Valentinians, like the Calvinists of later days, affirmed, that one part of mankind is certain of falvation, and another incapa. ble of attaining it; that fome men are naturally good, and fome naturally bad; and they called themfelves the elect feed pre-ordained to falvation. The Manichæans denied the freedom of the human will; fpoke of the elect as perfons, who could not fin, or fail of falvation; and of man's nature, as incapable of change. Thefe and fimilar heretics of the fecond and third centuries, were all of the Gnostic fect*. Their religion was a mixture of Eastern philofophy with divine revelation. Their abfurd notions concerning the origin of evil, and the creation and government of the world, being contrary to the principles of the Gofpel, were little noticed by the early orthodox Fathers. During the first four centuries there is nothing of a controverfial fpirit in the expofition, which the Fathers have given of the texts in fcripture, which have fince their time been the fubject of fo much difpute. Their fenfe of thefe paffages was the fenfe admitted by all the members of the Catholic church. Their object was, to eftablish the divine origin of the Gofpel dif penfation; and to enforce the neceffity of lively faith and prac tical obedience. The univerfality of the redemption purchafed by the death of Chrift; the affistance of divine grace vouchfafed to every fincere believer of the Gofpel: the freedom of the human will, and the poffibility of every Chriftian working out his falvation, are treated as fundamental and undifputed truths. In the 5th century, Pelagius extolled the powers of the human mind beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit. He was warmly oppofed by Auguftine, bishop of Hippo in Africa, a man of lively parts, but of unfteady principles; and fo deficient in learning, that it is doubted, whether he could read the New Teftament in the original, or was acquainted with the writings of the primitive Fathers. He was in early life a Manichæan, and when he renounced that herefy, fome remains of it re mained; fo that in combating the error of Pelagius, he naturally fell into the oppofite extreme. He afferted the neceffity of divine grace in forming a Chriftian temper and a faving faith, but maintained, that human exertions are of no avail, and that the whole of man's falvation is effected by the irrefiftible operation of the Holy Spirit; and that God, from the foundation of the world. decreed to fave fome men, and to confign others to eternal punishment +. The tenets of the Bafilidians and Valentinians

upon

Irenæus. Difs. 1. p. 57.

+" These doctrines were fo directly in oppofition to what he had written before the Pelagian controverfy, that towards the end of his life he thought it neceffary to publish Retractations,' in which he acknowledged a change of opinion :-I know of no

author,

upon these points, without their other abfurdities were brought forth, from the Eaftern philofophy, by a perfon of high ftation, and of orthodox faith, and put into a fyftematic form, for the refutation of an acknowledged and dangerous error. Yet ftill there was not a general adoption of the novel doctrine of Ab. folute Decrees. Almoft the whole body of Chriftians adhered to the opinions concerning predeftination and grace, which had prevailed, without interruption, for more than four centuries; and the fubject was fcarcely difcuffed in the next four hundred years*. About the middle of the ninth century, Gotefchalc + brought Auguftine again into notice, but gave fo much offence, that he was degraded from the priesthood, publicly whipped in the prefence of Charles the Bald, king of France, and committed to prifon for the reft of his life. His doctrines were condemned in two councils, and though the proceedings again him were unjuftifiable, they declare the fentiments of the Church at this period. In the darker ages, which fucceeded, lived the Schoolmen. The earliest of them ftrongly inclined to the opinions of Auguftine; and the latter did not entirely agree with each other upon predeftination, yet it does not appear, that any of them denied freedom of will, or were advocates for abfolute and irrespective decrees. Nearer to the Reformation, we find the Dominicans and Auguftines contending for the irrefiftibility of divine grace and unconditional election, while the Francifcana and Jefuits maintained the oppofite opinions. At the period immediately preceding the Reformation, the church of Rome in. culcated the doctrine of human merit; and, with this view, grace and election were reprefented as the reward of foreseen voluntary good works in each individual. This tenet was op. pofed by Luther and Melanéthon, who contended, that by the Gofpel covenant the grace of God is gratuitoufly bestowed upon all believers, and that the whole fyftem of congruous and con dign merit, which had fo long difgraced the Chriftian church, ought to be abandoned as unfounded and mifchievous. Thefe two eminent reformers, difcouraged all fpeculation concerning the counfels of God, beyond what is clearly revealed; and when their Creed was fully fettled, they unequivocally maintained the doctrines of universal grace, and the liberty of the human will

author, antient or modern, in whofe works there are so many contradictions and inconfiftencies as in thofe of Auguftine,"

In this interval lived Pope Gregory the Great, no advocate for abfolute decrees. Hincmar, page 35. The fame author alfo fays, that Leo the Great fupported the doctrine of univerfal redemption." P. 274.

+"Gotefchalcus Hinemar, p. 101,"

hujus iniquæ fabulationis refufcitator,

to accept or reject the offered means of Salvation. The doctrines of Auguftine were revived by Calvin: his acuteness, confidence, and zeal, foon made them the fource of much diffenfion in Germany, France, and Switzerland,

"Such were the origin and progrefs of what are now called Calvinistic opinions, from the days of the Apostles to the æra of the reformation,-from Simon Magus to the reformer of Geneva, Let us now turn to our own Church.

"The diftinctions of the different fects of Proteftantifm were little regarded in this kingdom at the time of the refor mation. The struggle was, whether popery or protestantism fhould prevail; our reformers exerted their ftrength to abolish popish corruptions; but did not favour this or that leader of the reformation in other countries: Bucer and Martyr, who were fuppofed to have adopted the opinions of Calvin, were invited into England, and placed as profeffors of divinity, the former at Cambridge, the latter at Oxford, On the other hand, Cranmer declined the offered affiftance of Calvin, and confulted Melancthon +, who certainly did not agree with Calvin; and our Articles more nearly coincide with the Augfbourg Confeffion, which is decidedly Anti-Calviniftic, than with any other public declaration of faith. The mischiefs arifing to the Protestant caufe, from certain opinions, unconnected with Popery, were fresh before the eyes of our reformers; and operated powerfully on them; yet, without diffembling ar fhrinking, they were content to exprefs doctrines, in oppofition to the peculiarities of Calvin, in mild and general terms, and frequently in the very language of Scripture. Thus all offence and dispute upon points of this nature were avoided, till Popery was confidered as no longer formidable. Soon after the reformation was accomplifhed, fome of our Divines, who had taken refuge at Geneva during queen Mary's perfecution, began to avow and maintain. the doctrines of Calvin, and to urge the neceffity of a change in our public formularies. Thefe difcuffions were carried on with fome warmth in Elizabeth's reign; but her fpirit prevented any ferious inconvenience. In the feeble reign of her fuccefor, the opinions of Calvin made confiderable progrefs, and naturally weakened fubordination, to regal authority; and the injudicious conduct of Charles the Firft gave full fcope for the operation of thofe principles, which terminated in the tragical death of that unfortunate Monarch, and the temporary fubverfion, of our

* "Bucer died in 1551, the year before our 42 Articles were drawn up, which were the bafis of our prefent 39 Articles." + "Melanthon alfo was invited into England before March 1534, and repeatedly afterwards, but he did not come."

"Heylin's Quinq. Hift. [III, 19. p. 609.]”

Civil and Ecclefiaftical Conftitution. Upon the return of Charles the Second, the ufe of the Liturgy, which had been many years laid afide, was restored with improvements of no Calvinistic tendency; and it has remained in that state to the present time. The Calvinists had attempted clandeftinely to procure fome apparent authority to their opinions, by means of the Lambeth Articles towards the end of Elizabeth's reign, and more publickly in the Hampton Court Conference t, in the beginning of the reign of James the Firft; and again at the Savoy Conference, foon after the restoration of Charles the Second. These repeated attempts to introduce the principles of Calvin, into our public Formularies, incontestably prove, that they were not framed according to the fyftem of that reformer; and what paffed upon thofe occafions plainly fhews, that the body of the clergy and nation, was, at all thofe different periods, decidedly Anti-Calviniftic. The early Calvinifts of this country thus failed in their endeavours to obtain a change in our Public Formularies. Hence their more modern fucceffors, defpairing of alteration, adopt a different mode of proceeding, and boldly contend, that the Articles, Liturgy, and Homilies, are already Calvinistic, and admit of no other interpretation ‡."

We fhall now proceed, according to the propofed plan, with a view of the doctrines examined in the first chapter of the REFUTATION.

I. ORIGINAL SIN, FREE WILL, AND THE OPERATION

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

A LIST of the paffages quoted from the works of CALVIN on these points, by the Bishop of Lincoln §.

INSTITUTES. I. 15. 8. [Refut. of Calv. p. 527.] III. 23. 4. 540.] In Rom. VI. 6. and VII. 14. [540.] DE OCC. DEI PROVID. P. 736. and 738, [558.]

INSTITUT. I. 15. 8. [p. 527.] II. 2. 1. [528.] II. 3. 9. 10. [529.] II. 4. 1. 3. [581] In Rom. VII. 14. [546.] VIII. 7. [547.]

INSTITUT. I. 18. 2. [528.] II. 3. 10. [530.] In Rom. VIII.6. [546.] XI. 32. [553.]

"On the other hand, our Articles are fometimes called Arminian; which is manifeftly abfurd, as they were drawn up in their prefent form in 1562, and Arminius was born in 1560. The fame obfervation will apply to our Liturgy and Homilies."

Many of these citations, like those from the Fathers, relate to more than one of Calvin's tenets. They are, however, generally placed only under the more prominent head.

A LIST of the quotations from the ancient Fathers of the Chriftian Church, for the purpose of proving, that the earliest HERETICS entertained opinions greatly refembling the peculiar tenets of CALVINISM is omitted.

Thefe citations principally relate to faith and good works; or to election and reprobation. The authors are, Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Cyril of Jerufalem, Epiphanius, Gregory of Nazianzum,-Jerome and Theodoret. We fhall mention them here, once for all, and muft refer thofe readers, who are defirous of examining the, refemblances between the ancient herefies of Saturninus, Bafilides, Valentinus, and Marcion, and the peculiar tenets of Calvin, to the original REFUTATION. Their labour will be pleasingly rewarded, and they may feel encouraged to hope, that in thefe degenerate days of herefy and fchifm, the true Church of Christ will be able to meet the attacks of its enemies, with as much temper, energy, and fuccefs, as the churchmen of old repelled the efforts of the Heretics and Schifmatics, who were their contemporaries.

A LIST of the Quotations from the ancient Fathers of the Chriftian Church, in chronological order, for the purpose of proving, that they maintained doctrines in direct oppo. fition to the peculiar tenets of Calvin.

"ORIGINAL SIN. Serms. p. 412. in the Refut. of Calv. Auguftine 443.

FREE WILL. IGNATIUS. p. 288. JUSTIN MARTYR 290, 291, 292, 294, 295, 297, 299. TATIAN 300. IRENEUS 302, 304, 307, 309. CLEM. ALEX. 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 317, 318. TERTULL. 318, 319, 320. ORIG. 321,

322, 323, 324, 327, 328, 329, 332, 334, 336, 338, 339. CYPRIAN 340, 341. EUSEBIUS 343. ATHANASIUS 344. CYRIL JER. 346, 347, 351, 353. HILARY 355, 358, 359, 360, 361, 363, 364. EPIPHANIUS 364, 365. BASIL 365, 366, 367, 368, 369. GREG. NAZ. 371, GRIG. NYss. 375. ST. AMBROSE 376, 379, 381. JEROME 384, 385, 386, 387, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394,400, 404, 408, 409; 410, 411. AUGUSTIN. 412, 415, 416, 417, 419, 422, 423, 430, 431, 433, 437, 444, 445, 446, 448. CHRYSOST. 450, 452, 455, 456, 457, 458, 462, 467, 470, 476, 477, 478, 481, 482, 487, 488, 497, 501. THEODORET 502, 503, 506, and 507.

OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IRENEUS 303. HILARY 359. AMBROSE 380, 381, 382. JEROME 387, 388, 404, 405. AUGUST. 417, 420, 422, 430, 433, 448. CHRYSOST. 450, 452, 463, 468, 469, 470, 471, 474, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 486, 488, 489,-494, THEODOR. 507."

After thefe LISTS, which may convey fome notion

of