and conditions of the Law and the works and conditions of the Gospel 1 He onely saith all but proveth nothing therefore deserves onely the contempt of not an Answer from his Reader 2 He saith nothing but what he hath been taught by the Papists that though we cannot be justified by the works of the Law yet we are justified by Gospel works such as Faith is And must the Conclusions of the holy Apostaticall not Apostolicall Church be Canonicall to us because he hath made them so to himself 3 If he therefore forbears to prove what he saith because he holds it enough proved by the Papists already and so transmits his Reader to their Writings We also refer the reader to the perusall of the works of our Protestant writers that have dashed into shivers all such seeming proofs of the papists and brought to light the truth which they sought to imprison in darkness 4 Whatsoever he fableth here of Gospel works yet are they all legall or works of the Law which he obtrudeth upon men to Justification or as he here phraseth it to acquire part in Christ even to Faith it self he attributes no such property or power but as it is a morall work which the Law commandeth as we have found him speaking 5 to come to that in which the whole force of his reasoning here lyeth It is false what he affirmeth either that Paul doth in express words or in the sense and scope of his speech exclude onely the works of the Law but never the fulfilling of the same works as required by the Gospel for unless he so meaneth he saith nothing from their co-operation with Faith to Justification or that this is the reall difference between Legall and Gospel works that whereas in matter and substance they are one yet as they are done to justifie us by their own righteousness they are works of the Law but as done to justifie us by the righteousness of Christ so they are works of the Gospel or Gospel Conditions This is nothing but the Sophistry of a brain sophisticated with strong delusions to falsifie and nullifie the pure word of God For 1 What doth he bring to prove â—â—y least particle of what he saith if he had the testimony of God and Christ on his side would he leave their name and authority unmentioned 2 The Apostle when he treats of Justification by Christ doth not onely exclude works of the Law but works indefinitely and universally any works all works from having any power ordinate or not ordinate to give us part in it or him as hath been fully in its place before demonstrated 3 His dispute every where is as was declared and confirmed in the former Chapter not so much what is the righteousnesse which by its own power and vertue justifieth but what it is that instrumentally uniteth us to Christ for justification by him This he denyeth to all to any works and attributes to Faith alone as hath been there evidenced 4 In such places where he expresly speaketh of the works of the Law he means the Law written as it was given and pertained to the Jewes alone as a signall evidence of Gods love to them above all other Nations This is cleer from the Apostles own Testimony Ro. 2. 12 14. 17. 5. 13. as also where he numbreth Circumcision the observation of times and meats and other rituall peeces of the Ceremoniall Law together with the morall works of the Decalogue And will Mr. Br say that these rituall works are Conditions also of our part in Christ 5 When he so giveth the Adject of the Law to works calling them the works of the Law he doth it to beat down the pride and boasting of the Jewes that gloried in the Law Rom. 2. 23. declaring to them that although the Law were one principall prerogative vouchsafed to them not to any other people Rom. 9. 4. yet the works of the Law so glorious and privilegious had nothing to do with Faith to further our Justification by Christ but that the Gentiles without the Law had as free accesse to God by Faith in Christ as they with all the furniture of the Law and its works 6 Paul doth exclude all works under what name or notion soever from justifying so as Faith justifieth or to be instrumentall and conditionall to justification as Faith is But Faith is instrumentall or as M. Br. terms it conditionall to receive Christ to Justification Thereforr works are excludeded from being so conditionall or to be Conditions of the Gospel as he phraseth it This is apparent by those Scriptures where Paul saith Not of works but of Faith by Faith without works to him that worketh not but beleeveth c. as hath been 〈…〉 before alledged and amplified And all this of works without the adjection of the Law yea of works done hundreds of years before the Law to which Paul had reference in such disputes was given 7 Paul denyeth to works any operation in the Justification of Abraham or of us that obtein the same Justification with Abraham But the works which are denyed to justifie Abraham could not in Pauls sense be the works of the Law being acted 430 years before the Law was given and the Justification which is common to Abraham and his spirituall seed was and is justification by Christ So that works have nothing to do with Faith to condition us for justification by Christ This hath been made out in the former Chapter from Rom. 4. 1 c. 8 And lastly If such imperious arbitrary unreasonable and unproved distinctions be harkened to in Divinity what one part either of Law or Gospel shall abide sacred The whole word as Mr. Br. the great Artificer in the Trade somewhere complaines shall be made a waxen Nose For with as much integrity as Mr. B. hath here used to put the greatest Article of the Gospel to a topsie turnie may I mock at all the Commandments of the Decalogue with a distinctionary vanity to nullifie them Thou shalt have no other Gods before me True may I say but God meaneth other Gods of the Pagans devising not excluding the Gods of my own feigning Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image That is right said the Greeks once but God here excludeth the graven Images which the Romanes not the painted Images which we adore Thou shalt not steale the thief may here distinguish the lean Cattell are here excluded not the fat Thou shalt not murther the Pharisees glosse upon it was to wit my friends but my enemies I may The like might I say of the rest yea of every Gospel truth also and all with as good reason as Mr. Br. here deals with Paul We are justified or have part in Christ not by works but by Faith by Faith without works saith Paul Right saith Mr. Br. for he excludeth works onely as they are works of the Law not as they are works and Conditions of the Gospel Yet Vltra Sauromatus fugere
Religion in so short a time so mightily grew and prevailed that so great a part of the world from so small and even despicable a beginning became so fully and so quickly seasoned with it It were a full answer I acknowledg to say It was the Lords time and he would so have it But because the Lords operations are all done in wisdom truth and righteousness an inferiour subordinate cause visible to our eies may be also alledged when the Lord had purposed to do this great work he ordained and fitted instruments for it The Ministers which he employed the first threescore years and upward about the work of Reformation were such as clave only and wholly to the word both in preaching and defending the sacred truth of the Gospel minding only Christ Jesus not seeking their own things their own greatness glory and praise but the things of Christ Denyed all other authority save Christs knew no other admitted no other Master to define and determine any thing in matters of Religion but Christ alone Therefore whether they provoked the Adversaries or were provoked by them to disputation their challenge or receiving the challenge was stil upon this condition that the Word alone must be umpire in all things Thus they had Disputes before the Emperour Charls the 5. so they offered themselves to be disputers in the Councel of Trent But still refused the authority of Aristotle and his genuine sons Thom Aquinas John Duns Scotus and the whole rabble of their followers and all the testimonies and learning of such as incompetent Judges of heavenly things Thus these holy men ploughed the Lords field with his own Heyfers and sowed it with his own seed therefore he gave so large an encrease They preached as they had commandment and commission from him only his Gospel and all and only whatsoever he had commanded them therefore according to his promise he was with them giving a blessing But if it be further demanded how it came to pass at last that there was a stop to the glorious proceedings of the success of the Ministry of the Gospel these last sixty years that we see not any further propagation of the truth but Antichrist rather regaining strength than losing and the kingdom of Christ rather declining than increasing I answer that as about that time the new sect of Loyalla the Jesuits came to some maturity who being spes ultima Romae ruentis the last subsidiary help of the Romish nodding and falling power perceived that they might seek but not find any fulture from the Scriptures to their fainting cause therefore applied themselves to the study of Aristotle the Pagan and the Schoolmen the Semi-pagans drinking into themselves their sophistry and refining it into som-what a purer Language though most of them retain a scholastical style still And being thus furnished they provoke our Divines to a dispute objecting against them that through their ignorance and illiterate sottishness they dared not to dispute scholastically therefore still cryed Scripture Scripture to hide their want of Schollarship from the eyes of men As about that time I say there were in such an operation a new kind of Antagonists against the power of the Gospel So on our part in many Churches there succeeded the former Worthies about the same time Pastors in their own eyes possibly of a more noble but in spiritual eyes of a baser mettall who to evade that scandal laid upon us by the Adversaries that we destroyed good works by our Doctrine of free Grace through Christ preached some mens inventions superstitions and traditions others meer moralities legalities or duties after the tenor of the Law scarce touching upon the strings of the Gospel to tune up the Justification Life Liberty Peace Joy and other priviledges which are by Christ And to gain to themselves an applause and opinion among men of their universal Learning assented to the forenamed Challengers to discend to them in their own Field and to traverse their Disputes about heavenly things after the rules of worldly wisedom thus basely prostituting the cause and doctrine of the Lord Christ to the censure and arbitration of Heathen Philosophers and of John Duns and other enemies to the purity of the Gospel For in trying all by their learning by the light of Reason which they have dazled and sophisticated with their rules and precepts is to make them judges of Christ and his Gospel how farr they shall stand or fall Who can deny but in stead of the former Eagles which the Church had that stil beheld the Sun of righteousnes to fetch their light from his beams we had now Owls that looked downward and pitched upon the elements and rudiments of the world and worldly learning as the Apostle terms them Col. 2. 8. to fetch light authority thence in pretence to maintain the truth but in deed and successe to betray it No marvell if in this case Christ hath with-drawn himself and his blessing from such Apologists for his Cause which plead for him with such a kind of argumentation as is worse then totall silence For what of Christ is there in such disputes when the first syllogism or its prossyllogism or a distinction diverts the question from all the lists of Divinity into Philosophy or Metaphysicks c. and not the least parcell or particle of Scripture is any more heard of through the whole disputation It is but as it falls ouâ— sometimes between two Apes that having a heap of shels cast before them which they take for nuts inconsiderately break out into a skirmish rending in pieces either the others jackets and then with tooth and nail wound either the others hides untill the weaker yeeld the victory to the stronger and the Conquerour by his victory gets nothing but shels to break his teeth not a kernell to stay his hunger So when a question in Divinity once translated and removed into Logick in this element to be tryed there is notable jangling untill one of the Antagonists that hath the stronger front and more subtle brain and clamorous voyce hath put the other to silence and then one is as wise and as great a gainer as the other For the question is adhuc sub judice where it was it was above all logicall and metaphysical notions to decâ—de it I acknowledg that in such disputes it hath much delighted me sometimes to find the sophistical fallacies of an adversary detected and shamed in a logicall way by some of our Divines Yet this in no wise either doth or should satisfie me as touching the question untill I find the true assertion confirmed â—y Scripture it self One testimony from above in this case is of more worth and weight than a thousand volumes of Arguments drawn out of worldly wisedom which is from beneath And lest I should be taken as singular in this peece of prattle as Mr. Baxter will term it I shall mention in stead of many two famous modern Writers the one speaking with
hine libet it makes me not onely to wish but even to hold my self almost in a desart as impatient of the company of some of our distinctionary Rabbies that admire and are ready to blesse themselves at the wit and profoundness of such wilde barbarous prophane senseless distinctions of this incomparable man that hath not his Peer in England when in this piece of his worth there is not a ploughboy so rustick but would easily whistle so prophanely in this kinde as he And if the reason were given to Mr. Br. why he is in this artifice more full than others it might be given in the Poets words Non tibi plùs cordis sed minùs oris in est Bax. pa. 309. 3 Paul doth by the word Faith especially direct your thoughts to Christ beleeved in For to be justified by Christ and to be justified by receiving Christ is with him all one Though I might except in some sense against this assertion yet because I cannot apprehend waking what he dreams sleeping how he will from this assertion prove that Paul either doth not exclude works from Justification or doth not attribute it to Faith alone I leave it unexamined If by Receiving Christ he means our taking him as our Lord to be obeyed in all his Commandments that we might thereby be justified enough hath been said before in the examination of his 66 72 73 Thes in answer to the fourth Argument that he brings for justification by works unto it I refer the reader Bax ibid. 4 And when he mentioneth Faith as the Condition he alwayes implyeth Obedience to Christ Therefore beleeving and obeying the Gospel are put for the two summaries of the whole Conditions The vanity and falsity of this assertion hath been discovered in the examination of his 62 70 Theses in which is Comprehended his 2 Argument for Justification by works What is there said being perused will take off I suppose from the reader all expectation of any more to be here said to it Onely by the way all may note 1 That what he saith here labours of the same disease with the former it is onely said not proved We must all sit at the Feet of this Gamaleel and beleeve because this great Doctor and Magister noster hath spoken it 2 That although it be the Popish Cause which he here mainteineth yet he with a holy Craft makes use rather of the Arminian than Popish Phrase the more easily to beguile the simple Calling works not as the Papists do plainly Works but Obedience to Christ and Obedience to the Gospel How doth he fitt his bait to be swallowed by gudgeons that cannot discern a line from a halter He knows there is a generation of men that detest swines flesh yet feed every morning upon pistles of pork as the greate â—â—elicacie Change the name and they disaffâ—ct not the substâ—nâ—e 3 Yet what he here saith he hath received in matter though notiâ—n words from Stapleton the Priest and his fellows We are justâ—â—ed saith the Apostle by Faith not by works i. e. saith Stapletâ— not by works without faith but by works and Faith that is saith Mr. Br. not by works or obedience out of Faith but by works implyed in Faith Let him that can decide which of these two is the finer Sophistâ—r and Papist 4 And no less harmoniously do Pauls words and Mr. Brs exposition and distinction upon them agree together than a harp and a harrow Paul affirms Justification or imputation of Righteousness to be without works Rom 4. 6 Mr. Br expounds his meaning to be without works which are not but by works that are implyed in Faith As good a distinction as if I should distinguish between the brains that a man hath out of his head and the brain which he hath in his head How great is his self-Confidence that he should think such absurd distinctions should take with any rationall man onely upon this Authority because such a Cathedral scholar hath said it And when Paul saith so frequently Not by works but by Faith he should mean by Faith works also implyed in Faith This were to affirm that Paul in the delivery of the sacred doctrine of the Gospel speaks by Contraries and that what things he setts in opposition we must take to be in a Conjunction so that if he had said a man seeth with his eyes not with his heels we must understand him to mean that he seeth with his eyes and heels together or with his heels implyed in his eyes What he addeth of beleeving and obeying the Gospel that they are the two summaries of the Gospel hath been before examined and both found to be the same thing Obedience to the Gospel being nothing else but the hearts submission to the voyce of Christ and doctrine of the Gospel in stretching forth faith to apprehend Christ alone to Justification illumination sanctification c. resting upon him both for salvation and for grace and power to walk worthy of it as hath been more fully before expressed Thus much in way of examination of the third part of his vindication viz. that his doctrine in nothing dissents from Pauls And in this poynt I doubt not but we have found Paul and him no less Cohering than Christ and Antichrist CHAP. XXII Whether there be any validity in Mr. Brs Apologizing for his Doctrine that it is not derogatory from the Righteousness of Christ THe 4th part of his vindication is to free his doctrine of Justification by works from being derogatory to Christ and his righteousness Here unto his endeavours bend in many parts of this his Tractate In stead of all I shall mention onely two or three places which Comprehend the summe and whole of all the rest Bax. pa. 307. The Righteousness which we must plead against the Lawes accusations is not one grain of it in our Faith or works but all out of us in Christs satisfaction Again Appendix pa. 78. Our dooing or works are required not to be any part of our Legall Righteousness nor any part of satisfaction for our unrighteousness but to be our Gospel Righteousness or the Condition of our participation in Christ who is our Legall Righteousness and so of all the benefitts that come with him What his meaning is he expresseth Aphor. Thes 79. pa. 313. in a Syllogism thus This Doctrine is no whit derogatory to Christ and his Righteousness For He that ascribeth to Faith or obedience no part of that work which belongeth to Christs satisfactory righteousness doth not derogate in that from that Righteousness But he that maketh Faith and Obedience to Christ to be onely the fullfilling of the Conditions of the New Covenant and so to be onely Conditions of Justification by him doth give them no part of the work of his Righteousness Seeing he came not to fulfill the Gospel but the Law Ergo c. I shall speak onely to the Syllogism because in it is fully Comprehended all that Mr. Br. hath
revealed save his own and his Fathers testimonie Joh. 8. 18. Joh. 5. 31 37. Let there be but an iota produced of this kind of literature whereof I treat that our Saviour any where used for the confirmation of the Gospel-doctrines which hee delivered Nay hee denies all ability and possibility that any man by naturall or acquired parts should see or shew forth untill he hath received divine revelation one ray of Gospel-light Therefore when Peter had made but a course and confused or obscure confession of Christ he answers Blessed be thou Simon Barjonah for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in heaven Mat. 16. 16 17. Insinuating that the very threshold of Gospel-knowledg is transcendent and above all the reach of humane Arts and fleshly or naturall wisdome to find it out for themselves or make it out to others Hence are the universal conclusions and assertions which hee layeth down to this purpose No man can come to me except the Father draw him It is written they shall be all taught of God Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me Joh. 6. 44 45. No one knoweth the Sonn but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonn and he to whom the sonn will reveal him What he speaketh of knowing the Son and the Father he meaneth of knowing the minde and will of God touching the Gospel-way in which he hath purposed to bring sinners to salvation This is a wisdome not borrowed of but hidden from most of the wise and prudent in secular learning and revealed to babes Mat. 11. 25-27 And the Scripture giveth reasons why there is no power in the wisdome and learning of men to dive into the Mystery of the Gospel and Evangelical knowledg of God No man hath seene God at any time The only begotten sonne which is in Joh. 1. 18. the bosome of the Father hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. No man hath ascended to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the sonne of man which is in heaven Joh. 3. 13. What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. What is here spoken of the knowledg of God is to be understood as in the former Texts the knowing of Gods will and mysterious way of bringing many sons ere while enemies to glory The scope of the Argumentation in these Scriptures runs thus None but such as have seen God seen into him have been in heaven with him nay have been in his very heart and bosom can possibly know the mind and purpose of God hidden in himself touching the justification and salvation of men But Christ only the Spirit of Christ have been and are still in heaven have seen God and are in the bosom of God reading and knowing all the purposes of his mind Therefore none but Christ and his Spirit alone know and can reveale this mind of God to us The Scripture here speaketh of Teachers none hath been in heaven to come thence as a Teacher into the world of what he hath seen in the bosom of God but the Son and the Spirit And the teaching or revealing of which it speaketh is meant original teaching and revealing None can reveal the mind of God but the Son and the Spirit or they to whom the Son hy his Doctrine and Spirit hath first revealed it What weight then can there be in the Testimony or learning of the Heathen Philosophers or of the Angelical and Seraphical Doctors of the Romish Church who never ascended the Heavens to look into Gods bosom and are as void of Christ and his Spirit as those Heathens themselves that any thing of Gospel-wisdome should be grounded upon their authority From Christ discend we to the Apostles and first he that chose them to goe forth into the world to bring forth fruit Joh. 15. 16. i. e. by the preaching of the Gospel to bring home many souls to God to furnish them with abilities for so great end noble a work promiseth to send unto them the Spirit and to what end but to lead them into all truth Joh. 16. 13. into the cleer and full knowledg of the mysterious truths of the Gospel bidding them not to go to Athens to learn from the Philosophers in their Schools any thing that might further their illumination herein but to tarry at Hierusalem untill they were endued with this power from on high Luk. 24. 49. And if we look to the accomplishment of the promise Acts 2. 1 c. we shall finde that the Holy Ghost discending in a glorious manner upon them wrought on them if not only yet principally these three effects as abundantly sufficient to enable them for the Apostleship and Ministry of the New Testament as the Apostle terms his Office 2 Cor. 3. 6. 1. A sudden and wonderfull irradiation of them with all the depths of Gospel-knowledg that without communion with flesh and blood they had the sacred secrets of the Gospel made out in an instant to them by the revelation of Jesus Christ as afterwards Paul manifesteth the Lord Jesus to have dealt with him in like manner Gal. 1. 12. 16. And thus they that were but mechanick and illiterate men were filled suddenly with light and knowledg enough to enlighten the whole world then in darknesse 2. The gift of tongus by which they were enabled to spread abroad unto all men of all nations in their severall Languages the wonderfull things of God i. e. the glorious and untill then hidden ways of salvation Act. 2. 11. 3. A magnanimous and celestiall boldness to hold forth defend and maintain those sacred and saving truths revealed to them in despight of all the powers of Earth and Hell banding against them Act. 4. 13. Here as there is none that will deny the Apostles to have been sufficiently yea abundantly gifted for the execution of their function so I do not so much as suspect there will be any found that supposeth them to have received among the Abundance of their Revelations any inspiration of the before-mentioned humane learning as usefull and needfull to plant the knowledg of the Gospel in the hearts of men or to confirm it after it was planted And 2ly with that learning and power so received they went on in the execution of their Ministry so far from using as that they purposely rejected the use of humane reason and wisdome holding fast to the word alone as the mind of God therein was revealed to them by the Spirit for their rule in preaching and authority in confirming the truth of the Gospel which they taught In stead of all attend we to Paul that laboured more abundandantly then they all Rom. 15. 19. When he had fully preached the Gospel from Hierusalem in the regions round about even to Illyricum he gives this account
after and not above carnall and worldly Reason with the Scripture in measuring out to themselves the saving Gospel and take not it up after Christ simply and unmixedly as Christ hath taught it and put the impresse of his authority upon it Coloss 2. 8. The other that for prevention of corruption by this secular learning the Converts of Ephesus while the Apostle was yet resident among them and consequently consenting with them burnt their bookes of curious Arts which though some will have to be understood of conjuring books yet I cannot assent to them because this cursed rather then curious Art was proper and almost peculiar to the more Eastern people Jewes Samaritans Aegyptians and Babylonians the Greeks very little or not at all studying it but placing all their wisdom in the Arts whereof I have been hitherto discoursing and these were Greeks that burnt the bookes of those curious Arts which they studied Act. 19. 19. If then any conclude that the H Ghost at any time doth so much abase and deface an Ordinance of God Let him also conclude this kind of learning and disputation to be ordained of God for the confirming and promoting of the Gospel A third Reason to prove that God hath not ordained this Sophisticall or Philosophicall learning to be instrumentall for the promoting of the Gospel may be drawn from experience it self That which we never find to be blessed but still blasted of God to the hurt both of the Churches that have been admirers and followers of Sophisticall teachers of the Gospel and of such teachers also cannot be the Ordinance of God for he alway accompanieth and breaths his blessing in greater or lesser degrees upon the due execution of his own Ordinances But God hath never blessed but still so blasted and brought to nought naught c. the use of this philosophicall and philosophastrous learning Ergo It is not of Gods ordination I mean to be intermingled with spirituall and Evangelicall Doctrines For hence alone we banish it not denying it to be usefull in naturall and morall things as I have before granted That it hath been so blasted as intermingled with Gospel-doctrines experience it self evidenceth Trace we down from the very primitive age of the Gospel Church untill our times Gods operations in the Gospels and Churches wâ—xings and wainings and we shall find his blessing to have been upon the pure preaching of the Gospel his curse upon the mixings and medleys of mâ—ns wisedom with it Begin we with the Apostles times when theâ—e went forth acting only by the authority of Christs mission and according to the rule of his Commission the very Devills became subject to them and Satan fell as lightning before them at the sound of the Gospel which they had charge to preach alone and ground upon the authority of the Scripture alone while this charge was faithfully put in execution whole Nations either after the other yea the whole world almost came to be discipled to Christ God working mightily with them by many signes and wonders to make their Ministry succesfull But when anon there entred into the Churches rightly grounded and stablished false Apostles of the Jewes that preached a legall and naturall righteousnesse that reason and naturall con-conscience could suggest if the Law of Moses had been silent as necessary to be joyned with the Gospel-righteousnesse of Faith to Justification And on the other side there arose out of the Churches of the Gentiles some of themselves that spake perverse things seeking to introduce the like naturall righteousnesse out of the Ethicks of the Philosophers and to maintain their Doctrines mainly if not wholly by Aristotles dialectick subtleties And both these began to be favoured by wanton wits within the Churches Now the Lord turned his hinder parts to them on whom erewhile the light of his countenance shined the glory of the Gospel became more and more clouded the Churches rended and torn in pieces abounding more with Apostates than with Christians indeed as may be largely manifested from the New Testament if there were need From the Apostles time discend we to the next ages or age after the Apostles and I find not among the Writers of note any one much studious of Philosophy much lesse spoyled with it Clemens Alexandrinus only excepted and he enough moderate in the use of it But shortly after him sprung up Origen a great and copious Writer in his youth beyond his age hopefull but in his maturity carryed with full sails to the study of secular Arts and with such successe that Hierom in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers renders him in such learning unmatchable by any going before or following him as one thorowly seen in all the differing opinions of all the severall sects of Philosophers a notable Logician and Disputer and fully read in all the Liberall Arts and as remarkable for the practical part as the Theory of all Now from a man so accomplisht in so many perfections as some term them would possibly be expected a greater successe of his preaching and writing than ever Paul attained because so much more learned then Paul But the case proved contrary Out of his brain thus filled issued errors and heresies as thick as hail-stones from the Clouds Nothing of Scripture Law or Gospel could escape his depravation and a Religion he set forth like Mahomets Alcaron a meer galleymaufry of Heterogeneous fancies some Jewish some Heathenish and some in shew at least Christian compounded and confounded one with the other so that there could not be a fouler abhomination then such a Religion Why because he had attained so much secular learning not so but because he wrought with untempered morter mixing Philosophy and Christianity together which close as sweetly as light and darknesse Hence was it that all the Churches at length exploded him for an Heretick and his writings as Pseudo-Christian and Hierom so wounded his reputation among the learned and godly for writing somewhat in the praise of him that with all his palliating and recanting hee could not fully repayr it to his dying day Yea the stinch of him hath offended all the godly Divines of our Reformed Churches notwithstanding his antiquity that they reject him From the pen of one Beza we may know the mind of the rest who calls him hominem impuram sometimes and sometimes hominum impurissimum an impure or a prophane man yea the prophanest of men for prophaning Scriptures Gospel Religion and all other sacred things that he medled with At no long distance after Origen lived Tertullian who finding the Church by the evill Artifice of Origen and other Philosophicall Christians like him over spread with heresies applies himselfe to seek the cure thereof And a principall means he prescribeth hereunto is a fast adhering to the doctrine of Christ all other authority in divine things being rejected It is not lawfull for us saith he to bring in any thing of faith or worship out of our own will or
understand not the points which they teach much less can produce any Scriptures surely and soundly to confirm them I answer that the Scriptures are very full and punctuall against taking upon trust of meer men any doctrine to be believed to salvation Be not ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ Mat. 23. 10. q. d. Dare not any of you to suffer any to take up matters in Religion upon your trust or authority For there is but one unerring Mr. whose authority is authentick Christ Jesus If Paul or an Angell from heaven preach any other Gospel to you c. let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. therefore not trusted Prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. Believe not every Spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God For many false Prophets are gone forth into the world 1 Joh. 4. 1. When the Holy Ghost saith Prove all Try all he implyedly forbids to take up any thing on trust from men My sheep hear my voyce the voyce of a stranger they will not hear for they know not i. e. own not the voyce of strangers Joh. 10. 4 5 27. They know and own the voyce of Christ alone If any preach with another voyce another doctrine than that which is originally from Christ they fly from him explode him Here is nothing taken upon trust but from Christ himself They are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone Eph. 2. 20. A more noble foundation than the trust and authority of men I might annex many like testimonies of divine Scripture to the same purpose but to what purpose They are Deceivers such as the Apostle numbreth among grievous wolves speakers of perverse things i. e. perverters of the Gospel of Christ that seeke to draw Disciples after them i. e. to settle men in a Faith upon the authority of their learning wisedom and holiness Acts 20. 29 30. But Mr Baxter and his peers are necessitated thus to do if in teaching such doctrines they will draw after them Disciples For being destitute of the authority of God and his word if they should not urge men to a credulity upon the authority of men their doctrine would be hissed at as having no authority To conclude then the doctrine which Mr. Baxter here more than obscurely holds forth is 1 Against Christ and all the Reformed Churches which condemn it borrowed of and owned by the apostatized Synagoue of Rome only 2 Against the Scripture as hath been manifested 3 It is a doctrine that brings with it an unsetledness and instability in Faith and Religion Whosoever takes it up from Mr. Baxters credit must be always learning and never know be whirled hither and thither with doubts and uncertainties without any firm station never attaining rest For he that taketh upon trust from his Teachers what to believe and do to be saved will one day be of Paul another of Apollo and a third of Cephas as his fancy tels him this or that Teacher is most worthy to be trusted In great probability Mr. Baxters predecessor taught not the same Justification with Mr. Baxter and he that shall succeed him will hold out the same grounds and way of justification with Christ and his Apostles which Mr. Baxter declineth And I know not but either of them may be as worthy of Trust as himself In what a maze must that people then be led by what turnings and returnings must they be dragged forward and backward who are taught to take up doctrines on the trust of their Teachers what joy in believing can they ever have whose rule in believing is to be never setled in their faith but to be still wavering His Disciples must needs be meer weather-cocks tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning crafâ—inesse whereby they lay in wait to deceive Eph. 4. 14. 4 It is a doctrine that makes way for all Heresie Blasphemy and Impiety into the hearts of the people For when Religion is taken upon trust from the Teachers Satan will transform himself into an Angel of light and his Ministers themselves into Ministers of Righteousness to gain credit and opinion of wisdom and holiness above others among the people that upon their trust at last the people may swallow all falshoods under the name of Truth whatsoever they shall commend to them 2 Cor. 11. 13-15 See whither the Galathians were carryed by taking upon trust from their seemingly Angelical Teachers doctrines of faith Christ is become of no effect to you ye are faln from grace saith the Apostle to them Gal. 5. 4. Surely the doctrine of Mr. Baxter is the same in generall and substance with theirs that corrupted and seduced Galatia The Lord avert the like success from Kederminster 5 It is a Doctrine pernicious in it self and brings a curse upon them that receive it in the very receiving of it For cursed is man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17. 5. If so in earthly much more in spirituall things So much of this point in which having found what Mr. Baxter is before his entrance upon the bulk of his work we may easily conjecture what a one we shall find him being entred CHAP. II. Mr. Baxters Sophisticall way and Method of dispute to obscure and not to cleer the truths of the Gospel discovered And that therein he imitates the Papists IN the former Chapter we have found Mr. Baxter before his entrance upon his Treatise somewhat discovering with whom he joyns in opinion so far that we may discern and guess ex ungue leonem by one little piece of the man what he is in his whole bulk and frame It contents him not to be one and the same with the Papists in his judgment but that he will next also discover himself to be the same with them in their slights and artifice to bring all others into the same judgment and opinion with them That generation of the Popish Schoolmen are fitly likened by Sir Francis Bacon in his Advancement of learning to Spiders which spin out their webbs out of their own bowels So these spinn all their doctrines in religion out of their own brains their own reason naming Christ sometimes therein but rather hiding and darkning the authority of his word than following it as their leading threed in all their doctrines All their writings about Evangelicall and saving points of knowledg are but as so many webs of their fancy to catch and carry away from the purity of Christs Gospel not so many well-ordered threeds of sacred Scriptures to guide and bring us to him Who is there of all that have but cursorily read their works that finds them not consisting of large heaps of needless and superfluous questions to obscure the light of the word and to bring all to the tryall of reason yea sophisticall and sophisticated
runs the question in great part between us and the Papists whether the works make the person or the new relation of the person make his works accepted And in the Fift place no lesse ambiguity is there in the phrase Related to the Covenant of Grace not to the Covenant of works For in many respects may a person or thing be related to either Covenant and he tells us not in what respect he meaneth Now though from the whole scope of his worst we may assure our selves that he would be understood in the worh i. e. in the Popish sense in reference to all these things which he delivers in such words as may bear a manifold sense yet because the man delights to dance in the dark that he may not be yet taken wee will neither crosse his humor nor befool our selves in dancing after him untill he shall discover himself and his meaning in the light To the explication I except that it is full of extravagancies equivocations contradictions saying and gainsaying doing and undoing mentall reservations and in all of fallacious subtilties First he racks rakes together Scriptures in heaps to prove that a mans eyes are in his head not in his heeles I mean to confirm that which no rational man ever denyed viz. that sometimes men are called righteous by reason of a personal righteousnesse c. what an extravagancy is this so strongly to fortifie where there is no fear of an assault But there lurketh here a twofold fallaciousnesse and subtilty of Master Baxter 1 a trick to delude his inconsiderate readers that view his words running without any stay or stopping to consider with an opinion that he hath all the Old and New Testaments on his side in that hee can spit Scriptures so swiftly and numerously for himselfe 2. a feat to screw into the mindes of unwary men a conceit that all these Scriptures which he confides they will not examine doe hold forth justification by our own personal or inherent righteousness Which they do no more prove then a crow upon a sheeps back proves the sheep to be a crow or a red hat forced upon Master Baxters head proves him to be a Cardinal Yet this must hee mean and aim at else to use the very same words which he before used against Master Saltmarsh his Argumentation is no more to the businesse that he hath in hand then a harp to a harrow For it is not the righteousnesse of sanctification but of justification that is the subject of his dispute 2. He is liberal in his concessions grants us first that the Scripture calls men righteous sometimes in regard of their imputed righteousnesse and when they are so called in respect of their inherent righteousnesse it is sometimes in reference to the lawes and judgements of men Also sometimes in regard of some of their particular actions which are in their substance good viz. therein conformed to the law And sometimes in a comparative sense as they are compared with the wicked c. Yet with one flat contradiction recalls all again thus Therefore it must needs be that men must be called Righteous in reference to the New Covenant onely Who ever heard untill now of such a conclusion from such premisses If because we are sometimes in Scripture called righteous in regard of imputed Righteousnesse which according to Master Baxters Divinity is our legal righteousnesse and in regard of these other waies which he mentioneth none of which relateth to the New Covenant how doth it follow hence Ergo men are called righteous in reference to the New Covenant onely In this his Logick is no lesse mystical then his Divinity I can see no other ground of such an argutation in stead of an Argumentation But this Master Baxer hath granted and laid the premisses Ergo earum contrarium verum est i. e. Therefore the contrary to what he saith must needs be true But paradventure he drawes the conclusion not from those concessions but onely from the words next immediately going before viz. The ordinary phrase of Scripture hath more truth and aptitude then so Therefore c. Did he not grant that the Scriptures do call men righteous in all the former mencioned respects what is it then that he here saith The ordinary phrase of Scripture hath more truth c. Are some Scriptures more true then others And therefore doth he reject that which is affirmed by the lesse true conclude that which is affirmed by the more true Scriptures or can hee deny the Scriptures sometimes to call men righteous in the former respects No marvell if he doth so prophanely wrest and abuse the Scriptures when he takes them for such false and uncircumcised things that in his account they need also an inherent truth and righteousnesse to justifie them I should here prove that men are called Righteous not in reference to the New Covenant onely But let him first bring his proofs to confirm the contraâ—y and I stand waiting to answer him This he attempts to do in the next words Wherein wee shall find him bringing nothing else but some vain and loose propositions fallaciously and sophisticaâ—ly disposed laying them down as known principles when they are the very things in question for the most part of them yet Confirming them with no other authority than his own bare affirmation and Negation as if every paradox must be taken as sacred and undisputable when he hath and because hee hath delivered it It is plain thus saith he B. Righteousnesse is but the Denomination of our actions and persons as related to some Rule He had before said in the Explication of Thes 16. pag. 96. That Righteousness is no proper real being but a Modificatio entis the Modification of a being This he means also here in calling it the Denomination of our persons and actions as related to some Rule But what end hee hath in degrading Righteousness from the honour of a positive reall being more then other virtues I do but yet kenn at a distance and not fully comprehend This wee clearly see that he takes the chair and challengeth to himself a Magisterial power to create and destroy what his Cap thinks fit in Philosophy Logick and Divinity A famous Doctor long versed in more sublime and profound studies and by means thereof having let slip some of the poor elementary rules of Grammar having once by a mistake broken Priscians head being admonished thereof is said in great haste to have answered He would make a New Grammar that should conform to the incongruity of his words seeing his words were unconform to the congruity of Grammar Such is the animosity of Mr. Baxter where his opinions agree not with the rules of Philosophy or Divinity there he damns and annihilates the old and with the breath of his mouth creates a new Philosophy and Divinity that shall be subservient to his opinions and so God-like Diruit aedificat mutat quadrata rotundis This he doth
of these his subtilty layes down not as positions here first asseâ—ted and consequently here to be proved But as assertions before proved and granted upon which he is now ready to build his other geere and tâ—ash which he hath in readiness to jâ—yne to these as a superstructure Whereas our sincere subjection and obedience to Christ saith he is part of the condition of the New Covenant And where again When the New Covenant saith Thou shalt obey sincerely putting there this voice of the New Covenant in opposition to the voice of the Old Covenant which as he tells us saith Thou shalt obey perfectly Here is a pretty slight to broach errors a creeping into men to perswade them in despight of their teeth that he and they are of one mind That he proved and they granted it yesternight when they were all fast a sleep and none of them spake or heard any thing Which shall we think this man to have more studied Machiavil or Mâ—ldonate If Bellarmine were alive hee would even shake off his red Cap with laughter to see a son of his so much more witty and crafty then his Father But to the matter it self First concerning obedience to the Morall Law that it is part of the condition of the New Covenant 1. I demand where it was before proved yea where in direct words asserted that it is here taken up as a point granted Hee gave cause enough indeed to bee suspected of it throughout the foregoing part of this Tractate but not evidence enough to be impleaded for it This is Magisterially to command Faith as one that speaketh by the authority of an infallible spirit and not Ministerially to teach as one that subjecteth himself and his Doctrine to the tryal of Gods Word 2. I demand whether he means not by the condition of the New Covenant the condition upon which and for which God will justifie the performer Yea that condition which he had before termed a righteousnesse perfect and meritorious in its own worthyness to Justification If this be not his meaning then Master Baxter eats up again to day what he spit out yesterday But this can in no wise befall the animosity of his spirit If it be his meaning then doth he pronounce even our legal righteousnes which consists in the fulfilling of the Morall duties of the Moral Law as well as our Evangelicall righteousnesse as he termes the personall righteousnesse which is conformed to the rule of the Gospel to bee meritorious to Justification And not any one of the Popes themselves have spoken higher language then this to deifie man in his own righteousnesse 3. I would be informed if the performance of the duties of the Morall Law in obedience to Christ doth justifie why the same performance in obedience to God doth not justifie also Is not obedience due as well to the Father as to the Son or is not Justification as much from the Father as from the Sonne The same honour is due to both and the same work of grace effected by both Neither can I see any more worth in Morall Righteousnesse Morally performed for I finde not Mr. Baxter as yet speaking further of it in obedience to the Son then in the same done to the Father by way of obedience to him But of this point we shall have a more proper place and occasion to speak more fully afterward 2. Concerning the second that the Gospel doth require but sincere not perfect obedience I might also enquire 1. Why Mr. Baxter doth here take it up pro concesso for granted He had indeed put it in the question to which he is answering but had said nothing for the solution of it except peradventure by the art of Ventriloquie he spake something under the Table that he might not bee heard when hee said in his first answer to it That the Morall Law is continued by Christ in the sense before expressed meaning by those words the expressions used in the said question that under the New Covenant the Morall Law commandeth not perfect obedience but onely sincere or at least the Gospel having the Morall Law for its preceptive part doth so If I knew that to be his meaning I have somewhat to say to it In mean while be it or be it not his meaning is every thing that Mr. Baxter hath once imagined in his brain or spoken under a bushel by and by to be taken up for a granted principle in Religion upon which he may make a superstructure of what he pleaseth 2. Why doth he not alledge those Testimonies of the New Testament which assert onely a sincere and not a perfect obedience Why doth hee suffer us poor soules to continue in darknesse for lack of his light communicated to us Is it in the outside or the inside of his Testament that this mystical doctrine is contained I acknowledge the promises of Gods free grace are made â—ut in the riches thereof to them that are in Christ that God for Christs sake will accept their sincere volitions and performances according to the ability which they have and not reject them for want of the ability which they have not That not onely the infirmities of their obedience but their very sins and disobedience is blotted out and shall be no more imputed to them c. But this in no wise denyeth perfect obedience to be their duty still Yea much more their duty under the Gospel then under the Law because there is a greater obligation of greater and more benefits upon them under thâ— Gospel then under the Law binding them to yeeld back perfect love and obedience to their Benefactor 3. What shall we think of those Texts in the New Testament which require of us to be perfect 2 Cor. 13. 11. Jam. 1. 4. Yea perfect as God is perfect Mat. 5. 48. reproving weakness and infirmity and commanding a going on to perfection Heb. 6. 1. as compared with the precedent Chapter in the latter part thereof Yea if perfection were not the duty of a Christian and unperfectness and infirmity his sin why doth the Apostle so much groan and grieve under the remainder of his naturall infirmities and presse on to perfection Rom. 7. 14 to the 24. Phi. 3. 12-14 Or is such unperfectness a sinne onely in reference to the rule of the Law and not the rule of the Gospel for that the Law doth but the Gospel doth not call for perfection This is both contrary to the Scriptures alleaged and doth withall make the Gospel to allow imperfections And to use Mr. Baxters own expressions which calleth the Gospel a Law what the Law forbids not we take the same to be approved by that Law If any should say that the Gospel doth not require perfect but sincere obedience ad aliquid in relation to this or that particular end it might in some case be a truth But Mr. Baxter layes it down positively in it self that the Gospel requires not perfection And this can
of Christ is opened and the power of his Spirit offered and we commanded to receive our fill and in the strength of what we receive to mount higher and higher untill we come to full perfection The reason that Master Baxter bringeth why he cannot bee yet convinced that Christ commands perfect obedience to the Moral Law were from another reasonless but from Master Baxter it is but a discovery of himselfe to be himselfe i. e. an admirer I had almost said adorer of his own wisdome Because saith he I know not to what end Christ should command us that obedience which he never doth enable any man in this life to performe What more lofty arrogance he must be admitted into Christs privie Councell and have communicated to him what ends Christ hath in giving his commands else will he cast be hinde him his precepts as void and vain He should have left to Socinus and his followers thus to have argued who make humane reason the rule and bound of their Religion Had he said he is not yet convinced because he yet meets not with any punctual testimony of Scripture that expressly affirms it this would have at the worst but implyed some inadvertency in his reading the Scriptures But not to deny that the Scripture saith it and yet not to be convinced because he seeth not to what ends Christ should doe what the Scripture saith he hath done this is no lesse than the advancing the authority of his reason above the authority of Gods Word and an attributing of power to his own blindnesse of silencing and frustrating the authority and truth of the Scriptures But who is more blinde than he that will not see Or what hinders Master Baxter from seeing what ends Christ had in commanding that perfection which we cannot attain in this life fully to performe Is it not because he terminateth and boundeth Christs ends in all that he did suffered or commanded to man as both the circumference and center of all and had no aim to his own glory and the glory of his father that sent him therein How many honourable ends of Christ in this case may there bee gathered from the Scriptures 1. That God might be herein glorified Herein is my father gloryfied that ye bear much fruit Jo. 15. 8. The more fruit wee bear and the more perfect the more is God glorified in us Therefore is the perfection of our fruit-bearing commanded that God may be still more and more glorified by our greater greater fruitfulnesse every one being forced to magnify the wonderfull operation of Gods grace in Christ that hath enabled that which was erewhile a dead stock to bring forth against nature so much and so good fruit Even as an â—xpert penman or Master in writing to get honour by the proficiency of his Schollers doth not bring down and lessen the perfection of his letters which he writes for their coppy to their feeblenesse and unablenesse in writing so should they continue unskilfull and unable still but sets before them a perfect coppy commanding and teaching them to follow it and by degrees even to match it and by this means the more perfectly they write the more honour comes to the Master 2. To hold us in a constant intercourse and communion with himselfe by faith Were we perfect or had we attained all that is required of us we should be wholly apt to settle our selves upon our own bottoms and worke either not at all or else in our strength But when we see our selves deficient in what we ought to be and nothing in our selves or any where else out of Christ to supply us that without or out of him we can doe nothing this keeps us in a diligent and constant union with him to abide in him as the branches in the vine to suck from him sap and life more abundantly for the producing of more abundant growth and fruitfulnesse in us and thus the communion beeween Christ and â—s is more and more peâ—fected and he more and more honoured when we fetch all our vertue and strength from him 3. To keep us in continual selfe-denyal and to dash to nothing Master Baxters idol of Justification by our own inherent righteousnesse which when we finde to come still short of the peâ—fection injoyned and sinfull in its defectivenesse we shall be forced to with-hold our confidence from it and with the Apostle to shake it off in reference to Justification as dung and losse that we may win Christ and be found in him c. So making Christ our All and our selves nothing to our own happinesse Phi. 3. 8. 9. 4. To awaken us out of our carnal slumberings and contentation in our poor beginings and slight pittances of knowledge and righteousnesse already attained and to stirre us on with a holy agility towards perfection in our motions It was this that wrought thus with the Apostle Paul Knowing perfection to be commanded and seeing himselfe yet in a station so short of it it makes him to cry out I have not yet attained I am not yet perfect therefore forgetting those things that are behind that are already done and attained and reaching forth to the things that are before not yet attained I presse toward the marke of perfection Phil. 3. 12 13 14. For these and many other ends that might bee added doth Christ command perfection though not fully attainable in this life Master Baxter expresses himselfe to be able to finde but one and that but a seeming end or reason in this case and that hee blowes off as insufficient If it were saith he to convince us of our disability and sinne that is the worke of the Law and the continuing of it upon the old termes as is before explained is sufficient to that Sundry failings are there in this passage of his making it insufficient to the end for which he useth it 1. That it makes the Law because it convinceth of sinne to be the onely means ordained of God to convince us of sinne When contrariwise the Lord Christ tells us that the Spirit of Grace shall under the Gospel also convince men of sinne Joh. 16. 8. and that with a more effectual conviction than ever the Law as the Law could work It shall so convince men of sinne that it shall convince them of righteousnesse also of damning sinne in themselves and of saving righteousnesse laid up for them in Christ This the Law could not do Therefore is as a Covenant of workes for so Master Baxter here takes the Law neither the onely nor the chiefe means ordained of God to convince of sinne 2. That it makes the Law upon it old terms to be ordained of God in a special and proper manner to convince of sinne This indeed was the office of the Law as given to Israel upon mount Sinai upon other and new termes But upon its old and first terms as it was given to Adam this could not be the next and proper end of
it so terme this 3. And of as little moment is that which he hath pag. 169. in the Explication of his Definition of Pardon calling iâ— a gracious Act where he blesseth and kisseth the image Tantundem set up by Grotius and polished by himselfe denying it to bee a pardon if it be not in some sort gratuitous or free and asserting that if Christ hath payd for us the idem or the proper debt then there is no place left for pardon and wee have nothing forgiven us For the Creditor saith he cannot refuse the proper debt nor deny an acquittance upon the receipt thereof c. A meer vanity of words without either ground or substance It doth not alway hold firm in trifling debts of money Suppose I have a sonne that having received his portion of my estate from me will forthwith come and pay it me for the debt of some bankrupt debtor that I have cast into prison if indeed it be so agreed upon between my self and my said Sonne and that to this end I gave him such a portion of my estate that he should so doe with it then it were not equity in me to refuse the payment so offered But yet Master Baxter wil not deny that this agreement or covenant between me and my sonne and my receiving of my own monyes in satisfaction for that Bankrupts debt though it be the same to the utmost farthing which hee owed is an act of grace or favour in mee to the said Debtor But in case â—here were no such covenant between me and my said sonne but that I gave him the said portion of my goods for other ends and uses and not to pay the Debts of Bankrupts I suppose then it is in my choice either to receive or refuse the full debt so offered me because he which offerrs it was not bound upon the Bond as Suretie or as Excecutor or Administrator to the Debtor nor is assigned by the Debtor to make payment in his stead What is there in this case binding me to receive the debt from such an hand or to give an acquittance to him that should pay it Much lesse will the case hold in point of Life and Death Suppose some Priest Jesuit or other Traytor were by the Law condemned to dye for Treason committed The day of Execution is at hand Master Baxter interposes and offereth to dye for him Is it not in the power of the chiefe Magistrates to refuse the accepting of the death of the Innocent for the Nocent Or if they doe accept the change is it not an Act of free grace to pardon the offendor accepting anothers sufferings for him Much more is it a gracious act in God to pardon us upon Christs suffering in our stead because hee sent his Sonne and gave him a body wherein to suffer for us Heb. 10. 5. And gives us acquittance having cast him into prison in our behalf untill he had payd the utmost farthing of our debts 4. What hee saith against the ignorant Antinomians in the end of page 169 and in page 170 hee hath sayd before and it hath been before examined and his pepper-corne being crushed hath been found too hot in smell and operation for a humble and selfe-denying Christian to meddle with in the point of Justification Therefore I conclude with him nor further to trouble the Reader with those sensless conceites which have onely a plausible shew of words but no footing in Scriptures or authority from Scriptures to establish them The rest of the Doctrine which hee delivereth in this page 170 and addeth page 171 and 172 I doe in part grant him and what I grant him not wee shall finde againe so involved in his dispute whether Justification bee an immanent or transient Act of God page 173 seq that it shall be more proper there then here to take it into examination In his 173 page Master Baxter enters upon a dispute of great moment whether Remission and Justification be immanent or transient Acts of God Before pag. 93 of this Tractate in a brave challenge of the Antinomians to produce one Scripture testifying Justification to be from eternity hee promised to shew or prove that Justification is not an immanent Act in God Here he addresseth himself to the accomplishment of what he there promised and in doing it he pretendedly draws the sword against the Antinomians as the sole assertors of the opinion which he here with much gallantry seeks to confute Two things then I conceive here to call for examination First how sound the reasons are which he brings to deny Pardon and Justification to be immanent and to prove them to bee meerly transient acts of God 2. What kind of Vermine these Antinomians are against whom Mr. Baxter hath already discharged so many Gun-shots before in this Treatise and findes them nevertheless yet alive and in a capacity to bear so many more shots from him in this and the following parts of this book Before my entrance upon either of these for an introduction to the former that the state of the question may the better appear I shall endeavour with as much fidelity and simplicity as in briefe I may to lay downe the judgements of our Protestant Divines whom he slanders here and every where almost with Antinomianism about this question before mentioned which Mr. Baxter here so much opposeth I mean such of these as hold not that all have taught it to be in some respect immanent in God 1. Then in their disputes against Bellarmine Arminius Socinus and their followers about remission of sinnes and justification they tell us that justification is taken sometimes actively for a judicial act of Gods grace sometimes passively or terminatively as it hath its termination upon beleevers In the former sense it is an act internal and immanent in God not transient upon an extraneous subject or in plain words it is secret abiding and hidden in God himselfe not declared or passing into the knowledg and conscience of man That it is of the same nature with the acts of election and reprobation having its complete being as these before the persons so elected justified and reprobated begin to have being life or faith in them or to doe good or evill But in its passive sense as it is terminated upon and made out to the conscience of a man so it is a transient act of God pronouncing and declaring home to the conscience of a man now living convinced of his sinnes and trembling at the sense and burthen thereof yet resting upon and cleaving to Christ by faith that his sinnes are forgiven for Christs sake and by this act and sentence of God in his conscience the poor sinner becomes sensible and apprehensive of his full discharge and absolution at Gods tribunal thorow Christs satisfaction made to justice for him 2. That justification as taken in the former sense is an Act of Gods supreme Lordship or dominion or else of his good pleasure to use
in his other forementioned operations upon us by his Word and Spirit not only to teach and command but also by his infinite power to enliven us to bring forth fruits of so great a salvation and to walke worthy of it in all holinesse and righteousnesse and exactnesse to fulfill all duties and works of Christian obedience In this he is to be made indeed the object of justifying faith or which is the same of sanctifying faith yet not at it justifyeth but as it sanctifyeth We should not a little maim both the office of faith and the benefits which we have by Christ if we should restrain them all to justification Nay Christ is made unto us as well sanctification as righteousnesse and faith adhereth as fast to Christ for the one as the other else is it not a legitimate but bastard faith Neverthelesse Christ is not in the same respect the object of faith as sanctifying and of the same as justifying Because this is Mr. Baxters supereminent Argument in which himself seems most to trust and by which so many learned Ministers do even professe themselves staggered and astonished I shall omit nothing unexamined that he speaketh in the affirming or confirming of it lest any should take occasion to say that the strongest part thereof is not because it could not be answered Therefore have I left out nothing of what he hath said to the other Proposition though many things were unworthy of Animadversion To the consequent of this Proposition he speaketh more in his next two Theses viz. 73. 74. what is inserted in these two Aphorisms more fit to be examined under another notion I shall here forbear to transcribe leaving it for its proper place What is to the present purpose he thus expresseth B. Thes 73. pa. 289. Faith only doth not justifie in opposition to the works of the Gospell but those works do also justifie Thes 74. Both faith and works justifie in the same kind of causality viz. as Causae sine quibus non or mediate and improper causes or as Dr. Twisse causae dispositivae c. The like may be said of Love and of others in the same station These are but meer affirmations and contain no reasons to confirme only in the latter Thesis seemingly at least is produced the authority of that Antinomian Dr. Twisse but with so fine a conveyance as that he may be kept in or left out at pleasure if Mr. Baxter be dealt with to make good his allegation of him He knowes the name and authority of Dr. Twisse to be great and amiable as an eminent servant of Christ and patron of his truth He concludes therefore that his assertions will be swallowed with the more facility having such an authority to sweeten and fortifie them Therefore so interserteth his Testimony that his Reader may suppose Dr. Twisse to affirm works to be causas dispositivas of justification I neither have read all that Dr. Twisse hath written neither do I so far trust my memory as to deny it flatly and peremptorily Yet by knowing Dr. Twisse aright I am as confident that Bellarmine hath taught the righteousnesse of justification to be meerly by imputation and our justification only by faith as that Dr. Twisse hath any way affirmed works in this or any other respect to prevent or operate to our justification If he did why doth not Mr. Baxter quote the place as elsewhere he doth very diligently when the Testimony of the Author makes for him or why in the end of his Appendix where he sucks out of Dr. Twisse and others all that he thinks may make for his advantage doth he not cite this so pregnant a Testimony But he hath left to himself an evasion that when he hath beguiled whom he can with such an authority being found at last he can answer his meaning is the term or phrase viz. causa dispositiva upon some other not to this Argument is that which Dr. Twisse useth I finde him indeed calling works causas sine quibus non or dispositivas salutis of our salvation or glorification never of our justification And so far is he from attributing under this term what Mr. Baxter attributeth that he seriously abandoneth it So he expresseth himself Vind. Lib. 1. Par. 2. Sect. 2. Proxime finem Vix majus pâ—ceatum est quam justificationem quaerere ex operibus and almost in the next words Nullum opus Deo gratiuâ— acceptius est quam sibi justitiae suae in negotiosalutis renunt iare et in Christo unice confidere But come we now to that which he speaks for confirmation the first part consists in prefacing His own conscience telling him that it is a Pharisaicall Popish principle which he hear positeth he forelayes his Proeme to the proofe thereof thus B. I know this is the doctrine that will have the loudest out-cries raised against it and will make some cry out Heresie Popery Socinianism and what not For mine own part the searcher of hearts knoweth that not singularity affection of novelty nor any goodwill to Popery provoketh me to entertain it but that I have earnestly sought the Lords direction upon my knees before I durst adventure on it and that I resisted the light of this conclusion as long as I was able but a man cannot force his own understanding if the evidence of truth force it not though he may force his pen or tongue to silence or dissembling That which I shall do further is to give you some proofs c. First here a word to such Ministers as being more the disciples of men then of Christ and better versed in Sophistry then Divinity do only not deify Mr. Baxter maintaining all his doctrine in this book to be the doctrine of all the Protestant Churches Why do they anger the man in charging him with so low a spirit that he hath nothing but what is common with him and the most eminent lights in the Church will not he be offended at it doth he not here in some kind pronounce himself a dissenter and that what he here asserteth is that which the Protestant Churches detest as heresie doth not himself even before experience what acceptance his book would have as it were proclaime himself in this point departed from us into the Tents of Papists and Socinians As to Mr. Baxter 1. We have before granted to him that he gives no cause of suspicion that affection of singularity and novelty hath drawn him into this opinion For he is not herein singular nor is his doctrine new but such as the Phariâ—ees in Christs time and the false Apostles in the Apostles times and the worst of Hereticks from thence unto our dayes have unanimously pestered the Church with Yet in this I appeal to Mr. Baxter whether some affection of repute by being a deviser of a new way and new Arguments for the confirmation of this old Popish Socinian doctrine hath not possessed him 2. Whether the searcher of
Pauls This is not all that he hath to say his other Reasons or rather Sophisms follow in the next Chapter CHAP. XXI Mr. Baxters other Reasons to evince the same thing Examined Bax. 2 p. 308. PAul doth either in express words or in the sense and scope of his speech exclude onely the works of the Law that is the fulfilling of the conditions of the Law our selves But never the fulfilling of the Gospel conditions that we may have part in Christ Indeed if a man should obey the Commands of the Gospel with a legall intent that it might be a righteousness conform to the Law of works this obedience is not Evangelicall but legall obedience for the Form giveth the Name No less or-cuâ—aâ—ly than the Devil of old was wont to speak out of Delphos For this also as the former is onely said not shewed and proved What doth he mean by such imperious Conclusions but out of the abounding of his humility and self-abasement to proclaim to the world that he is a God and that the words of his lips must be made the judge of all Scriptures and the Canon of all mens Faith When he hath spoken we must subject both judgments and Conscience without searching further It is a truth he that cannot err hath said it Were it a Conclusion universally received in the Churches of Christ which he here delivereth it had been indeed superfluous to wast time and labour in proving what all grant But when it it but a dream of his own brain sneezed thence through his Nostrils or some spirit by his Chimistry â—xâ—râ—cted out of Bellarmine Socinus and Arminius their notionall Fanciâ—s when all the pious and judicious of all the Protestant Churches have been unacquainted with it lay down Conclusions câ—nâ—radictory to it what els but a most arrogant self Confidence and contempt of his betters could move him thus to spit Paradoxeâ— without the least eâ—deavours to give a demonstration of the least probability of them Doth he thâ—nk his raptures so Divine that the holiest and most judicious of all mortals must lick his spittle as Angels food without enquiring what substance and vertue there is in it But this is the spirit and genius of the esuits whom he followeth as his guides if not Gods and against whom in this very case our Classicall Divines have so much and justly complained in these latter years Sâ—tis est hodie Jesuit is nostris saith Dr. Twisse pro authoritate nescio qua quidlibet affirmare dictata sua nulla probatione fulta nobis obtrudere i. e. The Jesuits of Vind. lib. 1. par 2. degr 3. sect 1. prope finem our time think it sufficient by their own I know not what Authority to affiâ—m any thing and obtrude upon us their own dictates without any proof to support them And Chamier often calling it their Tyranny Sic volo sic jubeo c. Qui cum alienam sententiam Panstr tom 1. lib. 1. c. 19. n. 11. adeo refellant frigide suam tamen obtrudant nulla confirmatam Argumento i. e. which when they so coldly refell the opinion of others yet obtrude their own without any Argument to confirme Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 6. n. 8. it Againe Quis non miretur abijs viris null◠〈◊〉 indicatam vim consequentiae sed relictam nobis divinandam At haec non jam segnities est sed dolus malus Certe hoc eorum est ingenium qui maxime sunt inter sophistas nempe ut eas occultent partes quas vident infirmissimas i. e. Who would not marvell that these men should conclude without shewing by any sign the force of the Consequence But leaving us to Divine or conjecture it This is not sloth but evill deceit This indeed is the quality of these men that are greatest among the Sophisters to hide those parts which they see most weak As to Mr. Brs distinction here which is of the same kind with the most of those that he hath in this Tractate between the works of the Law as they are they fulfilling of the Conditions of the Law our selves or as they are the fulfilling of the Conditions of the Gospel enough were said if I should onely say what Chamier saith to the like wild distinctions of the Jesuits Si e Scriptura Id. To. 2. l. 8. cap. 6. n. 17. cedo locum cedimus Sin e Scholasticorum somniis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. If these distinctions be taken out of the Scripture name where and we submit but if out of the dreams of the School men we leave them to the Crowes But observable it is that when the most conspicuous men in Learning and all outward accomplishments do once fall from the truth and simplicity of the Gospel they forth with yeeld up themselves not caring what stone they throw if with it they may wound the Grace of God and face of the Lord Christ Thus do we find Mr. Br. here contradicting himself to choak the truth In his former Sophisticall eluding of the authority of Pauls testimony against him we found him affirming that where Paul and James treat of Justification it was James his Question and not Pauls what is the Condition of our Justification by the Righteousnesse of Christ whether Faith onely or works also But Pauls Question to be what the Righteousnesse is which we must plead against the accusations of the Law or by which we are justified as the proper Rightousnesse of that Law viz. whether our own or Christs righteousnesse Here now in the very nexâ— breath without any one word interserted he affirms Pauls Question to be what he there denyed what the condition is of our Justification by Christ or having part in Christ What he excludeth and what he includeth to this purpose This is the integrity of the man first wilfully to lay down his Conclusion that he will pervert the Gospel of Christ and then to say and gain-say any thing all things that Malice it self against the Gospel can prompt or dictate to him And what is it that he produceth here in the second place to elude and lay prostrate Pauls authority The notion and sound of his great God Condition a god which neither Christ nor any of his Prophets or Apostles ever knew much less ever named as operative in the business of Justification Yet such a Dagon to Mr. Br. that if he fall shivered all Mr. Brs. Divinity together with himself must fall after into the dirt As to the matter it self whether there be any Conditions of the Gospel and what Condition and how far it may be granted all these have been so fully examined before that unless I delighted to feed upon crambe a hundred times more then bis cocta I must here to prevent the inconvenience of nauseousness to my self and the Reader in steed of Answer transmit the Reader to what hath been Answered oft before As for that which he philosophizingly distinguisheth between the works
again with the strokes of his Curse so sorely that we shall be healed no more while the world lasteth I have sworn that I would no more be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee Isa 54 9. i. e. I have sworn but never meant to stand to it I might instance hundreds more of such Scriptures wherewith Mr. Brs. glosses and distinctions do as well agree as fire towe together If Mr. Br. did so much honour the very intrals of Gods word as hee doth the backside of Aristotles Topicks he would not dare so to elude and elide them But Gods authority with him must it seems stand or fall as it hath or hath not approbation from Aristotles or Socinus his Reason being submitted to the censure thereof And then what living plant of God can stand where this man brings the Axe of his distinctions to fell and prepare billets in heaps for his Cole-fires B. 2. As to the Covenant of works though he make them Concomitants with Faith in justifying and that the voyce of the New C is after his Assertion the same with the voyce of the Old Do and Live yet he denies his doctrine to be herein Legall Because there is a manifold difference implyed though not expressed between the Lawes and the Gospels justifying by works 1 The Law requireth an obedience or righteousness of works in every number and degree perfect to justification But hee makes the New Covenant or Gospell to require only sincere obedience or obedience perfect in sincerity for the attainment of this end Aph. pa. 133. 316. and Thes 77. pa. 310. and App. pa. 76 77. And the sincere covenanting of this obedience or this sincere obedience covenanted must be thus conditioned else it is not sincere 1 It must follow upon the knowledg of the Nature ends conditions of the Covenant 2 It must be done deliberately and not in a fit of passion or rashly 3 It must be done seriously and not dissemblingly or slightly 4 Freely and heartily and not through meer constraint and fear 5 Intirely and with a resolution to perform the whole Covenant and not with reservations giving themselves to Christ by the halves or reserving a purpose to maintain their fleshly interests 6 It must be the taking and obeying of Christ alone not joyning others in office with him but renouncing all other happiness save what is by him and all government and salvation from any which is not in direct subordination to him Append. pa. 33. These make up a sincere and perfect obedience a sincere and perfect Gospel-righteousness perfect in respect of Evangelicall though not of legall perfection For sincerity is our Gospel perfection being a conformity to the rule of perfection viz. the New Covenant as it is a Covenant a perfection of sufficiency in order to its end which is to be the condition of Justification Aph. p. 132 133. Who now is there of all men that hath eyes in his elbows but seeth distinctly a vast difference between the Laws and the Gospels justifying by works For it is justice which requires perfect but Grace that requireth but sincere obedience to justification All this is without book the dictates not of the Holy Ghost but of Mr. Br. and that spirit which wrought in his Masters from whom he learned it For 1. The Scriptures which he alledgeth in any part of this Treatise to make any part thereof probable have been examined and none of them found to speak for him most against him Neither do these assertions of Scripture that affirm Christ to give or promise that he will give life salvation c. to such or such qualified or working persons as to them that love him or fear him or obey him or to the meek the righteous c. any more infer that these qualifications or works have any proper or improper causality to produce their justification than when the Scriptures affirm him to give grace and life to Centurions Publicans Harlots Sinners Enemies Uâ—godly Chief sinners Samaritans Heathen do infer that their being such had any causality unto their justification 2. Nay the Scriptures utterly deny the Gospel to have to do with the Law in this voyce Do and Live as I have before oft alleged them Not by works of righteousness which we have done but of his Mercy he hath saved us by Faith not of works Not of workes but of Grace And how poor a shift Mr. Br. useth to elude the force of these and the like Scriptures hath been shewed in the examination of his vindicating himself from being contradictive to St. Paul 3. Yea if works in any notion or consideration be brought as coupled with Faith to promote Justification the Scriptures affirm them to destroy the hope of Justification and to repell the grace of Christ by which the Beleevers are justified If ye be circumcised which in Pauls sense there is if yee bring but this one work to forward your Justification by Christ ye are bound to keep the whole law Christ is become of no effect ye are faln from grace and faln under the Curse Gal. 5. 3 4. 3. 10. 4. And if works or obedience in Mr. Brs. sense which is the doing of the moral Righteousness that the Law commandeth be not as much as adjuvant to Justification then surely sincere obedience cannot be helpful where obedience yea perfect obedience is excluded This is and appears to be either an instinct or a distinction of Mr. Brs. own brain not a doctrine of the Scripture for which way shall we turn the leaves thereof to find it 5. Yea how rational or how ridiculous this distinction or gloss of Mr. Br. applyed to those Scriptures which deny justification by the obedience of works I leave both to the seeing and the blind to judg By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified saith the Apostle i. e. saith Mr. Br. by the perfect obedience of works but by unperfect obedience if sincere we may be justified Not of works but of grace i. e. not of works perfectly done but of works unperfectly yet sincerely done so grace and works may be made friends that is Gods grace and mans vain glory may kiss each other as co-equal workers of mans justification Not by works of Righteousnes which we have done but of his mercy c. i. e. which wee have done perfectly but which we have done maimedly yet sincerely If some Festus should hear such a Commentary of Mr. Br. upon Paul he would conclude sure that one of them is beside himself much learning hath made him madd Either Paul that he had not wit or words to express his own meaning that in the whole bulk of his disputes denying unto our works and righteousness indefinitely all operation to Justification doth not as much as with a Parenthesis in any place inform his Reader that he speaks not of Gospel but of legall works not of sincere but of perfect obedience that these are rejected from those necessarily