far, Volume of the H/óry of the Puritans. by the arminians That the articles der from the calvinifls irá " that materialpoint ofuniverfal redemption. And, that the erudition p: 44. " of a chriflian manpublifhed in king HENRY'S reign, which had the ap- " probation q4. moft of thole that compiled the articles, is exprefly againfì? " the calvinifis notion of FREE WILL." Mr. N. readily admits that all the reformers were not agreed in their fentiments about the extent of Chrift's redemption, and that the thirty-firft article of the church of England, which defcribes the death of Chrift asa perfeti re- 0, the es- demption and propitiation and fatifaëtion for all the fins of the whole tent of world both original and aêlual, evidently favours the univerfality ; but Cheft'r re- this is fo far from being the chief article of difpute between the armi- demption. nians and calvinifts, that it is hardly any at all ; for even Gomarus, AAmefus, and others who reftrain and limit the fufferings of Chrift, diftinguifh between the value or merit of the fufferings, and the will or purpofe of God in the application, and affirm, that the merit of the fufferings (arifing from the dignity of the perfon that fuffered), was fufficient for the redemption of a thoufand worlds, if there had been fo many. Nor did they think this fentiment inconfifient with the divine purpofe, of ap- pointing a certain number of perlons to falvation, from before thefounda- tion of the world, and calling them OW-hazily by his grace, in due time, without any regard to their previous merits or good works: That this was the precife doetrine of the reformers will appear, by confidering the two main points, of abfolute PREDESTINATION, and of FREE WILL. PREDESTINATION TO LIFE is defcribed in the feventeenth article of Ofpredejfi. the churchofEngland to be, " the everlafling purpofe ofGod, whereby be- notion. " fore thefoundations of the world were laid, be has conllantly ordered, by his " counfel fecret to us, to deliver from curie and damnation, thofe whom he " has choicer' in Chrift out of mankind, and to bring them by Chrift to ever- " lofting falvation as veffels made to honour. " Agreeably to this, king EDWARD'S catechifm, appointed to be taught by all fchool=maf- ters throughout. England, declare, that " as many as are in thisfaith Fol. 38. " fledfàft, werefbrechofen, predßinated, and appointed out to everlafting " falvation, before the worldwas made." And left it fhould be thought, that this might be owing to God's forefight of their good works, it is .added, that `° thefirft, principal, andmolt perfebt eagle of ourjultiifying Fol. so " and falvation, is the goodnefs and love of God, whereby he chafe us to " be his, before hemade the world." _ This catechifm, with the book ofMena. crag. articles,was drawnup by archbifhop Cranmer,as he confefhed at his exami- p, 3i2. nation. When the controverfy upon this head opened in queen Mary's reign, the martyrs thought the doflrine of thofe who oppofed the abfo- lute predeftination of a certain number to falvation, fubverfive of *5Rz the 855
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