The Church of Englands Antithesis to Arminianism, Part 9 (1 of 2)
A COPPYE OF A RECANTATION OF certaine Errors, raked out of the dunghill of Poperie, and Pelagianisme, publiquely made by Master Barret of Kayes Colledge in Cambridge the tenth day of May, in this present yeere of our Lord, 1595. in the Vniuersitie Church, called Saint Maries in Cambridge: which Errors he (together with Maister Ha…rsnet of Penbrooke Hall) did rashly hold, and maintaine: Translated …ut of Latine into English.
Anno. 37. Elizabeth.
PReaching in Latine not long since in the Vniuersitie Church, (Right Worshipfull,) many things slipped from me, both falsely, and rashly spoken, whereby I vnderstand the mindes of many hauehave beene grieued; to the end therfore that I may satisfie the Church and the Truth which I hauehave publiquely hurt, I doe make this publique Confession, both repeating, and reuoking my Errors.
First, I said, that no man in this transitorie World, is so strongly vnderpropped, at least by the certainetie of Faith, that is, vnlesse (as I afterwards expounded it,) by Reuelation, that hee ought to bee assured of his owne Saluation. But now I protest before God, and acknowledge in my Conscience, that they which are iustified by Faith, hauehave peace towards God, that is, hauehave reconciliation with God, and doe stand in that Grace by Faith: therefore that they ought to bee certaine, and assured of their owne Saluation, euen by the certaintie of Faith it selfe.
Secondly, I affirmed that the Faith of Peter could not faile, but that other mens Faith may: for (as I then said) our Lord prayed not for the Faith of eueryevery particular man. But now being of a better, and more sound Iudgement: (according to that which Christ teacheth in plaine words, Iohn 17. 20. I pray not for these alone, (that is, the Apostles,) but for them also which shall beleeue in me, through their word.) I acknowledge that Christ did pray for the Faith of eueryevery particular Beleeuer: and that by the vertue of that Prayer of Christ, eueryevery true Beleeuer is so staied vp that his Faith cannot faile.
Thirdly, touching perseuerance vntounto the end, I said that that certainetie concerning the time to come, is proude, forasmuch, as it is in his owne nature contingent, of what kind the perseuerance of eueryevery man is: neither did I affirme it to bee proud onelyonly, but to bee most wicked. But now I freely protest, that the true, and iustifying Faith (whereby the Faithfull are most neerely vnited vntounto Christ,) is so firme, as also for the time to come so certaine, that it can neuer bee rooted vp out of the mindes of the Faithfull, by any tentations of the Flesh, the World, or the Diuell himselfe: So that hee which once hath this Faith, shall euer hauehave it: for by the benefit of that iustifying Faith, Christ dwelleth in vsus, and wee in Christ: therefore it cannot but be both increased, (Christ growing in vsus daily,) as also preseuere vntounto the end, because God doeth giuegive constancy.
Fourthly, I affirmed that there was no distinction in Faith, but in the persons beleeuing. In which I confesse that I did Erre: Now I freely acknowledge, that temporary Faith, (which as Bernard witnesseth, is therefore fained, because it is temporary,) is distinguished, and differeth from that sauing Faith, whereby sinners apprehending Christ, are iustified before God for euer; not in measure, and degrees, but in the very thing it selfe. Moreouer I adde, that Iames doth make mention of a dead Faith, and Paul of a Faith that worketh by louelove.
Fiftly, I added, that forgiuenesse of sinnes is an Article of Faith, but not particular, neither belonging to this man, nor to that man: that is, (as I expounded it,) that no true Faithfull man, either can, or ought, certainely to beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen. But now I am of another minde, and doe freely confesse, that eueryevery true Faithfull man is bound by this Article of Faith, (to wit, I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes,) certainely to beleeue that his owne particular sinnes are freely forgiuen him: neither doeth it follow hereupon, that that Petition of the Lords prayer (to wit, forgiue vsus our Trespasses,) is needlesse; for in that Petition, we aske not onelyonly 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 de…iled with it. And (that I may speake freely,) I am of the sam… mind; and doe beleeue concerning the Doctrine of Election, *The Heads therefore of the Vniuersity of Cambridge, who composed this Recantation, were of this opinion, that the 17. Article doth make the will of God, not sinne, the true and primary cause of Reprobation, & therefore they recited it at large in the Latine Copy.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 hauehave 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 hauehave vttered many bitter words against*They were vndoubtedly of their opinion in these points now controuersed 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*Therefore of their op…nion in our present Tenents 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 d…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 hauehave 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 hauehave giuen this offence, either in the former Articles, or in any part of my said Sermon, that you would of your courtesie pardon mee, vponupon this my repe…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 vntounto 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*Allegauit dictas posi…onessa…sas, erroneas, & repugnantesesse religioni in regno Angliae publica & leg…tima authoritate receptae & stabilitae. These are the words of the Articles exhibited against him by the Vice-chancellor. 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 giuegive 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,*Habita matura deliberatione, necnon visis et diligenter examinatis positionibus praedictis, quia manifesto constabat positiones… praedictas errorem et falsitatem in se continere, necnon aperte repugnare Religion… in Ecclesia Anglicana receptae ac stabilitae; ideo iudicaberunt, &c. These are the expresse words of the Order entred in the Vniuersity Register. 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 vntounto him by the Vice-chancellor, and the said Heads, or any three, or two of them; or ese vponupon 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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 hauehave informed me, who both know, and will auerre him to be such a one.