which must needes be accompanied with the very wrath and curse of God because it nullifies his fauour and disauowes his grace hath crept into them It is but a bridge an vsher vnto Popery and all Popish Ceremonies which winde themselues into our Church apace if Parliament complaints prooue true by their Arminian Agents as some new erected Altars Images Tapers and late vsurped Altar-adorations with the reuolt of sundry Arminians vnto Popery doe experimentally testifie O therefore as we tender the peace and safety of our Church and State the supportation soueraignty or aduancement of Gods Grace the peace the comfort or saluation of our endeared soules the perpetuity and perennious preseruation of our graces or the prosperity and happinesse of our declining Nation As wee desire the subuersion of the Pâ—pall or Spanish Monarchy the defeatment of all Iesuiticall combinations against our Church or State the ouerthrow and extirpation of Popery the continuance safety growth and flourishing of our precious Protestant Religion which Arminianisme and Popery vndermine almost as fast at home as Popish Policies or Spanish Forces doe abroad let vs now at 〈◊〉 lay downe these grosse Arminian Errors which haue constantly beene brandid censured and condemned by all the Euidences yea Writers of our Church embracing from and with our hearts and iudgements these Orthodox sweet and gracious Anti-Arminian Dogmaticall Conclusions heere recorded wherein our happinesse comfort and saluation rest as the ancient established professed and vndoubted Doctrines of our Church as this whole Antithesis infallibly prooues them that so our Church and Kingdome which being diuided against themselues by these distracting opinions and other ciuill dissentions cannot stand may once more flourish in these declining turbulent and perplexing dayes and repossesse that former vnitie safety honour peace and glory which wee all desire Wee all know in what dangerous and fickle times wee liue We see the generall desolations and lamentable ouertures of Gods Church abroade Wee see Religion sincking Grace decaying Popery triumphing Arminianisme spreading Heresies and new Errors springing and getting head in euery corner We see Nation rising vp against Nation Kingdome against Kingdome Church against Church yea we may behold one Church one state one People one House yea the Members of one and the selfe same Body diuided against it selfe Looke we vpon all the Christian World abroad vpon our selues at home wee can behold nought else but the fatall Symptomes and dismall Characters of an almost ineuitable and neere-approaching confusion O therefore let vs now cast Anchor and take Sanctuary in Heauen Let vs draw neere and sticke fast vnto our God let vs cleaue inseparably to these Anti-Arminian Conclusions and Doctrines of our Church which will be our onely cordialls our all sufficient contentment our best security support and comfort in the midst of all the ruines calamities and miserable perplexities which befall the World If our Religion be but safe our Church our State our Goods our Liberties our very soules and bodies all we haue are then secure if we hold but this all else is sure if we part with this then farewel all let vs neuer expect one halcion happy day or houre more Whiles Religion flourished and grew great among vs wee were then the head of Nations the dread the honour the mirrour and paradise of the World since the Tares of Popery and Arminianisme haue sprung vp within our Church since we haue halted and declined in our Faith wee haue beene the very obloquie scorne derision and taile of all our neighbour nations Plagues haue deuoured Diuisions weakned discontents decay of Trade with sundry other grieuances impouerished vs at home Enemies tempests vnskilfulnesse and ouer-reaching Policies consumed defeated and dishonoured vs by Sea by Land abroad All our counsels haue beene infatuated our designes frustrated our hopes dashed our prayers vnanswered our Parliaments broaken vp in discontent the curse and vengeance of God hath clinged close vnto vs to our great destruction and for all this we see we finde we feele and I pray God wee may be truely sensible of it ere it bee too late Gods anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still against vs because wee reuolt from him and our long-professed and established Religion more and more Let vs therefore now at last remember whence we are falne and doe our first workes Let vs hold fast our first professed Religion constant to the ende VVe were borne we were baptized bred and nursed in it we haue growne vp safely wee haue prospered happily vnder it we haue hitherto liued in it by it Let vs now die in it yea with it for it if God calls vs to it lest we all suddenly perish consume and die eternally without it because we haue thus backe-slided from it Farewell The true endeauourer of Religions safety and our Churches Vnitie WILLIAM PRYNNE Anti-Arminianisme OR THE CHVRCH OF Englands old Antithesis to new ARMINIANISME IT is the aduice and counsell of an Ancient Father for the suppression of such Haeresies or vpstart Errors which seeke to shrowde themselues vnder the fraudulent couert of wrested and mis-applied Scriptures to examine them by to encounter them with the opinions and vnanimous resolutions of those Ancient godly Fathers who haue either dyed in Christ or suffered for Christ that so they may bee manifestly discouered without ambiguity and finally condemned without reuocation or reuiewe This Fatherly and graue Aduice of his I haue made choice to follow in the discouery both of the nouelty and falsenesse of those Arminian Tenents which would willingly harbour themselues vnder the roofe and Patronage of the Church of England whose Doctrines they of late praetend they are The issue which the Arminians and Anti-Arminians if I may so stile them are now come to ioyne and on which they must receiue their final doome is onely this Whether the Arminian or Anti-Arminian Positions be the receiued and vndoubted Doctrines of the Church of England The onely Euidences and Grand-Iury-men to try this Issue are the Articles Homilies Common-prayer Booke and the authorized Writings of all the Learned Orthodox Writers of the Church of England from the beginning of Reformation to this present If all these suffragate or passe their Verdict for the Arminians and their erronious Assertions let iudgement then be openly pronounced for them we will foorth with yeeld vp to them without any more dispute both cause and right at once But if all or either of these giue euidence against them as in truth they doe If they all yeeld vp a ioynt vnanimous verdict for Anti-Arminians and their authentique Positions I hope they shall then receiue not only a speedy and finall iudgement on their side which no subsequent Reuiew nor writ of Error shall hencefoorth reuerse but likewise a Parliamentary Decree to establish them in their ancient and long-continued peaceable possession without disturbance for all future times For triall of this waighty
3 There is a pre-determined and certaine number of the Predestinate which can neither be augmented nor diminished 4 Qui non sunt Praedestinati ad Salutem necessario propter peccata sua damnabuntur 4 Those who are not Predestinated to Saluation shall be necessarily Damned for their sinnes 5 Vera viva iustificans Fides Spiritus Dei iustificantis non extinguitur non excidit non euanescit in Electis aut finaliter aut totaliter 5 A true liuing and iustifying Faith and the Spirit of God iustifying is not extinguished it falleth not away it vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally 6 Homo vere Fidelis id est Fide iustificante praeditus certus est plerophoria Fider de Remissione peccatorum suorum salute sempiterna sua per Christum 6 A man truely Faithfull that is such â—one who is endued with a iustifying Faith is certaine with the full assurance of Faith of the Remission of his Sinnes and of his Euerlasting Saluation by Christ. 7 Gratia salutaris non tribuitur non communicatur non conceditur vniuersis hominibus qua seruari possint si velint 7 Sauing grace is not giuen is not Communicated is not granted to all men by which they may be saued if they will 8 Nemo potest venire ad Christum nisi datum ei fuerit nisi Pater eum traxerit omnes homines non trahuntur a Patre vt veniant ad Filium 8 No man can come vnto Christ vnlesse it shall be giuen vnto him and vnlesse the Father shall draw him and all men are not drawn by the Father that they may come to the Sonne 9 Non est poâ—itum in arbitrio aut poâ—estate vniuscâ—iusque hominis servari It is not in the Will or Power of euery one to be saued These Articles of Lambheth how euer some may chance to slight them as the Resolutions of some priuate mâ—n yet they were vnanimously composed and approued by both our Right Reuerend and Learned Archbishops Whitgift and Huâ—ton by the Bishops of London and Bangor and by sundry other of our most eminent Diuines and that not rashly or vnadvisedly but vpon serious debate and mature deliberation and being afterwards sent to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge for the allaying of some Arminian Controuersies there raysed by master Barret whose publique Recantation I haue heere inserted and abetted by one Peter Baro a Frenchman Lady Margarets Professor in that Vniuersitie they were there receiued with such an vnanimous approbation of the whole Vniuersitie that those Arminian Tenents were foorthwith abandoned and Baro forced to forsake his place since whose departure to this present the Diuinitie Professors of this our Famous Vniuersitie haue constantly adhered to these Conclusions as the vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England What respect the Reformed Churches abroad haue giuen to these Articles or Assertions Let famous Thysius who hath twice published them Hardrouici 1613. and quoted the Fathers to them together with learned Bogerman President of the late famous Synod of Dort in his 107. and 108. Notes vpon the second part of Grotius Franâ—keâ—â— 1614. p. 183. 184. testifie who both recite and repute them as the receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England What approbation they haue had with vs at home their vnanimous approbation by the Vniuersitie of Cambridge at first their insertion into the Articles of Ireland agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergie of Ireland in their Conuocation holâ—en at Dublin 1615. where all or most of them are recited verbatim as any man may see that will compare them The mentioning of them in the Conference at Hampton Court where his Maiestie of blessed memory was moued to insert them into the Bookâ— of Articles and vnderstanding not what these Assertions of Lambheth were was informed that by reason of some Controuersies arising in Cambridge about certaine points of Diuinitie my Lords Grace of Canterbury assembled some Diuines of especiall note to set downe their opinions which they drew into nine Assertions and so sent them vnto the Vniuersitie for the appeasing of those quarrels Their honourable recitall by the late Reuerend and learned Bishop of Chichester Doctor Carlton in his Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale Edition 2. cap. 2. pag. 8. 9. 10. By learned Doctor Benefield De Perâ—euerantia Sanctorum lib. 1. cap. 15. p. 162. to 167. By Maâ—â—er Francis Rouse in his Doctrine of King Iames p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Iohn Browne in his Appendix to the Life of Queene Elizabeth where they are likewise Printeâ— By Mr. Thomas Vicars in his Pusillies Grex Oxoâ—iae 1627 p. 31. By Abdias Asheton in Vita Gulielmi Whitakeri Cantabrigiae 1599. p. 43. who all repute and deeme them the Orthodox and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England All these recited Euidences I say doe abundantly confirme the truth the honour and Orthodox Authority of these Articles or Assertions which were neuer yet impeached by any Orthodox English Diuine as different from oâ—â— 39. Articles or varying from the receiued Doctrines of our Church And therfore especially since the Articles of Ireland thus approue them we may safely embrace them as the vndoubted and anciently receiued Doctrines of our English Church Articles of Religion agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the rest of the Cleargie of Ireland in the Conuocation holden at Dublin in the yeere of our Lord God 1615. 11 GOd from all eternitie did by his vnchangeable counsell ordaine whatsoeuer in time should come to passe Yet so as thereby no violence is offred to the wills of the reasonable creatures and neither the libertie nor the contingencie of the second causes is taken away but established rather 12 By the same eternall counsell God hath predestinated some vnto life and reprobated some vnto death of both which there is a certaine number knowen only to God which can neither be increased nor diminished 13 Predestination to life is the euerlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were layed he hath constantly decreed in his secret counsell to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ vnto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honor 14 The cause mouing God to predestinate vnto life is not the foreseeing of faith or perseuerance or good workes or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but onely the good pleasure of God himselfe For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appeare both in the works of his Mercy and of his Iustice It seemed good to his heauenly wisedomee to choose out a certaine number towards whom he would extend his vndeserued mercy leauing the rest to be spectacles of his iustice 15 Such as are predestinated vnto life be called according vnto Gods purpose his spirit
those of these contradictorie Arminian and Anti-Arminian Assertions which are most consonant to least variant from and best warranted or confirmed by the Articles of England Lambheht and Ireland the Common-Prayer Booke and Homelies of our Church and the Cathechismes and-Recantation fote-recited must needs be the receiued established and professed Doctrine of our English Church 2 Secondly that those and those onely of the here-recorded iarring Positions which were are at first commended and transmitted to our infant Church by our religious and learned Martyrs in the dayes of Henry the VIII who then subscribed them with their hands and Sealed them with their owne blood which were afterward taught and planted in the grouth and reformation of our Church by our learned and eminent Diuinity Professors in the flourishing and religious Raigne of King Edward the VI. which were watered with the fruitfull showers of our blessed Martyrs blood in the fire and fagot-regiment of Queeneâ— Mary through the malice and cruelty of blood-sucking soule-staruing and non-preaching Prelates and haue euer since growne vp and flourished in our spredding Church in the peaceable and happy Raignes of Queene Elizabeth and King Iames of blessed memorie being alwayes publikely constantly vnanimously professedly and vncontrolablie entertained in both our famous Vniuersittes taught in our Diuinitie Schooles iustified in our Academicall Disputes preached in our Pulpits maintained propagated and recorded to posteritie as the vndoubted Doctrine of our Church not by some one or two vnorthodox ambitious time-seruing nouellizing Sycophanticall or romanized Diuines who know no other passage to their owne secure vp-rising but by religions downefall which they enterprise but by the streame current of all our Classicall orthodox eminent approued Writers from the beginning of Reformation to this present must needs be the hereditarie legitimate authorized established and professed Doctrine of the Church of England and the vndoubted truth 3 Thirdly that such of those Tenents now in issue which haue beene constantly oppugned refelled and disclaimed yea positiuely condemnedâ— by all the fore-alledged Articles Common-prayer Booke Homelies Cathechismes Recantation and by all the learned and approued orthodox Authors which our Church hath nourished and produced from her first reformation to this instant cannot bee deemed or adiudged the ancient embraced resolued or vndoubted Doctrine of our English Church These three infallible rules of tryall being thus praemised if I can now but proue that the Articles of England Lambheth and Ireland the Common-prayer Booke and Homelie of our Church the authorized Cathechisme of Edward the VI. the recantation of Barret c. together with our renowned Martyrs Vniuersities Diuinitie Schooles and Professors and the whole succession and series of all our orthodox and approued Writers from the inchoation of reformation to this present haue alwayes constantly professedly and in direct and positiue tearmes maintained iustified and patronized these seuen Anti-Arminian Positions here recorded oppugning reiecting and manifestly condemning the seuen opposite Arminian Tenents as Pelagian Popish erronious and euidently repugnant to the Scriptures and dogmaticall Resolutions of out Church it mâ—st then be forthwith yeelded to me and adiudged foâ— me That these Anti-Arminian not their ad uerse Arminian Assertions are the ancient approued resolued established and professed Doctrine of the Church of England And this by the helpe of God I come now to proue For the first of these Anti-Arminian Positions concerning the aeternity and immutability of Election and Reprobation the vnalterable praecise certaine number both of the Elect the only true Church of Christ and Reprobate in regard of Gods fore-knowledge and Decree and the Election of certaine particular persons not of all beleeuers nor yet generally of all men in the grosse It is directly positiuely and plainely taught confirmed and warranted by the fore-aledged 17. Article of our Church by the Articles of Lambheth Article 1. 3. by the Articles of Ireland Articles 12. 13. 14. 15. by the Booke of Common prayer established by Act of Parliament in our Church Proposition first figure 1. signifying the first of these Anti-Arminian Propositions to which it hath relation by the approued and setled Homelies of our Church figures 1. throughout their seuerall passages here recorded by the Cathechismes of King Edward the VI. figures 1. by Barrets Recantation and the synod of Dort Arti. 1. 2. which are punctuall in it Adde wee to these publicke irrefragable and binding Records the expresse concurrent suffrages of three of our eminent and learned Martyrs whom laborious and studious Master Fox in his Praeface to their workes printed together at London 1563. by Iohn Day which Edition I here follow hath truely stiled the cheife Ring-leaders of the Church of England to wit Master William Tyndale in his Paraeble of the wicked Mommon page 70. 77. 80. In his Answere to Master Moores Dialogue page 250. 257. 268. 290. 292. In his Answere to Master Moores second Booke cap. 3. 4. pa. 293. 294. Answere to his third Booke page 306. 307. Answere to his fourth Booke cap. 10. page 329. and in his Pathway into the holy Scriptures page 380. Master Iohn Frith in his Answere vnto Rastals Dialogue page 10. in his Declaration of Baptisme page 92. 93. and Master Doctor Barnes what the Church is page 248. That Freewill of her owne strength can doe nothing but sinne page 227. 278. 279. Who maintained this Assertion in these workes of theirs and confirmed it with their blood in the dayes of Henry the VIII oppugning and condemning the contrary Descend wee vnto Edward the VI. his pious Raigâ—e here wee shall finde that learned Doctor Peter Martyr a man so eminent and famous in his age that hee was chosen and setled Diuinity Pâ—ofessor in the famous Vniuersity of Oxford my much honored Mother both by the King and State who sent for him from beyond the seas to this very purpose abundantly confirming this truth and for all its fellow Positions and copiously refuting the opposite Assertions in his laborious and learned Commentarie on the Romanes cap. 9. being nothing else as himselfe professeth in his Epistle Dedicatorie but the pâ—blicke Lectures which he read in the Vniuersitie of Oxford whiles hee was there Professor Tiguri 1559. pag 682. to 740. and in his Loci Communes Classis 3. cap. 1. sect 10. to 40. Here we may meete with his learned and intire Friend and fellow Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge by the States especiall appointment Master Martin Bucer who concurred in all points of Doctrine with him without the least dissent maintaining this and â—ts associated Positions repugning all the contrary in his Commentarie on Rom. 8. 30. cap. 9. 11. to 23. cap. 11. 2. to 6. Dedicated to our Religious Martyr Archbishop Cranmer and in sundry other of his workes both of them planting this first and all its subsequent Anti-Arminian Conclusions in both our famous Vniuersities who together with the whole Church of England as
it is onely named in the English From this Recantation and the carriage of it it is cleerely euident That the Vniuersitie of Cambridge in those dayes did vndoubtedly beleeue and mainetaine the now Arminian Heresies of the finall and totall Apostasie of the Saints Of vncertainety of Saluation of Election from faith and Reprobation from sinne foreseene Of a personall not a reall difference betweene temporary and true sauing Faith the Points which Barret recanted to be not onely false and erronious but likewise manifestly repugnant to the Religion and Doctrine established and setled in the Church of England and to the 17. Article For so are the expresse words of the Order and Articles recorded in the Vniuersitie Register If they were thus euidently repugnant to them then I doubt not but they are so now at leastwise in all Cambridge mens repute who will not at leastwise should not so farre dishonor their renowned Mother as to degenerate from her ancient Orthodoxe and Dogmaticall Resolutions These are the more ancient publike Monuments and Euidences of our Church by which the subsequent Conclusions now in Issue must bee iudged The seuerall figures inserted into them and likewise placed in the Margent haue reference to the 7. Anti-Arminian Positions following the figure of 1 noting out such passages as punctually confirme the first the figure of 2 such clauses as euidently backe and proue the second of these Assertions and so euery figure successiuely answers to its proper Position If then all these Records which doe either Really containe or at leastwise euidently declare the ancient established and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England giue punctuall Euidence for these Conclusions oppugning the contrary Arminian Theses in terminis or substance as they doe this question will be then resolued and our succeeding Anti-Arminian Conclusions acknowledged the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church without any more debate Hauing thus at large recited the seuerall Grand-chartersâ— and more eminent Records and euidences which our Church affords for triall of this weightie cause I come now to apply them to the points in issue which I shall distinctely lay downe in this ensuing Antithesis Anti-Arminianisme THe Anti-Arminian orthodox Assertions now incontrouersie which I shall proue to be the ancient and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England contracte themselues into these 7. dogmaticall conclusions 1 That God from all eternity hath by his immutable purpose and Decree praedestinated vnto life not all but onely a selected number of particular men which can be neither augmented nor diminished commonly called the elect inuisible true Church of Christ others hath he eternally reprobated vnto death 2 That the only moâ—uing and efficient cause of Election and Praedestination vnto life is the meere good pleasure and grace of God not the coÌ„sideration of any â—ore-seene faith perseuerance good worâ—s good will good endeauours or any other quality or condition whatsoeuer in the persons elected 3 That though sinne be the only cause of damnation yet the sole and primarie cause of Reprobation or Non-election that is why God doth passe by this man rather then another why hee reiected Esau when he elected Iacob is the meere freewill and pleasure of God not the confideration or fore-sight of any actuall sin infidelity or finall impenitency in the persons reiected 4 That there is not any such Free-will or vniuersall or sufficient grace communicated vnto all men whereby they may repent beleeue or be saued if they wil themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died sufficiently for all men his death being of sufficient merit to redeeme saue them but primarily effectually for the Elect alone for whome alone hee hath actually and effectually obtained remission of sinnes and life aeternall 6 That the Elect doe alwayes constantly obey neither can they finally or totally resist the powerfull and effectuall call and working of Gods Spirit in the very act of their Conuersion neither is it in their owne power to conuert or not conuert themselues at that very time and instant when they are conuerted 7 That the Elect and truely regenerate who alone are iâ—â—ued with true iustifying and sauing faith doe constantly perseuere vnto the end and though they sometimes fall into grieuous sinnes yet they neuer fall finally nor totally from the habits seeds and state of grace Arminianisme THe whole erronious doctrine of Arminianisme which hath alwayes beene oppugned by the Church of England from the beginning of reformation to this present may be reduced to these 7. generall Propositions 1 That there is no absolute nor irreuocable but only a conditionaâ— and mutable Decree of Praedestination vnto life death and that not of particular persons but generally of all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers so that the number of the Elect and Reprobate is not so certaine but that it may be diminished or augmented 2 That the consideration and foresight of faith perseuerance good works and the right vse of grace receiued are praerequited conditions and efficient causes of Election or Praedestination vnto life not Gods free-grace and mercy onely without respect to these as to a cause 3 That the originall and proper cause of Reprobation that is of its Decree not of its execution is the consideration and foresight of infidelitie sin finall impenitency in the persons reiected not the meere Free-will and pleasure of God 4 That there is â—an vniuersal or sufficient grace deriued vpon all mâ—n since the fall of Adam by vertue of which they may repent beleeue and be saued if they will themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died alike primarily and effectually for all men whatsoeuer without any intent to saue any particular persons more then others be they reprobates or elect with a purpose to saue all men alike vpon condition of beleeuing which is suspended on their owne actuall power not on Christs actuall application of it to them by his Spirit 6 Thâ—t it is in the power of men either finally or totally to resist the inward call and effectuall working of Gods Spirit in their hearts in the very acte of their coÌ„uersion so that they may either withstand oâ— imbrace their conuersion at their pleasure 7 That true iustifying faith is neither a fruit of election nor yet proper vnto the Elect alone it being oft-times found in reprobates and that the very Elect by falling into sinne both may and doe fall finally and totally from the habits seeds and state of Grace These are the fundamentall and maine points of difference that are now in question and dispute among vs whether of these haue best right and title to the Church of England which of them are her anciently receiued approued established professed and vndoubted Doctrine is the onely issue that we are now to trie For the full and finall resolution of which grand yet doubtlesse Quaere I shall lay downe these three Conclusions which euery man must subscribe to First That
Recantation of Barret The Concurrent consent of all our Godly Learned Eminent and most admired Martyrs Writers and Diuinity Professors from the beginning of reformation to this present The Resolution and iudgement of both our famous Vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge yea the ancient and modern Churches of Ireland Scotland and England with all their orthodox and learned members giuing testimony too and iudgement for the one but disintitelling disauowing and sentencing the other which can finde no full no punctuall Euidence no competent indifferent orthodox compleat or absolute but only branded censured and recanting Witnesses which cut the very nerues and heart-strings of their cause to giue them any colorable title to any seeming right or interest in our Church Which then of these irreconcilable incompliable Assertions are the ancient receiued established and resolued Doctrines of our Church be yee the Iudges Certainely that which hath no full no pregnant Euidences no legall or vnattainted Witnesses to iustify or cleare its right or claime that which was altogether vnknowne and neuer heard off in our Church till now of late that which is yet in Quaere in further search and discouery and so not yet beleeued by its owne best studied Aduocates the case of rotten Pelagian Arminianisme can neuer be that which hath all these fore alleaged Charters and testimonies to strengthen and confirme its right the case and happy condition of Anti-Arminianisme must of necessity be the true the genuine and vndoubted Doctrine of our Church Let vs therefore now at last without any further scrutinie of debate exile this spurious and cursed Arminianisme which hath lately drawne the very curse and wrath of God with sundry fatall iudgements on vs out of our Church and state let vs once more adiudge sinke it to the very depths of Hell to which it was of old condemned as a most pernicious turbulent discomfortable desperate blasphemous and grace-oppugning Heresie and since England I meane Pelagius a Brittaine and a Monke of Bangor was the first that bred it let her be now the first to ruine it As for our Anti-Arminian Conclusions the ancient hereditarie and vnquestionable Doctrines of the Church of England and the chiefest treasure ioy and comfort of our soules without which all other comforts and contentments are vnpleasant let vs lodge them in our hearts in throne them in our soules settle them in our iudgements claspe them in our affections and so perpetuate and establish them in our Church that all the pollices and powers of Hell all the stratagems and powder-plots of Rome all the combinations and complotments of forraigne Enemies or domestique Traytors for such are all those Iesuited and Popish factors who goe about to innouate Religion or to withdraw vs from the doctrines now established in the Church of England as these Tenents are may neuer be able to vnsettle or draw them into question any more These Anti-Arminian Tenents they are the very ioy of our hearts the life of our soules the foundation of our eternall blisse the onely Euidences and Assurances that we haue to intitle vs to saluation if these once faulter or proue false our ioy our spirituall comfort the very grace and glory of God and our saluation are indangered if we come once to lose but these the whole ioy the treasure comfort crowne and happinesse of all true Christians yea the whole frame and structure of Gods grace and the mysteries of our saluation are vtterly subuerted and brought quite to ruine And shall we then forgoe these truthes which are farre more neare and deare vnto vs then our dearest soules when we haue thus long thus constantly thus abundantly professed them These these are the orthodox and sweete dogmaticall Resolutions which our Martyrs blood haue sealed our first Reformers of Religion setled our Ancestors embraced our Articâ—es confirmed our Vniuersities professed our Church beleeued our Ministers subscribed our Protestant Kings and Queenes defended our Preachers published our Laity receiued our Parliament particularly voted owned and protected our Writers propagated and professedly maintained against all Hereticall oppugners whatsoeuer which they would neuer haue done had they beene meere curious scoole-points nicities or needlesse speculations onely as some repute them and we our selues long since acknowledged yea readily entertained as our owne vndoubted and professed Doctrines and shall we then disclaime or doubt them now These are those blessed gracious and tutelary Doctrines which haue thus long guarded and secured both our Church and State These are the Bulwarks which haue a long time kept out Popery and Romish tyranny from that haue preserned peace and vnity in our Church which now is almost ouer-runne with Popery and Arminianisme with sundry Errors and Diuisions since these haue fallen to decay and lost their credit with vs. These were the truthes that secured vs from the Spanish Armado in 88â— from the barbarous vnnaturall and infernall Powder-treason in 1605. the very memory of which should make al Papists Priests Iesuits with their bloudy Anti-Christian Religion which now creepes in vpon vs for euer execrable to all English hearts These were the procurers of our ancient glory and renown of our prosperity and welfare our victories and triumphs both by Sea and Land these made vs honorable wealthy happy and victorious for 60. yeeres and vpward and we had yet no doubt continued such had we not of late reuolted from them and giuen harbor to those Popish those pestileÌ„t Arminian errors which haue wasted both our Church and state and plunged them into such a gulfe of sundry miseries as is like to swallow them vp at once vnles the power of heauen proue their rescue and shall we then begin to waiue them or forsake them now These are the immortall seed which did beget vs at first these the sincere milke that nourished vs these the strong meat that must corroborate vs these the celestiall cordialls which must comfort vs in all our deiections these the Ancre which must secure and hold vs vp from sinking in the middest of all our troubles these the Armor that must shield vs in all our spirituall combates yea these are the Doctrines which must beget and perfect grace within vs which must conuert and saue our soules In these were wee and ours borne in these haue we liued and if we euer hope for any grace or glory peace or safety any present or future happinesse oâ— prosperity for our selues or our posterities after vs in these let vs and oures liue and dye FINIS Leo Epistolarum Decretaâ—â—â—um Epist. 75. cap. 1. Nullus vltra sinâ—tur impetâ—re quâ— non tamhumanis quam diuinis sâ—nt statuta decretis ne vere digni sint Dei munus amittere qui de veritate â—ipsiâ—s ausi fuerint dubitare Gentle Reader I shall desire thee to correct these few materiall Errataes which by the improuidence of the Printer and Corrector haue escaped the Presse