Gospel which is the Second Article the Church of England doth teach Artic. Relig. 7. de Praedestinatione That we must Receive God's Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture where our Church doth signifie that the Promises of God in the Gospel do appertain to all generally to whom they are published and according to this we hold that the reason why the Promises of the Gospel are not effectual to all to whom they are published is not through any Defect in Christ's death as though he had not truly founded and ratified by his death and passion the Evangelical Covenant or promise to all or that this promise pertained not to all or that God did not thereby seriously invite all to whom this Evangelical Promise is propounded in the Ministery of the word to repentance and faith and so consequently to the participation of the benefits promised therein but that the defect is inherent in man who will not receive that grace that is truly and seriously offered on God's part This Doctrine must needs be maintained otherwise we cannot see what ground God's Ministers have seriously to exhort and invite all to repentance and belief in Christ according to the mandate and promise of the Gospel 3. For the Communication of Grace in some measure and degree tending to Conversion to all to whom the Gospel is preached there is no doubt but it is conformable to the Doctrine of our Church 3. There is no Confession of any Reformed Church that doth restrain Christ's death only to the Elect Now we are by our Instructions from his Majesty to advise the Belgicks to conform themselves to the publick Confessions of the Church of England and the Neighbour Reformed Churches 4. We observe that in the Conference at the Haghe the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants being pressed by Arguments on each side in this Second Article they come to joyn issue in that which we hold to be the very truth for in Collat. Bertian pag. 154. the words of the Contra-Remonstrants are these lin antepenult Sed infideles etsi promeriti quidem illi sint condemnationem tamen est adhuc via aliqua ratio or as it is in Collat. Brandii p. 163. habent tamen medium per quam meritam condemnationem illam possint evadere nimirum si credant neque enim resecta est omnis salutis spes quantisper in hac vitâ est c. Now p. 186. Collat. Bertian post medium the words of the Remonstrants are these Experientiam hoc posse docere non omnes singulos reipsâ à servitute liberari sed non docet liberationem aut saltem jus modum or medium as Brandius hath it p. 197. eò pertingendi omnibus non esse impetratum In the former place the Contra-Remonstrants make a great difference between the state and condition of the wicked spirits and men not-elect for that men have a way and means to avoid condemnation i. e. by believing But if the Promise of the Gospel founded in Christ's merits Quisquis crediderit salvus erit do only belong to the Elect then the non-elect though they should believe should have no way or means of escaping condemnation Because belief is not available to salvation from the nature of the act but from the Will of God making the Promise which according to the Contra-Remonstrants in this promise is presumed to be confined only to the Elect. And so this Promise should no more pertain to the non-elect than to the evil Angels who if they should repent and believe admitting this impossible supposition yet could not be saved because this Promise was never made to them but to mankind as the Scripture speaketh In the latter Passage the Remonstrants do explain themselves that Christ by his death obtained a means and way of deliverance to all Both acknowledge that a way and means of deliverance is impetrated by Christ not for Believers only but for Infidels and unbelievers though they accept not of it 5. Notwithstanding this Tenent of Extending Christ's death to all and the Vniversality of the promise we do firmly hold the main Points controverted not only in the other Four Articles but in this Second Article also in our two first Propositions touching God's and Christ's special intention to Redeem effectually and to merit effectual Grace only to the Elect. And so shall in all the Five Articles define sufficiently against the Remonstrants And by this our distinction blunt their chief Arguments in all the Five Articles which otherwise we cannot see how they can be sufficiently solved 6. We consider that by this our delivery of the Points premised we shall avoid all these absurdities which by unavoidable consequence will fall upon them which hold the rigid Opinion of Piscator and some in these Provinces touching the Doctrine of Reprobation which are alledged by the Remonstrants in a large Tract which they have written upon the First Article which was read in the Synod which Assertions we think no Divine can justifie 7. We know that sundry of the most Learned Bishops and others in England do hold the same and we doubt not but if the Tenents of sundry of the Contra-Remonstrants here were made known unto them they would disclaim them 8. We verily think that the strictness of the Contra-Remonstrants in this Second Article is one chief reason which keepeth the Lutheran Churches from joyning with us And we think that if way were given in this Synod herein they would be the more easily brought to hold the Doctrine of Predestination according to the Opinion of St. Augustine and the Church of England 9. This is the Doctrine of sundry of the famous and learned Writers of the Reformed Churches as of Melancthon of Calvin in sundry places of Musculus Bullinger Gualter Aretius Vrsinus Sohnius Pezelius Mollerus Paraeus and others 10. We have had conference with some of the Divines here but cannot receive any due satisfaction 11. We had a special charge in our Instructions to endeavour that Positions be moderately laid down which may tend to the mitigation of heat on both parts which we judge to be most necessary in this Second Article FINIS The CONTENTS SERMONS Abuses of hard places of Scripture 2 Pet. 3. 16. WHich the unlearned and unstable wrest as they do the other Scriptures unto their own destruction page 1. Of dealing with Erring Christians Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the Faith receive but not to doubtful disputations p. 24. The Rich mans Recepisti or the danger of receiving our good things in this Life Preached on Easter-day at Eaton Colledge Luke 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivdst thy good things p. 56. Of Duels c. Preacht at the Hague Numb 35.33 And the Land cannot be cleansed of blood that is shed in it but by the blood of him that shed it p. 68. Saint Peters Fall Mat. 26.75 And he went forth and wept bitterly p.
Provincial Synod being skipped over they were immediately accused before the Synod yet notwithstanding after they had done with all they had to say upon the five Articles they promise that they will give in their answer to this bill of accusations but upon this condition which I beseech your Lordship to observe that first the Synod would declare them to be free from these false and malicious slanders wherewith they and the rest of their brethren Remonstrants cited to the Synod had been most injuriously and falsely charged in that Session of the Synod in which they were dismissed by the President with this elogium to wit that they had refused to go on in the Synodical action that they had shown themselves unworthy with whom the Synod should have any further dealing and that as they had begun this business and continued it with lying and equivocations so now they had ended it But yet that notwithstanding of all this they were contented to go on in this action before the College of the Delegates of the Estates General but not before the Synod These long Letters being read next was read an answer to these Letters penned by the Deputies of the Reformed Church of Camps to whom the President had given these Letters that they might answer them they did meet particularly with every thing alledged in the other Letters which was needless and therefore I omit all their answers save only to that one thing which seemed to require one that was that against the custom of their Church they were immediatly brought before the Synod to which it was answered that both the Consistory and Classis of Camps were altogether Remonstrantical and that therefore they were both of them such as ought rather to be abrogated than appealed unto but for their Provincial Synod they wondered with what face they durst affirm they had not been cited thither since the Synod had dealt with them oftner than once though to no purpose Next was read a supplication penned and subscribed by Acronius in name of the Reformed Church of Camps in which they relate how Foskculius one of the two suspended at Camps while he was rehearsing unto his flock the sentence of his own suspension that he had stirred up the people ad tumultuariaem infamam next they humbly beseech the Synod that now for the two suspended their sentence of suspension might be ratified by the Synod and for the other two here present at Dort to wit Mathisius and Gosuinus since they had refused to give in their answer at the time appointed that the Synod would pronounce the like sentence of suspension against them the President propounded this to the Synod whether they thought it fit that the sentence already given against the former two should be ratified and that the other two should be cited to give in their answer to the bill of accusations within fourteen dayes in which if they failed the like sentence of suspension should be given against them which had been given against their Colleagues the whole Synod approved it and so it was decreed We beginning to go on in reading the Collegiat judgements my Lord of Landaffe according as we at home had deliberated among our selves desired leave to speak which being granted he spake to this purpose Dr. Gomarus in the forenoon delivered that this question whether homo lapsus be subjectum Praedestinationis had not been determined by the confession of the Church of France and as I and my Colleagues conceived he delivered the like for the confession of the Church of England and therefore I do intreat Dr. Gomarus in my own name and the name of my Colleagues to declare before the Synod whether he did say so or not Dr. Gomarus with good modesty answered that indeed he did say so but he protested it was not out of any evil meaning but only to shew that as other Churches so the Church of England had left that undetermined since the words of the confession determined no farther of the subject than quosdam ex humano genere my Lord of Landaffe replied that he himself and the rest of his Colleagues could not chuse but think themselves by that speech touched for temerity or ignorance for since they in their judgement delivered the contrary for homo lapsus it was as much to say as that they had delivered that in the Synod which was not according to the judgement of the Church of England but to let the Synod know that they had said nothing in their judgement which was not the judgement of their Church they desired the Synod to hear the words of their confession so Dr. Goad read publickly the seventeenth Article of the confession where the words are quosdam ex humano genere in exitio maledicto which last words Gomarus had left out Gomarus answered that if he had understood the words of the confession amiss he would submit himself to the judgement of the Synod The President told Gomarus roundly enough that it was free for every member of the Synod to deliver his own judgement concerning any point or question but that men ought to be very careful that they do not rashly meddle with the judgements of other Churches My Lord of Landaffe desired further leave to adde this Since all the forraign Divines without exception and likewise all the Belgick professors except Gomarus had already delivered their judgements for homo lapsus and that he doubted not but the Provincials would determine the same it were very fit that the Synod should likewise determine so of it neither was it any reason that for the particular opinion of one professour who in this did disassent from the judgement of all the Reformed Churches the Synod should abstain from determination of the question Gomarus answered that the University of Leyden had never yet determined for homo lapsus and that both Dr. Whitakers and Mr. Perkins had determined the contrary whom he took to be such men as would not disassent from the Confession of the Church of England that the matter ought first to be discussed with arguments on both sides before any thing should be determined on either side to whom the President returned this answer that after the judgements of all the Colleges were read the Synod would decree of the question what they shall think best after the Canon is conceived it shall be read if then you can shew that any thing contained in that Canon is against the word of God The Synod shall with all dutiful patience hear what you can say There were read the judgements of the Geldri the South Hollandi who in their judgement wished that the question of homo lapsus might be left undetermined the North Hollandi the Zelandi who were all not long and agreed in all things with the former judgements delivered and so this long Session ended Sessio 110. 12. Martii There were read the Collegiat Iudgements of the Vltrajectini the Fristi the Transisulani
which would have wrought the same effect and been less subject to censure but it is not now in integr◠to look back and rectifie what is amiss without much disparagement They must therefore go forward and for the countenance of their action do the best they may leaving the events to God There hath been an overture made to His Majesty by Du Moulin the Minister at Paris of a General Confession to be composed by this Synod for all the Reformed Churches a Form whereof is by His Majesties Order privately conceived by some select persons in the Synod which when it is perfected it will be then sent to His Majesty to be by him governed as shall seem best to His Wisdom either by suffering the same to go no farther or if he approve thereof with such change and alteration therein as he shall think fit to recommend the same publickly to the Synod and by consequence to the several Churches which have their Deputies there Du Moulin doth recommend further a project of mutual toleration betwixt the Calvinists and Lutherans which doth ill suit with our present business of suppressing the Arminians and therefore I believe it will not be thought fit to make mention thereof in the Synod Our English Divines have from the first time of Mr. Balcanquall's arrival there admitted him to their Consultations and now they joyn likewise in Suffrage and in the distribution of the divers parts of the business as those who all make but one College I do not find by what I hear from Dort or what I observed here that Mr. Balcanquall doth give any just subject for the report which is raised of undecencie in apparrel but on the contrary that in all respects he gives much satisfaction Doctour Goad was well received at the Synod as one who can better go through this laboursom business than the Dean of Worcester was able to do by reason of his languishing indisposition The Dean went from Dort towards England the Eighth of this present but I doubt he is not yet arrived there by reason of the contrariety of the Winds For conclusion I will tell your Grace that which is no news unto you that I have ended the last year with the most angry message and begun this with the most agreeable that I ever yet delivered this State And as the former was interpreted by those who best understood the nature of those Provinces for the greatest of all their present Calamities so this later doth give them heart and life again and as they may go on without arriere-pense in the course wherewith His Majesty hath so well and so constantly aided them by his countenance so my hope is that His Majesty will in time reap more assuredly the fruits of these mutations in that he is pleased to use Patience until they be better ripened Thus I most humbly take leave from the Haghe this 14. of Ianuary 1618. Your Graces most humbly to be commanded Dudley Carleton POSTSCRIPT I do hear even now of a bitter writing the Remonstrants have presented to the Synod in answer of Bogermannus for his sharp exit wherein they for a conclusion do optare Synodo meliorem mentem Lord Bishop of Landaff to Sir Dudley Carleton Embassadour at the Haghe Febr. 8. 1618. Right Honourable my very good Lord BY my long silence in that particular whereof your Lordship wrote last to us in general you may perceive how unwilling I am to write thereof Unto your Lordship have I written nothing till now which some of my Colleagues think strange though I suppose they do believe me upon my word I should not as yet have written hereof but that I think my self bound to give an account to your Lordship of these things not only in respect of mine affection to your Lordship but in respect also of the place which you carry When we were to give up our sentence to the second Article having first thought of certain Theses we parted our labour so that each one had his part of the Theses to confirm When all was conferred together it was found that Dr. D. and Dr. W. had proceeded so far in declaring their parts that the rest could not follow them whereupon we were at a stand for a time They perceiving that neither my self nor the rest of my fellows could approve that which they had set down took occasion of divers conferences which did rather set us farther asunder yet this was private among our selves They held that the Redemption of Christ and the Grace thereof was general to all without exception which being put I could not see why we should not grant general grace in the largest sence that the Remonstrants would have it Their answer was that it was so far to be granted and we were to yield so much to them Upon this there was some difference I took it neither to be a Truth of the Scripture nor the Doctrine of the Church of England and they thought it was both After some time and discourses spent I told them that there was a necessity of our agreement if we could not agree in all things we must come to such Points wherein all may agree and willed them to give me liberty to remove the things wherein we could not agree that we might all agree in the rest To this they yielded and so we agreed in some things After this we received your Lordship's Letters for which all without exception thought our selves much beholding to your Lordship We sent your Lordship an answer in common which I suppose your Lordship sent to my Lord's Grace for there the question in controversie is set down Whether the Grace of Redemption is general to all men in the World without exception or to be Restrained only to the Church I know there be some Bishops in England that are of opinion that it is general without exception to all men but I never thought that their Opinions were the Doctrine of the Church of England Dr. W. when in private conference we have occasion to speak of these things being driven by some evidences of Scripture which prove that wheresoever the Grace of Redemption goeth there goeth also remission of sins So that if he admit the grace of Redemption common to all he must admit also that all men have remission of sins To avoid this deviseth a word to express the generality thus not Redemptio but Redimibilitas and not Reconciliatio but Reconciliabilitas Which devising of Words makes me more to suspect the Doctrine for I think a devised School term should not determine a Truth in Divinity I told him if this Opinion be granted we must have new terms to express it for the old will not serve He answereth that it is good and fit to make new terms as this word was devised in the Council of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as it seemeth he could be well contented that new words were devised in this Synod to receive this Doctrine As where the
90. Christian Omnipotency Philip. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that enableth or that strengthneth me p. 114. Luke 18. 1. And he spake a Parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint p. 131. My kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 Iesus answered my kingdom is not of this world If my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iews c. p. 146. 1 Sam. 24.5 And it came to pass afterward that Davids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls Skirt p. 161. John 14.27 Peace I leave unto you My peace I give unto you p. 177. The profit of godliness 1 Tim. 14.8 But Godliness is profitable unto all things p. 193. A Second Sermon on the same Text. p. 214. Iacobs Vow Gen. 28.20 And Iacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and give me bread to eat and rayment to put on c. p. 228. Dixi Custodiam Psal. 36.1 I said or resolved I will take heed to my ways p. 244. MISCELLANIES p. 257. Letters concerning the Synod of Dort A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet EPiscopacy as established by Law in England not prejudicial to Regal Power written by the special command of the late King by R. Sanderson late Lord Bishop of Lincolne The Whole Duty of Man laid down in a plain and familiar way for the use of All but especially the meanest Reader Necessary for all Families with private Devotions for several Occasions The Gentleman 's Calling Written by the Author of The Whole Duty of Man The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety Or an Impartial Survey of the Ruines of Christian Religion Undermin'd by Unchristian Practice By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man A Scholastical History of the Canon of the Holy Scripture Or the Certain and Indubitate books thereof as they are received in the Church of England By Dr. Cosin Lord Bishop of Durham Divine Breathings or a Pious Soul thirsting after Christ in an hundred excellent Meditations Hugo Grotius de Robus Belgicis Or the Annals and History of the Low-Countrey Wars in English wherein is manifested that the United Netherlands are indebted for the glory of their Conquests to the Valour of the English A Treatise of the English Particles shewing much of the variety of their significations and uses in English and how to render them into Latin according to the propriety and elegancy of that language with a Praxis upon the same By William Walker B. D. School-master of Grantburn with a Table newly added The Royal Grammar commonly called Lillies Grammar explained opening the meaning of the Rules with great plainness to the understanding of Children of the meanest capacity with choice observations on the same from the best Authors By W. Walker B. D. Author of the Treatise of English Particles A Catalogue of the names of all the Parliaments or reputed Parliaments from the year 1640. A Narrative of some Passages in or relating to the Long Parliament by a person of Honour Sober Inspections into the Long Parliament By Iames Howel Esquire Dr. Sprackling against the Chymists Nemâ—sius's Nature of Man in English By G. Withers Gent. Inconveniences of Toleration A Letter about Comprehension A Collection of Canons Articles and Injunctions of the Church of England By Anthony Sparrow Lord Bishop of Exon. The Bishop of Exons Caution to his Diocese against false doctrines delivered in a Sermon at his Primary Visitation The form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Burial by Bishop Andrews A Thanksgiving Sermon preach'd before the King by I. Dolhen D. D. Dean of Westminster and Clerk of the Closet Bishop Brownrigs Sermon on the Gunpowder Treason A Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the Fines received by the Church at its Restauration wherein by the Instance of one the richest Cathedrals a fair guess may be made at the receits and disbursments of all the rest A Narrative or Journal of the Proceedings of the Lord Holles and the Lord Coventry Ambassadors Plenipotentiaries for the Treaty at Breda Written by a person of Quality concerned in that Ambassie A Narrative of the Burning of London 1666 with an account of the losses and a most remarkable Parallel between it and MOSCO both as to the Plague and Fire Lluellyns three Sermons on the Kings Murder A Collection of the Rules and Orders now used in Chancery Iter Lucitanicum Or the Portugal Voyage with what memorable passages interven'd at the Shipping and in the Transportation of her Sacred Majesty Katherine Queen of Great Britain from Lisbon to England By Dr. Samuel Hynde All sorts of Law Books A TRACT CONCERNING SCHISME AND SCHISMATICKS WHEREIN Is briefly discovered The Original Causes of all Schism HEresie and Schism as they are commonly used are two Theological scar-crows with which they who use to uphold a party in Religion use to fright away such as making inquiry into it are ready to relinquish and oppose it if it appear either erroneous or suspitious for as Plutarch reports a Painter who having unskilfully painted a Cock chased away all Cocks and Hens that so the imperfection of his Art might appear by comparison with Nature so men willing for ends to admit of no fancy but their own endeavour to hinder an inquiry into it by way of comparison of somewhat with it peradventure truer that so the deformity of their own might not appear but howsoever in the common manage Heresie and Schisme are but ridiculous terms yet the things in themselves are of very considerable moment the one offending against Truth the other against Charity and therefore both deadly when they are not by imputation but indeed It is then a matter of no small importance truly to descry the nature of them and they on the contrary strengthen themselves who through the iniquity of men and times are injuriously charged with them Schisme for of Heresie we shall not now treat except it be by accident and that by occasion of a general mistake spread through all the writings of the Ancients in which their names are familiarly confounded Schisme I say upon the very sound of the word imports Division Division is not but where Communion is or ought to be Now Communion is the strength and ground of all Society whether Sacred or Civil whosoever therefore they be that offend against the common society and friendliness of men if it be in civil occasions are guilty of Sedition and Rebellion if it be by reason of Ecclesiastical difference they are guilty of Schisme So that Schisme is an Ecclesiastical Sedition as Sedition is a lay Schism yet the great benefits of Communion notwithstanding in regard of divers distempers men are subject to Dissention and Dis-union are often necessary For when either false