An Antidote Against Heresy, Title page – Table of contents
AN ANTIDOTE Againſt HERESY: OR A Preſervative for Proteſtants againſt the poyſon of Papiſts, Anabaptiſts, Arrians, Arminians, &c. and their peſtilent Errours.
Shewing the Authors of thoſe Errours, their grounds and reaſons, the time when and occaſion how they did ariſe; with general Anſwers to their Arguments taken out of holy Scripture and the Ancient Fathers.
Written to ſtay the wandering and ſtabliſh the weak in theſe dangerous times of Apoſtaſy.
By RICHARD ALLEN, M. A. ſometime Fellow of Penbrooke Colledge in Oxford.
Pro. 23.23. Buy the Truth and ſell it not
London, Printed by John Macock, and are to be ſold by Nathaniel Brooks at the ſign of the Angel in Cornhil.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT. Grace and Peace be multiplyed.
Right Honorable,
DIfferences in the Church have always cauſed differences in the Commonwealth; and differences in the Commonwelth do commonly widen thoſe differences in the Church. Differences in Religion did cauſe theſe unhappy and unnatural Wars; and theſe Wars have not ended but encreaſed them. For notwithſtanding the Solemn League and Covenant to extirpate all Popery, Hereſie, Schiſm, &c. and in purſuance thereof your late pious Ordinance to ſtop their farther growth, beſides the excellent labours of many learned men, yet Hereſies are encreaſed above number, like the unruly waters, the more they are ſtopt, the more they rage and ſwell. And indeed Hereſie, Prophaneſs, Barbariſm, and Atheiſm it ſelf have always and in all places followed war as cloſe as famine or peſtilence do; times of war and confuſion, being as fit times for the envious man to ſow his tares in, as times of peace, ſleep or ſecurity. And now for compoſing theſe differences; The Italians in a proverbial ſpeech uſe to ſay, that Hard to Hard never makes good ſtone-wall: Meaning, that in any difference, there muſt be ſome yeelding, or elſe there can never be any firm uniting. In matters of Religion, I have v…ntured to do ſomething, my calling thereunto engaging me, with extream longings to ſee peace and truth ſettled amongſt us: Theſe poor labors, I humbly preſent unto your Honors, hoping your Honors will take in good part, what is intended to a good end, though perhaps it may come much ſhort of it; and accept the work though ſmall, ſeeing the ſmalleſt ſtone will help to repair the greateſt breach.
Your Honors humbly devoted RICHARD ALLEN.
monſter, that neither of the Swords yet could tame or cut off. But when I heard the moſt horrid Blaſphemies, and ſaw the monſtrous Hereſies that every day new-ſprang up, to the high diſhonor and displeaſure of Almighty God, the reproach of his truth, ſaddening the hearts and dejecting the minds of his people: the enemy in mean ſpace riding in triumph and treading down all before him: Setting aſide all doubts and fears, at laſt I finiſht and publiſht this ſmall book, partly inclined thereunto to yeeld ſome account of my late unpleaſing leiſure; but chiefly, for diſcharge of my duty, and a double engagement that lay upon me: 1. As a Chriſtian, being all bound, as the Apoſtle exhorts us, Jude 3. To contend earneſtly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints. 2. As a Miniſter of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, which we are bound more ſpecially to defend, and not to give place to falſe teachers, No not for an hour that the truth of the Goſpel may continue, Gal. 2.5. Beſides the ſolemn Covenant to extirpate all Hereſie, Schiſm, and Prophaneſs, and whatſoever is contrary to ſound doctrine.
And now (right worſhipful) I preſent you with it, ſuch as it is, being engaged alſo thereunto by the many favors and kindneſſes I have received of you, whereof be pleaſed to tak this as an acknowledgment.
I hope it may prove ſome help to diſcover the manifold ſleights and impoſtures of falſe Prophets and Deceivers that are entered into the world, that privily bring in damnable Hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them. And many follow their pernicious ways, but my prayers are always for you, that yee may ever eſcape their ſnares.
Your Worſhips much obliged Nephew, Richard Allen.
A TABLE OF THE HEADS OR CHAPTERS.
Chap. I. OF the holy Scripture. Page 1.
Chap. II. Of the Bleſſed Trinity. Page 14.
Chap. III. Of the Creation. Page 26.
Chap. IV. Of Providence. Page 29.
Chap. V. Of the Fall of Man, and Original Sin. Page 35.
Chap. VI. Of Freewil. Page 40.
Chap. VII. Of the Perſon of Chriſt. Page 44
Chap. VIII. Of the Office of Chriſt. Page 48
Chap. IX. Of the Death of Chriſt. Page 50
Chap. X. Of the Reſurrection of Chriſt. Page 54
Chap. XI. Of Predeſtination. Page 56
Chap. XII. Of Vocation. Page 64
Chap. XIII. Of Justification. Page 73
Chap. XIV. Of Sanctification. Page 78
Chap. XV. Of the Moral Law. Page 84
Chap. XVI. Of Good Works. Page 87
Chap. XVII. Of Death and Burial. Page 90
Chap. XVIII. Of the Reſurrection of the fleſh. Page 94
Chap. XIX. Of Glorification in Heaven. Page 96
Chap. XX. Of Hell. Page 98
Chap. XXI. Of Purgatory. Page 99
Chap. XXII. Of Images. Page 102
Chap. XXIII. Of the Church. Page 106
Chap. XXIV. Of the Sacraments. Page 115
Chap. XXV. Of Baptiſm. Page 119
Chap. XXVI. Of the Lords Supper. Page 126
Chap. XXVII. Of Reformation. Page 134
Chap. XXVIII. Of Toleration. Page 143