of our Church Fourthly that our Anti-Arminian Conclusions directly opposite to Barrets and Baroes Errors which this Letter mentions are the resolued and confirmed truth yea the receiued established and long professed Doctrines of the Chuch of England and the Vniuersity of Cambridge Fiftly that the Arminian Errors for these only were Barrets and Baroes Errors of which this Letter speakes are agreeable to Popery and quite contrary to the Religion taught and receiued in the Church of England euer since Queene Elizabeths raigne Sixtly that Arminianisme is but a Bridge or Vsher vnto grosse Popery yea a meanes to draw away Subiects from their obedience to his Maiestie and to bring in the whole body of Popery into our Church by little and little then all which obseruacions there can be nothing more punctuall or aduantagious for our Anti-Arminian positions more opposite or disaduantagious to these Arminian Errors Compare this Letter and its seuerall passages with the Recantation of Barreâ— with the Vniuersity Order formerly quoted and then it will be vndeuiably euident that our praesent Assertions were formerly held the vndoubted and resolued Doctrines of the Church of England by the whole Vniuersity of Cambridge and dare any of her Heads or members disclaime or disauow them now My second Euidence is the authority and resolution of my much honored Mother the Vniuersity of Oxford who from her Learned Diuinity Professor Peter Martyrs time who planted and propagated our Anti-Arminian Assertions in her in King Edwards dayes by his excellent Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans hath constantly to this very praesent embraced professed and publikely defended our present positions in her Diuinity Schooles as the vndoubted truth and Doctrine of our Church Witnesse the 4th Thesis of her incomparable Reinolds Sancta Catholica Ecclesia quam credimus est â—aetus Vniuersus Electorum Dei. Tractata in Schola Theologica Nouem 3. 1579. The solemne Anti-Arminian Lectures of her Reuerend and learned Regius Diuinity Professor Doctor Robert Abbot late Bishop of Salisbury De Gratia perseuerantia Sanctorum and De Veritate Gratiae Christi read publikely in her Diuinity Schooles in her Act time in the yeeres 1613. 1614. 1615. the professed Anti-Arminian Lectures of her vnparalled praesent Regius Diuinity Professor Doctor Iohn Prideaux De Absoluto Reprobationis Decreto De scientia media De Gratia Vniuersalâ— De Conuersionis modo De Perseuerantia Sanctorum De salutis Certudine and De salute Ethnicorum all which were solemnely read in her Diuinity Schooles at her publike Acts in the yeeres 1616. 1617. 1618. 1619. 1621. 1622. 1623. the publicke Anti-Arminian Lectures of her iudicious and learned late Lady Margaret Professor D. Sebastian Benefield De Sanctorum perseuerantia lib. 2. reade solemnely in her Schooles in the yeere 1617. and since that printed at Franckfort for their better dispersion into the parts of Germany in the yeere 1618. together with the late Act Questions of her proceeding Doctors of