THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDS OLD ANTITHESIS TO NEW ARMINIANISME Where in 7. Anti-Arminian Orthodox Tenents are euidently proued their 7. opposite Arminian once Popish and Pelagian Errors are manifestly disproued to be the ancient established and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England by the concurrent testimony of the seuerall Records and Writers of our Church from the beginning of her reformation to this present By WILLIAM PRYNNE Gent. Hospitij Lincolniensis GALATIANS 1. 9 2. IOHN 10. If any man preach any other Gospell vnto you then that you haue receiued let him be accursed If there come any vnto you and bring not this Doctrine receiue him not into your house neither bid him God speede Vincentius Lerinensis contra Haereses Cap. 39. Quicquid omnes vel plures vno eodemq sensu manifeste frequenter perseueranter velut quodam sibi consentiente magistrorum Concilio accipiendo tenendo tradendo firmauerint id pro indubitato certo ratoq habeatur London 1629. TO THE HIGH AND Honourable Court of Parliament now assembled RIght Christian Honourable and Religious Senators that all-disposing Prouidence of our euer-blessed GOD which hath lately Conuented and since that Centered you with an vnanimous and inflexible resolution vpon the examination of the seuerall Innouations Restraints and Pressures of our much endangered Religion to the great content and ioy of all good Christians hath at this time directed me to pen and inuited me to publish this ANTI-ARMINIAN Index which here lies prostrate at your feete imploring your most gratious and free Protection to further your religious and happy Proceedings in the discouery and suppression of those Hereticall and Grace-destroying Arminian nouelties which haue of late inuaded affronted and almost shouldred out of doores the ancient established and resolued Doctrines of our Church to the intolerable griefe of all true Christian hearts the exultation and triumph of our Romish Aduersaries the prouocation of Gods heauy wrath and curse against vs who hath blasted all our publike Enterprises since these Arminian Errous haue crept in among vs and to the great endammagement and disturbance of our Church and State which are like to sincke and perish vnder them vnlesse your medicinall and helping hands forthwith support them For me or any other now to question as I feare too many doe Whether Parliaments haue any true or legall right in the reformation establishment and rescue of Religion in the explanation of our Articles or in Church affaires were but to dispute not onely our Non-Preaching Pluralitie Commenda and Non-resident men the chiefe Fomenters of Popery and Arminianise and the onely Cauellers at Parliamentary proceedings in matters of Religion out of all their Benefices and Ecclesiasticall Promotions a happy and much desired worke but euen all our Bishops our Ministers our Sacraments our Consecration our Articles of Religion our Homilies Common-Prayer Booke yea and all Religion out of our Church which are no other way publikly receiued supported or established among vs but by Acts of Parliament as I haue more largely proued in a former Epistle Hee who hath seriously suruayed the Statutes of our Kingdome shal finde Religion and Church-affaires determined ratified declared and ordered by Act of Parliament and no wayes else euen then when Popery and Church-men had the greatest sway ingrossing all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction to themselues alone and shall wee then doubt whether Parliaments haue any Conusance of Religion now It is the positiue Resolution of all the Fathers of all Proâ—estant and I thinke of most Popish Diuines That Kings and temporall Magistrates ought to bee the chiefe Defenders and Patrons of Religion the suppressors of Haeresies Idolatries and false Doctrines the principall Reformers of the Church and they produce the Examples of Moses Ioshua Dauid Iehosaphat Solomon Hezechiah Iosiah Constantine Charles the Great Iustinian Theodosius William the Conquerour Henry the first of England Canutus Edgar Edmund Richard the second Henry the fifth King Iue Alured Ercombert Ethelbaldus and others together with the Prophesie of Isay cap. 9. 13. Kings shall bee thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Nurses the 17. of Deutr. 18. 19. Psalm 2. 10. the 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. Iude 1. 2. and other Scriptures for to prooue it Why then may not our King our Parliament and Temporall Magistrates now as well as heretofore intermedle with Religion if all these examples this conclusion passe for currant Is it from any disability in their persons because they are but Laicks Why such were all these Kings and Magistrates Such were all the Ancient and Moderne Reformers of the Church that euer I could read of Such were all our Parliamentary men in former Ages who established Poperie and since that abolished it by publike Acts of State confirming that Orthodox and true Religion in our Church which now we all professe yet none findes fault with them Such a one was Valdo that Citizen of Lions the Father of the renowned Waldenses or Protestans in France and the originall Author of the first open defection from the Antichristian Church of Rome yet all good Protestants applaud this Act of his Such are the Maior part of our Ecclesiasticall Commissioners who yet determine of Haeresies false Doctrines Scismes and the sense and meaning of our Articles yet no man quarrels or excepts against them Why then should they deny this power vnto Parliaments because they are but Lay which they acknowledge and admit in these Especially since all our Churchmen are virtually included in our Parliament and so suffragate to its Conclusions in our Prelates the vnquestionable Iudges of Points and Controuersies in Religion who are chiefe Members of this mixt Assembly compacted both of Church and State and so not wholly Lay or Ciuill as some vainely fancy Is it because Parliaments want Conusance or power to deale in Church affaires and matters of Religion How then was Popery heretofore implanted since that exiled and our present Orthodoxe Religion with all its seuerall circumstances and adiuncts estated and lawfully setled in our Church by Act of Parliament if Parliaments haue no Legall but onely an vsurped Iurisdiction in Matters Articles Rites and Tenents of Religion as some Papists haue auerred and the fore-quoted learned Prelates and Writers of our Church refelled Certainely if our Parliaments haue such a transcendent power as to authorize Sheriffes in their Turnes and Stewards in their Leetes and Wapentakes to enquire of haeresie and haeretiques as to enable Iustices of the Peace and Quorum to indite and punish Scismatiques as to associate an equall number of the Temporalty with the Clergie in collecting ordering and composing Ecsiasticall Canons Lawes and Constitutions for the regulating of Ecclesiasticall Courts and persons and the better ordering of the Church As to authorize his Maiesties Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall though Lay-men as many of them are to exercise all Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdictions Priuiledges Superiorities Preheminences and Authorities as
by any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power or authority hath heretofore beene or may lawfully be exercised or vsed for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall State and persons and for reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of Haeresies Errors Scismes and Ecclesiasticall Abuses Offences and Enormities much more haue they Iurisdiction of these things themselues else they could not collate or transferre such Iurisdiction vnto others Is it then because the worthy iudicious members of our present Parliament want learning iudgement or sufficiencie to discerne of Spirituall Truthes to vnderstand the sense and meaning of our Articles which themselues long since confirmed to distinguish Popish and Arminian Errors from receiued from vndoubted Orthodox conclusions or because they are so barbarously illiterate or irreligiously ignorant as not to know the obuious professed established and long continued Doctrines of our Church which euery catechized Country Peasant or Schoole-boy can repeate Alas what English Spanish Romish spirit can be so impudently absurd so prodigiously intoxicated as thus to idioâ—ize yea quite vnchristen the Piety and all-sufficiencie of our selected Senate the most iudicious and supreame Counsell of our King and State Can any man who knowes their most accomplished abilities their dexterity and insight in Religion so much as once conceiue such a grosse stupidity or more then damnable and vnchristian ignorance in this very flower of our Church and Pillars of our State as that the proper sence of our receiued Articles or the long-continued plaine and oft-resolued Doctrines of our Church are yet kept sealed from them What is this but to brand them all for ignorants or to stitch the Colliers or Papists blinde implicite faith vpon them to beleeue onely as our Church beleeues and yet to know no distinct particular Tenents which she doth beleeue What but to aduance our Ecclesiasticall Commissioners aboue our Parliament in admitting them to bee competent and able Iudges of Haeresie Scisme and of the sence and meaning of our Articles when as the Parliament which confirmed them are not such and to denie that priuiledge of iudging Doctrines trying spirits prouing all things distinguishing the voyce of Christ and of his Spirit from the voyce of Strangers Theeues and false seducing Spirits to the prime and choysest of Christs Flocke which is common to inseparable from the very meanest of his Lambes and Sheepe If then Parliaments haue alwayes anciently intermedled with matters of Religion by a constant iust and Legall right If there bee now no sufficient disability either in the Members Iurisdiction Skill or requisite Abilities of our present Parliament to censure or examine the Violations of our established Articles and Religion or to settle protect define declare and ratifie the proper sense and meaning of our Articles and the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church I see no cause why any Clergy men vnlesse they are guilty of Sophisticating or betraying the Truthes and Doctrines of our Church and therefore feare the doome of Parliaments from which there is no euasion should quarrell or except against your pious progresse in matters of Religion which most of all concerne vs nor yet repine at Laicks as they do for writing in their iust defence This stumbling-blocke of Parlimentary Iurisdiction in causes of Religion which stickes and takes with many being thus in briefe remoued and your present Honourable proceedings in the examination of the innouations and violations of the ancient Religion and the resolued Doctrines of our Church absolued from the vniust exceptions of ignorant obnoxious or ill-affected Spirits who only censure and dislike them It may be here demanded what Doctrines what Religion are now to be established Surely no other but those Ancient Orthodox and Dogmaticall Conclusions which the Church of England since her Reformation hath alwaies constantly embraced ratified and defended as her owne but those especially which Popery and Arminianisme haue of late inuaded Yea but how may Parliaments infallibly discerne what Tenents are our Churches genuine Doctrines when as both sides lay equall claime and title to our Church Arminians now appealing to Her aswell as their Opposers For resolution to this Quaere I shall first of all take two things as vndoubted Theories First that the Church of England hath some certaine positiue particular established receiued yea resolued Doctrines which shee may truely call her owne in which all necessary Truthes especially such wherein the very marrow efficacy life and power of grace and all true Christian comfort doe subsist are actually euidently and fully comprehended Else it will ineuitably follow that as yet shee hath no sound Religion in her and is as yet no true no Christian Church Secondly that all these seuerall Doctrines are not onely cognoscible in themselues but likewise publikly indiuidually and distinctly known in our Church else all our Articles Preaching writing and Disputes together with the bloud shedde of our famous Martyrs and all Apologies for our Religion from the beginning of reformation to this present are in vaine and wee haue yet no other but an indefinite confused Religion an ambiguous implicit Popish Faith which in truth is no Religion no Faith at all and so our danger is our condemnation shall be greater then euer Sodomes or Gomorrahs were who neuer had such meanes such light as we These two irrefragable Conclusions being thus praemised This Quaere may be thus resolued The onely infallible way to determine to finde out the ancient the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church is to compare them with the Rules of triall The originall Touch-stone by which all Theologicall Conclusions must bee examined is the Scriptures and these together with the Ancient Fathers and approued Councels wee dare to challenge as our owne if the naked truth of our Assertions were the thing in Issue But our present inquirie being of a different nature to discouer the true Ancient Doctrines of our Church and distinguish them from pestilent vpstart Errors wee must heere proceed by other Triers euen the Articles Homilies Common Prayer Booke the publike Euidences Records and Declarations with the concurrent Testimony of all the learned Writers of our Church the onely Grand-Iury-men to try the best Euidences the sole Witnesses to proue the most impartiall and able Iudges to determine the Doctrines of our Church That which all these doe ioyntly cleerely fully vote confirme approue and testifie a Parliament may safely declare and ratifie to bee that which they all or most disclaime a Parliament may iustly censure not to bee the vndoubted and resolued Doctrine of our Church If then all these giue vp their ioynt and seuerall suffrages for our Anti-Arminian Conclusions If they all passe Sentence against their opposite Arminian Errors as this present Treatise will vndenably prooue them to haue done you may confidently declare resolue re-establish the one as being exile yea damne the other as not being the Ancient receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of our English Church And why should you now
stone and setting a watch for feare lest his Disciples should come by night and steale him away and say that hee was risen What these vile miscreants vainely did in Antichristian doe you Right noble Christians in true Christian Policie Pelagius with his late-born brat Arminius hath beene oft times buried by sundry Ancient some Moderne Councels and Fathers of the Church but yet they haue alwaies risen from the dead againe to the great disquiet of all true Christian Churches If then you chance to crucifie them once againe as now wee hope wee pray you may for feare their life proue all our deathes they being the Archest Traitors to our Church our State our soules and sauing Grace you must not only see them intombed for the present though it be in graues of stone but likewise watch and seale their Sepulchres making them sure for all succeding Ages by some inexorable strict and vigilant Acts of Parliament which no Charme no Wile no Force or Policie may euade Else their Disciples will come by night againe as they haue oft times done and steale them quite away and not onely say but to our great disturbance prooue that they are once more risen from the dead So shall their last resurrection be farre worse our second danger your latter Error farre greater then the first which God forbid Now the GOD of grace and wisdome so ayde direct and guide your Honours with his Spirit in this great weighty Worke which needes an heauenly power to accomplish it that wee to our vnutterable ioy and comfort may now at last behold our drooping and declining Orthodox Religion the onely Center Pillar Bulwarke Garrison Honour Treasure and conseruer of our declining State which ebbes and flowes together with it reuiued aduanced established and secured once againe against all Forraine all Domestique hostile Forces all Stratagemes that oppugne it and that all our eyes may see with triâ—mph all Popery all Olde all Newe Pelagianisme with all the grand Fomentors and Master-springs that feede them in despight of all their new-erected and much adored Altar-Idols arraigned at your dreadfull Barre condemned at your great Tribunall executed before your faces layd dead and prostrate at your feet interred in some brasen Dungeon yea sealed vp and strictly watched with such enuironing cautelous ir-repealable and adamantine Lawes as may so presse them downe for all eternitie that they may neuer raise themselues nor yet bee raised in our Church againe Amen Amen Your Honours in all humble seruice whiles you stand for Christ Religion Church or Countrey WILLIAM PRYNNE TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHERS IN GOD THE ARCH-BISHOPS and Bishops of the Church of ENGLAND RIGHT Reuerend Fathers in God in whose pious integrity and industrious vigilancie the chiefest safety in whose vnfaithfulnesse negligence or insollidity the greatest hazard the inevitablest danger of our Protestant Church and long professed religion are suspended I here most humbly tender vnto your fatherly and pious considerations an vninterrupted Antithesis of the Church of England from her very first reformation to this present against that most venemous Semi-pelagian heresie and those Arminian Novelties which haue of late invaded yea much endangered her ancient established and professed Doctrines which your Ecclesiasticall Dignities and frequent Subscriptions to the Articles Homilies Tenents of our Church engage you in a more speciall manner to protect It is not yea it cannot be vnknowne to your grauities that olde Pelagius and Faustus who haue lyen dead and rotten in their graues 1100 yeares or more haue by a kinde of Pythagorean Metempsy chosis revived in Arminius and his followers now of late as Origen Priscillian and Iouinian did in them and not onely spoken openly against the grace of God and doctrines of our Church which is miserable but even publikely preached and written against them in our Church without any Ecclesiasticall censure or controll which is farre worse It was the complaint of a Reuerend and learned Prelate of our Church about some ten yeares since in an Epistle Dedicatorie vnto his Maiesty then Prince of Wales That the stinking vapors of Arminius whose heresies hee there learnedly encounters had beene blowne ouer from the Belgique shores vpon our English coast and so infatuated some of our Diuines that leauing the beaten and approued path of faith they betooke themselues vnto the crooked wayes and praecipices of Arminius destroying the Articles of our Religion with their Tenents which they had formerly confirmed by their owne subscription What hee lamented and condoled then we haue much more cause to complaine of now when as these contagious vapours haue not onely dangerously infected many but likewise animated some Goliahs to bid professed defiance to the host of Israel in Arminius his quarrell and to take vp armes in his defence against the oft resolued and subscribed Doctrines of their Mother Church who hath enriched them with sundry fauours and yet alas Ab Ecclesia siquidem haereseos impugnator expellitur et nutriri in sinu Ecclesiae haereticus inuenitur the impugners of Arminius his Champions haue beene questioned and molested when as they were neuer hitherto once publikely conuented by any Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction for these their dangerous Innouations When these Arminian Errours were first broached by Barret and Baro in Queene Elizabeths happy Raigne the zeale of our Reverend Prelates and Vniuersity heads was such that they forthwith proceeded iudicially against them not suffering them to rest or harbour in our Church But alas the cowardice indulgency and luke warmnesse of our age is such that those who haue succeeded them in their Episcopall Dignities not their zeale some few only excepted whose paucity indears theÌ„ more to God to man and adds vnto their praise haue scarce so much as once opened their mouths in publike against those Arminian theeues and robbers who by their secret pollicies and publike writings haue lately preyed vpon the sheepe and Doctrines of our Church But now since our religious Soueraine hath publikely professed in his late Declaration to all his louing Subiects to maintaine the true Religion and doctrine established in the Church of England of which the Anti Arminian Tenents comprised in this Antithesis are the chiefest branch without admitting or conniuing at any backsliding either to Popery or Scisme and hath called God to record that he will never giue way to the authorizing of any thing whereby any innovation may steale or creep into the Church but preserue that vnity of Doctrine and Discipline established in the time of Queen Elizabeth In whose Raigne Arminianisme was particularly exiled â—ndour Anti-Arminian Assertions settled in our Church whereby our Church of England hath stood and flourished ever since Since King Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth and King Iames of blessed memory an implacable professed Antagonist to Arminianisme to Arminians to his dying day with all our learned Prelates Divinity
which must needes be accompanied with the very wrath and curse of God because it nullifies his fauour and disauowes his grace hath crept into them It is but a bridge an vsher vnto Popery and all Popish Ceremonies which winde themselues into our Church apace if Parliament complaints prooue true by their Arminian Agents as some new erected Altars Images Tapers and late vsurped Altar-adorations with the reuolt of sundry Arminians vnto Popery doe experimentally testifie O therefore as we tender the peace and safety of our Church and State the supportation soueraignty or aduancement of Gods Grace the peace the comfort or saluation of our endeared soules the perpetuity and perennious preseruation of our graces or the prosperity and happinesse of our declining Nation As wee desire the subuersion of the Pâ—pall or Spanish Monarchy the defeatment of all Iesuiticall combinations against our Church or State the ouerthrow and extirpation of Popery the continuance safety growth and flourishing of our precious Protestant Religion which Arminianisme and Popery vndermine almost as fast at home as Popish Policies or Spanish Forces doe abroad let vs now at 〈◊〉 lay downe these grosse Arminian Errors which haue constantly beene brandid censured and condemned by all the Euidences yea Writers of our Church embracing from and with our hearts and iudgements these Orthodox sweet and gracious Anti-Arminian Dogmaticall Conclusions heere recorded wherein our happinesse comfort and saluation rest as the ancient established professed and vndoubted Doctrines of our Church as this whole Antithesis infallibly prooues them that so our Church and Kingdome which being diuided against themselues by these distracting opinions and other ciuill dissentions cannot stand may once more flourish in these declining turbulent and perplexing dayes and repossesse that former vnitie safety honour peace and glory which wee all desire Wee all know in what dangerous and fickle times wee liue We see the generall desolations and lamentable ouertures of Gods Church abroade Wee see Religion sincking Grace decaying Popery triumphing Arminianisme spreading Heresies and new Errors springing and getting head in euery corner We see Nation rising vp against Nation Kingdome against Kingdome Church against Church yea we may behold one Church one state one People one House yea the Members of one and the selfe same Body diuided against it selfe Looke we vpon all the Christian World abroad vpon our selues at home wee can behold nought else but the fatall Symptomes and dismall Characters of an almost ineuitable and neere-approaching confusion O therefore let vs now cast Anchor and take Sanctuary in Heauen Let vs draw neere and sticke fast vnto our God let vs cleaue inseparably to these Anti-Arminian Conclusions and Doctrines of our Church which will be our onely cordialls our all sufficient contentment our best security support and comfort in the midst of all the ruines calamities and miserable perplexities which befall the World If our Religion be but safe our Church our State our Goods our Liberties our very soules and bodies all we haue are then secure if we hold but this all else is sure if we part with this then farewel all let vs neuer expect one halcion happy day or houre more Whiles Religion flourished and grew great among vs wee were then the head of Nations the dread the honour the mirrour and paradise of the World since the Tares of Popery and Arminianisme haue sprung vp within our Church since we haue halted and declined in our Faith wee haue beene the very obloquie scorne derision and taile of all our neighbour nations Plagues haue deuoured Diuisions weakned discontents decay of Trade with sundry other grieuances impouerished vs at home Enemies tempests vnskilfulnesse and ouer-reaching Policies consumed defeated and dishonoured vs by Sea by Land abroad All our counsels haue beene infatuated our designes frustrated our hopes dashed our prayers vnanswered our Parliaments broaken vp in discontent the curse and vengeance of God hath clinged close vnto vs to our great destruction and for all this we see we finde we feele and I pray God wee may be truely sensible of it ere it bee too late Gods anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still against vs because wee reuolt from him and our long-professed and established Religion more and more Let vs therefore now at last remember whence we are falne and doe our first workes Let vs hold fast our first professed Religion constant to the ende VVe were borne we were baptized bred and nursed in it we haue growne vp safely wee haue prospered happily vnder it we haue hitherto liued in it by it Let vs now die in it yea with it for it if God calls vs to it lest we all suddenly perish consume and die eternally without it because we haue thus backe-slided from it Farewell The true endeauourer of Religions safety and our Churches Vnitie WILLIAM PRYNNE Anti-Arminianisme OR THE CHVRCH OF Englands old Antithesis to new ARMINIANISME IT is the aduice and counsell of an Ancient Father for the suppression of such Haeresies or vpstart Errors which seeke to shrowde themselues vnder the fraudulent couert of wrested and mis-applied Scriptures to examine them by to encounter them with the opinions and vnanimous resolutions of those Ancient godly Fathers who haue either dyed in Christ or suffered for Christ that so they may bee manifestly discouered without ambiguity and finally condemned without reuocation or reuiewe This Fatherly and graue Aduice of his I haue made choice to follow in the discouery both of the nouelty and falsenesse of those Arminian Tenents which would willingly harbour themselues vnder the roofe and Patronage of the Church of England whose Doctrines they of late praetend they are The issue which the Arminians and Anti-Arminians if I may so stile them are now come to ioyne and on which they must receiue their final doome is onely this Whether the Arminian or Anti-Arminian Positions be the receiued and vndoubted Doctrines of the Church of England The onely Euidences and Grand-Iury-men to try this Issue are the Articles Homilies Common-prayer Booke and the authorized Writings of all the Learned Orthodox Writers of the Church of England from the beginning of Reformation to this present If all these suffragate or passe their Verdict for the Arminians and their erronious Assertions let iudgement then be openly pronounced for them we will foorth with yeeld vp to them without any more dispute both cause and right at once But if all or either of these giue euidence against them as in truth they doe If they all yeeld vp a ioynt vnanimous verdict for Anti-Arminians and their authentique Positions I hope they shall then receiue not only a speedy and finall iudgement on their side which no subsequent Reuiew nor writ of Error shall hencefoorth reuerse but likewise a Parliamentary Decree to establish them in their ancient and long-continued peaceable possession without disturbance for all future times For triall of this waighty
particular sinnes are freely forgiuen him neither doeth it follow hereupon that that Petition of the Lords prayer to wit forgiue vs our Trespasses is needlesse for in that Petition we aske not onely the guist but also the increase of Faith Sixtly these words escaped me in my Sermon viz. As for those that are not saued I doe most strongly beleeue and doe freely protest that I am so perswaded against Caluin Peter Martyr and the rest that sinne is the true proper and first cause of Reprobation But now being better instructed I say that the Reprobation of the wicked is from Euerlasting and that that saying of Augustine to Simplician is most true viz. If sinne were the cause of Reprobation then no man should be elected because God doeth foreknow all men to bee deâ—iled with it And that I may speake freely I am of the samâ— mind and doe beleeue concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as the Church of England beleeueth and teacheth in the booke of the Articles of Faith in the Article of Predestination Last of all I vttered these words rashly against Caluin a man that hath very well deserued of the Church of God to wit that he durst presume to lift vp himselfe aboue the High and Almighty God By which words I confesse that I haue done great iniurie to that most learned and right godly man and I doe most humbly beseech you all to pardon this my rashnesse as also in that I haue vttered many bitter words against Peter Martyr Theodore Beza Ierome Zanchius Francis Iunius and the rest of the same Religion being the Lights and Ornaments of our Church calling them by the odious names of Caluinists and other slanderous termes branding them with a most grieuous marke of reproach whom because our Church doth worthyly reuerence it was not meet that I should take away their good name from them or any way impaire their credit or dâ—hort others of our Cuntrey-men from reading their most learned workes I am therefore very sorry and grieued for this most grieuous offence which I haue publikely giuen to this most famous Vniuersity which is the Temple of true Religion and sacred receptacle of Piety And I doe promise that by Gods helpe I will neuer hereafter offend in the like sort and I doe earnestly beseech you Right worshipfull and all others to whom I haue giuen this offence either in the former Articles or in any part of my said Sermon that you would of your courtesie pardon mee vpon this my repeâ—tance That the authoritie and consequence of this precedent Recantation may bee more fully manifested I will briefely relate both the occasion and the carriage of it One Maister Barret of Kayes Colledge Preaching a Concio ad Clerum in Saint Maries Church in Cambridge on the 29. day of Aprill 1595. made bold to vent these then Pelagian and Popish but now both Popish and Arminian Tenents which are here recanted which gaue such generall offence vnto all the Auditors that on the 5. of May next following about nine of the clocke in the fore-noone hee was conuented for the publishing of these Erronious Tenents and his reuiling of Caluin Beza Peter Martyr Luther Iunius Zanchius and others before all the Heads of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge to wit Master Doctor Some Doctor Duport Doctor Goade Doctor Tindall Doctor Whitaker Doctor Barwell Doctor Iegon Doctor Preston Maister Chaderton and Maister Clayton Thomas Smith the publique Notary of the Vniuersitie being there present who appointed him to appeare againe before them at three of the clocke in the afternoone at which time Dr. Duport being then Vicechanceller read openly certaine Articles containing the positions which Maister Barret had broached in his foresaid Sermon alleaging these his assertions to bee Erronious false and opposite to the Religion receiued and established in the Kingdome of England by publique and lawfull Authoritie to which Articles he required Maister Barret to giue an answere who confessed that he had published in his Sermon the-Positions comprised in the said Articles but with all denied them to be contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Whereupon the Vicechancellor and the forenamed heads entring into a mature deliberation and diligently weighing and examining these Positions because it did manifestly appeare that the said Positions Were false erronious and likewise manifestly repugnant to the Religion receiued and established in the Church of England adiudged and declared that the said Barret had incurred the penaltie of the 45. Statute of that Vniuersity De Concionibus and by vertue and tenor of that Statute they decreed and adiudged the said Barret to make a publike Recantation in such words and forme as should bee prescribed vnto him by the Vice-chancellor and the said Heads or any three or two of them or ese vpon his refusall to recant in this manner to be perpetually expelled both from his Colledge and the Vniuersitie binding him likewise in an assumpsit of forty pounds to appeare personally vpon two dayes warning before the said Vice-chancellor or his Deputy at what time and place they should require Afterwards this Barret was re-summoned before the Vice-chancellor Doctor Goade Dr Tindall Dr. Barwell and Doctor Preston his assistants who deliuered him this praecedent Recantation in writing admonishing and peremptorily enioyning him on Saturday following being the 10. of May immediatly after the Clerum ended to goe vp in person into the Pulpit of Saint Maries where hee had published these errors and there openly in the face of the Vniuersity to read and make this Recantation which he did accordingly Not long after this Palinodium Master Barret to shew that these positions are but a bridge to Popery departs the Vniuersitie and gets beyond Sea where he as Bertius and some other Arminians since haue done turnes a professed Papist After this he returned into England where he liues a Laymans life being still an open dangerous violent and most pernicious and seducing Papist as some men of credit in these very termes haue informed me who both know and will auerre him to be such a one This is the true Relation and carriage of this Recantation which I haue taken verbatim out of a Transcript of the Vniuersitie Register of Cambridge vnder the Registers owne hand wherein all the passages of it are entred and recorded for the benefit of posteritie For the recantation it selfe of which Thysius and others make some mention it was fairely Printed and Published in Queene Elizabeths dayes some Copies of it being yet extant in the very selfesame words and forme as here you see it And that none may suspect it to be forged or corrupted I haue a transcript of it in Latine taken out of an Originall Coppy vnder Master Barets owne hand which agrees verbatim with this English one onely in this they differ that our 17. Article is at large recited in the Latine Coppy in the ende of the 6. Section wheras as
it is onely named in the English From this Recantation and the carriage of it it is cleerely euident That the Vniuersitie of Cambridge in those dayes did vndoubtedly beleeue and mainetaine the now Arminian Heresies of the finall and totall Apostasie of the Saints Of vncertainety of Saluation of Election from faith and Reprobation from sinne foreseene Of a personall not a reall difference betweene temporary and true sauing Faith the Points which Barret recanted to be not onely false and erronious but likewise manifestly repugnant to the Religion and Doctrine established and setled in the Church of England and to the 17. Article For so are the expresse words of the Order and Articles recorded in the Vniuersitie Register If they were thus euidently repugnant to them then I doubt not but they are so now at leastwise in all Cambridge mens repute who will not at leastwise should not so farre dishonor their renowned Mother as to degenerate from her ancient Orthodoxe and Dogmaticall Resolutions These are the more ancient publike Monuments and Euidences of our Church by which the subsequent Conclusions now in Issue must bee iudged The seuerall figures inserted into them and likewise placed in the Margent haue reference to the 7. Anti-Arminian Positions following the figure of 1 noting out such passages as punctually confirme the first the figure of 2 such clauses as euidently backe and proue the second of these Assertions and so euery figure successiuely answers to its proper Position If then all these Records which doe either Really containe or at leastwise euidently declare the ancient established and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England giue punctuall Euidence for these Conclusions oppugning the contrary Arminian Theses in terminis or substance as they doe this question will be then resolued and our succeeding Anti-Arminian Conclusions acknowledged the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church without any more debate Hauing thus at large recited the seuerall Grand-chartersâ— and more eminent Records and euidences which our Church affords for triall of this weightie cause I come now to apply them to the points in issue which I shall distinctely lay downe in this ensuing Antithesis Anti-Arminianisme THe Anti-Arminian orthodox Assertions now incontrouersie which I shall proue to be the ancient and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England contracte themselues into these 7. dogmaticall conclusions 1 That God from all eternity hath by his immutable purpose and Decree praedestinated vnto life not all but onely a selected number of particular men which can be neither augmented nor diminished commonly called the elect inuisible true Church of Christ others hath he eternally reprobated vnto death 2 That the only moâ—uing and efficient cause of Election and Praedestination vnto life is the meere good pleasure and grace of God not the coÌ„sideration of any â—ore-seene faith perseuerance good worâ—s good will good endeauours or any other quality or condition whatsoeuer in the persons elected 3 That though sinne be the only cause of damnation yet the sole and primarie cause of Reprobation or Non-election that is why God doth passe by this man rather then another why hee reiected Esau when he elected Iacob is the meere freewill and pleasure of God not the confideration or fore-sight of any actuall sin infidelity or finall impenitency in the persons reiected 4 That there is not any such Free-will or vniuersall or sufficient grace communicated vnto all men whereby they may repent beleeue or be saued if they wil themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died sufficiently for all men his death being of sufficient merit to redeeme saue them but primarily effectually for the Elect alone for whome alone hee hath actually and effectually obtained remission of sinnes and life aeternall 6 That the Elect doe alwayes constantly obey neither can they finally or totally resist the powerfull and effectuall call and working of Gods Spirit in the very act of their Conuersion neither is it in their owne power to conuert or not conuert themselues at that very time and instant when they are conuerted 7 That the Elect and truely regenerate who alone are iâ—â—ued with true iustifying and sauing faith doe constantly perseuere vnto the end and though they sometimes fall into grieuous sinnes yet they neuer fall finally nor totally from the habits seeds and state of grace Arminianisme THe whole erronious doctrine of Arminianisme which hath alwayes beene oppugned by the Church of England from the beginning of reformation to this present may be reduced to these 7. generall Propositions 1 That there is no absolute nor irreuocable but only a conditionaâ— and mutable Decree of Praedestination vnto life death and that not of particular persons but generally of all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers so that the number of the Elect and Reprobate is not so certaine but that it may be diminished or augmented 2 That the consideration and foresight of faith perseuerance good works and the right vse of grace receiued are praerequited conditions and efficient causes of Election or Praedestination vnto life not Gods free-grace and mercy onely without respect to these as to a cause 3 That the originall and proper cause of Reprobation that is of its Decree not of its execution is the consideration and foresight of infidelitie sin finall impenitency in the persons reiected not the meere Free-will and pleasure of God 4 That there is â—an vniuersal or sufficient grace deriued vpon all mâ—n since the fall of Adam by vertue of which they may repent beleeue and be saued if they will themselues 5 That Christ Iesus died alike primarily and effectually for all men whatsoeuer without any intent to saue any particular persons more then others be they reprobates or elect with a purpose to saue all men alike vpon condition of beleeuing which is suspended on their owne actuall power not on Christs actuall application of it to them by his Spirit 6 Thâ—t it is in the power of men either finally or totally to resist the inward call and effectuall working of Gods Spirit in their hearts in the very acte of their coÌ„uersion so that they may either withstand oâ— imbrace their conuersion at their pleasure 7 That true iustifying faith is neither a fruit of election nor yet proper vnto the Elect alone it being oft-times found in reprobates and that the very Elect by falling into sinne both may and doe fall finally and totally from the habits seeds and state of Grace These are the fundamentall and maine points of difference that are now in question and dispute among vs whether of these haue best right and title to the Church of England which of them are her anciently receiued approued established professed and vndoubted Doctrine is the onely issue that we are now to trie For the full and finall resolution of which grand yet doubtlesse Quaere I shall lay downe these three Conclusions which euery man must subscribe to First That
those of these contradictorie Arminian and Anti-Arminian Assertions which are most consonant to least variant from and best warranted or confirmed by the Articles of England Lambheht and Ireland the Common-Prayer Booke and Homelies of our Church and the Cathechismes and-Recantation fote-recited must needs be the receiued established and professed Doctrine of our English Church 2 Secondly that those and those onely of the here-recorded iarring Positions which were are at first commended and transmitted to our infant Church by our religious and learned Martyrs in the dayes of Henry the VIII who then subscribed them with their hands and Sealed them with their owne blood which were afterward taught and planted in the grouth and reformation of our Church by our learned and eminent Diuinity Professors in the flourishing and religious Raigne of King Edward the VI. which were watered with the fruitfull showers of our blessed Martyrs blood in the fire and fagot-regiment of Queeneâ— Mary through the malice and cruelty of blood-sucking soule-staruing and non-preaching Prelates and haue euer since growne vp and flourished in our spredding Church in the peaceable and happy Raignes of Queene Elizabeth and King Iames of blessed memorie being alwayes publikely constantly vnanimously professedly and vncontrolablie entertained in both our famous Vniuersittes taught in our Diuinitie Schooles iustified in our Academicall Disputes preached in our Pulpits maintained propagated and recorded to posteritie as the vndoubted Doctrine of our Church not by some one or two vnorthodox ambitious time-seruing nouellizing Sycophanticall or romanized Diuines who know no other passage to their owne secure vp-rising but by religions downefall which they enterprise but by the streame current of all our Classicall orthodox eminent approued Writers from the beginning of Reformation to this present must needs be the hereditarie legitimate authorized established and professed Doctrine of the Church of England and the vndoubted truth 3 Thirdly that such of those Tenents now in issue which haue beene constantly oppugned refelled and disclaimed yea positiuely condemnedâ— by all the fore-alledged Articles Common-prayer Booke Homelies Cathechismes Recantation and by all the learned and approued orthodox Authors which our Church hath nourished and produced from her first reformation to this instant cannot bee deemed or adiudged the ancient embraced resolued or vndoubted Doctrine of our English Church These three infallible rules of tryall being thus praemised if I can now but proue that the Articles of England Lambheth and Ireland the Common-prayer Booke and Homelie of our Church the authorized Cathechisme of Edward the VI. the recantation of Barret c. together with our renowned Martyrs Vniuersities Diuinitie Schooles and Professors and the whole succession and series of all our orthodox and approued Writers from the inchoation of reformation to this present haue alwayes constantly professedly and in direct and positiue tearmes maintained iustified and patronized these seuen Anti-Arminian Positions here recorded oppugning reiecting and manifestly condemning the seuen opposite Arminian Tenents as Pelagian Popish erronious and euidently repugnant to the Scriptures and dogmaticall Resolutions of out Church it mâ—st then be forthwith yeelded to me and adiudged foâ— me That these Anti-Arminian not their ad uerse Arminian Assertions are the ancient approued resolued established and professed Doctrine of the Church of England And this by the helpe of God I come now to proue For the first of these Anti-Arminian Positions concerning the aeternity and immutability of Election and Reprobation the vnalterable praecise certaine number both of the Elect the only true Church of Christ and Reprobate in regard of Gods fore-knowledge and Decree and the Election of certaine particular persons not of all beleeuers nor yet generally of all men in the grosse It is directly positiuely and plainely taught confirmed and warranted by the fore-aledged 17. Article of our Church by the Articles of Lambheth Article 1. 3. by the Articles of Ireland Articles 12. 13. 14. 15. by the Booke of Common prayer established by Act of Parliament in our Church Proposition first figure 1. signifying the first of these Anti-Arminian Propositions to which it hath relation by the approued and setled Homelies of our Church figures 1. throughout their seuerall passages here recorded by the Cathechismes of King Edward the VI. figures 1. by Barrets Recantation and the synod of Dort Arti. 1. 2. which are punctuall in it Adde wee to these publicke irrefragable and binding Records the expresse concurrent suffrages of three of our eminent and learned Martyrs whom laborious and studious Master Fox in his Praeface to their workes printed together at London 1563. by Iohn Day which Edition I here follow hath truely stiled the cheife Ring-leaders of the Church of England to wit Master William Tyndale in his Paraeble of the wicked Mommon page 70. 77. 80. In his Answere to Master Moores Dialogue page 250. 257. 268. 290. 292. In his Answere to Master Moores second Booke cap. 3. 4. pa. 293. 294. Answere to his third Booke page 306. 307. Answere to his fourth Booke cap. 10. page 329. and in his Pathway into the holy Scriptures page 380. Master Iohn Frith in his Answere vnto Rastals Dialogue page 10. in his Declaration of Baptisme page 92. 93. and Master Doctor Barnes what the Church is page 248. That Freewill of her owne strength can doe nothing but sinne page 227. 278. 279. Who maintained this Assertion in these workes of theirs and confirmed it with their blood in the dayes of Henry the VIII oppugning and condemning the contrary Descend wee vnto Edward the VI. his pious Raigâ—e here wee shall finde that learned Doctor Peter Martyr a man so eminent and famous in his age that hee was chosen and setled Diuinity Pâ—ofessor in the famous Vniuersity of Oxford my much honored Mother both by the King and State who sent for him from beyond the seas to this very purpose abundantly confirming this truth and for all its fellow Positions and copiously refuting the opposite Assertions in his laborious and learned Commentarie on the Romanes cap. 9. being nothing else as himselfe professeth in his Epistle Dedicatorie but the pâ—blicke Lectures which he read in the Vniuersitie of Oxford whiles hee was there Professor Tiguri 1559. pag 682. to 740. and in his Loci Communes Classis 3. cap. 1. sect 10. to 40. Here we may meete with his learned and intire Friend and fellow Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge by the States especiall appointment Master Martin Bucer who concurred in all points of Doctrine with him without the least dissent maintaining this and â—ts associated Positions repugning all the contrary in his Commentarie on Rom. 8. 30. cap. 9. 11. to 23. cap. 11. 2. to 6. Dedicated to our Religious Martyr Archbishop Cranmer and in sundry other of his workes both of them planting this first and all its subsequent Anti-Arminian Conclusions in both our famous Vniuersities who together with the whole Church of England as
by diuers Batchellors in Diuinity proceeded in the examination of the cause according to our Statutes and vsuall manner of proceeding in such causes whereby it appeareth by sufficient testimonies that Doctor Baroe hath offended in such things as his Articles had charged him withall There is also since the former another complaint praeferred against him by certaine Batchellors in Diuinity that he hath not onely in that Sermon but also for the space of these 14. or 15. yeeres taught in his Lectures preached in Sermons determined in the Schooles and printed in seuerall Bookes diuers points of Doctrine not onely contrary to himselfe but also contrary to that which hath beene taught and receiued euer since her Maiesties raigne yet 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 yeeres past haue yeelded him sundry benefits and fauours here in the Vniuersity being a stranger and forborne him when hee hath often himselfe busie curious inalienarepublica broached new and strange questions in Religion now vnlesse we should be carelesse of maintaining the truth of religion established and of our duties in our places cannot being resolued and confirmed in the Truth of the long professed and receiued Doctrine but continue to vse all good meanes and seeke at your Lordships hands some effectuall remedy hereof least by permitting passage to these Errors the whole body of Popery should by little and little breake in vpon vs to the ouerthrow of our Religion and consequently the withdrawing of many here and elsewhere from true obedience to her Maiestie May it therefore please your good Lordship to haue an honourable consideration of the premises and for the better maintaining of peace and the truth of Religion so long and quietly receiued in this Vniuersity and Church to vouchsafe your Lordships good ayde and aduice both to the comfort of vs wholy consenting and agreeing in iudgement and all others of the Vniuersity soundly affected and to the suppression in time not only of these Errors but euen of grosse Popery like by such meanes in time easily to creepe in among vs as wee finde by late experience it hath dangerously begun Thus crauing pardon for troubling your Lordship commending the same in prayer to the Almighty God we humbly take our leaue From Cambridge the 8. of March 1595. Your Lordships humble and bounden to be commanded Roger Goade Procan R. Some Thomas Legge Iohn Iegon Thomas Neuill Thomas Preston Humphry Tyndall Iames Mountague Edmund Barwell Iames Chaderton THe seuerall obseruations from this Letter I haue briefely touched in the margent yet giue me leaue to trauerse them once againe since repetition will make them more obseruable First it is euident by this Letter that the Articles of Lambheth are no fained no priuate Articles or priuate spirits as some repute them since not only our two Arch-Bishops and their other Associates but euen the whole Vniuersity of Cambridge concurred in their composition in their two famous Doctors Tyndall and Whitakers men specially chosen by them for this purpose Secondly that the Articles of Lambheth which were afterwards printed at Cambridge by themselues and since that with the last Lectures of Doctor Whitakers were after their constitution approued and receiued by the Vniuersity of Cambridge who inioyed much peace and quiet by them which disproues that forged storie of Coruinus touching the reuocation of the Articles by Queene Elizabeth and of Bishop Whitgifts incurring a Praemunire and the Queenes displeasure by them Thirdly that the Articles of Lambheth containe in them no noualties but only the substantiall points of Religion taught and receiued in the Vniuersity of Cambridge the Church of England and consented vnto by the best approued Diuines both at home and abroad during the whole raigne of Queene Elizabeth Therefore we may safely embrace them as a full declaration of the professed and vndoubted Doctrines of our Church Fourthly that our Anti-Arminian Conclusions directly opposite to Barrets and Baroes Errors which this Letter mentions are the resolued and confirmed truth yea the receiued established and long professed Doctrines of the Chuch of England and the Vniuersity of Cambridge Fiftly that the Arminian Errors for these only were Barrets and Baroes Errors of which this Letter speakes are agreeable to Popery and quite contrary to the Religion taught and receiued in the Church of England euer since Queene Elizabeths raigne Sixtly that Arminianisme is but a Bridge or Vsher vnto grosse Popery yea a meanes to draw away Subiects from their obedience to his Maiestie and to bring in the whole body of Popery into our Church by little and little then all which obseruacions there can be nothing more punctuall or aduantagious for our Anti-Arminian positions more opposite or disaduantagious to these Arminian Errors Compare this Letter and its seuerall passages with the Recantation of Barreâ— with the Vniuersity Order formerly quoted and then it will be vndeuiably euident that our praesent Assertions were formerly held the vndoubted and resolued Doctrines of the Church of England by the whole Vniuersity of Cambridge and dare any of her Heads or members disclaime or disauow them now My second Euidence is the authority and resolution of my much honored Mother the Vniuersity of Oxford who from her Learned Diuinity Professor Peter Martyrs time who planted and propagated our Anti-Arminian Assertions in her in King Edwards dayes by his excellent Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans hath constantly to this very praesent embraced professed and publikely defended our present positions in her Diuinity Schooles as the vndoubted truth and Doctrine of our Church Witnesse the 4th Thesis of her incomparable Reinolds Sancta Catholica Ecclesia quam credimus est â—aetus Vniuersus Electorum Dei. Tractata in Schola Theologica Nouem 3. 1579. The solemne Anti-Arminian Lectures of her Reuerend and learned Regius Diuinity Professor Doctor Robert Abbot late Bishop of Salisbury De Gratia perseuerantia Sanctorum and De Veritate Gratiae Christi read publikely in her Diuinity Schooles in her Act time in the yeeres 1613. 1614. 1615. the professed Anti-Arminian Lectures of her vnparalled praesent Regius Diuinity Professor Doctor Iohn Prideaux De Absoluto Reprobationis Decreto De scientia media De Gratia Vniuersalâ— De Conuersionis modo De Perseuerantia Sanctorum De salutis Certudine and De salute Ethnicorum all which were solemnely read in her Diuinity Schooles at her publike Acts in the yeeres 1616. 1617. 1618. 1619. 1621. 1622. 1623. the publicke Anti-Arminian Lectures of her iudicious and learned late Lady Margaret Professor D. Sebastian Benefield De Sanctorum perseuerantia lib. 2. reade solemnely in her Schooles in the yeere 1617. and since that printed at Franckfort for their better dispersion into the parts of Germany in the yeere 1618. together with the late Act Questions of her proceeding Doctors of
Recantation of Barret The Concurrent consent of all our Godly Learned Eminent and most admired Martyrs Writers and Diuinity Professors from the beginning of reformation to this present The Resolution and iudgement of both our famous Vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge yea the ancient and modern Churches of Ireland Scotland and England with all their orthodox and learned members giuing testimony too and iudgement for the one but disintitelling disauowing and sentencing the other which can finde no full no punctuall Euidence no competent indifferent orthodox compleat or absolute but only branded censured and recanting Witnesses which cut the very nerues and heart-strings of their cause to giue them any colorable title to any seeming right or interest in our Church Which then of these irreconcilable incompliable Assertions are the ancient receiued established and resolued Doctrines of our Church be yee the Iudges Certainely that which hath no full no pregnant Euidences no legall or vnattainted Witnesses to iustify or cleare its right or claime that which was altogether vnknowne and neuer heard off in our Church till now of late that which is yet in Quaere in further search and discouery and so not yet beleeued by its owne best studied Aduocates the case of rotten Pelagian Arminianisme can neuer be that which hath all these fore alleaged Charters and testimonies to strengthen and confirme its right the case and happy condition of Anti-Arminianisme must of necessity be the true the genuine and vndoubted Doctrine of our Church Let vs therefore now at last without any further scrutinie of debate exile this spurious and cursed Arminianisme which hath lately drawne the very curse and wrath of God with sundry fatall iudgements on vs out of our Church and state let vs once more adiudge sinke it to the very depths of Hell to which it was of old condemned as a most pernicious turbulent discomfortable desperate blasphemous and grace-oppugning Heresie and since England I meane Pelagius a Brittaine and a Monke of Bangor was the first that bred it let her be now the first to ruine it As for our Anti-Arminian Conclusions the ancient hereditarie and vnquestionable Doctrines of the Church of England and the chiefest treasure ioy and comfort of our soules without which all other comforts and contentments are vnpleasant let vs lodge them in our hearts in throne them in our soules settle them in our iudgements claspe them in our affections and so perpetuate and establish them in our Church that all the pollices and powers of Hell all the stratagems and powder-plots of Rome all the combinations and complotments of forraigne Enemies or domestique Traytors for such are all those Iesuited and Popish factors who goe about to innouate Religion or to withdraw vs from the doctrines now established in the Church of England as these Tenents are may neuer be able to vnsettle or draw them into question any more These Anti-Arminian Tenents they are the very ioy of our hearts the life of our soules the foundation of our eternall blisse the onely Euidences and Assurances that we haue to intitle vs to saluation if these once faulter or proue false our ioy our spirituall comfort the very grace and glory of God and our saluation are indangered if we come once to lose but these the whole ioy the treasure comfort crowne and happinesse of all true Christians yea the whole frame and structure of Gods grace and the mysteries of our saluation are vtterly subuerted and brought quite to ruine And shall we then forgoe these truthes which are farre more neare and deare vnto vs then our dearest soules when we haue thus long thus constantly thus abundantly professed them These these are the orthodox and sweete dogmaticall Resolutions which our Martyrs blood haue sealed our first Reformers of Religion setled our Ancestors embraced our Articâ—es confirmed our Vniuersities professed our Church beleeued our Ministers subscribed our Protestant Kings and Queenes defended our Preachers published our Laity receiued our Parliament particularly voted owned and protected our Writers propagated and professedly maintained against all Hereticall oppugners whatsoeuer which they would neuer haue done had they beene meere curious scoole-points nicities or needlesse speculations onely as some repute them and we our selues long since acknowledged yea readily entertained as our owne vndoubted and professed Doctrines and shall we then disclaime or doubt them now These are those blessed gracious and tutelary Doctrines which haue thus long guarded and secured both our Church and State These are the Bulwarks which haue a long time kept out Popery and Romish tyranny from that haue preserned peace and vnity in our Church which now is almost ouer-runne with Popery and Arminianisme with sundry Errors and Diuisions since these haue fallen to decay and lost their credit with vs. These were the truthes that secured vs from the Spanish Armado in 88â— from the barbarous vnnaturall and infernall Powder-treason in 1605. the very memory of which should make al Papists Priests Iesuits with their bloudy Anti-Christian Religion which now creepes in vpon vs for euer execrable to all English hearts These were the procurers of our ancient glory and renown of our prosperity and welfare our victories and triumphs both by Sea and Land these made vs honorable wealthy happy and victorious for 60. yeeres and vpward and we had yet no doubt continued such had we not of late reuolted from them and giuen harbor to those Popish those pestileÌ„t Arminian errors which haue wasted both our Church and state and plunged them into such a gulfe of sundry miseries as is like to swallow them vp at once vnles the power of heauen proue their rescue and shall we then begin to waiue them or forsake them now These are the immortall seed which did beget vs at first these the sincere milke that nourished vs these the strong meat that must corroborate vs these the celestiall cordialls which must comfort vs in all our deiections these the Ancre which must secure and hold vs vp from sinking in the middest of all our troubles these the Armor that must shield vs in all our spirituall combates yea these are the Doctrines which must beget and perfect grace within vs which must conuert and saue our soules In these were wee and ours borne in these haue we liued and if we euer hope for any grace or glory peace or safety any present or future happinesse oâ— prosperity for our selues or our posterities after vs in these let vs and oures liue and dye FINIS Leo Epistolarum Decretaâ—â—â—um Epist. 75. cap. 1. Nullus vltra sinâ—tur impetâ—re quâ— non tamhumanis quam diuinis sâ—nt statuta decretis ne vere digni sint Dei munus amittere qui de veritate â—ipsiâ—s ausi fuerint dubitare Gentle Reader I shall desire thee to correct these few materiall Errataes which by the improuidence of the Printer and Corrector haue escaped the Presse
Peter LuÌ„bard Distincti 46. p August De Correct Gratie cap. 14. Fulgentius De Incarnat Gratia Dom. Iesu Christi c. 31. q Sec. 1. r Fulgentius De Incarnat Gratia Dom. Iesu Christi c. 31. August De Natura Gratia cap. 41. De Nuptijs concupiscentia l. 2. c. 27. Contra. Iulianum l. 6. c. 12. De Praedestâ—â—â—al one Saâ—â—clorum cap. 8. s Mar. 16 15 16. Titus 2. 11. 12. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Col. 1. 6. 23. t Phil. 2 7 8. He. 2 14. 16â— 17 u 2. Tim. 2. 25 Ro. 11. 1 to 8 â— Tim 2. 4. x Ro. 8 29 to 35. lam 1 18. Hebr. 12. 22 23. 24. y Heb. 2. 16. 17. z Gal. 3. 22. 24. 89. cap. 4. 4. to 8. a See Mat. 13. Gal. 1 2. Reu. 2 3. b Mat. 13 24 to 33. c Mat. 3. 12. d Mat. 25. 32. 33. e Mat. 13. 7. He. 6. 4. f Mat. 13. 5. g Ps. 1 19. 119. h 2. Sa. 23. 6. i Iohn 17. 12. k Mat. 7. 6. Phil. 3 2. 2. Pet 2. 22. Reu. 22. 15. l 2. Pet. 2. 22. Psa. 49. 12. 10. l 2. Pet. 2. 22. Psa. 49. 12. 10. m Reu. 21. 27. * See God no Imposter n 1. Cor. 15. 21. 22. o Phil. 2. 7. to 11. Rom. 14. 9. 10. 11. * 2. Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. Obiection Answer y 1. Tim. 2. 4. z Heb. 2. 9. a Rom. 2. 12. 14. 15. Iohn 9. 41. c. 15. 22. Acts 14. 16. 17. c. 17. 30. 31. b Mar 16. 16. Iohn 3 â— 16. 18. 6. c Gal. 5 â— 4. Iohn 3. 18. 36 Mat. 16. 16. Eph. 2 â— 2 12. d Acts 2. 37. 8. c 3â— 19 c. 16. 30. 21. c. 22. 16. 2. Cor. 5. 20. g Gen. 22 1 to 19. Heb. 11 17. 18. 19. h Gen. 22 16. 17. i Ionah 3. 4. 5. k Exo. 33. 19. Ro. 9. 15. 17. l 2. Cron. 20. 20. Iuke 24. 25. Gal. 6. 16. Iohn 10. 21. 2. Pet. 1. 19. The 6. Anti-Arminian position proued Henry the 8. * Edward 6. * Queene Eli. * King Iames. * King Charles a Psal. 51. 10. 2. Cor. 5. 17. b Rom. 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 18. c. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 7. Eph. 1. 19. 20 c Eph. 1. 19. 20. cap. 2. 1. 5. 6. Rom. 6. 4. 5. d Ro 15. 13. 19 Ep. 3. 20. 1 The. i. 5. 2. The. 1. 11 2. Tim. 1. 7. 8. e 2 Cor. 12. 9. Eph. 6. 10. 2. Pet. 1. 3. 16. f Facit voâ—enteâ— ex nolentibus Deus Inclinat corum corda vt hoc velint habeÌ„s sine dubis huÌ„anorum cordium quo placeret inclinandoruns omnipotentissimam potestate August De Praedest Sanct. lib. c. 8. 20. De Corrept Gra. tia cap. 14. g 2. Cor. 3. 18. Pro. 21. 1. h Iohn 17. 2. Mat. 28. 18. Ps. 19. i Mat. 11. 5. Iohn 11. 44. k Lu. 5. 13. 24-25 Mat. 10. 5. l Mat. 8. 26. 27 Mar 7. 37. m Lu. 4. 35. 36 n Mar. 5. 8. to 13. o 2. Ch. 20. 6. Phi. 2. 10-11 * See Master Carpenters Achithephel London 1629. p. 25. to 35. Obiect Answer p Acts 2. 37. to 42. q v. 52. Mat 23. 34. 35. 1. Thes. 2. 16. r Enchirideon cap. 97. s Lib. 1. Distinacio 46. t t Sec Iohn 7. 1. 8. u Iohn 9. 22. x Mat 4. 18. to 23. c. 9. 9. Mar. 1. 16. to 21. c. 2. 14. The 7th Anti-Arminian proposition confirmed * Henry the 8 * Edward 6. * Queene Eli. * All these are collected and set out by Thysius Hardrouici 1613. * King Iames. * King Charles * Declaration against Vorstius p. 15. 18. 19. 16. 35. The Church of Ireland a Elegit nos in Christo ante constitutioneÌ„ musde praedestinatione seilicet aeterna non creatione temporaria sed vocatione gratuita vel indebita gratia c. Sermo SaÌ„cti Galli habitus Constantiae Bibliobeeca patruns Tom. 6. part 2 p. 714. A. B. b Sedulius in Romanos 9. in Ephes. 1. 2. c Claudius lib. 1. in Mathew The Church of Scotland * This is bound vp at the end of the Harmonie of Confessions The Church of England a For which read Bede Ecclesia Hist. lib. 1. cap. 10. 17. 21. b Expositio in Romanos 5 8. 9. 11. in Eph. 1. 2. in 2. Tim. 1. 9. c. 2. 19. in 1. Pet. 1. c Expositio in Rom. 5. c. 8. 19. to 3â— in Eph. 1. 1. to 11. in 2. Tim 1. 9. 2. 19. d De Causa Dei l. 1. â— 3. where our points are learnedly discussed e See Surius Concil Tom. 3. p. 91â— 919. a Here Barrets fore-recited Recantation is iustified b The Doctrine of the Church of England then was against Arminians Baroe Ergo. now c The Arti. of Lambheth then were coÌ„posed by the coÌ„mon coÌ„sent of the Vniuersity of Cambridge d To wit The Articles of Lambheth e The Arti. of LaÌ„bheth therefore in the iudgement of these Heads containe in them the ancieÌ„t receiued vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England not any nouel or singular opinions f The Arti. of Lambheth were then receiued and approued by the Vniuersity of Cambridge where they then likewise printed * The Vniuersity Vice-Chancellor Heads of Cambridge vpon their receite of the Artic. of Lambheth restrained men from preaching Arminianisme therfore they were inforce credit with them g Arminianisme was then reputed corruption h Arminianisme theÌ„ was not only displeasinâ— to the heads but likewise to the whole Vniuersity i Arminianisme is then contrary tâ— the Doctrine of the Church of England agreâ—able to Popery k I would our heads in our Vniuersities out Bishops and Clergie were as carefull and zealous in this nature now as these were then l These heads were no Arminians m Anti-Arminianisme theÌ„ is the truth yea the ancieÌ„t and prâ—fessed Doctrine of our Church n Arminianisme is then but a Bridge or Vsher vnto Popery and a meanes to draw Subiects from the Kings allegeance o Anti-Arminianismei the ancient receiued Religion of the Vniuersity of Cambridge and the Church of England and shall we now reiect or quaestion it p Anti-Arminianisme was thâ—n made no Quaere amoÌ„g the heads of Cambridge as it is now q Arminianisme was then an Error it was then it is now the fore-runner nurse mother of Popery this their now our experience witnesse * Hardrouici 1613. * Responsio ad Notas Bogermâ—mi pars 2. c. 24. p. 566. to 570. * And doe we not find it so * And is it not then dangerous for our King State to tollerate it * See page 42 to 48. * See p. 54. 55 69. 126. 127. * These Lectures are dedicated to our Kings Maiestie then Prince of Wales and so are Doctor Prideaux his Lectures following * Cygnea Cantio Octobris 9. 1595 P 15. 16. * Marke this passage well See Bishop Abbot in ThoÌ„psoni Diatribam Praefatio Lectori cap. 1. accordingly * Doctor Whitakers
Doctrine of the Church of England as the Booke it selfe together with two Reuerend Prelates of our Church who haue lately in two printed Letters expresly â—uerâ—ed That the Arminian Errors condemned in the Synod of Dort cannot stand with the Doctrine of the Church of England And that none can embrace Arminianisme in the Doctrine of Predestination and grace but he must first desert the Articles agreed vpon by the Church of England nor in the point of Perseverance but hee must vary from the common Tenet and receiued opinion of our best approued Doctors in the English Church will iustifie against all Opposers Therefore it is not within the intent or limitts and so not within the Danger of his Maiesties Declaration which I would not wilfully not willingly oppose Secondly I conceiue that this Declaration prohibits nothing but vnnecessary and curious Disputes vpon bare coniectures on or strained Collections from our Articles But in this Antithesis you haue onely abare historicall recitall in nature of a Catalogue of those scattered Records and writers of our Church which haue constantly oppugned these new Arminian Errors from the beginning of reformation to this present It comes not therefore within the sphere of this Declaration Thirdly his Maiesties Declaration was chiefly to suppresse all Innovations in Religion together with such vnnecessary Controuersiâ—es as might disturbe the Peace and settled Doctrines of our Church But this Antithesis serues onely to suppresse the Innouations in Relâ—gion and to allay all moderne Arminian Controuersies which interrupt our Churches Peace and Doctrines by disprouing Arminianisme to be the Doctrine of our Church in such an apparant manner that none can contradict it Therefore it is wholly with this Declaration not against it Lastly his Maiesties Declaration prohibits principally vnnecessary disputes about curious nice and needlesse Schoole-points of which men may be ignorant without great danger But I take it vnder correction that our Anti-Arminian Tenets can which the whole fabricke of our saluation the whole Doctrine and structure both of mans fall and corruptionâ— of grace and glory of Election Reprobation Predestination Vocation Iustification Sanctification Perseuerance and Glorification are suspended are no superfluous nice or curious speculations vnfit vnneedfull to be taught or published but most necessary essentiall comfortable and fundamentall Truthes in which the whole pith and marrow of Divinity the whole Doctrine of grace and mans salvation are included This all the ancient Councels ana voluminous Treatises of the Fathers in the pâ—imatiue Church this all the moderne Synods Articles Confessions Resolutions and Writings both of our owne and other Churches against Pelagius Arminius and their followers as the professed enemies of the grace and Gospell of God as Atheisticall Sectaries yea wicked pestilent and blasphemous heretiques as our late learned Soueraigne hath rightly stiled them doe abundantly testifie All which would neuer questionlesse haue waged such fierce such perpetuall and implacable wars against these Pelagian and Arminian Heresies were they suchinnoxius or triuiall Differences such vnnecessary such curious speculations as some of their Abetters who then me thinkes should be ashamed contenâ—iously to foment them to the great disturbance of our Churches peace would seeme to make them because they would more easily induce men to neglect them till they had gotten strength and then to imbrace them to their eternall ruine Since therefore these Anti-Arminian Tenets which I here onely vindicate to be the ancient genuine vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England are points of highest consequence of greatest weight and vse whence they haue beene more ab undantly patronized propagated and propugned not onely in the primitiue Câ—urch but likewise in most moderne Protestant Churches and in the Church of England then any other substantiall points of Diuinity whatsoeuer as is most apparently euident Since their opposite Arminian Errors which are in truth meere Popery and Semi-Pelagianisme at least a bridge a way and portall to them both haue beene most constantly oppugned both in the Primatiue our owne and other Reformed Churches as a dangerous and grace-nullifying Heresie And since Prosper himselfe hath expresly recorded it long agoe That St. Augustine hath constantly piously and abundantly proued that predestination in which there is the preparation of grace and grace in which there is the effect of predestination and the prescience of God by which he foreknew before all worlds on whom he would bestow his gifts of grace ought to be preached to the Church Of the preaching of which saith he I pray obserue his words and marke them well whosoeuer is an impugner he is a most apparant furtherer of Pelagian pride which I dare presume is farre from his Maiesties royall thoughts to be I may safely as I hope conclude on all these premises That this my Antithesis which I haue divulged onely for the peace and benefit of our English Church and the stopping of all Arminians mouthes who now must either holde their peace and yeeld their cause or else periuriously sacrilegiously renounce their Mother Church and these her Doctrines which they haue subscribed if not sworn to is clearly without the verge and danger of his Maiesties Declaration who neuer did intend so farre to countenance to grace an heresie so branded censured and condemned by the primitiue Church by forraigne Protestant Churches by the whole Church of England with all her learned writers from her first reformation to this present and more particularly by his Royall Father whose faith whose steps he meanes to follow as for its sake its growth and greater safety to put these established and professed Anti-Arminian Doctrines of our Church to silence which is almost the highest dignity the greatest conquest that Arminianisme can or would aspire to And now right Reuerend Fathers hauing cleared this obiection giue me leaue to close vp this Epistle with a word of exhortation which I beseech you for to suffer Remember I intreat you in the name and feare of God that you together with the rest of our reuerend and learned â—lergie are the Watchmen the Garrisons and Bulwarkes of our Israel to giue her warning of to protect and shield her against those pernicious subdolous and seducing heretiques those Popish and Arminian Aduersaries which warre against her faith her peace Gods grace our soules If you then through worldlinesse negligence sloathfulnesse Epicurisme or the sweete Syrenian songs of enchanting Mercuries begin to sleepe to slumber to remit or else giue ouâ—â— your spirituall watch and ward against these sheep like wolues friend-seeming Enemies which come for to deuoure vs If you proue dumb dogs that will not cannot barke at their approach or treacherous Centinells false posternes to beâ—ray vs to their infernall malice we must then bâ— needs surprised yea captivated destroyed in a moment through this your negligence and default but yet our blood shall be required at your
3 There is a pre-determined and certaine number of the Predestinate which can neither be augmented nor diminished 4 Qui non sunt Praedestinati ad Salutem necessario propter peccata sua damnabuntur 4 Those who are not Predestinated to Saluation shall be necessarily Damned for their sinnes 5 Vera viva iustificans Fides Spiritus Dei iustificantis non extinguitur non excidit non euanescit in Electis aut finaliter aut totaliter 5 A true liuing and iustifying Faith and the Spirit of God iustifying is not extinguished it falleth not away it vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally 6 Homo vere Fidelis id est Fide iustificante praeditus certus est plerophoria Fider de Remissione peccatorum suorum salute sempiterna sua per Christum 6 A man truely Faithfull that is such â—one who is endued with a iustifying Faith is certaine with the full assurance of Faith of the Remission of his Sinnes and of his Euerlasting Saluation by Christ. 7 Gratia salutaris non tribuitur non communicatur non conceditur vniuersis hominibus qua seruari possint si velint 7 Sauing grace is not giuen is not Communicated is not granted to all men by which they may be saued if they will 8 Nemo potest venire ad Christum nisi datum ei fuerit nisi Pater eum traxerit omnes homines non trahuntur a Patre vt veniant ad Filium 8 No man can come vnto Christ vnlesse it shall be giuen vnto him and vnlesse the Father shall draw him and all men are not drawn by the Father that they may come to the Sonne 9 Non est poâ—itum in arbitrio aut poâ—estate vniuscâ—iusque hominis servari It is not in the Will or Power of euery one to be saued These Articles of Lambheth how euer some may chance to slight them as the Resolutions of some priuate mâ—n yet they were vnanimously composed and approued by both our Right Reuerend and Learned Archbishops Whitgift and Huâ—ton by the Bishops of London and Bangor and by sundry other of our most eminent Diuines and that not rashly or vnadvisedly but vpon serious debate and mature deliberation and being afterwards sent to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge for the allaying of some Arminian Controuersies there raysed by master Barret whose publique Recantation I haue heere inserted and abetted by one Peter Baro a Frenchman Lady Margarets Professor in that Vniuersitie they were there receiued with such an vnanimous approbation of the whole Vniuersitie that those Arminian Tenents were foorthwith abandoned and Baro forced to forsake his place since whose departure to this present the Diuinitie Professors of this our Famous Vniuersitie haue constantly adhered to these Conclusions as the vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England What respect the Reformed Churches abroad haue giuen to these Articles or Assertions Let famous Thysius who hath twice published them Hardrouici 1613. and quoted the Fathers to them together with learned Bogerman President of the late famous Synod of Dort in his 107. and 108. Notes vpon the second part of Grotius Franâ—keâ—â— 1614. p. 183. 184. testifie who both recite and repute them as the receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England What approbation they haue had with vs at home their vnanimous approbation by the Vniuersitie of Cambridge at first their insertion into the Articles of Ireland agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergie of Ireland in their Conuocation holâ—en at Dublin 1615. where all or most of them are recited verbatim as any man may see that will compare them The mentioning of them in the Conference at Hampton Court where his Maiestie of blessed memory was moued to insert them into the Bookâ— of Articles and vnderstanding not what these Assertions of Lambheth were was informed that by reason of some Controuersies arising in Cambridge about certaine points of Diuinitie my Lords Grace of Canterbury assembled some Diuines of especiall note to set downe their opinions which they drew into nine Assertions and so sent them vnto the Vniuersitie for the appeasing of those quarrels Their honourable recitall by the late Reuerend and learned Bishop of Chichester Doctor Carlton in his Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale Edition 2. cap. 2. pag. 8. 9. 10. By learned Doctor Benefield De Perâ—euerantia Sanctorum lib. 1. cap. 15. p. 162. to 167. By Maâ—â—er Francis Rouse in his Doctrine of King Iames p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Iohn Browne in his Appendix to the Life of Queene Elizabeth where they are likewise Printeâ— By Mr. Thomas Vicars in his Pusillies Grex Oxoâ—iae 1627 p. 31. By Abdias Asheton in Vita Gulielmi Whitakeri Cantabrigiae 1599. p. 43. who all repute and deeme them the Orthodox and vndoubted Doctrine of the Church of England All these recited Euidences I say doe abundantly confirme the truth the honour and Orthodox Authority of these Articles or Assertions which were neuer yet impeached by any Orthodox English Diuine as different from oâ—â— 39. Articles or varying from the receiued Doctrines of our Church And therfore especially since the Articles of Ireland thus approue them we may safely embrace them as the vndoubted and anciently receiued Doctrines of our English Church Articles of Religion agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the rest of the Cleargie of Ireland in the Conuocation holden at Dublin in the yeere of our Lord God 1615. 11 GOd from all eternitie did by his vnchangeable counsell ordaine whatsoeuer in time should come to passe Yet so as thereby no violence is offred to the wills of the reasonable creatures and neither the libertie nor the contingencie of the second causes is taken away but established rather 12 By the same eternall counsell God hath predestinated some vnto life and reprobated some vnto death of both which there is a certaine number knowen only to God which can neither be increased nor diminished 13 Predestination to life is the euerlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were layed he hath constantly decreed in his secret counsell to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ vnto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honor 14 The cause mouing God to predestinate vnto life is not the foreseeing of faith or perseuerance or good workes or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but onely the good pleasure of God himselfe For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appeare both in the works of his Mercy and of his Iustice It seemed good to his heauenly wisedomee to choose out a certaine number towards whom he would extend his vndeserued mercy leauing the rest to be spectacles of his iustice 15 Such as are predestinated vnto life be called according vnto Gods purpose his spirit
Tractatus de tribus Quaestionibus Quaestio 3. p. 85. to 93. Of Doctor Chaderton De Iustificationis coram Deo fidei iustificantis Perseuerantia non intercisa page 94. to 112. to whom I might adde those seuerall Bishops Doctors and Deuines which composed Barrets Recantation and the Articles of Lambheth which conclude in terminis for vs. Of Godly and experimentall Master Greenham Graue Counsels and Aphorismes Addition 2. and 3. in his workes at large London 1612. p. 46. 51. 63. sect 24. p. 68. His first Sermon Quench not the Spirit p. 246. to 250. His 14. Sermon p. 341. Exposition on Psal. 119. page 382. 495. 496. Godly Instructions cap. 32. page 694. cap. 53. page 764. A Letter against hardnesse of heart p. 864. A Letter consolatorie p. 876. Of Edwin Arch-Bishop of Yorke Sermon on Luke 1. page 74. 75. sect 14. Of Solid and Scholasticall Master William Perkins Exposition on the Creed Tom. 1. of his workes p. 254. 282. 283. Treatise of Disertions p. 417. Reformed Catholicke point 3. page 562. 563. c. Of Gods Free Grace and mans Free Will page 738. 739. A Treatise of Praedestination Tom. 2. page 636. 637. 638. Exposition on Iude verse 1. Tom. 3. page 487. 488. Of incomparable Hooker Discourse of Iustification sect 26. Sermon of the Perpetuity and certainty of faith in the Elect. Sermon 1. on Iude. sect 10. to 15. Of Master William Burton in his Dauids Euidence 1596. Sermon 5. p. 102. to 115. Of Master Iohn Hill in his Life euerlasting lib. 5. cap. 2. Quaest. 4. 5. 6. cap. 3. Quaest 21. and of Reuerend Master Phillips Sermon on Romans 8. ver 15. 16. in the raigne of blessed Queene Elizabeth Of Learned King Iames of happy memory in his Declaration against Vorstius page 15. 18. 19. 26. 35. where he stiles the Arminian Assertion of the Apostasie of the Saints a wicked Doctrine a blasphemous Haeresie directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and Bertius his Booke of the Apostasie of the Saints a blasphemous Booke the very Title whereof were enough to make it worthy the fire branding Bertius with the name of an Haretique and Atheisticall sectorie Of eminent learned and renowned Doctor Reinolds Thesis 4. sect 23. 24. Defensio Thesium sect 17. 20. Censura Librorum Apochryph Praelectio 207. and conference at Hampton Court page 41. 42. 43. Of Reuerend and learned Doctor Robert Abbot late Bishop of Salisbury once Regius Professor of Diuinity in Oxford in his Answer to Bishop part 1. cap. 12. part 2. cap. 3. De perseâ—erantia Sanctorum Lectura 1. read publickely in the Diuinity Schooles of Oxford Iuly 10. 1613. in the Act time and Animaduersio in Thompsoni Diatribam Of profound Doctor Field of the Church booke 1. cap. 3. 6. 7. 8. Answer to Theophylus Higgons 1. part cap. 3. 2. part sect 2. page 832. 833. 834. Of iudicious Doctor Bulckley in his Apologie for the Religion established in the Church of England London 1608. page 62. 64. 196. Of Acute Doctor William Sclater in his Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse September 17. 1609. on Hebr. 6. 3. 4. 5. 6. London 1610. and in his Exposition on the 1. Epistle of the Thessalonians cap. 1. ver 4. page 30. ver 5. page 39. 40. 44. cap. 3. ver 13. page 251. c. 5. ver 9. 10. p. 436. to 455. ver 19. p. 596. ver 20. p. 535. 536. v. 24. p. 524. 571. Exposition on Epistle 2. cap. 1. ver 3. p. 7. v. 10. p. 53. 54. v. 11. p. 66. to 71. c. 2. v. 13. p. 178. to 190. c 3. v. 3. p. 229. to 234. Of Laborious and learned Doctor Willet Commentary on Romans 5. Controuersie 3. on cap. 6. Controu 7. on cap. 8. Con. 17. 19. on cap 9. Cont. 16. on c. 11. Con. 21. and Synopsis Papismi page 64. 65. 448. 923. 924. 925. Of Godly Master Richard Rogers in his 7. Treatises Treatise 2. cap. 20. Treatise 6. cap. 2. 3. 4. 5. Of Master Thomas Rogers Analysis on the 17. Article Proposition 3. Of Master Francis Trigge true Catholicke cap. 5. London 1602. p. 150. to 187. Of Master Wotton Triall of the Rhomish Clergies title of the Church London 1608. page 212. and in his Dangerous Plot discouered London 1626. cap. 11. 12. page 37. to 81. Of Master Iohn Trâ—ndall His Arke Against the Dragons flood London 1608. page 4. 5. 22. Of Master Stocke in his Doctrine of Repentance London 1610. p. 167. 168. 169. 170. Of Master Brightman on the Reuelation cap. 3. v. 5. 11. 12. cap. 13. 8. cap. 17. 8. c. 20. 6. 15. and cap. 22. 11. Of Godly M. Heiron in his Abridgment of the Ghospell Sermon 1. in his workes at large London 1620. part 1. page 102. 109. The worth of the water of Life p. 205. 206. The spirituall Sonship page 308. 365. to 374. A caueat and comfort for beleeuers page 623. to 627. and Penance for sinne part 2. p. 64. 65. Of Learned and Solid Doctor Iohn White in his way to the true Church Digression 42. 43. and his Defence of the way cap. 16. sect 4. Of Master Thomas Wilson Sermon of Perseuerance 1608. In his Exposition on Romans 8. v. 30. c. 5. v. 2. c. 11. v. 29. Of Master Wilcocks Exposition on Psal. 1. 3. on Psal. 37. 23. 24. on Psal. 125. Of Master Draxe his Worlds resurrection p. 42. 56. 57. 66. 67. 77. 78. Of Acute Doctor Ames Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Article 5. Of Learned Doctor Crakenthorpe Sermon of Praedestination London 1620. p. 26. 30. 31. 32. and Defensio Ecclesiae Anglicanae contra Archiepiscopum Spalatensem cap. 78. Master Richard Web in his Sermon intituled The Lot and partion of the Righteous London 1616. Master Paul Bayne in his triall of a Christians Estate on Heb. 10. 39. London 1618. and in his Commentary on Ephesians 1. p. 109. 110. 302. 306. 307. 393. 402. 403. Master William Cowper his â—ight way to Eternall glory on Rom. 8. p. 342. 355. 356. 362. 363. 370. and in his Glorification of a Christian p. 448. 449. 455. 456. 457. Master William Harrison in his Sermon of Deaths aduantage little regarded London 1602. p. 14. 15. Master Nathaniel Byfield Discourse of the Promises cap. 13. and Exposition on Colossians 1. p. 93. 144. 145. Master Randall in his Sermons on Romans 8. Master Elton his Sermons on Rom. 8. 30. intituled the Triumph of a Christian. Master Elnathan Parre his Grounds of Diuinity Edit 3. page 220. D. Iohn Bayes late Deane of Caunterbury in his workes London 1622. p. 189. 483. 768. 928. Master Bradshaw Commentary on 2. Thess. 3. 3. 4. 5. Sir Iohn Haywood in his Dauids Teares on Psal. 32. v. 4. sect 12. 15. 16. Of Learned Doctor Benefield De Perseuerantia Sanctorum Libri 2. Of Master Robert Yarrow A Soueraigne Comfort for a troubled Conscience cap. 38. to the end of the Booke p. 352. to 439. Of Doctor Thomas Taylor in his Parable of
Appeale pleadeth against the Articles of Lambheth and iustifieth the Doctrine of Barret Baro and Thomson auerring the same to be the Doctrine of the Church of England This he doth not by naming of those men whose names he knew would bring no honour to this cause but by laying downe and iustifying their doctrines and suggesting that they who maintained the doctrines contained in the Articles of Lambheth are Caluinists and Puritanes So that those Reuerend Arch-Bishops Whitgift and Hutton with the Bishops of our Church who then liued are in his iudgement to be reiected as Puritans The question is Whether of these two positions wee must now receiue for the doctrines of our Church that which Barret Baro and Thompson would haue brought in which doctrines were then refuted and reiected by our Church Or that doctrine which the Bishops of our Church maintained against these men which doctrine hath been since vpon diuers occasions approued If ther were no more to be said I dare put it to the Issue before any indifferent Iudges Thus far this reuereÌ„d Bp. whose testimony alone might sufficiently determine our present Controuersie The third witnesse is Doctor Samuel Ward in his Concio ad Clerum preached in St. Maries in Cambridge Ianuary 12. 1625. page 45. This also saith he I can truely adde for a conclusion that the Vniuersall Church hath alwayes adhaered to St. Augustine in these points speaking before of some Anti-Arminian conclusions all which are fully related in his Suffragium Brittanorum annexed to this Clerum euer since his time till now the Church of England also from the beginning of reformation and this our famous Academie with al those who from thence till now haue with vs enioyed the Diuinity Chaires if we except one forraigne French man to wit Peter Baro one I say who by the vigilancy of our Ancestors and the large authority of the most Reuerend Arch-Bishop Whitgist was compelled to renounce his chaire haue likewise constantly adhaered to him And if to him then certainly to vs as the 2. part of his 7. To me which makes wholy for vs will infallibly euidence By these three seuerall testimonies it is abundantly euident that our Diuinity Professors and first reformers of Religion in King Edward the 6. his dayes our Reuerend and learned orthodox Diuines that either suffered or escaped Martyrdome in Queene Maries dayes our Bishops Diuines and learned Cleargie who composed our Articles in Queene Elizabeths dayes our famous Vniuersities of Oxford and Cambridge with all their Diuinity Professors from the beginning of reformation to this present excepting Baro who was conuented and in a manner expelled for his erronious Tenents together with the whole Church of England from her first reformation to this instant haue constantly approued vnanimously embraced and resolutely maintained our Anti-Arminian conclusions as the vndoubted resolutions and Doctrines of our English Church and will any man now be so audaciously absurd as to call them into question whether they are the Doctrines of our Church or no Not to speake of Master Samuel Ward or Master Carpenter or M. Deubtie or other of our late vnrecited writers who condemne Arminianisme in the grosse not yet to mention any of the fore-quoted Authors my 4th Euidence to proue our Anti-Arminian Tenents the vndoubted Doctrines of our Church is the authorized translating and printing in our English dialect not only of St. Augustines cheife workes against the Pelagians but euen of Caluin Beza Zanchius Bucaniâ—â— Trelcatius Bastingius Vrsin Kimedoncius Piscator Fayus Olenian Iunius Reniger and Moulins workes against the Pseudo-Lutherans and Arminians who passe for orthodox and approued Authors in our Church whom some stile a Caluinist Certainely if the Doctrine of our English Church were various from these Authors Tenents they being the greatest Anti-Arminians this day exstant their names would neuer be so venerable their workes not so highly esteemed in our Church as to be thus englished authorized sold and printed here among vs as we know they are without controll Since then our Church hath thus indenized and adopted these forraigne Authors with their Anti-Arminian Writings since she thus claimes them for and rankes them with her owne her Doctrines questionlesse are the same with theirs and so wholy ours not our Arminian Opposites whom all these pointblancke oppugne You haue seene now pious Readers what plentifull numerous punctuall full and faire Euidences Records and witnesses of all sorts and ages our Anti-Arminian Tenents haue produced to vindicate and proue themselues the ancient established professed resolued and vndoubted Doctrines of the Church of England Let vs now examine on the other side what euidences what testimonies these Arminian Errors can rake vp together to intitle themselues vnto our Church First of all they haue none of the fore-quoted Articleâ— Homâ—lies Common prayer Booke Chatechismes Synâ—d or Recantation no publike record or monument of our reformed Church to iustify them Yea all these as our Church hath alwayes hitherto expounded them doe positiuely condemne them for insufferable and branded Errors Secondly there is neuer a Martyr neuer a Diuinity Professor in either of our Vniuersities Baro a spurious Frenchman excepted neuer an orthodox or approued English Writer that I know off from the beginning of Reformation to this instant that can giue in any euidence in one particular point much lesse in all points on their side being rightly vnderstood where as we haue produced a whole Century of Authors if not more against there The only Authors that they can produce and those but partiall maimed and obscure witnesses not intire or perspicuous are Peter Baro in Queene Elizabeths Thompson in King Iames and M. Mountague and Iackson in King Charles his raigne men branded and condemned in our Church The first of these being an exortique Frenchman was solemnely conuented and censured for his erronious Bookes and Tenents first at Lambeth by the composers of the Lambheth Articles and afterwards in the Vniuersity of Cambridge by all the heads of Houses vpon the complaint of diuers Batchellors of Diuinity vpon which heâ— was forced to forsake that Vniuersity and our Kingdome too This branded and illegall witnesse then being at the very best a forraigner doth only marre not helpe their cause The second was but an Anglo-Belgicus a dissolute ebrious and luxurious English-Dutchman his Booke was denyed Licens here as being contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and being printed at Leyden after his death for want of licens here it was presently refelled by a reuerend and learned Prelate of our Church Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury whose Booke now extant was imprinted by authority and dedicated to our royall Soueraigne then Prince of Wales If then the life or posthumus Booke of this second Witnesse be examined his testimony will but cast not further not aduance their right The third of these Witnesses who was lately rumored to disclaime his testimony and
make any doubt or scruple of passing such a sentence Neuer were there any truthes more copiously confirmed more constantly defended more positâ—uely resolued more aboundantly propagated more generally Preached more vnanimously imbraced more vncontrolably published more peremptorily established in our Church then these Anti-Arminian Tenents which I heere present vnto you There is scarce one publike whether Ancient or Modern Act Record or Euidence of our Church since her Reformation hitherto but doth in terminis at least in substance guie iudgement for them Scarse a learned or godly Martyr of note or eminency in our infant Church but hath planted them with his hand watred them with his bloud Scarce one Diuinity Professor in either of our Vniuersities hardly an Orthodox or renowned Writer in our Church from the beginning of King Edward the 6. his Raigne till this very present but hath subscribed them with his hand and feale and transmitted them to posteritie in some publike Worke. Not one constant Preacher of a thousand who hath not proclaimed them in the Pulpit Scarce a Graduate in Diuinitie but hath either in Lectures or Disputes defended them in the Schoole Scarce an Act or Commencement hath passed in either of our Famous Academies wherein all or some of them haue not bene publikely affirmed in Diuinity Exercises Not one authorized or approued Writer of our Church for I count not Barret Thomson Mountague or Iackson such the only opposites to them that I know off and those generally opposed by all our Orthodox Diuines who did euer once oppugne them Yea al such who haue formerly but barked against them in their inconsiderate Sermons haue beene forced to sing a publike Palinodie for their paines as the Recantations of Barret Sympson and others largely testifie And shall wee now beginne to question whether they are the Doctrines of our Church or no because some pur-blinde squint-eyed ideall Arminian Nouellists begin for to dispute it What is this but to make a scruple whether the day be light or no because Buzzards and blind-men cannot see it or sottishly to enquire whether the Sunne stands centred in one constant climate whiles the massie Earth wheeles round because one brainesicke Copernicus out of the sublimitie of his quintessentiall transcendentall Speculations hath more senselesly then Metaphysically more ridiculously then singularly auerred it Shall others wilfull gainefull and aspiring blindnesse make vs to doubt our eye-sight or shall the absurd and idle Quaerees of some Romish or Temporizing Spirits so vnsettle vs in our long-professed faith as to cause vs now to question the most positiue palpable and resolued Principles of our reformed Religion Yea so farre to besot vs as to put vs to this irrationall this frantique scrutinie Whether that bee the vndoubted Doctrine of our Church which shee hath alwayes hitherto beleeued embraced professed as a truth or that rather which she hath alwaies Diametrally opposed yea censured as an Error O let not vs be so vnchristianly so Atheistically wauering in the Fundament all Tenents of our long-professed Faith as that this Apostolicall Stigmaticall brand of an admired subitane Galathian Apostasie I maruell that you are so soone remoued from him that called you into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospell O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth c. With the disgracefull and soule-pricking obloquies of our insulting Aduersaries who will be apt to vaunt that we now begin to doubt of our Religion and fall backe to them should now iustly seize vpon vs for our halting in these oft yea late resolued points in which both we and our Forefathers haue beene so long instructed Alas why should Papists why Turkes or Atheists thus reproach vs Where now is your reformed Religion in which you haue thus long reposed your Saluation and imbarqued all your soules Where is the Faith the Doctrines of your Church which you haue thus pertinatiously embraced since your reuolt from Rome Where is the precious bloud of all your glorious mocke-Martyrs in which you haue so long gloried Where the Orthodoxie Learning and Solidity of your much renowned Academies of your vnparallel'd Martyr Bucer Tyndall Latimer Beacon Cranmer Iewell Nowell Veron Fox Fulke Reinolds Whitakers Hooker Hutton Cartwright Hill Babington Willet Perkins Abbots Field Crakenthorpe Whites Vsher Prideaux Ward Benefield Sharpe Sybthorpe Ames Featley Wilson Carleton Dauenat Morton Goad Belcanckquall Burtons your imcomparably learned King Iames the Phaenix of his Age and eminentest of his ranke for solid learning with all your other Centuries of Writers in which you so much triumph Where the Authority of your Church you Parliaments or your Articles that you now begin to doubt yea question and re-examine the truth and verity of these dogmaticall Conclusions which all these haue planted watered sealed and setled thus among you What a shame a brand a downefall will this bee to our Religion What an inexpiable blemish and intollerable disgrace to all our godly Martyrs to these our famous Writers to our learned Soueraigne of blessed memorie to his two vnparalleld Predecessors Queene Elizabeth and King Edward to our whole glorious and flourishing Church since the beginning of her Reformation to this present What a griefe a heart-breaking to all faithfull members of our Church State yea what a dangerous Praecipice and fatall ouerture to all our soules if wee should now beginne to plucke those foundations vp on which wee haue thus long built the hopes the structure of our eternall happinesse or to call that into question which wee haue so oft resolued for the vndoubted Orthodox beleefe and Tenent of our owne yea of the Catholike and Apostolike Church of Christ froÌ„ age to age which can neuer totally nor finally erre in Fundamentall truthes Memorable is the answere of that blessed ancient Martyr Policarpus when hee was vrged by the Pro-consul to blaspheme and denye Christ that so hee might escape Fourescore and sixe yeeres saith hee haue I serued him neither hath hee offended me in any thing and how can I now reuile or denie that King which hath thus kept mee Surely not to ascend to Wickcliffe Bradwardine Bede or Anselme who all concurred with vs in our present Tenents but to confine our selues vnto the Ages of those later Martyrs and Writers of our Church which I haue heere recorded I can safely say and I hope I haue sufficiently euidenced it in the ensuing Catalogue that our Church hath this fourescore and sixe yeeres and more euen constantly embraced and defended these Anti-Arminian Theses neither did they euer offend or doe her harme in any thing yea they haue beene so farre from preiudicing or offending that they haue accumulated her with all varieties of blessings of contentments making her as the very Eden and Paradise of God while they dwelt in peace within her whereas now shee ebbs and sinckes together with them And shall shee now proue so vngratefull to her gracious God so iniurious
to these blessed truthes wherein the very marrow of all true Christian comfort yea the strength the ground and certainety of our Saluation rest though some haue â—leited them as meere curious and nice Disputes as now to question yea silence and restraine them when they haue thus long kept her in such peace and glory as no former age hath euer matched nor subsequent dayes haâ—e hopes to parallell What shall we thus requite the Lord for these his documents wherein his incomprehensible Wisdome Freedome Mercy Iustice Power Grace and glory shine foorth in greatest luster as after all the good they haue brought vpon vs to dis-inherit them of their ancient Freedome and by certaine Politike and insensible gradations to shoulder them out of our Church that so Popery and Arminianisme the fertile mothers of all licentious dissolutenesse may possesse their throne Shall wee thus repay our blessed Martyrs for all their glorious sufferings as now for to dis-martyr yea vncrowne and tread them vnder foot by disputing or doubting these Theologicall positions which they haue canonized and sealed to vs with their bloud Shall we thus retaliate the very Pillars of our Church and Patrons of our Faith euen all our learned Writers as to brand them for illiterate erronious and seducing Nouellers to their eternall infamy in rooting vp these fundamental Truths which they haue planted or re-implanting those Pelagian Arminian Popish Errors which they all haue laboured to extirpate Shall we now proue so vnnaturall to our Mother Church as to rip vp her wombe that bare or cut off her duggs that nourished vs in offering violence to these her sacred Assertions which did at first begette vs vnto grace and now cheerish and prepare vs vnto glory Or shall wee bee so iniurious so destructiue to our owne distressed soules as to strippe them naked of all coelestiall comforts to vnbottome them of all their hope and stay or to leaue them destitute of Saluation in depriuing them of all these sweete and rauishing cordialls in dis-lincking that Golden that Adamantine chaine of Gods immutable and free Election whereon their very happinesse comfort and Saluation are alone suspended Let this let this bee far from all our thoughts at leastwise from our practise Farre be it from any of vs especially from you right Christian Worthies intrusted with the care and safety of Religion as to question or doubt of these Orthodox these sweet Conclusions so long estated so oft resolued in our Church without any retractation or controll Your onely care your worke is now to defend to settle them not dispute them to damne yea quite extirpate their opposite Arminian Errours which like Tares spring vp apace among vs and ouergrow our Wheate not to honour countenance or equalize them with them by putting them both to triall to question censure and condemne their audacious open Aduersaries their secret dangerous Master-vnderminers who are of different rankes and must be dealt with in a various manner not to discusse their verity of which our Church was neuer yet suspitious in the least degree Proceede therefore as you Gods name be blessed haue already done to inquire out the Heads the Nurseries rootes and grand Protectors of our Popish our Arminian mungrell rabble which swarme like Locusts in our Church of late combining both together as is iustly feared to eate out our Religion by degrees to spoile vs of these temporall immunities of those coelestiall treasures of Gods sauing truth which are farre dearer to vs then our dearest soules and when you haue once discouered them as you may quickely doe since practise fame and iealousie haue made them so notorious it will be worth your labour to hew them downe with speede both root and branch at once else all your superficiall hacking of some smaller Issues will but increase their growth augment their strength and multiply their fruit their branches and al-daring practises when the time the feare of lopping are but passed ouer Trampling we know on Camomile stalkes doth but make them grow the thicker spread the faster it is the breaking not the bruising of the roote that kills it The mowing down of weedes of grasse the lopping off of lesser branches doth neuer hinder but aduance their growth not lessen but augment their number The rootes must first bee stocked vp or else the blades the stalkes the branches will not cannot wither or giue ouer budding Strike therefore at the roots as well as at the branches of these preuailing Factions else all your lopping will turne but into pruning your launching into festring your medicine into poyson to kill our Church the Patient but strengthen her diseases which haue hitherto got ground vpon vs by all those former Parliamentary lenitiues and verball purges which your Medicinall skill applyed to them It is noted of Pelagianisme of which the doctrinall part of Popery in the points of Grace and the whole body of Arminianisme are the reuiued ashes and new-raysed Goasts that it tooke its rise in England Pelagius the Father of it being himselfe a Brittaine and a Monke of Bangor What a regained Honour were it to our Nation What an inutterable benefit to our Church What a glory to this your Honourable and great Assembly if you could now at last eternally interre it in the soile that bare it and make its ancient now its second wombe its last its endlesse Graue It was said by one of note some fewe yeeres past and I wish it may be Prophetically true at least Tulit malum hoc sustulit Brittaniaâ— That England had both hatched and destroyed this monster of old of new Pelagianisme which Arminius and his followers had then newly raised from Hell to which it was of old condemned But alas we see its liuing and springing vp like Hydraes heades It s former ouer-indulgent decapitations both at Dort at home being but a blood-letting to increase its future vigour not a fatall blow to bring it to its finall period because it cut not off those master-veines which gaue greatest though but hidden life and growth vnto it O therefore giue and strike it and its Arminian Issue now at last a finall fatall and heart-killing blow which needes no iteration and bury them this once so deepe so sure that they may neuer neede a second Funerall But how you will say may this bee done I will informe you in a word or two It is Storied of the chiefe Priests and Pharises who were euer the greatest and most imbittered enemies to Christ and his Apostles as their successors who will needes be stiled Priests haue since bene to his members that hauing crucified our blessed Sauiour because they would bee sure to keepe him from rising from his graue againe according to his promise they did not onely suffer him to lye intombed in a rocky Sepulchre to the doore of which there was a great stone rolled but they likewise went and made the Sepulchre sure sealing the
Professours authorized Writers in their raignes and our godly Martyrs in King Henry the 8. and Queene Maries dayes whose names and works I haue here particularly recorded in their order since the Fathers and Councels of the primatiue Church the primitiue and moderne Churches of England Scotland and Ireland with their seuerall established Articles Homilies Catechismes Leiturgies and Records as I haue here infallibly demonstrated together with the late dissolued Parliament haue professedly oppugned and solemnly condemned those Semi-Pelagian and Arminian grace-annihilating Errours which haue lately crept into our Church embracing authorizing and establishing their Opposite Positions as the Orthodox Catholicke and vndoubted truth Let mee now beseech your Pieties as you tender the honour of God the glory of his grace which should be dearer to you then your dearest soules as you would gaine the loue and discharge the trust of your blessed Sauiour and Master-shepheard Iesus Christ who will summon you ere long before his dreadfull Tribunall to render an account of all the stewardships and soules committed by him to your charge which we may iustly feare too many sloathfull Ministers who fish for tithes not soules do much neglect as being seldom resident at their charge which they scarce ever saw but neuer resident in their pulpits into which they seldome clime As you respect the peace and happinesse of our Church in which you are aduanced the safety and dignity of our long professed Religion to which you haue subscribed in which you haue beene borne bred and nourished the honour and popularity of our Religious Soveraign by whom you are now intrusted with Religion as with his chiefest treasure the conservation of whose purity and freedome will most ingratiate indeare his Maiesty to all his faithfull Subiects whose loue will proue his strongest guard his richest mine and best supply As you would faithfully discharge that great Episcopall trust and dignity which now rests vpon your shoulders not as a meere empty pompous Lordly pleasurable gainfull sloathfull or voluptuous honour not as an Epicurean Euripus See or receptacle of delight which calls men from their former humility frugality and diligence in their ministeriall function vnto a voluptuous sloathfull secular Pontificall Lordly proud vnpreaching life as most Prelates deemed it made it in S. Bernards age but as a ponderous Office a laborious Calling a heauy difficult and perpetuall Worke which summons you to feed the purchased and redeemed flocke of Christ ouer which the Lord hath made you Ouerseers with trible diligence readinesse and anxiety of heart and hand because it both redoubles your wages and augments your worke As you desire to perpetuate the dignity the respect of your Episcopall Iurisdiction which hath grown distastfull vnto many through the defaults of some As you tender your owne personall credit and esteeme with all good Christians who will reuerence you more for your piety and goodnesse then your state or greatnesse As you long to satisfie the expectation to forestall the secret iealosies and censures of our Church Kingdome here whose eyes are now intent vpon you or to avoid the irrepealable the eternall doome of Christ hereafter when all fearefull sloathfull inuigilant and lukewarme shepheards who want zeale and valour for the truth on earth shall haue their portion in the vnquenchable and fiery brimstone lake which burnes foreuer As you desire to anticipaete all future Parliamentary proceedings in matters of Religion the former which no doubt were legall iust and honourable though some repine against them being occasioned onely as most coniecture by the remisnesse conniuancy cowardice or indulgence of some Ecclesiasticall Courts in questioning in controlling the impudency the treachery and Errors of such Churchmen whose hereticall scandalous vnorthodox and pernitious doctrines Bookes and liues haue innouated and blemished our Religion embroyled and defiled our Church Let me now I pray vpon all these weighty considerations and ingagementâ— if it may stand with my Iuvinility and your venerable your hâ—ary grauity to exhort you to that duty which the ancient of dayes yea the verygrauest of our Church and State require at your hands excite your Episcopall power and providence to extirpate to exile all Semi-pelagian Errors and Arminian Nouelties all grace-defeating all Church-molesting Heresies with their chiefe Fomenters all late-erected Altars Images Tapers Crucifixes all new reuiued Popish Doctrines Ceremonies Duckings Genuflexions Easterne yea Altar-adorations complained of not long since in Parliament as you may remember with all those other corruptions and superstitious reliques which haue lately crept into our Church in despite of all our Statutes Rubricks Homilies Articles Canons and Iniunctions which prohibit them through the audacious practises of some domestique crafty Mountebanks who would slily Cozen vs of our Religion vnder the golden and holy pretence of Canonicall Devotion and withall to reestablish these Anti-Arminian orthodox Tenets of our Church which here I humbly tender to your best protections in their ancient and long enioyed purity peace and freedome that so by these religious atchieuements you may giue some publike demonstratiue actuall testimony to the world which is oft times iealous of your integrities vpon small occasions that you are all cordiall sincere and faithfull to our Religion Church and State that you are all valiant and zealous for the truth committed to your trust and that you are not onely tiâ—ular but reall Bishops well worthy to succeed those pious and victorious Prelates who haue in graven those Anti-Arminian Conclusions which I haue here contracted with their mellifluous pens and sealed them with their blood a sufficient engagement for me for them to challenge the priuiledge of your Episcopall patronage against the malignancy of all Opposers But perchance your wisdomes will obiect that by intermedling with these nice Arminian Controuersies I haue incurred the danger of his Maiesties Declaration prefixed to the late reprinted Articles therefore I must onely expect an High-Commission Censure from your Lordships not an Approbation or friendly enterteinment of this vntimely Treatise which may chance to proue distastfull vnto some To this I answere first and for the truth of it I appeale vnto your Lordships by whose advice this Declaration was at first contriued that it was neuer his Maiesties nor I thinke your Lordships intention to silence or suppresse but rather to aduance by this Declaration the ancient positiue established and resolued Doctrines of the Church of England especially those which were professed and ratified in the dayes of Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth and King Iames of happy memory as these Anti-Arminian Positions were as is cleere by the expresse words of his Maiesties last Declaration to all his louing Subiects which well explaines the former But all these dogmaticall Anti-Arminian Conclusions which I haue published or iustified in this Antithesis are but the ancient positiue established and receiued
impoyson and corrupt their iudgements as if they were some Saints or petty Gods disdaine for to peruse much lesse subscribe vnto them accounting it a disparagement to their reading so much aâ— once to vouch them vnlesse it bee by way of censure or controule How venerable are the names and memoryes how sweet how gracefull and delightfull the poysonous VVorkes of Aquinas Lombard Scotus Suarez Bellarmine and such like Popish Schoolemen whom many make the ground-worke and foundation of their Diuinity studies whence they smell and stinke of Popery and Neutrality euer after to their owne perdition and our Churches preiudice vnto some who cannot brooke the Honorable names and pious VVorkes of Caluin Beza Zanchie Iunius or other Orthodox forraigne Protestants much lesse reuolue digest approue or magnifie the venerable Names the vnparalleld Writings of our owne Martyr Bucer Tyndall Iewell Fox Whitakers Fulke Babington Reinolds Perkins Willet Abbot â—ield White Bilson Morton Carlton Vsher Prideaux Benefield Ames and the like who far transcend all Popish Writers not onely in Orthodoxic of Matter but in Art Solidity and depth of Learning Alas it grieues me to consider and I hope our vigilant Watchmen will lay it neere to heart as being an ominous presage a fatall preamble to our Religions downefall if it bee not in time preuented that not onely all kind of Pseudo-Lutheran and Arminian but euen of Iesuiticall Popish books which haue arriued here of late in great varietie and abundance without the least restraint are now more diligently inquired after more speedily and greedily bought vp and vented though at excessiue rates more studiously more commonly read more generally quoted more plausiblie vouched in Sermons Schooles and Writings more highly magnified in the hearts and lips of many then the best and learnedest of all Forraigne or our owne vn-matched protestant VVriters whose Impressions almost canker for want of vse and sometimes perish in the Printers hands for want of Chapmen for to vent them It is the pollicy of our Romish Achitophels to traine vp their Schollers in their owne Popish Authors and to inhibit the transportation much more the reading of any Protestant yea of some Popish VVriters without a speciall licence vnder paine of their Inquisition Slaughter-house for feare they should conuert their Readers yea quite subuert their Antichristian Babell and shake the rotten Pillars of their Machiauillian state-Religion consarcinated and made vp of Heresie Pollicie Luxury Pride and Couetousnesse the greatest Opposites to Religion which cannot once withstand their strong assaults And shall we then giue free allowance to their pernicious Bookes who thus exile our true soule-sauing Authors Is it no blow no danger thinke wee to our Religion to suffer or perswade young Schollers to skip from Aristotle to some Popish Schoolemen or to giue open Hospitality and free welcome to all Popish Arminian and other seducing forraigne VVriters which haue lately turned our Faith into meere doubting our Religion into Quaerees our Scriptures into fancies our Grace into Free-will or Nature our Communion Tables into Altars our Cathedrall Praying into Piping our Substance into Ceremony our Deuotion into Superstition our Zeale into Neutrality our Perseuâ—rance into Apostasie and the certainety of our Saluation into a bare Contingency Alas these cursed fruits are sufficient testimonies of those seuerall dangers of those varieties of mischiefes which result from hence O therefore let vs now at last especially before wee are thorowly grounded and setled in our owne vndoubted Religion reiect these pestilent seducing yea State-disturbinge VVriters which will prooue our combustion our ruine at the last vnlesse they bee in time suppressed or restrayned and cheerefully betake our selues vnto the serious and delightfull study of our owne incomparable Authors who are therefore vnderualued by vs because they are our owne who will re-establish re-confirme vs in our Ancient Faith reduce vs to our true Religion exile all Popish Ceremonies and Arminian Nouelties reconcile and comprimise our present Differences and settle such Peace such Vnity in our Church and State as shall secure our selues and daunt our â—oes for future times â—â—othing is there that doth more vnsettle vs in Religion then the neglect contempt and ignorance of the Scriptures and our own approued Writers with our ouer-studious dotage vpon Popish and Arminian forraigners Let vs therefore quite abandon their poysonous Works at leastwise read them as the Bookes of Heretiques to know auoid reiect them not retaine them to answere or refell them not admire them to discouer their Errors not embrace them and now at last betake our selues vnto our owne approued Authors especially those here quoted who will put a Period to all these new Arminian Controuersies which now disturbe our Peace The Apostle informes vs that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets Let vs therefore submit our spirits to the spirits and doctrine of all those famous Martyrs Prophets and Fathers of our Church whose works I haue here recited and then Popery and Arminianisme will prooue odious to vs which haue little in them for to make them amiable Not to speake of Popery which besots so many what beauty what spirituall sweetnesse what excellency is there in Arminianisme that wee should so much degenerate from all our famous Ancestors our selues yea all the Worthyes of our Church and Nation as now to dote vpon it It s father was an Amorite its mother an Hittite corrupt Ambition proud Nature was the Father Pelagius the Midwife Popery the Nurse Arminius and Socinus the modernâ— Aduocates Champions and Godfathers of this infernall Monster which Proclaimes professed Hostility to the freedome soueraigntie certaintie and perpetuity of the grace of God and breakes the golden chaine of Saluation into peeces which onely links vs vnto Christ. Certainely Arminianisme whateuer some â—â—en vainely dreame is but an olde condemned Heâ—â—sie raised vp from hell of late by some Iesuits and infernall spirits to kâ—â—dle a combustion in all Protestant States and Churches to trample vnder feete the soueraigntie and kingdome of Gods grace and true Religion in all places where they raigne or flourish that so Romes grand Impostors might possesse their throne to make way and passage for an vniuersall Spanish Papall Monarchie which haue much enlarged their Dominions by this Church firing and State-disturbing Heresie It is but a desperate and bloudy Error which cuts off all peace all ioy all comfort and saluation from the soules of men especially from broken hearts and wounded consciences to which the Arminian Doctrines of Freewill the Resistability of grace Conditionall yea mutable Election with totall and finall Apostasie from the State of grace are but so many Lectures of despaire It is a cursed Error which hath brought a curse a plague diuisions tumults defeatments shame consumption innouations pressures and sundry other iudgements on all those Protestant States and Churches where it hath bene harboured which haue neuer thriuen since this contagious blasting Heresie
not vpon any qualities actions or workes of man which be mutable but vpon God his aeternall and immutable Decree and purpose then which determination of his approued and applauded by all there present nothing can be more full and punctuall to our present Conclusion Moreouer hee likewise brands Arminianisme with the name of HERESIE Arminians with the stile of Atheisticall sestaries and PESTILENT HERETICKES who dare take vpon them that licentious libertie to fetch againe from hell the ancient haeresies long since condemned or else to inuent new of their owne braine contrary to the beliefe of the true Catholicke Church a stigmaticall Impresse which our Arminians shall neuer be able to claw off againe in his Declaration against Vorstius London 1612. page 15. 19. 22. neere the middest of his peaceable Raigne And as if all this were not sufficient in a priuate Conference with two learned Diuines not long before his death now published by his speciall command hee christened our Arminiâ—ans with the name of new Pelagians being thus as you see a professed enemie to them and their Opinions both in the beginning middle and end of his most peaceable Raigne as his speciall care in conuenting the famous Synod of Dort and his approbation of all their dogmaticall Resolutions super-added to these three former euidences will at large declare As this our learned King and King of learning thus constantly displayed himselfe against Arminianisme in generall this our Arminian Error in particular so all our learned Writers of his age as men doe commonly conforme their iudgements to their Princes Tenents did worthâ—ly suffragate to his and these our Anti-Arminian Conclusions witnesseâ— our famous Doctor Reinolds who alone was a well furnisht Librarie full of all faculties of all studies of all learning whose memorie whose reading were neere to a miracle as one well obserues in his Thesis 4. in Schola Theologica tractata Nouember 2. 1579. sect 23. to 27. and Apologia Thesium sect 12. to 23. Londini 1602. being the first yeere of King lames his Raigne witnesse learned and scolasticall Doctor Field of the Church Booke 1 cap. 3. 4. 7. 8. 10. Booke 3. Appendix cap. 14. Edit 2. Oxford 1628. p. 33. Master Thomas Draxe in his Worlds Resurrection London 1609. pag. 2. 3. 23. 78. Master Trendall his Arke against the Dragons flood London 1608. page 4. 6. Master Thomas Rogers Chaplein to Archbishop Bancroft in his Analysis on the 39. Articles intituled The faith doctrine and religion professed and protected in the Realme of England and Dominions of the same perused and by the lawfull Authoritie of the Church of England allowed to be publicke Proposition 1. 2. 3. 4. on Article 17. Master Turnball Sermon 1. on Iude 1. 2. Godly and painefull Master Samuel Heiron in his Spirituall Sonneship 1. part of his workes London 1620. page 365. to 372. Learned Doctor Iohn White in his Way to the true Church London 1610 Digression 40. sect 49. page 270. in his Defence of the way cap. 25. sect 10. to the end London 1624. page 128. to 138. Sermon at Pauls Crosse March 20. 1615. sect 8. Learned Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury and Regius Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford in his Diuinitie Lecture in the Vniuersitie Schooles Oxoniae Iuly 10. 1613. sect 1. 2. 3. 4. in his other three Lectures 1614. and 1615. London 1618. Animaduersio in Thompsoni Diatribam cap. 5. Master Brightman on the Reuelation cap. 3. ve 8. cap. 17. ver 8. cap. 21. 27. Master Richard Stocke in his Doctrine and vse of Repentance London 1610. page 167. to 172. Learned Doctor Benefield late Lady Margarets Professor in the Vniuersitie of Oxford De Sanctorum perseuerantia lib. 2. cap. 18. 20. Francofurti 1618. page 260. 261. Learned Doctor Crackenthorpe in his Sermon of Praedestination preached at Saint Maries in Oxford London 1620. Master Thomas Wilson in his Exposition vpon the Romanes cap. 9. ver 11. 12. to 29. and cap. 11. ver 5. 6. 7. 8. Edition 2. London 1627. page 348. 380. 444. to 460. Doctor Iohn Boyes late Deane of Canterburie in his Exposition of the Epistle on Innocents day and on Psalme 104. on Whitsunday Euening in his workes London 1622. page 613. 614. 625. 941. Master Samuel Crooke in his Guide Edition 4. London 1625. section 4. 9. and 17. Learned Doctor Ames in his Coronis ad collationem Hagiensem Lugduni Batauorum 1618. Articulus 1. and 2. Eminent and renowned Doctor Prideaux in his Lecture 1. Iuly 6. in the Vniuersity Schooles at Oxford where hee then was and now is Regius Professor of Diuinity Learned Sir Christopher Sybthorpe in his Friendly Aduertisement to the Catholickes of Ireland Dublin 1623. cap. 7. 8. page 153. to 214. Master Adams in his Churches Glorie on Hebr. 12. 23. page 65. to 90. Master Elnathan Parre in his Grounds of Diuinitie Edit 4. London 1622. page 281. to 309. Master Robert Yarrow in his Soueraigne comfort for a troubled conscience London 1619 cap. 38. 29. page 352. c. Godly and learned Master Paul Bayne in his Commentarie on Ephesians 1. London 1618. page 64. to 256. Doctor Griffith Williams in his Delights of the Saints London 1622. page 7. to 70. Master Iohn Downame in his Summe of sacred Diuinitie lib. 2. cap. 1. page 283. to 310. cap. 6. page 399. Master Humphery Sydenham in his Iacob and Esau or Election and Reprobation preached at Pauls Crosse March 4. 1622. London 1627. Master Iohn Frewen in his Grounds of Religion London 1621. Quaest. 13. page 278. 279. 280. Learned Doctor Francis White now Bishop of Norwitch in his Orthodox London 1624. page 105. 108. and in his Conference with Fisher page 49. to 55. Godly and painefull Master Byfield in his Treatise of the Prâ—mises cap. 13. page 386. 387. and in his Exposition on the Collossians cap. 3. ver 12. page 75. Doctor Sclater Sermon at Pauls Crosse 1609. on Hebr. 6. 4. 5. Exposition on I. Epistle of the Thessalonians cap. 1. ver 5. page 39. 40. cap. 5. ver 9. 10. page 438. to 455. ver 24. page 556. 557. Exposition on Epistle 2. cap. 1. ver 10. p. 53. 54. Adde we as a Corrollarie and Conclusion to all these the Resolution of our eminent Dort Diuines to wit Doctor Carlton late Bishop of Chichester Doctor Dauenat now Bshop of Salisbury Doctor Goade Doctor Ward Lady Margarets Professor in Cambridge Doctor Belcankwell Deane of Rochester which concurres with this our Position in terminis condemning the contrary as crronious and haereticall as the English Synod of Dort approued of by King Iames Article 1. and 2. throughout Doctor Wards Suffragium Brittanorum London 1627. Articulus 1. and 2. together with the Synod it selfe Printed in folio Article 1. 2. Theologorum magnae Brittanniae Sententia doe at large declare Thus hath this our present Position beene constantly maintained as the vndoubted truth and doctrine of our Church by all the fore-quoted
The Obedience of a Christian man page 130. 131. Prologue to the Exposition vpon the 5. 6. and 7. of Mathew page 185. Col. 1. An Answer to sir Thomas Moores Dialogue page 257. 292. An Answere to Master Moores 3. booke page 307. Answere to his 4. booke cap. 11. page 333. A Pathway into the holy Scriptures page 380. 382. Exposition on the first Epistle of Iohn cap. 2. page 394. 401. A Treatise vpon Signes and Sacraments page 443. Master Iohn Friths Answere vnto Rastals Dialogue page 10. 14. 22. An Answere vnto sir Thomas Moore page 48. 49. Answere to Rastals 3. chapter page 71. A Declaration of Baptisme page 93. The mind of Saint Paul on the 10. chapter of the 1. of the Corinthians page 161. Doctor Barnos What the Church is page 243. to 247. That Free-will of her owne strength can doe nothing but sinne page 278. in the dayes of King Henry the VIII Master Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester in his Sermons fol. 125. 126. 164. 165. 178. 208. 215. 224. 270. 288. 295. 297. b. a pertinent and full place 299. 308. 323. 326. 327. Stephen Garret The Summe of the holy Scripture cap. 7. Peter Matyr Locorum Communium Classis 3. cap. 1. sect 44. 45. 46. 47. Commentar in Romanos cap. 5. page 266. to 274. 328. 329. cap. 9. page 708. 726. to 730. cap. 11. page 866. Master Martin Bucer Comment on Rom. 5. and 11. and on Iohn 10. page 17. Bishop Hooper Epistle to the Reader before this Declaration on the 10. Cōmandements a place which some doe wrest to the contrary conclusion but let all Episcopall mistakers of this godly Bishop reade his Declaration on the 8. Commandement fol. 75. 76. and then they must either disclaime this Author or subscribe to our Conclusion Master Thomas Beacon his Sicke mans salue page 235. to 259. 273. 274. to 279. 413. 414. 425. 426. Iohn Carelesse Martyr a deare friend of Bishop Latimers Booke of Marryrs page 1742. Col. 2. number 50. Master Iohn Fox his first Sermon at Pauls Crosse fol. 12. Master Richard Caundish his Image of Nature and grace cap. 7. 8. 10. Reuerend Deane Nowels Cathechisme on the Creed part 1. 2. 3. Master Iohn Veron his Treatise of Praedestination fol. 60. to 112. and his Apologie for the same fol. 25. to the end Master Palfryman Treatise of heauenly Philophie Epistle Dedicatorie and lib. 1. cap. 7. 8. Master Iames Price his Fanne of the faithfull cap. 1. to 10. where this point is largely debated Master Edward Deering Lecture 9. and 27. on the Hebrewes Master Robert Hutton his Summe of Diuinitie of the Church and of life euerlasting Master Thomas Sparkes his Comfortable Treatise for a troubled Conscience the 4. first leaues Master Iohn Daniel his Excellent Comfort against Calamitie cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. Doctor Fulke and Master Cartwright Notes on the Rhemish Testament on 1. Tim. 2. 4. sect 3. 4. on cap. 3. sect 10. and in the places fore-quoted in the former Conclusion Master Iohn Anwicke Meditation on Gods Monarchie and the Deuils Kingdome cap. 6. 7. 10. 11. Master William Burton in his Sermon of of the Churches loue Master Arthur Gurney his Fruitfull Dialogue betweene Reason and Religion page 40. 45. Godly Bishop Babington An Exposition of the Catholicke Faith page 232. 239. Sermon at Pauls Crosse 1591. on Iohn 6. 37. D. Whitakers Aduersus Gratiam vniuersalem Lectura 1594. and Cygnea Cantio page 14. Doctor Robert Some Tractatus De tribus Quaest. Quae. 1. Master William Perkins Of the Order of causes of saluation and damnation cap. 54. Tom. 1. page 108. to 112. An Exposition on the Creed page 293. to 299. A declaration of spirituall Disertions page 415. Commentary on Galathians 3. 8. 22. Tom. 2. page 249. 250. A Treatise of Praedestination page 621. to 642. with all the places quoted in the former point of vniuersall and sufficient grace where this point is largely handled Master Iohn Hills Life euerlasting lib. 4. Quaest. 3. 4. 5. of the Grace of God p. 347. to 352. Quaest. 3. 4. 5. of the loue God page 365. to 382. Master Greenham in his Treatise of Blessednesse page 207. his 14. Sermon page 355. his 17. Sermon page 377. Doctor Reinolds Apologia Thesium sect 12. to 23. Doctor Willet in his Excellent Treatise De gratia vniuersali in his Synopsis Papismi page 881. to 918. Commentarie on Rom. 5. Quaest. 38. 39. and Controuersie 26. Doctor Abbot Bishop of Salisbury in his seuerall Lectures De veritate gratiae Christi page 15. to 82. Master Draxe his Worlds Resurrection page 110. 111. Master Brightman on Apocalipse 1. 5. and cap. 5. 9. 10. Doctor Iohn Whites Way to the true Church sect 3. Number 3. page 6. Number 6. Page 50. 51. Defence of the Way cap. 25. sect 1. to the end Sermon at Pauls Crosse sect 8. Doctor Francis White Bishop of Norwitch his Orthodox cap. 8. Paragraph 2. Doctor Field of the Church Booke 1. cap. 4. Master Samuel Hieron Abridgement of the Gospell page 100. to 110. 121. 123. 124. Doctor Doue Bishop of Peter-burrow in his Sermon on 1. Tim. 2. 4. where he discusseth this point largely and confutes Huberus Master Thomas Rogers Analysis on Article 17. Proposition 4. 5. 9. Master Stokes Doctrine of Repentance page 167. to 173. Master Yarrow Soueraigne Comfort for a troubled conscience cap. 36. Doctor Crakentborpe Sermon of Praedestination page 14. to 20. Master Elton on Rom. 8. 30. and on Colossians 1. page 87. 88. Doctor Ames Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Articulus 2. Master Wilson Exposition on Romans 5. ver 18. 19. on Rom. 6. ver 3. 4. on cap. 9. ver 29. 33. Doctor Iohn Boyes Postils on Christmas day page 800. Exposition on the Creed page 23. 24. 25. Postil on the fourth Sunday in Lent page 268. 269. 270. On Innocents day page 614. to 618. Master Bifields Exposition on the Coloss. cap. 1. ver 6. page 55. ver 12. page 98. 99. ver 14. page 108. 109. Master Samuel Crooke in his Guide sect 4. 9. 10. 12. 18. 19. Doctor Prideaux Lectura 3. De gratia vniuersali Oxoniae in Comitijs Iulij 11. 1618. Doctor Benefield De Sanctorum perseuenantia lib 2. cap. 18. 20. Master Sweeper in his Sermon on Prouerbs 12. 16. 1622. Master Humphrey Sidenham in his Iacob and Esau. Master Iohn Downames Summe of Diuinitie lib. 2. cap. 1. 2. 6. Master Elnathan Parre Grounds of Diuinitie page 275. to 280. Sir Christopher Sibthorpe his Friendly admonition to the Catholickes of Ireland cap. 7. 8. Doctor Thomas Taylors Praeface to the Reader in his Treatise on Psal. 32. Master Paul Baines Commentarie on Ephesians 1. page 114. 115. Doctor Griffith Willams his Delights of the Saints page 30. to 42. to whom I might adde all our Dort Diuines in the Raigne of our learned King Iames. Reuerēd Bishop Carltons Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 3. 4. 9. Learned Doctor Dauenate Bishop
their accomplishment The wheeles in a clocke the spheeres in heauen the water and the mill haue contrary motions yet they concur and sweetly accord in the same effect without any contrariety The strings of an Instrument voyces in a Quire haue different sounds yet they make vp one pleasant and harmonious consort the stones in a building the roomes in an house the members of a haeterogenious body are discrepant and various in themselues yet they all accord meete in one intiretie So the secret and reuealed will of God if wee sunder or disioine them may seeme to iarre and contradict themselues but if wee consider the one as subordinate to the other and so linke them both together we shall find them sweetly clasping and kissing each the other without the least dissent the one of them effecting and fulfilling the designes and purposes of the other without any clash or iarre which answers those Arminian cauâ—ls to the full which say we set Gods wills at variance by our doctrines And thus much for our fist Conclusion The sixt of our praecedent Anti-Arminian Tenents ' touching the totall and finall resistance of Gods grace in the Elect in the very Act of their Conuersion is fully ratified and confirmed by our 10. and 17. Articles by the 8. Article of Lambheth by the 13. 14. 15. 16. 32. and 33. Articles of Ireland by the Booke of Common prayer Position 1. and 2. by the Homelies the Chatechisme of Edward the 6. with the Questions and Answers of Praedestination Figures 6 and the Synod of Dort Article 3. 4. The particular and punctuall witnesses of this truth now follow to wit Master William Tindall Prologue on the Romans page 48. Col. 2. 8. 0. Col. 2. Preface to the obedience of a Christian man page 99. An Answer to Master Moores Dialogue page 259. 260. 266. A path-way into the holy Scriptures page 382. Prologue to the Exposition of the first Epistle of Saint Iohn page 389. An Exposition on the 6. of Iohn page 460. Master Iohn Frith A Declaration of Baptisme page 90. Doctor Barnes That Freewill of her owne strength can doe nothing but sinne page 283. 274. 276. Master Robert Legat in his Chatechisme betweene Man and Wife what the holy Catholicke Church is and betweene truth and the vnlearned man Wesel 1545. in the dayes of King Henry the 8. Learned Peter Martyr Commentary in Romans cap. 5. page 327. 328. cap. 9. p. 690. 694. 728. 729. 732. 733. Master Martyn Bucer Commentary on Math. 23. 37. on Iohn 6. 37. 44. on Romans 8. 30. and on cap. 4. 5. 6. Master Iohn Bradford his Doctrine of Praedestination Master Thomas Beacon his Sicke mans salue page 426. in King Edwards Raigne Master Iohn Veron his Treatise of Praedestination and Apologie for the same Master Thomas Palfryman Treatise of heauenly Philosophie cap. 7. 8. Master Iames Price his Fanne of the Faithfull cap. 12. Master Edward Deering on the Heb. Lect. 9. 10. 14. Master Anthony Anderson Sermon of sure comfort p. 23. to 27. Master Thomas Sparkes Comfortable Treatise for a troubled conscience the 4. first leaues Bartimeus Andreas Sermon 2. on the Canticles p. 64. to 70. Master Iohn Daniel his excellent comfort to all Christians cap. 4. 5. 7. Master Iohn Anwicke Meditations on Gods Monarchie and the Deuils Kingdome cap. 6. 7. 10. 11. Master William Burton Sermon of the Churches loue Master Arthur Gurney his fruitfull Dialogue betweene Reason and Religion page 45. Bishop Babington Exposition on the Lords prayer Petition 6. page 194. 195. Sermon at Pauls Crosse on Iohn 6. 37. part 1. and 2. Mathew Hutton Arch-Bishop of Yorke De Electione Reprobatione Commentatio p. 22. 23. 24. 36. Doctor Fulke and Master Cartwright Notes on Rom. 8. sect 8. Master William Perkins of Gods grace and mans freewill Tom. 1. page 720. c. Commentary on Galathians 1. Tom. 2. p. 178. 179. and on cap. 6. page 374. Master Iohn Hell his Life euerlasting Booke 3. Quaest. 9. p. 273. to 277. in Queene Elizabeths Annals Doctor Reinolds Apologia Thesium sect 13. 14. 15. Doctor Willet Comment on Romans 8. Controuersie 18. and on cap. 9. ver 19. 20. Reuerend Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury De veritate Gratiae Christi Oratio 2. Iulij 8. 1615. sect 2. Learned Doctor Thomas Morton Bishop of Couentry and Litchfield his Protestants Appeale Londini 1610. lib. 2. cap. 10. sect 4. 5. 10. 11. where he proues this to be the Doctrine not onely of Protestants but of the Learnedest Papists Doctor Field of the Church Appendix to the 3. booke cap. 10. of Freewill Doctor Iohn White Way to the Church Digression 41. 42. Defence of the Way cap. 25. sect 21. 22. Master Thomas Rogers Analysis on the 17. Article Proposition 6. 7. Master Heiron The Backward parts of Iehouah Sermon 2. p. 173. Doctor Ames Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Artic. 3. where this point is well discussed and excellently proued Doctor Priâ—eaux De Conuersionis modo Lectura 4. Master Paul Bayne Commentary on Ephesians 1. 19. p. 352. to 371. where this point is pithily proued Master Elton on Rom. 8. v. 30. Master Thomas Wilson Exposition on Rom. 8. ve 30. on Rom. 9. ver 19. 20. Doctor Crakenthorpe Sermon Predestination Doctor Boyes Postil on Saint Stephens day page 304. on the Epistle on Simon and Iudes day page 767. Sir Christopher Sybthorpe his Friendly admonition to the praetended Catholickes of Ireland cap. 8. Master Samuel Crooke his Guide sect 18. Master Iohn Downame Summe of Diuinity lib. 2. cap. 1. Incomparable and learned Doctor Visher Arch-bishop of Ardmagh Answer to the Iesuites challenge Of Freewill page 464. c. Master Humphsrey Sydenhaâ— in his Iacob and Esau with all our eminent Dort Deuines in the raigne of famous King Iames. Reuerend Bishop Carlton Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 3. 9. 14. Learned Doctor Dauenate Bishop of Salisbury Expositio in Epist. Pauli ad Colossenses c. 1. ver 12. p. 78. ver 28. p. 182. Doctor Sclater Exposition on the 1. Epistle of the Thessalonians cap. 4. v. 9. p. 300. 301â— cap. 5. v. 9. 10. p. 437. to 454. on Epistle 2. c. 1. ver 13. p. 180. 187. 188. v. 14. p. 199. Doctor Ward Suffragium Brittanorum Artic. 3. 4. and Conciâ— ad Clerum 1625. where this point is solidly proued Doctor Goade and Doctor Featly in their Pelagius Rediuiuus and Doctor Featly his second Parallel of Freewill p. 14. to 21. where this position is featly handled Master Rouse his Doctrine of King Iames. p. 25. to 48. Master Wotton his Dangerous Plot discouered cap. 7. 8. Master Williams Pemble his Vindiciae Gratiae p. 140. to 157. where this controuersie is neatly discided Master Yates his Ibis ad Caesarem part 2. cap. 7. p. 157. to 168. M. Henry Burton his Plea to an Appeale p. 63. to 77. Truth triumphing ouer Trent c. 17. M. Weemse his Portraiture of the image of God in
The intire Church of England consists of three grand members The Church of Ireland the Church of Scotland and the Church of England the mother or mistres of the other two If then I can vncontroulable euidence that these three seuerall Churches did constantly heretofore and doe as yet vnanimously acknowledge defend and iustify these our Anti-Arminian Conclusions the victory triall and points in praesent issue must be yeelded to me For the Church of Ireland it s out of quaestion that she hath alwayes both in ancient and moderne ages concluded with vs. For in ancient times in the points of the immutabisity aeternity and freenesse of Gods Election the praedetermined number of Gods Elect the infallible certainety of their effectuall calling and saluation Reprobation Freewill and vniuersall grace we shall finde Saint Gallus Sedulius and Claudius three ancient Irish Fathers and with them the ancient Irish Church concurring fully with vs and with St. Augustine in these our orthodox positions as that Reuerend learned and incomparable Irishman Doctor Vsher Arch-Bishop of Ardmagh the honor of our Church and glory of his Nation hath euidently and largely proued in his Epistle of the Religion professed by the ancient Irish bound vp at the end of Sir Christopher Sybthorpes workes page 7. 8. 9. to which I will referre you What the moderne Doctrine of the Church of Ireland is the fore-recorded Articles of Ireland composed in the Conuocation at Dublin in the yeere 1615. which conclude in terminis for vs together with Bishop Vshers Answer to the Iesuits Challenge his now recited Epistle and Sir Christopher Sybthorpes Aduertisement cap. 7. 8. sufficiently euidence so that both the Primatiue and praesent Irish Church are wholy fully for vs point-blancke against our Opposites That the ancient and moderne Church of Scotland hath suffragated vnto our Conclusions it is vndeniablie euident by their vnanimous and generall Confession of the true Christian faith and religion subscribed by King Iames himselfe his houshold with sundry others at Edenborough the 28. of Ianuary in the yeere 1581. being the 14. yeere of his Maiesties raigne Articles Of Originall sinne Of Election of Faith in the holy Ghost Of the cause of good workes Of the Church of the immortality of the soule by M. Knox in his Answ. against the Aduersaries of Gods Praedestination by Master Rollocke Rector of the Vniuersitie of Edinburgh his Commentary on the Ephesians cap. 1. 2. 3. and 5. and on Psalme 51. By Master William Cowper Bishop of Galloway in Scotland once Minister of Perth in his Heauen opened on Rom. 8. v. â—9 28. to the end and in sundry other of his workes By Master Iohn Weenise his Portraiture of the Image of God in man cap. 16. of Freewill where all or most of these Arminian pointâ— are pithily discussed By Sharpius a learned Scot Professor of Diuinity now in Dyon Tractatus De Iustificatione cap. 5. and Syntagâ—â—a Theologiae who all concurre vnanimously with vs in these our praesent conclusions which they professedly and pertinaciously maintaine and iustify That the Primatiue Church of England hath suscribed to our praesent Assertions her ancient publicke opposition to Pelagianisme her Bede her Anselme her Bradwardine and Wickliffe testify in that they constantly adhaered to St. Augustines and so to our Assertions as the vndoubted truth oppugning these now Arminian then Pelagian Tenents as dangerous and grace-opposing errors as their places quoted in the margent and in part recited in my Perpetuity p. 257. 261. c. will more at large declare The ancient Church of England and these her famous writers were professed Anti-Pelagians therefore Anti-Arminians What this our Church hath beene of latter times the fore-recited euidences and Authors doe abundantly testify I need not here repeat it I will therefore onely adde some further euidences to proue our Anti-Arminian positions to be our Arminian noualties not to be the ancient receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of our Church My first of these more full and puctuall euidences is the ingeminated confession and reiterated protestation of of the Heades of the Vniuersity of Cambridge in a memorable Letter of theirs purposely written about the suppression of these new Arminian errors to their honoured Chancellor and subscribed with their seuerall hands March 8. 1595. which Letter I haue truely transcribed out of the originall Coppy remaining in the hands of Doct. G who can produce it if occasion serue in sorâ—e as followeth RIght Honourable our bounden dutie remembred Wee are right sorry to haue such occasion to trouble your Lordship but the peace of this Vniuersity and Church which is deare vnto vs being brought into perill by the late reuiuing of new oppinions and troublesome Controuersies amongst vs hath vrged vs in regard of the places we here sustaine not onely to be carefull for the suppressing the same to our powers but also to giue your Lordship further information hereof as our Honourable head and carefull Chancellor About a yeere past amongst diuers others who here attempted publikely to teach new and strange opinions in Religion one Master Barret more boldly then the rest did preach diuers Popish Errors in Saint Maries to the iust offence of many which he was inioyned to retract but hath refused so to doe in such sort as hath beene praescribed him with whose fact and opinions your Lordship was made acquainted by Doctor Some the deputis Vice-Chancellor Hereby offence and diuision growing as after by Doctor Baroes publike Lectures aâ—d doterminations in the Schooles contrary as his Auditors haue informed to Doctor Whitakers and the sound receiued truth euer since her Maiesties raigne Wee sent vp to London by Common consent in Nouember last Doctor Tyndall and Doctor Whitakers men especially chosen for that purpose for conference with my Lord of Canterbury and other principall Diuines there that the controuersies being examined and the truth by their consents confirmed the contrary Errors and the contentions thereabout might the rather cease By whose good trauell with sound consent in truth such aduice and care was taken by certaine propositions containing certaine substantiall points of Religion taught and receiued in this Vniuersity and Church during the time of her Maiesties raigne and consented vnto and published by the best approued Diuines both at home and abroade for the maintaining of the same truth and peace of the Church as thereby wee inioyâ—ed here great and comfortable quiet vntill Doctor Baroe in Ianuary last in his Sermon Ad Clerum in Saint Maries contrary to restraint and commandement from the Vice-Chancellor and the Heads by renewing againe these Opinions disturbed our peace whereby his Adhaerents and Disciples were and are much emboldened to maintaine false Doctrine to the corrupting disturbing of this Vniuersity and Church if it be not in time effectually praeuented For remedy hereof we haue with ioynt consent and care vpon complaint praeferred
Diuinity in the yeere 1627. which I shall here set downe in briefe as I find them printed QVESTIONES IN SACRA THEOLOGIA DISCVTIENDAE OXONâ—â—IN VESPERâ—S SEPTIMO DIE IVLH AN. DO 1627. Quaestiones inceptoris Accepti Frewen An Praedestinatio ad saluteÌ„ sit propter praeuisam fidem Neg. Praedestinatio ad salutem sit mutabilis Neg. Gratia ad salutem sufficiens concedatur omnibus Neg. Quaestiones inceptoris Cornelij Burges An Veri fideles possint esse certi de sua salute Aff. Fides semâ—l habita possit amitti Neg. Vera sides caedat in Reprobum Neg. Quaestiones inceptoris Christophori Potter An Eâ—â—icatia gratiae pendeat a libero influxu Arbitrij Neg. Christus Diuinae iustitiae vice nostra propriâ— integre satiffecerit Aff. Ipse actus fidei 〈◊〉 credere imputetur nobis in institiam sensu proprio Neg. All these recited testimonies of this my famous Mother Vniuersity who hath constantly bent her selfe against Arminius and his Followers together with the late conuinction of one Brookes a yong vngrounded Diuine before her Heads for broaching some Arminian Tenents in a Sermon at Saint Maries doe vndoubtedly proue our Anti-Arminian Assertions thus constantly defended professed and resolued by her chiefe Professors the vnquaeâ—tionable and receiued Doctrines of our Church That which both our Vniuersities haue constantly embraced professed patronized since the reformation to this preseÌ„t must needs be the ancient receiued and vndoubted Doctrine of our Church But both our Vniuersities haue euer from the beginning of Reformation to this present euen constantly embraced professed and protected our Anti-Arminian positions but oppugned their Arminian opposites this the present with the praecedent and subsequent euidences will infallibly demonstrate Therefore they must needs be the ancient receiued and vndoubted doctrine of our Church My 3. Euidence is the expresse confession of three reuerend Diuines of speciall note and credit in our Church The first of them is famous Doctor Whitakers who informeth vs in his last Sermon That the Church of England euer since the Ghospell was restored to 〈◊〉 hath alwayes held and embraced this opinion of Election and Reprobation which he there and we here maintaines This Bucer saith he in our Vniuersity this Peter Martyr at Oxford haue professed two eminent Diuines who haue most abundantly watered our Church with their streames in the dayes of King Edward whose memories shall be alwayes honourable among vs vnlesse we will be most vngratefull This opinion their Auditors in both our Vniuersities the Byshops Deanes and other Diuines who vpon the aduancement of our famous Queene Elizabeth to the Crowne returned either from exile or were released from the prisons into which they had beene thrust for the profession of the Ghospell or saued from the hands of persecuting Bishops those by whom our Church was reformed our Religion established Popery thrust out and quite destroyed all which we may remember though few of this kinde be yet liuing This opinion I say they themselues haue held and commended vnto vs in this faith haue they liued in this they dyed in this they alwayes wished that wee should constantly continue And shall wee then renounce this Opinion or quaestion whether it be the Doctrine of our Church or no Lastly I appeale saith he to our confession in which I am perswaded the same Doctrine which I haue this day handled is not obscurely deliuered not only because all our Articles were composed by the Disciples of Bucer and Martyr but euen out of the very words and meaning of the Confession and so he proceeds to proue his Doctrine to be warranted by our 17. Article by 5. seuerall Arguments The second Witnesse is Reuerend Bishop Carlton in his Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 2. where he writes thus The Church of England was reformed by the helpe of our learned and Reuerend Bishops in the dayes of King Edward the sixt and in the beginning of the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth They who then gaue that forme of reformation to our Church held consent in Doctrine with Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer being by authority appointed Readers in the two Vniuersities and with other then liuing whom they Iudged to be of best learning and soundnesse in the reformed Churches and of the Ancients especially with St. Augustine and were carefull to hold this Vnity amongst themselues and with the reformed Churches For that these worthy Bishops who were in the first reformation had this respect vnto P. Martyr and M. Bucer it is apparent both because the Doctrine of our Church doth not differ from the Doctrine that these taught and because that worthy Arch-Bishop Cranmer caused our Leiturgy to be Translated into Latine and craued the consent and iudgement of M. Bucer who gaue a full consent thereto as it appeareth in his workes Inter opera Anglicana And P. Martyr being likewise requested writeth in his Epistles touching that matter his iudgement and consent of the gouerment and discipline of our Church This vniformity of Doctrine was held in our Church without disturbance as long as those worthy Bishops liued who were employed in the reformation For albeit the Puritanes disquieted out Church about their conceiued Discipline yet they neuer mooued any quarrell against the Doctrine of our Church which is well to be obserued For if they had embraced any Doctrine which the Church of England denied they would assuredly haue quarrelled about that aswell as they did about the Discipline But it was then the open confession both of the Bishops and of the Puritanes that both parts embraced a mutuall consent in Doctrine onely the difference was in matter of inconformity Then hitherto there was no Puritane Doctrine knowne The first disturbers of this vniformity in Doctrine were Barret and Baroe in Cambridge and after them Thompson â—arret and Baroe began this breach in the time of that most Reuerend Prelate Arch-Bishop Whitgift Notwithstanding that these had attempted to disturbe the Doctrine of our Church yet was the vniformity of Doctrine still maintained For when our Church was disquieted by Barret and Baro the Bishops that then were in our Church examined the new Doctrine of these men and vtterly disliked and reiected it And in the point of Predestination confirmed that which they vnderstood to bee the Doctrine of the Church of England against Barret and Baro who oppugned that Doctrine This was fully declared by both the Arch-Bishops Whitgift of Canterbury and Hutton of Yorke with the other Bishops and learned men of both Prouinces who repressed Barret and Baro refuted their Doctrine and iustified the contrary as appeareth by that Booke which both the Arch-Bishops then compiled The same Doctrine which the Bishops then maintained was at diuers times after approued as in the Conference at Hampton Court as will be hereafter confirmed And againe it was confirmed in Ireland in the Articles of Religion in the time of our late Soueraigne Articulo 38. The Author of the