Justification of the Fathers and Schoolmen, To the reader – Errata
A Preface to the Reader.
Chriſtian Reader,
ALthough I never ſaw Mr. Peirce his face, yet ſo much have I been taken with that rich vein of Rhetorick, which runnes through all his Writings falling under my eye, that thoſe few friends, in whoſe common acquaintance wee meet, will teſtifie, I have not mentioned his name without thoſe prefaces of reſpect which are due to a Scholar: Nor hath his debaſing mee to the dunghill of Doltiſme, put me under any temptation to detract from the credit and reputation which he hath acquired unto himſelf among our young Gallants, by putting the good Greek and Latin of the old Philoſophers into as good Engliſh, is his Practicals, by abuſing Mr. Bar. with Drollery, as handſome as ever drop'd from the Pen of Ben. Johnſon in his Polemicals. But as Bees are ſometimes drowned in their Honey, ſo is his Logick in his Rhetorick; the body of his Proofs being as poor, and lean, as the garniſh of his words, and margin glorious; his ſtuffe as meane, as his dreſſing rich. And therefore I reckon him many waies unfortunate in chooſing the tremendous myſtery of Reprobation for his firſt publick Eſſay. Eccius indeed in his Chryſopaſ. where he entreateth concerning Reprobation, ſaith, he did chooſe it as an idoneous ſubject, in quo juveniles calores exerceret. But that Mr. P. a perſon, profeſſing to be of that party by whoſe means a declaration was procured, injoyning ſilence in theſe points, to be an admirer of Biſhop Montague, who in his firſt Viſitation made this one Article of Enquiry; Doth your Miniſter commonly, or on ſet purpoſe, in his popular Sermons, fall upon thoſe much diſputed, and little underſtood Doctrines, of Gods eternall Predeſtination, of Election precedaneous, of Reprobation irreſpective without ſinne fore-ſeen, of Free-will, of Perſeverance, and not falling from Grace, points obſcure, unfoldable, unfordable, untractable, at which that great Apoſtle ſtood at gaze, with, O the height, and depth of the riches of the wiſdom and knowledge of God, how unſearchable are his judgements and his wayes paſt finding out. Rom. 11.31. That Mr. P. ſhould ſport his fancy in theſe troubled waters, wherein ſo many have made ſhip-wrack of faith and a good conſcience, would ſeem ſtrange to me: But that I am fallen into an Age in which I have learned to admire nothing; not ſo much from any knowledge I have attained unto of the cauſes of things, as from the multitude of ſtrange effects.
But, that 2ly; I had long ſince learned, that the foreſaid Declaration was never intended to bee a two edged Sword, was never procured out of any charitable deſign, to ſettle the Peace of the Church, but out of a politick deſigne, to ſtop the mouthes of the Orthodox, who were ſure to be cenſured, if they at any time declared their minds, whilſt the new upſtart Arminians were ſuffered to Preach and Print their Heterodox notions with out any controule: leſt in this I ſhould be ſuſpected of partiality, or falſhood, I will quote the words of the moſt Noble Lord Faulkland, in his Speech to the Houſe of Commons printed, Anno 1641. For Thom. Walkeley, Pag. 5, 6. Mr. Speaker in this they have abuſed his Majesty as well as his people; for when he had with great wiſdome ſilenced on both parts thoſe opinions, which have often tormented the Church, and have, and will all way trouble the Schooles, they made uſe of this Declaration to tye up one ſide, and let the other looſe; whereas they ought either in diſcretion to have been equally reſtrained, or in juſtice to have been equally tolerated, and it is obſervable, that the party to which they gave this licence was that, whoſe Doctrine, though it were not contrary to Law, was contrary to cuſtome, and for a long while in this Kingdome was, no ofter preached than recanted.
If Mr. P. have for the time paſt (what he tells us for the future he reſolves) beſtowed onelyonly his times of Leiſure and diverſion upon theſe diſputes, he is the more excuſeable: But if whileſt he hath …een throwing ſtones at Mr. Bar. head, his Children have wanted their bread, or have been fain to take it divided to them by a more unskillfull hand then his own: Then hath he put ſomething on his doomeſday booke, which I wiſh he may have time to take off by repentance before he goe away and ſhall be ſeen no more: and let him take this counſell from one (who though conſtrained to diſſent from his opinion, is a cordial friend to his Perſon) quickly to kiſſe the Son who muſt needs be offended with him for his hard ſpeeches uſed againſt thoſe pretious Divines beyond the Seas, ſcarſe to be equalled by any now a live, or to be excelled by thoſe in any Calendar.
So little do I delight to have my fingers in the fire of contention that have meddled with nothing in his foreign. but what I my ſelf am, at leaſt by him thought, to be concerned in. Whether I be ſupra, or ſublapſarian, or neither in the Doctrine of reprobation, and the converſies depending thereon no one knows, or can pretend to know, from any thing they have heard me ſay in the Pulpit, and if I have not thought meet to make theſe things a Pulpit buſineſſe, why ſhould I declare my minde about them from the preſſe? If my opinion be in ſome particulars ſingular, then perhaps it may be my duty to have my knowledge to my ſelf; if in all things I agree with others of the Calviniſtical perſwaſion, I muſt then, before I write one, conſider twice whether I can ſay any thing that others have not ſaid before in moſt full and ample manner; for he had need be very prodigal of his credit, who in ſuch a curious and inquiſitive age as this will ſerve up his Reader with onelyonly a diſh of twenty times ſodden coleworts. Yet becauſe I am brought upon the ſtage, and becauſe Mr. P. hath thought meet to blaſt me with the utmoſt expreſſion of his hatred, the title of Calviniſt and Puritan, and becauſe I find ſome to make uſe of this Jvybuſh to tole in cuſtomers, that they are obedient Sons of the Chuch of England. I ſhall beg thy patience (good Reader) whileſt I ſhew that not the Remonſtrant, but the Contra-remonſtrant opinion hath been the Doctrine of the Reformed Church of England, and that the Countenancing of Arminianiſme with us, is no older than Biſhop Laud, and Biſhop Mountague, who are but of yeſterday in compariſon: But do not theſe men much forget themſelves whileſt they appeale to the Church of England? Was it not the Church of England that in her 35th. Article did legitimate the books of homilies, and are not ſuch words to be found in the homily againſt the Peril of Idolatry: The image of God Father, Son, or Holy Ghoſt, either ſeverally, or the images of the Trinity, be by the Scriptures expreſſely forbidden, and condemned, as appears by theſe places, Deut. 4. Iſa. 40. Acts 17. Rom. 1. Vide ibidem plura. How then was the late Arcſhbiſhop an obedient Son of the Church of England, who put Mr. Sherlfield a Bencher of Linc. Inne, and Recorder of Sarum to ſo much coſt, and a diſgracefull acknowledgment of his fault, and cauſed him to be bound to his good behaviour, for taking down a glaſſe Window, in which there were made no leſſe then 7. pictures of God the Father in forme of a little old man, clad in a blew and red coat, with a Pouch by his ſide about the bigneſſe of a Puppet. Yea I have heard it from a Gentleman of good repute that the Archbiſhop then juſtified the Picturing duplicate page duplicate page of God the Father, in forme of an old man, out of that place of Daniel, where God is called the ancient of dayes. Nay Biſhop Lindſey, one of the Archbiſhops great Creatures was not aſhamed to ſay? That none but ignorant Calviniſt Biſhops did put down Altars at the beginning of the Reformation; and that they were worſe then Ieſuites: that he was much offended with the Homily's againſt the Perill of Idolatry, againſt ſetting up of images in Churches; that he would have theſe Homilies put out of the Homily book, & wondred why they were ſuffered to continue in it ſo long.
Was it not the Church of Enland, who by her Lords Spiritual in the upper houſe, and her whole convocatiō, in the Act for the ſubſidy of the Clergy? 3o. Iacobi defined the Pope to be the Antichriſt, was it not Biſhop Andrews poſitive opinion that the Pope is Antichriſt? was it not Archbiſhop Whitgifts, commencement aſſertion 1569. Papa eſt ille Antichriſtus: was not this alſo poſitively aſſerted by Archbiſhop Ʋſher, and proved by King Iames, and muſt they now be called the onelyonly obedient Sons of our, Church who ſtudy by all their Learning to take off that ignominious name from the Pope, and faſten it upon I know not whom?
Was it not the Church of England who in her 9th. Article, ſpeaks ſo plainly concerning Original ſin, That it ſtandeth not in following of Adam, as the Pelagians do vainely talke, but is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendred of the off-ſpring of Adam, &c. And muſt he now that ſet forth the unum neceſſarium, then whom Pelagius himſelf could not be more Pelagian, be reſorted unto and reputed as an Oracle by thoſe who glory in nothing more then in beeing old Eliz: Proteſtants. O that thoſe who have any zeal for the Religion ſealed by the blood of our Martyrs, defended by the pens of our Divines, the ſwords of our Soldiers, eſtabliſhed by the Law of our Nation would conſider what I write: But theſe are Parerga'es to our grand deſign, which was to find out the opinion of the Church of England in the matters debated betwixt the Remonſtrants, and Contra remonſtrants: for the carrying on whereof, it will not be amiſſe to conſider our Church in a twofold capacity, before our general Reformation; & after it. Before the general Reformation in whom ſhould we ſeeke our Church but in our Martyrs and confeſſors? who did witneſſe againſt the Synagogue of Sathan, what were the opinions of Wichlief, we can ſcarce find but in the Hiſtory of Papiſts, who would be ſure to make him as odious as they could tell how to draw him, but by their laying it to his charge, that he brought in fatal neceſſity, that he made God the author of ſin, we may make a probable gheſſe that there was no diſagreement betwixt him and Mr. Iohn Calvin. For the dayes of King Henry the eight wee have through ſpecial providence ſome workes of Mr William Tyndall, Mr, Iohn Frith, Mr. Dr. Barnes preſerved, which are all bound up together, and put forth by Iohn Day: 1563: Mr. Iohn Fox (than whom Magd. Coll. hath ſcarce ever had, a member, of whom ſhe may more juſtly boaſt) putting a large preface, in which he ſtileth them the cheife ring-leaders of the Church of England. How point blank they ſpeake for the things that now are called Calviniſtical errors, may be ſeen with a little labour, if any one will looke upon the index, though he that will read the book it ſelfe once over for my ſake, will read it over twice for his owne. Come we to the more conſpicuous eſtate of our Church, when Kings and Queens have vouchſafed to be nurſing Fathers and Mothers to it, when ſhe hath ſpoken to her members by the 39. Art. Homilies, Liturgies, Catechiſmes, theſe we will conſult that we may be ſure, if it be poſſible to know her mind. The Articles were firſt agreed upon in the Convocation holden in the Reign of Edward the ſixt 1552. confirmed and repromulgated, Anno 1562. ratified by King Iames, 1604. and by King Charles, 1628. Some little variation there is in the ſeveral editions of them, about which I mind not to trouble my ſelf, ſeeing the 17th Article is the ſame in all, the words are as followeth: Predeſtination to life, is the everlaſting purpoſe of God, whereby before the foundation of the World laid, he hath constantly decreed by his counſel ſecret to us, to deliver from curſe and damnation, thoſe whom he hath choſen in Chriſt out of mankind, and to bring them by Chriſt to everlaſting ſalvation, as veſſels made to honour: wherefore they which be endued with ſo excellent a benefit of God, be call'd according to Gods purpoſe, by his Spirit, working in due ſeaſon; they, through grace obey the calling; they be juſtified freely; they be made ſons of God by adoption; they be made like the image of his onelyonly begotten Son Ieſus Chriſt; they walk religiouſly in good workes, and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlaſting felicity, &c.
Nor can any one that reads the common prayer booke with an unprejudiced mind chooſe but obſerve divers paſſages that manifeſtly make for a perſonall, eternall election. That which may be collected out of our Homilies I will not tranſcribe, ſeeing the booke is commonly to be had: Let me only minde thoſe, who are not wont much to deal in any books but our new Pamplets, of a Catechiſme ſet forth by Authority for all Schoolemaſters to teach in King Edw. 6. daies, the very year after the compoſing of the publick Articles, the King prefixed his royal Epiſtle, wherein he commands and chargeth all Schoolmaſters whatſoever within his Dominions, as they did reverence his Authority, and as they would avoyd his royal diſpleaſure, to teach this Catechiſme diligently and carefully, &c. In that Catechiſme, how doe Maſter and Scholar plainly declare themſelves to be no friends to any of the Tenents which Mr. P. contends for?
If this Book be not at hand, let the Bible printed by Rob. Barker, Anno 1607. be conſulted, and at the end of the Old Teſtament, there will be found certain Queſtions and Anſwers touching the Doctrine of Predeſtination, which are as full and punctual againſt Arminianiſme as may be.
But leſt all this ſhould not bee thought evidence ſufficient, we will produce our Arguments to prove the Church of England not to bee Arminian; and if not Arminian, much leſſe could ſhe account Anti-arminianiſm Blaſphemy.
1. Who were the Compoſers of our 39 Articles? were they not all the Diſciples and Auditors of Martin Bucer, and Peter Martyr? or at leaſt ſuch as held conſent with them in Doctrine? Dr. Alexander Nowel was Prolocutor of the Convocation in the time of Qu. Eliz. And whether he had any Communion with Arminians, let his Catechiſme ſpeak, I mean the Engliſh one, dedicated to the two Archbiſh. To the Church doe all they properly belong, as many as do truly fear, honour, and call upon God, altogether applying their minds to live holily and godly, and which putting all their truſt in God, do moſt aſſuredly look for the bleſſedneſſe of eternall life, they that be ſtedfast, ſtable, and conſtant in this faith, were choſen, and appointed, and (as we term it) predeſtinated to this ſo great felicity, pag. 44. and (paulo poſt) the Chuch is the body of the Chriſtian Commonweale; i. e. the univerſal number and fellowſhip of the faithfull, whom God through Chriſt, hath before all beginning of time appointed to everlaſting life. Shall we think that he, and others engaged with him in the ſame Convocation, were ſo ignorant, that they underſtood not what they put into the Articles? or ſo infatuated by God, as to put in things that were quite contrary to their own judgement?
2. If the Church of England did conſent to the opinions commonly called Arminian, how came ſhe to diſpoſe of her places of greateſt influence and truſt, to ſuch as were of a contrary perſwaſion? no places in our Church are more conſiderable for leavening the Clergy than the Archbiſhoprick of Canterbury, and the two Chaires in the Univerſity, both theſe have been occupied by thoſe who deteſted Arminianiſme as the ſhadow of death. Parker, Grindall, Whitgift, Bancroft, Abbot, are all known; particularly in the time of Biſhop Bancroft, came forth the book, called, The Faith, Religion, Doctrine profeſſed in the Realm of England, and Dominions thereof; ſaid in the Title page to be peruſed, and by the lawful authority of the Church of England, allowed to be made publick. Let Mr. P. or any one for him name the Dr. of the Chaire in Oxon, that did not totis viribus, oppoſe ſuch a Platform of Gods Decrees as men would faign obtrude upon us now. In …ambridge indeed we may find one Dr. Overall, who may bee ſuſpected a little to Arminianiſe, but his opinion is diſliked by Mr. Playfer in his Apello Evangelium, and therefore is not that which Mr. P. ſtickleth for. In the Conference at Hampton Court, he did declare himſelfe againſt the totall, or finall falling away of Gods elect: And would Mr. P. but come over to us in the point of Election, & Gods invincible working on the hearts of his choſen ones, we ſhould ſoon agree, or elſe very eaſily bear with one another in our differences.
3. If Mr. P. go the way that the Church of England hath taught him, how came it to paſſe, that as many as trod the Arminian path, were wont to be ſuppreſſed & cenſured, ſo ſoon as they beganne to diſcover themſelves? Who is ſuch a ſtranger in the Hiſtory of the Univerſity, that hath not heard of Barrets Recantation, made in the Univerſity Church, 10. of May 1595? And theſe are the words of the Order, appointing him that penalty, Habitâ maturâ deliberatione, nec non viſis & diligenter examinatis poſitionibus praedictis, quia manifeſto conſtabat poſitiones praedictas errorem & falſitatem in ſe continere, nec non aperte repugnare religioni in Eccleſia Anglicanâ receptae ac ſtabilitae, ideo judicaverunt, &c. See more in Mr. Th. Fuller. Peter Baro's Arminianiſme coſt him the loſs of his place, and which was worſt, loſt him the Affections of the Univerſity. Mr. Edward Sympſon, a fine Critick, preached a Sermon before King Iames at Royſton, taking for his Text, Iohn 3.6. That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh: hence he endeavoured to prove, that the Commiſſion of any great ſinne doth extinguiſh Grace, and Gods Spirit for the time in man. Hee added alſo, that St. Paul in the ſeventh Chapter to the Romanes, ſpake not of himſelf as an Apostle and Regenerate, but ſub ſtatu legis. Hereat his Majeſty took (& publickly expreſſed) great diſtaſte; becauſe Arminius had lately been blamed for extracting the like expoſition out of the Works of Faustus Socinus; whereupon hee ſent to the two Profeſſors in Cambridge for their judgement herein, who proved, and ſubſcribed the place, ad Rom. 7. to bee underſtood of a Regenerate man, according to St. Auguſtin his later opinion In his Retractations; and the Preacher was enjoyned a publick recantation before the King; which was performed accordingly.
Mr. Mountagues Appeale had almoſt been ſtrangled in the womb by Archbiſh. Abbot. When it ſaw light, how exceedingly it was diſliked, may appear by the ſeveral Anſwers made to it by Biſh. Carleton, Dean Sutliffe, Dr. Featly, Mr. Yates, Mr. Wooton, all Epiſcopal: Presbyt. Mr. Francis Rouſe: Independ. Mr. Henry Burton. Nor doe his Reſpondents object any thing more than his diſſent from the Doctrine of the Church of England. He was cenſured for it by the Parliament: Mr. Rim from the Committee for Religion made this Report to the Houſe of Commons, April 18. 1626. That hee had diſturbed the peace of the Church, by publiſhing Doctrines contrary to the Articles of the Church of England, and the Book of Homilies; that the whole frame and ſcope of the booke was to diſcourage the well affected in Religion from the true Religion eſtabliſhed in the Church, and to encline them, and as much as in him lay, to reconcile them to Popery. Let mee here inſert an Order made by the Houſe of Commons, 28 Ian. 1628. after a large Debate: We the Commons now aſſembled in Parliament, do claim, profeſs, and avow for truth, the ſenſe of the Articles of Religion, which were eſtabliſhed in Parliament, 13 Eliz. which by the publick Acts of the Church of England, and the general and currant expoſition of the Writers of our Church, have been delivered to us; and we reject the ſenſe of the Ieſuites and Arminians, and all others wherein they differ from us. If any one ſhall be deſirous to know why we meet with no cenſures of Arminianiſme in Oxon? the anſwer wil be, that thi… was not becauſe ſhe had leſſe zeal… againſt that error than her Siſter… but becauſe her members either were free from it, or elſe kept it to themſelves. Yet I could tell him o… Dr. Howſons ſuſpenſion for flurtin… at Mr. Iohn Calvin.
4. How comes it to paſs, tha… thoſe who now follow Arminius, di… heretofore follow Mr. Calvin? D… Iacksons Queſtions in veſper: 162… were, An peccatum originale liberum arbitrium in Adamo, & ipſius poſteris penitus extinxit? Affirm. An voluntas hominis lapſi ſic libera quoad actum converſionis ad Deum? Neg. And whoſe theſe were 1627. An praedeſtinatio ad ſalutem ſit propter praeviſam fidem? Neg. An praedestinatio ad ſalutem ſit mutabilis? Neg. An gratia ad ſalutem ſufficiens concedatur omnibus? Neg. Mr. P. knows, if he knows who admitted him a Demy. Nay he himſelf confeſſeth, that he holdeth not the ſame opinions that he did when he firſt commenced Mr. What did not the Parents, Maſters, Tutors of theſe perſons know what the Doctrine of the Church of Engl. was? or were they ſome ſchiſmatical Puritans who inſtructed them in a doctrine contrary to what is eſtabliſht by Law? I hope they will not ſo blemiſh their education; yet doe they not ſtrangely blemiſh the Church her ſelfe? For if ſhee did verily apprehend theſe Geneva Doctrines to be ſo contrary to the glory of God, and the power of godlyneſſe, why hath ſhee not in ſome Convocation declared the miſchievouſneſſe of theſe tenents, and warned her Sonnes againſt ſuch Catechiſms and Syſtems of Divinity as do contain them? Why hath the Practice of Pietie, Perkins his Principles, Balls Catechiſme, with divers others been ſo often printed?
5. If the Church be ſo cordially for Arminianiſme, how came it to paſs that King Iames ſhould bee ſo very ſolicitous to have it weeded out in other Churches? Did he not put the States upon calling an Aſſembly to condemn Epiſcopius and his party? Did he not ſend ſome of his Divines of ſingular Piety and parts to ſit in that Aſſembly? charging them not to agree to any thing contrary to the Church of England, and yet rewarding them at their returne, when they had ſuffraged to the contra remonſtrants. Did not he exclaim againſt the impudence of Bertius, for ſaying that his Doctrine of the Apoſtaſie of Saints was agreeable to the Doctrine of our Church? Doe but obſerve how Mr. P. ſtrives to get out of your hand, though you think you have him faſt: Div. Puri. p. 6, 7. Although King Iames in his younger yeares had imbibed and ſuckt in, even before hee was aware, that Presbyterian opinion of the Genevizing, Scotiſh Kirk (which no man living will think ſtrange, who knows the place of his birth & his education) yet in riper and wiſer years, he found ſo great reaſon to retract and abjure his former error, that he readily accepted of Biſhop Mountagues Appeal, and commanded it to be printed, and to be dedicated alſo unto his royal ſelf, when even this was the Doctrine Appealed for, that the children of God may fall away, according to the tenour of our ſixteenth Article, which the King perceiving to be the words and mind of the Church of England, and that Bertius had diſcerned it a great deal ſooner than himſelfe, he did not think it below him to grow in knowledge & wiſdom as well as yeares. The very mentioning of B. Mountague makes him talk like a Dictator rather than an Hiſtorian. B. Mountague ſaith in his Appeale, leſt the Lambeth Articles ſhould too much ſtand in his way, that they were afterwards forbidden by publick authority: But Mr. Tho. Fuller, Book 9. p. 231. makes himſelf a little merry with the Learned man; When, where, and by whom this prohibition was made, he is not pleaſed to tell us: and ſtrange it is, that a publick Prohibition ſhould be whiſpered ſo ſoftly, that this author alone ſhould hear it, and none other to my knowledge take notice thereof. Such another Winter tale hath Mr. Pierce told us: King Iames changed his judgment: when, or where? how many monthes or years before his death? of theſe not a tittle. Doth he think that ſo unlikely a change will bee believed without very ſtrong proofs? I can prove that not above a month before he dyed, giving directions and inſtructions to two Divines, having occaſion to touch upon the treatiſes of St. Auguſt. that are extant in the 7. Tome, he ſtiled them. S. Auguſtins Polemical Tracts againſt the Hereticks that agree with our Arminians, and preſently calling to minde their proper name, termed thoſe Hereticks Pelagians. Vid. Feat. Parallels. Now though ſome people, who vvill be prating about vvhat concerns them not, do talk parilouſly about ſome poyſon given to the King, not long before his death, yet that the poyſon vvas the Arminian errors, I never heard or dreamed. That the Divines employed at that venerable Synod never changed their mind, is beyond all doubt. Hear Biſhop Hall and Biſhop Davenant in their Letters to one another. Biſhop Hall: Yea as if this calumny was not enough, there want not thoſe whoſe ſecret whiſperings caſt upon me the foul aſperſions of another ſect, whoſe name is as much hated, as little underſtood. My Lord, you know I had a place with you (though unworthy) in that famous Synod of Dort, where (however ſickneſs bereaved me of the honour of a concluſive ſubſcription) yet your Lordſhip heard mee with equall vehemence to the reſt crying downe the unreaſonableneſſe of that way. I am ſtil the ſame man, and ſhall live and die in the ſuffrage of that reverend Synod, & doe confidently avow, that thoſe other oppoſed opinions, cannot ſtand with the Doctrine of the Church of England. Biſhop Davenant replyeth. As for the aſperſion of Arminianiſme, I can teſtifie, that in our joint employment at the Synod of Dort, you were as farre from it as my ſelfe. And I know that no man can embrace it, in the Doctrine of Predeſtination and grace, but he muſt firſt deſert the Articles agreed upon by the Church of England: nor in the point of perſeverance, but he muſt vary from the common Tenet and received opinion of our beſt approved Doctors in the Engliſh Church, Mentis aureae verba bracteata.
Obj. Notwithſtanding all this, …t is plainly ſaid that we may fall away from grace received Article 16. As will appear if we compare the 16th. Article, with the firſt part of the homily touching falling away from God, Pag. 54.57. With the forme of Baptiſme, with the Catechiſme, and all with the Conference at Hampton-Court. Pag. 29, 30, 31.
Anſw. All theſe have been compared by every one of thoſe 7. writers that undertook the anſwer to Mr. Mountagues appeal, & yet they never thought it incumbent upon them to alter their minds Mr. Mountague ſaith both in his Gag & appeale, that our Church hath left this undecided; and in the conference at Hampton-Court, I find Dr. Reynolds moving that the words totally and finally might be added for explication of the Article, and that the Lambeth Articles might be in ſerted. The King then unacquainted with the Lambeth Articles, thought not meet to put them in: But liked it well enough in his Clergy of Ireland, that they took them into their confeſſion, Dr. Overall ſaid ſomething touching an opinion of his, about which he had been queſtioned by ſome, but concluded that the elect do never fall away totally, or finally. The Biſhop of London ſaid he knew, there were ſome that did make an ill uſe of the decrees; But had before the conference agreed to the Lambeth Articles, and after the conference when he was Archb. his Chaplain with his good liking and approbation publiſhed the expoſition, and Analyſis of our Articles, in which he gives the Calviniſt as fair quarter as could be wiſhed. And now I would faing know why I am ſent to the conference at Hampton-Court? Mr. Hooker, had I warrant you read Artic. Homilies, forme of Baptiſm, and ſeeing he could ſcarce tell how to ſpeak not judiciouſly we will conſult him, the rather becauſe it ſeems this Author was by the late King commended to his Children as an antidote againſt the poiſon of Popery. Diſc. of juſtifi. p. 506. As Chriſt beeing raiſed from the dead, dyeth no more, death hath no more power over him: So the juſtified man beeing allyed to God in Ieſus Christ our Lord, doth as neceſſarily from that time forward allwayes live, as Chriſt by whom he hath life liveth allway. I might if I had not other where largely done it allready, ſhew by many and ſundry, manifeſt and cleer proofs, how the motions and operations of this life, are ſometimes ſo in diſcerneable, and ſo ſecret, that they ſeem ſtone dead, who are notwithstanding ſtill alive unto God in Chriſt. For as long as that abideth in us, which animateth, quickeneth, and giveth life, ſo long we live and we know that the cauſe of our faith abideth in us for ever. If Chriſt the Fountain of life, may flit and leave the habitation, where once he dwelleth, what ſhall become of his promiſe I am with you to the end of the World? If the ſeed of God which containeth Christ, may be firſt conceived & then caſt out how doth St. Peter terme it immortall? How doth St. John affirme it abideth? If the Spirit, which is given to cheriſh, and preſerve the ſeed of life, may be given and taken away how is it the earneſt of our in heritance untill redemption. Anno 1625. one Mr. Damport, did anſwer on this Queſtion, An renati poſſint totaliter & finaliter excidere à gratiâ. His opponent one Mr. Palmer of Lincolne Colledge urged, out of Mr. Mountagues appeal the Article of our Church, the Homilies, the book of Common prayer, the Dr. of the Chair handled the Appellator ſhrewdly, ſaying he was Merus Grammaticus, a fellow that ſtudied Phraſes more than Matter. that he underſtood neither the Articles; nor the Homilies, or at leaſt perverted both.
And what thinkes Mr. P. of the Univerſity of Oxon? did not ſhee know the opinions of the Church of England? or would ſhe countenance any thing that had ſo much as the appearance of contrariety to our Church? How came it then to paſſe that her congregations appointed queſtions to be diſputed of at the publick acts, in which are the greateſt confluence of the of Sons of Levi. That proceeders maintained in a Calviniſtical way? How many are now alive that can remember this Queſtion, an ex Doctrina reformatorū ſequatur Deū eſſe autorē peccati: held Neg. And maintained to the ſatisfaction of the hearers, the Arminian Doctors, mean while ſhewing themſelves rather angry, than able opponents. Let any one who queſtioneth the truth of what I now ſay, conſult the Act Papers that are printed as often as thoſe Academical ſolemnities are celebrated, What ſhould I ſay more, we know when Arminianiſme began, & under whoſe wings it was ſheltered, viz. the D. of Buck. and Biſhop Laud, of whom the firſt had ſo much of an Herod in him, as would not have ſuffered him ſo long to continue friendſhip with the latter, if he had not had too little of a St. Ioh. Baptiſt, whileſt they did rule, not before, nor ſince, paſſages in books againſt Arminianiſme, were blotted out, reflections in Sermons upon Remonſtrants were diſliked, by Biſhop Lauds meanes, Dr. Downhams book againſt the Totall & finall Apoſtaſy of the ſaints from grace, was called in, in his dayes Mr. Ford of Mag. H. Mr. Thorn of Baliol, Mr. Hodges of Exeter, were cenſured; but let it be obſerved that the ground of the Cenſure was not their having preached any thing contrary to the Doctrine of the Church, (which is the forme of the cenſure poſſed upon Arminians by the ancient Proteſtants) but onelyonly their going againſt the Kings Declaration, which determined nothing, but onelyonly injoyned ſilence in theſe points. Now I hope the Church did not live and dye with B. and C. Nay their flouriſhing was the decaying and languiſhing of Church and State too, nor could either body vell recover but by ſpewing out ſuch evill inſtruments.
Obj. The Church of England is for univerſal redemption the Calviniſts that are Antiarminian are againſt it.
Anſ. Mr. P. indeed is hugely confident that it we grant him univerſall redemption the cauſe is yeelded to him: But I am all moſt as confident, that to grant him univerſall redemption is to grant him juſt nothing at all, for what though Chriſt did ſo far die for all as to procure a ſalvation for all, upon the conditions of faith and repentance, what's this to the abſoluteneſſe of Gods decrees, or to the inſuperability of converting grace, or to the certain infallible perſeverance of Gods elect after converſion. King Iames underſtood theſe controverſies far better then either Mr. P. or I. and yet he even at that very time when he ſent his Divines to the Synod of Dort, to determine againſt the Arminianiſme that was then growing in the Low Countries, gave it them in charge not to deny that Chriſt died for all, as I my ſelf was told by Biſhop Ʋſher, the firſt time I had the happineſſe to have any perſonall diſcourſe with him; who alſo further then told me, that he gave in his own judgement to Dr. Davenant for univerſall redemption, but withall added, that there were a certaine number upon whom God abſolutely purpoſed to beſtow his Spirit, taking away the heart of ſtone and giving them an heart of fleſh, and we know that Dr. Davenant, in that very diſſertation, in which one concluſion is, Mors ſive paſſio Chriſti, ut univerſalis cauſa ſalutis humanae deum patrem, ipſo facto oblationis eateuus reddit placatū & reconciliatum humano generi, ut vere nunc dicatur paratus quemvis hominem in gratiam recipere, ſimulac in Chriſtum crediderit; neminem tamen ſaltem ex adultis praedicta Chriſti mors reponit in ſtatū gratiae actualis reconciliationis, ſive ſalutis, antequam credat. Hath two more extreamly oppoſite to his darling notions, Conc: 4a. Poſitâ Chriſti morte omnibus hominibus applicabili ſub conditione fidei, ſtat cum bonitate & justitia Divina ſuppeditare vel negare, ſive nationibus, ſive ſingularibus hominibus, media applicationis id que pro bene placito voluntatis ſue, non pro diſparitate voluntatis humanae: & p. 88. Mors Chriſti, ex ſpeciali intentione Dei patris illud ſacrificium ab aeterno ordinantis & acceptantis, Chriſtique illud idem in plenitudine temporis deo patri offerentis, deſtinata fuit certis quibuſdam hominibus (quos electos Scriptura vocat) iiſdemque ſolis ut efficaciter & infallibiliter applicanda ad aeternae vitae conſecutionem. The Comment upon this Theſis hee thus begins; Hanc Theſin opponimus Arminiorum errori, quem Grevinchovius ſtabilire conatur, diſſer: de morte Chriſti, p. 7. Ʋbi docet Deum tradentem Filium ſuum, intendiſſe impetrationem reconciliationis omnibus et ſingulis communem, applicationem vero ejuſdem impetratae nemini mortalium abſolute voluiſſe. If Mr. P. cannot ſwallow theſe two laſt, let him anſwer the Doctors arguments, and count me as much engaged to defend them, as if I my ſelfe had made them. If he can digeſt them, let him know that I have no quarrell with him about the former, which would never have found ſo many adverſaries among Calviniſts, if the Arminians had ſtated it ſo clearly, & proved it by ſo good arguments, as the Rev. Profeſſor hath don. But what do I talk of agreeing with ſuch a man as Mr. P? who rather than not fight, will cōtend with his own ſhadow. Dr. P. H. a bird of the ſame feather, who alſo took his flight from the Angel in Ivy-lane, will needs have Biſhop Ʋſher to differ from the Church of England in the point of univerſal redemption; mark his proof, p. 102. The Church of England doth maintain an univerſal Redemption of all mankind, by the death and ſufferings of our Saviour. Well, and ſo doth the deceaſed Primate, p. 103. We think not that all mankind is ſo perfectly reconciled to Almighty God, as to be really and actually diſcharged from all their ſinns, before they beleeve, but that they are ſo far reconciled unto him, as to be capable of the remiſſion of their ſins, in caſe they doe not want that faith in their common Saviour which is required thereunto. Well, and ſo thought the Primate too. 'Tis a wonder that a Doctor of Divinity ſhould ſo unvvorthily handle a Reverend perſon, and faſten upon him a diſſent from the Church of England, in a matter vvherein he doth ſo perfectly agree with her. But he hath received the due deſert of his bitterneſſe, his Book being, as I am informed, burned by the hand of the common Hangman. And now Reader, thou wilt apply to me the ſpeech of Diogenes concerning Mindas, but I ſhall eaſe thy patience, when I have onelyonly deſired thee to reſolve this moſt plaine and eaſie queſtion: Whether thoſe opinions, which are contrary to the judgement of the Compoſers of our Articles, which have been frequently recanted by the divulgers of them, oppoſed by our Learned Profeſſors, condemned by our civil authority, the contrary whereunto have been conſtantly defended in our Acts, the greateſt Academical ſolemnities, be the Doctrine of our Church of England.
ERRATA.
Pref. r. that I. r. none know. for one r. once. p. 14. l. penult. r. Mat. 7.3, 4, 5. p. 74. l. 12. r. à Deo. p. 77. l. 24. r. 'tis p. 96. l. 6. for them r. his reaſons.
Miſtakes in ſpelling, or in accenting Greek words, or in not diſtinguiſhing the members of ſentences, if I ſhould note, I ſhould too much diſtruſt the judgement of the Reader.