the Book being to be set fâ—rth by his Graâ—es censure and judgement he would have nâ—thing therein that Momus himself could reprehend referring notwithstanding all his Annotations to his Majesties exacter judgement Nor staid it here but being committed by the King to both Houses of Parliament and by them very well approved of as appears by the Statutes of this year Cap. 1. concerning the Advancing of true Religion and the abolition of the contrary it was published again by the Kings command under the title of Neâ—essary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian man And it was published with an Epistle of the Kings before it directed to all his faithful and loving Subjects wherein it is affirmed 'To be a true Declaration of the true knowledge of God and his Word with the principal Articles of Religion whereby men may uniformly be led and taught the true understanding of that which is necessary for every Christian man to know for the ordering of himself in this life agreeable unto the will and pleasure of Almighty God ' 5. Now from these Books the Doctrine of Predestination may be gathered into these particulars which I desire the Reader to take notice of that he may judge the better of the Conformity which it hath with the established Doctrine of the Church of England 1. That man by his own nature was born in sin and in the indignation and displeasure of God and was the very childe of Wrath condemned to everlasting death subject and thrall to the power of the Devil and sin having all the principal parts or portions of his soul as Reason and understanding and free-wil and all other powers of his soul and body not onely so destituted and deprived of the gifts of God wherewith they were firstendued but also so blinded corrupted and poysoned with errour ignorance and carnal concupiscence that neither his said powers could exercise the natural function and office for which they were ordained by God at the first Creation nor could he by them do any thing which might be acceptable to God 2. That Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God the Father was eternally pre-ordained and appointed by the Decree of the Holy Trinity to be our Lord that is to say to be the onely Redeemer and Saviour of Mankinde and to reduce and bring the same from under the Dominion of the Devil and sin unto his onely Dominion Kingdom Lordship and Governance 3. That when the time was come in the which it was before ordained and appointed by the Decree of the Holy Trinity That Mankinde should be saved and redeemed then the Son of God the second Person in the Trinity and very God descended from Heaven into the world to take upon him the very habit form and nature of man and in the same nature to suffer his glorious Passion for the Redemption and Salvation of all Mankinde 4. That by this Passion and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ not onely Corporal death is so destroyed that it shall never hurt us but rather that it is made wholesome and profitable unto us but also that all our sins and the sins also of all them that do believe in him and follow him be mortified and dead that is to say all the guilt and offence thereof as also the damnation and pains due for the same is clearly extincted abolished and washed away so that the same shall never afterwards be imputed and inflicted on us 5. That this Redemption and Justification of Mankinde could not have been wrought or brought to pass by any other means in the world but by the means of this Jesus Christ Gods onely Son and that never man could yet nor never shall be able to come unto God the Father or to believe in him or to attain his favour by his own wit and reason or by his own science and learning or by any his own works or by whatsosoever may be named in Heaven or Earth but by faith in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ and by the gifts and graces of his Holy Spirit 6. But to proceed the way to the ensuing Reformation being thus laid open The first great work which was accomplished in pursuance of it was the compiling of that famous Liturgie of the year 1549. commanded by King Edward the sixth that is to say the Lord Protector and the rest of the Privy Council acting in his Name and by his Authority performed by Archbishop Cramner and the other six before remembred assisted by Thirdby Bishop of Westminster Day Bishop of Chichester Ridley Bishop of Rochester Taylor then Dean after Bishop of Lincoln Redman then Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and Hains Dean of Exeter all men of great abilities in their several stations and finally confirmed by the King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in Parliament assembled 23 Edw. 6. In which Confirmatory act it is said expresly to have been done by the especial aid of the Holy Ghost which testimony I finde also of it in the Acts and Monuments fol. 1184. But being disliked by Calvin who would needs be meddling in all matters which concerned Religion and disliked it chiefly for no other reason as appears in one of his Epistles to the Lord Protector but because it savoured too much of the ancient forms it was brought under a review the cause of the reviewing of it being given out to be no other than that there had risen divers doubts in the Exercise of the said Book for the fashion and manner of the Ministration though risen rather by the curiosity of the Ministers and Mistakers then of any other cause 5 6 Edw. 6. cap. 1. The review made by those who had first compiled it though Hobeach and Redman might be dead before the confirmation of it by Act of Parliament some of the New Bishops added to the former number and being reviewed was brought into the same form in which now it stands save that a clause was taken out of the Letany and a sentence added to the destribution of the blessed Sacrament in the first year of Queen Elizabeth and that some alteration was made in two or three of the Rubricks with an addition of Thansgiving in the end of the Letany as also of a Prayer for the Queen and the Royal Issue in the first of King James 7. At the same time and by the same hands which gave us the First Liturgie of King Edward the sixth was the first Book of Homilies composed also in which I have some cause to think that Bishop Latimer was made use of amongst the rest as one who had subscribed the first other two Books before mentioned as Bishop of Worcester anno 1537. and ever since continued zealous for a Reformation quitting in that respect such a wealthy Bishoprick because he neither would nor could conform his judgement to the Doctrine of the six Articles Authorized by Parliament For it will easily appear to any who is
forth according to a Statute in that behalf provided might be well said to be done in the Synod of London though such as were of the house had no notice thereof before the promulgation And thereupon he did infer That the setters forth of the Catechism did not slander the House as they went about to perswade the world since they had the Authority of the Synod unto them committed to make such Spiritual Laws as they thought convenient and necessary for the good of the Church In which discourse we may observe that there was not one word which reflects on the Book of Articles all of it being made in reference to the Catechism before remembred though if the Objection had been made as indeed it was not against the Articles themselves the defence of that learned man and godly Martyr would have served as fully for the one as it did for the other But whatsoever may be said in derogation to the Authority of the Book of Articles as it was published in the time of King Edward the sixth Anno Dom. 1552. certain I am that nothing can be said unto the contrary but that they were received and the far greater part of them agreed upon in full Convocation Anno 1562 And therefore for avoiding of all disputes I am resolved to take them in this last capacity as they were ratified by Queen Elizabeth Anno 1563. confirmed by King James Anno 1604. and finally established by the late King Charls with his Majesties Royal Declaration prefixt before them Anno 1628. 12. Less doubt there is concerning the intent of this Convocation in drawing up the Articles in so loose a manner that men of different judgements might accommodate them to their own opinions which I finde both observed and commended in them by the former Author by whom we are informed that the Articles of the English Protestant Church in the infancy thereof were drawn up in general terms foreseeing that posterity would grow up to fill the same meaning that these holy men did prudently discover that differences in judgement would unavoidably happen in the Church and were loth to unchurch any and drive them off from an Ecclesiastical communion for petty differences which made them pen the Articles in comprehensive words to take in all who differing in the branches meet in the root of the same Religion This hath been formerly observed to have been the artifice of those who had the managing of the Council of Trent and is affirmed to have been used by such men also as had the drawing up of the Canons at the Synod at Dort But the Composers of the Articles of the Church of England had not so little in them of the Dove or so much of the Serpent as to make the Articles of the Church like an upright shoe which may be worn on either foot or like to Therancâ—nes shoe as the Adage hath it fit for the foot of every man that was pleased to wear it and therefore we may say of our first Reformers in reference to the present Book of Articles as was affirmed of them by Dr. Brancroft then Bishop of London in relation to the Rubrick in private Baptism that is to say that those reverend and learned men intended not to deceive any by ambiguous terms for which see Conf. at Hampton Court p. 15. And to this supposition or imagination it is also answered That the first Reformers did not so compose the Articles as to leave any liberty to dissenting judgements as the said Author would fain have it in some words preceding but did not binde men to the literal and Grammatical sense they had not otherwise attained to the end they aimed at which was ad tollendam Opinionum Dissentionem consensum in vera Religione firmandum that is to say to take away diversity of opinions and to establish an agreement in the true Riligion Which end could never be effected if men were left unto the liberty of dissenting or might have leave to put their own sense upon the Articles as they list themselves For where there is a purpose of permitting men to their own opinions there is no need of definitions and determinations in a National Church no more than is of making Laws to binde the Subjects in an unsettled Common-wealth with an intent to leave them in their former liberty either of keeping or not keeping them as themselves best pleased Which said we shall enquire into the meaning of the Articles as before laid down whether they speak in favour of the Melancthonian or Calvinian way so far forth as the meaning of them can be gathered from the publique Liturgie and Book of Homilies or from the Writings of those men who either had a hand in the making of them or dyed in the Religion here by Law established CHAP. IX Of the Doctrine of Predestination delivered in the Articles the Homilies the publique Liturgies and the Writings of some of the Reformers 1. THe Articles differently understood by the Calvinian party and the true English Protestants with the best way to finde out the true seâ—se thereof 2. The definition of Predestination and the most considerable points contained in it 3. The meaning of those words in the Definition viz. Whom he hath chosen in Christ according to the Exposition of S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Jerome as also of Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Latimer and the Book of Homilies 4. The Absolute Decree condemned by Bishop Latimer as a means to Licentiousness and Carnal living 5. For which and making God to be the Author of sin condemned as much by Bishop Hooper 6. Our Election to be found in Christ not sought for in Gods secret Counsels according to the judgement of Bishop Latimer 7. The way to finde out our Election delivered by the same godly Bishop and by Bishop Hooper with somewhat to the same purpose also from the Book of Homilies 8. The Doctrine of Predestination delivered by the holy Martyr John Bradford with Fox his gloss upon the same to corrupt the sense 9. No countenance to be had for any absolute personal and irrespective decree of Predestination in the publique Liturgie 10. An Answer to such passages out of the said Liturgie as seem to favour that opinion as also touching the number of Gods Elect. 1. THus have we seen the Doctrine of the Church of England in the five controverted Points according as it is delivered in the Book of Articles but in what sense we ought to understand it hath been made a Question Some take the Articles in the Literal and Graminacal sense which is the fairest and most approved way of Interpretation according to the saying of an ancient Writer That if the Literal sense of holy Scripture will stand with the Analogie of faith and piety it is to be preferred before any other Others they are of which his late Majestie complained who draw the Articles aside and put their own sense or comment to be the meaning
the said Ecclesiastical Priests how they have profited in the study of holy Scripture Evident Arguments that there was no intent of setling any other Doctrine in the Church of England then such as was agreeable to the Judgement of that Learned man 5. The next care was for making and perfecting those Homilies of which we finde mention at the end of King Edwards Book for the necessary edifying of Christian people and the increase of godly living both Books sufficiently provided for besides the confirmation of that first Article of the year 1552. in the Rubrick of the second Liturgie where it is said that after the Creed if there be no Sermon shall follow one of the Homilies already set forth or to be set forth by common authority which Rubrick being revised with the rest of the Liturgie put the said books of Homilies as well the second as first part of them into the service of the Church and thereby made them no small part of the publick doctrine But who they were which laboured in this second Book whither they were the same that drew up the first or those who in Queen Elizab. time reviewed the Liturgie or whether they were made by the one and reviewed by the other I have no where found though I have taken no small paines in the search thereof But those few doctrinals which were contained in the Book of Common Prayer or deducible from it not being much took notice of and the Homilies not confirm'd by that common Authority which was required in the Rubrick the Zuinglians or Gospellers took the opportunity to disperse their doctrines before the door of utterance should be shut against them or any publick course be taken to suppress their practices And this they did with so much diligence and cunning that they encreased exceedingly both in power and numbers of which more hereafter Notice whereof being took of those which were of most Authority in the Government of the Church it was thought necessary for the preventing of the mischief which might thence insue that the Articles of Religion published in King Edwards time 1552. should be brought under a Review accommodated to the use of the Church and made to be the standing Rule by which all persons were to regulate and confirm their Doctrines 6. And to this end a Convocation was assembled on the 13. of January An. 1562. which continued tâ—â—â— the 14. day of April the main business which was acted in it being the canvasing and debating of the Articles of King Edwards Book and passing them in the forme and manner in which now they stand which business as they took first into consideration on the 19. of January and diligently prosecuted from day to day by the Bishops and Clergie in their several houses they came to an agreement on the 29. of the same moneth on which the said Articles were publickly recited generally approved and subscribed by the greatest part of the Clergy which were then assembled And being so subscribed presented to the Queen and ratified by her Royal Authority were forthwith published to the same end for which they were made that is to say For the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the stablishing of consent touching true Religion as in the title is declared In the composing of which Book though a clause was added to the twentieth Article and another taken from the third though some Articles of King Edwards were totally omitted and some new made as that amongst the rest for confirmation of the second Book of Homilies which were not in the Book before yet the the five Articles touching the Doctrine of the Church in the points disputed as they stand in the eight Chapter of this Book were left in that same state in which they found them And being left in the same state in which they found them were to be taken in the same sense in which they had been understood at the first making of them according to such illustrations as occur in the Book of Common Prayer such Explanations as are found in the Book of Homilies and the judgement of those learned men and godly Martyrs which had a principal hand in the Reformation so that the Articles being the same as to these particulars the paraphrases of Erasmus state the same the publick Liturgie and the first Book of Homilies in all points the same and the second book of Homilies agreeing exactly with the first in the present controversies as appears by the three first Sections of the seventh Chapter of this Book and that which follows in the next there is no question to be made but that the doctrine was the same in the said five points which had been publickly allowed of in the time of King Edward 7. But against this it may be said that one of the material Articles of King Edwards book in reference to the points disputed was totally left out of this and therefore that there was some alteration of the Churches judgement as to the sense and meaning of the present Articles which Article being the tenth in number as it stands in that Book is there delivered in these words viz. Gratia Christi seu spiritus sanctus qui per eundem datur c. ' The grace of Christ or the holy Ghost which is given by him doth take from man the heart of stone and giveth him a heart of flesh And though by the influences thereof it rendreth us willing to do those good works which before we were unwilling to do and unwilling to do those evil works which before we did voluntati tamen nullam violentiam infert yet is no violence offered by it to the will of man nor can any man when he hath sinned excuse himself quasi nolens aut coactus peccaverit as if he had sinned against his will or upon constraint and therefore that he ought not to be accused or condemned upon that account ' For answer whereunto it may first be said that the Composers of that Book thought it not fit to clog it with any unnecessary points in which the peace and safty of the Church seemeth not much concerned and therefore as they left out the present Article so they omitted the sixteenth touching the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost together with the foure last of King Edwards Book touching the General resurrection the stare of mens souls after death the Doctrine of the Millinaries and of a general salvation to be given to the wicked also after they had endured the paines of hell for a certain time Secondly they considered that the doctrine of mans free Co-operation with the grace of God had been sufficiently expressed and provided for by the tenth Article of this Book and the ninth of which illustrated by divers passages in the publick Liturgie accommodated and applied to the most encrease of piety in the Book of Homilies therefore that there was no great need to contend about it or to retain it in the Book And somewhat
publick service if otherwise of known zeale against the Papists 2. Several examples of that kinde in the places of greatest power and trust in the Church of England particularly of Mr. Fox the Martyrologist and the occasion which he took of publishing his opinion in the point of predestination 3. His notes on one of the Letters of John Bradford Martyr touching the matter of Election therein contained 4. The difference between the Comment and the Text and between the authour of the Comment and Bishop Hooper 5. Exceptions against some passages and observations upon others in the said Notes of Mr. Fox 6. The great breach made hereby in the Churches Doctrine made greater by the countenance which was given to the Book of Acts and Monuments by the Convocation An. 1571. 7. No argument to be drawn from hence touching the approbation of his doctrine by that Convocation no more then for the Approbation of his Marginal Notes and some particular passages in it disgraceful to the Rites of the Church attire of the Bishops 8. A counterballance made in the Convocation against Fox his Doctrine and all other Novelismes of that kinde 1. IT was not long that Queen Mary sate upon the Throne and yet as short time as it was it gave not only a strong interruption for the present to the proceedings of the Church but an occasion also of great discord and dissention in it for the time to come For many of our Divines who had fled beyond the Sea to avoid the hurry of her Reign though otherwise men of good abilities in most parts of Learning returned so altered in their principals as to points of Doctrine so disaffected to the Government formes of worship here by Law established that they seem'd not to be the same men at their coming home as they had been at their going hence yet such was the necessity which the Church was under of filling up the vacant places and preferments which had been made void either by the voluntary discession or positive deprivation of the Popish Clergie that they were faine to take in all of any condition which were able to do the publick service without relation to their private opinions in doctrine or discipline nothing so much regarded in the choice of men for Bishopricks Deanries Dignities in Cathedral Churches the richest Bâ—nefices in the Countrey and places of most command and trust in the Universities as their known â—eal against the Papists together with such a sufficiency of learning as might enable them for writing and preaching against the Popes supremacy the carnal presence of Christ in the blessed Sacrament the superstition of the Masse the halfe communion the celâ—bratin of Divine service in a tongue not known unto the people the inforced single life of Priests the worshiping of Images and other the like points of Popery which had given most offence and were the principal causes of that separation 2. On this account we finde Mr. Pilkington preferred to the See of Durham and Whittingham to the rich Deanry of the Church of which the one proved a great favourer of the Non-conformists as is confessed by one who challengeth a relation to his blood and family the other associated himself with Goodman as after Goodman did with Knox for planting Puritanisme and sedition in the Kirk of Scotland On this account Dr. Lawrence Humphrey a professed Calvinian in point of doctrine and a Non-conformist but qualified with the title of a moderate one is made the Queens professor for Divinity in the University of Oxon Thomas Cartwright that great Incendiary of this Church preferred to be the Lady Margarets professor in the University of Cambridge Sampson made Dean of Christ-church and presently proptor Puritaxismum Exauctoratus turned out again for Puritanisme as my Authour hath it Hardiman made one of the first Prebends of Westminster of the Queens foundation and not long after deprived of it by the high Commissioners for breaking down the Altar there and defacing the ancient utensils and ornaments which belonged to the Church And finally upon this account as Whitehead who had been Chaplaine to Queen Anne Bulline refused the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury before it was offered unto Parker and Covâ—rdale to be restored to the See of Exon which he had chearfully accepted in the time of King Edward so Mr. John Fox of great esteem for his painful and laborious work of Acts and Monuments commonly called the Book of Martyrs would not accept of any preferment in the Church but a Prebends place in Salisbury which tide him not to any residence in the same And this he did especially as it after proved to avoid subscription shewing a greater willingnesse to leaue his place then to subscribe unto the Articles of Religion then by Law established when he was legally required to do it by Arch-Bishop Parker Of this man there remains a short Discourse in his Acts and Monuments of Predestination occasioned by a letter of Mr. Bradfords before remembred whose Orthodox doctrine in that point he feared might create some danger unto that of Calvin which then began to finde a more general entertainment then could be rationally expected in so short a time And therefore as a counter-ballance he annexeth this discourse of his own with this following title viz. Notes on the same Epistle and the matter of Election thereunto appertaining ' 3. As touching the Doctrine of Election whereof this letter of Mr. Bradford and many other of his Letters more do much intreat three things must be considered 1. What Gods Election is and what the cause thereof 2. How Gods Election proceedeth in working our salvation 3. To whom Gods election pertaineth and how a man may be certaine thereof Between Predestination and Election this difference there is Predestination is as well to the Reprobate as to the Elect Election pertaineth onely to them that be saved Predestination in that it respecteth the reprobate is called reprobation in that it respected the saved is called Election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternall decreement of God purposed before in himself what shall befal all men either to salvation or damnation Election is the free mercy and grace of God in his own will through faith in Christ his Sonne choosing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him In this definition of Election first goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes thereof whereby are excluded all works of the Law and merits of deserving whither they go before faith or come after so was Jacob chosen and Esau refused before either of them began to work c. Secondly in that the mercy of God in this Definition is said to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and working of God not to be bound to any ordinary place or to any succession of choice nor to state and dignity of person nor to worthinesse of blood c. but all goeth by the meere will of his own purpose as it is
is to say It was not the Will of God that they should perish if they did repent For God desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he be converted and live and yet it was his will that they should peâ—ish if they did not repent for these two are one as for example It is the Will of God saith he that we should have eternal life if we believe and constantly persevere in the faith of Christ And it is not the will of God that we should have eternal life if we do not believe or believing only for a time do not persevere therein to the end of our lives which point he further proves by the condition of the message sent from God to Hezekiah by the Prophet Isaiah 2 King 20. 1. as before was said in Dr. King For which together with the rest of his discourse upon that occasion concerning the consistency of these alterations with the immutability or unchangableness of Almighty God I shall refere the Reader to the book it self 5. So far that learned man had declared himself upon occasion of that Text and the case of the Niâ—evites before the year 1574. being ten years before the preaching of Hâ—rsnets Sermon at St. Pauls Cross and more then twenty years before the â—â—irs at Cambridge betwixt him and Whitacres In all which time or at lest the greatest part thereof he inclined rather unto the Melancthonian way according to the Judgement of the Church of England in laying down the Doctrine of Predestination then to that of Calvin For fifteen years it is confest in a letter sent by some of the heads of Cambridge to William Lord Burleigh then Chancellour of the University bearing date March the 8. 1595. That he had taught in his Lectures preached in Sermons determined in the Schools and printed in several books a contrary Doctrine unto that which was maintained by Dr. Whitacres and had been taught and received in the University ever since the beginning of her Majesties Reign which last though it be gratis dictum without proof or evidence yet it is probable enough that it might be so Cartwright that unextinguished Fire-brand being Professor in that place before him and no greater care taken in the first choice of the other before recited to have had the place then to supply it with a man of known aversness from all points of Popery And it seems also by that letter that Baroe had not sown his seed in a barren soil but in such as brought forth fruit enough and yielded a greater increase of Followers then the Calvinians could have wished For in one place the letter tells us that besides Mr. Barret of whom we shall speak more anon There were divers others who there attempted publickly to teach new and strange opinions in Religion as the Subscribers of it call them And in another place it tels us of Dr. Baroe that he had many Disciples and Adherents whom he enboldned by his example to maintain false Doctrine And by this check it may be said of Peter Baroe in reference to that Vniversity indangered to be overgrown with outlandish Doctrines as the Historian doth of Cajus Marius with referrence to the state of Rome in fear of being over-run by the Tribes of the Cymbri which were then breaking in upon it Actum esset de Repub. nisi Marius isti seculo contigisset the Common-wealth had then been utterly overthrown if Marius had not been then living 6. Now as for Barret before mentioned he stands accused so far forth as we can discern by the Recantation which some report him to have made for preaching many strange and erroneous Doctrines that is to say 1. ' That No man in this transitory life is so strongly underpropped at lest by the certainty of faith that is to say as afterwards he explained himself by Revelation that he ought to be assured of his own salvation 2. That the faith of Peter could not fâ—il but that the faith of other men might fail our Lord not praying for the faith of every particular man 3. That the certainty of perseverance for the time to come is a presumptuous and proud security forasmuch as it is in its own nature contingent and that it was not only a presumptuous but a wicked Doctrine 4. There was no distinction in the faith but in the persons believing 5. That the forgiveness of sins is an Article of the Faith but not the forgiveness of the sins particularly of this man oâ— that and therefore that no true Believer either can or ought believe for certain that his sins are forgiven him 6. That he maintained against Calvin Peter Martyr and the rest concerning those that are not saved that sin is the true proper and first cause of Reprobation 7. That he had taxed Calvin for lifting up himself above the high and Almighty God And 8ly That he had uttered many bitter woâ—ds against Peter Martyr Theodore Beza Jâ—rom Zanchius and Francis Junius c. calling them by the odious names of Calvinists and branding them with a most grievous mark of Reproach they being the lights and Ornaments of our Church as is suggested in the Articles which were exhibited against him ' 7. For having insisted or at lest touched upon these points in a Sermon preached at St. Marys on the 29. day of April Ann. 1595. all the Calvinian heads of that Vniversity being lbid together by Whitaores and inflamed by Perkins took fire immediately And in this Text he was convented on the fifth of May next following at nine of the clock in the morning before Dr. Some then Deputy Vice-Chancellour to Dr. Duport Dr. Goad Dr. â—yndal Dr. Whitacres Dr. Barwell Dr. Jegon Dr. Preston Mr. Chatterton and Mr. Claton in the presence of Thomas Smith publick Notary by whom he was appointed to attend again in the afternoon At which time the Articles above mentioned were read unto him which we alleadged to be erroneous and false Et repugnantes esse religioni in regno Angliae legitima Authoritate receptae ac stabilitae that is to say contrary to the Religion received and established by publick Authority in the Realm of England To which Articles being required to give an Answer he confest that he had published in his Sermon all these positions which in the said Articles are contained sed quod contenta in iâ—â—dem Religioni Ecclesiae Anglicanae ut prefertur omnino non repugnant but denyed them to be any way repugnant to the Doctrine of the Church of England Whereupon the Vice-Chancellour and the forenamed heads entring into mature deliberation and diligently weighing and examining these positions because it did manifestly appear that the said positions were false erroneous and likewise repugnant to the ' Religion received and established in the Church of England adjudged and declared that the said Barret had incurred the Penalty of the 45. Statute of the Vniversity de concionibuâ— ' And by vertue and tenour of that
in such things as his Articles had charged him withal There is also since the former another Complaint preferred against him by certain Batchelors in Divinity that he hath not only in the Sermon but also for the space of this 14. or 15. years taught in his Lectures preached in his Sermons determined in the Schools and printed in several books divers points of Doctrine not only contrary to himself but also contrary to that which hath been taught and received ever since her Majesties Reign and agreeable to the errors of Popery which we know your Lordship hath alwayes disliked and hated so that we who for the space of many years past have yielded him sundry benefits and favours here in the Vniversity being a stranger and forborn him when he hath often heretofore busie and curious in aliena Republica broached new and strange questions in Religion now unless we should be careless of maintaining the truth of Religion established and of our duties in our places cannot being resolved and confirmed in the truth of the long professed and received Doctrine but continue to use all good means and seek at your Lordships hands some effectual Remedy hereof lest by permiting passage to these errors the whole body of Popery should by little and little break in upon us to the overthrow of our Religion and consequently the with-drawing of many here and else where from true obedience to her Majestie May it therefore please your Lordship to have an honourable consideration of the premises for the better maintaining of Peace and the truth of Religion so long received in this Vniversity and Church to vouchsafe your Lordships good aid and advice both to the comfort of us wholly consenting and agreeing in Judgement and all others of the Vniversity truely affected and to the suppression in time not only of these errors but even of gross Popery like by such means in time easily to creep in amongst us as we find by late experience it hath dangerously begun Thus craving pardon for troubling your Lordship and commending the same in praise to Almighty God we humbly take our leave From Cambridge March 8. 1595 Your Lordships humble and bounden to be commanded Roger Goad Procan R. Some Tho. Leg John Jegon Thomas Nevil Thomas Preston Hump. Tyndal James Mountague Edm. Barwel Laur. Cutterton 6. Such was the condition of Affairs at Cambridge at the expiring of the year 1595. the genuine Doctrine of the Church beginning then to break thorow the clouds of Calvinism wherewith it was before obscured and to shine forth again in its former lustre To the advancement of which work as the long continuance of Baroe in the Vniversity for the space of 20. years and upwards the discreet Activity of Dr. Harsnet Fellow and Master of Pembrook Colledge for the term of 40. years and more gave a good encouragement so the invincible constancy of Mr. Barret and the slender opposition made by Overald contributed to the confirmation and increase thereof For scarce had Overald warmed his Chair when he found himself under a necessity of encountring some of the Remainder of Baroes Adversaries though he followed not the blow so far as Baroe did for some there were of the old Predestination Leven who publickly had taught as he related it in the conference at Hampton Coutt ' all such persons as were once truly justified though after they fell into never so grievous sins yet remained still just or in the state of Justification before they actually repented of those sins yea though they never repented of them through forgetfulness or sudden death yet they should be justified and saved without Repentance Against which Overald maintained that whosoever although before justified did commit any grievous sin as Adultery Murder Treason or the like did become ipso facto subject to Gods wrath and guilty of damnation or were in the state of damnation quo ad presentem statum untill they repented ' And so far he had followed Baroe but he went no further holding as he continued his own story that such persons as were called and justified according to the purpose of Gods Election did neither fall totally from all the graces of God though how a justified man may bring himself into a present state of wrath and damnation without a total falling from all the graces of God is beyond my Reason and that they were in time renewed by the Spirit of God unto a lively faith and repentance and thereby justified from those sins with the guilt and wrath annexed unto them into which they had fallen nor can it be denied but that some other learned men of those times were of the same opinion also Amongst which I finde Dr. John Bridges dean of Sarum and afterwards Lord Bishop of Oxon to be reckoned for one and Mr. Richard Hooker of whom more anon to be accounted for another But being but the compositions of private men they are not to be heard against the express words of the two Homilies touching Falling from God in case the point had not been positively determined in the sixteenth Article But so it hapned notwithstanding that Overald not concurring with the Calvinists concerning the estate of such justified persons as afterwards fell into grievous sins there grew some diffidences and distrust between them which afterwards widned themselves into greater differences In so much that dissenting from them also touching the absolute decree of Reprobation and the restraining of the benefit of Christs death and Gods grace unto a few particulars and that too in Gods primitive purpose and intent concerning the salvation and damnation of mankind those of the Anti-Calvinian party went on securely with little or no opposition and lesse disturbance 7. At Oxford all things in the mean time were calm and quiet no publick opposition shewing it self in the Schooles or Pulpits The reasons of that which might be first that the Students of that vniversity did more incline unto the canvasing of such points as were in difference betwixt us the Church of Rome then unto those which were disputed against the Calvinists in these points of Doctrine for witnesse whereof we may call in the works of Sanders Stapleton Allyns Parsons Campian and many others of that side as those of Bishop Jewel Bishop Bilson Dr. Humpherys Mr. Novell Dr. Sparks Dr. Reynolds and many other which stood firme to the Church of England And secondly though Dr. Humpheryes the Queens Professor for divinity was not without cause reckoned for a non-Conformist yet had he the reputation of a moderate man a moderate non-Conformist as my Author calls him and therefore might permit that Liberty of opinion unto other men which was indulged unto himself neither did Dr. Holland who succeeded him give any such countenance to the propogating of Calvins doctrines as to make them the subject of his lectures and disputations In so much that Mr. Prinne with all his diligence can finde but seven men wâ—o publickly maintained
Turky Gowns to shew as Bishop Bancroft tartly noted they desired rather to conform themselves in outward Ceremonies with the Turks then they did with the Papists 2. The first day of the Conference being spent betwixt the King and the Bishops the second which was the 16. of the same moneth was given to the Plantiffes to present their grievances and to remonstrate their desires amongst which it was named by Dr. Reynolds as the mouth of the rest That the nine Assertions Orthodoxal as he termed them concluded upon at Lambeth might be inserted into the book of Articles which when King James seemed not to understand as having never heard before of those nine Assertions ' He was informed that by reason of some Controversies arising in Cambridge about certain points of Divinity my Lords Grace assembled some Divines of especial note to set down their opinions which they drew into nine Assertions and sent so them to the Vniversity for the appeasing of those Quarrels and thereupon his Majesty resolved thus that when such questions arise amongst Scholars the quietest proceeding were to determine them in the Vniversity and not to stuff the book with all Conclusions Theological ' Out of which passage I observed First that the Attribute of Orthodoxal is ascribed to the said nine Assertions by none but Dr. Reynolds who termed them so and not by Dr. Barlow then Dean of Chester who related the conference and had been present at the making of the said Assertions being at that time one of the domestick Chaplains of Arch-Bishop Whitgift And secondly That they were not made to be a standing Rule to the Church of England but only for the present pacifying of some differences which arose in Cambridge as is here acknowledged I observe thirdly that King James did utterly eject the motion as to the inserting of the said nine Assertions amongst the Articles of the Church leaving them to be canvased and disputed in the Schools as more proper for them And fourthly That being left to be disputed in the Schools they might beheld in the Affirmative or in the Negative as best pleased the Respondent 3. It was also moved by Dr. Reynolds That the book of Articles of Religion concluded 1562. might be explained in places obscure and enlarged where some things were defective And in particular he desired that an explanation might be made of the 23d Article for ministring in the Congregation of the 25. touching Confirmation and of the 37th concerning the Authority of the Pope of Rome as also that these words viz. That the intention of the Minister is not of the Essence of the Sacrament might be added in some fit place to the book of Articles But that which Dr. Reynolds did most insist upon was the 16. Article where it is said That after we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from Grace The meaning whereof though he acknowledged to be sound yet he desired that because they may seem to be contrary to the Doctrine of Election and Predestination in the 17th Article those words may seem to be explained with this or the like addition viz. That neither totally nor finally Which motion or proposal concerning Dr. Overald more then any other he took occasion thereupon to acquaint his Majesty with that which had happened to him at Cambridge concerning the Estate of a justified man fallen into any grievous sin as Murder Treason Adultery and the like as hath been shewn at large in the former Chapter But the result of all was this that after a full debate and consideration concerning every one of the said Articles and the doubts moved about the same there was no cause sound for altering any thing in any of them and as little for the 16th as for any other For though the said Dr. Overald had declared it for his own opinion that he who was called and justified according to the purpose of Gods Election being brought into a state of wrath and damnation did neither fall totally from all the graces of God nor finally from the possibility of being renewed again by Gods holy Spirit as before is said and that King James himself had left it to be considered whether the word Often might not be added to the 16. Article as thus viz. We may often depart from Grace c. yet being left to the consideration of the Prelates as were all the rest the said Article remained without any alteration as before they found it and as it still continueth to this very day 4. But here is to be observed ' that upon the first motion concerning falling from Grace the Bishop of London took occasion to signifie to his Majesty how very many in these dayes neglecting holiness of life presumed too much of persisting in Grace laying all their Religion upon Predestination If I shall be saved I shall be saved which he termed a desperate Doctrine shewing it to be contrary to good divinity and the true Doctrine of Predestination wherein we should rather reason Ascendendo then Discendendo thus I live in obedience to God in love with my neighbour I follow my occasion c. Therefore I trust God hath elected me and predestinated me to salvation not thus which is the usual course of argument God hath predestinate and chosen me to life therefore though I sin never so grievously yet I shall not be damned for whom he once loveth he loveth to the end Whereupon he shewed his Majesty out of the next Article what was the Doctrine of the Church of England touching predestination in the very last Paragraph scilicet We must receive Gods promises in such wise as these be generally set forth to us in holy Scriture and in all our doings the Will of God to be followed which we have delivered to us in holy Scripture Which part of the Article his Majesty very well approved and after he had according to his manner very singularly discoursed on that place of Paul Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling he left it to be considered wither any thing were not to be added for the clearing of the Doctors doubt by putting in the word often or the like as thus We may often depart from Grace but in the mean time wished that the Doctrine of Predestination might be very tenderly handled and with great discretion lest on the one side Gods omnipotency might be called in question by impeaching the Doctrine of his eternal Predestination or on the other a desperate Resumption might be arreared by inferring the necessary certainty of standing and persisting in grace After which upon occasion of Dr. Overals discourse concerning his affairs at Cambridge his Majesty entred into a longer discourse of Predestination and Reproation then before and of the necessary conjoyning Repentance and holiness of life with true faith concluding that it was Hypocrysie and not true justifying faith which was severed from them For although Predestination and
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
That no Humane Laws or Constitutions do oblige a Christian 11. And finally That God never gave grace nor knowledge to a great person or rich man and that they in no wise fâ—llow the same What Anabaptists Brownists Ranters Quakers may not as well pretend that our first Reformers were of their Religion as the Calvinists can if Wicklifs Doctrine be the rule of our Reformation Which because possibly it may obtain the less belief if they were found only in the works of Harpsfield and Waldensis before remembred the Reader may look for them in the catalogue of those Mala Dogmâ—ta complained of by the Prolocutor in the Convocation An. 1536. to have been publikely preached printed and professed by some of Wicklifs Followers for which consult the Church History lib. 4. fol. 208. and there he shall be sure to finde them 6. It is alledged in the next place that the Calvinistical Doctrines in these points may be found in the writings of John Frith William Tyndall and Dr. Barns collected into one volume and printed by Jâ—ha Day 1563. of which the first suffered death for his conscience An. 1533. the second An. 1536. and the third An. 1540. called therefore by Mr. Fox in a Preface of his before the Book the Ring-leaders of the Church of England And thereupon it is inferred that the Calvinian Doctrine of Predestination must be the same with that which was embraced and countenanced by the first Reformers But first admitting that they speak as much in Honour of Calvins Doctrine as can be possibly desired yet being of different judgements in the points disputed and not so Orthodox in all others as might make them any way considerable in the Reformation it is not to be thought that either their writings or opinions should be looked on by us for our direction in this case Barns was directly a Dominican in point of Doctrine Frith soared so high upon the wing and quite out-flew the mark that Tyndal thought it not unfit to call him down and lure him back unto his pearch and as for Tyndal he declares himself with such care and caution excepting one of his flyings out against Freewil that nothing to their purpose can be gathered from him Secondly I do not look on Mr. Fox as a competent Judge in matters which concern the Church of England the Articles of whose Confession he refused to subscribe he being thereunto required by Archbishop Paâ—ker and therefore Tyndal Frith and Barns not to be hearkned to the more for his commendation Thirdly if the testimony of Frith and Tyndall be of any force for defence of the Calvinists the Anti-Sabbatarians may more justly make use of it in defence of themselves against the new Sabbath speculations of Dr. Bond and his adherents embraced more passionately of late then any Article of Religion here by Law established Of which the first declares the Lords day to be no other than an Ecclesiastical Institution or Church Ordinance the last that it is still changeable from one day to another if the Church so please For which consult the Hist of Sab. l. 2. c. 8. Let Frith and Tyndal be admitted as sufficient witnesses when they speak against the new Sabbath Doctrines or not admitted when they speak in behalf of Calvins and then I am sure his followers will lose more on the one side thâ—n they gained on the other and will prove one of the crossest bargains to them which they ever made And then it is in the fourth place to be observed that the greatest treasury of learning which those and the Famerlines could boast of was lockt up in the Cloisters of the Begging Friers of which the Franciscans were accounted the most nimble Disputants the Dominicans the most diligent and painful Preachers the Augustinians for the most part siding with the one and the Carmilites or White Friers joyning with the other so that admitting Frith and Tindal to maintain the same Doctrine in these points which afterwards was held forth by Calvin yet possibly they maintained them not as any points of Protestant Doctrine in opposition to the errours of the Church of Rome which had not then declared it self on either side but as the received opinions of the Dominican Friers in opposition to the Franciscans The Doctrine of which Dominican Friers by reason of their diligent preaching had met with more plausible entertainment not onely amongst the inferiour sort of people but also amongst many others of parts and learning 7. And as for Barns the far most learned of the three he had been once Prior of the Augustinian Friers in Cambridge whose Doctrines he had sucked in at his first coming thither and therefore might retain them to the very last without relation to the Zuinglian or Calvinian Tenents or any differences then on foot between the Protestant Doctors and the Church of Rome Besides being of the same Order which Luther had quitted the might the more willingly encline to Luthers first opinion touching servitude of the will mans inability in cooperating with the grace of God and being forcibly drawn in his own conversion velut inanimatum quiddam like a stock or stone in which he was tenaciously followed by the rigid Lutherans though he had afterwards changed his judgement touching that particular So that beholding Dr. Barns either as one that followed Luther in his first opinions or travelled the Dominican way in the present points as an Augustinian it is no marvel if we finde somewhat in his writings agreeable to the palate of the Calvinists and rigid Lutherans From whence it is that laying down the Doctrine of Predestination he discourseth thus viz. ' But yet sayest thou that he giveth to the one mercy and the other none I answer what is that to thee is not his mercy his own is it not lawful for him to give it to whom he will is thine eye evil because his is good take that which is thine and go thy way for if he will shew his wrath and make his power known over the vessels of wrath ordained to damnation and to declare the riches of his glory unto the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared and elected unto glory what hast thou therewith to do But here will subtil blindeness say God saw before that Jacob should do good and therefore did he chuse him he saw also that Esau should do evil therefore did he condemn him Alas for blindness what will you judge of that which God foresaw how know we that God saw that and if he saw it how know we that it was the cause of Jacobs Election These children being unborn they had done neitheir good nor bad and yet one of them is chosen and the other is refused S. Paul knoweth no other cause but the will of God and will you needs discuss another He saith not I will have mercy on him that I see shall do good but I will shew mercy to whom I will He saith not I will
Calvin no more than to the judgement of Wicklif Tyndall Barns or Frith whose offered assistance they refused when they went about it of which he sensibly complained unto some of his friends as appears by one of his Epistles I answer next affirmatively in the words of an Act of Parliament 2. 3. Edw. 6. where it is said That they had an eye in the first place to the mo pure and sincere Christian Religion taught in the Scriptures and in the next place to the usages of the Primitive Church Being satisfied in both which ways they had thirdly a more particular respect to the Lutheran Plat-forms the English Confession or Book of Articles being taken in many places word for word out of that of Ausberg and a conformity maintained with the Lutheran Churches in Rights and Ceremonies as namely in kneeling at the Communion the Cross in Baptism the retaining of all the ancient Festivals the reading of the Epistles and Gospels on Sundays and Holy-days and generally in the whole Form of External Worship Fourthly in reference to the points disputed they ascribed much to the Authority of Melancthon not undeservedly called the Phoenix of Germany whose assistance they earnestly desired whose coming over they expected who was as graciously invited hither by King Edwâ—rd the sixth Regiis literis in Angliam vocari as himself affirms in an Epistle to Camerarius His coming laid aside upon the fall of the Duke of Sommerset and therefore since they could not have his company they made use of his writings for their direction in such points of Doctrine in which they thought it necessary for the Church to declare her judgement 3. I observe finally That as they attributed much to the particulars to the Authority of Melancthon so they ascribe no less therein unto that of Erasmus once Reader of the Greek Tongue in Cambridge and afterwards one of the Professors of Divinity there whose Paraphrases on the four Evangelists being translated into English were ordered to be kept in Churches for the use of the People and that they owned the Epistles to be studied by all such as had cure of souls Concerning which it was commanded by the injunctions of King Edward the sixth published by the advice of the Lord Protector Somerset and the Privy Council in the first year of the said Kings Reign 1. ' That they should see provided in some most convenient and open place of every Church one Great Bible in English with the Paraphrase of Erasmus in English that the people might reverendly without any let read and hear the same at such time as they listed and not to be inhibited therefrom by the Parson or Curate but rather to be the more encouraged and provoked thereunto And 2. That every Priest under the degree of a Bachellour of Divinity should have of his own one New Testament in English and Latine with the Paraphrases of Erasmus upon the same and should diligently read and study thereupon and should collect and keep in memory all such comfortable places of the Scripture as do set forth the Mercy Benefits and Goodness of Almighty God towards all penitent and believing persons that they might thereby comfort their flock in all danger of death despair or trouble of Conscience and that therefore every Bishop in their Institution should from time to time try and examine them how they have profited in their studies ' A course and care not likely to have entred into the thoughts of the Lord Protector or any of the Lords of the Council if it had not been advised by some of the Bishops who then began to have an eye on the Reformation which soon after followed and as unlikely to be counselled and advised by them had they intended to advance any other Doctrine than what was countenanced in the writings of that learned man Whereupon I conclude the Doctrine in the points disputed to be the true and genuine Doctrine of the Church of England which comes most near to the plain sense of holy Scripture the general current of the Fathers in the Primitive times the famous Augustane Confession the Writings of Melancthon and the Workes of Erasmus To which Conclusion I shall stand till I finde my self encountred by some stronger Argument to remove me from it 4. The ground thus laid I shall proceed unto the Reformation which was built upon it first raking in my way some necessary preparations made unto it by H. 8. by whom it had been ordered in the year 1536. That the Creed the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments should be recited publiquely by the Parish Priest in the English Tongue and all the Sundays and other Holidays throughout the year And that the people might the better understand the duties contained in them it pleased him to assemble his Bishops and Clergie in the year next following requiring them ' Upon the diligent search and perusing of Holy Scripture to set forth a plain and sincere Doctrine concerning the whole sum of all those things which appertain unto the Profession of a Christian man ' Which work being finished with very great care and moderation they published by the name of an Institution of a Christian man containing the Exposition or Interpretation of the common Word the seven Sacraments the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer c. and dedicated â—t to the Kings Majestie ' Submitting to his most Excellent Wisdom and Exact Judgement to be by him recognized overseen and corrected if he found any word or sentence in â—t amiss to be qualified changed or further expounded in the plain setting-forth of his most vertuous desire and purpose in that behalf ' A Dedication publikely subscribed in the name of the rest by all the Bishops then being eight Archdeacons and seventeen Doctors of chief note in their several faculties Amongst which I finde seven by name who had a hand in drawing up the first Liturgie of King Edward the sixth that is to say Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Goodrich Bishop of Ely Hobeach then Bishop of Rochester and of Lincoln afterwards Skip then Archdeacon of Dorset after Bishop of Hereford Roberson afterwards Dean of Durham as Maro was afterwards of S. Pauls and Cox of Westminster And I finde many others amongst them also who had a principal hand in making the first Book of Homilies and passing the Articles of Religion in the Convocation of the year 1552. and so it rested till the year 1643. when the King making use of the submission of the Book which was tendred to him corrected it in many places with his own hand as appeareth by the Book it self remaining in the famous Library of Sir Robert Cotton Which having done he sends it so corrected to Archbishop Cranmer who causing it to be reviewed by the Bishops and Clergie in Convocation drew up some Annotations on it And that he did for this intent as I heard exprest in one of his Letters bearing date June 25. of this present year because
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
first composed in which Provision seemes to have been made against all those who taught that men sinned against their wills or upon constraint or that men might excuse themselves from the blame thereof upon that consideration If any of the Calvinian factions can finde any thing in this Article against Arminianisme as they call it or in defence of the determining of the will by converting grace or the consistency of the freedome or liberty of the will much good may it do them But then they should think themselves obliged to give a better reason than I think they can why this Article is not to be found in the Book as now it is printed Either this Article was not made in favour of Calvinisme when it was published with the rest in King Edwards time or the Reformers of the Church under Queen Elizabeth were no friends to Calvinisme in causing it to be left out in the second Book Anno 1562. to which subscription is required by the Lawes of the Land 10. Proceed we next unto the Book of Homilies in the one of which we find this passage ' that few of the proud learned wife perfect and holy Pharisees were saved by Christ because they justified themselves by their counterfeit holinesse before men ' And in another thus ' But the corrupt inclination of man was so much given to follow his own fancies and as you would say to favour his own bâ—rd that he worships himself that all the admonitions exhortations benefits and the precepts of God could not keep him from their intent on ' More clearly and expressely in another place where after the recitation of some pious duties by God commended to the Jewes the Homily proceeds in this manner following ' But these things they passed not of they turned their backs and went their way they stopped their eares that they might not hear and they hardned their hearts as an adamant stone that they might not listen to the Law and the words that the Lord had sent through his holy Spirit wherefore the Lord shewed his great indignation upon them It came to passe saith the Prophet even as I told them and they would not hear so when they cryed they were not heard but were scattered into all Kingdoms which they never knew and their land was made desolate And to be short all they that may not abide the Word of God but following the perswasions and stubbornnesse of their own hearts go backward and not forward as is said in Jeremy they go and turne away from God ' Nor is this spoken only of such a temporary resistance as may be overcome at last by the unconquerable power of the Spirit of God but even of such an obstinate and perverse resistance as in the end will lead the way to a final Apostacy an unrecoverable forsaking of God and being as irrecoverably forsaken by him Of which we shall speak more at large in the fifth and last Article concerning the uncertainty of perseverance CHAP. XII The Doctrine of Freewil agreed upon by the Clergie in their Convocation An. 1543. 1. OF the Convocation holden in the year 1543. in order to the Reformation of Religion in points of Doctrine 2. The Article of Freewil in all the powers and workings of it agreed on by the Prelates and Clergie of that Convocation agreeable to the present Doctrine of the Church of England 3. An Answer to the first Objection concerning the Popishness of the Bishops and Clergie in that Convocation 4. The Article of Freewil approved by King Henry the eighth and Archbishop Cranmer 5. An Answer to the last Objection concerning the Conformity of the Article to the present Established Doctrine in the Church of Rome 1. BUt First I am to take in my way another evidence whiâ—h though it hath not so directly the force of Law to binde us to consent unto it and perhaps may not be considered amongst the Monuments and Records of the Reformation yet it speaks plainly the full sense of our first Reformers I speak this of a pithy but short Discourse touching the nature of Freewil contained amongst some others in the Book published by the Authority of King Henry the eighth in the year 1543. entituled A necessary Doctrine and Erudition for all Christian men Concerning which as we have spoke at large already in Chap. 8. of this Work so now we must adde something touching this particular of which there was no notice taken in the Bishops Book For when the Bishops Book which had been printed in the year 1537. under the title of An Institution for a Christian man had for some time continued without alteration it was brought under the review of the Bishops and Clergie assembled in their Convocation anno 1543. and having been reviewed in all the parts and members of it a particular Treatise touching the nature of Freewil which in those times had exercised the greatest wits Of which I finde this Memorandum in the Acts of the Convocation that is to say That on Monday being the last of April Lecto publice exposuo Articulo Liberi Arburii in vulgari c. The Article of Freâ—wil being read and publiquely expounded in the English Tongue the most Reverend Archbishops delivered it into the hands of the Prolocutor to the end that he should publish it before the Clerks of the lower House of Convocation as is accustomed in such cases Quo lecto per eos approbato which being read and approved by them it was returned with the residue to the upper House of Convocation with this Approbation Quod pro Catholicis Religiosis acceperunt nâ—c non gratias in gentes patribus egerunt quâ—d tanâ—â—s labores sudores vigilias Religionis Reipublicae causa unitatis gratia subicraâ—t that is to say that they embraced them all for sound and Orthodox rendring unto the Fathers there most humble thanks for the great care and pains which they had undertaken for the good of the Church and Commonwealth and the preserving of peace and unity amongst the people Which passage I have at large laid down to shew by whose hands and by what Authority as well the Book it self which we have spoken of before as this particular Treatise in it was at first fashioned and set forth And that being said I shall first present the Treatise or Discourse it self and after Answer such Objections as either prejudice or partiality may devise against it Now the Article followeth in hac verba The Article of Freewil 2. THe Commandments and threatnings of Almighty God in Scripture whereby man is callâ—d upon and put in remembrance what God would have him to do most evidently do expresse and declare that man hath Free-will also now after the fall of our first father Adam as plainly appeareth in these places following Be not overcome of evil neglect not the grace that is in thee Love not the world c. If thou wilt
they ought earnestly and with a fervent devotion and stedfast faith to aske of him which gave the beginning that he would vouchsafe to performe it which thing God will undoubtedly grant according to his promise to such as persevere in calling upon him For he is naturally good and willeth all men to be saved and careth for them and provideth all things by which they may be saved except BY THEIR OWN MALICE they will be evil and so by the righteous judgement of God perish and be lost For truly men be to themselves the AUTHOR OF SIN and DAMNATION God is neither the AUTHOR of SIN nor the CAUSE OF DAMNATION And yet doth he most righteously damne those men that do with vices corrupt their nature which he made good and do abuse the same to evil desires against his most holy will wherefore men be to be warned that they do not impute to God their vice or their damnation but to themselves who by Free-will have abused the grace and benefits of God All men be also to be monished and chiefly Preachers that in this high matter they looking on both sides so attemper and moderate themselves that neither they so preach the Grace of God as to take away thereby Free-will Nor on the other side so extol Free-will that injury be done to the grace of God 3. Such was the judgment of the Bishops and Clergy assembled in Convocation An. 1543. touching the nature of Free-will and the co-operations of it with the grace of God In which I can see nothing not agreeable to the present establisht Doctrine of the Church of England And if it be objected as perhaps it may that this Convocation was held in times of Popery and managed by a Popish Clergy it may be answered that the Bishops and Clergy then assembled were such as had a principal hand in the Reformation and generally subscribed unto the Articles of Religion agreed upon and published in King Edwards time Anno 1552. At which time fifteen of the Bishops which had been present at the Convocation Anno 1543. were not only living but present and consenting to the Articles in King Edwards time that is to say Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury Parfew Bishop of Saint Asaph Buchely Bishop of Bangor Bush Bishop of Bristol Sampson Bishop of Litchfield Butler Bishop of Saint David Goodrich Bishop of Elie Ship Bishop of Hereford Folgate Bishop of Landaff and afterwards Arch-bishop of York King Bishop of Oxon Chambers Bishop of Peterborough Cepon Bishop of Sarum Thiâ—bly then Bishop of Westminster Aldrich then Bishop of Caerlile and Bird Bishop of Chester By which proportion we may conclude that a farre greater number of the Deans and Arch-deacons who have a personal right of voting in all Convocations and coming to the number of eighty and thereabouts must be living and consenting also to the Reformation as being younger men than the Bishops were not to say any thing of the Clerks or Procurates of Cathedral Churches and those of the Diocesan Clergy as being variable and changeable from time to time though possibly a great part of them might be present and consenting also 1552. Nor stood this Book nor the Article of Free-will therein contained upon the order and authority only of this Convocation but had as good countenance and encouragement to walk abroad as could be superadded to it by an Act of Parliament as appears plainly by the Kings Preface to that Book and the Act it self to which for brevity sake I refer the Reader 4. But if it be replyed that there is no relying on the Acts of Parliament which were generally swayed changed and over-ruled by the power and passions of the King and that the Act of Parliament which approved this Book was repealed in the first year of King Edward the sixth as indeed it was we might refer the Reader to a passage in the Kings Epistle before remembred in which the doctrine of Free-will is affirmed to have been purged of all Popish errors concerning which take here the words of the Epistle viz. And forasmuch as the heads and senses of our people have been imbusied and in these days travelled with the understanding of Free-will Justification c. We have by the advice of our Clergy for the purgation of Erroneous Doctrine declared and set forth openly plainly and without ambiguity of speech the meere and certaine truth of them so as we verily trust that to know God and how to live after his pleasure to the attaining of everlasting life in the erd this Book containeth a perfect and sufficient Doctrine grounded and established in holy Scriptures And if it be rejoyned as perhaps it may that King Henry used to shift opinion in matters which concerned Religion according unto interest and reason of State it must be answered that the whole Book and every Tract therein contained was carefully corrected by Arch-bishop Cranmer the most blessed instrument under God of the Reformation before it was committed to the Prolocutor and the rest of the Celrgy For proof whereof I am to put the Reader in minde of a Letter of the said Archbishop relating to the eighth Chapter of this Book in which he signified to an honourable friend of his that he had taken the more paines in it because the Book being to be set forth by his Graces that is to say the Kings censure and judgement he could have nothing in it that Momus himself could reprehend as before was said And this I hope will be sufficient to free this Treatise of Free-will from the crime of Popery 5. But finally if notwithstanding all these Reasons it shall be still pressed by those of the Calvinian party that the Doctrine of Free-will which is there delivered is in all points the same with that which was concluded and agreed on in the Council of Trent as appears Cap. de fructibus justificationis merito bonorum operum Can. 34. and therefore not to be accounted any part of the Protestant Doctrine which was defended and maintained by the Church of England according to the first Rules of her Reformation the answers will be many and every answer not without its weight and moment For first it was not the intent of the first Reformers to depart farther from the Rites and Doctrines of the Church of Rome than that Church had departed from the simplicity both of Doctrine and Ceremonies which had been publickly maintained and used in the Primitive times as appears plainly by the whole course of their proceedings so much commended by King James in the Conference at Hampton Court Secondly this Doctrine must be granted also to be the same with that of the Melancthonian Divines or moderate Lutherans as was confessed by Andreas Vega one of the chief sticklers in the Council of Trent who on the agitating of the Point did confesse ingenuously that there was no difference betwixt the Lutherans and the Church touching that particular And then it must be confessed also
them as the only ancient established and professed Doctrines of our Church and Articles or that can honestly affirme as his echo doth that both the Master and the Scholar declare themselves plainly in that Catechisme to be no friends to any of the Tenents which those of the opposite side contend for 4. Which said we will endeavour to finde out Bishop Poynes judgement in the points disputed or so many of them at the least as are touched upon as well from such fragments as are offered to us in the Anti-Arminianisme as from such passages as have been cunningly slipt over of purpose to subduct them from the eye of the Reader And first the Author let us know that God created man after his own Image that is to say in ea absolutissima Justitia perfectissima sanctimonia c. in such a high degree of righteousness and perfect holinesse as came most neare unto the nature of God himselfe that this Divine image was so defaced by the sin of our first parents Adam and Eve that those lineaments of righteousnesse holinesse truth and knowledge of God were disordered and almost obliterated that man being in this wretched case it pleased God to raise him to a new hope of Restitution in the seed of the woman that is to say in Jesus-Christ his only Son conceived of the holy Ghost and born of the pure and most immaculate Virgin Mary the Actions of whose life do so much redound to our benefit and commodity that if we cleave fast unto them with a true and lively faith they shall be as much ours as his and finally that as many as are in this faith stedfast were fore-chosen predestinate and appointed to everlasting life before the world was made 2. In the next place he lets us know which the Author hath amongst his fragments that the sacrificings cleansings washings and other Ceremonies of the Law were shadows types images and figures of the true and eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ made upon the Crosse by whose benefit alone all the sins of all believers from the beginning of the world are pardoned by the sole mercy of God and not by any deserts of their own But then he lets us know withal which that Author doth not that he did truly die and was truly buried ut â—ratum humano generâ— Patrem suavissimo sacrificio placaret that by so sweet a sacrifice he might reconcile his angry and offended father unto all mankinde 3. In the third place by asking this question viz. whether the Spirit alone and faith sleep we never so securely or stand we never so worthlesse or slothful work all things for us as without any help of our own to carry us to heaven He plainly sheweth first that some men there were who did so conceive it but that they were to be condemned for conceiving so of it And secondly that all men were to lend a helping hand toward their salvation not only by laying hold on Christ with the hand of faith but in being fruitful of good works without which faith is neither to be reckoned true and lively or animated by the holy Ghost 4. He telleth us finally that the Church is the company of them that are called to eternal life by the holy Ghost by whom she is guided and governed And yet it cannot but be feared that many of those who are called to eternal life by the holy Ghost and chearfully for a time obey the calling and live continually within the pale of the Church which is guided by the most blessed spirit do fall away from God and the grace received and thereby bring themselues into a state of damnation from which they never do recover by sincere repentance 5. As little comfort can be drawn from that Argument by which they hope to make the Articles in these points to speak no otherwise then according to the sense of Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr by whose Disciples and Auditors they are alledged to have been composed or at the least by such as hold consent with them in Doctrine but unto this it hath been answered that our first reformers were two old Arch-Bishops Deans and Arch-Deacons most of them to be put to School again to either of them Secondly the first Liturgy of King Edward the sixth which was the key to the whole work was finished confirmed and put in execution before either of them were brought over Dispatcht soon after their arrival to their several chaires Martyr to the Divinity Lecture in Oxon and Bucer unto that of Cambridge where he lived not long And dying so quickly as he did Luctu Academiae as my Author hath it though he had many Auditors there yet could he not gain many Disciples in so short a time Thirdly that though Peter Martyr lived to see the Death of King Edward and consequently the end of the Convocation An. 1552. in which the Articles of Religion were first composed and agreed on yet there was little use made of him in advising and much lesse in directing any thing which concerned that business for being a stranger and but one and such an one who had no Authority in Church or State he could not be considered as a Master-builder though some use might be made of him as a labourer to advance the work And fourthly as to their consent in point of doctrine it must be granted in such things and in such things only in which they joyn together against the Papists not in such points wherein those learned men agreed not between themselves and therefore could be no foundation of consent in others 6. For they who have consulted the Lives and Writings of these learned men have generally observed that Bucer having spent the most part of his time in the Lutheran Churches was more agreeable to the doctrines which were there maintained as Martyr who was most conversant amongst the Suitzers shewed himself more inclinable to the Zuinglian or Calvinian Tenents And it is generally observed also that Bucer was a man of moderate counsel and for that received a check from Calvin at his first coming hither putting him in remembrance of his old fault for a fault he thought it Mâ—dici consiliis Autorem esse vel approbatorem of being an Author or an approver of such moderate courses as the hot and fiery temper of the Calvinists could by no means like And governing himself with such moderation he well approved of the first Liturgie translated into Latine by Alexander Alesius a learned Scot that he might be the better able to understand the composure of it and passe his judgment on the same accordingly And yet it cannot be denied but that there are many passages in the first Liturgie which tend directly to the maintenance of universal Redemption by the death of Christ of the co-operation of mans will with the grace of God and finally of the possibility of falling from that grace and other the benefits and fruits thereof before received
Clergy do believe of Predestination that we be elect in respect of our good works and so long elected as we do them and no longer Yet thou cannot deny but that you are at a jar amongst your selves in the Kings Bench and it is so throughout all your Congregation for you will not be a Church No Master Doctor that is not so there is a thousand times more variety of opinions amongst your Doctors which you call of the Catholick Church yea and that in the Sacrament for the which there is so much blood shed now adayes I meane of your later Doctors and new Writers as for the old they agree wholly with us 3. Now in this conference or examination there are divers things to be considered For first I consider Carelese as a man unlettered and not so thoroughly grounded in the constitution of the Church of England as not to entertaine some thoughts to which the doctrine of this Church could afford no countenance Amongst which I reckon that strong confidence which he had of his own salvation and of the final perseverance of all those who are the chosen members of the Church of Christ which was not taught him by the Church and could not be obtained in any ordinary way by the light of that doctrine which then shined forth unto the people Secondly I consider him as one so far instructed in the knowledge of Predestination as to lay the foundation of it on Gods great mercy and infinite goodnesse in Christ Jesus which plainly crosseth with the new Gospellers of those times who found the same upon his absolute will and pleasure without relation to Christs sufferings for us or our faith in him Thirdly I consider that the Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption by the death of Christ and the effectuality thereof to the sons of men was then so generally received and taught in the Reformed Church of England as not to be known to Artificers Tradesmen and Mechanicks and that they were so well instructed in the nicities of it as to believe that though Christ died effectually for all yet the benefit thereof should be effectually applied to none but those who do effectually repent Fourthly I consider that if the Popish Clergy of those times did believe no otherwise of Predestination then that men be elected in respect of good works and so long elected as they do them and no longer as Carelese hath reported of them the Doctrine of the Church hath been somewhat altered since those times there being now no such Doctrine taught in the Schooles of Rome as that a man continues no longer in the state of Election then whilest he is exercised in good works And finally I consider the unfortunate estate of those who living under no certaine rule of Doctrine or Discipline lie open to the practices of cunning and malicious men by whom they are many times drawn aside from the true Religion For witnesses whereof we have Trew and Carelese above mentioned the one being wrought on by the Papists the other endangered by the Gospellers or Zuinglian Sectaries For that Carelese had been tampered with by the Gospellers or Zuinglian Sectaries doth appear most clearly first by the confidence which he had of his own salvation and of the final perseverance of all others also which are the chosen members of the Church of Christ and secondly but more especially for giving the scornful title of a Free-will man to one of his fellow prisoners who was it seemes of different perswasion from him For which consult his letter to Henry Adlington in the Act. Mon. Fol. 1749. which happened unto him as to many others When that Doctrine of the Church wanted the countenance of Law and the Doctors of the Church here scattered and dispersed abroad not being able to assist them In which condition the affaires of the holy Church remained till the beginning of the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth and for some yeares after 4. But no sooner had that gracious Lady attained the Crown when she took order for the reviewing of the publick Liturgie formerly Authorized by Act of Parliament in the fifth and sixth years of King Edward the sixth The men appointed for which work were Dr. Parker after Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Dr. Grindall after Bishop of London Dr. Pilkington after Bishop of Durham Dr. Cox after Bishop of Elie Dr. May Deane of Pauls Dr. Bill Provost of Eaton after Deane of Westminister Mr. Whitehead sometimes Chaplaine to Queen Anne Bullen designed to be the first Arch-Bishop of this new plantation and finally Sir Thomas Smyth a man of great esteeme with King Edward the sixth and the Queen now Reigning By these men were the Liturgie reviewed approved and passed without any sensible alteration in any of the Rubricks Prayers and Contents thereof but only the giving of some contentment to the Papists and all moderate Protestants in two particulars the first whereof was the taking away of a clause in the Letany in which the people had been taught to pray to Almighty God to deliver them from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities The second was the adding of the sentences in the distribution of the Sacrament viz. The Body of our Lord Jesus which was given for them preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee c. which sentences exclusive of the now following words of participation as they were onely in the first so were they totally left out of the second Liturgie of King Edward the sixth Other alterations I finde none mentioned in the Act of Parliament 1. Eliz. â— 2. but the appointing of certain Lessons for every Sunday in the year which made no change at all in the publick Doctrine before contained in that Book and that the people might be the better trained up in the same Religion which had been taught and preacht unto them in the time of King Edward the sixth She gave command by her Injunctions published in the first year of her Reign An. 1559. that the Paraphrases of Erasmus should be diligently studied both by Priest and people And to that end it was required as formerly in the Injunctions of the said King Edward 1. That the Paraphrases of the said Erasmus and on the Gospel in the English tongue should be provided at the joynt charges of the Parson and Parishoners and being so provided should be set up in some convenient place of every Church so as the Parishioners may most commodiously resort unto the same and read the same out of the time of common service And secondly that every Parson Vicar Curate and Stipendary Priest shall provide and have of his own within the time therein limited the New Testament in Latine and English with the Paraphrases on the same conferring the one with the other And the Bishops by themselves and other Ordinaries and their Officers in Synods and Visitations shall examine
cause to condemn them Who doth not smile at the Grecians Conceit that gave their God a glorious title for killing of flyes Gods Glory in punishing ariseth from his Justice in revenging of sin and for that it tells us as I said a very sad and unpleasant tale for who could digest it to hear a Prince say after this manner I will beget me a son that I may kill him that I may so get me a name I will beget him without both his feet and when he is grown up having no feet I will command him to walk upon pain of death and when he breaketh my Commandment I will put him to death O beloved these glorious fancies imaginations and shews are far from the nature of our gracious mercifull and glorious God who hath proclaimed himself in his Titles Royal Jehovah the Lord the Lord strong and mighty and terrible slow to anger and of great Goodness And therefore let this conceit be far from Jacob and let it not come near the Tents of Joseph How much holyer and heavenlyer conceit had the holy Fathers of the Justice of God Non est ante punitor Deus quam peccator homo God put not on the person of a Revenger before man put on the person of an Offender saith St. Ambrose Neminem coronat antequam vincit neminem punit antequam peccat he crowns none before he overcomes and he punisheth no man before his offence Et qui facit miseros ut misereatur crudelem habet miserecordiam he that puts man into miseries that he may pity him hath no kind but a cruell pity ' 7. The absolute deâ—ree of Reprobation being thus discharged he shews in the next place that as God desireth not the death of man without relation to his sin so he desireth not the death of the sinfull man or of the wicked sinfull man but rather that they should turn from their wickedness and live And he observes it is said unto the Coats in Saint Mathews Gospel Ite melidicti in ignem paratum he doth not say Maledicti patris Go ye cursed of the Father as it is Benedicti patris when he speaks of the sheep God intituling himself to the blessing only and that the fire is prepared but for whom Non vobis sed Diabolo Angelis ejus not for you but for the Devil and his Angels So that God delighteth to prepare neither death nor hell for damned men The last branch of his discourse he resolves into six consequences as links depending on his chain 1. Gods absolute Will is not the cause of Reprobation but sin 2. No man is of an absolute necessity the child of Hell so as by Gods grace he may not avoid it 3. God simply willeth and wisheth every living soul to be saved and to come to the kingdom of Heaven 4. God sent his son to save every soul and to bring it to the kingdom of heaven 5. God offereth Grace effectually to save every one and to direct him to the Kingdom of heaven 6. The neglect and contempt of this Grace is the cause why every one doth not come to Heaven and not any privative Decree Councel and Determination of God ' The stating and canvasing of which points so plainly curtly to the Doctrines of the old Zuinglian Gospellers and the modern Calvinians as they take up the rest of the Sermon so to the Sermon I refer the Reader for his further satisfaction in them I note this only in the close that there is none of the five Arminian Articles as they commonly call them which is not contained in terms express or may not easily be found by way of Deduction in one or more of the six consequences before recited 8. Now in this Sermon there are sundry things to be consisidered as namely first That the Zuinglian or Calvinian Gospel in these points was grown so strong that the Preacher calls it their Goliah so huge and monstrous that many quaked and trembled at it but none that is to say but few or none vel dâ—o vel nâ—mo in the words of Persius durst take up Davids sling to throw it down Secondly That in canvasing the absolute Decree of Reprobation the Preacher spared none of those odious aggravations which have been charged upon the Doctrines of the modern Calvinists by the Remonstrants and their party in these latter times Thirdly That the Sermon was preached at St. Pauls Cross the greatest Auditory of the Kingdom consisting not only of the Lord Major the Aldermen and the rest of the chief men in the City but in those times of such Bishops and other learned men as lived occasionally in London and the City of Westminster as also of the Judges and most learned Lawyers some of the Lords of the Counsel being for the most part present also Fourthly That for all this we cannot find that any offence was taken at it or any Recantation enjoyned upon it either by the high Commission or Bishop of London or any other having authority in the Church of England nor any complaint made of it to the Queen or the Counsel-Table as certainly there would have been if the matter of the Sermon had been contrary to the Rules of the Church and the appointments of the same And finally we may observe that though he was made Arch-Bishop of Yorke in the Reign of King Charls 1628. when the times are thought to have been inclinable to those of the Arminian Doctrines yet he was made Master of Pembrook hall Bishop of Chichester and from thence translated unto Norwitch in the time of King James And thereupon we may conclude that King James neither thought this Doctrine to be against the Articles of Religion here by Law established nor was so great an enemy to them or the men that held them as some of our Calvinians have lately made him 9. But against this it is objected by Mr Prin in his book of Perpetuity c. printed at London in the year 1627. 1. That the said Mr. Harsnet was convented for this Sermon and forced to recant it as heretical 2. That upon this Sermon and the controversies that arose upon it in Cambridge between Baroe and Whitacres not only the Articles of Lambeth were composed of which more hereafter but Mr. Wotton was appointed by the University to confute the same 3. That the said Sermon was so far from being published or printed that it was injoyned by Authority to be recanted For Answer whereunto it would first be known where the said Sermon was recanted and by whose Authority Not in or by the University of Cambridge where Mr. Harsnet lived both then and a long time after for the Sermon was preached at St. Pauls Cross and so the University could take no cognisance of it nor proceed against him for the same And if the Recantation was made at St. Pauls Cross where the supposed offence was given if would be known by whose Authority it was enjoyned Not by the
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
of their new opinions about the Sabbath But whether the great truths of Christs Divinity the Divine Authority of Scipture or any Article of Religion here by Law established be embraced by them with the like passion as their new Saint Sabbath may be discerned by that impunity which is indulged by them to all Anabaptists Familists Ranters Quakers and all other Sectaries By whom the great Truths of Christs Divinity and the Divine Authority of holy Scripture and almost all the Articles of the Christian Faith have beene called in question And yet we cannot choose but know with what severity they proceeded when they were in power against all persons whatsoever whom they found travelling on the Sunday though their businesse was of more concernment to them then the lifting of the Oxe or Asse out of the ditch With what a cursed rigour a Victualler hath beene forced to pay ten shillings for selling a half-penny loafe to a poore man in the time of Sermon What penalty they procured to be ordained against Vintners Taylors Barbers for selling but a pint of Wine or carrying home a new suit of Cloathes or trimming the man that was to wear them on their Sabbath day And finally against all persons whatsoever for walking in the fields or streetes after all the publick duties of the day were ended They may tell tell me what they will of their giving the Right hand of Fellowship to some Divines of Transmarine Churches who differ in that Doctrine from them But quid verba audiam cum facta videam the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the Oxen will not out of my eares though preferred under a pretence of making them an acceptable Sacrifice to the Lord their God But the maine endeavour of the Pamphlet is to bring me under the reproach of a Prophanation in using such words unto the King in a Petition of mine presented to him as it could not without sinne be applyed unto any but to God A greater crime then any of the other two and as falsely charged It is suggested in the Libell that upon the sense of some indignity which was offered to me in being disturbed in my possession of a Lodging in Magdalen Colledge I made complaint unto the King of the great wrong which had been done his Majesties creature and the workmanship of his hands and that for this expression I was checked by the Marquesse of Hertford who was then Chancellor of that University for proofe whereof we are referred to somewhat which was said in the Bursery of that Colledge before two of the fellows But first I hope that all things which we said in the Bursery before any two or more of the Fellows Ecce inter pocula quaerant Romalides Saturi c. must not passe for Gospel nor that all Table-talk fit onely for the Voider when the meale is done is to be preserved upon Record for undoubted Truths Secondly I am confident as I can be of any thing so long since done that no such expression ever passed my pen there being no visible necessity to inforce me to it I Conceive Thirdly that the Libeller cannot be so much a Stranger to the Assembly Notes on the 1. of Gen. 6. as not to know if he had learnt it no where else that it is a familiar phrase in the Style of the Court to say such an one was created Earle Marquesse or Duke c. upon which ground the Members of the House of Peeres were looked upon by our Republicans or Common wealths men not without some contempt as his Majesties Creatures Creatures of the Prerogative as they commonly called them And therefore Fourthly that the Marquesse of Hertford was not likely to reprove me for calling my selfe his Majesties creature or the workmanship of his hands in reference to my temporal fortunes and the place I held about the King that Noble person acknowledging with a loyal gratitude that he received his Creation to the Honourable Title of Lord Marquesse from the hands of his Majesty and that his being made Governour to the Princes Highnesse was the Kings sole workmanship Finally if all expressions of this nature must be laid aside and that we must be taught a new Court-Dialect because some Divines of the Assembly and other professed enemies of Monarchical Government do not like the old we must discharge the Titles of most High and Might of Majesty and sacred Majesty because disliked by Buchanan in his most seditious Book de Jure Regni By whom such adjuncts are reputed inter Barbarismos Solecismos Aulicos and amongst the Barbarismes and extravagancies of the Courts of Princes But for the clearer satisfaction of all equal and unbyassed persons I shall lay down the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth as to that particular In which the Reader is to know that at his Majesties first making choice of Oxon for his Winter Quarters Anno 1642. The course of my attendance carried me to wait upon him there as a Chaplaine in ordinary Where I had not been above a week when I received his Majesties command by the Clerk of the Closet for attending Mr. Secretary Nicholas on the morrow morning and applying my self from time to time to such directions as I should receive from him in order to his Majesties service Which command was afterwards re-inforced upon me when the time of my ordinary attendance of the Court was at an end for that yeare as can be proved by two several intimations of it under his owne most Royall hand with this charge super-added to it that I was not to depart the Town without speciall leave I found by this that my attendance at the Court was like to last as long as the Warre and therefore that it did concerne me to accomodate my selfe with Lodging and such other necessaries as might both encourage and enable me to performe those services which were required at my hands A Chamber in the Colledge being vacant within few moneths after by the absence of one of the Fellows and the death of the other I gained the free consent of the absent party Master Hobs by name in whom the sole right of it then remained to make use of it for my selfe and my little Company Five moneths I quietly enjoyed it without interruption But coming from the Court on Alhallow-day I found some souldiers in the Roome who told me that they came to take possession of it for Master D. who had succeeded in the Rights of the man deceased and that they meant to keep it for him untill further order This carried me back unto the Court where I acquainted Master Secretary with the indignity and affront which was put upon me desiring him either to defend me from contempt and scorne or that he would get me a discharge from that employment which had laine so long and heavy on me By his advice a short Petition was drawn up to his sacred Majesty briefly containing the particulars before