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A01181 Articles agreed on in the nationall synode of the Reformed Churches of France, held at Charenton neere Paris, in the moneth of September, 1623 Which the same ordaineth to be inuiolably kept in all the churches and vniversities of that realme.; Articles arrestez au Synode national. English Eglises réformées de France. Synode national (1623 : Charenton-le-Pont) 1623 (1623) STC 11295; ESTC S117189 22,438 38

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ARTICLES AGREED ON IN THE NATIONALL SYNODE of the Reformed Churches of FRANCE Held at Charenton neere Paris in the Moneth of September 1623. Which the same ordaineth to be inuiolaby kept in all the CHVRCHES and VNIVERSITIES of that REALME AT OXFORD Printed by IOHN LICHFIELD and IAMES SHORT Printers to the famous VNIVERSITIE 1623. CHAP. I. Of Predestination Election and Reprobation The I. Article FOrasmuch as all men sinned in Adam and made themselues culpable of Malediction and euerlasting death God had done no wrong to any man though he should haue left all mankinde in Sinne and Malediction and condemned them for the said Sinne according to the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 3.19.22 The whole world is culpable before God All haue sinned and are wholly destitute of the glory of God And Rom. 6.23 The wages of Sinne is death II. But herein is the loue of God manifested that hee hath sent his onely Sonne into the world to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 1. Iohn 4.9 and Iohn 3.16 III. Now to bring men to Faith God graciously sendeth foorth messengers of these glad tidings to whom he will and when hee will by whose ministrie men are called to Repentance and Faith in Iesus Christ crucified For how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. 10 14.15 IIII. They which beleeue not this Gospel the wrath of God abides on them but they which receiue it and embrace the Sauiour Iesus with a true and liuely Faith are deliuered by him from the wrath of God and from perdition and are made partakers of life euerlasting V. The cause and blame of this incredulitie as likewise of all other sinnes is not any wise in God but in man but Faith in Iesus Christ and saluation thereby is the free gift of God as it is written Ephes 2.8 You are saued by Grace through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Againe Phil. 1.29 It hath beene freely giuen vnto you to beleeue in Christ VI. And whereas God in his appointed time giues Faith to some and giues it not vnto others that proceedes from his eternall Decree For vnto God are his wayes knowen from euerlasting Acts 15.18 And hee doth all things according to the counsell of his owne will Ephes 1.11 According to which Decree he softeneth by Grace the hearts of the Elect how hard soeuer they be and bowes them to beleeue but in iust iudgement leaues them which are not Elected in their malice and hardnesse And herein especially is discouered the profound mercifull and alike iust distinction betwixt men that were equally lost or the Decree of Election and Reprobation reueiled in the word of God which as the peruerse impure and presumptuous wrest vnto their owne perdition so it yeeldeth vnspeakeable comfort to holy and religious soules VII Election is the vnchangeble purpose of God whereby according to the most free good pleasure of his will amongst all mankinde fallen by its owne fault from its first integritie into sinne and perdition hee hath of meere grace chosen in Christ Iesus to saluation before the beginning of the world a certaine number of men not better nor more worthy then others but such as together with them lay weltring in one and the selfe same miserie The which Iesus Christ God hath also from all eternitie made the Mediatour and head of all the Elect and the ground as it were and foundation of their saluation And accordingly hath decreed to giue them to Christ for to saue them and to call them and draw them effectually by his word and spirit to the communion of him or hath decreed to giue them true faith in him to iustifie to sanctifie and hauing mightily kept them in the communion of his Sonne finally to glorifie them for the demonstration of his mercy and for the praise of the riches of the glory of his grace as it is written Ephes 1.4.5 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world to the end we should be holy and vnblameable before him in loue hauing Predestinated vs for to adopt vs to himselfe by Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he hath made vs acceptable in his welbeloued And Rom. 8.29 Whom he hath Predestinated those he hath also called and whom he hath called those he hath also iustified and whom he hath iustified those he hath also glorified VIII This Election is not of diuers sorts but one onely and the fame of all that shall be saued in the old and new Testament forasmuch as the Scripture mentioneth but one good pleasure purpose and counsell of the will of God whereby hee hath Elected vs from all Eternitie as vnto Grace so vnto Glorie as to Saluation so to the way of Saluation which he hath prepared to the intent we should walke in it IX Neither was this Election made in respect of Faith foreseene or the obedience of Faith holinesse or any other good qualitie or disposition as a cause or condition required beforehand in the man that should bee Elected but rather it was to giue Faith and the obedience of Faith holinesse c. And therefore Election is the fountaine of all sauing good whence flow Faith holinesse and the rest of sauing graces in a word life euerlasting it selfe as the fruites and effects thereof according to the words of the Apostle Ephesians 1.4 He hath chosen vs not because we were ●ut to the end we should be holy and vnblameable before him in loue X. The cause of this free Election is onely the good pleasure of God which consisteth not in this that he hath chosen for the condition of saluation certaine qualities or actions of men among all those which are possible but in this that hee hath taken to himselfe for a peculiar heritage some certaine persons out of the common multitude of sinners as it is written Rom. 9.11.12.13 Before the children were yet borne and or ere they had done either good or euill c. it was said vnto her to weete Rebecca The elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau And Actes 13.48 All they which were ordained to eternall life beleeued XI And as God himselfe is most wise vnchangeable knowing all things and almightie so the Election which hee hath once made cannot be either interrupted or changed or reuoked or annulled nor the Elect either reiected or their number diminished XII The Elect are in their due times ascertained of this their eternall and vnchangeable election to saluation albeit by degrees and in a different measure and that not by any curious sounding of the secrets and depths of God but by obseruing in themselues with a spirituall ioy and an holy kinde of gladnesse
the doctrine of Election consisteth not in this that God hath chosen certaine persons rather then others but in this that of all possible conditions among which also are the workes of the Law or out of the number of all things God hath chosen the acte of Faith though meane in it selfe and the imperfect obedience of Faith for the condition of Saluation and that of Grace he would vouchsafe to accept it for perfect obedience and iudge it worthy to bee rewarded with euerlasting life For by this dangerous errour the good pleasure of God and the merite of Iesus Christ is eneruated and men are turned through vnprofitable questions from the trueth of free Iustification and from the simplicitie of the Scriptures And that sentence of the Apostle accused of falsehood 2. Tim. 1.9 God hath called vs by an holy calling not according to workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs in Iesus Christ before all times IIII. Who teach That in Election to Faith this condition is formerly required that a man vse well the light of Nature and be a good or honest man humble and disposed to eternall life as if Election did after a sort depend on these things For this sauours of Pelagius his opinion and too too openly taxes the Aposte of falshood when he saith Ephes 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9 We all heretofore liued in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of our owne thoughts and were by nature children of wrath aswell as others But God who is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith hee loued vs even at the time when we were dead in our trespasses hath quickened vs together with Christ by the Grace of whom ye are saued and hath raised vs vp together and hath made vs sit together in heauenly places in Iesus Christ to the end he might shew in the ages to come the abundantly excellent riches of his Grace by his kindnes towards vs in Iesus Christ For yee are saued through Grace by Faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not by workes to the intent none should glorifie himselfe V. Who teach That the Incomplete and not peremptorie Election of particular persons to Saluation supposeth a foresight of Faith Connersion Holinesse and Godlinesse begun or continued for a time but that the complete and peremptorie Election supposes a fore-sight of the finall perseuerance of Faith Conuersion Holinesse and Godlinesse And that herein lyeth that free and Euangelicall dignitie in respect whereof he which is Elect is more worthy then he which is not Elect And by consequent that Faith and the obedience of Faith Holinesse Godlinesse and perseuerance are not fruits or effects of an vnchangeable election to glory but conditions and causes without which no Election can be made the which conditions or causes are formerly required and foreseene as if they were already fulfilled in them that are to be compleatly Elected Which doctrine vtterly crosteth the whole Scripture which in diuers places beateth both into our eares and hearts such and the like sentences Rom. 9.12 Election is not by workes but by him which calleth Actes 13.48 All they which were ordained to eternall life belieued Ephes 1.4 He hath Elected vs in himselfe to the end we should be holy Iohn 15.16 You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Rom. 11.6 If it be by grace then it it no more by workes 1. Iohn 4.10 Herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs and hath sent his Sonne VI. Who teach That euery Election to Saluation is not vnchangeable but that some Elect notwithstanding whatsoeuer decree of God may and doe perish euerlastingly By which grosse errour they make God mutable and ouerthrow the consolation of the saithfull touching the stedfastnesse of their Election and contradict the holy Scriptures which teach Mat. 24.24 That the Elect cannot be seduced Ioh 6.39 That Christ looseth not those that are giuen vnto him of his Father Rom. 8.29 That those whom God hath Predestinated called iustified those he doth also glorifie VII Who teach That during this life there is no fruit nor sense nor certaintie of an vnchangeable Election to glorie except is be such as may be grounded on a condition mutable and contingent For besides that it is an absurditie to call that a certaintie which is vncertaine it is also repugnant to the experience of the Saints who reioyce with the Apostle at the sense and seeling of their Election while they celebrate this blessing of God who with the Disciples Reioyce according to Iesus Christ his admonition that their names are written in heauen Luk. 10.20 Briefly who oppose the sense of their Election to the fierie darts of the diuels temptations demanding who shall bring in any accusation against the Elect of God Rom. 8.32 VIII Who teach That God did not of his owne meere and iust will decree to leaue any one in the fall of Adam and the common estate of sinne and condemnation or to passe by them in the communication of grace necessary to faith and conuersion For this remaines firme Rom. 9.18 Hee hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and hardeneth whom he will Againe Mat. 13.11 To you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen Againe Mat. 11.25.26 I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hid those things from the wise and vnderstanding and hast reuetled them to little children It is so O Father forasmuch as such was thy good pleasure IX Who teach That the cause wherefore God sends the Gospel to one Nation rather then to another is not onely and meerely the good pleasure of God but because one Nation is better and more worthy then another vnto which the Gospel is not communicated For Moses gaine-sayeth it speaking thus to the people of Israel Deut. 10.14.15 Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens belong vnto the Lord thy God the earth also and all that is in it But the Lord hath taken pleasure in thy fathers onely for to loue them and hath chosen their posteritie after them to vvit you from among all people as appeareth this day And Iesus Christ Mat. 11.21 Woe vnto thee Corazin vvoe vnto thee Bethsaida For if in Tyre and Sidon those mightie workes had beene done which haue beene done in the midst of you they had long since repented in sackcloth and ashes CHAP. II. Of the death of Jesus Christ and mans Redemption thereby The I. Article GOd is not onely most mercifull but also most iust And his iustice requireth according as he hath revealed himselfe in his word that our sinnes committed against his infinite Maiestie should be punished not only with temporall but also with eternall paines both in body soule the which paines we cannot escape vnlesse there be satisfaction made to the iustice of God II. Now because it was not