Apology Against the Exceptions of Black and Kendall, Directions to the binder – Dedication
Baxters Apology. Directions for the Binder.
The Generall Title.
The Anſwer
1. To Blake.
2. To Kendall.
3. To Colvinus. The Epiſtle to Col. Taylor next to the Title of it.
4. To Eyre.
5. To Crandon.
RICH. BAXTERS APOLOGY Againſt the Modeſt EXCEPTIONS OF Mr T. BLAKE.
AND THE DIGRESSION OF Mr G. KENDALL.
Whereunto is added ANIMADVERSIONS on a late DISSERTATION OF Ludiomaeus Colvinus, aliàs, Ludovicus Molinaeus, M. Dr OXON.
AND AN Admonition of Mr W. Eyre of Salisbury.
WITH Mr Crandon's Anatomy for ſatisfaction of Mr Caryl.
Phil. 1.15.16, 17, 18, 19.
Some preach Chriſt even of Envy and Strife, and ſome alſo of Good Will: The one preach Chriſt of Contention, not ſincerely, ſuppoſing to adde Affliction to my bonds: But the other of Love, knowing that I am ſet for the Defence of the Goſpel. What then? Notwithſtanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Chriſt is preached, and I therein do Rejoyce, yea, and will Rejoyce. For I know that this ſhall turn to my ſalvation through your Prayer, and the ſupply of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt.
London, Printed by A.M. for Thomas Ʋnderhill, at the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard, and Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetſtreet. 1654.
TO THE Honourable Commiſſary General EDWARD WHALLEY.
SIR,
THough weakneſs and diſtance have prohibited me that converſe with you which ſometime I did enjoy, yet have they not excuſſed your former Kindeneſs out of my Remembrance. Received Benefits ſhould not Die before us: If the Donor kill them not by Retraction, the Receiver muſt not ſuffocate them by Oblivion; nor prove their Grave, who was intended for a Storehouſe, if not a Garden where they may be Rooted and be fruitfull. In thoſe hearts where Benefits Live, the Benefactor Liveth. And thoſe that Live in our Eſtimation and Affection, we deſire their Names may be inſcribed on our Monuments, and ſurvive with ours, when we are Dead. While we live alſo we more regard their Judgements of us, then other mens; and are more ambitious of ſtanding right in their eſteem; and therefore are willing that our juſt Apologies may be in their hands, to hinder miſapprehenſions, and reſiſt unjuſt Accuſers. May theſe Reaſons excuſe my prefixing your Name to theſe Papers, and directing them firſt to your Hand: (Cuſtom having led me into that Road, wherein I do not unwillingly follow.) It is not for Protection or Patronage of my Opinions: For that I referre them wholly to the Father of Lights, the Illuminating Spirit, and the Light of that Truth which they contain and Vindicate. Nor do I deſire that you ſhould make theſe things your Studies; they being more fitted to the uſe of thoſe Students, that can lay out much of their time on ſuch things. I confeſs I had rather ſee in your Hands, the Holy Scriptures, and Books of Practical Divinity, then theſe Controverſies: and had rather hear ſuch Practical Diſcourſes from your Mouth. So farre am I from ſoliciting you to any ſingular Opinion of mine, that I ſolicit you not once to read theſe Books; ſave onelyonly when any Opinion in them ſhall be Accuſed, to turn to the Words, and ſee what is ſaid. It is the Practical Chriſtian that holds faſt the Truth, which many eager Diſputers ſoon loſe. Doting about Queſtions that engender ſtrife, is not the Religiouſneſs that God approves; What ever the Profeſſours of this Age may imagine. It is the moſt Practical Teachers and People in England commonly that are the moſt Orthodox. I have oft noted many mens Prayers to be much freer from Libertiniſm, then their Sermons; and their Sermons then their Writings and Diſputes. That's a mans Judgement indeed, which he dare reduce to Practice, and own before God.
The Work of theſe Papers have been to my minde ſomewhat like thoſe ſad Employments wherein I attended you: of themſelves, grievous and ungratefull; exaſperating others, and not pleaſing my ſelf (beſides the ruinating of my bodily health) And as the Remembrance of thoſe years is ſo little delightfull to me, that I look back upon them as the ſaddeſt part of my life; ſo the Review of this Apologie, is but the renewing of my trouble: to think of our Common frailty and darkneſs, and what Reverend and much valued Brethren I contradict; but eſpecially for fear leſt men ſhould make this Colliſion an occaſion of Diviſion, and by receiving the ſparks into Combuſtible Affections, ſhould turn that to a Conflagration which I intended but for Illumination. If you ſay, I ſhould then have let it alone: The ſame anſwer muſt ſerve, as in the former Cauſe we were wont to uſe. Some ſay, that I who pretend ſo much for Peace, ſhould not write of Controverſies. For my ſelf it is not much Matter: but must Gods Truth (for ſuch I take it) ſtand as a Butt for every man to ſhoot at? Muſt there be ſuch Liberty of oppoſing it, and none of Defending? One party cannot have Peace without the others Conſent. To be Buffeted and Aſſaulted, and Commanded to Deliver up the Truth of God, and called Ʋnpeaceable if I defend it and reſiſt, this is ſuch Equity as we were wont to finde. In a word, both works were ungratefull to me, and are ſo in the Review; but in both, as Providence and mens onſet impoſed a Neceſſity, and drove me to that ſtrait, that I must Defend or do worſe; ſo did the ſame Providence ſo clear my way, and draw me on, and ſweeten unuſual Troubles with unuſual Mercies, and Iſſue all in Teſtimonies of Grace, that as I had great mixtures of Comfort with Sorrow in the Performance, ſo have I in the Review: And as I had more eminent Deliverances and other Mercies in thoſe years and wayes of Bloud and Dolour, then in moſt of my Life beſide; ſo have I had more encouraging Light ſince I was engaged in theſe Controverſies. (For I ſpeak not of theſe few Papers onelyonly, but of many more of the like Nature that have taken up my time.) And as I ſtill retain'd a Hope, that the End of all our Calamities and ſtrange Diſpoſings of Providence, would be ſomewhat Better then was Threatned of late: ſo Experience hath taught me to think, that the Iſſue of my moſt ungratefull Labours ſhall not be vain; but that Providence which extracted them hath ſome uſe to make of them, better then I am yet aware of; if not in this Age, yet in times to come. The beſt is, we now draw no bloud: and honeſt hearts will not take themſelves wounded, with that blow which is given onelyonly to their Errours. However, God muſt be ſerved when he cals for it, though by the harſheſt and moſt unpleaſing work. OnelyOnly the Lord teach us to watch carefully over our Deceitfull Hearts, leaſt we ſhould ſerve our ſelves while we think and ſay, we are ſerving him; and leſt we ſhould Militate for our own Honour and Intereſt, when we pretend to do it for his Truth and Glory!
I hope, Sir, the Diverſity of Opinions in theſe dayes, will not diminiſh your Eſtimation of Chriſtianity, nor make you ſuspect that all is Doubtfull, becauſe ſo much is Doubted of. Though the Tempter ſeems to be playing ſuch a Game in the world, God will go beyond him, and turn that to Illuſtration and Confirmation, which he intended for Confuſion and Extirpation of the Truth. You know its no news to hear of ſome Ignorant, Proud and Licentious, of what Religion ſoever they be. And this Trinity is the Creator of Hereſies. And as for the ſober and Godly, it is but in leſſer things that they diſagree: and moſtly about words and Methods more then Matter (though the ſmalleſt things of God are not Contemptible.) He that wonders to ſee wiſe men differ, doth but wonder that they are yet Imperfect, and know but in part; that is, that they are yet Mortal ſinners, and not Glorified on Earth! And ſuch wonderers know not what man is, and it ſeems are too great ſtrangers to themſelves. And if they turn theſe differences to the prejudice of Gods Truth, or diſhonour of Godlineſs, they ſhew themſelves yet more unreaſonable; to blame the Sunne that men are purblinde. And indeed were Pride and Paſſion laid aſide in our Diſputes, and men could gently ſuffer contradiction, and heartily love and correſpond with thoſe that in lower matters do gainſay them, I ſee not but ſuch friendly debates might edifie.
For your ſelf, Sir, as you were a friend to ſound Doctrine, to Ʋnity and to Piety, and to the Preachers, Defenders and Practiſers thereof, while I converſt with you, and as fame informeth us, have continued ſuch; ſo I hope that God who hath ſo long preſerved you, will preſerve you to the end; and he that hath been your Shield in corporal dangers, will be ſo in ſpirituall.
Your great Warfare is not yet accompliſhed: The Worms of Corruption that breed in our bowels, will live in ſome meaſure till we die our ſelves. Your Conqueſt of your ſelf is yet Imperfect. To fight with your ſelf, you will finde the hardeſt, but moſt neceſſary Conflict that ever yet you were engaged in; and to overcome your ſelf the moſt honourable and gainfull Victory. And think not that your greateſt trials are all over. Proſperity hath its peculiar Temptations, by which it hath foiled many that ſtood unſhaken in the ſtorms of adverſity. The Tempter who hath had you on the waves, will now aſſault you in the calm; and hath his laſt game to play on the Mountain, till nature cauſe you to deſcend. Stand this Charge and you win the day. To which, as one that is faithful to you, I ſhall acquaint you in a few words, what his temptations are like to be, and how you ſhould reſiſt them: If you are already provided, a Remembrancer will do you no harm.
1. The firſt and great Aſſault will be, to entice you to Overvalue your preſent Proſperity, and to Judge the Creature to be better then it is, and to graſp after a fulneſs of Honour and Wealth, and then to ſay, Soul, take thy Reſt. As you love your Peace, your Life, your Soul, your God, take heed of this. Judge of Proſperity as one that muſt go Naked out of the world: Eſteem of earthly Greatneſs and Glory as that which will ſhortly leave you in the duſt. Why ſhould it be proper to Dying men to be Wiſe, and to Judge truly of this world, when all the living undoubtedly know that they muſt Die?
2. At leaſt the Tempter will perſwade with you to enjoy your Proſperity to the ſatisfying of your fleſh; and tell you that the free uſe of the Creatures is your Chriſtian Liberty, and therefore you need not deny your ſelves thoſe Delights that God affordeth you. But remember that it is the ſeeming ſweetneſs of the Creature that draws men from God: The Pleaſanteſt Condition is the moſt dangerous. If ever you would have your ſoul Proſper, make no proviſion for the fleſh to ſatisfie its luſts: A better man then any of us, was fain to tame his body and bring it into ſubjection. Mortification is a neceſſary, but much neglected part of the Chriſtian Religion.
3. Should the Tempter prevail in theſe, it would follow, that God would be much forgotten, former Engagements violated, and the Inviſible things of the Life to come would be ſeldom thought on, and leſs eſteemed. O think on him that remembred you in your greatest ſtraits! Its a provoking ſin to break thoſe Engagements which depth of Extremity, or Greatneſs of Deliverance, did formerly conſtrain us to make with our God! Ingratitude makes a forfeiture of all we have. And think not well of your own heart, when you cannot think more ſweetly of another world then of this. Its unhappy proſperity that makes God to be more ſleighted, and the Glory to come more unſavoury to our thoughts, and makes us ſay, It is beſt to be here.
4. Another dangerous Temptation that will attend theſe, will be, to diſregard Chriſts Intereſt through an over-minding of their own: To play your own game, and lay out your chiefeſt care for your ſelf, and make Gods buſineſs to ſtoop unto your own. Where this prevails, the hearts of ſuch are falſe to Christ: While they pretend to ſerve him, they do but ſerve themſelves upon him. They will honour Chriſt no longer then he will honour them. And when they are once falſe to Chriſt, they can be true to no one elſe. Their friends are eſteemed but as ſtepping ſtones to their Ends. When they can ſerve them no longer they reject them as unprofitable. Ever Remember, that man ſtands ſafeſt that eſpouſeth no Intereſt contradictory to Chriſts; I had almoſt ſaid, None but Chriſts: For even Chriſts muſt be made his own, and then his own will be Chriſts. God is more engaged to ſecure his own Intereſt then ours. There is no Policy therefore comparable to this, to Engage moſt deeply where Chriſts chiefeſt Intereſt lieth, and to Ʋnite our own to his, in a just ſubordination. He that will needs have a ſtanding divided from Chriſt, Independent on him, or Equal with him, much more in Oppoſition to him, is ſure to fall. It will break the greateſt Prince on Earth to eſpouſe an Intereſt inconſiſtent with Chriſts, when he doth but ariſe to plead his Cauſe. Study therefore where Chriſts Intereſt moſt lieth, and then devote all your own to the promoting of it: and hold none that lives not as the Vine on the Wall, or rather as the branch in the Vine, in Dependance upon his. And upon Enquiry you will finde, that Chriſts Intereſt lies much in theſe two things, the Piety and the Peace of his People. The Reformation of his Churches, and the Ʋniting of them (at home and abroad) are the greateſt works that any can be Imployed in. To which ends Gods chiefeſt means, is an Able, Godly, Diligent Miniſtry, to Teach and Rule his flocks according to his Word. All the Intereſt that God hath Given you, he expecteth ſhould be ſpeedily, diligently and undeſervedly imployed to theſe Ends. Delay not, you have but your time. Think it not enough to do no harm, or no more good then thoſe below you. Your ſtanding is unſafe when you do little or nothing for God. He is not bound to hold you the Candle to do nothing, or to work for your ſelf. Work therefore while it is day: the night comes when none can work.
5. Another Temptation that you muſt expect, will be, to have your minde ſwell with your Condition: and to diſreſpect the inferiour ſort of your Brethren. But I hope the Lord will keep you ſmall in your own eyes; as remembring that you are the ſame in the eyes of your Judge, and your ſhadow is not lengthened by your ſucceſſes, and that you muſt lie down with the Vulgar in the common duſt.
Sir, Becauſe the matter of this Book may be leſs uſeful to you, I could not direct it to your hand, without ſome words that might be more uſeful. I do not fear leaſt you ſhould take my faithful dealing for an injury, or interpret my Monition to be an Accuſation; as long as you ſo well know the Affections of your Monitor. The Lord be your Teacher and Defence, and Direct, Excite, Encourage and Succeed you, and all that have Opportunity to do any thing to the Repairing of our Breaches, by furthering The Reformation and Unity of the Churches: Which is the earneſt Deſire, and daily Prayer of
Your Servant in the work of Chriſt. RICHARD BAXTER. Kederminſter, Marc. 8th 1653.
RICH. BAXTERS ACCOUNT Given to his Reverend Brother Mr T. BLAKE OF THE Reaſons of his Diſſent FROM The Doctrine of his Exceptions in his late TREATISE of the COVENANTS.
JOHN 3.7.
Little Children, let no man Deceive you: He that doth Righteouſneſs, is Righteous, even as he is Righteous.
1 TIM. 4.8.
Godlineſs is Profitable unto All things, having Promiſe of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come.
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Thomas Ʋnderhill at the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard, and Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetſtreet, 1654.