or breaking of Gods commandements without repentanceâ— pertaineth not euerlasting life but euerlasting death Therefore let vs set our whole faith and trust in GOD and neither the world the deuill nor all the power of them shall preuaile against vs. Let vs by such vertues as ought to spring out of faith shew our election to be sure and stable as S. Peter teacheth Endeuour your selues to make your calling and election certaine by good workes If you feele and perceiue such a faith in you reioyce in it and be diligent to maintaine it and keepe it still in you let it bee daily increasing and more and more by well working and so shall you be sure that you shall please GOD by this faith and at the length as other faithfull men haue done before so shall you when his will is come to him and receiue the end and finall reward of your faith as S. Peter nameth it the saluation of our soules But euerlastingâ— thankes bee to Almighty GOD for euer there is neuer a one of all these causes no nor yet them altogether that can make a true Christian man afraid to die who is the very member of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost the Sonne of God and the very inheritour of the euerlasting kingdome of heauen but plainely contrary he concieueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallible and euerlasting trueth of the word of GOD which mooueth him not onely to put away the feare of bodily death but also for the manifold benefits and singular commodities which ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of the same to wish desire and long heartily for it For death shall bee to him no death at all but a very deliuerance from death from all paines cares and sorrowes miseries and wretchednesse of this world and the very entry into rest Why then shall wee fâ—ere to die considering the manifold and comfortable promises of the Gospel and of holy Scriptures GOD the Father hath giuen vs euerlasting life saith S. Iohn and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life And this I write saith S. Iohn to you that beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of GOD that you may know that you haue euerlasting life and that you doe beleeue vpon the Name of the Sonne of GOD. And our Sauiour Christ saith Hee that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting and I will raise him from death to life at the last day All those therefore haue great cause to bee full of ioy that bee ioyned to Christ with true Faith stedfast Hope and perfect Charitie and not to feare death nor euerlasting damnation For death cannot depriue them of Iesus Christ nor any sinne can condemne them that are graffed surely in him which is their onely ioy treasure and life Let vs repent our sinnes amend our liues trust in his mercy and satisfaction and death can neither take him from vs nor vs from him For it is of the free grace and mercy of GOD by the mediation of the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ without merite or deseruing on our part that our sinnes are forgiuen vs that we are reconciled and brought againe into his fauour and are made heires of his heauenly kingdome Grace saith S. Augustine belonging to GOD who doth call vs and then hath he good workes whosoeuer receiued grace Good workes then bring not foorth grace but are brought foorth by grace The wheele saith he turneth round not to the end that it may be made round but because it is first made round therefore it turneth round So no man doth good works to receiue grace by his good workes but because heâ— hath first receiued grace therefore consequently he doth good workes For the Scripture doeth acknowledge but two places after this life The one proper to the elect and blessed of GOD the other to the reprobate and damned soules The onely Purgatory wherein wee must trust to be saued is the death and blood of Christ which if wee apprehend with a true and stedfast faith it purgeth and cleanseth vs from all our sinnes euen as well as if hee were now hanging vpon the Crosse. The blood of Christ saith Saint Iohn hath cleansed vs from all sinne The blood of Christ saith Saint Paul hath purged our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD Also in another place hee saith Wee bee sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Christ done once for all Yea hee addeth more saying With the one oblation of his blessed body and precious blood he hath made perfect for euer and euer all them that are sanctified Noe in his drunkennesse offended GOD highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest Wee ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godly men as they were which otherwise felt inwarldly GOD sholy Spirit inflaming in their hearts with the feare and loue of GOD could not by their owne strength keepe themselues from committing horrible sinne but did so grieuously fall that without GODS great mercy they had perished euerlastingly How much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of GOD within vs at all continually to feare not onely that wee may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not though through infirmity wâ—e chance at any time to fall yet wee may by hearty repentance and true faith speedily rise againe and not sleepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doeth All men haue not faith This therefore shall not satisfie and content all mens mindes but as some are carnall so they will still continue and abuse the Scriptures carnally to their greater damnation The vnlâ—arned and vnstable saith Saint Peter peruert the holy Scriptures to their owne destruction Iesus Christ as S. Paul saith is to the Iewes an offence to the Gentiles foolishnesse But to Gods children aswell of the Iewes as of the Gentiles he is the power and wisedome of GOD. The holy man Simeon saith that hee is set foorth for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel As Christ Iesus is a fall to the reprobate which yet perish through their owne default so is his word yea the whole booke of GOD a cause of damnation vnto them through their incredulitie And as he is a rising vp to none other then those which are GODS children by adoption so is his word yea the whole Scripture the power of GOD to saluation to them onely that doe beleeue it Christ himselfe the Prophets before him the Apostles after him all the true Ministers of GODS holy word yea euery word in GODS Booke is vnto the reprobate the fauour of death vnto death Christ Iesus the Prophets the Apostles
to be read in Churches in the time of the late Queene ELIZABETH of famous memory And since thought fit to be reprinted by Authoritie from the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie SAint Paul in many places painteth vs out in our colours calling vs the children of the wrath of God when we be borne saying also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse can we say well or doe well of our selues c. Our Sauiour Christ saith There is none good but GOD and that wee can doe nothing that is good without him nor no man can come to the Father but by him c. For of our selues we are crabtrees that can bring foorth no Apples We bee of our selues of such earth as can bring foorth but weedes nettles brambles briers cockle and darnell Wee haue neither Faith Charitie Hope Patience Chastitie nor any thing else that good is but of God and therefore these vertues bee called there the fruites of the holy Ghost and not the fruites of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as wee bee indeede miserable and wretched sinners Of our selues and by our selues wee haue no goodnesse helpe nor saluation but contrariwise sinne damnation and death euerlasting which if we deepely weigh and consider wee shall the better vnderstand the great mercy of God and how our saluation commeth onely by Christ. Wee are all become vncleane but wee all are not able to cleanse our selues nor to make one another of vs cleane Wee are by nature the Children of Gods wrath but wee are not able to make our selues the children and inheritors of Gods glory Wee are sheepe that runne astray but wee cannot of our owne power come againe to the sheepefold so great is our imperfection and weakenesse In our selues therefore may wee not glory which of our selues are nothing but sinnefull To GOD therefore must wee flee or else shall we neuer finde peace rest and quietnesse of Conscience in our hearts For he is the Father of mercies and God of all consolation Hee is the Lord with whom is plenteous redemption He is the God who of his owne mercy saueth vs and setteth out his charitie and exceeding loue towards vs in that of his owne voluntary goodnesse when we were perished he saued vs and prouided an euerlasting Kingdome for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are giuen vs not for our owne deserts merits or good deedes which of our selues wee haue none but of his meere mercy freely He is the high and euerlasting Priest which hath offered himselfe once for all vpon the altar of the Crosse and with that one oblation hath made perfect for euermore them that are sanctified Hee is the alone mediatour betweene GOD and man which paid our ransome to GOD with his owne blood and with that hath hee cleansed vs all from sinne He is the Physitian which healeth all our diseases Hee is that Sauiour which saueth his people from all their sinnes he is that flowing and most plenteous fountaine of whose fulnesse all we haue receiued A Sermon of the saluation of mankinde by onely Christ our Sauiour from sinne and death euerlasting All the world being wrapped in sinne by breaking of the Law GOD sent his onely sonne our Sauiour Christ into this world to fulfill the Law for vs and by shedding of his most precious blood to make a sacrifice and satisfaction or as it may bee called amends to his Father for our sinnes to asswage his wrath and indignation conceiued against vs for the same But our iustification doeth come freely by the meere mercy of GOD and of so great and free mercy that whereas all the world was not able of their selues to pay any part towards their ransome it pleased our heauenly Father of his infinite mercy without any our desert or deseruing to prepare for vs the most precious iewels of Christs body and blood whereby our ransome might be fully paid the law fulfilled and his iustice fully satisfied So that Christ is now the righteousnesse of all them that truely doe beleeue in him Hee for them paid their ransome by his death Hee for them fulfilled the Law in his life So that now in him and by him euery true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the Law forasmuch as that which their infirmity lacked Christs iustice hath supplied For the very sure and liuely Christian faith is not onely to beleeue all things of GOD which are contained in holy Scripture but also is an earnest trust and confidence in God that hee doeth regard vs and that hee is carefull ouer vs as the Father is ouer the Childe whom hee doeth loue and that hee will be mercifull vnto vs for his onely sonnes sake and that wee haue our Sauiour Christ our perpetuall aduocate and Priest in whose onely merits oblation and suffering we doe trust that our offences bee continually washed and purged whensoeuer wee repenting truely doe returne to him with our whole heart stedfastly determining with our selues through his grace to obey and serue him in keeping his Commandements and neuer turne backe againe to sinne Such is the true faith that the Scripture doeth so much commend the which when it seeth and conâ—idereth what GOD hath done for vs is also mooued through continuall assistance of the Spirit of GOD to serue and please him to keepe his fauour to feare his displeasure to continue his obedient children shewing thankefulnesse againe by obseruiâ—g or keeping his commandements and that freely for true loue chiefly and not for dread of punishment or loue of temporall reward considering how clearely without deseruings wee haue receiued his mercy and pardon freely For as the holy Ghost doeth teach vs to trust in GOD and to call vpon him as our Father so did hee teach them to say as it is written Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer and thy Name is without beginning and euerlasting GOD gaue them then grace to bee his children as he doth vs now It is euident that the true liuely and Christian faith is no dead vaine or vnfruitful thing but thing of a perfect vertue of wonderful operation or working and strength bringing forth al good motions and good workes Of faith he saith Hee that beleeueth in the Son hath euerlasting life but he that beleeueth not in the Son shall not see that life but the wrath of GOD remaineth vpon him And the same hee confirmeth with a double othe saying Verily verily I say vnto you Hee that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life Now forasmuch as hee that beleeueth in Christ hath euerlasting life it must needes consequently follow that he that hath this faith must haue also good workes and bee studious to obserue Gods commandements obediently For to them that haue euill workes and leade their life in disobedience and transgression
it is onely named in the English From this Recantation and the carriage of it it is cleerely euident That the Vniuersitie of Cambridge in those dayes did vndoubtedly beleeue and mainetaine the now Arminian Heresies of the finall and totall Apostasie of the Saints Of vncertainety of Saluation of Election from faith and Reprobation from sinne foreseene Of a personall not a reall difference betweene temporary and true sauing Faith the Points which Barret recanted to be not onely false and erronious but likewise manifestly repugnant to the Religion and Doctrine established and setled in the Church of England and to the 17. Article For so are the expresse words of the Order and Articles recorded in the Vniuersitie Register If they were thus euidently repugnant to them then I doubt not but they are so now at leastwise in all Cambridge mens repute who will not at leastwise should not so farre dishonor their renowned Mother as to degenerate from her ancient Orthodoxe and Dogmaticall Resolutions These are the more ancient publike Monuments and Euidences of our Church by which the subsequent Conclusions now in Issue must bee iudged The seuerall figures inserted into them and likewise placed in the Margent haue reference to the 7. Anti-Arminian Positions following the figure of 1 noting out such passages as punctually confirme the first the figure of 2 such clauses as euidently backe and proue the second of these Assertions and so euery figure successiuely answers to its proper Position If then all these Records which doe either Really containe or at leastwise euidently declare the ancient established and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England giue punctuall Euidence for these Conclusions oppugning the contrary Arminian Theses in terminis or substance as they doe this question will be then resolued and our succeeding Anti-Arminian Conclusions acknowledged the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church without any more debate Hauing thus at large recited the seuerall Grand-chartersâ— and more eminent Records and euidences which our Church affords for triall of this weightie cause I come now to apply them to the points in issue which I shall distinctely lay downe in this ensuing Antithesis Anti-Arminianisme THe Anti-Arminian orthodox Assertions now incontrouersie which I shall proue to be the ancient and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England contracte themselues into these 7. dogmaticall conclusions 1 That God from all eternity hath by his immutable purpose and Decree praedestinated vnto life not all but onely a selected number of particular men which can be neither augmented nor diminished commonly called the elect inuisible true Church of Christ others hath he eternally reprobated vnto death 2 That the only moâ—uing and efficient cause of Election and Praedestination vnto life is the meere good pleasure and grace of God not the coÌ„sideration of any â—ore-seene faith perseuerance good worâ—s good will good endeauours or any other quality or condition whatsoeuer in the persons elected 3 That though sinne be the only cause of damnation yet the sole and primarie cause of Reprobation or Non-election that is why God doth passe by this man rather then another why hee reiected Esau when he elected Iacob is the meere freewill and pleasure of God not the confideration or fore-sight of any actuall sin infidelity or finall impenitency in the persons reiected 4 That there is not any such Free-will or vniuersall or sufficient grace communicated vnto all men whereby they may repent beleeue or be saued if they wil themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died sufficiently for all men his death being of sufficient merit to redeeme saue them but primarily effectually for the Elect alone for whome alone hee hath actually and effectually obtained remission of sinnes and life aeternall 6 That the Elect doe alwayes constantly obey neither can they finally or totally resist the powerfull and effectuall call and working of Gods Spirit in the very act of their Conuersion neither is it in their owne power to conuert or not conuert themselues at that very time and instant when they are conuerted 7 That the Elect and truely regenerate who alone are iâ—â—ued with true iustifying and sauing faith doe constantly perseuere vnto the end and though they sometimes fall into grieuous sinnes yet they neuer fall finally nor totally from the habits seeds and state of grace Arminianisme THe whole erronious doctrine of Arminianisme which hath alwayes beene oppugned by the Church of England from the beginning of reformation to this present may be reduced to these 7. generall Propositions 1 That there is no absolute nor irreuocable but only a conditionaâ— and mutable Decree of Praedestination vnto life death and that not of particular persons but generally of all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers so that the number of the Elect and Reprobate is not so certaine but that it may be diminished or augmented 2 That the consideration and foresight of faith perseuerance good works and the right vse of grace receiued are praerequited conditions and efficient causes of Election or Praedestination vnto life not Gods free-grace and mercy onely without respect to these as to a cause 3 That the originall and proper cause of Reprobation that is of its Decree not of its execution is the consideration and foresight of infidelitie sin finall impenitency in the persons reiected not the meere Free-will and pleasure of God 4 That there is â—an vniuersal or sufficient grace deriued vpon all mâ—n since the fall of Adam by vertue of which they may repent beleeue and be saued if they will themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died alike primarily and effectually for all men whatsoeuer without any intent to saue any particular persons more then others be they reprobates or elect with a purpose to saue all men alike vpon condition of beleeuing which is suspended on their owne actuall power not on Christs actuall application of it to them by his Spirit 6 Thâ—t it is in the power of men either finally or totally to resist the inward call and effectuall working of Gods Spirit in their hearts in the very acte of their coÌ„uersion so that they may either withstand oâ— imbrace their conuersion at their pleasure 7 That true iustifying faith is neither a fruit of election nor yet proper vnto the Elect alone it being oft-times found in reprobates and that the very Elect by falling into sinne both may and doe fall finally and totally from the habits seeds and state of Grace These are the fundamentall and maine points of difference that are now in question and dispute among vs whether of these haue best right and title to the Church of England which of them are her anciently receiued approued established professed and vndoubted Doctrine is the onely issue that we are now to trie For the full and finall resolution of which grand yet doubtlesse Quaere I shall lay downe these three Conclusions which euery man must subscribe to First That
Article to be sound and Orthodox warranting no totall nor finall Apostasie from the state of Grace as Papists or Arminians would from thence collect but onely a lapse into some criminall or scandalous act of sinne which may and doth sometimes befall the very best and deerest of Gods Saints Since then these seuerall Orthodox members and learned Writers of our Church haue anciently and lately made this authentique Exposition of this Article which none but Papists or Arminians haue hitherto oppugned and since the Articles of Lambheth Artic. 5. together with the Articles of Ireland Artic. 38. which doubtlesse would neuer vary from the genuine and natiue meaning of this Article haue wel explaned and ratified it with these two termes yet neither finally nor totally I hope all English Protestants will subscribe to this Construction onely and reiect all others as spurious and vnsound ARTIC 17. PRedestination to life is the euerlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the World were layd hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret to vs to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ to euerlasting saluation as vessells made to honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they bee iustified freely they bee made the Sonnes of God by adoption they bee made like the Image of his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy they attaine to euerlasting felicitie As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and vnspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feele in themselues the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the workes of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing vp their minde to high and heauenly things aswell because it doth greatly establish and confirme their Faith of eternall Saluation to be enioyed through Christ as because it doth feruently kindle their Loue towards God So for curious and carnall persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to haue continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination is a most dangerous downefall whereby the Deuill doth thrust them either into desperation or into rechlesnesse of most vncleane liuing no lesse perillous then desperation c. From this Article solid and learned Doctor Whitakers in his Cygnea Cantio pag. 16. 17. Master Thomas Rogers in his authorized Analisis on the 17. Article commonly solde and bound vp together with the Articles Reuerend Bishop Carlton in his examination of Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 10. Edit 2. Pag. 99. Master Yates in his Ibis ad Caesarem Part. 1. cap. 1. 2. 3. part 2. cap. 1. Sect. 5. pag. 35. c. Master Henry Burton in his Answere to an Appeale pag. 28. 36. 37. 42. 44. 49. Master Francis Rouse in his Doctrine of King Iames. pag. 43. to 48. Master Wotton in his Dangerous Plot Discouered cap. 19. 20. pag. 126. 127. Together with Doctor Thysius in his Comment or Collation on the Articles of Lambheth Hardrouici 1613. c. who haue copiously analised and explained this 17. Article haue raised these Orthodoxe Anti-Arminian Conclusions which are directly grounded on and warranted by this Article as they there affirme 1 That there is a Predestination of certaine men vnto aeternall life and a praeterition or Reprobation of others vnto death 2 That this Praedestination both to life and death are from aeternity 3 That they are altogether immutable and vnchangeable 4 That not all men but certaine onely are Praedestinated to be saued 5 That these who are Praedestinated vnto Saluation can neuer perish nor yet fall finally or totally from the state of grace 6 That in Christ Iesus some are Elected to Saluation and not others not of any foresâ—ene â—aith or Works or Will or Merit in themselues but out of the meere good will and pleasure of God himselfe 7 That they who are Elected to Saluation are in their due time called according to Gods purpose both outwardly by the Word and inwardly by the Spirit which call they all obey and not resist 8 That the Predestinate are both freely iustified by Faith and sanctified by the holy Ghost heere and shall likewise be glorified in the life to come 9 That the consideration of Praedestination and its Doctrine is to the godly wise most comfortable anâ— ioyfull and dangerous to none but curious and carnall persons All which Conclusions are Diametrally repugnant to the now Arminian Tenents ARTIC 18. THey also are to bee had accursed that presume to say that euery man shall bee saued by the Lawe or Sect which he professeth so that hee bee diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs onely the Name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued ARTIC 29. THe wicked and such as be voide of a liuely faith although they doe caâ—nally and visibly presse with their teeth as St. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eate and drinke the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing ARTIC 31. THe Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemptionâ— proputation and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole World both originall and actuall and there is none other satisfaction for sinne but that alone The nine Assertions or Articles of Lambheth composed and agreed vpon at Lambheth-House on the 20. day of Nouember in the yeere of our Lord 1595. by Iohn Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Bishop of London Richard elect Bishop of Bangor Doctor Tyndall Deane of Elie Doctor Whitaker professor of Diuinitie in Cambridge and sundry other Reuerend and learned Diuines there present with the concurrent approbation of the right Reuerend and learned Prelate Mathew Archbishop of â—orkâ— for the determining of certaine Arminian points of Controuersie that then arose in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1 DEus ab Aeterno Praedestinauit quosdam ad vitam quosdam Reprobauit ad Mortem 1 GOD from Eternitie hath Praedestinated certaine men vnto Life certaine men he hath Reprobated vnto Death 2 Causa mouens aut efficiens Praedestinationis ad Vitam non est praeuisio Fidei aut perseuerantiae aut bonorum operum aut ullius rei quae insit in personis Praedestinatis sed sola voluntas beneplaciti Dei 2 The moouing or efficient cause of Predestination vnto Life is not the foresight of Faith or of perseuerance or of good-workes or of any thing that is in the persons Predestinated but onely the good will and pleasure of God 3 Praedestinatorum praefinitus certus est numerus qui nec augeri nec minui possit
difference between the cause and the effect The first principall and most proper cause of our Iustification and Saluation is the goodnesse and loue of God whereby he chose vs for his before he made the world After that God granteth vs to bee called by the Preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ when the spirit of the Lord is powred into vs by whose garding and gouernance wee bee led to settle our trust in God and hope for the performance of his promise With this choyce is ioyned as companion the mortifying of the olde man that is of our affection and last From the same spirit also commeth our Sanctification the loue of God and of our neighbour iustice and vprightnesse of life Finally to say all in summe Whateuer is in vs or may be done of vs honest pure true and good that altogether springeth out of this most pleasant Rocke from this most plentifull Fountaine the goodnesse loue choise and vnchangeable purpose of God he is the cause the rest are the fruits and effects Yet are also the goodnesse choise and spirit of God and Christ himselfe causes conioyned and coupled each with other which may bee reckoned among the principall causes of saluation As oft therefore as we vse to say that wee are made righteous and saued by saith onely it is meant thereby that faith or rather trust alone doth lay hand vpon vnderstand and perceiue our righteous making to bee giuen vs of God freely that is to say by no deserts of our own but by the free grace of the Almighty Father Moreouer Faith doth ingender in vs loue of our neighbour and such workes as God is pleased withall For if it bee a liuely and true faith quickned by the holy Ghost shee is the mother of all good saying and doing By this short tale it is euident whence and by what meanes wee attaine to bee righteous For not by the worthinesse of our deseruings were wee either heretofore chosen or long agoe saued but by the onely mercy of God and pure grace of Christ our Lord whereby we were in him made to doe these good workes that God had appointed for vs to walke in And although good workes cannot deserue to make vs righteous before God yet doe they so cleane vnto Faith that neither Faith can be found without them nor good Workes bee any where found without Faith And Fol. 68. Immortality and blessed life God hath prouided for his chosen before the foundations of the World were laid This Catechisme was published by King Edward the 6. his Authority in the yeere 1553. being the next yeere after the composure and publishing of the Articles of our Church which were first of all concluded vpon in the yeare 1552. being onely reuiâ—ed not framed or new composed in the yeare 1562. From whence I collect that this Catechisme is fully agreable to the true sence and meaning of our Articles and may well bee taken as a Comment or Explanation on our 16. and 17. Articles so that whatsoeuer is affirmed in this Catechisme is likewise affirmed by those Articles And if so then it is more then euident that our Articles doe point-blanke oppugne the Arminian mutabilitie of Predestination Election from Faith or Workes or any thing else foreseene in vs Free-will and vniuersall or sufficient grace the totall and finall resisting of the worke of grace and Apostasie from the state of grace together with the truth of grace in reprobates or castawayes all which are euidently refuted and condemned by this Catechisme as the figured passages will demonstrate Certaine questions and answeres touching the doctrine of Predestination Printed by ROBERT BARKER Anno 1607. and bound vp and sold with our English Bibles Question WHy doe men so much vary in matters of Religion Answere Because all haue not the like measure of knowledge neither doe all beleeue the Gospell of Christ. Qu. What is the reason thereof An. Because they only beleeue the Gospel and doctrine of Christ which are ordained vnto eternall life Qu. Are not all ordained to eternall life An. Some are vessels of wrath ordained vnto destruction as others are vessels of mercy prepared to glory Qu. How standeth it with Gods Iustice that some are appointed to damnation An. Very wel because all men haue in themselues sinne which deserueth no lesse and therfore the mercy of God is wonderfull in that he vouchsafeth to saue some of that sinnefull race and to bring them to the knowledge of the truth Qu. If Gods ordinance and determination must of necessitie take effect then what neede any man to care for hee that liueth well must needs be damned if hee be thereunto ordained and he that liueth ill must needes bee saued if hee bee thereunto appointed Ans. Not so for it is not possible that either the elect should alwaies be without care to do wel or that the reprobate should haue any will thereunto For to haue either good will or good worke is a testimony of the Spirit of God which is giuen to the Elect onely whereby faith is so wrought in them that being graft into Christ they grow in holinesse to that glory whereunto they are appointed Neither are they so vaine as once to thinke that they may doe as they list themselues because they are predestinate vnto saluation but rather they endeauour to walke in such good workes as God in Christ Iesus hath ordained them vnto and prepared for them to be occupied in to their owne comfort stay and assurance and to his glory Qu. But how shall I knowe my selfe to bee one of those whom God hath ordained to life aeternall Ans. By the motions of spirituall life which belongeth onely to the children of God by the which that life is perceiued euen as the life of this body is discerned by the sense and motions thereof Qu. What meane you by the motions of spirituall life Ans. I meane remorse of conscience ioyned with the loathing of sinne and loue of righteousnesse the hand of Faith reaching vnto life eternall in Christ the Conscience comforted in distresse and raised vp to confidence in God by the worke of his Spirit a thankefull remembrance of Gods benefits receiued and the vsing of all aduersities as occasion of amendment sent from GOD. Qu. Cannot such perish as at some time or other feele these motions within themselues Ans. It is not possible that they should for as Gods purpose is not changeable so hee repenteth not of the gifts and graces of his adoption neither doeth hee cast off those whom he hath once receiued Qu. Why then should we pray by the example of Dauid that he cast vs not from his Face and that he take not his holy Spirit from vs Ans. In so praying wee make protestation of the weakenesse of flesh which mooueth vs to doubt yet should not wee haue courage to aske if we were not assured that God
Recantation of Barret The Concurrent consent of all our Godly Learned Eminent and most admired Martyrs Writers and Diuinity Professors from the beginning of reformation to this present The Resolution and iudgement of both our famous Vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge yea the ancient and modern Churches of Ireland Scotland and England with all their orthodox and learned members giuing testimony too and iudgement for the one but disintitelling disauowing and sentencing the other which can finde no full no punctuall Euidence no competent indifferent orthodox compleat or absolute but only branded censured and recanting Witnesses which cut the very nerues and heart-strings of their cause to giue them any colorable title to any seeming right or interest in our Church Which then of these irreconcilable incompliable Assertions are the ancient receiued established and resolued Doctrines of our Church be yee the Iudges Certainely that which hath no full no pregnant Euidences no legall or vnattainted Witnesses to iustify or cleare its right or claime that which was altogether vnknowne and neuer heard off in our Church till now of late that which is yet in Quaere in further search and discouery and so not yet beleeued by its owne best studied Aduocates the case of rotten Pelagian Arminianisme can neuer be that which hath all these fore alleaged Charters and testimonies to strengthen and confirme its right the case and happy condition of Anti-Arminianisme must of necessity be the true the genuine and vndoubted Doctrine of our Church Let vs therefore now at last without any further scrutinie of debate exile this spurious and cursed Arminianisme which hath lately drawne the very curse and wrath of God with sundry fatall iudgements on vs out of our Church and state let vs once more adiudge sinke it to the very depths of Hell to which it was of old condemned as a most pernicious turbulent discomfortable desperate blasphemous and grace-oppugning Heresie and since England I meane Pelagius a Brittaine and a Monke of Bangor was the first that bred it let her be now the first to ruine it As for our Anti-Arminian Conclusions the ancient hereditarie and vnquestionable Doctrines of the Church of England and the chiefest treasure ioy and comfort of our soules without which all other comforts and contentments are vnpleasant let vs lodge them in our hearts in throne them in our soules settle them in our iudgements claspe them in our affections and so perpetuate and establish them in our Church that all the pollices and powers of Hell all the stratagems and powder-plots of Rome all the combinations and complotments of forraigne Enemies or domestique Traytors for such are all those Iesuited and Popish factors who goe about to innouate Religion or to withdraw vs from the doctrines now established in the Church of England as these Tenents are may neuer be able to vnsettle or draw them into question any more These Anti-Arminian Tenents they are the very ioy of our hearts the life of our soules the foundation of our eternall blisse the onely Euidences and Assurances that we haue to intitle vs to saluation if these once faulter or proue false our ioy our spirituall comfort the very grace and glory of God and our saluation are indangered if we come once to lose but these the whole ioy the treasure comfort crowne and happinesse of all true Christians yea the whole frame and structure of Gods grace and the mysteries of our saluation are vtterly subuerted and brought quite to ruine And shall we then forgoe these truthes which are farre more neare and deare vnto vs then our dearest soules when we haue thus long thus constantly thus abundantly professed them These these are the orthodox and sweete dogmaticall Resolutions which our Martyrs blood haue sealed our first Reformers of Religion setled our Ancestors embraced our Articâ—es confirmed our Vniuersities professed our Church beleeued our Ministers subscribed our Protestant Kings and Queenes defended our Preachers published our Laity receiued our Parliament particularly voted owned and protected our Writers propagated and professedly maintained against all Hereticall oppugners whatsoeuer which they would neuer haue done had they beene meere curious scoole-points nicities or needlesse speculations onely as some repute them and we our selues long since acknowledged yea readily entertained as our owne vndoubted and professed Doctrines and shall we then disclaime or doubt them now These are those blessed gracious and tutelary Doctrines which haue thus long guarded and secured both our Church and State These are the Bulwarks which haue a long time kept out Popery and Romish tyranny from that haue preserned peace and vnity in our Church which now is almost ouer-runne with Popery and Arminianisme with sundry Errors and Diuisions since these haue fallen to decay and lost their credit with vs. These were the truthes that secured vs from the Spanish Armado in 88â— from the barbarous vnnaturall and infernall Powder-treason in 1605. the very memory of which should make al Papists Priests Iesuits with their bloudy Anti-Christian Religion which now creepes in vpon vs for euer execrable to all English hearts These were the procurers of our ancient glory and renown of our prosperity and welfare our victories and triumphs both by Sea and Land these made vs honorable wealthy happy and victorious for 60. yeeres and vpward and we had yet no doubt continued such had we not of late reuolted from them and giuen harbor to those Popish those pestileÌ„t Arminian errors which haue wasted both our Church and state and plunged them into such a gulfe of sundry miseries as is like to swallow them vp at once vnles the power of heauen proue their rescue and shall we then begin to waiue them or forsake them now These are the immortall seed which did beget vs at first these the sincere milke that nourished vs these the strong meat that must corroborate vs these the celestiall cordialls which must comfort vs in all our deiections these the Ancre which must secure and hold vs vp from sinking in the middest of all our troubles these the Armor that must shield vs in all our spirituall combates yea these are the Doctrines which must beget and perfect grace within vs which must conuert and saue our soules In these were wee and ours borne in these haue we liued and if we euer hope for any grace or glory peace or safety any present or future happinesse oâ— prosperity for our selues or our posterities after vs in these let vs and oures liue and dye FINIS Leo Epistolarum Decretaâ—â—â—um Epist. 75. cap. 1. Nullus vltra sinâ—tur impetâ—re quâ— non tamhumanis quam diuinis sâ—nt statuta decretis ne vere digni sint Dei munus amittere qui de veritate â—ipsiâ—s ausi fuerint dubitare Gentle Reader I shall desire thee to correct these few materiall Errataes which by the improuidence of the Printer and Corrector haue escaped the Presse