considerable which may seem to make for the advantage of the opposite party And have therefore brought in a discourse of the Martyrologist in favour of the Calvinian Doctrine I have also given a just account of the first breaking out of the Predestinarians in Queen MARIES time and of the stirs in Cambridge in Queen ELIZABETHS not pretermitting such particulars as may be thought to make for them in the course of this Narrative even to the Articles of Ireland and the harsh expressions of King JAMES against Arminius And therefore I may say in the words of Curtius Plura equidem transcribo quam credo nec enim affirmare aufuge sum quae dubito nec subducere sustinco quae accepi I have related many things which I cannot approve though I have not let them passe without some censure that so I may impose nothing on the Readers belief without good grounds nor defraud him of any thing conducible to his Information I was not to be told how much my first engageing in this business might offend those men who loved to countenance their extravagancy by the name of the Church and what loud clamours they had raised against the most Reverend Dr. Whitgift for encountring with T. C. in behalf of the Liturgy against Dr. John Bridges Dean of Sarisbury for standing in defence of the sacred Hirarchy against the most learned Bishop Bilson for crossing Calvins new device about Christs descent against Dr. Barce for opposing the Genevian Rigors in the points before us against Mr. Richard Mountague for separating the opinions of private men from the Churches Doctrins and finally against the late Renouned Archb. for labouring to restore this Church to its primitive Lustre And though I could not hope to be more favorably dealt withall in this â—ase then my Letters were yet I might reasonably expect to be used no worse But on the contrary I have lately seen a Scurrilous Pamphlet the Author â—hereof hath licked up all the filth of for◠〈…〉 els to vomit it at once upon me without â—esâ—â—ct to that civility which beseems a Scholar or that sobriety and modesty which adorns a Christian so Cocks are dieted sometimes with Garlick before they fight that they may rather overcome their Adversaries by the stinck of their breath then by the sharpeness of their spurs or the strength of their blows But I have been so long accustomed to the noise of this Rayling Rhetorick that I am now no more troubled at it then were the Catadupi at the Rorings of the River Nilus or Socrates to see himself derided and exposed to scorn on the publick Theatre Or could I be exasperated to a Retaliation that saying of St. Cyprian would recall me to my wonted temper who being bitterly railed at by some of his Presbyters retruned this Answer Non Oportet me paria cum illis facere that it becomes not me to answer them with the like revilings And yet I cannot but take notice of a mischievious project for throwing a Ball of discord betwixt me and some friends of mine Doctors in title and degree and by the Libeller declared to be of my own perswasion one of which is affirmed to say That I was an unhappy Writer and marred every thing which I medled with and for the finding of this one I have nothing but a blinde direction of Hist in the margin placed there of purpose as it seemeth to put me into a suspition of all eminent persons whose names begin with those two Letters It is recorded in the History of Amianus Marcellinus that certain men informed the Emperour Valence by their Devilish Arts that one whose name began with THEO should succeed in the Empire Which put the Jealous Prince into such a generall distrust of all whose Names had that beginning Theodoret Theodosius Theopulos Theodulos Theodore that he caused many of them though men of eminent worth and most exemplary Loyalty to be made the subjects of his fear and cruelty And such a Devillish Art is this of T. C. the younger by which two Letters he affects to disguise his name to work me into a suspition of some eminent persons and such as must be also of my own perswasions But I have no such jealousies as Valence had and therefore shall create no trouble to my self or others upon that temptation For first I know the parties pointed to in those two letters to be the masters of so much Candor and Ingenuity that I am confident they rather would excuse my infelicities or insufficiencies be they which they will then bring me under the reproach of any such censure as none of different judgement ever laid upon me And secondly so much they have descended beneath themselves as of their own accord to certifie me both by Letters and Messages how free they were from giving any ground to that base suspition which was contrived with so much malice and design to divide between us And so Autorem Scelus repetet the Calumny must be left at the Authors dore as the natural parent of it till he can find out more distinctly upon whom to charge it In the mean time I leave him to the mercy of the Laws as a common Barrator Drenched over head and ears in the waters of strife a sower of discord and discention amongst faithful friends But I have wasted too much time on this piece of impertinency and might perhaps have better studied my own fame if I had took no notice of the Libell or the Author either but that to have been silent altogether in so just a grievance might possibly be taken for an argument of insensibility For otherwise as there is nothing in the Author but the stolne name of Theophilus Churchman which descries my Pen so there is nothing argumentative in the Pamphlet either which was not bâ—th foreseen and satisfied in the following papers before it came unto my hands I return therefore to my Post which if I can make good by Records and Evidence the fittest weapons for this Warfare I shall not easily be forced from it by Reproach and Clamors as were the Ancient Gauls from surprising the Capitol by the noise and gagling of the Geese But whether I have made it good or not must be left to the Reader to whom I hope it will appear that Calvinism was not the native and original Doctrin of the Church of England though in short time it over spread a great part thereof as Arrianism did the Eastern Churches in the elder times Ubi ingemuit orbis as St. Hierom hath it when the world groaned and trembled under the calamity of that dangerous Heresie And I hope too it will appear by this discourse that I am not yet so far reduced ad secundam pueritiam as the Scorner taunts it as that my venerable back and buttocks pardon me for repeating such unmannerly language should be intituled to the Rod of this proud Orbilius Or if I be I doubt not but that God Almighty who
them any place in the Synod and finally dismiss them in a furious Oration made by Boyerman without any hearing 11. The Synodists indulgent to the damnable Doctrines of Macorius and as unmercifull in the banishment and extermination of the poor Remonstrants 12. Scandalously defamed to make them odious and those of their perswasions in other places ejected persecuted and disgraced CHAP. VI. Objections made against the Doctrine of the Remonstrants the Answers unto all and the retorting of some of them on the Opposite Party 1. AN Introduction to the said Objections 2. The first Objection touching their being enemies to the grace of God disproved in generall by comparing the Doctrine with that of St. Augustine though somewhat more favourable to Free-will then that of Luther 3. A more particular Answer in relation to some hard expressions which were used of them by K. James 4. The second charging it as introductive of Popery begun in Holland and pressed more importunately in England answered both by Reason and Experience to the contrary of it 5. The third charge of filling men with spirituall pâ—ide first answered in Relation to the testimony from which it was taken and then retorted on those who object the same 6. The fourth Charge making the Remonstrants a furious and seditious People begun in Holland prosecuted in England and answered by the most Religious Bishop Ridley 7. What moved K. James to think so ill of the Remonstrants as to exasperate the States against them 8. The Remonstrants neither so troublesome nor so chargeable to the States themselves as they were made by the Objector the indirect proceedings of the Prince of Orange in the death of Bannevelt and the injustice of the Argument in charging the practises of his Children against the Prince of Orange upon all the party 9. Nothing in the Arminian Doctrine that may incline a man to factious and seditious courses as is affirmed and proved to be in that of Calvin 10. The Recrimination further proved by a passage in the Conference of the Lord Treasurer Burleigh with Queen Eliz in a letter of some of the Bishops to the Duke of Buckingham and in that of Dr. Brooks to the late Archbishop 11 More fully prosecuted and exemplified by Campneys an old English Protestant 12. A Transition to the Doctrine of the Church of England CHAP. VII An Introduction to the Doctrine of the Church of England in the Points disputed with the removall of some Rubs which are laid in the way 1. THe Doctrine of the Homilies concerning the endowments of man at his first Creation 2. His miserable Fall 3. And the promised hopes of his restitution in the Lord Christ Jesus 4. A general Declaration of the judgment of the Church of England in the points disputed exemplified in the story of Agillmond and Lamissus Kings of Lombardy 5. The contrary judgment of Wickleff objected answered and applyed to all modern Heresies 6. The general answer of the like Argument pretended to be drawn from the writings of Frith Tyndall and Barns but more particularly 7. The judgment of Dr. Barns in the present Points and the grounds on which he builded the same 8. Small comfort to be found from the works of Tyndall in favour of the Calvinian Doctrin 9. The high flyings of John Frith and others in the Doctrine of Predestination reproved by Tyndall 10. A parallel between some of our first Martyrs and the blind man restored to his â—ight in the 8. of St. Mark CHAP. VIII Of the Preparatives to the Reformation and the Doctrin of the Church in the present Points 1. THe danger of ascribing too much to our ancient Martyrs exemplified in the parity of Ministers and popular Elections unto Benefices allowed by Mr. John Lambert 2. Nothing ascribed to Calvins judgment by our first Reformers but much to the Augustan Confession the writings of Melancthon and 3. unto the Authority of Erasmus His paraphrases being commended to the use of the Church by King Edward 6. and the Reasons why 4. The Bishops book in order to the Reformation called The Institution of a Christian man commended by King Henry 8. 1537. corrected afterwards by the Kings own hand examined and allowed by Cranmer approved by Parliament and finally published by the name of A necessary Doctrin c. Anno 1543. 5. The Doctrine of the said two books in the Points disputed agreeable unto that which after was established by King Edward 6. 6. Of the two Liturgies made in that Kings time and the makers of them the testimony given to the first and the alterations made in the second 7. The first book of Homilies by whom made approved by Bucer and of the Arguments that may be drawn from the method of it in the points disputed 8. The quality and condition of those men who principally concurred to the book of Articles with the harmony or concent in judgment between Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Ridly and Bishop Hooper c. 9. The Doctrin delivered in the book of Articles touching the Five Controverted points 10. An answer to the objections against these Articles for the supposed want of Authority in the making of them 11. An objection against King Edwards Catechism mistaken for an objection against the Articles refelled as to that late Schisme by John Philpot Martyr and of the delegating of their powers by the Convocation to a choice Committee 12. The Articles not drawn up in comprehensive or ambiguous termes to please all parties but to be understood in the Restrictive letter and Grammatical sense and the Reasons why CHAP. IX Of the Doctrin of Predestination delivered in the Articles the Homilies the publick Liturgie and the writings of some of the Reformers 1. THe Articles differently understood by the Calvinian party and the true English Protestants with the best way to finde out the true sense thereof 2. The definition of Predestination and the most considerable points contained in it 3. The meaning of those words in the Difinition viz. Whom he hath châ—sen in Christ according to the exposition of St. Ambrose St. Chrysostom and St. Jerom as also of Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Latimer and the book of Homilies 4. The absolute decree condemned by Bishop Latimer as a means to licentiousness and carnall living 5. For which and making God to be the Author of sin condemned as much by Bishop Hooper 6. Our election to be found in Christ not to be sought for in Gods secret Councels according to the judgment of Bishop Latimer 7. The way to finde out our Election delivered by the same godly Bishop and by Bishop Hooper with somewhat to the same purpose also from the book of Homilies 8. The Doctrin of Predestination delivered by the holy Martyr John Bradford with Fox his glosse upon the same to corrupt the text 9. No countenance to be found for any absolute personal and irrespective Decree of Predestination in the publick Liturgy 10. An answer to such passages out of the said Liturgy as seem to
favour that opinion as also touching the number of Gods elect CHAP. X. The Doctrine of the Church concerning Reprobation and Universal Redemption 1. THE absolute Decree of Reprobation not to be found in the Articles of this Church but against it in some passages of the publick Liturgy 2. The cause of Reprobation to be found in a mans self and not in Gods Decrees according to the judgement of Bishop Latimer and Bishop Hooker 3. The Absolute Decree of Election and Reprobation how contrary to the last Clause in the 17. Article 4. The inconsistency of the absolute Decree of Reprobation with the Doctrine of Universal Redemption by the death of Christ 5. The Universal Redemption of mankinde by the death of Christ delivered in many places of the publick Liturgy and affirmed also in one of the Homilies and the Book of Articles 6. A further proof of it from the mission of the Apostles and the prayer used in the Ordination of Priests 7. The same confirmed by the writings of Archbishop Cranmer and the two other Bishops before remembred 8. A generality of the Promises and an universality of Vocation maintained by the said two godly Bishops 9. The Reasons why this benefit is not made effectual unto all sorts of men to be found in themselves CHAP. XI Of the Heavenly influences of Gods Grace in the conversion of a sinner and Man's cooperation with those Heavenly influences 1. THE Doctrin of Deserving Grace ex congruo maintained in the Roman Schools before the Councel of Trent rejected by our antient Martyrs and the book of Articles 2. The judgement of Dr. Barnes and Mr. Tyndall touching the necessary workings of Gods Grace on the Will of man not different from the Church of England 3. Universal Grace maintained by Bishop Hooper and proved by some passages in the Liturgy and book of Homilies 4. The offer of Universall Grace made ineffectual to some for want of Faith and to others for want of Repentance according to the judgement of Bishop Hooper 5. The necessity of Grace preventing and the free cooperation of mans will being so prevented maintained in the Articles in the Homilies and the publick Liturgy 6. The necessity of this Cooperation on the part of man defended and applyed to the exercise of a godly life by Bishop Hooper 7. The Doctrin of Irresistability first broached by Calvin and pertinaciously maintained by most of his Followers and by Gomarus amongst others 8. Gainsaid by Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latimer 9. And their gainsaying justified by the truth Article of King Edwards book and 10. the book of Homilies CHAP. XII The Doctrin of Free-will agreed upon by the Clergie in their Convocation Anno 1543. 1. OF the Convocation in the year 1543. in order to the Reformation of Religion in points of Doctrin 2. The Article of Free-will in all the powers and workings of it agreed on by the Prelates and Clergy of the Convocation agreable to the present Doctrine of the Church of England 3. An answer to the first objection concerning the Popishnesse of the Bishops and Clergy in that Convocation 4. The Article of Free-will approved by King Henry the 8. and Archbishop Cranmer 5. An answer to the last objection concerning the Conformity of that Article to the present established Doctrine in the Church of Rome CHAP. XIII The Doctrin of the Church of England concerning the certainty or uncertainty of Perseverance 1. THe certainty of Grace debated in the Councel of Trent and maintained in the affirmative by the Dominicans and some others 2. The contrary affirmed by Catarinus and his adherents 3. The doubtful Resolution of the Councell in it 4. The Calvinists not content with certainty of Grace quoad statum praesentem presume upon it also quoad statum futurum 5. The bounds and limits wherewith the Judgment in this point ought rationally to be circumscribed 6. The Doctrin of the Church of England in the present Article 7. Justified by the testimony of Bishop Latimer Bishop Hooper and Mr. Tyndall 8. And proved by several Arguments from the publick Liturgy 9. The Homily commends a probable stedfast hope but 10. allowes no certainty of Grace and Perseverance in any ordinary way to the sons of men CHAP. XIV The Plain Song of the second Homily touching the falling from God and the Descants made upon it 1. MOre from some other Homilies touching the possibility of falling from the Grace received 2. The second Homily or Sermon touching Falling from God laid down Verbatim 3. The sorry shifts of Mr. Yates to illude the true meaning of that Homily plainly discovered and confuted 4. An answer to his objection touching the passages cited from the former Homily in Mr. Mountague's Appeal 5. The judgement of Mr. L. Ridley Archdeacon of Canterbury in the points of Election and Redemption 6. As also touching the Reasons why the Word was not preached unto the Gentiles till the coming of Christ the influences of Grace the Co-working of man and the possibility of Falling from the faith of Christ CHAP. XV. Of the Author and Authority of K. Edwards Catechism As also of the judgement of Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr in the Points disputed 1. THe Catechism published by the Authority of K. Edward 6 1553. affirmed to have been writ by Bishop Poynet and countenanced by the rest of the Bishops and Clergy 2. Several passages collected out of that Catechism to prove that the Calvinian Doctrins were the true genuine and ancient Doctrins of the Church of England 3. With a discovery of the weakness and impertinency of the Allegation 4. What may most probably be conceived to have been the judgement of Bishop Poynet in most of the Controverted points 5. An answer to another objection derived from M. Bucer and P. Martyr and the influence which their Auditors and Disciples are supposed to have had in the Reformation 6. That Bucer was a man of moderate Counsels approving the first Liturgie of K. Edward 6. assenting to the Papists at the Dyet of Ratisbone in the possibility of Falling from Grace and that probably P. Martyr had not so far espoused the Calvinian quarrels when he lived in Oxon as after his return to Zurick and Calvins neighbourhood 7. The judgement of Erasmus according as it is delivered in his Paraphrases on the Four Evangelists proposed first in the generall view 8. And after more particularly in every one of the poynts disputed CHAP. XVI Of the first breakin gs out of the Predestinarians and their Proceedings in the same 1. THe Predestinarians at the first called by the name of Gospellers 2. Campneys a professed enemy to the Predestinarians but neither Papist nor Pelagian 3. The common practises of the Calvinists to defame their Adversaries the name of Free-will-men to whom given and why 4. The Doctrine of John Knox in restraining all mens actions whether good or evill to the determinate will and Councell of God 5. The like affirmed by the Author of the Table of
Predestination in which and the Genevian Notes we finde Christ excluded from being the foundation of mans Election and made to be an inferiour cause of salvation only 6. God made to be the Author of sin by the Author of a Pamphlet entituled Against a Privy Papist and his secret Councells called in for the proof thereof both by him and Knox with the mischiefs which ensued upon it 7. The Doctrine of Robert Crawley imputing all mens sins to Predestination his silly defences for the same made good by a distinction of John Verons and the weaknesse of that Distinction shewed by Campneys 8. The Errors of the former Authors opposed by Campneys his book in Answer to those Errors together with his Orthodoxie in the point of Vniversall Redemption and what he builds upon the same 9. His solid Arguments against the imputing of all actions either good or evill to Predestination justified by a saying of Prosper of Aquitain 10. The virulent prosecutions of Veron and Crowley according to the Genius of the Sect of Calvin CHAP. XVII Of the Disputes amongst the Confessors in Prison in Queen Maries dayes and the resetling of the Church on her former Principles under Queen Eliz. 1. THe Doctrine of Predestination disputed amongst the Confessors in Prison in Queen Maries dayes 2. The Examination of John Carelesse before Dr. Martin 3. Considerations on some passages in the said Conference 4. A review made of the publick Liturgy by the command of Queen Eliz. and the Paraphrases of Erasmus commended to the reading both of Priests and People 5. The second Book of Homilies how provided for and of the liberty taken by the Gospellers and Zuinglian Sectaries before the reviving and confirming of the Book of Articles by the Queens Authority 6. Of the reviving and authority of the Book of Articles An. 1562. and what may be thence inferred 7. An Answer to the Argument drawn from omitting the ninth Article of King Edwards Book the necessity of giving some content to the Zuinglian Gospellers and the difficulties wherewith they were induced to subscribe the Book at the first passing of the same 8. The Argument taken from some passages in the English Catechisme set forth by Mr. Alexander Nowell and the strength thereof 9. Considerations made on the said Catechisme and the rest of that Authors making and what his being Prolocutor in the Convocation might adde to any of them in point of Orthodoxy 10. Nothing to be collected out of the first passage in Mr. Nowels Catechisme in favour of the Calvinian Doctrine of Predestination and the points depending thereupon and less then nothing in the second if it be understood according to the Authors meaning and the determination of the Church CHAP. XVIII A Declaration of the Doctrine in the Points disputed under the new Establishment made by Queen Eliz. 1. THe Doctrine of the second Book of Homilies concerning the wilfull Fall of Adam the miserable estate of man the restitution of lost man in Jesus Christ and the universall Redemption of all Mankinde by his Death and Passion 2. The Doctrin of the said second Book concerning Universal Grace the possibility of a totall and finall Falling and the cooperation of mans will with the grace of God 3. The judgment of Reverend Bishop Jewell touching the universal Redemption of Mankinde by the Death of Christ Predestination grounded upon faith in Christ and reached out unto all them that believe in him by Mr. Alexander Nowell 4. Dr. Harsnet in his Sermon at Pauls Crosse 1584. sheweth that the absolute decree of Reprobation tâ—rneth the truth of God into a lye and makes him to be the Author of sin 5. That it deprives man of the naturall freedome of his will makes God himself to be double-minded to have two contrary wills and to delight in mocking his poor creature Man 6. And finally that it makes God more cruel and unmercifull then the greatest Tyrant contrary to the truth of Scripture and the constant Doctrin of the Fathers 7. The rest of the said Sermon reduced unto certain Heads directly contrary to the Calvinian Doctrines in the points disputed 8. Certain considerations on the Sermon aforesaid with reference to the subject of it as also to the time place and person in and before which it was first preached 9. An answer to some Objections concerning a pretended Recantation affirmed to have been made by the said Mr. Harsnet 10. That in the judgment of the right learned Dr. King after Bishop of Reading the alteration of Gods denounced Judgements in some certain cases infers no alteration in his Councels the difference between the changing of the will and to will a change 11. That there is something in Gods decrees revealed to us something concealed to himself the difference between the inferiour and superiour causes and of the conditionality of Gods Threats and Promises 12. The accommodating of the former part of this discourse to the case of the Ninivite 13. And not the case of the Ninivites to the case disputed CHAP. XIX Of the first great breach which was made in the Doctrine of the Church by whom made and what was done toward the making of it up again 1. GReat Alteration made in the face of the Church from the return of such Divines as had withdrawn themselves beyond Sea in the time of Queen Mary with the necessity of imploying them in the publick service if otherwise of known zeal a gainst the Papists 2. Severall examples of that kinde in the places of greatest Power and Trust in the Church of England particularly of Mr. Fox the Martyrologist and the occasion which he took of publishing his opinion in the point of Predestination 3. His Notes on one of the Letters of Mr. John Bradford martyr touching the matters of Election therein contained and his perverting of the Text on which he writeth 4. The difference between the Comment and the Text and between the Author of the Comment and Bishop Hooper 5. Exceptions against some passages and observations upon others in the said Notes of Mr. Fox 6. The great breach made hereby in the Churches Doctrin made greater by the countenance which was given to the Acts and Monuments by the Convocation 1571. 7. No argument to be drawn from hence touching the approbation of his Doctrine by the Convocation no more then for the approbation of his Marginal Notes and some particular passages in it disgracefull to the Rites of the Church Attire of the Bishops 8. A Counter-ballance made in that Convocation against Fox his Doctrines and all other Novelismes of that kinde CHAP. XX. Of the great Innovation made by Perkins in the Publick Doctrine the stirs arising thence in Cambridge and Mr. Barrets carriage in them 1. OF Mr. Perkins and his Doctrine of Predestination with his recitall of the 4 Opinions which were then maintained about the same 2. The sum and substance of his Doctrin according to the Supralapsarian oâ— Supracreatarian way 3. The severall
to God then he that is damned if God should use them both alike But notwithstanding all these Reasons the contrary Opinion had the general Applause though many confessed that the Reasons of Catanca were not resolved and were displeased that Soto did not speak freely but sayd that the Will consenteth in a certain manner so that it may in a certain manner resist as though there were a certain manner of mean between this Affirmation and Negation The free speech of Catanca and the other Dominicans did trouble them also who knew not how to distinguish the Opinion which attributeth Justification by consent from the Pelagian and therefore they counselled to take heed of leaping beyond the Mark by too great a desire to condemn Luther that Objection being esteemed above all that by this means the Divine Election or Predestination would be for Works foreseen which no Divine did admit VIII The Ground thus layd we shall proceed unto a Declaration of the Judgment of the Church of Rome in the five Articles disputed afterwards with such heat betwixt the Remonstrants and the contra Remonstrants in the Belgick Church so far forth as it may be gathered from the Decrees Canons of the Councel of Trent and such preparatory Discourses as smoothed the way to the Conclusions which were made therein In order whereunto it was advised by Marcus Viguerius Bishop of Sinigagli to separate the Catholick Doctrine from the contrary and to make two Decrees in the one to make a continued Declaration and Confirmation of the Doctrine of the Churches and in the other to condemn and Anathematize the contrary But in the drawing up of the Decrees there appeared a greater difficulty then they were aware of in conquering wherof the Cardinal of Sancta Cruz one of the Presidents of the Councel took incredible pains avoiding as much as was possible to insert any thing controverted amongst the School-men and so handling those that could not be omitted as that every one might be contented And to this end he observed in every Congregation what was disliked by any and took it away or corrected it as he was advised and he spake not only in the Congregations but with every one in particular was informed of all the doubts and required their Opinions He diversified the matter with divers Orders changed sometimes one part sometimes another until he had reduced them unto the Order in which they now are which generally pleased and was approved by all Nor did the Decrees thus drawn and setled give less content at Rome then they did at Trent for being transmitted to the Pope and by him committed to the Fryers and other learned men of the Court to be consulted of amongst them they found an universal approbation because every one might understand them in his own sense And being so approved of were sent back to Trent and there solemnly passed in a full Congregation on the thirteenth of January 1647. according to the account of the Church of Rome And yet it is to be observed that though the Decrees were so drawn up as to please all parties especially as to the giving of no distast to the Dominican Fryers and their Adherenrs yet it is easie to be seen that they incline more favourably to the Franciscans whose cause the Jesuits have since wedded and speak more literally and Grammatically to the sence of that party then they do to the others which sayd I shall present the Doctrine of the Councel of Trent as to these controverted Points in this Order following 1. Of Divine Predestination IX All man-kind having lost its primitive integrity by the sin of Adam they became thereby the Sons of wrath and so much captivated under the command of Satan that neither the Gentiles by the power of Nature nor the Jews by the Letter of the Law of Moses were able to free themselves from that grievous Servitude In which respect it pleased Almighty God the Father of all Mercies to promise first and afterwards actually to send his only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world not only to redeem the Jews who were under the Law but that the Gentiles also might embrace the Righteousness which is by Faith and altogether might receive the Adoption of Sons To which end he prepared sufficient assistance for all which every man having free-will might receive or refuse as it pleased himself and foreseeing from before all Eternity who would receive his help and use it to Good and on the other side who would refuse to make use thereof he predestinated and elected those of the first sort to Eternall Life and rejected the others 2. Of the Merit and Effect of the Death of Christ Him God proposed to be a propitiation for our sins by his Death and Passion and not for our sins only but for the sins of all the World But so that though Christ died for all men yet all do not receive the benefit of his death and sufferings but only they to whom the merit of his Passion is communicated in their new birth or regeneration by which the grace whereby they are justified or made just is conferred upon them 3. Of mans Conversion unto God The Grace of God is not given to man by Jesus Christ to no other end but that thereby he might the more easily divert himself in the waies of Godliness and consequently merit and obtain eternal life which otherwise he might do without any such Grace by his own free-will though with more difficulty and trouble And therefore if any man shall say that without the preventing Inspiration of the Holy Ghost and his heavenly Influences a man is able to even hope love or repent as he ought to do that so he may be justified in the sight of God let him be Anathema 4. Of the manner of Conversion The Freedom of the Will is not so utterly lost in man though it be diminished and impaired as to be accounted nothing but an empty name or the name of no such thing existing in nature in that the Will of man moved and stirred up by the grace of God retains a power of co-operating with the heavenly Grace by which he doth prepare and dispose himself for the obtaining of that Justification which is given unto him And therefore if any one shall say that a man cannot resist this grace though he would or that he is meerly passive not acting any thing but as a stock or senseless stone in his own Conversion let him be also held accurst And so are they who have presumed to affirm and teach that it is not in the power of man to do evil but as well bad as good works are done not only by Gods permission but by his proper working so that as well the Treason of Judas as the Calling of Paul is to be reckoned for the work of Almighty God 5. Of the certainty or uncertainty of Perseverance No man is so far to presume
on the secret Mystery of Predestination as to account himself for certain to be within the number of the Elect as if he were assured of this that being justified he could neither sin no more nor were sure of repentance if he did And therefore no man is to flatter himself with any such certainty of perseverance though all men ought to place a constant and firm hope for the obtaining of the same in the help of God They which by sin have faln away from the grace received may recover their lost Justification if being stirred up from above they endeavour the recovery of it by sincere repentance or by the Sacrament of Pennance as the words there are And finally the grace of Justification or the grace by which a man is justified is not only lost by infidelity by which the Faith it self doth suffer Shipwrack but even by every mortal sin though Faith be not lost also at the same time with it X. Such is the Doctrine of this Councel in the Points disputed extracted faithfully out of the Canons and Decrees thereof one only clause being added to the Article of Predestination agreeable to the Opinion in the Conferences and Debates about it which prevailed most upon the Prelates and all others who were interessed and intrusted in drawing up the Products and Conclusions of it which how far it agreeth or disagreeth with or from that which is maintained by the opposite Parties in the Reformed and Protestant Churches we are next to see CHAP. IV. The Judgment of the Lutherans and Calvinians in these Five Points with some Objections made against the Conclusions of the Councel of Dort I. No Difference in Five Points betwixt the Lutherans and the Church of Rome as is acknowledged by the Papists themselves II. The Judgment of the Lutheran Churches in the sayd 5 Points delivered in the famous Confession of Ausperge III. The distribution of the Quarrel betwixt the Franciscans Melancthonians and Arminians on the one side the Dominicans Rigid Lutherans and Sublapsarian Calvinists on the other the middle way of Catarinus paralleled by that of Bishop Overal IV. The Doctrine of Predestination as layd down by Calvin of what ill Consequence in it self and how odious to the Lutheran Doctors V. Opposed by Sebastian Castellio in Geneva it self but propagated in most Churches of Calvins Plat-form and afterwards polished by Perkins a Divine of England and in him censured and confuted by Jacob Van Harmine a Belgick Writer VI. A brief view of the Doctrine of the Sublapsarians and the odious Consequences of it VII The Judgment of the Sublapsarians in the sayd Five Points collected and presented at the Conference at the Hague Ann. 1610. VIII The Doctrine of the Synodists in the sayd Points IX Affirmed to be repugnant to the holy Scripture as also to the Purity Mercy Justice and Sincerity of Almighty God X. And the subversion of the Ministry and all Acts of Piety illustrated by the example of Tiberius Caesar and the Lantgrave of Thurin I. SUCH being the Doctrines of this Councel in the Points disputed we need not take much pains in looking after the Judgment of the Lutheran Churches which comes so neer to that of the Church of Rome as to be reckoned for the same For in the History of the Councel it is sayd expresly as before is noted that in the Books of Luther in the Augustan Confession and in Apologies and Colloquies there was nothing found as to the Doctrine of Predestination which deserved to be censured And therefore they were fain to have recourse unto the Writings of the Zuinglian Party among which Calvin and his followers were to be accounted to find out matter to proceed upon in their Fulminations And in particular it is sayd by Andreas Vega one of the stiffest and most learned men amongst the whole pack of the Franciscans when the Points about Free-will were in agitation that between themselves and the Protestants there was no difference of opinion as to that particular How neer they came to one another in the other Points may easily be found in the Debates and Conferences before layd down compared with the Judgment of the Lutheran Doctors not only in their private Writings but their publick Colloquies But then we are to understand that this Agreement of the Lutheran Doctors expressed in their private Writings and their publick Colloquies and especially the solemn Confession at Ausperge relates to that interpretation of the Decrees and Canons of the Tridentine Councel which is made by the Jesuits and Franciscans and not unto the Gloss or Exposition which is made thereof by the Preaching and Dominican Fryers II. But not to leave so great a matter to a Logical Inference I shall lay down the Doctrine of the Lutheran Churches in the sayd Five Points extracted faithfully out of the Augustan Confession with the Addition of one Clause only to the first Article the Makers of the Confession declining purposely the point of Predestination out of the Writings of Melancthon and other learned men of the same perswasion Now the Doctrine of the sayd Churches so delivered is this that followeth Viz. 1. Of Divine Predestination After the miserable fall of Adam all men which were to be begotten according to the common course of Nature were involved in the guilt of Original sin by which they are obnoxious to the wrath of God and everlasting damnation In which Estate they had remained but that God beholding all man-kinde in this wretched condition was pleased to make a general conditional Decree of Predestination under the condition of Faith and Perseverance And a special absolute Decree of electing those to life who he fore-saw would believe and persevere under the means and aides of Grace Faith and Perseverance and a special absolute Decree of condemning them whom he fore-saw to abide impenitent in their sins 2. Of the Merit and Efficacy of Christs Death The Son of God who is the Word assumed our humane Nature in the Womb of the Virgin and being very God and very Man he truly Suffered was Crucified Dead and Buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be the Sacrifice not only for Original sin but also for all the Actual sins of men A great part of S. Pauls Epistle to the Hebrews is spent in the proving of this Point that only the Sacrifice or Oblation made by Christ procured for others Reconciliation and Remission of sins inculcating that the Livitical Sacrifices were year by year to be reiterated and renewed because they could not take away sins but that satisfaction once for all was made by the Sacrifice of Christ for the sins of all men 3. Of Mans Will in the state of depraved Nature The Will of man retains a freedom in Actions of Civil Justice and making Election of such things as are under the same pretension of natural Reason but hath no power without the speciall Assistance of the Holy Ghost
we finde it in the supercilious looks in the haughty carriage of those who are so well assured of their own Election who cannot so disguise themselves as not to undervalue and despise all those who are not of the same party and perswasion with them A race of men whose insolence and pride there is no avoyding by a modest submission whose favour there is no obtaining by good turns and benefits Quorum superbiam frustra per modestiam obsequium effugeris as in another case was said by a Noble Britain VI. And finally it is objected but the Objection rather doth concern the men then the Doctrine that the Arminians are a Faction a turbulent seditious Faction so found in the United Provinces from their very first spawning not to be suffered by any Reason of State in a Common-wealth So saith the Author of the Pamphlet called the Observator observed and proves it by the wicked conspiracy as he calls it of Barnevelt who suffered most condignly as he he tells us upon that account 1619. And afterwards by the damnable and hellish plot of Barnevelts Children and Allies in their designs against the State and the Prince of Orange This Information seconded by the Author of the Book called The Justification of the Fathers c. who tells us but from whom he knowes not that the States themselves have reported of them that they had created them more trouble then the King of Spain had by all his Warres And both these backt by the Authority of K. James who tells us of them in his Declaration against Vorstius That if they were not with speed rooted out no other issue could be expected then the Curse of God infamy throughout all the Reformed Churches and a perpetual rent and distraction in the whole body of the State This is the substance of the Charge So old and common that it was answered long since by Bishop Ridly in Queen Marys dayes when the Doctrine of the Protestants was said to be the readiest way to stir up sedition and trouble the quiet of the Common-wealth wherefore to be repressed in time by force of Laws To which that godly Bishop returns this Answer That Satan doth not cease to practise his old guiles and accustomed subtilties He hath ever this Dart in a readinesse to whirle against his adversaries to accuse them of sedition that he may bring them if he can in danger of the Higher Powers for so hath he by his Ministers alwayes charged the Prophets of God Ahab said unto Elias art thou he that troubleth Israel The false Prophets complained also to their Princes of Jeremy that his words were seditious and not to be suffered Did not the Scribes and Pharises falsly accuse Christ as a seditious person and one that spake against Caesar Which said and the like instance made in the Preachings of St. Paul he concludes it thus viz. But how far they were from all sedition their whole Doctrine Life and Conversation doth well declare And this being said in reference to the Charge in generall the Answer to each part thereof is not far to seek VII And first it hath been answered to that part of it which concerns King James that the King was carried in this business not so much by the clear light of his most excellent understanding as by Reason of State the Arminians as they call them were at that time united into a party under the command of John Olden Barnevelt and by him used for the reasons formerly laid down to undermine the power of Maurice then Prince of Orange who had made himself the Head of the Contra-Remonstrants and was to that King a most dear Confederate Which Division in the Belgick Provinces that King considered as a matter of most dangerous consequence and utterly destructive of that peace unity and concord which was to be the greatest preservation of the States Vnited on whose tranquillity and power he placed a great part of the peace and happiness of his own Dominions Upon which reason he exhorrs them in the said Declaration to take heed of such infected persons their own Countrey-men being already divided into Factions upon this occasion which was a matter as he saith so opposite to unity which was indeed the only prop and safety of their State next under God as of necessity it must by little and little bring them to utter ruine if justly and in time they did not provide against it So that K. James considering the present breach as tending to the utter ruine of those States and more particularly of the Prince of Orange his most dear Allye he thought it no small piece of King-craft to contribute toward the suppression of the weaker party not only by blasting them in the said Declaration with reproachfull names but sending such Divines to the Assembly at Dort as he was sure would be sufficiently active in their condemnation VIII So that part of the Argument which is borrowed from the States themselveâ— it must be proved by some better evidence then the bare word of Mr. Hickman before it can deserve an answer the speech being so Hyperbolicall not to call it worse that it can hardly be accounted for a flower of Rhetorick The greatest trouble which the States themselves were put to all this businesse was for the first eight years of it but the hearing of Complaints receiving of Remonstrances and being present at a Conference between the parties And for the last four years for it held no longer their greatest trouble was to finde out a way to forfeit all their old and Native Priviledges in the deaâ—h of Barnevelt for maintenance whereof they had first took up Arms against the Spaniard In all which time no blood at all was drawn by the Sword of War and but the blood of 5 or 6 men only by the Sword of Justice admitting Barnevelts for one Whereas their warres with Spain had lasted above thrice that time to the sacking of many of their Cities the loss of at least 100000. of their own lives and the expense of many millions of Treasure And as for Barnevelt if he had committed any Treason against his Countrey by the Laws of the same Countrey he was to be tryed Contrary whereunto the Prince of Orange having got him into his power put him over to be judged by certain Delegates commissionated by the States Generall who by the Laws of the Union can pretend unto no Authority over the Life and Limb of the meanest subject Finally for the conspiring of Barnevelts Children it concerns only them whose design it was Who to revenge his death so unworthily and unjustly contrived and as they thought so undeservedly and against their Laws might fall upon some desperate Councels and most unjustifiable courses in pursuance of it But what makes this to the Arminian and Remonstrant party Or doth evince them for a turbulent and seditious Faction not to be suffered by any Reason of State in a well-ordered
Calvin no more than to the judgement of Wicklif Tyndall Barns or Frith whose offered assistance they refused when they went about it of which he sensibly complained unto some of his friends as appears by one of his Epistles I answer next affirmatively in the words of an Act of Parliament 2. 3. Edw. 6. where it is said That they had an eye in the first place to the mo pure and sincere Christian Religion taught in the Scriptures and in the next place to the usages of the Primitive Church Being satisfied in both which ways they had thirdly a more particular respect to the Lutheran Plat-forms the English Confession or Book of Articles being taken in many places word for word out of that of Ausberg and a conformity maintained with the Lutheran Churches in Rights and Ceremonies as namely in kneeling at the Communion the Cross in Baptism the retaining of all the ancient Festivals the reading of the Epistles and Gospels on Sundays and Holy-days and generally in the whole Form of External Worship Fourthly in reference to the points disputed they ascribed much to the Authority of Melancthon not undeservedly called the Phoenix of Germany whose assistance they earnestly desired whose coming over they expected who was as graciously invited hither by King Edwâ—rd the sixth Regiis literis in Angliam vocari as himself affirms in an Epistle to Camerarius His coming laid aside upon the fall of the Duke of Sommerset and therefore since they could not have his company they made use of his writings for their direction in such points of Doctrine in which they thought it necessary for the Church to declare her judgement 3. I observe finally That as they attributed much to the particulars to the Authority of Melancthon so they ascribe no less therein unto that of Erasmus once Reader of the Greek Tongue in Cambridge and afterwards one of the Professors of Divinity there whose Paraphrases on the four Evangelists being translated into English were ordered to be kept in Churches for the use of the People and that they owned the Epistles to be studied by all such as had cure of souls Concerning which it was commanded by the injunctions of King Edward the sixth published by the advice of the Lord Protector Somerset and the Privy Council in the first year of the said Kings Reign 1. ' That they should see provided in some most convenient and open place of every Church one Great Bible in English with the Paraphrase of Erasmus in English that the people might reverendly without any let read and hear the same at such time as they listed and not to be inhibited therefrom by the Parson or Curate but rather to be the more encouraged and provoked thereunto And 2. That every Priest under the degree of a Bachellour of Divinity should have of his own one New Testament in English and Latine with the Paraphrases of Erasmus upon the same and should diligently read and study thereupon and should collect and keep in memory all such comfortable places of the Scripture as do set forth the Mercy Benefits and Goodness of Almighty God towards all penitent and believing persons that they might thereby comfort their flock in all danger of death despair or trouble of Conscience and that therefore every Bishop in their Institution should from time to time try and examine them how they have profited in their studies ' A course and care not likely to have entred into the thoughts of the Lord Protector or any of the Lords of the Council if it had not been advised by some of the Bishops who then began to have an eye on the Reformation which soon after followed and as unlikely to be counselled and advised by them had they intended to advance any other Doctrine than what was countenanced in the writings of that learned man Whereupon I conclude the Doctrine in the points disputed to be the true and genuine Doctrine of the Church of England which comes most near to the plain sense of holy Scripture the general current of the Fathers in the Primitive times the famous Augustane Confession the Writings of Melancthon and the Workes of Erasmus To which Conclusion I shall stand till I finde my self encountred by some stronger Argument to remove me from it 4. The ground thus laid I shall proceed unto the Reformation which was built upon it first raking in my way some necessary preparations made unto it by H. 8. by whom it had been ordered in the year 1536. That the Creed the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments should be recited publiquely by the Parish Priest in the English Tongue and all the Sundays and other Holidays throughout the year And that the people might the better understand the duties contained in them it pleased him to assemble his Bishops and Clergie in the year next following requiring them ' Upon the diligent search and perusing of Holy Scripture to set forth a plain and sincere Doctrine concerning the whole sum of all those things which appertain unto the Profession of a Christian man ' Which work being finished with very great care and moderation they published by the name of an Institution of a Christian man containing the Exposition or Interpretation of the common Word the seven Sacraments the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer c. and dedicated â—t to the Kings Majestie ' Submitting to his most Excellent Wisdom and Exact Judgement to be by him recognized overseen and corrected if he found any word or sentence in â—t amiss to be qualified changed or further expounded in the plain setting-forth of his most vertuous desire and purpose in that behalf ' A Dedication publikely subscribed in the name of the rest by all the Bishops then being eight Archdeacons and seventeen Doctors of chief note in their several faculties Amongst which I finde seven by name who had a hand in drawing up the first Liturgie of King Edward the sixth that is to say Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Goodrich Bishop of Ely Hobeach then Bishop of Rochester and of Lincoln afterwards Skip then Archdeacon of Dorset after Bishop of Hereford Roberson afterwards Dean of Durham as Maro was afterwards of S. Pauls and Cox of Westminster And I finde many others amongst them also who had a principal hand in making the first Book of Homilies and passing the Articles of Religion in the Convocation of the year 1552. and so it rested till the year 1643. when the King making use of the submission of the Book which was tendred to him corrected it in many places with his own hand as appeareth by the Book it self remaining in the famous Library of Sir Robert Cotton Which having done he sends it so corrected to Archbishop Cranmer who causing it to be reviewed by the Bishops and Clergie in Convocation drew up some Annotations on it And that he did for this intent as I heard exprest in one of his Letters bearing date June 25. of this present year because
publick service if otherwise of known zeale against the Papists 2. Several examples of that kinde in the places of greatest power and trust in the Church of England particularly of Mr. Fox the Martyrologist and the occasion which he took of publishing his opinion in the point of predestination 3. His notes on one of the Letters of John Bradford Martyr touching the matter of Election therein contained 4. The difference between the Comment and the Text and between the authour of the Comment and Bishop Hooper 5. Exceptions against some passages and observations upon others in the said Notes of Mr. Fox 6. The great breach made hereby in the Churches Doctrine made greater by the countenance which was given to the Book of Acts and Monuments by the Convocation An. 1571. 7. No argument to be drawn from hence touching the approbation of his doctrine by that Convocation no more then for the Approbation of his Marginal Notes and some particular passages in it disgraceful to the Rites of the Church attire of the Bishops 8. A counterballance made in the Convocation against Fox his Doctrine and all other Novelismes of that kinde 1. IT was not long that Queen Mary sate upon the Throne and yet as short time as it was it gave not only a strong interruption for the present to the proceedings of the Church but an occasion also of great discord and dissention in it for the time to come For many of our Divines who had fled beyond the Sea to avoid the hurry of her Reign though otherwise men of good abilities in most parts of Learning returned so altered in their principals as to points of Doctrine so disaffected to the Government formes of worship here by Law established that they seem'd not to be the same men at their coming home as they had been at their going hence yet such was the necessity which the Church was under of filling up the vacant places and preferments which had been made void either by the voluntary discession or positive deprivation of the Popish Clergie that they were faine to take in all of any condition which were able to do the publick service without relation to their private opinions in doctrine or discipline nothing so much regarded in the choice of men for Bishopricks Deanries Dignities in Cathedral Churches the richest Bâ—nefices in the Countrey and places of most command and trust in the Universities as their known â—eal against the Papists together with such a sufficiency of learning as might enable them for writing and preaching against the Popes supremacy the carnal presence of Christ in the blessed Sacrament the superstition of the Masse the halfe communion the celâ—bratin of Divine service in a tongue not known unto the people the inforced single life of Priests the worshiping of Images and other the like points of Popery which had given most offence and were the principal causes of that separation 2. On this account we finde Mr. Pilkington preferred to the See of Durham and Whittingham to the rich Deanry of the Church of which the one proved a great favourer of the Non-conformists as is confessed by one who challengeth a relation to his blood and family the other associated himself with Goodman as after Goodman did with Knox for planting Puritanisme and sedition in the Kirk of Scotland On this account Dr. Lawrence Humphrey a professed Calvinian in point of doctrine and a Non-conformist but qualified with the title of a moderate one is made the Queens professor for Divinity in the University of Oxon Thomas Cartwright that great Incendiary of this Church preferred to be the Lady Margarets professor in the University of Cambridge Sampson made Dean of Christ-church and presently proptor Puritaxismum Exauctoratus turned out again for Puritanisme as my Authour hath it Hardiman made one of the first Prebends of Westminster of the Queens foundation and not long after deprived of it by the high Commissioners for breaking down the Altar there and defacing the ancient utensils and ornaments which belonged to the Church And finally upon this account as Whitehead who had been Chaplaine to Queen Anne Bulline refused the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury before it was offered unto Parker and Covâ—rdale to be restored to the See of Exon which he had chearfully accepted in the time of King Edward so Mr. John Fox of great esteem for his painful and laborious work of Acts and Monuments commonly called the Book of Martyrs would not accept of any preferment in the Church but a Prebends place in Salisbury which tide him not to any residence in the same And this he did especially as it after proved to avoid subscription shewing a greater willingnesse to leaue his place then to subscribe unto the Articles of Religion then by Law established when he was legally required to do it by Arch-Bishop Parker Of this man there remains a short Discourse in his Acts and Monuments of Predestination occasioned by a letter of Mr. Bradfords before remembred whose Orthodox doctrine in that point he feared might create some danger unto that of Calvin which then began to finde a more general entertainment then could be rationally expected in so short a time And therefore as a counter-ballance he annexeth this discourse of his own with this following title viz. Notes on the same Epistle and the matter of Election thereunto appertaining ' 3. As touching the Doctrine of Election whereof this letter of Mr. Bradford and many other of his Letters more do much intreat three things must be considered 1. What Gods Election is and what the cause thereof 2. How Gods Election proceedeth in working our salvation 3. To whom Gods election pertaineth and how a man may be certaine thereof Between Predestination and Election this difference there is Predestination is as well to the Reprobate as to the Elect Election pertaineth onely to them that be saved Predestination in that it respecteth the reprobate is called reprobation in that it respected the saved is called Election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternall decreement of God purposed before in himself what shall befal all men either to salvation or damnation Election is the free mercy and grace of God in his own will through faith in Christ his Sonne choosing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him In this definition of Election first goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes thereof whereby are excluded all works of the Law and merits of deserving whither they go before faith or come after so was Jacob chosen and Esau refused before either of them began to work c. Secondly in that the mercy of God in this Definition is said to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and working of God not to be bound to any ordinary place or to any succession of choice nor to state and dignity of person nor to worthinesse of blood c. but all goeth by the meere will of his own purpose as it is
to the doctrine of the Old and New Testament and had from thence been gathered by the Catholick or Orthodox Fathers and ancient Bishops of the Church To which rule if they held themselvs as they ought to do no countenance could be given to Calvines Doctrines or Fox his judgment in these points maintained by one of the Catholick Fathers and ancient Bishops of the Church but St. Augustine only who though he were a godly man and a learned Prelate yet was he but one Bishop not Bishops in the plural number but one father and not all the fathers and therefore his opinion not to be maintained against all the rest CHAP. XX. Of the great Innovation made by Perkins in the publick Doctrine the stirs arising thence in Cambridge and Mr. Barrets carriage in them 1 OF Mr. Perkins and his Doctrine of Predestination with his recital of the four opinions which were then maintained about the same 2. The sum and substance of his Doctrine according to the Supralapsarian or Supra-creatarian way 3. The several censures past upon it both by Papists and Protestants by none more sharply then by Dr. Rob. Abbots after Bishop of Sarum 4. Of Dr. Baroe the Lady Margarets Professor in the University and his Doctrine touching the divine Decrees upon occasion of Gods denounced Judgement against the Ninivites 5. His constant opposition to the Predestinarians and the great increase of his Adherents 6. The Articles collected out of Barrets Sermon derogatory to the Doctrine and persons of the chief Calvinians 7. Barret convented for the same and the proceedings had against him at his first conventing 8. A form of Recantation delivered to him but not the same which doth occur in the Anti-Arminianism to be found in the Records of the University 9. Several arguments to prove that Barret never published the Recantation imposed upon him 10. The rest of Barrets story related in his own letter to Dr. Goad being then Vice-Chancelour 11. The sentencing of Barret to a Recantation no argument that his Doctrine was repugnant to the Church of England and that the body of the same University differed from the heads in that particular 1. THis great Breach being thus made by Fox in his Acts and Monuments was afterwards open'd wider by William Perkins an eminent Devine of Cambridge of great esteem amongst the Puritans for his zeal and piety but more for his dislike of the Rites and Ceremonies here by Law established of no less fame among those of the Calvinian party both at home and abroad for a Treatise of Predestination published in the year 1592. entituled Armilla Aurea or the Golden Chain containing the order of the causes of salvation and damnation according to Gods word First written by the Author in Latin for the use of Students and in the same year translated into English at his Request by one Robert Hill who afterwards was Dr. of Divinity and Rector of St. Bartholomews Church near the royal Exchange In the preface unto which Discourse the Author telleth us ' that there was at that day four several Opinions of the order of Gods Predestination The first was of the old and new Pelagians who placed the cause of Gods Predestination in man in that they hold that God did ordain men to life or death according as he did foresee that they would by their natural free-will either reject or receive Grace offered The second of them who of some are termed Lutherans which taught that God foreseeing that all mankind being shut under unbelief would therefore reject Grace offered did hereupon purpose to chuse some to salvation of his meer mercy without any respect of their faith or good works and the rest to reject being moved to do this because he did eternally fore-see that they would reject his Grace offered them in the Gospel The third of Semi-palagian Papists which ascribe Gods Predestination partly to mercy and partly to mens foreseen Preparations and meritorious works The fourth of such as teach that the cause of the execution of Gods Predestination is his mercy in Christ in them which are saved and in them which perish the fall and corruption of man yet so as that the Decree and eternal Counsel of God concerning them both hath not any cause besides his Will and pleasure ' In which Preface whither he hath stated the opinions of the parties right may be discerned by that which hath been said in the former Chapters and whither the last of these opinions ascribe so much to Gods Mercy in Christ in them that are saved and to mans natural Corruption in them that perish will best be seen by taking a brief view of the opinion it self The Author taking on him to oppugn the three first as erroneous and only to maintain the last as being a truth which will bear weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary as in his Preface he assures us 2. ' Now in this book Predestination is defined to be the Decree of God by the which he hath ordained all men to a certain and everlasting Estate that is either to salvation or condemnation to his own Glory He tells us secondly that the means for putting this decree in execution were the creation and the fall 3. That mans fall was neither by chance or by Gods not knowing it or by his bare permission or against his Will but rather miraculously not without the Will of God but yet without all approbation of it ' Which passage being somewhat obscure may be explained by another some leaves before In which the Question being asked Whether all things and actions were subject unto Gods Decree He answereth ' Yes surely and therefore the Lord according to his good pleasure hath most certainly decreed every both thing and action whether past present or to come together with their circumstances of place time means and end ' And then the Question being prest to this particular What even the wickedness of the wicked The answer is affirmative ' Yes he hath most justly decreed the wicked works of the wicked For if it had not pleased him they had never been at all And albeit they of their own natures are and remain wicked yet in respect of Gods decree they are to be accounted good ' Which Doctrine though it be no other then that which had before been taught by Beza yet being published more copiously insisted on and put into a more methodical way it became wondrous acceptable amongst those of the Calvinian party both at home and abroad as before was said Insomuch that it was printed several times after the Latin edition with the general approbation of the French and Belgick Churches and no less then 15. times within the space of twenty years in the English tongue At the end of which term in the year 1612. the English book was turned by the Translator into Questions and Answers but without any alteration of the words of the Author as he informs us in the last page
ordaineth praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings will raise some glory to his Name from that second Childhood To which great God and his unspeakable mercies in Jesus Christ our common Saviour I do most heartily recommend this Church and all them that love it Lacies Court in Abington December 26. 1659. Peter Heylyn SYLLABVS CAPITVM OR The Contents of the Chapters CHAP. I. The severall Heresies of those who make God to be the Author of sin or attribute too much to the naturall freedome of Mans Will in the works of Piety 1 GOD affirmed by Florinus to be the Author of sin the blasphemy encountred by Irenaeus and the foule consequents thereof 2. Revived in these last Ages by the Libertines said by the Papists to proceed from the Schools of Calvin and by the Calvinists to proceed from the Schools of Rome 3. Disguised by the Maniches in another Dresse and the necessity thereby imposed on the wills of men 4 The like by Bardesanes and the Priscilianists the dangerous consequents thereof exemplified out of Homer and the words of St. Augustine 5. The error of the Maniches touching the servitude of the will revived by Luther and continued by the Rigid Lutherans 6. As those of Bardesanes and Priscilian by that of Calvin touching the Absolute Decree the Dangers which lye hidden under that Decree and the incompetiblenesse thereof with Christs coming to Judgement 7. The large expressions of the Ancient Fathers touching the Freedome of the will abused by Pelagius and his Followers 8. The Heresie of Pelagius in what it did consist especially as to this particular and the dangers of it 9. The Pelagian Heresies condemned and recanted the temper of St. Augustine touching the Freedome of the will in spirituall matters 10. Pelagianisme falsly charged on the moderate Lutherans How far all parties do agree about the Freedome of the Will and in what they differ CHAP. II. Of the Debates among the Divines in the Councel of Trent touching Predestination and Originall Sin 1. THE Articles drawn from the Writings of the Zuinglians touching Predestination and Reprobation 2. The Doctrine of Predestination according to the Dominican way 3. As also that of the Franciscans with reasons for their own and against the other 4. The Historians Judgement interposed between the parties 5. The middle way of Catarinus to compose the differences 6. The newnesse of St. Augustines Opinion and the dislike thereof by the most learned men in the Ages following 7. The Perplexities amongst the Theologues touching the Absoluteness of the Decrees 8. The Judgement of the said Divines touching the possibility of Falling from Grace 9. The Debates about the Nature and transmitting of Originall sin 10. The Doctrine of the Councell in it CHAP. III. The like Debates about Free-will with the Conclusions of the Councell in the Five Controverted Poynts 1. THE Articles against the Freedome of the Will extracted out of Luthers Writings 2. The exclamations of the Divines against Luthers Doctrine in that Poynt and the absurdities thereof 3. The severall judgements of Marinarus Catarinus and Andreas Vega. 4. The different Judgement of the Dominicans and the Franciscans whether it lay in mans power to believe or not to believe and whether the freedome of the Will were lost in Adam 5. As also of the poynt of the co-operation of Mans Will with the Grace of God 6. The Opinion of Fryer Catanca in the poynt of irresistability 7. Faintly maintained by Soto a Dominican Fryer and more cordially approved by others but in fine rejected 8. The great care taken by the Legates in having the Articles so framed as to please all parties 9 The Doctrin of the Councell in the Five Controverted Points 10. A Transition from the Councell of Trent to the Protestant and Reformed Churches CHAP. IV. The Judgement of the Lutherans and Calvinians in the said Five Poynts with some Objections made against the Conclusions of the Synod of Dort 1. NO difference in the Five Poynts betwixt the Lutherans and the Church of Rome as is acknowledged by the Papists themselves 2. The Judgement of the Lutheran Churches in the said Five Poynts delivered in the famous Confession of Ausberge 3. The distribution of the Quarrell betwixt the Franciscans Melancthonians and Arminians on the one side the Dominicans Rigid Lutherans and Sublapsarian Calvinists on the other the middle way of Catarinus parallelled by that of Bishop Overall 4. The Doctrine of Predestination as laid down by Calvin of what ill consequence in it self and how odious to the Lutheran Doctors 5. Opposed by Sebastian Castellio in Geneva it self but propagated in most Churches of Calvins Platform afterwards polished by Perking a Divine of England and in him censured and confuted by Jacob Van Harmin a Belgick Writer 6. A brief view of the Doctrine of the Supralapsarians and the odious consequences of it 7. The judgement of the Sublapsarians in the said Five points collected and presented at the Conference at the Hague An. 1610. 8. The Doctrin of the Synodists in the said Five points 9. Affirmed to be repugnant to the Holy Scripture as also to the purity justice and sincerity of Almighty God 10. As also subversive of the Ministry and all acts of Piety illustrated by the example of Tyberius Caesar and the Lant-grave of Thurin CHAP. V. The Doctrine of the Remonstrants and the story of them untill their finall condemnation in the Synod of Dort 1. THe Doctrine of the Remonstrants ancienter then Calvinisme in the Belgick Churches and who they were that stood up for it before Arminius 2. The first undertakings of Arminius his preferment to the Divinity Chair of Leyden his commendations and death 3. The occasion of the names of Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants the Controversie reduced to Five points and those disputed at the Hague in a publick Conference 4. The said five Points according to their severall heads first tendred at the Hague and after at the Synod of Dort 5. The Remonstrants persecuted by their Opposites put themselves under the protection of Barnevelt and by his means obtain a Toleration of their Doctrines Barnevelt seized and put to death by the Prince of Orange 6. The calling of the Synod of Dort the parallel betwixt it and the Councell of Trent both in the conduct of the businesse against their Adversaries and the difference amongst themselves 7. The breaking out of the differences in the Synod into open quarrells between Martinius one of the Divines of Breeme and some of the Divines of Holland and on what occasions 8. A copy of the Letter from Dr. Belcanquall to Sir Dudly Carleton his Majesties Resident at the Hague touching the violent prosecution of those quarrells by the Dutch Divines 9. A further prosecution of the Parallel between the Councell and the Synod in reference to the Artifices used in drawing up the Canons and Decrees of either and the doubtfull meaning of them both 10. The quarrelling parties joyn together against the Remonstrants denying
censures past upon it both by Papists and Protestants by none more sharply then by Dr. Robert Abbots after Bishop of Sarum 4. Of Dr. Baroe the Lady Margarets Professor in that University his Doctrine touching the Divine decrees upon occasion of Gods denounced Judgment against the Ninivites 5. His constant opposition to the Predestinarians and the great encrease of his Adherents 6. The Articles collected out of Barrets Sermon derogatory to the Doctrin anâ— persons of the chief Calvinians 7. Barret convented for the same and the proceedings had against him at his first Convention 8. A form of Recantation delivered to him but not the same which doth occur in the Anti-Arminianisme nor to be found in the Records of that University 9. Severall arguments to prove that Barret never published the Recantation imposed upon him 10. The rest of Barrets story related in his own Letter to Dr. Goade being then Vice-chancellor 11. The sentencing of Barret to a Recantation no argument that his Doctrin was repugnant to the Church of England and that the body of the same Uuiversity differed from the Heads in that particular CHAP. XXI Of the proceedings against Baroe the Articles of Lambeth and the generall calm which was in Oxon touching these Disputes 1. THe differences between Baroe and Dr. Whitakers the Address of Whitakers and others to Archbishop Whitgift which drew on the Articles of Lambeth 2. The Articles agâ—eed on at Lambeth presented both in English and Latine 3. The Articles of no Authority in themselves Archbishop Whitgift questioned for them together with the Queens command to have them utterly suppress'd 4. That Baroe neither was deprived of his Professorship nor compelled to leave it the Anti-Calvinian party being strong enough to have kept him in if he had desired it 5. A copy of the Letter from the Heads in Cambridge to the Lord Treasurer Burleigh occasioned as they said by Barret and Baroe 6. Dr. Overald encounters with the Calvinists in the point of falling from Grace received his own private judgment in the point neither for totall or for finall and the concurrence of some other learned men in the same opinion 7. The generall calm which was at Oxon at that time touching these Disputes and the reasons of it 8. An answer to the objection out of the writings of Judicious Hooker as to the totall and finall falling 9. The disaffection of Dr. Buckridge and Dr. Houson to Calvins Doctrins an Answer to the objection touching the paucity of those who oppose the same 10. Possession of a truth maintained but by one or two preserves it sacred and inviolable from unfortunate times the case of Liberius Pope of Rome and that the testimonies of this kinde are rather to be valued by weight then tale CHAP. XXII Of the Conference at Hampton-Court and the severall encouragements given to the Anti-Calvinians in the time of K. James 1. THe occasion of the Conference at Hampton-Court and the chief persons there assembled 2. The 9 Articles of Lambeth rejected by K. James 3. Those of the Church being left in their former condition 4. The Calvinian Doctrine of Predestination decried by Bishop Bancroft disliked by King James and the reasons of it 5. Bishop Bancroft and his Chaplain both abused the inserting of the Lambeth Articles into the Confession of Ireland no argument for K. James his approbation of them by whom they were inserted and for what cause allowed of in the said Confession 6. A pious fraud of the Calvinians in clapping their Predestinarian Doctrines at the end of the Old Testament An. 1607. discovered censured and rejected with the reasons for it 7. The great encouragement given by King James to the Anti-Calvinians and the increase of that Party both in power number by the stirrs in Holland 8. The offence taken by K. James at Conradus Vorstius animateth the Oxford Calvinists to suspend Dr. Houson and to preach publickly against Dr. Laud. 9. The like proceedings at Cambridge against Mr. Symson first prosecuted by K. James and on what account that the King was more incensed against the party of Arminius then against their perswasions 10. Instructions published by K. James in order to the diminishing of Calvins authority the defence of Universal Redemption and the suppressing of his Doctrins in the other points why the last proved so unusefull in the case of Gabriel Bridges 11. The publishing of Mountagues Answer to the Gagger the information made against it the Author and his Doctrins taken by K. James into his protection and his Appeal licensed by that Kings appointment 12. The Conclusion of the whole discourse and the submission of it to the Church of England Historia Quinqu Articularis OR A DECLARATION OF The Judgement of the Western Churches And more particularly Of the Church of ENGLAND IN The Five Controverted Points Reproched in these Last times by the Name of ARMINIANISM PART I. CONTAINING The Debates and Determinations in the said Five Points amongst the Learned Romanists in the Councel of Trent as also of the Lutheran Churches the Supralapsarian and Sublapsarian Calvinists and the Arminians or Remonstrants LONDON Printed by E. C. for Thomas Johnson at the Key in St. Pauls Church-yard 1660. Historia Quinqu Articularis OR A DECLARATION Of the JUDGEMENT of the Western-Churches And more particularly of the Church of ENGLAND In the five Controverted Points c. CHAP. 1. The several Heresies of those who make God to be the Author of Sin or attribute too much to the Natural freedom of Man's Will in the Works of Piety I. GOD affirmed by Florinus to be the Author of sin the blasphemy encountred by Irenaeus and the foul Consequents thereof II. Revived in the last Ages by the Libertines sayd by the Papists to proceed fram the Schools of Calvin and by the Calvinists to proceed from the Schools of Rome III. Disguised by the Maniches in another dress and the necessity thereby imposed on the â—ils of men IV. The like by Bardesanes and the Priscilianists the dangerous consequents thereof exemplified out of Homer and the words of S. Augustine V. The error of the Maniches touching the servitude of the Will revived by Luther and continned by the rigid Lutherans VI. As those of Bardesanes and Priscilian by that of Calvin touching the Absolute Decree the dangers which lye hidden under the Decree and the incompetibleness thereof with Christs coming to Judgment VII The large expressions of the Ancient Fathers touching the freedom of the â—ill abused by Pelagius and his followers VIII The Heresie of Pelagius in what it did consist especially as to this particular and the dangers of it IX The Pelagian Heresie condemned and recalled the temper of S. Augustine touching the freedom of the Will in spirituall matters X. Pelagianism falsly charged on the Moderate Lutherans How far all parties do agree about the freedom of the Will and in what they differ 1. OF all the Heresies which exercised the Church in the times foregoing there
Divine Justice only III. Marinarus sayd That as it is foolish to say no humane Action is in our power so it is no less absurd to say that every one is every one finding by Experience that he hath not his Affections in his power that this is the sense of the Schools which say that we are not free in the first motions which freedom because the Saints have it is certain that some freedom is in them which is not in us Catarinus according to his opinion sayd That without Gods special assistance a man cannot do a moral good sayd there was no liberty in this and therefore that the Fourth Article was not so easily to be condemned Vega after he had spoken with such Ambiguity that he understood not himself concluded that between the Divines and the Protestants there was no difference in Opinion For they concluding now that there is liberty in Philosophical Justice and not in Supernatural in External works of the Law not in external and spiritual that is to say precisely with the Church that one cannot do spiritual works belonging to Religion without the assistance of God And though he sayd all endeavour was to be used for composition yet he was not gratefully heard it seeming in some sort a prejudice that any of the Differences might be reconciled and they were wont to say that this is a point of the Colloquies a word abhorred as if by that the Laity had usurped the Authority which is proper to Councels IV. A great Disputation arose upon them Whether it be in mans power to believe or not to believe The Franciscans following Sotus did deny it saying That as Knowledge doth necessarily follow Demonstrations so Faith doth arise necessarily from perswasions and that it is in the understanding which is a natural Agent and is naturally moved by the Object They alledged Experience that no man can believe what he will but what seemeth true adding that no man would feel any displeasure if he could believe he had it not The Dominicans sayd that nothing is more in the power of the Will then to believe and by the determination and resolution of the Will only one may believe the number of the Stars is even Upon the Third Article Whether Free-will be lost by sin very many Authoritys of S. Augustine being alledged which expresly say it Soto did invent because he knew no other means to avoid them that true Liberty is equivocal for either it is derived from the Noun Libertas Freedom or from the Verb Liberare to set Free that in the first sense it is opposed to necessity in the second to servitude and that when S. Augustine sayd That Free-will was lost he would infer nothing else but that it is made slave to Sin and Satan This difference could not be understood because a servant is not free for that he cannot do his own Will but is compelled to follow his Masters and by this opinion Luther could not be blamed for entituling a Book of SERVILWIL many thought the Fourth Article absurd saying That Liberty is understood to be a power to both the contraries therefore that it could not be sayd to be a Liberty to Evil if it were not also to Good But they were made to acknowledge their Error when they were told that the Saints and blessed Angels in Heaven are free to do good and therefore that â— was no inconvenience that some should be free only to do Evil. V. In the examining the fifth and sixth Articles of the consent which Free-will giveth to Divine Inspiration or preventing Grace the Franciscans and Dominicans were of divers Opinions The Franciscans contended that the Will being able to prepare it self hath Liberty much more to accept or refuse the divine Prevention when God giveth assistance before it useth the strength of Nature The Dominicans denied that the Works preceding the Vocation are truly preparatory and ever gave the first place to God Notwithstanding there was a contention between the Dominicans themselves For Soto defended that although a man cannot obtain Grace without the special preventing assistance of God yet the Will may ever some way resist and refuse it and when it doth receive it it is because it giveth assent and doth will so and if our assent were not required there would be no cause why all should not be converted For according to the Apocalyps God standeth always at the Gate and knocketh and it is a Saying of the Fathers now made common That God giveth Grace to every one that will have it and the Scripture doth alwaies require this consent in us and to say otherwise were to take away the Liberty of the Will and to say that God useth violence VI. Fryer Aloisius Catanca sayd to the contrary That God worketh two sorts of preventing Grace in the Minde according to the Doctrine of S. Thomas the one sufficient the other effectual To the first the Will may consent or resist but not to the second because it implyeth contradiction to say that Efficacy can be resisted for proof he alledged places of S. John and very clear Expositions of S. Augustine He answereth that it ariseth hence that all are not converted because all are not effectually prevented That the fear of overthrowing Free-will is removed by S. Thomas the things are violently moved by a contrary Cause but never by their own and God being the cause of the Will to say it is moved by God is to say it is moved by it self And he condemned yea mocked the Lutherans manner of speech that the Will followeth as a dead and unreasonable Creature for being reasonable by Nature moved by its own Cause which is God it is moved as reasonable and followeth a reasonable And likewise that God consenteth though men will not and spurn at him For it is a contradiction that the Effect should spurn against the Cause That it may happen that God may effectually convert one that before hath spurned before sufficient Prevention but afterwards cannot because a gentleness in the Will moved must needs follow the Efficacy of the Divine Motion VII Soto sayd That every Divine Inspiration was onely sufficient and that that whereunto Free-will hath assented obtaineth efficiency by that consent without which it is uneffectual not by the defect of it self but of the man The Opinion he defended very fearfully because it was opposed that the distinction of the Reprobate from the Elect would proceed from man contrary to the perpetual Catholick sense that the Vessels of Mercy are distinguished by Grace from the Vessels of Wrath. That Gods Election would be for Works foreseen and not for his good Pleasure That the Doctrine of the Fathers in the Affrican and French Councels against the Pelagians hath published that God maketh them to will which is to say that he maketh them consent therefore giving consent to us it ought to be attributed to the Divine Power or else he that is saved would be no more obliged
should be thus used for using a School-term Gomarus very wisely had a fling at the Two and telleth the Synod that since some men thought to carry it away annorum numero he himself had been a Professor not only 25 but 35 years Next he falleth upon Grotius and biddeth the Synod take heed of these men that brought in the Monstra Portenta vocabulorum the Barbarisms of the Schools of the Jesuits determinare non determinare voluntatem with many such speeches delivered with such sparklings of his eyes and fireceness of pronunciation as every man wondred the President did not cut him off at last he cut off himself I think for want of breath and the President giveth Celeberrimo Doctori Gomaro many thanks for that his Grave and accurate speech the Exteri wondred at it at last my Lord of Landaff in Good faith in a very grave short speech for which as for one of the least I am perswaded he ever delivered we and all the Exteri thought he deserved infinite Commendations he spake to the President to this purpose That this Synod called Disquisition was instituted for Edification not for any man to shew Studium Contentionis and therefore did desire him to look that the knot of Unity were not broken In this his Lordships speech he named no man the last word was hardly out of my Lordships mouth but furious Gomarus knowing himself guilty delivered this wise Speech Reverendissime D. Praesul non agendum est hic in Synodo authoritate sed ratione That it was free for him to speak in his own place which no man must think to abridge him of by their Authority My Lord replyed nothing but the President told my Lord that Celeberrimus D. Gom. had sayd nothing against mens Persons but their Opinions and therefore that he had sayd nothing worthy of Reprehension This gave every man just occasion to think the President was of the Plot. Martimus against this Speech of Gomarus sayd nothing but that he was sorry that he should have this Reward for his far Journey The Disquisition went on to Thysius who very discreetly told the Synod he was sorry Martinius should be so exagitated for a speech which according to Martinius his explication was true Just as Thysius was thus speaking Gomarus and Sibrandus who sate next him pulled him by the Sleeve talked to him in a confused angry noise in the hearing and seeing of all the Synod chiding him that he would say so afterwards Thysius with great moderation desired Martinius to give him satisfaction of one or two doubtful Sentences he had delivered which Martinius thanking him for his Courtesie fully did The President was certainly in this Plot against Martinius for at the same time he read out of a Paper publickly a note of all the hard Speeches Martinius had used All this while D. Grotius his patience was admired by all men who being so grosly abused and disgraced could get leave of his affections to hold his peace IX I could pursue these Differences further both in weight and number without any great trouble but that I have some ther work to do which is the pressing of some other Conformities between this Synod and the Councel the same Arts being used in drawing up the Cannons and Conclusions of the one as were observed in the other what Care and Artifice was used in the Councel of Trent so to draw up the Canons and Decrees thereof as to please all the differing Parties hath been already shewn in the third Chapter of this Book And in the History of the Councels we shall finde this passage Viz. That immediatly after the Session Fryer Dominicus Sâ—to principal of the Dominicans wrote three Books and did Intitle them of Nature and of Grace for Commentary of this Doctrine and in his Expositions all his Opinions are found When this Work was published Fryer Andrew Vega the most esteemed of the Franciscans set forth fifteen great Books for Commentarys upon the sixteen Points of that Decree and did expound it all according to his own Opinion which two Opinions sayth my Author do not only differ in almost all the Articles but in many of them are expresly contrary A perfect parallel to which we may finde in this Synod the Conclusions and Results whereof being so drawn up for giving satisfaction to the Sublapsarians that those of the Supralapsarian Faction might pretend some Title to them also Concerning which take here this passage from the Arcan Dogm Remonstr long since published where we are told of a bitter Contention betwixt Voetius and Maresius about the sense of this Synod the one of them maintaining that the Synod determined the Decree of Predestination and Reprobation to antecede the consideration of the Fall of Adam the other opposing him with an Apology in behalf of the Synod against that Assertion So that though assembled on purpose to decide these Controversies and appease the Broyls that Emerged and were inflamed upon them yet that they might seem to agree together in some thing have they wrapt up their Decrees and Canons in so many Clouds and confounded them with so many Intricacies if a man hath recourse to their Suffrages for an Interpretation that they are like to fall into a greater new Schism before they come to a setled Resolution of knowing what the meaning of that Synod is And so much of the parallel between the councel of Trent the synod of Dâ—rt touching the managery of all affairs both in fact and post fact X. It was to be supposed in the midst of so many Differences and disorders the Remonstrants might have found a way to have saved themselves either by fomenting the Contentions or by finding some Favours at their hands who seemed to be any thing inclinable to their Opinions but no such favour could be gained not so much as hoped for though Ephraim was against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim yet were they both together against Judah as the Scripture tells us Nor did the differences between the Supralapsarians and the Sublapsarians or those which were of equal moment in the other Points extend so far as to be any hindrance to the condemning of those poor men to whom they were resolved not to give an equal hearing before the final sentence of their recondemnation so truly was it sayd by some of the Remonstrants themselves Adeo facile Coeunt qui in fatalitatem absolutam tantum consentiunt In order whereunto many indirect proceedings had been used to hinder those of the Remonstrant or Arminian Party by excommunicating some and citing others to appear as criminal persons from being returned Commissioners from their several Classes and to refuse admittance to them into the Synod upon such Returns except they would oblige themselves to desert their Party as in the case of those of Vtrecht there when the Parties whom they cited were authorized by the rest to present themselves before the Synod and to press
men from their severall Benefices the most odious Pamphlet called The First CENTURY of SCANDALOVS and MALIGNANT PRIESTS together with many uncharitable and disgracefull passages against them in the Writings of some Presbyterian Ministers do most clearly evidence CHAP. VI. Objections made against the Doctrine of the Remonstrants the Answers unto all and the retorting of some of them on the Opposite Party I. An Introduction to the said Objections II. The first Objection touching their being enemies to the Grace of God disproved in generall by comparing the Doctrine with that of S. Augustine though somewhat more favourable to Free Will then that of Luther III. A more particular Answer in relation to some hard Expressions which were used of them by King James IV. The second charging it as Introductive of Popery begun in Holland and pressed more importunately in England answered both by Reason and Experience to the contrary of it V. The third as filling men with spirituall pride first answered in relation to the testimony from which it was taken and then retorted on those who object the same VI. The fourth Charge making the Remonstrants a factious and seditious people begun in Holland prosecuted in England and answered in the generall by the most Religious Bishop Ridly VII What moved King James to think so ill of the Remonstrants as to exasperate the States against them VIII The Remonstrants neither so troublesome nor so chargeable to the States themselves as they are made by the Assertor the indirect proceedings of the Prince of Orange viz. the death of Barnevelt and the injustice of the Argument in charging the practises of his Children and the Prince upon all the party IX Nothing in the Arminian Doctrine which may incline a man to seditious courses as it is affirmed and proved to be in the Calvin X. The Racrimination further proved by a passage in the Conference of the Lord Treasurer Burleigh with Queen Eliz. in a Letter of some of the Bishops to the Duke of Buckingham and in that of Dr. Brooks to the late Archbishop XI More fully prosecuted and exemplified by Campney's an old English Protestant XII A Transition to the Doctrine of the Chrurch of England I. IT may be thought that some strange mystery of iniquity lay hidden under the Mask or Vail of the Five Articles last mentioned which mâ—de the Synodists so furiously to rage against them to use such cruelty for severity is too milde a name to expresse their â—igor towards all those who did maintain them For justifying whereof in the eye of the World both before and after the Synod course was taken to impeach their Doctrine in these points of no smaller crimes then to be destructive of â—ods Grace introductory of Popery tending unto spiritual pride and to Sedition or Rebellion in the Civil Government Which Objections I shall here present as I have done the Arguments of most importance which were Excogitated and enforced against the Conclusions and Determinations of the Synod in the said five poynts and that being done I shall return such Answers as are made unto them II. First then it is objected that this Doctrine is destructive of Gods Free Grace reviving the old Pelagian Heresies so long since condemned This is press'd by Boyerman in his Annotations on the book of Grotius called Pietas Ordinum c. where he brings in Pareus charging them with having proceeded E Schola Caelestii Pelagii from no other School then that of Pelagius and Caelestius those accursed Hereticks Thycius another of the Contra-Remonstrants but somewhat more moderate then the rest in this particular conceives their Doctrine to incline rather to Semi-Pelagianisme Et aut candem esse aut non multo diversam and either to be the very same or not much different But the authority of King James was of greatest weight who in his heats against Vorstius calls them the Enemies of Gods grace Atheisticall Sectaries and more particularly the Enemy of God Arminius as the King once called him To which Objection it is answered that whatsoever Pareus and the rest might please to call them they had but little reason for it the Remonstrants speaking as honourably of the Grace of God as any other whatsoever And this they prove by comparing the first branch of the Fourth Article with that Golden saying of St. Augustine viz. Sine gratia Dei praeveniente ut velimus subsequente ne frustra velimus ad pietatis opera nil valemus that is to say that we may will the things which are good and following or assisting that we do not will them to no purpose we are not able to do any thing in the works of piety And by comparing the said Clause with St. Augustines words it cannot easily be discerned why the one party should be branded for the Enemies of the Grace of God while the other is honoured as the chief Patron and Defender of it It can not be denyed but that they ascribe somewhat more â—o the will of man then some of the rigid Lutherans and Calvinians doe who will have a man drawn forcibly and irresistably with the cords of Grace velut in animatum quiddam like a senselesse stock without contributing any thing to his own salvation But then it must be granted also that they ascribe no more unto it then what may stand both with the Grace and Justice of Almighty God according to that Divine saying of St. Augustine viz. Si non est gratia Dei quomodo salvat mundum Si non est liberum arbitrium quomodo judicat mundum Were it not for the Grace of God no man could be saved and were there not a freedome of will in man no man with justice could be condemned III. And as for the Reproachfull words which King James is noted to have spoken of them it hath been said with all due reverence to the Majesty of so great a Prince that he was then transported with prejudice or particular Interesse and therefore that there lay an Appeal as once to Philip King of Macedon from the King being not then well informed to the same King whensoever he should be better informed Touching their proceedings it was observed 1. That he had his Education in the Kirk of Scotland where all the Heterodoxies of Calvin were received as Gospel and therefore could not so suddenly cast off those opinions which he suckt in as it were with his Mothers Milk 2. He was much governed at that time by Dr. Mountague then Bishop of Bath and Wells and Dean of his Majesties Chappell Royall who having been a great Stickler in the Predestinarian Controversies when he lived in Cambridge thought it his best way to beat down all such Opinions by Kingly Authority which he could not over-bear by the strength of Arguments And thirdly that K. James had then a turn to serve for the Prince of Orange of which more anon which turn being served and Mountague dying not long after his ears
thee ' Of these high flyings Lawbert another of our Martyrs was endicted also who as he would not plead Not guilty so he stood not mute but bound to the Endictment in this manner following ' Unto the Article * saith he whether it be good or evil cometh of necessity that is as you construe it to wit whether a man hath freewill so that he may deny joy or pain I say as I said at the beginning that unto the first part of your Riddle I neither can nor will give any definitive answer forsomuch as it surmounteth my capacity trusting that God will send hereafter others that be of better cunning then I to endire it ' 10. If there be any thing in this which may give any comfort to our rigid Calvinists much good do them with it and if they meet with any in the former passages let them look back upon the answers before laid down and then consider with themselves what they have got by the adventure or whether Tyndâ—ll Barnâ— and Frâ—th conjunct or separate may be considered as a rule to our first Reformers which having done I would have them finally observe the passage in the eighth of S. Mark where the blinde man whom our Saviour at Bâ—thsaida restored to his sight at the first opening of his eyes said he saw men as trees walking that is to say he saw men walking as trees quasi dicat Homines quos ambulantes video non homines sed arbores mihi videntur as we read in Maldiâ—nale By which the blinde man declared saith he se quidem videre aliquid imperfecte tamen videre cum inter homines arbores distingure non posset I discern somewhat said the poor man but so imperfectly that I am not able to distinguish between trees and men Such an imperfect sight as this might these Martyrs have in giving unto men no greater power of walking in the ways of Gods Commandments then as if they had been senseless trees or liveless shadows And such an imperfect sight as this the Lord gave many times to those whom he recovered out of the Egyptian darkness of Popish Errours who not being able to discern all divine truths at the first opening of the eyes of their understanding were not to be a Rule or President to those that followed and lived under a brighter beam of illumination Finally taking all for granted as to the judgement of these men in the points disputed which the Calvinians can desire and pretend unto and leting them enjoy the title which Mr. Fox hath given them of being called the Ring-leaders of the Church of England which Biâ—ney Byfield Lambert Garet or any other of our ancient Martyrs may aswel lay claim to yet as they suffered death before the publike undertaking of the Reformation under E. 6. so nothing was ascribed to their Authority by the first Reformers CHAP. VIII Of the Preparatives to the Reformation and the Doctrine of the Church in the present points 1. THe danger of ascribing too much to our ancient Martyrs c. exemplified in the parity of Ministers and popular elections unto Benefices allowed by Mr. John Lambert 2. Nothing ascribed to Calvins judgement by our first Reformers but much to the Augustine Confession the writings of Melancthon 3. And to the Authority of Erasmus his Paraphrases being commended to the use of the Church by King Edward the sixth and the Reasons why 4. The Bishops Bâ—ok in order to a Reformation called The institution of a Christian man commanded by King Henry the eigth 1537. corrected afterwards with the Kings own hand examined and allowed by Cranmer approved by Parliament and finally published by the name of Necessary doctrine c. An. 1543. 5. The Doctrine of the said two books in the points disputed agreeable unto that which after was established by King Edward the sixth 6. Of the two Liturgies made in the time of King Edward the sixth and the manner of them the testimony given unto the first and the alterations in the second 7. The first Book of Homilies by whom made approved by Bucer and of the Argument that may be gathered from the method of it in the points disputed 8. The quality and condition of those men who principally concurred to the Book of Articles with the Harmony or consent in Judgement between Archbishop Cramner Bishop Ridley Bishop Hooper c. 9. The Doctrine delivered in the Book of Articles touching the five controverted points 10. An answer to the Objection against these Articles for the supposed want of Authority in the making of them 11. An Objection against King Edwards Catechism mistaken for an Objection against the Articles refelled as that Catechism by John Philpot Martyr and of the delegating of some powers by that Convocation to a choice Committee 12. The Articles not drawn up in comprehensive or ambiguous terms to please all parties but to be understood in the respective literal and Grammatical sense and the Reasons why 1. I Have the longer stood upon the answering of this Objection to satisfie and prevent all others of the like condition in case it should be found on a further search that any of our godly Martyrs or learned Writers who either suffered death before the Reign of Edw. 6. or had no haâ—d in the carrying on of the Reformation embraced any opinions in Doctrine or Discipline contrary to the established Rules of the Church of England For otherwise as we must admit all Tyndalls Heterodoxies and Friths high flying conceâ—ts of Predestination which before we touch'd at so must we also allow a Parity or an Identity rather in Priests and Bishops because John Lambert another of our godly Martyrs did conceive so of it ' In the primitive Church saith he there were no more Officers in the Church of God than Bishops and Deacons that is to say Ministers as witnesseth beside Scripture S. Hierom in his Commentaries on the Epistles of S. Paul Whereas saith he that those whom we now call Priests were all one and no other but Bishops and the Bishops no other but Priests men ancient both in age and learning so neer as could be chosen nor were they instituted and chosen as they be now adays the Bishop and his Officer onely opposing them whether they can construe a Collect but they were chosen also with the consent of the people amongst whom they were to have their living as sheweth S. Cyprian But alack for pity such elections are banished and new fashions brought in ' By which opinion if it might have served for a Rule to the Reformation our Bishops must have been reduced to the rank of Priests and the right of Presentation put into the hands of the people to the Destruction of all the Paâ—â—oâ—s in the Kingdom 2. If then the question should be asked as perhaps it may On whom or on whose judgement the first Reformers most relied in the weighty business I answer negatively first That they had no respect of
the Book being to be set fâ—rth by his Graâ—es censure and judgement he would have nâ—thing therein that Momus himself could reprehend referring notwithstanding all his Annotations to his Majesties exacter judgement Nor staid it here but being committed by the King to both Houses of Parliament and by them very well approved of as appears by the Statutes of this year Cap. 1. concerning the Advancing of true Religion and the abolition of the contrary it was published again by the Kings command under the title of Neâ—essary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian man And it was published with an Epistle of the Kings before it directed to all his faithful and loving Subjects wherein it is affirmed 'To be a true Declaration of the true knowledge of God and his Word with the principal Articles of Religion whereby men may uniformly be led and taught the true understanding of that which is necessary for every Christian man to know for the ordering of himself in this life agreeable unto the will and pleasure of Almighty God ' 5. Now from these Books the Doctrine of Predestination may be gathered into these particulars which I desire the Reader to take notice of that he may judge the better of the Conformity which it hath with the established Doctrine of the Church of England 1. That man by his own nature was born in sin and in the indignation and displeasure of God and was the very childe of Wrath condemned to everlasting death subject and thrall to the power of the Devil and sin having all the principal parts or portions of his soul as Reason and understanding and free-wil and all other powers of his soul and body not onely so destituted and deprived of the gifts of God wherewith they were firstendued but also so blinded corrupted and poysoned with errour ignorance and carnal concupiscence that neither his said powers could exercise the natural function and office for which they were ordained by God at the first Creation nor could he by them do any thing which might be acceptable to God 2. That Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God the Father was eternally pre-ordained and appointed by the Decree of the Holy Trinity to be our Lord that is to say to be the onely Redeemer and Saviour of Mankinde and to reduce and bring the same from under the Dominion of the Devil and sin unto his onely Dominion Kingdom Lordship and Governance 3. That when the time was come in the which it was before ordained and appointed by the Decree of the Holy Trinity That Mankinde should be saved and redeemed then the Son of God the second Person in the Trinity and very God descended from Heaven into the world to take upon him the very habit form and nature of man and in the same nature to suffer his glorious Passion for the Redemption and Salvation of all Mankinde 4. That by this Passion and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ not onely Corporal death is so destroyed that it shall never hurt us but rather that it is made wholesome and profitable unto us but also that all our sins and the sins also of all them that do believe in him and follow him be mortified and dead that is to say all the guilt and offence thereof as also the damnation and pains due for the same is clearly extincted abolished and washed away so that the same shall never afterwards be imputed and inflicted on us 5. That this Redemption and Justification of Mankinde could not have been wrought or brought to pass by any other means in the world but by the means of this Jesus Christ Gods onely Son and that never man could yet nor never shall be able to come unto God the Father or to believe in him or to attain his favour by his own wit and reason or by his own science and learning or by any his own works or by whatsosoever may be named in Heaven or Earth but by faith in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ and by the gifts and graces of his Holy Spirit 6. But to proceed the way to the ensuing Reformation being thus laid open The first great work which was accomplished in pursuance of it was the compiling of that famous Liturgie of the year 1549. commanded by King Edward the sixth that is to say the Lord Protector and the rest of the Privy Council acting in his Name and by his Authority performed by Archbishop Cramner and the other six before remembred assisted by Thirdby Bishop of Westminster Day Bishop of Chichester Ridley Bishop of Rochester Taylor then Dean after Bishop of Lincoln Redman then Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and Hains Dean of Exeter all men of great abilities in their several stations and finally confirmed by the King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in Parliament assembled 23 Edw. 6. In which Confirmatory act it is said expresly to have been done by the especial aid of the Holy Ghost which testimony I finde also of it in the Acts and Monuments fol. 1184. But being disliked by Calvin who would needs be meddling in all matters which concerned Religion and disliked it chiefly for no other reason as appears in one of his Epistles to the Lord Protector but because it savoured too much of the ancient forms it was brought under a review the cause of the reviewing of it being given out to be no other than that there had risen divers doubts in the Exercise of the said Book for the fashion and manner of the Ministration though risen rather by the curiosity of the Ministers and Mistakers then of any other cause 5 6 Edw. 6. cap. 1. The review made by those who had first compiled it though Hobeach and Redman might be dead before the confirmation of it by Act of Parliament some of the New Bishops added to the former number and being reviewed was brought into the same form in which now it stands save that a clause was taken out of the Letany and a sentence added to the destribution of the blessed Sacrament in the first year of Queen Elizabeth and that some alteration was made in two or three of the Rubricks with an addition of Thansgiving in the end of the Letany as also of a Prayer for the Queen and the Royal Issue in the first of King James 7. At the same time and by the same hands which gave us the First Liturgie of King Edward the sixth was the first Book of Homilies composed also in which I have some cause to think that Bishop Latimer was made use of amongst the rest as one who had subscribed the first other two Books before mentioned as Bishop of Worcester anno 1537. and ever since continued zealous for a Reformation quitting in that respect such a wealthy Bishoprick because he neither would nor could conform his judgement to the Doctrine of the six Articles Authorized by Parliament For it will easily appear to any who is
conversant in Latimers writings and will compare them carefully with the Book of Homilies that they do not onely savour of the same spirit in point of Doctrine but also of the same popular and familiar stile which that godly Martyr followed in the course of his preachings for though the making of these Homilies be commonly ascribed and in particularr by Mr. Fox to Archbishop Cranmer yet it is to be understood no otherwise of him then that it was chiefly done by encouragement and direction not sparing his own hand to advance the work as his great occasions did permit That they were made at the same time with King Edwards first Liturgie will appear as clearly first by the Rubrick in the said Liturgie it self in which it is directed that after the Creed shall follow the Sermon or Homily or some portion of one of them as they shall be hereafter divided It appears secondly by a Letter writ by Matrin Bucer inscribed To the holy Church of England and the Ministers of the same in the year 1549. in the very beginning whereof he lets them know That their Sermons â—r Homilies were come to his hands wherein they godlily and effectually exhort their people to the reading of Holy Scripture that being the scope and substance of the first Homily which occurs in that Book and thâ—rein expounded the sense of the faith whereby we hold our Christianity and Justification whereupon all our help consisteth and other most holy principles of our Religion with most godly zeal And as it is reported of the Earl of Gondomar Ambassador to King James from the King of Stain that having seen the eleganâ— disposition of the Rooms and Offices in Burleigh-House not far from Stansord erected by Sir William Cecâ—l principal Secretary of State and Lord Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth he very pleasantly affirmed That he was able to discern the excellent judgement of the great Statesman by the neat contrivance of his house So we may say of those who composed this Book in reference to the points disputed A man may easily discern of what judgement they were in the Doctrine of Predestination by the method which they have observed in the course of these Homilies Beginning first with a Discourse of the misery of man in the state of nature proceeding next to that of the salvation of mankinde by Christ our Saviour onely from sin and death everlasting from thence to a Declaration of a true lively and Christian faith and after that of good works annexed unto faith by which our Justification and Salvation are to be obtained and in the end descending unto the Homily bearing this inscription How dangerous a thing it is to fall from God Which Homilies in the same form and order in which they stand were first authorized by King Edward the sixth afterwards tacitly approved in the Rubrick of the first Liturgie before remembred by Act of Parliament and finally confirmed and ratified in the Book of Articles agreed upon by the Bishops and Clergie of the Convocation anno 1552. and legally confirmed by the said King Edward 8. Such were the hands and such the helps which co-operated to the making of the two Liturgies and this Book of Homilies but to the making of the Articles of Religion there was necessary the concurrence of the Bishops and Clergy assembled in Convocation in due form of Law amongst which there were many of those which had subscribed to the Bishops Book anno 1537. and most of those who had been formerly advised with in the reviewing of the Book by the Commandment of King Henry the eighth 1543. To which were added amongst others Dr. John Point Bishop of Winchester an excellent Grecian well studied with the ancient Fathers and one of the ablest Mathamaticians which those times produced Dr. Miles Coverdale Bishop of Exon who had spent much of his time in the Lutheran Churches amongst whom he received the degree of Doctor Mr. John Story Bishop of Rochester Ridley being then preferred to the See of London from thence removed to Chichester and in the end by Queen Elizabeth to the Church of Hereford Mr. Rob. Farran Bishop of St. Davids and Martyr a man much favoured by the Lord Protector Sommerset in the time of his greatness and finally not to descend to those of the lower Clergie Mr. John Hooker Bishop of Gloucester and Martyr of whose Exposition of the Ten Commandments and his short Paraphrase on Romans 13. we shall make frequent use hereafter a man whose works were well approved of by Bishop Ridley the most learned and judicious of all the Prelates who notwithstanding they differed in some points of Ceremony professeth an agreement with him in all points of Doctrine as appears by a Letter written to him when they were both Prisoners for the truth and ready to give up their lives as they after did in defence thereof Now the words of the Letter are as followeth But now my dear Brother forasmuch as I understand by your works which I have but superficially seen that we throughly agree and wholly consent together in those things which are the grounds and substantial points of our Religion against the which the world now so rageth in these our days Howsosoever in times past in certain by-matters circumstances of Religion your wisdom and my simplicity and ignorace have jarred each of us following the abundance of his own sense and judgement Now I say be you assured that even with my whole heart God is he witness in the bowels of Christ I love you in truth and for the truths sake that abideth in us and I am perswaded by the grace of God shall abide in us for evermore The like agreement there was also between Ridley and Cranmer Cranmer ascribing very much to the judgement and opinion of the learned Prelate as himself was not ashamed to confess at his Examination for which see Fox in the Acts and Monuments fol. 1702. 9. By these men and the rest of the Convocation the Articles of Religion being in number 41 were agreed upon ratified by the Kings Authority and published both in Latine and English with these following Titles viz. Articuli de quibus in Synodo Londinens A. D. 1552. ad tollendam opinionum dissentionem consensum verae Religionis firmandum inter Episcopos alios eruditos viros convenerat Regia authoritate Londin editi that is to say ' Articles agreed upon by the Bishops and other learned men assembled in the Synod at London anno 1552. and published by the Kings authority for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the establishing of consent to the loving of true Religion ' Amongst which Articles countenanced in Convocation by Queen Elizabeth an 1562. the Doctrine of the Church in the five controverted points is thus delivered according to the form and order which we have observed in the rest before 1. Of Divine Predestination Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby
forth according to a Statute in that behalf provided might be well said to be done in the Synod of London though such as were of the house had no notice thereof before the promulgation And thereupon he did infer That the setters forth of the Catechism did not slander the House as they went about to perswade the world since they had the Authority of the Synod unto them committed to make such Spiritual Laws as they thought convenient and necessary for the good of the Church In which discourse we may observe that there was not one word which reflects on the Book of Articles all of it being made in reference to the Catechism before remembred though if the Objection had been made as indeed it was not against the Articles themselves the defence of that learned man and godly Martyr would have served as fully for the one as it did for the other But whatsoever may be said in derogation to the Authority of the Book of Articles as it was published in the time of King Edward the sixth Anno Dom. 1552. certain I am that nothing can be said unto the contrary but that they were received and the far greater part of them agreed upon in full Convocation Anno 1562 And therefore for avoiding of all disputes I am resolved to take them in this last capacity as they were ratified by Queen Elizabeth Anno 1563. confirmed by King James Anno 1604. and finally established by the late King Charls with his Majesties Royal Declaration prefixt before them Anno 1628. 12. Less doubt there is concerning the intent of this Convocation in drawing up the Articles in so loose a manner that men of different judgements might accommodate them to their own opinions which I finde both observed and commended in them by the former Author by whom we are informed that the Articles of the English Protestant Church in the infancy thereof were drawn up in general terms foreseeing that posterity would grow up to fill the same meaning that these holy men did prudently discover that differences in judgement would unavoidably happen in the Church and were loth to unchurch any and drive them off from an Ecclesiastical communion for petty differences which made them pen the Articles in comprehensive words to take in all who differing in the branches meet in the root of the same Religion This hath been formerly observed to have been the artifice of those who had the managing of the Council of Trent and is affirmed to have been used by such men also as had the drawing up of the Canons at the Synod at Dort But the Composers of the Articles of the Church of England had not so little in them of the Dove or so much of the Serpent as to make the Articles of the Church like an upright shoe which may be worn on either foot or like to Therancâ—nes shoe as the Adage hath it fit for the foot of every man that was pleased to wear it and therefore we may say of our first Reformers in reference to the present Book of Articles as was affirmed of them by Dr. Brancroft then Bishop of London in relation to the Rubrick in private Baptism that is to say that those reverend and learned men intended not to deceive any by ambiguous terms for which see Conf. at Hampton Court p. 15. And to this supposition or imagination it is also answered That the first Reformers did not so compose the Articles as to leave any liberty to dissenting judgements as the said Author would fain have it in some words preceding but did not binde men to the literal and Grammatical sense they had not otherwise attained to the end they aimed at which was ad tollendam Opinionum Dissentionem consensum in vera Religione firmandum that is to say to take away diversity of opinions and to establish an agreement in the true Riligion Which end could never be effected if men were left unto the liberty of dissenting or might have leave to put their own sense upon the Articles as they list themselves For where there is a purpose of permitting men to their own opinions there is no need of definitions and determinations in a National Church no more than is of making Laws to binde the Subjects in an unsettled Common-wealth with an intent to leave them in their former liberty either of keeping or not keeping them as themselves best pleased Which said we shall enquire into the meaning of the Articles as before laid down whether they speak in favour of the Melancthonian or Calvinian way so far forth as the meaning of them can be gathered from the publique Liturgie and Book of Homilies or from the Writings of those men who either had a hand in the making of them or dyed in the Religion here by Law established CHAP. IX Of the Doctrine of Predestination delivered in the Articles the Homilies the publique Liturgies and the Writings of some of the Reformers 1. THe Articles differently understood by the Calvinian party and the true English Protestants with the best way to finde out the true seâ—se thereof 2. The definition of Predestination and the most considerable points contained in it 3. The meaning of those words in the Definition viz. Whom he hath chosen in Christ according to the Exposition of S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Jerome as also of Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Latimer and the Book of Homilies 4. The Absolute Decree condemned by Bishop Latimer as a means to Licentiousness and Carnal living 5. For which and making God to be the Author of sin condemned as much by Bishop Hooper 6. Our Election to be found in Christ not sought for in Gods secret Counsels according to the judgement of Bishop Latimer 7. The way to finde out our Election delivered by the same godly Bishop and by Bishop Hooper with somewhat to the same purpose also from the Book of Homilies 8. The Doctrine of Predestination delivered by the holy Martyr John Bradford with Fox his gloss upon the same to corrupt the sense 9. No countenance to be had for any absolute personal and irrespective decree of Predestination in the publique Liturgie 10. An Answer to such passages out of the said Liturgie as seem to favour that opinion as also touching the number of Gods Elect. 1. THus have we seen the Doctrine of the Church of England in the five controverted Points according as it is delivered in the Book of Articles but in what sense we ought to understand it hath been made a Question Some take the Articles in the Literal and Graminacal sense which is the fairest and most approved way of Interpretation according to the saying of an ancient Writer That if the Literal sense of holy Scripture will stand with the Analogie of faith and piety it is to be preferred before any other Others they are of which his late Majestie complained who draw the Articles aside and put their own sense or comment to be the meaning
before the Communion in which we are required above all things 'To give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father and the Holy Ghost for the Redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ both God and man who did humble himself even to the death upon the Cross for us miserable sinners which lay in darkness and the shadow of death ' More of which nature we shall finde in the second Article Look on the Collect in the form of publique Baptism in which we pray ' That whosoever is here dedicated unto God by our Office and Ministrey may also be endued with heavenly vertues and everlastingly rewarded through Gods mercy O blessed Lord God c. ' And in the Rubrick before Confirmation where it is said expresly That it is certain by Gods Word that children being baptized have all things necessary to their salvation and be undoubtedly saved Look on these passages and the rest and tell me any one that can whether the publique Liturgie of the Church of England speak any thing in favour of such a Personal and Eternal Election that is to say such an absolute irrespective and irreversible Decree of Predestination and that of some few onely unto life Eternal as is maintained and taught in the Schools of Calvin 10. Some passages I grant there are which speak of Gods people and his chosen people and yet intend not any such Personal and Eternal Election as these men conceit unto themselves Of which sort these viz. To declare and pronounce to his people being penitent O Lord save thy people and bless thy heritage that it would please thee to keep and bless all thy people and make thy chosen people joyful with many others interspers'd in several places But then I must affirm with all that those passages are no otherwise to be understood than of the whole body of the Church the Congregation of the faithful called to the publique participation of the Word and Sacraments Which appears plainly by the Prayer for the Church Militant here on earth where having called upon the Lord and said To all thy people give thy heavenly grace we are taught presently to adde especially to this Congregation here present that is to say the members of that particular Church which there pour forth their prayers for the Church in general More to their purpose is that passage in the Collect for the Feast of All-Saints where it is said That Almighty God hath knit together his Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of his Son Jesus Christ though it doth signifie no more but that inseparable bond of Charity that Love and Unity that Holy Communion and Correspondency which is between the Saints in Glory in the Church Triumphant and those who are still exercised under the cares and miseries of this present life in the Church here Militant But it makes most unto their purpose if any thing could make unto their purpose in the Common-Prayer Book that at the burial of the dead we are taught to pray That God would please of his gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of his elect and to hasten his Kingdom From whence as possibly some may raise this inference That by the Doctrine of the Church of England there is a predestinated and certain number of Elect which can neither be increased nor diminished according to the third of the nine Articles which were agreed upon at Lambeth So others may perhaps conclude That this number is made up out of such Elections such Personal and Eternal Elections as they have fancied to themselves But there is nothing in the Prayer which can be useful to the countenancing of any such fancy the number of the Elect and the certainty of that number being known onely unto God in the way of his Prescience by which he seeth all things past and all things to come as if present with him And therefore having past a general Decree of Predestination touching the saving of all those which believe in Christ and knowing most infallibly who and how many of all Nations will believe in Christ continue in the faith to the end of their lives and consequently attain salvation The number of the persons so Predestinated is as well known unto him in the universal comprehension of his Heavenly Prescience as if they had been personally elected unto life Eternal the accomplishing of which number that so his Kingdom may be hastned and the hastning of his Kingdom that we with all the rest which are departed in the true faith of his holy Name may have our perfect Consummation and bliss both in body and soul is the scope and purpose of that Prayer And being the sole scope and purpose of it cannot imply such a Personal and Eternal Election as some men imagine though it conclude both for a number and for a certain number of Gods Elect. CHAP. X. The Doctrine of the Church concerning Reprobation and Universal Redemption 1. THe absolute Decree of Reprobation not found in the Articles of this Church but against it in some passages of the publike Liturgie 2. The cause of Reprobation to be found in a mans self and not in Gods Decrees according to the judgement of Bishop Latimer and Bishop Hooper 3. The Absolute Decrees of Election and Reprobation how contrary to the last clause in the seventeenth Article 4. The inconsistency of the Absolute Decree of Reprobation with the Doctrine of Universal Redemption by the death of Christ 5. The Universal Redemption of mankinde by the death of Christ declared in many places of the publique Liturgie and affirmed also in one of the Homilies and the Book of Articles 6. A further proof of it from the Mission of the Apostles and the Prayer used in the Ordination of Priests 7. The same confirmed by the writings of Archbishop Cranmer and the two other Bishops before mentioned 8. A Generality of the Promises and an Universality of Vocation maintained by the said two godly Bishops 9. The reasons why this benefit is not made effectual to all sorts of men to be found onely in themselves 1. AS the speaking of Heaven doth many times beget the discovery of Hell so the foregoing Discovery of Predestination to Eternal life conducts me to the speaking of a few words concerning the Doctrine of Reprobation Rejection Eternal Death a point of which the Church of England is utterly silent leaving it to be gathered upon Logical inferences from that which is delivered by her in the point of Election for contrariorum contraria est ratio as Logicians say though that which is so gathered ought rather to be called a Dereliction than a Reprobation No such absolute irreversible and irrespective Decree of Reprobation taught or maintained in any publique Monument or Record of the Church of England by which the far greater part of mankinde are pre-ordained and consequently pre-condemned to the Pit of torments without any respect had unto their
aforementioned ' That our Saviour Christ according to the will of his Eternal Father when the time thereof was fully accomplished taking our nature upon him came into this World from the high Throne of his Father to declare unto miserable sinners the Goodness c. To shew that the time of Grace and Mercy was come to give light to them that were in darkness and in the shadow of death and to preach and give Pardon and full Remission of sin to all his Elected And to perform the same he made a Sacrifice and Oblation of his body upon the Cross which was a full Redemption Satisfaction and Propitiation for the sins of the whole world ' More briefly Bishop Latimer thus ' The Evangelist saith When Jesus was born c. What is Jesus Jesus is an Hebrew word which signifieth in our English Tongue a Saviour and Redeemer of all Mankinde born into the World This Title and Name To save appertaineth properly and principally unto him for he saved us else had we been lost for ever ' Bishop Hoâ—per in more words to the same effect ' That as the sins of Adam without Priviledge or Exemption extended and appertained unto all and every of Adams Posterity so did this Promise of Grace generally appertain as well to every and singular of Adams Posterity as to Adam as it is more plainly expressed where God promiseth to bless in the seed of Abraham all the people of the world ' 8. Next for the point of Universel Vocation and the extent of the Promises touching life Eternal Besides what was observed before from the Publique Liturgie we finde some Testimonies and Authorities also in the Book of Homilies In one whereof it is declared That God received the learned and unlearned and casteth away none but is indifferent unto all And in another place more largely that the imperfection or natural sickness taken in Adam excludeth not that person from the promise of God in Christ except we transgress the limits and bounds of this Original sin by our own folly and malice If we have Christ then have we with him and by him all good things whatsoever we can in our hearts wish or desire as victory over death sin hell c. The truth hereof is more clearly evidenced in the writings of the godly Martyrs so often mentioned as first of Bishop Latimer who discourseth thus ' We learn saith he by this sentence that multi sunt vocati that many are called c. that the preaching of the Gospel is universal that it appertaineth to all mankinde that it is written in omnem terram exivit soâ—us eorum through the whole world their sound is heard Now seeing that the Gospel is universal it appeareth that he would have all mankinde be saved that the fault is not in him if they be damned for it is written thus Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri God would have all mankinde saved his Salvation is sufficient to save all mankinde Thus also in another place That the promises of Christ our Saviour are general they appertain to all mankinde He made a general Proclamation saying Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam whosoever believeth me hath eternal life ' And not long after in the same Sermon ' That we must â— consider wisely what he saith with his own mouth Venite ad me omnes c. Mark here he saith mark here he saith Come all ye wherefore should any body despaiâ— or shut out himself from the promises of Christ which be general and appertain to the whole world ' The like saith Bishop Hooper also telling us ' There was no diversity in Christ of Jew or Gentile that it was never forbid but that all sorts of people and every progeny of the world to be made partakers of the Jews Religion ' And then again in the example of the Ninivites ' Thou hast saith he good Christian Reader the mercy of God and general promise of salvation performed in Christ for whose sake onely God and man were set at one ' 9. The less assistance we had from Bishop Hooper in the former points the more we shall receive in this touching the causes why this great benefit is not made effectual unto all alike Concerning which he lets us know ' That to the obtaining the first end of his justice he allureth as many as be not utterly wicked and may be helped partly with threatnings and partly with promises and so provoketh them unto amendment or life c. and would have all men to be saved therefore provoketh now by fair means now by foul that the sinner should satisfie his just and righteous pleasure not that the promises of God appertain to such as will not repent or his threatnings unto him that doth repent but these means he useth to save his creature this way useth he to nurture us until such time as the Holy Spirit worketh such a perfection in us that we will obey him though there were neither pain nor joy mentioned at all ' And in another place more briefly ' That if either out of a contempt or hate of Gods Word we fall into sin and transform our selves into the image of the Devil then we exclude our selves by this means from the promises and merits of Christ ' Bishop Latimer to the same point also ' His Salvation is sufficient to satisfie for all the world as concerning it self but as concerning us he saveth no more than such as put their trust in him and as many as believe in him shall be saved the other shall be cast out as Infidels into everlasting damnation not for lack of salvation but for infidelity and lack of faith which is the onely cause of their damnation ' One word more out of Bishop Hooper to conclude thiâ— point which in fine is this 'To the Objection saith he touching that S. Peter speaketh of such as shall perish for their false doctrine c. this the Scripture answereth that the promise of grace appertaineth to every sort of men in the world and comprehendeth them all howbeit within certain limits and bounds the which if men neglect to pass over they exclude themselves from the promise of Christ ' CHAP. XI Of the Heavenly influences of Gods grace in the Conversion of a sinner and mans co-operation with those heavenly influences 1. I The Doctrine of Deserving Grace ex congruo maintained in the Roman Schools before the Council of Trent rejected by our ancient Martyrs and the Book of Articles 2. The judgement of Dr. Barns and Mr. Tyndall touching the necessary workings of Gods grace on the will of man not different from that of the Church of England 3. Universal grace maintained by Bishop Hooper and proved by some passages in the Liturgie and Book of Homilies 4. The offer of Universal grace made ineffectual to some for want of faith and to others for want of repentance according
to the judgement of Bishop Hooper 5. The necessity of Grace Preventing and the free co-operation of mans will being so prevented maintained in the Articles in the Homilies and the publique Liturgie 6. The necessity of this co-operation on the part of man defended and applied to the exercise of a godly life by Bishop Hooper 7. The Doctrine of Irresistibility first broached by Calvin pertinaciously maintained by most of his followers and by Gomarus amongst others 8. Gainsaid by Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latimer 9. And their gainsayings justified by the tenth Article of Kings Edwards Books And 10. The Book of Homilies 1. THis leads me unto the Disputes touching the influences of Grace and the co-operation of mans will with those heavenly influences in which the received Doctrine of the Church of Rome seems to have had some alteration to the better since the debating and concluding of those points in the Council of Trent before which time the Doctrine of the Roman Schools was thought to draw too near to the lees of Pelagianism to ascribe too much to mans Freewill or so much to it at the least as by the right use of the powers of nature might merit grace ex congruo as the Schoolmen phrase it of the hands of God Against this it was that Dr. Barns declared as before was said in his Discourse about Freewill and against which the Church of England then declared in the 13 Article affirming That such works as are done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit do not make men meet to receive grace or as the Schoolmen say deserve grace of Congruity Against which Tyndall gives this note That Freewill preventeth not Grace which certainly he had never done if somewhat to the contrary had not been delivered in the Church of Rome and against which it was declared by John Lambert another of our ancient Martyrs in these following words viz. Concerning Freewill saith he I mean altogether as doth S. Augustine that of our selves we have no liberty nor ability to do the will of God but are subject unto sir and thrals of the same conclusi sub peccato or as witnesseth S. Paul But by the grace of God we are rid and set at liberty according to the proportion that every man hath taken of the same some more some less 2. But none more fully shewed himself against this opinion then Dr. Barns before remembred not touching onely on the by but writing a Discourse particularly against the errours of that time in this very point ' But here saith he we will search what strength is of man in his natural power without the Spirit of God to will or do those things that be acceptable before God unto the fulfilling of the will of God c. ' A search which had been vain and needless if nothing could be found which tended to the maintenance of acting in spiritual matters by mans natural power without the workings of the Spirit And therefore he saith very truly ' That man can do nothing by his Freewil as Christ teacheth For without me ye can do nothing c. where it is opened that Freewil without Grace can do nothing he speaks not of eating and drinking though they be works of Grace but nothing that is fruitful that is meritorious that is worthy of thanks that is acceptable before God ' To which effect we also finde these brief Remembrances Mans Freewil without Gods Grace can do nothing that is good p. 263. that all which Freewil can do without Grace is but sin c. fol 269. In which passages of those godly Martyrs as there is nothing in it self not Divine and Orthodox so finde we somewhat in their writings which doth as truly and Religiously express the workings of Gods Spirit in the heart of man without depriving him of the ability of co-operation which afterwards was taught and countenanced by the Church of England Of which thus Tyndall in his Pathway ' When the Evangelion is prearhed saith he the Spirit of God entreth into them whom God hath ordained and appointed to Everlasting life and openeth their inward eyes and worketh such a belief in them when the woful Consciences feel and taste how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is and how merciful and loving God is through Christs Purchasing and Merits so that they begin to love again and consent to the Law of God how that it is good and ought so to be and that God is righteous that made it and desire to fulfil the Law as a sick man desireth to be whole ' According to which Doctrine the Church hath taught us to pray thus viz. ' O God forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee grant that that working of the Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts through Christ our Lord Amen ' More of which Prayers might be produced to the same effect were not this enough the point concerning the necessity of Gods grace towards mans Conversion not being in Dispute between the Parties 3. Now for Gods Grace according as it is set forth in the Church of England we shall consider it in the general offer and extent the efficacious workings of it and the concurrence of mans will in the beginning and accomplishment of his own Conversion And first as to the general offer of the Grace of God we finde Bishop Hooper thus discoursing in the sixth Chapter of his Exposition of the Ten Commandments ' Thus did S. Paul saith he convince the Gentiles of sin because they knew the evil they did was condemned by the testimony of their own Conscience for the Law of God to do well by is naturally written in the heart of every man He that will diligently search himself shall somtime find the same and in case man should behold his own misery both in body and soul although there were no Law correcting nor no Heavens over our heads to testifie the justice and judgement of God and the equity of an honest life mans Conscience would tell him when he doth well and when he doth evil ' ' Further saith he the judgement and discovery of Reason directs not onely to live just in this world but also to live for ever in Eternal Felicity without end And that cometh by the similitude of God which remaineth in the soul since the sin of Adam whereby we plainly see that those excuses of ignorance be damnable when man sees that he could do well if he followed the judgement of his own Conscience ' Our Articles indeed say nothing to this particular but our Liturgie doth and somewhat is found also of it in the Book of Homilies For what can be more clear and full than that clause in the Collect where it is said of God Almighty That he sheweth to all men being in errour the light of his truth to the intent they may return to the way of righteousness c.
first composed in which Provision seemes to have been made against all those who taught that men sinned against their wills or upon constraint or that men might excuse themselves from the blame thereof upon that consideration If any of the Calvinian factions can finde any thing in this Article against Arminianisme as they call it or in defence of the determining of the will by converting grace or the consistency of the freedome or liberty of the will much good may it do them But then they should think themselves obliged to give a better reason than I think they can why this Article is not to be found in the Book as now it is printed Either this Article was not made in favour of Calvinisme when it was published with the rest in King Edwards time or the Reformers of the Church under Queen Elizabeth were no friends to Calvinisme in causing it to be left out in the second Book Anno 1562. to which subscription is required by the Lawes of the Land 10. Proceed we next unto the Book of Homilies in the one of which we find this passage ' that few of the proud learned wife perfect and holy Pharisees were saved by Christ because they justified themselves by their counterfeit holinesse before men ' And in another thus ' But the corrupt inclination of man was so much given to follow his own fancies and as you would say to favour his own bâ—rd that he worships himself that all the admonitions exhortations benefits and the precepts of God could not keep him from their intent on ' More clearly and expressely in another place where after the recitation of some pious duties by God commended to the Jewes the Homily proceeds in this manner following ' But these things they passed not of they turned their backs and went their way they stopped their eares that they might not hear and they hardned their hearts as an adamant stone that they might not listen to the Law and the words that the Lord had sent through his holy Spirit wherefore the Lord shewed his great indignation upon them It came to passe saith the Prophet even as I told them and they would not hear so when they cryed they were not heard but were scattered into all Kingdoms which they never knew and their land was made desolate And to be short all they that may not abide the Word of God but following the perswasions and stubbornnesse of their own hearts go backward and not forward as is said in Jeremy they go and turne away from God ' Nor is this spoken only of such a temporary resistance as may be overcome at last by the unconquerable power of the Spirit of God but even of such an obstinate and perverse resistance as in the end will lead the way to a final Apostacy an unrecoverable forsaking of God and being as irrecoverably forsaken by him Of which we shall speak more at large in the fifth and last Article concerning the uncertainty of perseverance CHAP. XII The Doctrine of Freewil agreed upon by the Clergie in their Convocation An. 1543. 1. OF the Convocation holden in the year 1543. in order to the Reformation of Religion in points of Doctrine 2. The Article of Freewil in all the powers and workings of it agreed on by the Prelates and Clergie of that Convocation agreeable to the present Doctrine of the Church of England 3. An Answer to the first Objection concerning the Popishness of the Bishops and Clergie in that Convocation 4. The Article of Freewil approved by King Henry the eighth and Archbishop Cranmer 5. An Answer to the last Objection concerning the Conformity of the Article to the present Established Doctrine in the Church of Rome 1. BUt First I am to take in my way another evidence whiâ—h though it hath not so directly the force of Law to binde us to consent unto it and perhaps may not be considered amongst the Monuments and Records of the Reformation yet it speaks plainly the full sense of our first Reformers I speak this of a pithy but short Discourse touching the nature of Freewil contained amongst some others in the Book published by the Authority of King Henry the eighth in the year 1543. entituled A necessary Doctrine and Erudition for all Christian men Concerning which as we have spoke at large already in Chap. 8. of this Work so now we must adde something touching this particular of which there was no notice taken in the Bishops Book For when the Bishops Book which had been printed in the year 1537. under the title of An Institution for a Christian man had for some time continued without alteration it was brought under the review of the Bishops and Clergie assembled in their Convocation anno 1543. and having been reviewed in all the parts and members of it a particular Treatise touching the nature of Freewil which in those times had exercised the greatest wits Of which I finde this Memorandum in the Acts of the Convocation that is to say That on Monday being the last of April Lecto publice exposuo Articulo Liberi Arburii in vulgari c. The Article of Freâ—wil being read and publiquely expounded in the English Tongue the most Reverend Archbishops delivered it into the hands of the Prolocutor to the end that he should publish it before the Clerks of the lower House of Convocation as is accustomed in such cases Quo lecto per eos approbato which being read and approved by them it was returned with the residue to the upper House of Convocation with this Approbation Quod pro Catholicis Religiosis acceperunt nâ—c non gratias in gentes patribus egerunt quâ—d tanâ—â—s labores sudores vigilias Religionis Reipublicae causa unitatis gratia subicraâ—t that is to say that they embraced them all for sound and Orthodox rendring unto the Fathers there most humble thanks for the great care and pains which they had undertaken for the good of the Church and Commonwealth and the preserving of peace and unity amongst the people Which passage I have at large laid down to shew by whose hands and by what Authority as well the Book it self which we have spoken of before as this particular Treatise in it was at first fashioned and set forth And that being said I shall first present the Treatise or Discourse it self and after Answer such Objections as either prejudice or partiality may devise against it Now the Article followeth in hac verba The Article of Freewil 2. THe Commandments and threatnings of Almighty God in Scripture whereby man is callâ—d upon and put in remembrance what God would have him to do most evidently do expresse and declare that man hath Free-will also now after the fall of our first father Adam as plainly appeareth in these places following Be not overcome of evil neglect not the grace that is in thee Love not the world c. If thou wilt
they ought earnestly and with a fervent devotion and stedfast faith to aske of him which gave the beginning that he would vouchsafe to performe it which thing God will undoubtedly grant according to his promise to such as persevere in calling upon him For he is naturally good and willeth all men to be saved and careth for them and provideth all things by which they may be saved except BY THEIR OWN MALICE they will be evil and so by the righteous judgement of God perish and be lost For truly men be to themselves the AUTHOR OF SIN and DAMNATION God is neither the AUTHOR of SIN nor the CAUSE OF DAMNATION And yet doth he most righteously damne those men that do with vices corrupt their nature which he made good and do abuse the same to evil desires against his most holy will wherefore men be to be warned that they do not impute to God their vice or their damnation but to themselves who by Free-will have abused the grace and benefits of God All men be also to be monished and chiefly Preachers that in this high matter they looking on both sides so attemper and moderate themselves that neither they so preach the Grace of God as to take away thereby Free-will Nor on the other side so extol Free-will that injury be done to the grace of God 3. Such was the judgment of the Bishops and Clergy assembled in Convocation An. 1543. touching the nature of Free-will and the co-operations of it with the grace of God In which I can see nothing not agreeable to the present establisht Doctrine of the Church of England And if it be objected as perhaps it may that this Convocation was held in times of Popery and managed by a Popish Clergy it may be answered that the Bishops and Clergy then assembled were such as had a principal hand in the Reformation and generally subscribed unto the Articles of Religion agreed upon and published in King Edwards time Anno 1552. At which time fifteen of the Bishops which had been present at the Convocation Anno 1543. were not only living but present and consenting to the Articles in King Edwards time that is to say Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury Parfew Bishop of Saint Asaph Buchely Bishop of Bangor Bush Bishop of Bristol Sampson Bishop of Litchfield Butler Bishop of Saint David Goodrich Bishop of Elie Ship Bishop of Hereford Folgate Bishop of Landaff and afterwards Arch-bishop of York King Bishop of Oxon Chambers Bishop of Peterborough Cepon Bishop of Sarum Thiâ—bly then Bishop of Westminster Aldrich then Bishop of Caerlile and Bird Bishop of Chester By which proportion we may conclude that a farre greater number of the Deans and Arch-deacons who have a personal right of voting in all Convocations and coming to the number of eighty and thereabouts must be living and consenting also to the Reformation as being younger men than the Bishops were not to say any thing of the Clerks or Procurates of Cathedral Churches and those of the Diocesan Clergy as being variable and changeable from time to time though possibly a great part of them might be present and consenting also 1552. Nor stood this Book nor the Article of Free-will therein contained upon the order and authority only of this Convocation but had as good countenance and encouragement to walk abroad as could be superadded to it by an Act of Parliament as appears plainly by the Kings Preface to that Book and the Act it self to which for brevity sake I refer the Reader 4. But if it be replyed that there is no relying on the Acts of Parliament which were generally swayed changed and over-ruled by the power and passions of the King and that the Act of Parliament which approved this Book was repealed in the first year of King Edward the sixth as indeed it was we might refer the Reader to a passage in the Kings Epistle before remembred in which the doctrine of Free-will is affirmed to have been purged of all Popish errors concerning which take here the words of the Epistle viz. And forasmuch as the heads and senses of our people have been imbusied and in these days travelled with the understanding of Free-will Justification c. We have by the advice of our Clergy for the purgation of Erroneous Doctrine declared and set forth openly plainly and without ambiguity of speech the meere and certaine truth of them so as we verily trust that to know God and how to live after his pleasure to the attaining of everlasting life in the erd this Book containeth a perfect and sufficient Doctrine grounded and established in holy Scriptures And if it be rejoyned as perhaps it may that King Henry used to shift opinion in matters which concerned Religion according unto interest and reason of State it must be answered that the whole Book and every Tract therein contained was carefully corrected by Arch-bishop Cranmer the most blessed instrument under God of the Reformation before it was committed to the Prolocutor and the rest of the Celrgy For proof whereof I am to put the Reader in minde of a Letter of the said Archbishop relating to the eighth Chapter of this Book in which he signified to an honourable friend of his that he had taken the more paines in it because the Book being to be set forth by his Graces that is to say the Kings censure and judgement he could have nothing in it that Momus himself could reprehend as before was said And this I hope will be sufficient to free this Treatise of Free-will from the crime of Popery 5. But finally if notwithstanding all these Reasons it shall be still pressed by those of the Calvinian party that the Doctrine of Free-will which is there delivered is in all points the same with that which was concluded and agreed on in the Council of Trent as appears Cap. de fructibus justificationis merito bonorum operum Can. 34. and therefore not to be accounted any part of the Protestant Doctrine which was defended and maintained by the Church of England according to the first Rules of her Reformation the answers will be many and every answer not without its weight and moment For first it was not the intent of the first Reformers to depart farther from the Rites and Doctrines of the Church of Rome than that Church had departed from the simplicity both of Doctrine and Ceremonies which had been publickly maintained and used in the Primitive times as appears plainly by the whole course of their proceedings so much commended by King James in the Conference at Hampton Court Secondly this Doctrine must be granted also to be the same with that of the Melancthonian Divines or moderate Lutherans as was confessed by Andreas Vega one of the chief sticklers in the Council of Trent who on the agitating of the Point did confesse ingenuously that there was no difference betwixt the Lutherans and the Church touching that particular And then it must be confessed also
and in all such cases that is to say that neither the great grace nor his infinite mercy shall be wanting at any time unto such as are fallen from God or that man shall not be wanting to himself in making a right use of it to his rising again And then this passage in the Homily will affirme no more to this purpose than the Article doth where it is said that after we have received the holy Ghost we may depart from grace given and fall into sinne and by the grace of God we may arise again and amend our lives 5. Now to these testimonies from the Homilies the publick Liturgy and the writings of the learned men and godly Martyrs before remembred it will not be amisse to adde one more that is to say Master Lancelot Ridley Arch-Deacon of Cantenbury who by his name seemes to have had relation to Doctor Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London and by his office to Doctor Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury the two chief Agents in the work of the Reformation This man had published some Expositions on Saint Pauls Epistles to the Ephesians and Philippians as he did afterwards on that to the Collossians also which last was printed by Richard Grafton 1548. At which time both the first Liturgy and the first Book of Homilies were in force and practice and therefore was not like to containe any point of Doctrine repugnant unto either of them And if we look upon him in his Comment upon the Epistle we shall finde him thus declare himself in the points disputed which I will lay all together according to the method formerly observed in setting down the Articles or points themselves For first in reference to Election unto life eternal he telleth us ' That all fulnesse of the Father is called to dwell in Christ that all men should know all the goodnesse they have to come of God by Christ to them that all that believe in Christ should not perish but be saved and should have life everlasting by Christ with the Father ' And afterwards speaking on those vertues which Saint Paul commends in the Elect he tells us ' that those vertues do shew unto us who be elected of God and who not as farre as man can judge of outward things and that those men may be concluded to be elected of God who hate all vice and sinne that love vertue and godly living and in it do walk all their life-time by true faith and works of the spirit ' 2. More plainly doth he speak in the second place of Universal Redemption telling us that ' all men which either for their Original sinne or for their Actual sinne were out of Gods favour and had offended God should by Christ only be reconciled to Gods favour and have remission of their sinnes and he made partakers of everlasting life that Christs death was a full and sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world and for all them that shall be sanctified and saved that Christ by his death once for all hath fully and perfecty satisfied for the sinnes of all men and finally that therefore this is an undoubted truth ever to be believed of all Christians that Christ by his Passion and and Death hath taken away all the sinnes of the world ' 6. In the next place he puts the question with reference to the application of so great a benefit for what causes God would not have his Word preached unto the Gentiles till Christs time and makes this answer thereunto First ' that it is a point not to be too curiously searched or enquired after Secondly that it is enough for us to know that it was so ordered by Gods Will and for his glory But thirdly that it might yet be done either because by their sins they had deserved their blindnesse and damnation as indeed they had or that God saw their hard hearts or their stiff necks and that they would not have received it before Christs coming if the Gospel had been preached unto them or finally that God reserved that mystery unto the coming of our Saviour Christ that by him all goodnesse should be known to come to us c. ' As for the necessary influences of Gods Grace and mans co-working with the same he telleth us briefly ' that no man ought to ascribe the good works that he doth to himself or to his own might and power but to God the Author of all goodnesse but then withall that it is not enough for men to have knowledge of Christ and his benefits but that they must encrease in the knowledge of God which knowlege cometh by Gods Word And finally as to the point of falling away he gives us first the example of Demas who as long as all things were prosperous with S. Paul was a faithful minister to him and a faithful Disciple of Christ but when he saw Paul cast into prison he forsook Paul and his Doctrine and followed the world then he inferreth that many such there be in the world c. ' of whom speaketh Christ Matâ—h 13. ' Many for a time do believe but in time of tribulations they shrink away And finally he concludes with this advice that he that standeth should look that he did not fall and that he do not trust too much to his own might and power for if he did he should deceive himself and have a fall as Demas had ' And so much for the judgment and opinion of Master L. Ridley in the points disputed who being Arch-deacon of Canterbury as before was said may be presum'd to be one of those who concurred in Convocation to the making of the Articles of K. Edwards Book 1552. to finde the true and natural meaning of which Articles we have took this pains CHAP. XV. Of the Author and Authority of King Edwards Chatechisme as also of the Judgement of Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr in the Points disputed 1. THE Catechisme published by the Authority of King Edward the sixth Anno 1553. affirmed to have been writ by Bishop Poinet and countenanced by the rest of the Bishops and Clergy 2. Several passages collected out of that Catechisme to prove that the Calvinian Doctrines were the true genuine and ancient Doctrines of the Church of England 3. With a discovery of the weakness and impertinency of the Allegation 4. What may most probably be conceived to have been the judgement of Bishop Poinet in most of the Controverted Points 5. An Answer to another Objection derived from Mr. Bucer and Peter Martyr and the influence with their Auditors and Disciples are supposed to have had in the Reformation 6. That Bucer was a man of moderate Counsels approving the first Liturgy of King Edward the sixth assenting to the Papists at the Dyet of Ratisbone in the possibility of falling from grace and that probably Peter Martyr had not so far espoused the Calvinian quarrels when he lived in Oxon as after his return to
Gospel viz. How many a time and oft have I assayed to gather thy children together and to joyn them to my self none otherwise then the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings that they may not miscarry But thy stubborness hath gone beyond my goodness and as though thou hadst even vow'd and devoted thy self to utter ruine so dost thou refuse all things whereby thou mighâ—est be recovered and made whole And finally as to the possibility of falling from the faith of Christ he thus declares himself in the Exposition of our Saviours Parable touching the sower and the seed viz. There is another sort of men which greedily hear the word of the Gospel and set it deep enough in their mind and keep it long but their minds being entangled and choaked with troublesome cares of this world and especially of riches as it were with certain thick thorns they cannot freely follow that he â—â—veth because they will not suffer these thornes which cleave together and be entangled one with another among themselves to be cut away the fruit of the seed which is sowen doth utterly perish Which being so either we must conclude the doctrine of this Church in the Book of Articles to be the same with that which is contained in the Paraphrases of this learned man or else condemn the godly Bishops of this Church and the religious Princes above mentioned of a great imprudence in recommending them to the diligent and careful reading both of â—â—iest and People HISTORIA QVINQV ARTICVLARIS OR A DECLARATION Of the Judgement of the WESTERN CHVRCHES And more particularly of the CHURCH of ENGLAND In the five Controverted Points Reproached in these last Times by the name of Arminianisme PART III. CONTAINING The first Breakin gs out of the Predestinarians in the Church of England and the Pursuance of those Quarrels from the Reign of King EDWARD the sixth to the death of King JAMES By P. HEYLIN D. D. LONDON Printed for T. Johnson at the sign of the Key in Pauls Church-yard 1660. PART III. CHAP. XVI Of the first Breakin gs out of the Predestinarians and their Proceedings in the same 1. THE Predestinarians called at first by the name of Gospellers 2. Campneys a professed enemy to the Predestinarians but neither Papist nor Pelagtan 3. The common practises of the Calvinists to defame their Adversaries the name of Free will men to whom given why 4. The Doctrine of John Knox. in restraining all mens actions either good or evil to the determinate Will and Counsel of God 5. The like affirmed by the Author of the Table of Predestination in whom and the Genevian Notes we find Christ to be excluded from being the foundation of mans Election and made to be an inferiour cause of salvation only 6. God made to be the Author of sin by the Author of a Pamphlet entituled against a Privy Papist and his secret Counsels called in for the proof thereof both by him and Knox with the mischiefs which ensued upon it 7. The Doctrine of Robert Crowly imputing all mens sins to Predestination his silly defences for the same made good by a distinction of John Verons and the weakness of that distinction shewed by Campneys 8. The Errours of the former Authors opposed by Campneys his book in answer to those Errours together with his Orthodoxie in the point of universal Redemption and what he builds upon the same 9. His solid Arguments against the imputing of all actions either good or evil to Predestination justified by a saying of Prosper of Aquitaine 10. The virulent prosecutions of Veron and Crowly according to the Genius of the sect of Calvin THus we have seen the Doctrine of the Church of England in the five â—nntroverted points according to the Principles perswasions of the first Reformers And to say truth it was but time that they should come to some conlusion in the points disputed there being some men who in the beginning of the Reign of King Edward the sixth busily stickled in the maintenance of Calvins Doctrines And thinking themselves to be more Evangelical then the rest of their brethren they either took unto themselves or had given by others the name of Gospellers Of this they were informed by the reverent Prelate and right godly Martyr Bishop Hooper in the Preface to his Exposition of the ten Commandments Our Gospellors saith he be better learned then the holy Ghost for they wickedly attribute the cause of Punishments and Adversity to Gods Providence which is the cause of no ill as he himself can do no ill and over every mischief that is done they say it is Gods Will. In which we have the men and their Doctrine how the name of Gospellers and the reason why that name was ascribed unto them It is observed by the judicious Author of the Book called Europae Speculum that Calvin was the first of these latter times who searcht into the Counsels the eternal Counsels of Almighty God And as it seems he found there some other Gospel then that which had been written by the four Evangelists from whence his followers in these Doctrines had the name of Gospellers for by that name I find them frequently called by Campneys also in an Epistolary Discourse where he clears himself from the crimes of Popery and Pelagianism which some of these new Gospellers had charged upon him which had I found in none but him it might have been ascribed to heat or passion in the agitation of these quarrels but finding it given to them also by Bishod Hooper a temperate and modest man I must needs look upon it as the name of the Sect by which they were distinguished from other men 2. And now I am fallen upon this Campneys it will not be unnecessary to say something of him in regard of the great part he is to act on the stage of this business Protestant he was of the first edition cordially affected to the Doctrine of the Church of England in the present points but of a sharp and eager spirit And being not well weaned from some points of Popery in the first dawning of the day of our Reformation he gave occasion unto some of those whom he had exasperated to inform against him that they prosecuted the complaint so far that he was forced to bear a faggot at St. Pauls Cross as the custome was in all such cases Miles Coverdale then or not long after Bishop of Exon preaching a Sermon at the same But whatsoever he was then in other Doctrinals he hath sufficiently purged himself from the crimes of Popery and Pelagianism wherewith he had been charged by those of the adverse party For whereas one William Samuel had either preached or written in Queen Maries time That a man might deserve God c. Campneys beholds it for a doctrine so blasphemous and abominable that neither Papists nor Pelagians nor any other Heretick old or new hath ever written or maintained a more filthy and execrable saying For
also must be done the point being so secured and provided for as before was said to content the Zuinglians or Calvinians by which last name they were afterwards more generally called who were grown strong and numerous in most parts of the Realme Insomuch that many of them did not refuse to subscribe the Book and were complained of for that cause by the Prolocutor to the House of Bishops desiring that an order might be presently made to cause them to subscribe their names to the said Article either in their own house or before their Lordships which order being made on the fift of February the Prolocutor signified to the Arch-Bishop and Bishops in the name of the lower House of Convocation that some of the Refusers had subscribed and that others still persisted in their former obstinacy And thereupon the Bishops ordered the same day the tenth of February quod nomina eorum qui hactenus non subscripserant presententur coram iis in proxima sessione that is to say that the names of such who still refused to subscribe should be presented to their Lordships at the next Session which put an end to the Dispute for after this I heare no more of their refusals the subscription of the book being universal as appears by this memorial in the jornal of that Convocation viz. universus clerus eosdem etiam unanimiter recepit professus est ut ex manuum suarum subscriptionibus patet that is to say that all the Clergy did unanimously approve the said Articles and testified their consent therein as by the subscription of their hands doth and may appear so difficult a thing it was from the first beginning to bring that violent and head strong faction unto any conformity 8. In the next place it is objected that Mr. Alexander Powell Dean of Saint Pauls who was Prolocutor in this Convocation maintaineth in his Catechisme a Doctrine contrary to that which the Arminians as some call them do now contend for and that it is not to be thought that he and others engaged with them in the same convocation were either so ignorant as not to understand what they put into the Articles or so infatuated by God to put in things quite contrary to their own judgements which being supposed or took for granted we are directed to his Catechisme written in the English tongue and dedicated from the two Arch-Bishops from which the Objector hath abstracted these two passages following viz. 'To the Church do all they properly belong as many as do truly fear honour and call upon God altogether applying their mindes to live holily and godly and with putting all their trust in God do most assuredly look for the blessedness of eternal life They that be stedfast stable and constant in this faith were chosen and appointed and as we terme it predestinate to this so great felicity p. 44. The Church is the body of the Christian Common-wealth i. e. the universal number and fellowship of the faithful whom God through Christ hath before all beginning of time appointed to everlasting life ' Such are the passages in this Catechism from which the Objector hath concluded that Mr. Powell had no communion with Arminians as some please to call them And to say truth he could have no communion with the Arminians as some please to call them though he had desired it Arminius being not born or but newly borne when Mr. Powell wrote that Catechism and Mr. Powell had been dead some years before the name of an Arminian had been heard in England 9. But unto this it hath been answered that looking upon Mr. Powell in his publick capacity as he was Prolocutor to that Convocation it cannot be denied but that he was as like to understand the conduct of all affaires therein as any other whatsoever And yet it cannot rationally be inferred from thence that therefore nothing was concluded in that convocation which might be contrary to his own judgement for a private person admitting that he was inclined to Calvin in the points disputed as he was not neither For had he been of his opinion the spirit of that Sects is such as could not be restrained from charity it selfe dogmatical and in termes express and not occasionally only and on the by as in the Catechisme now before us and that too in full general termes that no particular conclusion can be gathered from them It hath been answered again thus that the Articles in the five points being the same with those in King Edwards Book and so confessed by the Objector and no new sense being put upon them by the last establishment they must be understood no otherwise then according to the judgement of those learned men and godly Martyrs before remembred who had before concurred unto the making of them from which if Mr. Powells sense should differ in the least degree it is to be lookt upon as his own not the sense of the Church And thirdly it hath been observed that the Catechisme to which we are referred for the former passages is not the same with that which is authorized to be taught in the Grammer Schools in Greek and Latine nor the same which was published with the consent of the Author in the English tongue An. 1572. but a Catechisme of a larger size yet of lesse authority out of which the other was extracted such points as were superfluous and not well expressed not being reduced into the same And somewhat certainly there was in it which rendred it uncapable of any further Editions and not thought fit to be translated into Latine though such a translation of it was propounded to the Arch-Bishops Bishops in the Epistle Dedicatory to the shorter English And though to let us know what Catechisme it is he meanes he seemes to distinguish it from the other by being dedicated to the two Arch-Bishops Yet that doth rather betray the Objectors ignorance then advance his cause the Authours one Latine Edition and the English of it being Dedicated to the two arch-Arch-Bishops as well as that 10. But since he hath appealed to the larger Catechisme to the larger Catechisme let him go In which he cannot so much as finde one single question touching the Doctrine of Predestination or the points depending thereupon and therefore is necessitated to have recourse unto the Articles of the Catholick Church the members and ingredients of it from whence he doth extract the two former passages And then again we are to note that the first of the two passages not being to be found in the Latine Edition nor the English translation of the same is taken almost word for word out of Powells Catechisme therefore to be understood in no other sense then before it was when it was perused and approved by the Bishops and other learned men of King Edwards time And thirdly there is nothing in all that passage which justifieth the absolute and irrespective decree of the Predestinarians or the restraining of the
cause to condemn them Who doth not smile at the Grecians Conceit that gave their God a glorious title for killing of flyes Gods Glory in punishing ariseth from his Justice in revenging of sin and for that it tells us as I said a very sad and unpleasant tale for who could digest it to hear a Prince say after this manner I will beget me a son that I may kill him that I may so get me a name I will beget him without both his feet and when he is grown up having no feet I will command him to walk upon pain of death and when he breaketh my Commandment I will put him to death O beloved these glorious fancies imaginations and shews are far from the nature of our gracious mercifull and glorious God who hath proclaimed himself in his Titles Royal Jehovah the Lord the Lord strong and mighty and terrible slow to anger and of great Goodness And therefore let this conceit be far from Jacob and let it not come near the Tents of Joseph How much holyer and heavenlyer conceit had the holy Fathers of the Justice of God Non est ante punitor Deus quam peccator homo God put not on the person of a Revenger before man put on the person of an Offender saith St. Ambrose Neminem coronat antequam vincit neminem punit antequam peccat he crowns none before he overcomes and he punisheth no man before his offence Et qui facit miseros ut misereatur crudelem habet miserecordiam he that puts man into miseries that he may pity him hath no kind but a cruell pity ' 7. The absolute deâ—ree of Reprobation being thus discharged he shews in the next place that as God desireth not the death of man without relation to his sin so he desireth not the death of the sinfull man or of the wicked sinfull man but rather that they should turn from their wickedness and live And he observes it is said unto the Coats in Saint Mathews Gospel Ite melidicti in ignem paratum he doth not say Maledicti patris Go ye cursed of the Father as it is Benedicti patris when he speaks of the sheep God intituling himself to the blessing only and that the fire is prepared but for whom Non vobis sed Diabolo Angelis ejus not for you but for the Devil and his Angels So that God delighteth to prepare neither death nor hell for damned men The last branch of his discourse he resolves into six consequences as links depending on his chain 1. Gods absolute Will is not the cause of Reprobation but sin 2. No man is of an absolute necessity the child of Hell so as by Gods grace he may not avoid it 3. God simply willeth and wisheth every living soul to be saved and to come to the kingdom of Heaven 4. God sent his son to save every soul and to bring it to the kingdom of heaven 5. God offereth Grace effectually to save every one and to direct him to the Kingdom of heaven 6. The neglect and contempt of this Grace is the cause why every one doth not come to Heaven and not any privative Decree Councel and Determination of God ' The stating and canvasing of which points so plainly curtly to the Doctrines of the old Zuinglian Gospellers and the modern Calvinians as they take up the rest of the Sermon so to the Sermon I refer the Reader for his further satisfaction in them I note this only in the close that there is none of the five Arminian Articles as they commonly call them which is not contained in terms express or may not easily be found by way of Deduction in one or more of the six consequences before recited 8. Now in this Sermon there are sundry things to be consisidered as namely first That the Zuinglian or Calvinian Gospel in these points was grown so strong that the Preacher calls it their Goliah so huge and monstrous that many quaked and trembled at it but none that is to say but few or none vel dâ—o vel nâ—mo in the words of Persius durst take up Davids sling to throw it down Secondly That in canvasing the absolute Decree of Reprobation the Preacher spared none of those odious aggravations which have been charged upon the Doctrines of the modern Calvinists by the Remonstrants and their party in these latter times Thirdly That the Sermon was preached at St. Pauls Cross the greatest Auditory of the Kingdom consisting not only of the Lord Major the Aldermen and the rest of the chief men in the City but in those times of such Bishops and other learned men as lived occasionally in London and the City of Westminster as also of the Judges and most learned Lawyers some of the Lords of the Counsel being for the most part present also Fourthly That for all this we cannot find that any offence was taken at it or any Recantation enjoyned upon it either by the high Commission or Bishop of London or any other having authority in the Church of England nor any complaint made of it to the Queen or the Counsel-Table as certainly there would have been if the matter of the Sermon had been contrary to the Rules of the Church and the appointments of the same And finally we may observe that though he was made Arch-Bishop of Yorke in the Reign of King Charls 1628. when the times are thought to have been inclinable to those of the Arminian Doctrines yet he was made Master of Pembrook hall Bishop of Chichester and from thence translated unto Norwitch in the time of King James And thereupon we may conclude that King James neither thought this Doctrine to be against the Articles of Religion here by Law established nor was so great an enemy to them or the men that held them as some of our Calvinians have lately made him 9. But against this it is objected by Mr Prin in his book of Perpetuity c. printed at London in the year 1627. 1. That the said Mr. Harsnet was convented for this Sermon and forced to recant it as heretical 2. That upon this Sermon and the controversies that arose upon it in Cambridge between Baroe and Whitacres not only the Articles of Lambeth were composed of which more hereafter but Mr. Wotton was appointed by the University to confute the same 3. That the said Sermon was so far from being published or printed that it was injoyned by Authority to be recanted For Answer whereunto it would first be known where the said Sermon was recanted and by whose Authority Not in or by the University of Cambridge where Mr. Harsnet lived both then and a long time after for the Sermon was preached at St. Pauls Cross and so the University could take no cognisance of it nor proceed against him for the same And if the Recantation was made at St. Pauls Cross where the supposed offence was given if would be known by whose Authority it was enjoyned Not by the
of his Preface after which it might have sundry other impressions that which I follow being of the year 1621. And though the Supra-lapsarians or rigid Calvinists or Supra-creatarians rather as a late judicious Writer calls them differ exceedingly in these points from many of their more moderate brethren distinguished from them by the name of Sub-lapsarians yet in all points touching the specifying of their several supposed Decrees they agree well enough together and therefore wink at one another as before was noted 3. Notwithstanding the esteem wherewith both sorts of Calvinists entertained the book it found not the like welcome in all places nor from all mens hands Amongst other Parsons the Jesuite gives this censure of him viz. That by the deep humour of fancy he hath published and writ many books with strange Titles which neither he nor his Reader do understand as namely about the Concatenation of laying together of the causes of mans Predestination and Reprobation c. Jacob van Harmine afterwards better known by the name of Arminius being then Preacher of the Church of Amsterdam not only censured in brief as Parsons did but wrote a full discourse against it entituled Examen Predestinationis Perkinsanae which gave the first occasion to these controversies many appearing in defence of Perkins and his Opinions which afterwards involved the Sub-lapsarians in the self same Quarrel Amongst our selves it was objected ' That his Doctrine referring all to an absolute decree ham-string'd all industry and cut off the sinews of mens endeavours towards salvation for ascribing all to the wind of Gods Spirit which bloweth where it listeth he leaveth nothing to the cares of mens diligence either to help or hinder to the attaining of happiness but rather opens a wide door to licentious security ' But none of all our English was so sharp in their censures of him as Dr. Robbert Abbot then Dr. of the Chair in Oxon. and not long after Bishop of Sarum who in his book against Tompson though others inclined too much to Calvins Doctrines gives this Judgement of Mr. Perkinsius viz. Alioqui eruditus pius in discriptione Divinae Praedestinationis quam ille contra nostram contra veteris Ecclesiae fidem citra lapsum Adami absolute decretum constituit erravit errorem non levem cujus adortis quibusdam viris inita jamdudum suscepta defensio turbas ecclesiis non necessarias dedit quas etiamnum non sine scandalo periculo haerere videmus dum viam quisque quam ingressus est sibi ante tenendum jndicat quam ductam sacrarum literarum authoritate lineam veritatis tanquam filum Ariadnaeum sibi ducem faciat that is to say Perkins though otherwise a godly and learned man in his description of Divine Predestination which contrary not only to the Doctrine of the primitive times but also unto that of the Church of England he builds upon an absolute decree of Almighty God without referrence to the Fall of Adam ran himself into no small error The defence whereof being undertaken by some learned men hath given the Church some more then necessary troubles which still continued not without manifest scandal and Danger to it whilst every one doth rather chuse to follow his own Way therein then suffer himself to be guided in the Labyrinth by the line of truth as by the clew of Ariadne drawn from the undeniable Authority of holy Scriptures And so I leave the man with this observation that he who in his writings had made the infinitly greatest part of all mankind uncapable of Gods grace and mercy by an absolute and irrespective decree of Reprobation who in expounding the Commandments when he was Catechist of Christs Colledge in Cambridge did lay the Law so home in the ears of his Auditors that it made their hearts fall down and yea their hair to stand almost upright and in his preaching use to pronounce the word Damned with so strong an Emphasis that it left an eccho in the ears of his hearers a long time after this man scarce lived out half his dayes being no more then fourty four years of age from the time of his death at the pangs conducing unto which he was noted to speak nothing so articulately as Mercy Mercy which I hope God did graciously vouchsafe to grant him in that wofull Agony 4. But to proceed this Doctrine finding many followers and Whitacres himself then Dr. of the Chair in Cambridge concurring in opinion with him it might have quickly over-spread the whole University had it not been in part prevented and in part suppressed by the care and diligence of Dr. Baroe and his Adherents who being a French man born of eminent piety and learning and not inclimable at all unto Calvins Doctrines had been made the Lady Margarets Professor for the University somewhat before the year 1574. For in that year he published his Lectures on the Prophet Jonah In one of which being the 29th in number he discourseth on these words of the Prophet viz. Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed cap. 3. ver 4. where we find it thus Haec denunciatio non est quasi Proclamatio decreti divini absoluti sed quaedam ratio praepâ—nendae divinae voluntatis qua Deus corum animos flectere voluit quare haec oratio et si simplex absoluta vâ—eatur tacitam tamen habet conditionem nisi rescipiscant namque hanc in esse conditionem eventus comprobavit The denouncing of this Judgement saith that learned man is not to be beheld as the publication of one of Gods absolute Decrees but only as a form observed in making Gods Will known unto them by which he ment to put them to it and rouse their spirits to Repentance Therefore saith he although the Denunciation of the following Judgement seem to be simply positive and absolute yet hath it notwithstanding this Condition that is to say unless they do repent included in it for that such a condition was included in it the event doth shew which said he leads us on to the denouncing of the like Judgement on the house of Abimileck which he had before in Dr. King chap. 18. num 11. who herein either followed Baroe or at the least concurred in opinion with him And in the next place he proceeds a little further then the case of the Ninivites touching upon the point of Election unto life eternal by the most proper superstructure could be laid upon such a foundation Dei voluntas non erat ut perirent si rescipiscerent non vult enim mortem peccatoris sed ut convertatur Et rursus Dei erat voluntas ut perirent nisi rescipiscerent Haec enim duo unum sunt ut Dei voluntas est ut vitam habeamus si credamus Et Dei voluntas non est ut vitam habeamus nisi credamus aut si credentes perseveremus non autem si aliquandiu credentes non persâ—veremus that
any point of Calvinisme in the Schooles of Oxon. from the year 1596. to the year 1616. and yet to make that number also he is fain to take in Dr. George Abbot and Dr. Benfield on no other account but for maintaining deum non esse authorem peccati that God is not the Author of sin which any Papist Lutheran or Arminian might have maintained as well as they 8. And yet it cannot be denyed but that by errour of these times the reputation which Calvin had attained to in both universities and the extreame diligence of his followers for the better carrying on of their own designes their was a generall tendency unto his opinions in the present controversies so that it is no marvell if many men of good affection to that Church in goverment and formes of worship might unawares be seasoned with his Principles in point of Doctrine his book of Institutes being for the most part the foundation on which the young Divines of those times did build their studies and having built their studies on a wrong foundation did publickly maintaine some point or other of his Doctrines which gave least offence and ouâ— of which no dangerous consequence could be drawne as they thought and hoped to the dishonor of God the disgrace of Religion the scandall of the Church or subversion of godliness amongst which if Judicious Mr. Hooker be named for one as for one I finde him to be named yet is he named only for maintaining one of the five points that namely of the not total or final falling away of Gods Elect as Dr. Overald also did in the Schools of Cambridge though neither of them can be challenged for maintaining any other point of Calvins Doctrine touching the absolute decree of Reprobation Election unto life without Reference to faith in Christ the unresistable workings of Grace the want of freedom in the will to concur therewith and the determining of all mens actions unto good or evill without leaving any power in men to do the contrary And therefore secondly Mr. Hookers discourse of Justification as it now comes into our hands might either be altered in some points after his discease by him that had the publishing of it or might be written by him as an essay of his younger years before he had confuted the booke of Homilies and perused every clause in the publick Liturgie as he after did or had so carefully examined every text of Scripture upon which he lays the weight of his judgment in it as might encourage him to have it printed when he was alive 9. Of any men who publickly opposed the Calvinian tenents in this Univesity till after the beginning of King James his raigne I must confesse that I have hitherto found no good assurance though some their were who spared not to declare their dislike thereof and secretly traind up their scholars in other principles An argument whereof may be that when Dr. Baroe dyed in London which was about three or four yeares after he had left his place in Cambridge his funerall was attended by most of the Divines then living in and about the City Dr. Bancroft then Bishop of London giving order in it which plainly showes that there were many of both Universities which openly favoured Baroes doctrines and did as openly dislike those of the Calvinians though we finde but few presented to us by their names Amongst which few I first reckon Dr. John Buckridge President of St. Johns Colledge and Tutor to Archbishop Laud who carried his Anti-Calvinian doctrins with him to the See of Rochester and publickly maintained them at a conference in York house An. 1626. And secondly Dr. John Houson one of the Cannons of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor of the University An. 1602. so known an enemy to Calvin his opinions that he incurred a suspension by Dr. Robert Abbots then Vice-Chancellor And afterwards being Bishop of Oxon subscribed the letter amongst others to the Duke of Buckingham in favour of Mountague and his Book called Apello Cesarem as before was said And though we finde but these two named for Anti-Calvinist in the five controverted points yet might there be many houses perhaps some hundreds who held the same opinions with them though they discovered not themselves or break out in any open opposition as they did at Cambridge God had 7000. servants in the Realm of Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal though we find the name of none but the Prophet Eliah the residue keeping themselves so close for fear of danger that the Prophet himself complained to God that he alone was left to serve him A parallel case to which may be that the Christians during the power and prevalency of the Arian Hereticks St. Jerome giving us the names of no more them three who had stood up stoutly in defence of the Nicene councell and the points of Doctrine there established viz. 1. St. Athanasius Patriark of Alexandria in Egypt St. Hillarie Bishop of Poictious in France and St. Eusebius Bishop of Vevelli in Italy of which thus the Father Siquidem Arianis victis triumphatorem Athanasium suum Egyptus excepit Hillarium e prelio revertentem galliarum ecclesiia complexa est ad reditum Eusebii sui lugubres vestes Italia mutavit that is to say upon the overthrow of the Arians Egypt received her Athanasius now returned in triumph the Church of France embraced her Hillary coming home with victory from the battle and on the returne of Eusebius Italy changed her mourning garments By which it is most clear even to vulgar eys that not these Bishops only did defend the truth but that it was preserved by many others as well of the Clergy as of the people in their several Countreys who otherwise never had received them with such joy and triumph if a great part of them had not been of the same opinions though no more of them occur by name in the records of that age 10. But then againe If none but the three Bishops had stood unto the truth in the points disputed at that time between the Orthodox Christians and the Arian Hereticks yet had that been sufficient to preserve the Church from falling universally from the faith of Christ or deviating from the truth in those particulars the word of truth being established as say both Law and Gospel if there be only two or three witnesses to attest unto it two or three members of the Church may keep possession of a truth in all the rest and thereby save the whole from errour even as a King invaded by a foraign enemy doth keep possession of his Realme by some principall forrtesse the standing out whereof may in time regaine all the rest which I returne for answer to another objection touching the paucity of those Authors whom we have produced in Maintenance of the Anti-Calvinian or old English doctrines since the resetling of the Church under Queen Elizabeth for though they be but few in number
Turky Gowns to shew as Bishop Bancroft tartly noted they desired rather to conform themselves in outward Ceremonies with the Turks then they did with the Papists 2. The first day of the Conference being spent betwixt the King and the Bishops the second which was the 16. of the same moneth was given to the Plantiffes to present their grievances and to remonstrate their desires amongst which it was named by Dr. Reynolds as the mouth of the rest That the nine Assertions Orthodoxal as he termed them concluded upon at Lambeth might be inserted into the book of Articles which when King James seemed not to understand as having never heard before of those nine Assertions ' He was informed that by reason of some Controversies arising in Cambridge about certain points of Divinity my Lords Grace assembled some Divines of especial note to set down their opinions which they drew into nine Assertions and sent so them to the Vniversity for the appeasing of those Quarrels and thereupon his Majesty resolved thus that when such questions arise amongst Scholars the quietest proceeding were to determine them in the Vniversity and not to stuff the book with all Conclusions Theological ' Out of which passage I observed First that the Attribute of Orthodoxal is ascribed to the said nine Assertions by none but Dr. Reynolds who termed them so and not by Dr. Barlow then Dean of Chester who related the conference and had been present at the making of the said Assertions being at that time one of the domestick Chaplains of Arch-Bishop Whitgift And secondly That they were not made to be a standing Rule to the Church of England but only for the present pacifying of some differences which arose in Cambridge as is here acknowledged I observe thirdly that King James did utterly eject the motion as to the inserting of the said nine Assertions amongst the Articles of the Church leaving them to be canvased and disputed in the Schools as more proper for them And fourthly That being left to be disputed in the Schools they might beheld in the Affirmative or in the Negative as best pleased the Respondent 3. It was also moved by Dr. Reynolds That the book of Articles of Religion concluded 1562. might be explained in places obscure and enlarged where some things were defective And in particular he desired that an explanation might be made of the 23d Article for ministring in the Congregation of the 25. touching Confirmation and of the 37th concerning the Authority of the Pope of Rome as also that these words viz. That the intention of the Minister is not of the Essence of the Sacrament might be added in some fit place to the book of Articles But that which Dr. Reynolds did most insist upon was the 16. Article where it is said That after we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from Grace The meaning whereof though he acknowledged to be sound yet he desired that because they may seem to be contrary to the Doctrine of Election and Predestination in the 17th Article those words may seem to be explained with this or the like addition viz. That neither totally nor finally Which motion or proposal concerning Dr. Overald more then any other he took occasion thereupon to acquaint his Majesty with that which had happened to him at Cambridge concerning the Estate of a justified man fallen into any grievous sin as Murder Treason Adultery and the like as hath been shewn at large in the former Chapter But the result of all was this that after a full debate and consideration concerning every one of the said Articles and the doubts moved about the same there was no cause sound for altering any thing in any of them and as little for the 16th as for any other For though the said Dr. Overald had declared it for his own opinion that he who was called and justified according to the purpose of Gods Election being brought into a state of wrath and damnation did neither fall totally from all the graces of God nor finally from the possibility of being renewed again by Gods holy Spirit as before is said and that King James himself had left it to be considered whether the word Often might not be added to the 16. Article as thus viz. We may often depart from Grace c. yet being left to the consideration of the Prelates as were all the rest the said Article remained without any alteration as before they found it and as it still continueth to this very day 4. But here is to be observed ' that upon the first motion concerning falling from Grace the Bishop of London took occasion to signifie to his Majesty how very many in these dayes neglecting holiness of life presumed too much of persisting in Grace laying all their Religion upon Predestination If I shall be saved I shall be saved which he termed a desperate Doctrine shewing it to be contrary to good divinity and the true Doctrine of Predestination wherein we should rather reason Ascendendo then Discendendo thus I live in obedience to God in love with my neighbour I follow my occasion c. Therefore I trust God hath elected me and predestinated me to salvation not thus which is the usual course of argument God hath predestinate and chosen me to life therefore though I sin never so grievously yet I shall not be damned for whom he once loveth he loveth to the end Whereupon he shewed his Majesty out of the next Article what was the Doctrine of the Church of England touching predestination in the very last Paragraph scilicet We must receive Gods promises in such wise as these be generally set forth to us in holy Scriture and in all our doings the Will of God to be followed which we have delivered to us in holy Scripture Which part of the Article his Majesty very well approved and after he had according to his manner very singularly discoursed on that place of Paul Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling he left it to be considered wither any thing were not to be added for the clearing of the Doctors doubt by putting in the word often or the like as thus We may often depart from Grace but in the mean time wished that the Doctrine of Predestination might be very tenderly handled and with great discretion lest on the one side Gods omnipotency might be called in question by impeaching the Doctrine of his eternal Predestination or on the other a desperate Resumption might be arreared by inferring the necessary certainty of standing and persisting in grace After which upon occasion of Dr. Overals discourse concerning his affairs at Cambridge his Majesty entred into a longer discourse of Predestination and Reproation then before and of the necessary conjoyning Repentance and holiness of life with true faith concluding that it was Hypocrysie and not true justifying faith which was severed from them For although Predestination and
last giving him leave to look about him and to discerne the dangers which did seeme to threaten him on the other side considering therefore with himselfe or being informed by tale of the Bishop and Divines as were then about him how great an adversary was Calvinius to Monarchicall interesse how contrary the Predestination doctrines were to all rules of Government he found it neeessary to devise or admit some course of the preventing of the mischiefe To which end he issued certain directions to the vice Chancellor and Heads of both Universities bearing date January 18. 1619. Requiring them to take speciall order among other things that all that tooke any degree in the ' Schooles should subscribe to the three Articles in the thirty sixt Canon that no man in the Pulpit or Schooles be sufferred to maintaine Dogmatically any point of doctrine that is not allowed by the Church of England that none be suffered to preach or lecture in the Towns of Oxon. or Cambridge but such as were every way conformable to the Church both in doctrine and discipline and finally which most apparently conduced to the ruine of Calvinism that young Students in divinity be directed to study such books as be most agreeable in doctrine and discipline to the Church of England and excited to bestow their time in the Fathers and Councels Schoolmen Histories and Controversies and not to insist too long upon Compendiums and abbreviations making them the grounds of their study in divinity ' This seemed sufficient to bruse these doctrines in the shel as indeed it was had these directions been as carefully followed as they were piously prescribed But little or nothing being done in pursuance of them the Predestinarian doctrines came to be the ordinary Theam of all Sermons Lectures and Disputations partly in regard that Dr. Prideaux who had then newly succeeded Dr. Rob. Abbot in the chair at Oxon. had very passionately exposed the Calvinian Interest and partly in regard of the Kings declared averseness from the Belgick Remonstrants whom for the reasons before mentioned he laboured to suppress to his utmost power And yet being carefull that the truth should not fair the worse for the men that taught it he gave command to such Divines as were commissionated by him to attend in the Synod of Dort Anno 1618. not to recede from the doctrine of the Church of England in the point of universal Redemption by the death of Christ A point so inconsistent with that of the Absolute and irrespective decree of Reprobation and generally of the whole Machina of Predestination and the points depending thereupon as they are commonly maintained in the Schools of Calvin that fire and water cannot be at greater difference But this together with the rest being condemned in the Synod of Dort and that Synod highly magnified by the English Calvinists they took confidence of making those disputes the Subject of their common discourses both from the Pulpit and press without stint or measure And thereupon it pleased his Majesty having now no further fear of any dangers from beyond the seas to put some water into their wine or rather a Bridle into their mouths by publishing certain orders and directions touching Preachers and preaching bearing date on the 4. of August 1622. In which it was enjoyned amongst other things ' That no Preacher of what Title soever under the degree of a Bishop or Dean at least do from hence forth presume to teach in any popular Auditory the deep points of Predestination Election Reprobation or of the Universality Efficacity Resistability or Irresistability of Gods Grace but rather leave those Theames to be handled by learned men and that modestly and moderately by use and application rather then by way of positive Doctrine as being fitter for Schools and Vniversities then for simple Auditors ' The violating of which order by Mr. Gabriel Bridges of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxon. by preaching on the 19th of Ianuary then next following against the absolute decree in maintenance of universal Grace and the co-operation of mans free will prevented by it though in the publick Church of the Vniversity laid him more open to the prosecution of Dr. Prideaux and to the censure of the Vice-Chancelor and the rest of the Heads then any preaching on those points or any of them could possibly have done at another time 11. Much was the noise which those of the Calvinian party were observed to make on the publishing of this last order as if their mouths were stopped thereby from preaching the most necessary Doctrines tending towards mans salvation But a far greater noise was raised upon the coming out of Montagues answer to the Gagger in which he asserted the Church to her primitive and genuine Doctrines disclaimed all the Calvinian Tenents as dis-owned by her and left them to be countenanced and maintained by those to whom they properly belonged Which book being published at a time when a Session of Parliament was expected in the year 1624. The opportunity was taken by Mr. Yates and Mr. Ward two of the Lecturers or Preachers of Ipswich to prepare an Information against him with an intent to prosecute the same in the following Session A Copy whereof being come into Mountagues hands he flies for shelter to King James who had a very great estimation of him for his parts and learning in which he had over-mastred they then though much less Selden at his own Philologie The King had already served his own turn against the Remonstrants by the Synod of Dort and thereby freed the Prince of Orange his most dear Confederate from the danger of Barnwell and his faction Arch-Bishop Abbot came not at him since the late deplorable misfortune which befell him at Branzil and the death of Dr. James Mountague Bishop of Winton left him at liberty from many importunities and sollicitations with which before he had been troubled so that being now master of himself and governed by the light of his own most clear and exellent Judgement he took both Montague and his Doctrines into his Protection gave him a full discharge or quietus est from all those Calumnies of Popery or Arminianism which by the said Informers were laid upon him incouraged him to procecd in finishing his just Appeal which he was in hand with commanded Dr. Francis White then lately preferred by him to the Deanry of Carlisle and generally magnified not long before for his zeal against Popery to see it licensed for the Press and finally gave order unto Mountague to dedicate the book when printed to his Royal self In obedience unto whose Command the Dean of Carlisle licensed the book with this approbation That there was nothing contained in the samo but what was agreeable to the publick Faith Doctrine and Discipline established in the Church of England But King James dying before the book was fully finished at the Press it was published by the name of Appello Cesarem and dedicated to King
Charls as the son and Successor to whom it properly belonged the Author touching in the Epistle Dedicatory all the former passages but more at large then they are here discoursed of in this short Summary 12. And thus far have we prosecuted our discourse concerning the five points disputed between the English Protestants the Belgick Remonstrants the Melancthonian Lutherans together with the Jesuites and Franciscans on the one side the English Calvinists the Contra-Remonstrants the Rigid Lutherans and the Dominican Friers on the other side In the last part whereof we may observe how difficult a thing it is to recover an old doctrinal Truth when overborn and almost lost by the continual Prevalency of a Busie faction And I have carried it on no further because at this time Bishop Laud to whom the raising and promoting of the Arminian Doctrines as they call them is of late ascribed was hardly able to promote or preserve himself opprest with a heard hand by Arch-Bishop Abbot secretly traduced unto the King for the unfortunate business of the Earl of Devonshire attaining with great difficulty to the poor Bishop-prick of St. Davids after ten years service and yet but green in savour with the Duke of Buchingham What happened afterwards towards the countenancing of these Doctrines by the appearing of King Charls in the behalf of Mountague the letter of the three Bishops to the Duke in defence of the man and his opinion his questioning and impeachment by the House of Commons and his preferment by the King to the See of Chichester are all of them beyond the bounds which I have prescribed unto my self in this Narration Nor shall I now take notice of his Majesties Proclamation of the 14. of June Anno 1626. For establishing the peace and quiet of the Church of England by which he interdicted all such preaching and printing as might create any fresh Disturbance to the Church of England or for his smart Answer to the part of the Remonstrance of the house of Commons Anno 1628. which concerned the danger like to fall on this Church and Kingdom by the grouth of Arminianism or of the Declaration prefixed before the book of Articles in the same year also for silencing the said Disputes or finally of his Majesties Instructions bearing date Decemb. 30. 1629. for causing the Contents of the Declaration to be put in execution and punctually observed for the time to come By means whereof and many fair encouragements from many of our Prelates and other great men of the Realm the Anti-Calvinist party became considerable both for power and number FINIS A POSTSCRIPT To the READER Concerning some particulars in a scurrulous Pamphlet intituled A Review of the Certamen Epistolare c. PRimâ dicta mihi summâ dicenda camaenâ with thee good Reader I began and with thee I must end I gave thee notice in the Preface of a scurrilous Libel the Author whereof had disgorged his foul stomack on me and seemed to Glory in the shame But whither this Authour be a Cerberus with three heads or a Smertginnuus with fire or but a single Shimi only for it is differently reported is all one to me who am as little troubled with the noise of Billings-gate as the cry of an Oyster-wife It is my confidence that none of the dirt which he most shamefully confesseth himself to have thrown in my face will be found upon it notwithstanding that necesse est ut aliquid haereat may be sometimes true Omitting therefore the consideration of his many Obscaenities which every where are intermingled for the floures of his Rhetorick I cannot but do my self so much justice as to satisfie the Reader in the truth of some things which otherwise may be beleeved to my disadvantage I am content to suffer under as much obloquie as any foule mouthed Presbyterian can spit upon me but I am not willing to be thought a slanderer a profane person or ungrateful for the smallest favours all which the Authour of that scurrulous pamphlet hath imposed upon me In the first place it is much laboured to make me guilty of ingratitude and disaffection to Magd. Coll. of which I had the honour to be once a member and do retain so high an estimation of it that whensoever I shall write or speak any thing to the reproach of that foundation let my tongue cleave unto the roof of my mouth and my right hand forget its cunning But I am able to distinguish between the duty I owe to the House it selfe and that which every member of it is to challenge from me quid civitati quid civibus debeam in the Orators Criticisme And therefore I would not have the Libeller or his partners think that his or their taking Sanctuary under the name of Magdalen Colledge shall so far priviledge them in their actings either against the Church in general or my own particular but that I shall as boldly venture to attacque them there without fear of sacriledge as Joab was smitten by Benaiah at the hornes of the Altar But the best is that I am made to have some ground for my disaffection though there be no lesse falsehood in the fundamentals then the superstructure And a fine tale is told of some endeavours by me used for bringing one of my own brood into that foundation the failing of which hopes must of necessity occasion such an undervaluing of that Colledge as to change it from a nest of Sparrows to a nest of Cuckoes But the truth is that the party for whom I was a suitor was so farre from being one of my own brood as not to be within the compasse of my Relations so much a stranger to my blood that he was no otherwise endeared unto me then by the extraordinary opinion which I had of his parts and industry And therefore I commended him no further unto Doctor Goodwin then that it was not my desire to have him chosen if any abler Schollar should appeare for the place And it was well for the young man that I sped no better Periisset nisi Periisset as we knowe who said For within lesse then two years after he was elected into the Society of Merton Colledge to their great honour be it spoken upon no other commendation then his owne abilities In the next place I am made a slanderer for saying that the new Sabbath speculations of Doctor Bound and his adherents had beene embraced more passionately of late then any one Article of Religion here by Law established How so Because saith he or they 't is no matter which it is well known that they do more passionately embrace the great truths of Christs Divinity and the Divine Authority of Scripture c. then any opinion about the Sabbath What may be meant by the c. it is hard to say perhaps the Presbyterian Discipline or the Calvinian Doctrines of Predestination the two deare Helena's of the Sects as sacred and inviolable in their estimation as any
Clergy do believe of Predestination that we be elect in respect of our good works and so long elected as we do them and no longer Yet thou cannot deny but that you are at a jar amongst your selves in the Kings Bench and it is so throughout all your Congregation for you will not be a Church No Master Doctor that is not so there is a thousand times more variety of opinions amongst your Doctors which you call of the Catholick Church yea and that in the Sacrament for the which there is so much blood shed now adayes I meane of your later Doctors and new Writers as for the old they agree wholly with us 3. Now in this conference or examination there are divers things to be considered For first I consider Carelese as a man unlettered and not so thoroughly grounded in the constitution of the Church of England as not to entertaine some thoughts to which the doctrine of this Church could afford no countenance Amongst which I reckon that strong confidence which he had of his own salvation and of the final perseverance of all those who are the chosen members of the Church of Christ which was not taught him by the Church and could not be obtained in any ordinary way by the light of that doctrine which then shined forth unto the people Secondly I consider him as one so far instructed in the knowledge of Predestination as to lay the foundation of it on Gods great mercy and infinite goodnesse in Christ Jesus which plainly crosseth with the new Gospellers of those times who found the same upon his absolute will and pleasure without relation to Christs sufferings for us or our faith in him Thirdly I consider that the Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption by the death of Christ and the effectuality thereof to the sons of men was then so generally received and taught in the Reformed Church of England as not to be known to Artificers Tradesmen and Mechanicks and that they were so well instructed in the nicities of it as to believe that though Christ died effectually for all yet the benefit thereof should be effectually applied to none but those who do effectually repent Fourthly I consider that if the Popish Clergy of those times did believe no otherwise of Predestination then that men be elected in respect of good works and so long elected as they do them and no longer as Carelese hath reported of them the Doctrine of the Church hath been somewhat altered since those times there being now no such Doctrine taught in the Schooles of Rome as that a man continues no longer in the state of Election then whilest he is exercised in good works And finally I consider the unfortunate estate of those who living under no certaine rule of Doctrine or Discipline lie open to the practices of cunning and malicious men by whom they are many times drawn aside from the true Religion For witnesses whereof we have Trew and Carelese above mentioned the one being wrought on by the Papists the other endangered by the Gospellers or Zuinglian Sectaries For that Carelese had been tampered with by the Gospellers or Zuinglian Sectaries doth appear most clearly first by the confidence which he had of his own salvation and of the final perseverance of all others also which are the chosen members of the Church of Christ and secondly but more especially for giving the scornful title of a Free-will man to one of his fellow prisoners who was it seemes of different perswasion from him For which consult his letter to Henry Adlington in the Act. Mon. Fol. 1749. which happened unto him as to many others When that Doctrine of the Church wanted the countenance of Law and the Doctors of the Church here scattered and dispersed abroad not being able to assist them In which condition the affaires of the holy Church remained till the beginning of the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth and for some yeares after 4. But no sooner had that gracious Lady attained the Crown when she took order for the reviewing of the publick Liturgie formerly Authorized by Act of Parliament in the fifth and sixth years of King Edward the sixth The men appointed for which work were Dr. Parker after Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Dr. Grindall after Bishop of London Dr. Pilkington after Bishop of Durham Dr. Cox after Bishop of Elie Dr. May Deane of Pauls Dr. Bill Provost of Eaton after Deane of Westminister Mr. Whitehead sometimes Chaplaine to Queen Anne Bullen designed to be the first Arch-Bishop of this new plantation and finally Sir Thomas Smyth a man of great esteeme with King Edward the sixth and the Queen now Reigning By these men were the Liturgie reviewed approved and passed without any sensible alteration in any of the Rubricks Prayers and Contents thereof but only the giving of some contentment to the Papists and all moderate Protestants in two particulars the first whereof was the taking away of a clause in the Letany in which the people had been taught to pray to Almighty God to deliver them from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities The second was the adding of the sentences in the distribution of the Sacrament viz. The Body of our Lord Jesus which was given for them preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee c. which sentences exclusive of the now following words of participation as they were onely in the first so were they totally left out of the second Liturgie of King Edward the sixth Other alterations I finde none mentioned in the Act of Parliament 1. Eliz. â— 2. but the appointing of certain Lessons for every Sunday in the year which made no change at all in the publick Doctrine before contained in that Book and that the people might be the better trained up in the same Religion which had been taught and preacht unto them in the time of King Edward the sixth She gave command by her Injunctions published in the first year of her Reign An. 1559. that the Paraphrases of Erasmus should be diligently studied both by Priest and people And to that end it was required as formerly in the Injunctions of the said King Edward 1. That the Paraphrases of the said Erasmus and on the Gospel in the English tongue should be provided at the joynt charges of the Parson and Parishoners and being so provided should be set up in some convenient place of every Church so as the Parishioners may most commodiously resort unto the same and read the same out of the time of common service And secondly that every Parson Vicar Curate and Stipendary Priest shall provide and have of his own within the time therein limited the New Testament in Latine and English with the Paraphrases on the same conferring the one with the other And the Bishops by themselves and other Ordinaries and their Officers in Synods and Visitations shall examine
the said Ecclesiastical Priests how they have profited in the study of holy Scripture Evident Arguments that there was no intent of setling any other Doctrine in the Church of England then such as was agreeable to the Judgement of that Learned man 5. The next care was for making and perfecting those Homilies of which we finde mention at the end of King Edwards Book for the necessary edifying of Christian people and the increase of godly living both Books sufficiently provided for besides the confirmation of that first Article of the year 1552. in the Rubrick of the second Liturgie where it is said that after the Creed if there be no Sermon shall follow one of the Homilies already set forth or to be set forth by common authority which Rubrick being revised with the rest of the Liturgie put the said books of Homilies as well the second as first part of them into the service of the Church and thereby made them no small part of the publick doctrine But who they were which laboured in this second Book whither they were the same that drew up the first or those who in Queen Elizab. time reviewed the Liturgie or whether they were made by the one and reviewed by the other I have no where found though I have taken no small paines in the search thereof But those few doctrinals which were contained in the Book of Common Prayer or deducible from it not being much took notice of and the Homilies not confirm'd by that common Authority which was required in the Rubrick the Zuinglians or Gospellers took the opportunity to disperse their doctrines before the door of utterance should be shut against them or any publick course be taken to suppress their practices And this they did with so much diligence and cunning that they encreased exceedingly both in power and numbers of which more hereafter Notice whereof being took of those which were of most Authority in the Government of the Church it was thought necessary for the preventing of the mischief which might thence insue that the Articles of Religion published in King Edwards time 1552. should be brought under a Review accommodated to the use of the Church and made to be the standing Rule by which all persons were to regulate and confirm their Doctrines 6. And to this end a Convocation was assembled on the 13. of January An. 1562. which continued tâ—â—â— the 14. day of April the main business which was acted in it being the canvasing and debating of the Articles of King Edwards Book and passing them in the forme and manner in which now they stand which business as they took first into consideration on the 19. of January and diligently prosecuted from day to day by the Bishops and Clergie in their several houses they came to an agreement on the 29. of the same moneth on which the said Articles were publickly recited generally approved and subscribed by the greatest part of the Clergy which were then assembled And being so subscribed presented to the Queen and ratified by her Royal Authority were forthwith published to the same end for which they were made that is to say For the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the stablishing of consent touching true Religion as in the title is declared In the composing of which Book though a clause was added to the twentieth Article and another taken from the third though some Articles of King Edwards were totally omitted and some new made as that amongst the rest for confirmation of the second Book of Homilies which were not in the Book before yet the the five Articles touching the Doctrine of the Church in the points disputed as they stand in the eight Chapter of this Book were left in that same state in which they found them And being left in the same state in which they found them were to be taken in the same sense in which they had been understood at the first making of them according to such illustrations as occur in the Book of Common Prayer such Explanations as are found in the Book of Homilies and the judgement of those learned men and godly Martyrs which had a principal hand in the Reformation so that the Articles being the same as to these particulars the paraphrases of Erasmus state the same the publick Liturgie and the first Book of Homilies in all points the same and the second book of Homilies agreeing exactly with the first in the present controversies as appears by the three first Sections of the seventh Chapter of this Book and that which follows in the next there is no question to be made but that the doctrine was the same in the said five points which had been publickly allowed of in the time of King Edward 7. But against this it may be said that one of the material Articles of King Edwards book in reference to the points disputed was totally left out of this and therefore that there was some alteration of the Churches judgement as to the sense and meaning of the present Articles which Article being the tenth in number as it stands in that Book is there delivered in these words viz. Gratia Christi seu spiritus sanctus qui per eundem datur c. ' The grace of Christ or the holy Ghost which is given by him doth take from man the heart of stone and giveth him a heart of flesh And though by the influences thereof it rendreth us willing to do those good works which before we were unwilling to do and unwilling to do those evil works which before we did voluntati tamen nullam violentiam infert yet is no violence offered by it to the will of man nor can any man when he hath sinned excuse himself quasi nolens aut coactus peccaverit as if he had sinned against his will or upon constraint and therefore that he ought not to be accused or condemned upon that account ' For answer whereunto it may first be said that the Composers of that Book thought it not fit to clog it with any unnecessary points in which the peace and safty of the Church seemeth not much concerned and therefore as they left out the present Article so they omitted the sixteenth touching the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost together with the foure last of King Edwards Book touching the General resurrection the stare of mens souls after death the Doctrine of the Millinaries and of a general salvation to be given to the wicked also after they had endured the paines of hell for a certain time Secondly they considered that the doctrine of mans free Co-operation with the grace of God had been sufficiently expressed and provided for by the tenth Article of this Book and the ninth of which illustrated by divers passages in the publick Liturgie accommodated and applied to the most encrease of piety in the Book of Homilies therefore that there was no great need to contend about it or to retain it in the Book And somewhat