The Doctrine of King James, Doctrine 1 – Doctrine 2
The Doctrine of Predestination deliuered, and approued by King IAMES, our late Soueraigne of Famous MEMORY.
GOd hath two wills, a reuealed will towards vsus,Medit. on the Lords prayer. and that will is here vnderstood; hee hath also a secret will in his eternall counsell, whereby all things are gouerned, and in the end made euer to turne to his glory: often-times drawing good effects out of bad causes, and lightout of darknesse, to the fulfilling either of his Mercy, or Iustice, &c. The first Article of the Apostles Creed teacheth vsus, that God is Almightie, how euer Vortius and the Arminians thinke to rob him of his eternall Decree, and secret will, making things to bee done in this world, whither he will or not.
Wee doubt not but that their Ambassadors whichDeclar: against Vorstius. were with vsus about two yeares since, did informe them of a fore-warning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make vntounto them in Our name, to beware in time of seditious and hereticall Preachers, and not to suffer any such to creepe into their state. Our principall meaning was of Arminius, who though himselfe were lately dead, yet had he left too many of his disciples behinde him.
Wee had well hoped that the corrupt seed which thatIbid. enemy of God, Arminius, did sow amongst you some few yeares since (whose disciples and followers are yet too bold, and frrequent within your Dominions) had giuen you a sufficient warning, afterwards to take beede of such infected persons, seeing your owne Countrey-men already diuided into factions vponupon this occasion, a matter so opposite to vnitie (which is indeed the onelyonly prop and safety of your state next vnderunder God) as of necessitie, it must by little and little bring you to vtter ruine, if wisely you doe not prouide against it; and that i… time. Thus while his Maiestie is an enemie to the enemies of Praedestination, he is a friend and protector to that Doctrine, whose enemies he doth oppose.
The Articles of Ireland agreed on in his Maiesties Articl. agreed on anno 1615.Raigne, cannot bee thought to containe any other Doctrine, but such as was approued by his Maiestie. In them we reade.
The cause mouing God to praedestinate to life, is notNum. 15. the fore-seeing of faith, or perseuerance, or good works, or of any thing which is in the person praedestinated; but ONLY the good pleasure of good himselfe. For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his Glory, and his Glory being to appeare both in the workes of his MercieMercy, and of his Iustice, It seemed good to his heauenly wisdome, to chuse out a certaine number, towards whom hee would extend his vndeserued Mercy, leauing the rest to bee spectacles of his Iustice.
And that wee may yet more punctually know this Doctrine there allowed by Him, to bee verily his owne Doctrine, we reade thus from his owne Dictates.
God drawes by his effectuall Grace, out of that atMedit on the Lords prayer. tainted and corrupt masse, whom hee pleaseth for the worke of his Mercy, leauing the rest to their▪ owne wayes which all leade to perdition.
Praedestination and Election dependeth not, vponuponConference at Hampt. Court. any Qualities, Actions, or Workes of Man, which bee mutable, but vponupon God his eternall, and immutable Decree and Purpose.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England concerning Praedestination.
PRaedestination to life▪ is the euerlasting purpose of Article 1….God, whereby before the foundation of the world was laid, hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret to vsus, to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde, and to bring, them by Christ vntounto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honour, wherefore they that be indued with so excellent a benefite of God, bee called according to Gods purpose, by his spirit working in due season, they through grace▪obey that calling, they be iustified freely, they be made sonnes of God by adoption, they be made like the image of his onelyonly begotten Sonne Iesus Christ, they walke religiously in good workes, and at length by Gods merciemercy, they attaine▪ to euerlasting Felicitie.
VponUpon the Articles of the Church of England, Master Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-Bishop Ban… ▪ See the Epistle▪ Dedicatorie where hee affirmeth these propositions to be maintained by the Church of England.there is set forth an Analysis of these Articles, resoluing them into propositions; which propositions he saith are maintained and approued▪ by the authority of the Church of England: and this Analysis, vponupon this Article of Praedestination thus inferreth.
Hereby is discouered the impiety of th…se me… …hich thinke, that▪m…n doth make himselfe eligible for the …. Proposition.kingdome of heauen. And that, God beheld in eueryevery man whether he would vse his grace well, and beleeue the Gospell, or no, and as hee saw a man affected, so did praedestinate, chuse or refuse him.
But the Analysis it selfe plainely according to the Article rectifieth this disorder, and makes Iustification, Sanctification, and Glorification, to flow from Praedestination; so that Praedestination depends not on them.
Diuers be the effects of Praedestination; but chiefely 7. Proposition.it bringeth to the elect Iustification by Faith in this life, and in the life to come, Glorification; alwayes a conformitie to the Image of the only begotten Sonne of God, both in suffering here, and inioying immortall glorie hereafter.
The heauenly wisedome of our Church in this point, is so fully and plainely expressed by her selfe, that shee needes not to bee iustified of her children, yet ex abundanti, I adde one or two Testimonies, but first admonishing the Reader to take notice of the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland, before set downe, and withall to beware that hee thinke not two Doctrines to bee taught in these Churches but one.
Before Augustines time, many great and worthy Doctor Field of the Church. lib. 3. cap. 9.Prelates and Doctors of the Church, not hauing occasion to enter into the exact handling of that p…t of Christian Doctrine, did teach that men are Predestinate▪ for the fore-sight of some things in themselues. And Augustine himselfe in the beginning of the conflicts with the Pelagians, was of opinion; that at the least for the foresight of Faith, men are Elected to Eternall life, which afterward he disclaymed as false and erroneous, and taught that mans saluation dependeth on the efficacie of that grace which God giueth, and not his purpose of sauing vponupon the incer…tainty of mans will. This Doctrine of Augustine was receiued and confirmed in the Church against the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians.
Thus is our Doctrine the Doctrine of the Church, vponupon aduise and due examination: the other Doctrine is the errour of those that had not duely entred into the exact handling of this point. Now to follow an errour, when the truth is vponupon due tryall cleared and brought to light, brings that sentence to passe whichVincent. Li…m. cap. 11. Lirmensis pronounceth. Absoluuntur Magistri, condemnantur discipuli. The Masters▪ are freed, and the Schollers are condemned. For the one erred by infirmitie, and wanting the occasion of not-erring; the others erre out of more wilfulnesse, and stumble in the day time, hauing a faire occasion of not-erring, of not-stumbling.
Doctor Fr: White Deane of Carlile acknowledgeth the Doctrine of St. Augustine, to bee the Doctrine of the Church of England, in these words.
Although our Tenet concerning Praedestination, bee no Reply to Fisher. pag. 275.other then Saint Austin and his Schollers maintained against the Pelagians.
Now Saint Austins opinion is presently to appeare in his owne words, as defore it hath beene shewed by Doctor Field. And in the point of Free-will we shall see that the most learned and iudicious King IAMES, yeelds this consent by name to the same Saint Augustine. Thus is there a perfect harmonie betweene this great King, the Church of England, and the Catholicke Church; which that wee may more euidently see on the part of the Catholicke Church, behold here what shee teacheth by her chiefe Fathers, Doctors, and Teachers.