ever since the first Reformation necessarily bring along with it schisms and dis- sensions, so long as any remain who love the truth, or esteem the gospel above pre- ferment ? Neither let any deceive your wisdoms, by affirming that they are differ- ences of an inferior nature that are at this day agitated between the Arminians and the orthodox divines of the reformed church. Be pleased but to cast an eye on the following instances, and you will find them hewing at the very root of Christi- anity. Consider seriously their denying of that fundamental article of original sin. Is this but a small escape in theology ? — why, what need of the gospel, what need of Christ himself, if our nature be not guilty, depraved, corrupted ? Neither are many of the rest of less importance. Surely these are not things " in quibus possimus dissentire salva pace ac charitate," as Austin speaks, — " about which we may differ without loss of peace or charity." One church cannot wrap in her communion Austin and Pelagivis, Calvin and Arminius. I have here only given you a taste, whereby you may judge of the rest of their fruit, — " mors in oUa, mors in olla;" their doctrine of the final apostasy of the elect, of true believers, of a wavering hesitancy concerning our present grace and future glory, with divers others, I have A'i'holly omitted: those I have produced are enough to make their abettors incapable of our church-communion. The sacred bond of peace compasseth only the unity of that Spirit which leadeth into all truth. We must not offer the right hand of fellowship, but rather proclaim hpov ^oXif/.i)ii,^ " a holy war," to such enemies of God's providence, Christ's merit, and the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit. Neither let any object, that all the Arminians do not openly profess all these errors I have recounted. Let ours, then, show wherein they differ from their masters.- We see their own confessions; we know their arts, /Sa^w x-a) fn^o^ua; rod laraia., — "the depths and crafts of Satan ; " we know the several ways they have to introdixce and insinu- ate their heterodoxies into the minds of men. With some they appear only to dislike our doctrine of re^J^ofca^ion; with others, to claim an allowable liberty of the will: but yet, for the most part, — like the serpent, wherever she gets in her head, she will wriggle in her whole body, sting and all, — give but the least admission, and the whole poison must be swallowed. What was the intention of the maintainers of these strange assertions amongst us I know not, — whether the efficacy of error prevailed really with them or no, or whether it were the better to comply with Popery, and thereby to draw us back again unto Egypt ; — but this I have heard, that it was affirmed on knowledge, in a former parliament, that the introduction of Arminianism amongst us was the issue of a Spanish consultation. It is a strange story that learned Zanchius * tells us, how, upon the death of the Cardinal of Lor- raine there was found in his study a note of the names of divers German doctors and ministers, being Lutherans, to whom was paid an annual pension, by the as- signment of the cardinal, that they might take pains to oppose the Calvinists; and so, by cherishing dissension, reduce the people again to Popery. If there be any such amongst us, who, upon such poor inconsiderable motives, would be won to betray the gospel of Christ, God grant them repentance before it be too late! How- ever, upon what grounds, with what intentions, for what ends soever, these tares have been sowed amongst us by envious men, the hope of all the piously learned in the kingdom is, that, by your effectual care and diligence, some means may be found to root them out. Now, God Almighty increase and fill your whole honourable society with wisdom, zeal, knowledge, and all other Christian graces, necessary for your great calling and employments; which is the daily prayer of your most humble and devoted servant, John Owen.
1 Greg. ^az. , , ,i •
2 Profltentur Kemonst. hasce ad promotionem causae suse artcs adhibere, ut apud viilgus non ultenus progrediantui- quam de articulis vulgo notis, ut pro ingeniorum diversitate quosUam lacte diu alant, alios fiulidiore cibo, etc. — Festus Horn, prastat ad specimen Con. Bel.
3 Uieron. Zanch. ad Ilolderum. Kcs. MisceL
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
Reader, — Thou canst not be such a stranger in our Israel as that it should be necessary for me to acquaint thee with the first sowing and spreading of these tares in the field of the church, much less to declare what divisions and thoughts of heart, what open bitter contentions, to the loss of ecclesiastical peace, have been stirred up amongst us about them. Only some few things, relating to this my particular endeavour, I would willingly premonish thee of: —
First, Never were so many prodigious errors introduced into a church, with so high a hand and so little opposition, as these into ours, since the nation of Chris- tians was known in the world. The chief cause I take to be that which yEneas Sylvius gave why more maintained the pope to be above the council than the council above the pope, — because popes gave archbishoprics, bishoprics, &c., but the councils sued " in forma pauperis," and, therefore, could scarce get an advo- cate to plead their cause. The fates of our church having of late devolved the government thereof into the hands of men tainted with this poison, Arminianism became backed with the powerful arguments of praise and preferment, and quickly prevailed to beat poor naked Truth into a corner. It is high time, then, for all the lovers of the old way to oppose this innovation, prevailing by such unworthy means, before our breach grow great like the sea, and there be none to heal it.