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A74986 An antidote against heresy: or a preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists, Anabaptists, Arrians, Arminians, &c. and their pestilent errours. Shewing the authors of those errours, their grounds and reasons, the time when and occasion how they did arise; with general answers to their arguments taken out of holy scripture and the ancient fathers. Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy. / By Richard Allen, M.A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke [sic] Colledge in Oxford. Allen, Richard, b. 1604 or 5. 1648 (1648) Wing A1045A; Thomason E1168_2; ESTC R208803 57,457 159

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AN ANTIDOTE Against HERESY OR A Preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists Anabaptists Arrians Arminians c. and their pestilent Errours Shewing the Authors of those Errours their grounds and reasons the time when and occasion how they did arise with general Answers to their Arguments taken out of holy Scripture and the Ancient Fathers Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy By RICHARD ALLEN M. A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke Colledge in Oxford Pro. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not London Printed by John Macock and are to be sold by Nathaniel Brooks at the sign of the Angel in Cornhil TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT Grace and Peace be multiplyed Right Honorable DIfferences in the Church have always caused differences in the Commonwealth and differences in the Commonwelth do commonly widen those differences in the Church Differences in Religion did cause these unhappy and unnatural Wars and these Wars have not ended but encreased them For notwithstanding the Solemn League and Covenant to extirpate all Popery Heresie Schism c. and in pursuance thereof your late pious Ordinance to stop their farther growth besides the excellent labours of many learned men yet Heresies are encreased above number like the unruly waters the more they are stopt the more they rage and swell And indeed Heresie Prophaness Barbarism and Atheism it self have always and in all places followed war as close as famine or pestilence do times of war and confusion being as fit times for the envious man to sow his tares in as times of peace sleep or security And now for composing these differences The Italians in a proverbial speech use to say that Hard to Hard never makes good stone-wall Meaning that in any difference there must be some yeelding or else there can never be any firm uniting In matters of Religion I have v●ntured to do something my calling thereunto engaging me with extream longings to see peace and truth settled amongst us These poor labors I humbly present unto your Honors hoping your Honors will take in good part what is intended to a good end though perhaps it may come much short of it and accept the work though small seeing the smallest stone will help to repair the greatest breach Your Honors humbly devoted RICHARD ALLEN monster that neither of the Swords yet could tame or cut off But when I heard the most horrid Blasphemies and saw the monstrous Heresies that every day new-sprang up to the high dishonor and displeasure of Almighty God the reproach of his truth saddening the hearts and dejecting the minds of his people the enemy in mean space riding in triumph and treading down all before him Setting aside all doubts and fears at last I finisht and publisht this small book partly inclined thereunto to yeeld some account of my late unpleasing leisure but chiefly for discharge of my duty and a double engagement that lay upon me 1. As a Christian being all bound as the Apostle exhorts us Jude 3. To contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints 2. As a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we are bound more specially to defend and not to give place to false teachers No not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel may continue Gal. 2.5 Besides the solemn Covenant to extirpate all Heresie Schism and Prophaness and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine And now right worshipful I present you with it such as it is being engaged also thereunto by the many favors and kindnesses I have received of you whereof be pleased to tak this as an acknowledgment I hope it may prove some help to discover the manifold sleights and impostures of false Prophets and Deceivers that are entered into the world that privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And many follow their pernicious ways but my prayers are always for you that yee may ever escape their snares Your Worships much obliged Nephew Richard Allen. A TABLE OF THE HEADS OR CHAPTERS Chap. I. OF the holy Scripture Page 1. Chap. II. Of the Blessed Trinity Page 14. Chap. III. Of the Creation Page 26. Chap. IV. Of Providence Page 29. Chap. V. Of the Fall of Man and Original Sin Page 35. Chap. VI. Of Freewil Page 40. Chap. VII Of the Person of Christ Page 44 Chap. VIII Of the Office of Christ Page 48 Chap. IX Of the Death of Christ Page 50 Chap. X. Of the Resurrection of Christ Page 54 Chap. XI Of Predestination Page 56 Chap. XII Of Vocation Page 64 Chap. XIII Of Justification Page 73 Chap. XIV Of Sanctification Page 78 Chap. XV. Of the Moral Law Page 84 Chap. XVI Of Good Works Page 87 Chap. XVII Of Death and Burial Page 90 Chap. XVIII Of the Resurrection of the flesh Page 94 Chap. XIX Of Glorification in Heaven Page 96 Chap. XX. Of Hell Page 98 Chap. XXI Of Purgatory Page 99 Chap. XXII Of Images Page 102 Chap. XXIII Of the Church Page 106 Chap. XXIV Of the Sacraments Page 115 Chap. XXV Of Baptism Page 119 Chap. XXVI Of the Lords Supper Page 126 Chap. XXVII Of Reformation Page 134 Chap. XXVIII Of Toleration Page 143 The Preface GOD never wrought miracle to convince Atheism because his ordinary works convince it For the Invisible things of him even his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen and understood by the works of the Creation Rom. 1.20 And indeed never any people was heard of so barbarous but did acknowledg a God and though otherwise rude and voyd of all civility yet did profess and practise some Religion The very nature of man it self so far abhors direct Atheism that the Heathen made them Gods of wood and stone rather then have none at all and gave Divine Honours not to men only like themselves but even to base and vile creatures rather then be without a Religion The Devil then not able to root up this perswasion of a Deity so deeply and strongly fastened in the hearts of all men by nature from Atheism he turned to Heathenism from denying to multiplying the heavenly Deity and with a multitude of false Gods abused the world almost 4000. years But When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son a light to lighten the Gentiles who with the beams of his glorious truth so scattered this universal fog of Paganism that those lying vanities were shortly discovered mens consciences convinced of their former gross ignorance and turned from dead Idols to serve the living God And now this old Serpent is put to a new shift which the Father of lies was not long to seek of but driven from Heathenism betakes himself to Heresie for the worship of false Gods setting up false worships of the true God wherein he multiplied so exceedingly that now there are as many false worships as before were false Gods To trace this crooke●
There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not as is evident by the confessions and examples of holy men of God Noah Gen. 9.21 Abraham Gen. 20.2 Lot Gen. 19.33 David 2 Sam. 11. Paul Rom. 7. and Peter denyed his Master Christ Mat. 26. The Perfectists themselves have enough in themselves to convince them of their folly as pride envy malice c. being subject to sickness death c. which are the wages of sin and therefore they are not without sin Object Our Saviour exhorts us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5 Sol. There is a pattern proposed unto us to imitate and follow not to match equal or overtake which cannot be As noteth the quality not equality Object 1 John 3. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not Sol. The same Apostle says If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves We sin then i. sins of infirmity and we do not sin i. we do not fall back into the service and dominion of sin finally or totally There is a perfection 1. Of degrees and stands opposed to imperfection 2. Of parts and stands opposed to hypocrisy This latter we may have i. be sincere and upright not the former i. be free from all sin defect or imperfection Many men in Scripture are called righteous just perfect not because they were without all vice but because they had many vertues Hieronym For otherwise Noah was drunk David committed Adultery c. Thirdly The righteousness whereby we are justified is inherent in Christ for us that whereby we are sanctified is inherent in our selves from Christ that is in us only by imputation this also by infusion and real Communication by that we are freed from the guilt by this from the pollution of sin that is done al at once this by degrees 2 Cor. 4.16 The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the grace that is in thee 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you c. the Righteousness then of Sanctification is subjectively in us Fourthly Our Sanctification is an evidence of our Justification Rom. 8.1 1 John 3.10 14. Gal. 5.24 2 Cor. 5.17 Lastly God doth see sin in his dearest Saints as in the example of David who also confesseth the same was punisht and prayed for pardon 2 Sam. 12.10 Psalm 51. If God did not see sin in him how did he send Nathan to reprove him for it why did he punish him for it Our Saviour teaches us to pray for pardon of sins Mat. 6.12 The Apostle 1 John 1. to confess our sins And Mat. 28. Peter wept bitterly for his sin We ought to sorrow for sin and renew our souls dayly by repentance CHAP. XV. Of the Moral Law Truth CHrist hath delivered us from the rigour and curse of the Law not from all obedience unto it but that it still remains a rule of life unto us Errours Antinomians or Adversaries to this truth because it is said We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 And that the Law is not made for the righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 hold That the Moral Law ought to be cast quite out of the Church that we be no more troubled or our Consciences terrified with the preaching thereof but that we be gently exhorted by the preaching of the Grace of Christ That the Law and Christ are two contrary things whereof one cannot abide the other That it is of no use to a Beleever no rule for him to walk or examine his life by Antidote Christ is the end of the Law finis perficiens not interficiens August A consummating not consuming end not destroying but fulfilling the same So our Saviour himself says Mat. 5.17 19. I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but fulfil Whosoever therefore shall break the least of these Commandments and teach men so c. Rom. 3.31 Do we then make voyd the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping the Commandments of God We are not under the Law but under Grace not under the Law as a Tyrant but now as a Father being freed from the curse and rigour of it not obedience unto it which we yeeld now not of compulsion or fear but love with all cheerfulness and willingness our hearts being enclined and disposed thereunto by the work of Gods Spirit 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and so the Law unto the Regenerate becomes as it were Gospel even a Law of liberty The Use of the Law is two-fold 1. Civil to punish and restrain sin 2. Spiritual to reveal it Luther in Galat. In the first regard it is not given to the righteous because good men are a Law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 The most proper and principal Use of the Law is to reveal sin and so the Law is light not to discover grace and life this is the office of the Gospel but to discover sin and death therein as in a glass we may see our own blindness c. For our natures are so corrupt that we should not know they were corrupt but by the Law Rom. 7.7 The Law then serves to humble us and drive us unto Christ to make us know sin and so know our selves and so renounce our selves and fly unto Christ And so the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. And Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeves Rom. 10. because the end of the Law is perfect Righteousness which we cannot attain of our selves but by Christ who hath fulfilled the same for us And when the Law hath brought us unto Christ it goeth no farther the coactive power of it ceaseth but not the directive it is still a guide and rule of life unto us which we follow not to seek Righteousness to our selves but to testify our thankfulness unto God we endeavour to keep the Law not to justify our selves but to glorify God and edify our neighbour by our good example And therefore we are still exhorted to do the works of the Law though we shall not be justified by the same CHAP. XVI Of good works ALthough we are justified freely by the Grace of God through the redemptio● that is in Jesus Christ. Rom. 3. Truth yet we ought still to maintain good works 1. Out of thankfulness unto God for so great a benefit and to glorify his name 2. To assure our selves of the truth of our faith by the fruits thereof 3. To edify win and provoke others also by our good example Adversaries are 1. The Papists Errours who think good works are meritorious and so overvalue them 2 The Libertines that undervalve them and think they are repugnant and contrary unto faith that understand our liberty that
is spiritual heavenly and divine The matter of the thing present the Apostle shews plainly 1 Cor. 10.16 But for the manner of presence we have no such evident demonstration To conclude the truth is present with the signs the Holy Spirit with the Sacrament feeding our souls with the truth of Christs body and blood but the invisible working of that Divine Spirit herein is unsearchable the natural man cannot perceive it because it is spiritual Let us firmly beleeve then what we cannot conceive and rest assured in this truth that we receive in the Sacrament the very body and blood of Christ by Faith though we cannot conceive it by sense or reason CHAP. XXVII Of Reformation Truth THere is no particular Church on earth and never was so priviledged but that it may and many have faln into dangerous Errours both of life and doctrine as the examples of all both former and latter times have witnessed so that there is no Church consisting of men that may err but may need Reformation even as a material building doth need often reparation And for as much as many horrible abuses and superstitions were lately brought through the deceitfulness of some into the Church of England to the great dishonor of Almighty God the decay of piety and imminent ruine of the true Protestant Religion therefore this present Reformation was extreamly necessary and is no Innovation but a Restauration only of our Church to its ancient purity of doctrine discipline and divine worship as it was established by the noble Princes K. Edward 6. and Q. Elizabeth of famous memories Although this truth be as clear as the light Errours as shall immediately be made appear and that this present Reformation hath cast out many gross abuses that contrary to the determinations of our Church have been lately put upon us yet there are divers adversaries that either out of malice or ignorance or both do still with all their might oppose it And so I shall reduce them all under three heads The first is of those that do it of pure malice as all lewd and dissolute persons who hate all reformation whatsoever that shal hedg up their extravagant ways and give a check or stop to their loose courses among these we may reckon some Papists and other Sectaries The second is of those that do it of meer ignorance as divers civil Protestants that think no Religion so ancient as that they were bred in and strangely mistaking Church-men for the Church take up most of their religion upon their credit The third sort do it of malice and ignorance both as divers fiery spirits that think there is no way to reform the Church unless they pull it to pieces as if there were no way to cure the head-ache but to knock a mans brains out There be also divers hypocrites that can drive on a reformation for their own ends and advantages and yet are as great enemies to the truth of it as any of the former Antidote I shall endeavor to satisfie the honest Protestant that is engaged against the reformation for want of better information and would soon perhaps imbrace the truth if he were not courted with so many lyes by deceivers that abound in the world The common complaint and cry is for the Religion that was in Queen Elizabeths time again And that we have not now the same Religion The Answer in brief is that we have the same Religion still not a new And that the true Protestant Religion which was then profest is now not altered but settled being restored to its pristine purity and purged from many abuses wherewith it was but lately corrupted As First Many Popish and Arminian tenents were taught and publickly maintained that are contrary to the doctrine of our Church at first established as will appear by comparing them with the 39. Articles and the book of Homilies the nine Articles of Lambeth and other learned writings of our former Bishops Secondly Many Crucifixes Images or Idols were set up in our most eminent Churches and most eminent places of them and that partly by connivence partly by command of men at that time of most eminent place and note whereby Superstition was nourished and Idolatry committed But now these Images are contrary 1. To the Word of God expresly forbidding them 2. To the judgment of the ancient Christians Fathers and Councels with great zeal condemning them And 3. of our own Church of England as in the book of Homilies and 39. Articles may be seen Thirdly The Communion Table was altered both in name and place from a Table to an Altar from the body of the Church to the head or upper end of the Chancel contrary to express order s●t down in the book of Common Prayer before the communion where it is said that the Table shall stand in the body of the Church or in the Chancel and the Priest shall stand at the north side which he cannot do if he stand close up to the wall And if it might be placed according to the discretion of the ordinary yet he must have more discretion then ordinary that will make the end of a table the side as one endeavored to do but that his Geometry failed him Fourthly The Bowing used to the Communion Table was a matter of worse consequence then was commonly imagined It is the attendant on Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation It serves to nourish those Errours still in mens minds ushers in many other Popish superstitions and is the occasion of gross Idolatry Fifthly The rails wainscot and traverse courtains before the Table as if it were the Sanctum sanctorum of the Jews or a Chappel intended for private Mass or as if none were holy enough to approach neer it but the Priest also the Tapers Copes Vestments and many other things lately used though they seemed but small matters to some yet they were not the less dangerous for being little for like little thieves they crept in at our Church windows to open doors to the great ones and if these had continued by this time they would have brought in the whole Mass of Popish Idolatry and those that plead for them are but the devils pimps that seduce the people and under the name of things indifferent would lead them a whoring after Idolls Hereunto we may add that horrible abuse of Excommunication the highest censure of the Church that in the Courts Christian was made a messenger to fetch in fees and men were cast out of the Church for not comming into the Court to say no more Lastly They err as much on the other hand and are to be condemned that scornfully or basely abuse the Church and places set apart for the use of Gods Ordinances which is seldom done but in open or secret contempt of the ordinances themselves Let them among other examples remember that of Julian unckle to the Apostate who in contempt pissed against the Communion Table his bowels rotting out he voyded
his Fathers Will unto us that now we need no more any new Revelations and therefore as the Apostle says 2 Pet. 1.16 19 20. We do not follow devised fables for we have a more sure word of prophecy whereunto we take heed even a prophecy of the Scripture or written Word Secondly We read indeed in times of persecution that the very children did beget their own Fathers unto Christ by reading unto them a few plain Chapters out of the New Testament God giving a blessing thereunto when better means were not afforded yet it is evident that bare reading without preaching is not enough neither can we expect a blessing from God upon one without the other when he hath afforded the means and liberty of both The common practise of all both Jews and Christians confirms it who were not content with bare reading but Nehem. 8.9 they read in the Law and gave the sense causing the people to understand the reading Acts 13.15 After the reading they desire a Word of Exhortation And our blessed Saviour the great Doctor of his Church after he had read closed the book and then preacht Luke 4.16 For bare reading without preaching or expounding is as bad to most people as speaking in an unknown tongue which Saint Paul accounts madness 1 Cor. 14.23 Thirdly The grace of Vocation is External or Internal External in the outward preaching of the Gospel Internal in the 1. Illumination or enlightening of the mind with the knowledg of God 2. Renovation Regeneration and Conversion of the heart and will by changing turning and winning the same to cleave unto God by Faith We say then First That the outward calling without the inward is not sufficient to conversion the preacher cannot give Faith and repentance which are the Work of God John 6.29 and the Gift of God 2 Tim. 2.25 It is not moral swasion or force of Argument it is not the enticing words of mans wisdom can change or turn that stony heart that is in the midst of every one of us it is Gods Work Ezek. 36.26 called a Creation Psal 51.10 and therefore his peculiar work John 6.44 None can come to me except the Father draw him saith our Saviour It is not in the power of mans will being in bondage to Satan and the powers of darkness Col. 1.13 to return and come unto God but we are called and beleeve according to the exceeding greatness of his power and according to the working of his mighty power Eph. 1.18 And our Faith stands not in mans wisdom but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2.5 Secondly This grace of inward Vocation and Regeneration is irresistible that a man cannot resist the operation of it because the purpose and power of God is in it John 6.37 All that the Father gave me shall come unto me Not that God offers any compulsion or violence to the will for then it were not will he draws us indeed but with cords of love most sweetly wooing us and yet so powerfully winning us after a manner unspeakable that we cannot resist because we cannot but yield our nature being changed by his grace and of unwilling made willing to obey Thirdly This inward calling is immutable because it is according to Gods purpose Rom. 8.28 and that is unchangeable Rom. 11.29 The Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance And so the Regenerate those that are effectually called can never fall wholly away again For Jer. 32.4 God makes an everlasting Covenant with them and puts his fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him Fourthly This grace of inward Vocation is free otherwise it were not grace not gotten by any diligence and endeavour or given for any dignity or worthiness in the person called but freely according to Gods good pleasure so that the reason why one man receiveth grace another receiveth it not one beleeves another doth not one is converted another is not is not in man that willeth but in God that worketh and dispenseth his grace according to his own pleasure opening the heart of one and not of another John 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth c. Even so is every man that is born of the Spirit Lastly It is proper and peculiar to Gods Elect. Acts 13.48 and Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and none else Indeed many are called that are not chosen Mat. 22.14 but none effectually There is a calling of nature and a calling of grace many are called by the voyce of the creatures that never heard the Scriptures many are invited by the Word that are not won by the Spirit have their minds enlightened too and yet their hearts not opened or renewed Many are called outwardly that are not inwardly and effectually this is peculiar to Gods chosen who are called by his Spirit working in due season through grace they obey that calling are freely justified and at last most certainly glorified The Elect are still sure of salvation because the links of this golden chain are so strongly fastened one within another according to Gods unchangeable purpose and invincible power that they can never be broken and undone CHAP. XIII Of Justification AND whom he called Truth them he also Justified and we are Justified or accounted righteous in the sight of God not for any works or worthiness of our own but for the only merits of Jesus Christ and by faith in him our sins being imputed unto him and his Righteousness unto us Adversaries to this Doctrine are the Papists Errours with their brethren the Anabaptists The Anabaptists teach That we are not justified by faith alone but by the cross and affliction The Papists affirm 1. That we are not justified by faith only but by faith and works together and works in their account carry the greatest stroke 2. That we are justified by faith not as an Instrument but as a vertue meriting or deserving and so t is a part of that Righteousness whereby we are justified before God 3. That we are justified before God by a Righteousness that is inherent in us infused not imputed 4 Osiander imagined That we are substantially righteous in Christ as well in Essence as in quality and that the truly righteous do not apprehend Christ by faith but have him and his Righteousness essentially derived unto them so that in our Justification God conveying himself into us maketh us a part of himself So the Familists say That every one of their family is Christ godded with God and deified 5. Many Pharisaical Christians there be that think to be justified by civil and external Righteousness 6. And certain Libertines That taking no care of wel-doing think to be justified by faith alone or a solitary faith 7. A world of carnal people regard neither faith nor works and yet hope to be saved as well as the best This point of Justification Antidote is the greatest that is in Controversie between us and the Papists which they quite