to maintain the false and fithy quarrell of Lambert as another cause leading to the same end Fourthly that in order to the said end the Lady Margaret sister to K. Edw. 4. was appointed and predestinate of God to be a Traytoresse to England and to imploy all her wits forces and power to the utter destruction of her naturall Countrey And Fiftly in particular that the said Lady Margaret was appointed of God to hiâ—e the said Martin Swarth and his men to invade the Realm of England Sixthly and finally that the said Martin Swarth the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lorell the Lord Gerrard and divers others Captains of the Rebels weâ—e appointed and predestinate of God to be of such valiant courage in maintaining the false quarrel of traytetous Lambert that they were slain on the other side many a brave English mans blood was shed at the battell of Stoke which was the end of this wofull Tragedy Let them say therefore what they can or will this meer necessity which our men teâ—ch is the very same which the Stoicks did hold which opinion because it destroyed the state of a Common-wealth was banished out of Rome as St. Augustine declareth in lib. Quest Vet. Nov. Testam XII And thus the different Judgements of all the other Western Churches and the severall Subdivisions of them in the five controverted Points being laid together with such Discourses and Disputes as have occasionally been made and raised about them we will next shew to which of the said differing parties the Church of Englandâ—â—â—ms â—â—â—ms most inclinable and afterwards proceed in the story of iâ— Historia Quinqu Articularis OR A DECLARATION OF THE Judgement OF THE WESTERN CHURCHES And more particularly of the CHVRCH of ENGLAND IN THE Five Controverted Points Reproached in these last times by the name of Arminianism PART II. Containing the Judgement of the Church of England and the most Eminent Divines thereof in the Reign of King Henry the eighth and King Edward the sixth By Peter Heylin D. D. London Printed for Tho Johnson 1660. PART II. The Judgement of the Church of England in the five controverted Points CHAP. 7. An Introduction to the Doctrine of the Church of England in the points disputed with the Removal 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 judgement of the Church of England in the points disputed exemplified in the story of Agilmond and Lamistus Kings of Lombardy 5. The contrary iudgement of Wicklif objected answered and applied to all modern Heresies 6. A general answer to the like Argument pretended to be drawn from the Writings of Frith Tyndall and Barns But more particularly 7. The judgement 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 Tyndal in favour of the Calvinian Doctrines 9. The falsifyings of John Frith and others in the Doctrine of Predestination reproved by Tyndal 10. A parallel between some of our first Martyrs and the blinde man restored to sight in the eighth of Saint Mark. 1. BEing therefore in the next place to declare the Judgement of the Church of England I shall prepare the way by laying down her publique Doctrine touching the Fall of Adam and the Restitution of mankinde in Jesus Christ that having cleared God from being the Authour of sin and having laid a sure foundation for the Restitution of Mankinde to Gods grace and favour and consequently to the hopes of Eternal life we may proceed with more assurance to the rest that followeth And this we cannot better do then by laying down the words of the Homily concerning the Nativity and Birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ where we finde it thus ' Among all the Creatures saith the Homily that God made in the beginning of the world most excellent and wonderful in their kinde there was none as the Scripture beareth witness to be compared almost in any point unto man who as well in body as soul exceedeth all other no less then the Sun in brightness and light exceedeth every bright and little Star in the Firmament He was made according to the similitude and image of God he was endued with all kinde of heavenly gifts he had not spot of uncleanness in him he was sound and perfect in all parts both outwardly and inwardly his reason was uncorrupt his understanding was pure and good his will was obedient and godly he was made altogether like unto God in righteousness in holiness in wisdom in truth to be short in all kinde of perfection ' 2. After which having spoken of mans Temporal 〈◊〉 relating to the delicacies of the Garden of Eden and the Dominion which God gave him over all the Creatures the Homily doth thus proceed viz. ' But as the common nature of all men is in time of prosperity and wealth to forget not onely themselves but also God even so did this first man Adam who having but one Commandment at Gods hand namely That he should not eat of the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil did notwithstanding most unmindefully or rather most wilfully break it in forgetting the strait charge of his Maker and giving ear to the crafty suggestion of the evil Serpent the Devil whereby it came to pass that as before he was blessed so now he was accursed as before he was loved so now he was abhorred as before he was most beautiful and precious so now he was most vile and wretched in the sight of his Lord and Maker instead of the image of God he was now become the image of the Devil instead of a Citizen of Heaven he was now become the bond-slave of Hell having in himself no one part of his former purity and cleanness but being altogether spotted and defiled insomuch that now he seemed to be nothing else but a lump of sin and therefore by the just judgement of God was condemned to everlasting death ' 3. This being said touching the introduction of the body of Sin the Homily doth first proceed to the propagation and universal spreading of it and afterwards to the Restitution of lost man by faith in Christ ' This so great and miserable plague for so the Homily proceedeth if it had onely rested in Adam who first offended it had been so much the easier and might the better have been born but it fell not onely on him but also on his posterity and children for ever so that the whole brood of Adams flesh should sustain the self same fall and punishment which their forefather by his offence most justly had deserved S. Paul in the fifth to the Romans saith By the offence of onely Adam the fault came upon all men to condemnation and by one
and make but a very thin appearance Apparent rari nautes in gurgite vasto in the Poets language yet serve they for a good assurance that the Church still kept possession of her primitive truths not utterly lost though much endangered by such contrary Doctrines as had of late been thrust upon her there was a time when few or none of the Orthodox Bishops durst openly appear in favour of St. Athanasius but only Liberius Pope of Rome who thereupon is thus upbraided by Constantius the Arian Emperour Quota pars tu es orbis terrarum qui solus c. How great a part saith he art thou of the whole world that thou alone shouldst shew thy self in defence of that wicked man and thereby overthrow the peace of the Universe To which Liberius made this answer non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum dei nam olim tres solum inventi fuere qui edicto resisterint that is to say the word of God is not made the weaker by my sole appearing in defence thereof noâ— more then when there were but three he meanes the three Hebrew Children in the book of Daniel with durst make open opposition to the Kings Edict Liberius thought himself sufficient to keep possession of a truth in the Church of Christ till God should please to raise up more Champions in all places to defend the same not thinking it necessary to returne any other answer or to produce the names of anyothers of his time who turned Athanasius as much as he which brings into my mind a passage in the conference betwixt Dr. Ban Featly and Sweat the Jesuite in which the Jesuite much insisted on that thred bare question viz. where was your Church before Luther which when the the Doctor went to shew out of Scriptures and Fathers some of the Papists standing by cryed out for names those which stood further of ingeminating nothing but Names Names whereupon the Dr. Merily asked them if nothing would content them but a Buttery book And such an Answer I must make in the present case to such as take up testimony by tale not weight and think no truth is fairly proved except it come attended with a cloud of witnesses But what we want in number now he shall find hereafter when we shall come to take a view of King James his Reign to which now we hasten CHAP. XXII Of the Conferrence at Hampton Court and the several encouragements given to the Anti-Calvinians in the time of KING James 1. THE occasion of the conference at Hampton Court and the chief persons there assembled 2. The nine Articles of Lambeth rejected by King James 3. Those of the Church being left in their former condition 4. The Calvinian Doctrine of Predestination decryed by Bishop Bancroft and disliked by King James and the reasons of it 5. Bishop Bancroft and his Chaplain both abused The inserting the Lambeth Articles into the confession of Ireland no argument of King 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 Incouragement given by King James to the Anti-calvinians and the increasing of that party both in power and number by the stirs in Holland 8. The offence taken by King James at Conradus Vorstius animateth the Oxon. Calvinists to suspend Dr. Houson and to preach publickly against Dr. Laud. 9. The like proceedings at Cambridge against Mr. Simpson first prosecuted by King James and on what account that the King was more incensed against the party of Arminius then against their perswasions 10. Instructions published by King James in order to the diminishing of Calvins authority the defence of universal Redemption and the suppressing of his Doctrines in the other points and 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 Doctrine taken by King James into his protection and his appeal licensed by the Kings appointment 12. The conclusion of the whole discourse and the submission of it to the Church of England 1. NOW we come unto the Reign of King James of happy memory whose breeding in the Kirk of Scotland had given some hopes of seeing better days to the English Puritans then those which they enjoyed under Queen Elizabeth Vpon which hopes they presented him at his first coming to the Crown with a supplication no less tedious then it was impertinent given out to be subscribed with a thousand hands though it wanted many of that number and aiming at an alteration in many points both of Doctrine and Discipline But they soon found themselves deceived For first the King commanded by publick proclamation that the divine service of the Church should be diligently officiated and frequented as in former times under pain of suffering the severest penalties by the Laws provided in that case And that being done instead of giving such a favourable answer to their supplication as they had flattered themselves withall he commended the answering of it to the Vice-Chancellour Heads and other learned men of the Vniversity of Oxon. from whom there was nothing to be looked for toward their contentment But being thirdly a just Prince and willing to give satisfaction to the just desires of such as did apply themselves unto him as also to inform himself in all such particulars as were in difference betwixt the Petitioners and the Prelates he appointed a solemn Conference to be held before him at Hampton Court on Thursday the 12. of January Anno 1603. being within less then ten moneths after his entrance on the Kingdom To which conference were called by several letters on the Churches part the most Reverend and right renowned Fathers in God Dr. John Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbuy Dr. Richard Bancroft Bishop of London Dr. Tobie Mathews Bishop of Durham Dr. Thomas Bilson Bishop of Winchester Dr. Gervase Babbinton Bishop of Worcester Dr. Anthony Ruâ—d Bishop of Davids Dr. Anthony Walson Bishop of Chechester Dr Henry Robbinson Bishop of Carlile and Dr. Thomas Dâ—ve Bishop of Peterborough as also Dr. James Mountague Dean of the Chappel Dr. Thomas Ravis Dean of Christ Church Dr. John Bridges Dean of Sarum Dr. Lancelot Andrews Dean of Westminster Dr. John Overald Dean of Saint Pauls Doctor William Barlow Dean of Chester Doctor Giles Tompson Dean of Windsor together with Dr. John King Arch-Deacon of Nottingham and Dr. Richard Field after Dean of Glocester all of them habited and attired according to their several ranks and stations in the Church of England And on the other side there appeared for the Plantiffe or Petitioner Dr. Reynolds Dr. Spark Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chatterton the two first being of Oxon. and the other of Cambridge apparelled in their
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
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
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
Common-wealth Barnevelts Kindred might be faulty the Arminians innocent or the Arminians faulty in their practise against the life of the Prince of Orange under and by whom they had suffered so many oppressions without involving those in their Crimes and Treasons who hold the same Opinion with them in their Neighbouring Churches IX The reason is because there is nothing in the Doctrine of the Arminians as it relates to the Five points in difference which can dispose the Professors of it to any such practises And therefore if the Arminians should have proved as turbulent and seditious as their enemies made them yet we were not to impute it to them as they were Arminians that is to say as men following the Melanctonian way of Predestination and differing in those points from the rest of the Calvinists but as exasperated and provoked and forced to cast themselves upon desperate courses Quae libertatis arma dat ipse dolor in the Poets language But so some say it is not with the Doctrine of the other party by which mens actions are so ordered predetermined by the eternall will of God even to the taking up of a straw as before was said ut nec plus boni nec minus mali that it is neither in their power to do more good or commit less evil then they do And then according to that Doctrine all Treasons Murders and Seditions are to be excused as unavoydable in them who commit the same because it is not in their power not to be guilty of those Treasons or Seditions which the fire and fury of the Sect shall inflame them with And then to what end should Princes make Laws or spend their whole endeavors in preserving the publick Peace when notwithstanding all their cares and travails to prevent the mischief things could no otherwise succeed then as they have been predetermined by the will of God And therefore the best way would be Sinere res vadere quo vult in the Latin of an old Spanish Monke to let all matters go as they will since we cannot make them go as we would according to that counsell of the good old Poet. Solvite mortales animos curisque levate Totque super vacuis animum deplete querelis Fata regunt Orbem certa stant omnia lege That is to say Discharge thy soul poor man of vexing fears And ease thy self of all superfluous cares The World is governed by the Fates and all Affairs by Heaven's decree do stand or fall X. To this effect it is reported that the old Lord Burleigh should discourse with Queen Eliz. when he was first acquainted with the making of the Lambeth Articles Not pleased wherewith he had recourse unto the Queen letting her see how much her Majesties Authority and the Laws of the Realm were thereby violated and it was no hard matter to discern what they aimed at who had most stickled in the same For saith he this is their opinion and Doctrine that every Humane action be it good or evil it is all restrained and bound up by the Law of an immutable decree that upon the very wills of men also this necessity is imposed ut aliter quam vellent homines velle non possent that men could not will otherwise then they did will Which Opinions saith he Maddam if they be true Frustra ego aliique fideles Majestatis tuae ministri c. then I and the rest of your Majesties faithfull Ministers do sit in Councel to no purpose 't is in vain to deliberate and advise about the affairs of your Realm Cum de his quae eveniunt necessario stulta sit plane omnis consultatio since in those things that come to passe of necessity all consultation is foolish and ridiculous To which purpose it was also press'd by the Bishop of Rochester Oxon and St. Davids in a Letter to the Duke of Buckingham concerning Mountagues Appeal An. 1625. In which it is affirmed that they cannot conceive what use there can be of Civil Government in the Common-wealth or of Preaching and externall Ministry in the Church if such fatal Opinions as some which are opposite contrary to those delivered by Mr. Mountague shall be publickly taught and maintained More plainly and particularly charged by Dr. Brooks once Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge in a Letter to the late Archbishop bearing date Decemb. 15. 1630. in which he writes that their Doctrines of Predestination is the root of Puritanisme and Puritanisme is the root of all Rebellions and disobedient untractablenesse in Parliaments c. and of all Schisme and sawcinesse in the Countrey nay in the Church it self making many thousands of our people and too great a part of the Gentlemen of the Land very Leightons in their hearts which Leighton had published not long before a most pestilent and seditious Book against the Bishops called Sions Plea in which he excited the people to strike the Bishops under the fifth rib reviling the Queen by the name of a Daughter of Heth and for the same was after censured in the Star-Chamber to Pillory loss of Ears c. XI But because perhaps it may be said that this is but a new device excogitated by the malice of these later times to defame this Doctrine let us behold what Campneys hath delivered of it in the first or second year of Queen Eliz. at the first peeping of it out to disturb this Church Where saith he who seeth not the distraction of England to follow this Doctrine Who seeth not the confusion of all Common-wealths to depend hereupon What Prince may sit safely in the seat of his Kingdome What subject may live quietly possessing his own What man shall be ruled by the right of Law If there Opinions may be perfectly placed in the hearts of the People Which Corollary he brings in in the end of a Discourse touching the Rebellion raised by Martin Cyrnell and seconded by the Earl of Lincolne Martin Swarth and others against Hen. 7. For building on the Calvinian Maxim that as God doth appoint the end so he appointeth also the means and causes which lead unto it he thereupon inferreth that Martin Swarth and his men according to that Doctrine were destined by God to be slain at the Battle of Stoke In order whereunto first Sir Richard Simon the Priest must be appointed and predestinate of God to powre in the pestilent poyson of Privy Conspiracy and trayterous mischief of vain glory into the heart of Lambert his Scholar as a cause leading to the same end Secondly that he the said Lambert was appointed and predestinate of God to consent and agree unto the pestiferous perswasion of his Master * S. Richard in the pride of Lucifer to aspire unto the Royall Throne as another cause leading to the same end which God ordained Thirdly that the Irish men were appointed of God to be Rebellious Traytors against their Soveraign Lord the King of England and
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
of the Articles fashioning them to their own fancies as they please themselves Each of the parties in those curious points in which the present differences do most consist conceive the Articles of the Church to speak for them exclusive wholly of the other but with a notable difference in the Application The Calvinists by which name they love to be called endeavour to captivate the sense of the Article and bring it to the bent of their own understanding but the true English Protestants whom for distinction sake we may call Confessionists accommodate though they do not captivate their own sense to the sense of the Church according to the plain and full meaning of the Articles in the points disputed But because possibly both parties may not be agreed on a Rule or Medium by which the proper sense and meaning of the Articles may be best discovered it will not be amiss to follow the directions of the Civil Laws in cases of like doubtful nature which is briefly this viz. Si de interpretatione Legis quaeritur iâ—â—riâ—â—is insp câ—endum est quo jure Civitas â—â—â—â—â— in hujâ—smodi casibus usa fuit And this we shall the better do if we enquire into the Doctrine of those Learned Religious and Godly men who either had a principal hand in the Reformation or were most conversant with them and beloved of them in their several stations taking along with us the Authority of the Homilies and publique Liturgie to which all parties have subscribed In order whereunto it will first be necessary to lay down the definition of Predestination as before we had it in the Article to sum up the particular points and contents thereof to shew the sense of one phrase in it and then to travel more exactly in this enquiry whether the method of Predestination illustrated by the story of Agilmond and Amistus Kings of Lombardy cap. 7. num 4. agree not more harmoniously with the true sense and meaning of the Church of England than any other whatsoever 2. First then ' Predestination unto life is defined in the 17 Article to be the Everlasting purpose of God whereby and before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his Council secret unto us to deliver from damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting salvation ' In which definition there are these things to be observed First That Predestination doth presuppose a curse or state of damnation in which all mankinde was represented to the sight of God which plainly crosseth the opinion of the Supra-Lapsarians the Supra-Creaturians or Creabilitarians as some call them now Secondly That it is an act of his from Everlasting because from Everlasting he foresaw into what misery whretched man would fall by the abuse of that liberty in which first he stood Thirdly That he founded it and resolved for it in the Man and Mediator Christ Jesus both for the purpose and performance which crosseth as directly with the Sublapsarians who place the absolute decree of Predestination to life and of Reprobation unto death both of body and soul before the decree or consideration of sending his onely beloved Son Jesus Christ into the world to be the common Propitiation for the sins of men Fourthly That it was of some special ones alone Elect called fort and reserved in Christ and not generally extended unto all mankinde a General Election as they say being no Election Fifthly That being thus elected in Christ they shall be brought by Christ but not without their own consent and co-operation to everlasting salvation And finally That this Council is secret unto us for though there be revealed to us some hopeful signs of our Election and Predestation destination unto life yet the certainty thereof is a secret hidden in God and in this life unknown to us For who hath known the minde of the Lord or hath been his Counsellour or of his Secret Council saith the great Apostle 3. Such is the definition of Predestination and the substance of it in which there is nothing so obscure no term so intricate as to need any especial or distinct explication as those words Whom he hath chosen in Christ which being the very words of the same Apostle Ephesians first cap. 4. we will first paraphrase in the words of some ancient Writers and then illustrate them by others of our holiest Martyrs who had a principal hand in the Reformation First S. Ambrose amongst others sâ—cut elegit nos in ipso as he hath chosen us in him Praescivit enim Deus omnes scil qui credituri essent in Christum For God saith he by his general prescience did foreknow every man that would believe in Christ To the same purpose speaks S. Chrysostome saying Quod dicit perinde est ac â—si dicat Per quem nos benedixit per eundem elegit and a little after Quid est in ipso elegit per eam quae in ipso habenda esset fidem For praestitit prius quam ipsi essemus magis autem prius quam mundi hujus jacerentur Fundamenta Which is as much as to say saith he as if he had said That we are blessed in him in whom we are chosen and we are chosen in him in whom we believe which he performed before we our selves had any being or rather before the foundations of the world were laid And to the same effect the Commentary upon S. Pauls Epistles ascribed to S. Jerome viz. in hoc praedestavit ut haberent potestatem filii Dei fieri homines qui credere voluissent that is to say in this he hath predestinated us to Eternal life that men may be made the sons of God if they will believe Which sayings of those ancient Writers we shall expound by others of our holy Martyrs and first Archbishop Cranmer in his Answer to Gardiner touching the holy Sacrament telleth us this viz. ' Christ saith he took unto himself not onely their sins that many years before were dead and put their trust in him but also the sins of those that until his coming again should truly believe in his Gospel ' More fully Bishop Latimer thus ' When saith he we hear that some be chosen and some be damned let us have good hope that we be amongst the chosen and live after this hope that is uprightly and godly then shall we not be deceived think that God hath chosen those that believe in Christ and Christ is the Book of Life If thou believest in him then art thou written in the Book of Life and shalt be saved ' By which we may the better understand that passage in the Book of Homilies where it said ' That the Scripture shutteth up all under sin that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given unto them that believe ' which is as much as can be comprehended in so narrow a compass 4.
the rest before that is to say the reconciliation of all men to Almighty God the universal redemption of Man-kinde by the death of Christ expresly justfied and maintained by the Church of England For though one in our late undertaking seem exceeding confident that the granting of universal redemption will draw no inconvenience with it as to the absoluteness of Gods decrees or to the insuperability of converting Grace or to the certain infallible perseverance of Gods elect after conversion Yet I dare say he will not be so confident in affirming this That if Christ did so far dye for all as to procure a salvation for all under the condition of faith and repentance as his own words are there can be any room for such an absolute decree of reprobation 〈…〉 and precedent to the death of Christ as his great masters in the school of Calvin have been pleased to teach him Now for the Doctrine of this Church in that particular it is exprest so clearly in the second article of the five before laid down that nothing needs be added either in way of explication or of confirmation howsoever for avoiding of all doubt and Haesitancy we will first add some farther testimonies touching the Doctrine of this Church in the point of universal redemption And secondly touching the applying of so great a benefit by universal vocation and finally we shall shew the causes why the benefit is not effectual unto all alike 5. And first as for the Doctrine of universal redemption it may be further proved by those words in the publick Carechism where the Childe is taught to say that he believeth in God the Son who redeemed with him all mankinde in that clause of the publique Letany where God the Son is called the Redeemer of the world in the passages of the latter Exhortation before the Communion where it is said That the Oblation of Christ once offered was a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD in the proper Preface appointed for the Communion on Easter-Day in which he is said to be the very Paschal Lamb that was offered for us and taketh away the sins of the world repeated in the greater Catechism to the same effect And finally in the Prayer of Conservation viz. Almighty God our heavenly Father which of thy tender mercies didst give thine onely Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our Redemption who made there by his own Oblation of himself once offered a firm and perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD To this purpose it is said in the Book of Homilies That the World being wrapt up in sin by the breaking of Gods Law God sent his onely Son our Saviour Christ into this world to fulfil the Law for us and by shedding of his most precious blood to make a Sacrifice and Satisfaction or as it may be called amends to his Father for our sins to asswage his wrath and indignation conceived against us for the same Out of which words it may be very well concluded That the world being wrapt up in sin the Recompence and Satisfaction which was made to God must be made to him for the sins of the world or else the plaister had not been commensurate to the sore nor so much to the magnifying of Gods wonderful mercies in the offered means of Reconcilement betwixt God and man the Homily must else fall short of that which is taught in the Articles In which besides what was before delivered from the second and 31. concerning the Redemption of the world by the death of Christ it is affirmed in the 15 as plain as may be That Christ came to be a Lamb without spot who by the Sacrifice of himself once made should take away the sins of the world Then which there can be nothing more conducible to the point in hand 6. And to this purpose also when Christ our Saviour was pleased to Authorize his Holy Apostles to preach the Good Tidings of Salvation he gave them both a Command and a Commission To go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. So that there was no part of the world nor any Creature in the same that is to say no Rational Creature which seems to be excluded from a possibility of obtaining Salvation by the Preaching of the Gospel to them if with a faith unfeigned they believed the same Which the Church further teacheth us in this following Prayer appointed to be used in the Ordering of such as are called unto the Office of the Holy Priesthood viz. ' Almighty God and Heavenly Father which of thine Infinite Love and Goodness toward us hast given to us thy Only and Most Dear Beloved Son Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer and Author of Everlasting Life who after he had made perfect our Redemption by his Death and was ascended into Heaven sent forth abroad into the world his Apostles Prophets Evangelists Doctors and Pastors by whose Labour and Ministry he gathered together a great Frock in all the Parts of the World to set forth the Eternal Praise of his Holy Name For these so great Benefits of thy Eternal Goodness and for that thou hast vouchsafed to call thy Servant here present to the same Office and Ministry of Salvation of Mankind we render unto thee most hearty thinks and we worship preise thee and we humbly beseech thee by the same thy Son to grant unto all which either here or elsewhere call upon thy name that we may shew our selves thankful to thee for these and all other thy benefits and that we may daily encrease and go forward in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Son by the Holy Spirit So that as well by these thy Ministers as by them to whom they shall be appointed Ministers thy Holy Name may be always glorified and thy Blessed Kingdom enlarged through the same thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee in the Unity of the same Holy Spirit world without end Amen ' Which Form in Ordering and Consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons I note this onely by the way being drawn up by those which had the making of the first Liturgie of King Edward the sixth and confirmed by Act of Parliament in the fifth and sixth of the said King was afterwards also ratified by Act of Parliament in the eighth year of Queen Elizabeth and ever since hath had its place amongst the Publique Monuments and Records of the Church of England 7. To these I shall onely adde one single testimony out of the Writings of each of the three godly Martyrs before remembred the point being so clearly stated by some of our Divines commonly called Calvinists though not by the Outlandish also that any longer insisting on it may be thought unnecessary First then Bishop Cranmer tells us in the Preface to his Book against Gardiner of Winchester
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
Bishop of London in whose Diocess the Sermon was preached for his Authority did not reach so far as Cambridge whither the Preacher had retired after he had performed the service he was called unto And if it were injoyned by the High Commission and performed accordingly there is no question to be made but that we should have heard of in the Anti-Arminianism where there are no less then eight leves spent in relating the story of a like Recantation pretended to be made by one Mr. Barret on the tenth of May 1595. and where it is affirmed that the said Mr. Harsnet held and maintained the same errors for which Barret was to make his Recantation But as it will be proved hereafter that no such Recantation was made by Barret so we have reason to believe that no such Recantation was imposed on Harsnet Nor secondly Can it be made good that the Controversies between Doctor Whitacres and Dr. Baroe were first occasioned by this Sermon or that Mr. Wotton was appointed by the University to confute the same For it appears by a letter written from the heads of that University to their Chancellour the Lord Treasurer Burleigh dated March 18. 1595. that Baroe had maintained the same Doctrines and his Lectures and Determinations above 14. years before by their own account for which see Chap. 21. Num. 80. which must be three years at the least before the preaching of that Sermon by Mr. Harsnet And though it is probable enough that Mr. Wotton might give himself the trouble of confuting the Sermon yet it is more then probable that he was not required so to do by that University For if it had been so appointed by the University he would have been rewarded for it by the same power and authority which had so appointed when he appeared a Candidate for the Professorship on the death of Whitacres but could not find a party of sufficient power to carry it for him of which see also Chap. 21. numb 4. And thirdly as for the not printing of the Sermon it is easily answered the Genius of the time not carrying men so generally to the printing of Sermons as it hath done since But it was printed at the last though long first And being printed at the last hath met withnone so forward in the Confutation as Mr. Wotton is affirmed to be when at first it was preached And therefore notwithstanding these three surmises which the Author of the Pâ—rpetuity c. hath presented to us it may be said for certain as before it was that Mr. Harsnet was never called in Question for that Sermon of his by any having Authority to convent him for it and much less that he ever made any such Recantation as by the said Author is suggested 10. In the next place we will behold a passage in one of the Lectures upon Jonah delivered at York Anno 1594. by the right learned Dr. John King discended from Robert King the first Bishop of Oxon afterwards made Dean of Christ Church and from thence preferred by the power and favour of Arch-Bishop Bancroft to the See of London A Prelate of too known a zeal to the Church of England to be accused of Popery or any other Heterodoxies in Religion of what sort soever who in his Lecture on these words Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown cap. 3. verse 4. discourseth on them in this manner The only matter of Question herein is how it may stand with the constancy and truth of eternal God to pronounce a Judgement against a place which taketh not affect within one hundred years For either he was ignorant of his own time which we cannot imagine of an omniscient God or his mind was altered which is unprobable to suspect For â—â— the strength of Israel a man that he should lye or as the son of man that he should repeat Is he not yesterday and to day and the same for ever that was that is and that which is to come I mean not only in substance but in Will and Intention Doth he use lightness Are the words that he speaketh yea and nay Doth he both affirm and deny too Are not all his Promises are not all his Threatnings are not all his Mercies are not all his Judgements are not all his words are not all the tittles and jots of his words yea and amen so firmly ratified that they cannot be broken Doubtless it shall stand immutable When the heaven and the earth shall be changed and wax old like a garment Ego Deus non mutor I am God that am not changed The School in this respect hath a wise distinction It is one thing to change the Will and another to will a change or to be willed that a change should be God will have the Law and Ceremony at one time Gospel without Ceremony at another this was his Will from Everlasting constant and unmovable that in their several courses both should be Though there be a change in the matter and Subject there is not a change in him that disposeth it Our Will is in winter to use the fire in summer a cold and an open air the thing is changed according to the season but our Will whereby we all decreed and determined in our selves so to do remain the same 11. Sometimes the Decrees and purposes of God consist of two parts the one whereof God revealeth at the first and the other he concealeth a while and keepeth in his own knowledge as in the Action enjoyned to Abraham the purpose of God was two fold 1. To try his Obedience 2. To save the Child A man may impute it inconstancy to bid and unbid but that the Will of the Lord was not plenarily understood in the first part This is it which Gregory expresseth in apt terms God chanâ—eth his intent pronounced sometimes but never his Counsel intended Sometimes things are decreed and spoken of according to inferiour cause which by the highest and over-ruling cause are otherwise disposed of One might have said and said truly both wayes Lazarus shall rise again and Lazarus shall not rise again if we esteem it by the power and finger of God it shall be but if we leave it to nature and to the arme of flesh it shall never be The Prophet Esay told Hezekias the King put thy house in order for thou shall die considering the weaknesse of his body and the extremity of his disease he had reason to warrant the same but if he told him contrariwise according to that which came to pass thou shalt not die looking to the might and mercy of God who received the prayers of the King he had said as truly But the best definition is that in most of these threatnings there is a condition annexed unto them either exprest or understood which is as the hinges to the Doore and turneth forward and backward the whole matter In Jeremy it is exprest I will speak
Election depend not upon any Qualities Actions or works of men which be mutable but upon Gods eternal and immutable decree and purpose yet such is the necessity of Repentance after known sins committed as that without it there could not be either Reconciliation with God or remission of those sins ' 5. But here methinks I hear it said ' that though the King being then unaquainted with the Lambeth Articles thought not meet to put them amongst the Articles of this Church yet he liked it well enough in his Clergy of Ireland that they took them into their confession and Bishop Bancroft had agreed to them before the conference and that when he was Arch-Bishop his Chaplain with his good liking and approbation published the Exposition or Analysis of our Articles in which he gives the Calvinist as fair quarter as can be wished ' But first beginning with the last so much of the objection as concerns Bishop Bancroft is extreamly false not agreeing to the Lambeth Articles nor being Bishop of London when those Articles were agree unto as is mistakeingly affirmed and that Analysis or Explication of our English Articles related to in the objection being published in the year 1585. which was ten years before the making of the Lambeth Articles and eighteen years before Bancroft had been made Arch-Bishop And secondly It is not very true that King James liked that is to say was well pleased with the putting of those Articles into the confession of the Church of Ireland though the said Confession was subscribed in his name by the Lord Deputy Chichester is plainly enough not without his consent for many other things were in the Confession to which the Lord Deputy subscribed and the King consented as affairs then stood which afterwards he declared no great liking to either of the Tenor or effect thereof For the truth is that the drawing up of that confession being committed principally to the care of Dr. Usher and afterwards Lord Primate of Ireland a professed Calvinian he did not only thrust into it all the Lambeth Articles but also makes others of his own opinions as namely That the Pope was Anti-Christ or that man of sin that the power of sacerdotal Absolution is no more then declatory as also touching the morality of the Lords day Sabboth and the total spending of it in religious Exercises Which last how contrary it is to King Jame's Judgement how little cause he had to like it or rather how much reason he had to dislike it his Declaration about Lawfull sports which he published within three years after doth express sufficiently so that the King might give consent to the confirming of these Articles amongst the rest though he liked as little of the one as he did of the other And he might do it on these Reasons For first The Irish Nation at that time were most tenaciously addicted to the errors and corruptions of the Church of Rome and therefore must be bended to the other extream before they could be streight and Orthodox in these ponits of Doctrine Secondly it was an usual practise with the King in the whole course of his government to ballance one extream by the other countenancing the Papists against the Puritan and the Puritan sometimes against the Papist that betwixt both the true Religion and Professors of it might be kept in safety 6. With greater Artifice but less Authority have some of our Calvinians framed unto themselves another Argument derived from certain Questions and answers printed at the end of the Bible published by Rob. Barker his Majesties own Printer in the year 1607 from whence it is inferred by the Author of the Anti-Arminianism and from him by others that the said Questions and Answers do contain a punctual Declaration of the received Doctrine of this Church in the points disputed But the worst is they signifie nothing to the purpose for which they were produced For I would fain know by what Authority those Questions and Answers were added to the end of the Bible If by Authority and that such Authority can be produced the Argument will be of force which it takes from them and then no question but the same Authority by which they were placed there at first would have preserved them in that place for a longer time then during the sale of that Edition The not retaining them in such Editions as have followed since the sale of that shews plainly that they were of no authority in themselves nor intended by the Church for a rule to others and being of no older standing then the year 1607. for ought appears by Mr. Prin who first made the objections they must needs seem as destitute of antiquity as they are of authority so that upon the whole matter the author of the book hath furnished those of different Judgement with a very strong argument that they were foysted in by the fraud and practise of some of the Emissaries of the Puritan Faction who hoped in time to have them pass as currant amongst the people as any part of Canonical Scripture Such Piae fraudes as these are we should have too many were they once allowed of Some prayers were also added to the end of the Bible in some Editions and others at the end of the publick Liturgy Which being neglected at the first and afterwards beheld as the authorized prayers of the Church were by command left out of those books and Bibles as being the compositions of private men not the publick acts of the Church and over since added as before 7. But to return unto King James we find not so much countenance given to the Calvinians by the fraud of his Printer as their opposites received by his grace and favour by which they were invested in the chief preferments of the Chutch of England conferred aâ— openly and freely upon the Anti-Calvinians as those who had been bred up in the other perswasions Trosse Tyriusque mihi nullo discrimine habentur as we know who said For presently upon the end of the conference he prefers Bishop Bancroft to the Chair of Canterbury and not long after Dr. Barlow to the See of Rochester On whose translation unto Lincoln Dr. Richard Neil then Dean of Westminster succeeds at Rochester and leaves Dr. Buckridge there for his successour at his Removal unto Lichfielâ— in the year 1609. Dr. Samuel Harsnet is advanced to the See of Lichfield and about ten years after unto that of Norwich In the beginning of the year 1614. Dr. Overald succeeds Neil then translated to Lincoln in the See of Coventry and Lichfielâ— Dr. George Mountein succeeded the said Neil then translated to Durham in the Church of Lincoln In the year 1619. Dr. John Houson one of the Canons of Christ Church a professed Anti-calvinist is made Bishop of Oxon. And in the year 1621. Dr. Valentine Cary Successor unto Overalâ— in the Deanry of Saint Paul is made Bishop of Exon and on the same day Dr. William Laud
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