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brought unto the very brim of desperation, yea, and unto hell'gates,' (that is, unless thou hast been led to despair of saving thyself; and been convinced, that thou deservest to perish ;) ' thou canst never meddle with the sentence of predestination, ' without thine own harm, and without secret wrath and grudg'ing inwardly against God; for otherwise it shall not be pos'sible for thee to think that God is righteous and just.-Therefore, must Adam be well mortified, and the fleshly wit brought utterly to nought, ere that thou mayest away with this thing, ' and drink so strong wine.-Take heed therefore unto thyself, 'that thou drink not wine, while thou art yet but a suckling. 'For every learning hath her time, measure, and age and in 'Christ there is a certain childhood, in which a man must be content with milk for a season; until he wax strong, and grow up, unto a perfect man in Christ, and be able to eat of more strong meat.'

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Tindal was one of the first of our reformers, and spent a great part of his life in translating the scriptures: and, as it appears to me, he had acquired more scriptural views of these doctrines, than the reformers on the continent attained, who were versed in the study of the schoolmen. If these quotations be not Calvinistic; the evangelical clergy, in general, are not so: and we are not ambitious of a name which is thought to bring us under an obligation to call Calvin master, and to adopt all his sentiments. But many other quotations from persons less distinguished must be omitted: and a few selected from the more eminent characters concerned, in the reformation of our church, before the days of Mary.

CRANMER.

This article speaketh only of the elect, in whom finally no 'fault shall be; but they shall perpetually continue and endure.' Likewise the elect shall not wilfully and obstinately with'stand God's calling.' The elect will follow Christ's precepts, and repent and rise again when they fall.' In my judgment, it were better to say, The elect shall follow Christ's precepts; 'or when they fall, yet they shall repent and rise again, and 'obtain remission.' The true and faithful man endeavoureth 'to conform his will to God's will in all things, and to walk right forth in all his precepts, and where by infirmity he chanceth to Tindal, Vol. i. 66, 67, Fathers, &c

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'fall, he lieth not still, but by God's help riseth again.'' 'wretched sinners, do not prevent God, and go before him in 'the work of our justification: but it is God that layeth the first 'foundation of our salvation. He beginneth with us, and first 'sendeth us his gospel.'- God also openeth our hearts, that 'we may listen and give credit to his holy preachers, as Christ ' himself saith, "Ye have not first chosen me, but I have chosen 'you."' 'Now, forasmuch as God hath thus called us to the 'faith, and by faith hath given light in our hearts, &c.;' 'God 'must begin, and call us by his word, and put faith in our 'hearts; or else we should never ask any thing from him.'' 'As the well and head, out of which all these evils do spring, is 'ORIGINAL SIN, in the which we were conceived and formed in ' our mother's womb; whereby man's reason is so blinded, that ' of himself he cannot know God nor his word. And man's will ' is also by this sin so poisoned, that he doth not obey the will ' of God, nor keep his commandments. Now because man's reason is blinded, it is easy for the devil to lead man to all errors, as idolatry, heresies, witchcrafts, enchantments, and to 'all kinds of superstitions and false doctrines. And these offences God doth punish with divers and grievous plagues; as with pride, envy, contention, slandering, lying, railing, trouble ⚫ and unquietness of conscience, fear and pensiveness of mind, and such like; which vices so torment and gnaw our hearts, that they daily waste and consume us. And hereof ensue 'divers diseases, sicknesses, and infirmities; and at length 'death itself.''

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RIDLEY.

Let us pray therefore unto God, that he would drive out of ⚫ their hearts this darkness of errors, and make the light of his truth to shine unto them; that they, acknowledging their blindness, may with all humble repentance be converted unto the Lord, &c. Be ye sure, that no man can take us out of ⚫ the Father's hands; for he is greater than all; who "hath not spared his own Son, but hath given him" to death," for us all; and therefore, how shall he not with him give us all things also. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's ' Cranmer. Annotation on the king's book, A. D. 1537, Vol. ii. p. 88, 89, Fathers, &c. 2 Catechism, 1748, Cranmer.

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3 Catechism, 1748, Cranmer, Vol. iii. p. 287, 288.

'elect? It is God that justifieth, who then shall condemn, ' &c."'-The few remains of this most venerable bishop and martyr, are so entirely either letters to friends, or disputations with papists; that it is not wonderful, little should be found in his writings on these subjects: but his intimate friendship with Bradford, and his very high regard for him, sufficiently prove, that there was no material difference of opinion between them: and a few quotations from Bradford will fully satisfy the reader, what those sentiments were.

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BRADFORD.

'As the old man is more stirring, lusty, and strong, than the new man; so is the nature of him clean contrary to the nature ' of the new man; as being earthly and corrupt with Satan's 'seed: the nature of the new man being heavenly, and blessed 'with the celestial seed of God. So that one man, inasmuch as ' he is corrupt with the seed of the serpent, is an old man: and ' inasmuch as he is blessed with the seed of God from above, he is a new man and as inasmuch as he is an old man, he is a sinner, and an enemy to God; so, inasmuch as he is regenerate, he is ' righteous and holy, and a friend to God: the seed of God preserving him from sin, so that he cannot sin: as the seed of the serpent, wherewith he is corrupt from his conception, inclineth ' him, yea, enforceth him, to sin; so that the best part in man 'before regeneration, in God's sight, is not only an enemy but enmity itself.' 'I believe, that man, made after the image of 'God, did fall from that blessed state, to the condemnation of ' himself and his posterity. I believe, that Christ, for man being thus fallen, did oppose himself to the justice of God, a 'Mediator, paying the ransom and price of redemption, for Adam and his whole posterity, that refuse it not finally., I be'lieve, that all that believe in Christ,-are partakers of Christ, and all his merits. I believe that faith,-(I speak of that faith which indeed is true faith,)—I say that this faith and 'belief in Christ is the work and gift of God, given to none other, than to those, which are the children of God; that is, to those, whom God the Father, before the beginning of the world, hath predestinated in Christ unto eternal life.'_The 'canonical books of the Bible do plainly set forth unto us, that 'Ridley. Fathers, &c. p. 227, 231, Vol. iv. ' Ibid. Vol. vi. p. 188..

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2 Fathers, &c. p. 176, 177, Vol. vi.

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'God hath of his own mercy and good will, and to the praise of 'his grace and glory in Christ, elected some and not all, whom ' he hath predestinated unto everlasting life, in the same Christ, and in his time calleth them, justifieth them, glorifieth them, so that they shall never perish, and err to damnation finally.'' There is, and always hath been with God, even before the 'world was made, an election in Christ, of all that shall be saved.' 'But lest some men, which are too curious, should hence gather, ⚫ that all things come by fatal necessity, as the Stoics thought, or by compulsion or coercion, as others think: (and therefore, say they, all God's precepts requiring that which we cannot 'do, are in vain :) I think it good to speak something hereof. First, the Stoic's opinion is to be condemned concerning fatal necessity for that tieth and bindeth God to second causes.For they did imagine a perpetual connexion and knitting to'gether of causes, by a perpetual order, which is contained in 'nature: whereas we should certainly know, that it is God, which is the Ruler and Arbiter of all things, which of his wis'dom hath foreseen and determined all things that he will do.'— Secondly, that all things are done by coaction or compulsion, is false, and out of God's providence and predestination cannot ⚫ be gathered, or maintained: for there must be a difference put < between necessity and restraint.-God is good by necessity: but who now will say, that he is so by coaction, or enforced thereto? The devil is naught of necessity, but not by coaction. Good men do well of necessity, but not by compulsion: wicked men do evil by necessity, but not of constraint. A thing that is done willingly, is not said to be done by constraint. God is good willingly, but not by compulsion: the devil is naught 'willingly, but not by enforcing: wicked men do transgress willingly, but not compelled: so that it is plain, that though all ⚫ things be done of necessity, yet are they not of compulsion and ' enforcement.' 3. - God's foresight is not the cause of sin, or ⚫ excusable necessity to him that sinneth : the damned, therefore, ⚫ have not, nor shall have, any excuse; because God, foreseeing ⚫ their condemnation, through their own sin, did not draw them ' as he doth the elect, unto Christ. But as the elect have cause 'to thank God for ever for his great mercies in Christ; so the

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"There is no new thing under the sun, &c." Ec. i. 8—10.
Fathers, &c. Vol. vi. p. 385.

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' other have cause to lament their own wilfulness, sin, and con'temning of Christ, which is the cause of their reprobation; and 'wherein we should look upon reprobation: as the goodness ' of God in Christ is the cause of our election and salvation; wherein we should look upon God's election.' The main point, in which I ventured to avow my dissent from Calvin, is here explicitly stated in the manner which I prefer. Were I disposed on this subject, to take the name of any master, I should prefer the name of Bradfordian, to that of Calvinist :—' Ah ! 'my own dear heart, Christ only, Christ only, and his mercy and 'truth. In him is the cause of your election. This Christ, this 'mercy, this truth, remaineth for ever; is certain for ever, I say, ' for ever. If an angel from heaven should tell you the contrary, ' accursed be he. Your thankfulness and worthiness are fruits and effects of your election, they are no causes: these fruits ' and effects shall be so much the more fruitful and effectual, by 'how much you waver not.'-Such words as these from a man, expecting daily and hourly to seal his testimony in the flames, have a peculiar energy.-His creed cannot be doubtful. 'lieve that the first man, through the craft and subtlety of the 'devil, did slide and fall from his excellency, wherein the Lord ' had created him, consenting, through his own free-will, (which ' at that time he had,) unto a subtle suggestion of the serpent, whereby he lost the graces that the Lord had given him; in 'such sort, that of wise he became foolish, of just unjust, of true 'a liar, of perfect altogether imperfect: having from thenceforth a will wholly corrupted. which neither could nor would agree with the will of God, but altogether with the will of the devil, 'the world, the flesh, and sin; which could do nothing of himself but evil; seeing that he is altogether carnal, bond, captive, ' and sold under sin. This is the free, yea, to say more truly, 'the bond will, that man hath in this present life.'

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HOOPER.

I be

'I believe that this disorder and corruption of nature, was not

' only in Adam, because of his sin, but is also in all men gener

ally, which come of him; (Jesus Christ only excepted ;) and that

' in such sort, that all men after their own nature are corrupt, un'just, liars, ignorant, unkind, and imperfect in all things; and have no power of their own nature to do, think, speak, or will

'Fathers, &c. Vol. vi. p. 392.

2 Ibid. p. 104.

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