Gods free mercy to England presented as a precious and powerful motive to humiliationGods free mercy to England presented as a pretious and powerfull motive to humiliation

If free grace hath preserved England, not free will, Let England ¹maintain free grace above free will. I find in history, that Pelagius the greatest enemy to free grace that ever the world had, was borne in England; and I am sure that England of late ⟨p. 20⟩years hath been too great a friend to Pelagianism, under the name of Arminianism. Bradwardine an Englishman complains of his time, (as Hierome before had done of Arianism) That almost all the world was gone after the error of Pelagius, and he cries out, Exurge Deus, & judica causam tuam: I am confident, that this complaint, and this prayer might justly have been taken up in reference to England these few years past: for there was A mighty faction risen up in the Church (so I dare now call it, blessed be God) who advanced free will above free grace, and subjected the power of grace to the power of free will: which faction prevailed so far, as that whosoever was not an Arminian, was ermine, A doctrinal Puritan (as he was then termed.) The Universities were poisoned with this doctrine, and all, preferment streamed this way. We were come to that height, that the doctrine of Arminianism was accounted the doctrine of the Church of England. And therefore, I beseech you (right Honourable) to take this into your most serious consideration: Place free grace in its throne; advance free grace, that hath so much advanced you: root out Arminianism; settle our doctrine (not only our discipline) that there may be no shadow of plea in it for an Arminian. King James of famous memory, in a Declaration written to the States of Holland, calls Arminius, the enemy of God: and a book of Bertius, of the Apostasy of the Saints, A blasphemous book, whose very Title makes it worthy the fire: and he persuades the Low Countries betimes to root out those heresies and schisms, which if they suffered to have the reins, would bring the curse of God upon them, infamy through all the Reformed Churches, and a perpetual rent and distraction in the whole body of their State. I speak to wise men, consider what I say. And certain it is, if temporal deliverances be the fruits of Gods free grace, much more are spiritual and eternal. Therefore we are said to be justified freely by his grace, and to be Elected according to the good pleasure of his will;

If free grace hath preserved England, not free will, Let England ¹