The Church of Englands Antithesis to Arminianism, Part 2
The Articles of the Church of England, agreed vponupon in the Conuocation holden at London, in the yeere 1552. in the raigne of Edward the 6. afterwards confirmed and repromulgated in the yeere of our Lord 1562. in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth, and since that ratified by King Iames 1604. and by our gracious Soueraigne King Charles, in the yeare 1628.
ARTICLE. 2.
THe Godhead and Manhood, were ioyned together in one person, neuer to be diuided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very Man, who truely suffered, was Crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to 55vsus, and to be a sacrifice, not onelyonly for Originall guilt, but also for all actuall sinnes of men.
ARTIC. 9.
ORiginall sinne standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians doe vainely talke) but it is the 44fault and corruption of the nature of eueryevery man, that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam, whereby man is very farre gone from originall Righteousnesse, and is of his nature enclined to euill, so that the flesh lusteth alwaies contrary to the spirit, and therefore in eueryevery person borne into this world, it deserueth Gods wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remaine, yea in them that are regenerated, where by the lust of the flesh, called in Greeke foreign, which some doe expound the wisdome; some, sensualty; some, the affection; some, the desire of the flesh, is not subiect to the Law of God. And although there is 77no condemnation for them that beleeue and are Baptised, yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscense and lust, hath of it selfe the nature of sinne.
ARTIC: 10.
THe44 condition of man after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling vponupon God: Wherefore wee hauehave no power to doe good workes pleasant and and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ 66preuenting vsus, that wee may hauehave a good will, and working with vsus, when we hauehave that good will,
ARTIC. 13.
VVOrkes done44 before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Iesu Christ, 22neither do they make men meet to receiue grace, or (as the Schoole-Authors say) deserue grace of congruitie: yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to bee done, wee doubt not but they hauehave the nature of sinne.
ARTIC. 15.
CHrist in the truth of nature, was made like vntounto vsus in all things (sinne onelyonly excepted) from which hee was cleerely voide, both in his flesh, and in his Spirit. Hee came to be a Lambe without spot,55 who by sacrifice of himselfe once made, should take away the sinnes of the world: and sinne (as Saint Iohn saith) was not in him, &c.
ARTIC. 16.
NOt eueryevery deadly sinne willingly committed after Baptisme, is sinne against the holy Ghost, and vnpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of Repentance is not to bee denyed to such as fall into sinne after Baptisme. 77After wee hauehave receiued the holy Ghost, wee may depart from grace giuen, See the exposition of this Article, Hom. of Repentance 2. part. p. 261. 262.and fall into sinne, and by the grace of God (wee may) arise againe, and amend our liues. And therefore they are to bee condemned, which say they can no more sinne as long as they liue heere, or deny place of forgiuenesse to such as truely repent.
From this Article, someaBertius Apostasia Sanctorum. Lugduni Batauorum. 1615. Epist. Dedicatoriae 2. & pag. 107. 169. Coruinus Responsio ad Not as Bogermanni, pars 2. cap. 24. Lugduni Batauorum 1614. p. 560. Brandius Collatio Haghiensis, p. 364. Master Mountagues Appeale, p. 28. 29. 30. 31. &c. Thōpsoni Diatriba de Interscisione & gratia cap. 27. p. 117. Arminians hauehave endeuored to iustifie their Doctrine, of the totall and small Apostasie of the Saints from grace: Yet the Conference at Hampton Court. pag. 24. together with learned Doctor Whitakers in his Cygnea Cantio October 9. An. Dom. 1595 Cantabrigie ex Officina Iohannis Legat. 1599. pag. 20. Profound Doctor Feild in his answere to Theophylus Higgons, Part. 1. cap. 3. 2. Part. Sectio 2. Edition 2. at Oxford by William Turner 1628. pag. 834. Reuerend and solid Doctor Robert Abbot, late Bishop of Sarum, in his Animaduersio in Thompsoni Diatribam, cap. 27. Londini 1618 p. 218. Laborious Doctor Benefield. De Perseuerantia Sanctorum. lib. 1. cap. 15. Francofurti 1618. pag. 162. to 167 Reuerend and religious Doctor Carleton late Bishop of Chichester, in his Examination of Master Mountagues Appeale. Edit. 2. p. 135. 136. 137. Acute Doctor Daniel Featly, in his Second Parallel, London 1626. pag. 22. 23. 24. Industrious Master Henry Burton, in his Plea to an Appeale, London, 1626. p. 13. 14. 15. Master Wotton in his Dangegerous Plot discouered, or his Answere to Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 12. London. 1626. p. 42. 43. 44. 45. Studious Master Francis Rouse, in his Doctrine of King Iames, &c. Edit. 1. London 1626. p. 43. to 48. Facetious Master Yates, in his Ibis ad Caesarē. London 1626. part. 4. c. 15. p. 134. 135. 136. To omit mine owne Perpetuitie of a Regenerate mans Estate. Edit 2. London 1627. p. 309. to 319. All these, I say, together with Master Thomas Rogers his authorized Analisis on this Article; confesse and prooue the meaning of this Article to be sound and Orthodox: warranting no totall nor finall Apostasie from the state of Grace, as Papists or Arminians would from thence collect; but onelyonly a lapse into some criminall or scandalous act of sinne, which may, and doth sometimes befall, the very best and deerest of Gods Saints. Since then these seuerall Orthodox members and learned Writers of our Church hauehave anciently, and lately made this authentique Exposition of this Article, which none but Papists or Arminians hauehave hitherto oppugned: and since the Articles of Lambheth, Artic. 5. together with the Articles of Ireland, Artic. 38. (which doubtlesse would neuer vary from the genuine and natiue meaning of this Article) hauehave wel explaned and ratified it with these two termes; yet neither finally nor totally; I hope all English Protestants will subscribe to this Construction onelyonly, and reiect all others as spurious and vnsound.
ARTIC. 17.
11PRedestination to life, is the euerlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the World were layd) hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell, secret to vsus,77 to deliuer from curse and damnation, those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde, and to bring them by Christ to euerlasting saluation, as vessells made to honour. Wherefore they44 which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God,66 be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they44 through grace obey the calling: they bee iustified22 freely: they bee made the Sonnes of God by adoption: they bee made like the Image of his onelyonly begotten Sonne Iesus Christ: 77they walke religiously in good workes, and at length by Gods mercy, they attaine to euerlasting felicitie.
As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and vnspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such66 as feele in themselues the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the workes of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing vp their minde to high and heauenly things, aswell because it doth greatly77 establish and confirme their Faith of eternall Saluation to be enioyed through Christ, as because it doth feruently kindle their LoueLove towards God: So, for curious and carnall persons,44 lacking the Spirit of Christ, to hauehave continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination, is a most dangerous downefall, whereby the Deuill doth thrust them either into desperation, or into rechlesnesse of most vncleane liuing, no lesse perillous then desperation, &c.
From this Article; solid and learned Doctor Whitakers in his Cygnea Cantio, pag. 16. 17. Master Thomas Rogers, in his authorized Analisis on the 17. Article, commonly solde and bound vp together with the Articles: Reuerend Bishop Carlton, in his examination of Master Mountagues Appeale cap. 10. Edit. 2. Pag. 99. Master Yates in his Ibis ad Caesarem: Part. 1. cap. 1. 2. 3. part. 2. cap. 1. Sect. 5. pag. 35. &c. Master Henry Burton in his Answere to an Appeale, pag. 28. 36. 37. 42. 44. 49. Master Francis Rouse in his Doctrine of King Iames. pag. 43. to 48. Master Wotton in his Dangerous Plot Discouered. cap. 19. 20. pag. 126. 127. Together with Doctor Thysius in his Comment or Collation on the Articles of Lambheth. Hardrouici. 1613. &c. (who hauehave copiously analised, and explained this 17. Article) hauehave raised these Orthodoxe Anti-Arminian Conclusions, which are directly grounded on, and warranted, by this Article as they there affirme.
1 That there is a Predestination of certaine men vntounto aeternall life; and a praeterition, or Reprobation of others vntounto death.
2 That this Praedestination both to life and death, are from aeternity.
3 That they are altogether immutable and vnchangeable.
4 That not all men, but certaine onelyonly, are Praedestinated to be saued.
5 That these who are Praedestinated vntounto Saluation can neuer perish; nor yet fall finally or totally from the state of grace.
6 That in Christ Iesus some are Elected to Saluation, and not others; not of any fores…ene …aith, or Works, or Will, or Merit in themselues, but out of the meere good will and pleasure of God himselfe.
7 That they who are Elected to Saluation, are in their due time called according to Gods purpose, both outwardly by the Word, and inwardly by the Spirit: which call they all obey and not resist.
8 That the Predestinate are both freely iustified by Faith; and sanctified by the holy Ghost heere, and shall likewise be glorified in the life to come.
9 That the consideration of Praedestination, and its Doctrine, is to the godly wise most comfortable an… ioyfull; and dangerous to none but curious and carnall persons.
All which Conclusions are Diametrally repugnant to the now Arminian Tenents.
ARTIC. 18.
THey also are to bee had accursed, that presume to say,55 that eueryevery man shall bee saued by the Lawe or Sect which he professeth, so that hee bee diligent to frame his life according to that law, and the light of nature. For holy Scripture doth set out vntounto vsus onelyonly the Name of Iesus Christ, whereby men must be saued.
ARTIC. 29.
THe55 wicked and such as be voide of a liuely faith, although they doe ca…nally and visibly presse with their teeth (as St. Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ: yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eate and drinke the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing.
ARTIC. 31.
THe 55Offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption… proputation, and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole World both originall and actuall, and there is none other satisfaction for sinne, but that alone.