working in due season and through grace they obey the calling they be iustified freely they be made sonnes of God by adoption they be made like the image of his onely begotten Son Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy they attaine to euerlasting felicitie But such as are not predestinated to saluation shall finally be condemned for their sinnes 16 The godly consideration of Predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweete pleasant and vnspeakeable comfort to godly persons and such as feele in themselues the working of the spirit of Christ mortifying the workes of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing vp their mindes to high and heauenly things as well because it doth greatly confirme and establish their faith of eternall saluation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth feruently kindle their loue towards God and on the contrary side for curious and carnall persons lacking the spirit of Christ to haue continually before their eies the sentence of Gods predestination is very dangerous 22 By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for as much as all haue sinned 23 Originall sinne standeth not in the imitation of Adam as the Pelagians dreame but is the fault and corruption of the nature of euery person that naturally is ingendered and propagated from Adam whereby it commeth to passe that man is depriued of originall righteousnes and by nature is bent vnto sinne And therefore in euery person borne into the world it deserueth Gods wrath and damnation 25 The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling vpon God Wherefore we haue no power to doe good workes pleasing and acceptable vnto God without the grace of God preuenting vs that we may haue a good will and working with vs when we haue that good will 26 Workes done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his spirit are not pleasing vnto God for as much as they spring not of faith in Iesus Christ neither doe they make men meete to receiue grace or as the Schoole Authors say deserue grace of congruitie yea rather for that they are not done in such sort as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they are sinfull 31 They are to bee condemned that presume to say that euery man shall bee saued by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he bee diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature For holy Scripture doeth set out vnto vs onely the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued 32 None can come vnto Christ vnlesse it bee giuen vnto him and vnlesse the Father draw him And all men are not so drawne by the Father that they may come vnto the Sonne Neither is there such a sufficient measure of Grace vouchsafed vnto euery man whereby he is enabled to come vnto euerlasting life 33 All Gods Elect are in their time inseperably vnited vnto Christ by the effect all and vitall influence of the holy Ghost deriued from him as from the head vnto euery true member of his mysticall body And being thus made one with Christ they are truely regenerated and made partalâ—ers of him and aâ— his benefits 37 By iustifying â—aith wee vnderstand not onely the common beliefe of the Articles of Christian Religion and a perswasion of the trueth of Gods word in generall but also a particular application of the gracious promises of the Gospell to the comfort of our owne Soules whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits hauing an earnest trust and confidence in God that hee will be mercifull vnto vs for his onely Sonnes sake So that a true beleeuer may bee certaine by the assurance of faith of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and of his euerlasting saluation by Christ. 38 A true liuely iustifying faith and the sanctifying spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanisheth away in the regenerate either finally or totally THE BOOKE OF Common Prayer IN this Booke of Common prayer established by Act of Parliament in our Church there are sundry passages to prooue these seuerall Anti-Arminian Positions First that God from eternity hath freely of his own accord chosen out of mankinde a certaine select number of men which can neither bee augmented nor diminished whom he doth effectually call saue and bring to glory so that none of them can perish or fall off from him and that these onely are the true Church This Conclusion wee shall see confirmed by these seuerall passages And make thy chosen people ioyfull Almighty GOD which hast knit together the Elect in one Communion and fellowship in the mysticall body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord grant vs grace so to follow thy holy Saints in all vertuous and godly liuing c. Thirdly in God the holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God Almighty God with whom do liue the spirits of them who depart hence in the Lord and in whom the soules of them that bee elected after they bee deliuered from the burthen of the flesh be in ioy and felicitie c. Wee beseech thee of thy gracious goodnesse shortly to accomplish the number of thine Elect c. O Almighty and mercifull Lord which giuest vnto thy Elect people the holy Ghost as a sure pledge of thy heauenly kingdome grant vnto vs this holy spirit that he may beare witnesse with our spirits that wee be thy children and heires of thy Kingdome and that by the operation of this spirit wee may kill all carnall lusts c. Honour and praise bee giuen vnto thee O Lord God almighty most deare Father of heauen for all thy mercies and louing kindnesse shewed vnto vs in that it hath pleased thee freely and of thine owne accord to elect and chuse vs to saluation before the beginning of the world c. Almighty God c. grant that all thy seruants which shall bee baptized in this Water may receiue the fulnesse of thy grace and euer remaine in the number of thy faithfull and elect children c. See the Collect on good Fryday on the first Sunday after the Epiphany and one the 2. 15. and 22. Sundaies after Trinitie to this purpose Secondly that there is no such free-will or vniuersall and sufficient grace giuen vnto all men by which they may conuert repent beleeue and be saued if they will and that it is Gods speciall preuenting grace which must change mens hearts and giue repentance faith and all other graces to them This Orthodoxe position which ouerturnes Free-will and vniuersall grace the very center and ground work of Arminianisme is aboundantly prooued by these ensuing Prayers
Wherefore wee beseech him to grant vs true repentance and his holy Spirit that those things may please him which wee doe at this present c O God make cleane our hearts within vs. O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all good workes doe proceed c. That it may please thee to giue vs an heart to loue and dread thee and diligently to walke after thy Commandements That it may please thee to giue vs true repentance and to endue vs with the grace of thy holy Spirit to amend our liues according to thy holy Word Though wee be tyed and bound with the chaine of our sins yet let the pittifulnesse of thy great mercy loose vs c. Almighty God giue vs grace that wee may cast off the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light c. O Lord raise vp thy power and come among vs and with great might succour vs that whereas by our sinnes and wickednesse wee be sore let and hindered thy bountifull grace and mercy may speedily deliuer vs c. See the Collects on the 1. 4. 5. Sundayes after the Epiphany O GOD create in vs new and contrite hearts c. Almighty God who doest see that of our selues wee haue no power to helpe our selues keepe thou vs both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our soules c. Almighty God wee humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preuenting vs thou doest put into our hearts good desires so by thy continuall helpe wee may bring the same to good effect God the strength of all those that trust in thee mercifully heare our prayers and because the weakenesse of our mortall nature can do no good thing without thee grant vs the helpe of thy grace that so we may please thee both in will and deede Lord of all power and might which art the onely author and giuer of all good things grasse in our hearts the loue of thy name increase in vs true Religion nourish vs with all goodnesse and of thy mercy keepe vs in the same Grant vs O Lord wee beseech thee the spirit to thinke and to doe alwayes those things as bee righteous that wee which cannot be without thee may by thee be able to doe according to thy will c. Lord wee pray thee that thy grace may alwaies preuent and follow vs and make vs continually giuen to all good workes O God for asmuch as without thee wee cannot please thee graunt that thy mercy may alwaies direct and rule our hearts See the 2. 6. 13. 15. and 22. Sundaie after Trinitie to the same effect Lord haue mercy vpon vs and encline our hearts to keepe this Lawe Preuent vs O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious fauour and further vs with thy continuall helpe that in all our workes begunne continued and ended in thee c. My good childe know that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serue him without his speciall grace Almighty God who makest vs both to will and to doe the things that bee acceptable vnto thy Maiestie c. Turne vs O good God and so shall we be turned Thirdly that Christ Iesus dyed sufficiently for all mankinde but effectually for none but the Elect and true beleeuers who alone are saued by his death The sufficiency of Christs death for all mankinde is expressed in these seuerall places O God the Sonne redeemer of the World haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners Aboue all wee must giue humble and hearty thankes to God the Father c. for the redemption of the world by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ c. Almighty God our heauenly Father which of thy tender mercy diddest giue thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ to suffer death vpon the Crosse for our Redemption who made there by his owne oblation once offered a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world c. O Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. thou that takest away the sinnes of the world receive our prayers Secondly in God the Sonne who hath redeemed mee and all mankinde O Sauiour of the world saue vs which by thy Crosse and Passion hast redeemed vs All this must bee vnderstood onely of the sufficiency and merit of Christs death not of the efficacie benefit and application of it which belongs to none but to the true Church of Christ euen the Elect and true beleeuers as these passages ensuing will informe vs. When thou hadst ouercome the sharpnesse of death thou diddest open the Kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers We pray thee helpe thy seruants whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud O Lord saue thy people and make thy chosen people ioyfull Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and Redeemed his people To giue knowledge of Saluation to his people for the remission of their sins His mercy is on them that feare him throughout all generations He remembring his mercy hath holpen his seruant Israel c. Spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud This is the bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sinne Grant that by the merits and death of thy Sonne Iesus Christ through faith in his bloud we and all thy whole Church may obtaine remission of our sinnes and all other benefits of his passion Now the Church the mysticall body of Christ is the blessed company of all faithfull and elect people and none else but they as the next prayer the Collect on good Fryday and the places quoted in the first Position prooue And whereas the Minister in distributing the Bread and wine saith particularly to euery man take this in remembrance that Christ dyed for thee drinke this in remembrance that Christs bloud was shed for thee it cannot imply that Christ dyed effectually for all men but the contrary that hee dyed only thus for the Elect and faithfull because our Church prohibites all such as want true faith and repentance or liue in any grosse and knowne sinnes to come to the Sacrament admitting none but true and faithfull penitents to it so that the Minister and our Church doe alwayes looke vpon all Communicants as the elect and chosen Saints of God endued with true faith and repentance and so they may well apply at leastwise in the iudgement of Charity the efficacy and merits of Christs death vnto them I will conclude this point with the passage of A Prayer necessary for all men Iesus Christ thy onely Sonne hath perfectly fulfilled thy Law to iustifie all men that beleeue and trust in him And thus much for our Common Prayer Booke Certaine Homilies appointed
to be read in Churches in the time of the late Queene ELIZABETH of famous memory And since thought fit to be reprinted by Authoritie from the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie SAint Paul in many places painteth vs out in our colours calling vs the children of the wrath of God when we be borne saying also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse can we say well or doe well of our selues c. Our Sauiour Christ saith There is none good but GOD and that wee can doe nothing that is good without him nor no man can come to the Father but by him c. For of our selues we are crabtrees that can bring foorth no Apples We bee of our selues of such earth as can bring foorth but weedes nettles brambles briers cockle and darnell Wee haue neither Faith Charitie Hope Patience Chastitie nor any thing else that good is but of God and therefore these vertues bee called there the fruites of the holy Ghost and not the fruites of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as wee bee indeede miserable and wretched sinners Of our selues and by our selues wee haue no goodnesse helpe nor saluation but contrariwise sinne damnation and death euerlasting which if we deepely weigh and consider wee shall the better vnderstand the great mercy of God and how our saluation commeth onely by Christ. Wee are all become vncleane but wee all are not able to cleanse our selues nor to make one another of vs cleane Wee are by nature the Children of Gods wrath but wee are not able to make our selues the children and inheritors of Gods glory Wee are sheepe that runne astray but wee cannot of our owne power come againe to the sheepefold so great is our imperfection and weakenesse In our selues therefore may wee not glory which of our selues are nothing but sinnefull To GOD therefore must wee flee or else shall we neuer finde peace rest and quietnesse of Conscience in our hearts For he is the Father of mercies and God of all consolation Hee is the Lord with whom is plenteous redemption He is the God who of his owne mercy saueth vs and setteth out his charitie and exceeding loue towards vs in that of his owne voluntary goodnesse when we were perished he saued vs and prouided an euerlasting Kingdome for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are giuen vs not for our owne deserts merits or good deedes which of our selues wee haue none but of his meere mercy freely He is the high and euerlasting Priest which hath offered himselfe once for all vpon the altar of the Crosse and with that one oblation hath made perfect for euermore them that are sanctified Hee is the alone mediatour betweene GOD and man which paid our ransome to GOD with his owne blood and with that hath hee cleansed vs all from sinne He is the Physitian which healeth all our diseases Hee is that Sauiour which saueth his people from all their sinnes he is that flowing and most plenteous fountaine of whose fulnesse all we haue receiued A Sermon of the saluation of mankinde by onely Christ our Sauiour from sinne and death euerlasting All the world being wrapped in sinne by breaking of the Law GOD sent his onely sonne our Sauiour Christ into this world to fulfill the Law for vs and by shedding of his most precious blood to make a sacrifice and satisfaction or as it may bee called amends to his Father for our sinnes to asswage his wrath and indignation conceiued against vs for the same But our iustification doeth come freely by the meere mercy of GOD and of so great and free mercy that whereas all the world was not able of their selues to pay any part towards their ransome it pleased our heauenly Father of his infinite mercy without any our desert or deseruing to prepare for vs the most precious iewels of Christs body and blood whereby our ransome might be fully paid the law fulfilled and his iustice fully satisfied So that Christ is now the righteousnesse of all them that truely doe beleeue in him Hee for them paid their ransome by his death Hee for them fulfilled the Law in his life So that now in him and by him euery true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the Law forasmuch as that which their infirmity lacked Christs iustice hath supplied For the very sure and liuely Christian faith is not onely to beleeue all things of GOD which are contained in holy Scripture but also is an earnest trust and confidence in God that hee doeth regard vs and that hee is carefull ouer vs as the Father is ouer the Childe whom hee doeth loue and that hee will be mercifull vnto vs for his onely sonnes sake and that wee haue our Sauiour Christ our perpetuall aduocate and Priest in whose onely merits oblation and suffering we doe trust that our offences bee continually washed and purged whensoeuer wee repenting truely doe returne to him with our whole heart stedfastly determining with our selues through his grace to obey and serue him in keeping his Commandements and neuer turne backe againe to sinne Such is the true faith that the Scripture doeth so much commend the which when it seeth and conâ—idereth what GOD hath done for vs is also mooued through continuall assistance of the Spirit of GOD to serue and please him to keepe his fauour to feare his displeasure to continue his obedient children shewing thankefulnesse againe by obseruiâ—g or keeping his commandements and that freely for true loue chiefly and not for dread of punishment or loue of temporall reward considering how clearely without deseruings wee haue receiued his mercy and pardon freely For as the holy Ghost doeth teach vs to trust in GOD and to call vpon him as our Father so did hee teach them to say as it is written Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer and thy Name is without beginning and euerlasting GOD gaue them then grace to bee his children as he doth vs now It is euident that the true liuely and Christian faith is no dead vaine or vnfruitful thing but thing of a perfect vertue of wonderful operation or working and strength bringing forth al good motions and good workes Of faith he saith Hee that beleeueth in the Son hath euerlasting life but he that beleeueth not in the Son shall not see that life but the wrath of GOD remaineth vpon him And the same hee confirmeth with a double othe saying Verily verily I say vnto you Hee that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life Now forasmuch as hee that beleeueth in Christ hath euerlasting life it must needes consequently follow that he that hath this faith must haue also good workes and bee studious to obserue Gods commandements obediently For to them that haue euill workes and leade their life in disobedience and transgression
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
and all the true Ministers of his word yea euery iot and tittle in the holy Scripture haue beene is and shall bee for euermore the fauour of life vnto eternall life vnto all those whose hearts GOD hath purified by true faith GOD of his mercy and speciall fauour towards them whom he hath appointed to euerlasting saluation hath so offered his grace especially and they haue so receiued it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinfull liuing outwardly they seemed before to haue beene the children of wrath and perdition yet now the Spirit of GOD mightily working in them vnto obedience to GODS will and commandements they declare by their outward deedes and life in the shewing of mercy and charitie which cannot come but of the Spirit of GOD and his especiall grace that they are the vndoubted children of GOD appointed to euerlasting life And so as by their wickednes and vngodly liuing they shewed themselues according to the iudgement of men which follow the outward appearance to bee reprobates and castawayes So now by their obedience vnto GODS holy will and by their mercifulnesse and tender pity wherein they shew themselues to bee like vnto GOD who is the fountaine and spring of all mercy they declare openly and manifestly vnto the sight of men that they are the sonnes of GOD and elect of him vnto saluation For as the good fruit is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must first be good before it can bring foorth good fruite so the good deedes of men are not the cause that maketh men good but hee is first made good by the spirit and grace of GOD that effectually worketh in him and afterward he bringeth foorth good fruites The reasonable and godly as they most certainely know and perswade themselues that all goodnesse all bounty all mercy all benefites all forgiuenesse of sinnes and whatsoeuer can bee named good and profitable either for the body or for the soule doe come onely of GODS mercy and meere fauour and not of themselues Moreouer hee came in flesh and in the selfe same flesh ascended into heauen to declare and testifie vnto vs that all faithfull people which stedfastly beleeue in him shall likewise come vnto the same mansion place whereunto he being our chiefe Captaine is gone before Christ openly declared his obedience to his Father which as Saint Paul writeth was obedient euen to the very death the death of the Crosse. And this hee did for vs all that beleeue in him So pleasant was this facrifice and oblation of his Sonnes death which hee so obediently and innocently suffered that wee should take it for the onely and full amends for all the sinnes of the world And such fauour did he purchase by his death of his heauenly Father for vs that for the merit thereof if wee be true Christians indeede and not in word onely we be now fully in GODS grace againe and clearely discharged from our sinne The onely meane and instrument of saluation required of our parts is faith that is to say a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God whereby wee perswade our selues that God hoth hath and will forgiue our sinnes that he hath accepted vs againe into his fauour that he hath released vs from the bonds of damnation and receiued vs againe into the number of his elect people not for our merits or deserts but onely and solely for the merits of Christs death and passion Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Why may not we that bee his members by true faith reioyce and boldly say with the Prophet Osee and the Apostle Paul Where is thy dart O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes bee vnto God say they which hath giuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Apply your selues good friends to liue in Christ that Christ may still liue in you whose fauour and assistance if yee haue then haue yee euerlasting life already within you then can nothing hurt you Whatsoeuer is hitherto done and committed It is the holy Ghost and no other thing that doeth quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their hearts which are agreeable to the will and commandement of God such as otherwise of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they should neuer haue That which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit As who should say Man of his owne nature is fleshly and carnall corrupt and naught sinfull and disobedient to God without any sparke of goodnesse in him without any vertuous or godly motion onely giuen to euill thoughts and wicked deedes As for the workes of the Spirit the fruits of Faith charitable and godly motions if he haue any at all in him they proceed onely of the holy Ghost who is the onely worker of our Sanctification and maketh vs new men in Christ Iesus His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take him for God omnipotent inuisible hauing rule in heauen earth hauing all things in his subiection and will haue none in counsell with him nor any to aske the reason of his doing For he may doe what liketh him and none can resist him For hee worketh all things in his secret iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euen the wicked to damnation saith Salomon All spirituall gifts and graces come specially from God he spâ—â—ed not from any paine and trauaile that might doe vs good To this our Saniour and Mediatour hath God the Father giuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction and authoritie to distribute his goods and gifts committed to him for so writeth the Apostle To euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of Christs giuing This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it a great pitie it were that we should lose so profitable knowledge Let vs therefore meekely call vpon that bountifull spirit the holy Ghost which proceedeth from our Father of mercy and from our Mediator Christ that hee would assist vs and inspire vs with his presence that in him wee may bee able to heare the goodnesse of God declared vnto vs to our saluation For without his liuely and secret inspiration can we not once so much as speake the Name of our Mediator as Saint Paul plainely testifieth No man can once name our Lord Iesus Christ but in the holy Ghost Much lesse should wee bee able to beleeue and know these great misteries that bee opened to vs by Christ. Saint Paul saith that no man can know what is of God but the Spirit of God As for vs saith he we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God for this purpose that in that holy spirit wee might know the things that bee
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
all and euery mans sins must needs be true To this I answer first that the Maior is not infallible vnlesse it be with this limitation euery thing which men are commanded to beleeue is true not absolutely in any sense but onely in that relatiue qualified and peculiar sense in which it is to be beleeued for one and the selfe-same proposition may be both true and false in different respects For instance These two propositions God will haue all men to bee saued Christ Iesus tasted death for all men are true sensu diuise in an abstracted not sensu composite in a relatiue or compounded sense true in the proposition false in the application vnlesse wee qualifie or restraine their generality with the fore-mentioned modifications or their inseparably annexed conditions of faith and repentance without which God will haue no man to be saued Secondly the Minor in its generall absolute sence is meerely false First because there are millions of men as Ideots Lunatiques Infants Pagans by an inuincible necessitated and vnauoidable ignorance who are not peremptorily bound to beleeue that Christ Iesus dyed effectually for their sinnes neither is infidelitie a damnable sinne in them Arminians themselues confessing it who desperatly affirme that Pagans or Infidels may be saued because there was an absolute impossibility in them to beleeue by reason of the incapability of the meanes in the one and the ineuitable want of meanes in the other Secondly because all those to whom the Gospell is preached who are scarce the tithe of all the world are not bound to beleeue that Christ dyed effectually for their sinnes in an absolute sence as is obiected but onely in a qualified limited and restrained to wit if God inable them by his grace to repent and beleeue else they are absolutely to beleeue that Christ Iesus died not thus for them and that they shall be damned if they are not thus qualified The onely absolute proposition then to be beleeued and rested vpon by all men is not this generall or irrestrained Conclusion Christ Iesus died actually or absolutely for all and euery man whatsoeuer the ground of libertinisme prochrastination and all prophanesse among Christians but this Christ Iesus dyed effectually for all true paenitent and beleeuing sinners who lay hold vpon his merits which cuts off all hopes of heauen from prochrastinating and vnrepenting sinners who obstinaly proceed in sinfull curses and then this Conclusion Ergo hee died effectually for all and euery mans sinnes whatsoeuer is but a meere inconsequent Thirdly because the Scriptures enioyne no reprobate or wicked man to beleeue at first that Christ died effectually for his sinnes but onely to repent and beleeue in Christ that so his sinnes may be done away The Scriptures indeed doe binde all faithfull and relenting siners to beleeue e that their sinnes are actually forgiuen and effectually purged by the death of Christ but for those who are yet out of Christ there is no such precept they must first be really ingraffed into Christ then beleeue it not first beleeue it then be iâ—graffed else they should beleeue a lye in beleeuing their sinnes are actually purged ere they are because a man must be first in Christ before his iniquities can be washed away by his soule-clensing blood Fourthly admit that euery man were obliged to beleeue that Christ died effectually for his sinnes yet it followes not that therefore Christ died effectually for all men First because euery man may bee bound to beleeue particularly for himselfe because hee knoweth nothing to the contrary that Christ died for his sinnes and yet it followes not that therefore hee must beleeue that he died effectually for all mens sinnes It is no good consequent to say that euery man must paticularly beleeue that he is elected Therefore he must of necessity beleeu that euery man is elected or that euery man must beleeue that he shall be saued therefore that all and euery man shall be saued It followes not that because euery man is bound to beleeue that himselfe or any other particular man whose case he cannot know nor yet determine are no reprobates therefore there are no reprobates in the world This kind of argument from euery indiuiduall to the speecies will not hold This then is but a meere nonsequitur euery particular man must beleeue that Christ died effectually for himselfe Ergo he dyed thus for all men this is the onely force of the praesent argument in which our Arminians vaunt and triumph therefore it is but vaine absurd nugatory Secondly because the Scriptures the reuealed will of God oblige men to beleeue such things as God neuer purposed nor intended to accomplish in his secret will in that way and course as they beleeue them Abraham was bound to beleeue yea and he did beleeue it that God did really intend the sacrificing of his dearest Isaack because he actually enioyned him to doe it yet God intended not the vnnaturall shedding of Isaacks blood but the admirable probate of Abrahams faith The Niniuites were bound to beleeue and they did beleeue that peremptorie Praediction of the Prophet Ionah yet forty dayes and Niniue shall be destroyed yet God intended their repentance onely not their ruine Our Arminians if their Doctrine be true and their prayers faithfull are necessarily obliged to beleeue that God will haue mercy on all men whatsoeuer because they pray to God to haue mercy vpon all men in the distributiue and largest sence yet God intendeth not to haue mercy neither hath he mercy vpon all without exception So wee may bee bound to beleeue that Christ Iesus died effectually for all men whatsoeuer if there be any one such text of Scripture which coÌ„mands vs to beleeue it as ther is not because the Scripture doth record it yet God may not intend the effectuall application of his death to all men no more then in those parallell cases Neither will this consequence necessarily follow that we then beleeue a lye or that Gods secret will is contradictory to his reuealed First because the reuealed not the vayled will of God which we cannot diue particularly into is the sole rule of our obedience and the only obiect of our faith so that in beleeuing it we neither falsefy Gods open nor crosse his secret will nor yet deceiue our selues in beleeuing of a lye Secondly because his reuealed will is but subordinate or subseruient not contrary nor aduerse to his secret will which it doth still accomplish and with which it doth all times cooperate as diuers from it yet not repugnant to it God brings men bring their secret ends and purposes to passe by seeming contradictory meanes which seeme to thwart or vary from their purposes yet there is a sweet concordancy no repugnancie betweene their ends their meanes their purposes and their method to accomplish them because the one is wholy subordinate to the other and aymes at