The Judgment of the Extent of Christs Death, Title page – To the reader
THE JUDGEMENT Of the late ARCH-BISHOP OF ARMAGH, And I Primate of Ireland,
1. Of the Extent of Christs death and satisfaction, &c.
2. Of the Sabbath, and observation of the Lords day.
3. Of the Ordination in other reformed Churches:
With a Vindication of him from a pretended change of opinion in the first; Some Advertisements upon the latter; And, in prevention of further injuries, A Declaration of his judgement in several other subjects. By N. Bernard, D. D. and Preacher to the Honourable society of Grayes-Inne, London.
Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost:
Joh. 6. 12.
London, Printed for John Crook, at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1658.
TO THE READER.
THE first Treatise containing the Judgement of the most eminent Primate of Ireland, concerning the True Intent and Extent of Christs death, and satisfaction upon the Crosse, was written by him, at the request of a Friend, a little before the Synod of Dort: a Copy of which being taken, was (unknowne to him) carried thither by a Member of it: upon the multiplying of them exceptions were taken by divers, and by one Penne contracted into a Letter to him; which the second Treatise is an answer unto: both these I had from him about twenty eight yeares agone, and now upon the desire of such, whose judgements I subscribe unto, and the prevention of other mistaken Copies, which possibly might be produced, I have been hastened to the printing of them. That which hath given the occasion, is the mistake lately published of the change of his Judgement in it, a little before his death: But by the view of these, I believe the Authour will receive satisfaction. In the vindication of which two Letters, being desired from me long agone, (which have been hitherto deferred the publick) I have been importuned to permit them to be annexed.
Unto which I shall here adde but this, That not onelyonly in the forenamed subjects, but in the rest relating to the Remonstrants, the Primate concurred with Bishop Davenant, whose Lectures Demorte Christi, & praedestinatione & reprobatione, he caused to be published, only that little Treatise added in the conclusion of it, entituled Sententia Ecclesiae Anglicanae de praedestinatione & capitibus annexis, &c. taken to be Bishop Davenants, and implyed so by the Printer (ab eodem, uti fertur, Authore, which possibly hath occasioned the apprehension of a change in him also) I have been assured by a Person of Eminency, (who affirms it out of his own knowledge) that it was Bishop Overals.
And now upon this occasion I have thought fit to publish a Learned Letter of the Primates wrote many yeares agone to Doctor Twisse, concerning the Sabbath, and, Observation of the Lords day; having two Copies, corrected throughout with his owne hand, with parts of two other Letters of the same matter, which I had together with the former: as also his judgement in divers other subjects, both in Doctrine and Discipline, with some Advertisements for the clearing and preventing of any further misapprehensions.
Unto which is added his Reduction of Episcopacy to the form of Synodical Government, &c. before published; And at the request of the Printer, a distinction of those Bo…kes which are owned by the Primate, from such as are not.
If the Readers Opinion shall dissent in any of the above-named, or swell into an opposition, let him not expect any defensive Armes to be taken up by me, it being my part to declare his judgement as I finde it, Which with the most Pious and Learned, I doubt not but will be (as it hath been) of a Reverend and high esteem: If it may but moderate the heat, which hath lately broken out among us about some of them, the fruit expected is reaped; And as these shall be of profit and acceptance, I shall be encouraged to a further gathering up of the like fragments.
N. B.