Aífertors.ofStSPericompared with their Adverfarìes. C.XUUJ: as to the difcipline, and ÍTWorfbip then eftabl'ifhed. CertaineIy the Prelatical! 315 party themfelves, will not fay, they prevailed on that hand, as to any ends and purpofes for the eftablifhtnent of thcit intereft , or making good their ground againft their oppofers . Nay the molt fober and Learnedofthat fort ofmen, do to thisday áfcribe inno final! meafure the downefall of the whole fabricke whereof they were parts and members to théprecipitating ra4meffe,and folly of force few, in advancing and preff- ing the Arminian crrours that they themfelves were given upunto. As for the zealous and Godly Minifters ofthe Nation, ufually termed Pitritans, (w ho are here acknowledgedby Mr Goodwin tohave all generally oppofed the Do&rive he.ftriveth to build "up, ) though they had in many Parliaments wherein the molt intelligent and rational! men ofthe Nation are ufually convened, made by theirfriends fundry attempts for their reliefe againít the Perfectítionsof theother as is evidenced by theirPetitions, and AddrefesRill on Record, yet were never able to attaine the leali redreffeoftheirgrievan- ces, nor toget one ftepofground againft their Adverfaries, until' theAd= vantageof their.Arminianifine was adminifired unto them, on which by lever rail degrees they prevailed themfelves in the iffue to the utter breaking ofthe Yokeoftheir Tafke-matters. It is true, He who takes the crafty in theirowns imaginations, and mixeth the counsel! o theWife with madnefé and, folly, cau- ling them to erre in their wagesas a drunken man in hisvomit, chit', oftentimes turne the devicesof men upon their owne heads, andmake thofe things fub- fervient to their ruine, which they fixedupon as the molt expedientmediums for theireftablifhment and continuance; filch. perhaps was thecafewith them in their Canonical! Oath attempted to be impofed,in one oftheir laft Convoca- tions. But that the taking up, and afferting ofthe ArminianDottrine was a defigne ofthat partyofmen,to get upon the Judgements &Affe&ionsof the people, and to expofe the PuritanicallPreachers to theircontempt and repro- ach,is an imaginati6 that cannot likely fall upon anyone who had his eyes oè pen in thedayes wherein thofe things were publikely ailedon the flags ofthis Nation' For that infinuation in thedole of Mr Goodwins Difcourfe,eoncer- ning the Advantages given that fort of then; by the inconfiftencyofthe Do- &rine ofthe ;Puritans (which they oppofed) with the Principles ofReligion andReafon, I (hall only fay that it being once more through the Providence ofGod, called forth to a publicke` debate, it neither fiandeth, nor falleth to the Judgement ofany (ingle man, muchlelfeofone who is profeffedly in- gaged in anoppofition thereunto. Another Reafonofthe fame evidence with the former ; is tendred in thefe O. '.. words, It tcgenerally knownthat the Cathedral!generation ofmen throughout Chriflendome, were generally great admirers Ofthe old Learning (asforce call it) dmean the Writingr,andrenentsoftheFathers, and o fAulline more efpecially; and that they fregaentfy. made shield andBuckler of their" Authority tó' defend themfelves, againfi the Peni andOpinionsof later Writers; whom their manner was according to the exigency oftheir i stereo (at lull as they conceived) toflight and vilify in comparifonof the other. Non' thejudgments of theFathersmore ge= nerally, and ofAufline snore particularly, flood for thepof,/ibility Of the Saints de- feEfion, both totali andfinal!, wherein itfieraeth thegreater part of our 16loderne Reformed Divines have departed from them. That thispretence is no whit better than that that went before,will be evi- dencedby the light ofthisone confideration. via. That thofeamongthe 'Pi- paps andtheir adherents, who were indeed nioftzealous of, and belt verfed in theWritings-ofthe Fathers, were generallyofthe fame judgement about the Grace ofChrifl, and the WillofMan,&c. with the refidoeof the reformed S f 2 Churches
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