A Treatise of Justifying Righteousness, Title page – To the reader
A TREATISE OF Justifying Righteousness, In Two Books:
I. A Treatise of Imputed Righteousness, opening and defending the True Sense, and confuting the False, with many of Dr. Tullies Reasonings against Truth, Peace, and Me: With an Answer to Dr. Tullies Letter, adjoyned.
II. A Friendly Debate with the Learned and Worthy Mr. Christopher Cartwright, containing:
1. His Animadversions on my Aphorisms, with my Answer.
2. His Exceptions against that Answer.
3. My Reply to the Summe of the Controversies agitated in those Exceptions.
All Published instead of a fuller Answer to the Assaults in Dr. Tullies Justificatio Paulina, for the quieting of Censorious and Dividing Contenders, who raise odious Reports of their Brethren as Popish, &c. who do but attempt Reconcilingly to open this Doctrine more clearly than themselves.
By Richard Baxter.
LONDON, Printed for Nevil Simons and Jonath. Robinson, at the Princes-Arms and Golden-Lion in St. Pauls Church-Yard, 1676.
Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber
To the Readers; especially all Faithful Ministers of Christ in England.
MY endeavours to save Men from the Libertine (called Antinomian) Errors, having led me to a distincter handling of some Points, than I had before found in the Authors I had read; and my first Conceptions of them (expressed in a small Book, called Aphorismes, &c.) being yet crude and defective, for want of Time, and use of Writing (which as the Lord Bacon saith, must make Men accurate) that being my First, some suspected it of Error in Doctrine, some of Novelty, and some only of divers undigested Expressions, and some overvaluing it, received those Imperfections with the rest: Whereupon publishing my desire of my Friends Animadversions, I received (as I have else-where with Thanks acknowledged) such as were very learned, judicious, and friendly; of which those of Mr. Lawson, Dr. Wallis, Mr. Jo. Warren, and Mr. Ch. Cartwright, were the chief; by which if I had not very much profited, I had been very dull. Of these One spake so agreeably to my Thoughts, (Dr. W.) th…t I had nothing but Thanks to return him: And the rest having shewed me the Incongruity of some Expressions, and the crudity of some Passages, received friendly my Answers in the little Matters that we differed in, which were rather about the Aptness of Notions, than the Truth of Matter. None of these were intended for Publick view, nor on my part were fit for it; for I wrote but in order to my further Learning. But at last, my Friend, Mr. Sound, who interceded between us for Communication of Papers, made me think, that Mr. Cartwright was not willing, that so large Pains, as he had taken, should be so buried: But I could not return him his Exceptions as he desired, because they were lost, (and I had no mind to be very inquisitive after them, in order to a Publick view) But some years after his death, they were found again.
Being somewhat clearer in those Matters by all th…se Helps and Studies, I published my Suspension of the Aphorisms, and my Explication and Defence of their Doctrine in my Confession, and my fuller Explication and defence in my Apologie, and Disputations of Justification, protesting against them, that would take the Suspended Book for my Cleared-sense without the Confession. To all these I remember no Answer that I have had, save some-what of Dr. Owens (Dr. Kendales and many others, were on other Accounts; and Mr. Crandons, Eyres, &c. were to the Aphorisms b…fore: so that twenty years Silence made me think my Brethren pretty well satisfied, and the great fall of Antinomanism made me think that my Labour had not been in vain. But lately Dr. Tully in a Book called Justificatio Paulina hath Written, as you may see.
Since all these Books, and in twenty fours years time (from the first) my conceptions of these Matters (unless I were very stupid) must needs be much ripened and ordered: I better discern what Notions are to be left out, and what Method is to be used as most apt for true Elucidation; I more discern than heretofore, how much of the Controversie is real, and how much verbal, which Le Blank and G. Forbes have usefully opened, besides many others; and which in my Cathol. Theol. I have partly shewed, and more exactly in a Methodus Theologiae not Printed: It was therefore many ways a trouble to me, that Dr. Tully should fall upon the Aphorisms without taking notice of any of the foresaid Explications or Defences; much more that he did it in such a manner.
Supposing that a particular Answer to all his Words would be but uselesly to do a little of that, which I had fullier done before, having returned here so much as I thought necessary, I have published my Papers and Mr. Cartwrights instead of the rest: And I have given you entirely Mr. Cartwrights last, though I answer but the Summe of them, so far as we differ, meerly lest I should wrong the Dead, by suppressing so learned and elaborate a Treatise, which I think he desired should not be suppressed. And if any think that he is unanswered, I leave them to profit by what-ever they shall find in him, which they think is against me, and passed by. He was a very Learned, Peaceable, Godly Man, known by his Rabbinical Commentary, and his Defence of King Charles I. against the Marquess of Worcester, Successor to Mr W. Fenner in the Stafford-shire Lecture against Popery, and after Minister in York: You may see that his acquaintance with Protestant Writers was very great, whose steps in expressions he was loth to leave, however he went not with the part that was for the Imputation of the Active Righteousness and freely differeth in some other things.
The first piece [of Imputed Righteousness] was written hastily on another occasion about three or four years ago: But for the brevity of the argumentative part was cast by, with an intent to perfect it if I had time: Which being never like to have, upon this renewed assault from Dr. Tully, I thought it best to let it go as it is; this latter part which answereth him being newly annexed; as also the Answer to his angry Letter.
My strait is very great in dealing with this worthy Man: It grieveth me unfeignedly to dishonour or grieve him: But had his Book been as much against my Person only, and as little touched the Doctrine and Interest of the Church, as Bishop Morley's against me did (to whom he dedicateth it) perhaps Self-denyal had commanded me silently to bear all, for the sake of Peace. But where Truth, Love and Peace are joyntly interested, Respect to Man will not warrant me to desert them: And it greatly troubleth me that his Words are such, as cannot be truly opened and answered as they are, without somewhat which will displease: And Guilt is tender, and Self-love strong, and few Men judg of their own cause and words, as they would do of anothers; but if I have let fall any where any such words as his Letter hath many, or if I repeat the [Insanis, deliras, &c.] as oft as Beza did against Illyricus, or use such words as Calvin did against Baldwin, or as other such Persons have ordinarily used, with whom I am not worthy to be named, and who are deservedly honoured by him and me, when I find them, I shall repent of them, and I desire him that seeth any unwarrantable Sharpness, which I see not, not to imitate it; but in judging still to observe the Necessity of the Cause. Though I lay not the Churches Concord and Mens Salvation upon Logical Definitions and Methods; yet I take Method, and well-interpreted apt Names and Notions to be of very great use to our clear distinct understanding of the Matter, and I fear no Censure more from my Brethren, than of Over-doing in that part: And I oft wonder at my self, to find how I grow more and more in Love, both with the Primitive simplicity, and with accurateness of Notions and Method, which seem to some to be contrary. But I find that it is the former that I more and more value, as our Bread and Drink, our Food and Work, which must principally take up Mind and Life, and be the Matter and Means of our Peace with our selves and one another, our comfort in Life and Death, and the terms of the Churches Peace and Concord, if ever we shall see such a blessed day, and be delivered from proud unreasonable Men. And it is principally for Ornament, and greater Clearness, and the ending of many Controversies, and the perfecting of our Minds with a delightful useful higher knowledg, and the more skilful managing sacred things, that I value and desire the latter. And while we agree in the former, I can differ from any in the latter, with a Salvo to Christian Love and Peace.
If this worthy Person be over-angry with me, it is my duty to see that I deserve it not, and that I be not over-angry with him: Alas, the opening of each others Ignorance is a small part of our suffering from one another here. (Nay why is it not our gain, and matter of thanks, if Pride and Selfishness prevail not: And if they do, alas, we have greater evils to lament!) If I cannot love those, that have endeavoured utterly to ruine me in the World, and taken from me m…re than Food and Rayment, even as much as in them lieth, thirteen years of my most mature and useful Age, w… unto me; for my want of love to Enemies will hurt me a thousand fold more than their most implacable Malice. Far then be it from us, to be cast into any Passions unbeseeming Brethren, by the different conceptions of sincere Men.
I know that it is my duty, as much as in me lieth, to live peaceably with all Men: But if God have called me to call the Militant Clergie from those Contentions, which f… many Ages have been the sin and misery of the Churches, and hath intrusted me with any reconciling Means, which have a special aptitude to quench the Flames, to clear up Truth, and recover Love and Christian Concord, I must not be false to such a trust, because some mistaking Opposers are displeased: If it be I that have planged my self needlesly into a Controversie, which I am really a stranger to, and then in the prid… of my heart am angry with him, who discovereth my Ignorance and Temerity, I beseech you freely call me to repentance: But if any other be most confident, where they most err, or are least acquainted, we are not for their sakes to wrong the Church: That Truth and Falshood, Good and Evil, should go under right Characters, and that Mens conceptions of them be just such as they are, is a matter of great importance to the World: It is a sort of false Doctrine, to represent false Doctrine (for the Persons sake) less hurtful or monstrous than it is: And if Men will take the detection of the deformity of their faults and errors, to be a Dishonour and Injury to themselves, who can help it? and who can save Men from themselves, or preserve his honour, who will maculate it himself?
I take it to be no small advantage to many doubting Readers, that (for all the heat) the two first Controversies raised by this worthy Person (of our Guilt of Parents sin, and of my Rule for preferring the judgment of those that God hath most illuminated in cases of difficulty) have had so good an issue: For who will now dissent, when he consenteth, who sought to raise in Men such apprehensions of some dreadful danger? Nothing stands so safe, as that which is firm after the greatest assaults. If the strongest Winds overthrow not the House, it is not like to fall by less. And I hope this will be finally the issue of the rest.
One thing I am ashamed of, but cannot help, viz. That in this and all my Wri…ings, the same things are so oft repeated: But it is partly for want of time to be duly accurate, and more because Mens renewed Importunity calleth for it (taking all as unsaid, which was said before), and chiefly because that the Communication of useful Truth is my end, and I find that a few words will not serve with most; and that is the best Means, which best attaineth the End: And if all together procure a due reception, I have what I desired, it being not the Perfection of a Book, or the Authors honour which I intend, but the edification of the Reader; to whose Capacity, as well as to the Matter, we must fit our words.
If any think that I should have recited all the Doctors words which I confute, I tell him, that I suppose him to have the Book it self before him; and that I doubt I have already been too long.
I have been long employed in Controversie, while I write against unnecessary Controversies; but it hath been to end them, either by removing the Mistakes which continue them, or by shewing Men that see it not, how far Contenders are agreed. I profess my self one who (distinguishing of REAL and SIGNAL or ORGANICAL Knowledg) do take Words to be so far useful as they help us to know Things, and to communicate that knowledg; and therefore value Words but as adapted to Things and Minds: And I have but low thoughts of that Knowledg which reacheth no further than Words, or that which extendeth (or pretendeth) to Things by no other medium than Words; in comparison of that which perceiveth them as in themselves, or at least in their likeness, or effects. And therefore though I would have Words improved to the best advantage for Knowledg, I am so deeply sensible of the great imperfection of Mankind in the Art of Speaking, as that I greatly abhor the laying too much of the Peace of Souls or Churches there-upon, and making Words and forms of Speech, the engins of Cruelty or Division: (And I have long perceived too many forreign Criticks and Grammarians to have been (like Paracelsians in Physick) more proud and boasting far than the worth of their Learning would justifie, and to have too much vilified the School-Mens sort of Learning, (which was more real than most of theirs) while they rose up against their barbarous words) But whether (if Words in this Controversie must needs be more regarded than I have said) it be my sayings, or these that I write against, which have need of this charitable Cover, I leave you to judg, 1. By the Consequences of the unsound sense of Imputation hereafter opened. 2. And by this Catalogue of some of the Doctrines which I have long gain-said, viz.
I. That the Person of the Mediator was Legally or in Gods account the very Person of every single elect Sinner (even before that Sinner was a Person).
II. That every such Sinner (before he was) did in Law-sense, or in Gods reputation, perfectly fulfil all Gods Law in and by Christ.
III. And therefore the Law of Innocency doth justifie him as fulfilling it by another, and as an innocent Person, as from his first Being to his Death.
IV. That the same Person did himself Reputatively or in Law-sense, suffer in and by Christ, all the punishment due to him as a sinner, by the Threatning of the Law of Innocency, or of any Law of God; and that the Law did repute him both Innocent as fulfilling it by another, and a Sinner as breaking it himself.
V. That therefore no Elect person suffereth any Punishment in his own person.
VI. And that our sins were so imputed to Christ, as that he was accounted of God really a sinner, taking to him the Reatum culpae & non tantum poenae, vel Culpae solum quo ad paenam: And so that he had really as much Guilt of sin it self as all the Elect; and was in true Guilt the worst Person that ever was in the World.
VII. That he was accordingly hated of God, as the worst guilty sinner.
VIII. That he suffered the same pains of Hell which we deserved, (viz. Torment of an accusing Conscience privation of Gods Love and Spirit, under sin, &c.)
IX. That his Righteousness was not only a fulfilling of the Law as it obliged him, and his Suffering, the translated punishment of sinners due to him by Assumption and by the Law which imposed it on him; but the one was the perfect fulfilling of all Gods Law, as it obliged every Elect person; and the other the perfect fulfilling of the threatning of Gods Law, as it threatned the Persons of all the Elect.
X. That therefore Christs suffering was not satisfaction to the Law-giver instead of the said fulfilling of the Law, but the fulfilling it self by us in Christ.
XI. That therefore every Elect person (say some) or every Believer (say others) is as Righteous as Christ was, by that perfect fulfilling of the Law; all his Righteousness being ours it self a… full proprietors, because of our union with him; and not only ours in Causality, as meriting and procuring us Righteousness and Life.
XII. That therefore Justification and Righteousness is perfect at the first Instant.
XIII. That this Righteousness of Christ so imputed to us, as wholly our own in it self, is imputed to us as OƲR SOLE RIGHTEOƲSNESS.
XIV. That Faith is not imputed to us for Righteousness.
XV. That Christ is the only Person covenanted with by God: Or that it is the same Covenant and Law which is made with and for Christ, and which is made with and for us.
XVI. That we are not Justified by Faith in God the Father, or in the Holy Ghost.
XVII. That we are not Justified by believing in Christ as Christ intirely, or as our Teacher, Owner, King, Judg, or Intercessor in Heaven, nor by any of these, but only by that Act of Faith, which receiveth his Righteousness as imputed to us.
XVIII. That this Receiving Act is but one in Specie Physica (say some): but whether Assent, or Consent, or Assiance, and to what one sole Verity or Object, is not agreed, and what Faculty it must be in, and whether in one or two, and how one Act can be in two Faculties &c.) yea (say others) it is but one Individual Act, because we are justified perfectly simul & semel, and so we are justified by a Faith of one moment only.
XIX. That believing in God the Father, or the Holy Ghost, and in Christ as Teacher, &c. and all Faith in Christ, save the receiving his imputed Righteousness, as also Repentance, desiring Christ, confessing our unrighteousness, praying for Pardon, for the Spirit, for Heaven, hearing the Word, thankfulness for Christ, &c. are all of them, those WORKS which St. Paul opposeth to Faith as to Justification: And therefore he that looketh to be justified by any of these, falleth from Grace by expecting Justification by Works.
XX. Therefore all Christians, who will be sure that they trust not to Works, and fall not from Grace, must know (among a multitude of Acts, which [believing in Christ as Christ] doth contain) which ONE it is that justifieth: (Which yet I never met with two Divines that agree in the exact description of).
XXI. That this ONE Justifying Act, doth justifie only as an Instrument, even the instrumental efficient Cause of our Justification.
XXII. That to expect Justification by that ONE Act of Faith under any other notion than that of such an Instrument, is to expect Justification by Works, even by Faith as a Work, and to fall from Grace.
XXIII. That we shall be judged at the great Day only by the Law of Works, as fulfilled by Christ for the Elect and not for Reprobates; and not by the Law of Grace, as fulfilled or not fulfilled by our selves, as it prescribeth the conditions of Life and Death.
XXIV. That the Acts or Habits of Faith, Repentance, Love, Obedience, or any part of our fulfilling the conditions of Life in the Gospel, called commonly our Inherent Righteousness, are no part of the Matter of any true Evangelical Justification: That is, that either we need no Justification against the charge of Infidelity, Impenitency, Rebellions, Unholiness, Hypocrisie; or if we do, we are not to be justified against these particular Charges by our Faith, Repentance, Obedience, Holiness, and Sincerity.
XXV. That our said Graces, Holiness and Obedience, have no other use as to our Justification at Judgment, but as Signs of the Instrumental Act of Faith, proving it to our selves and others: And this is [to be Judged according to our works].
XXVI. That (though our Jus ad impunitatem & ad Gloriam be our Righteousness, (in part at least,) and our Justification at Judgment be the justifying that Right, yet) though Holiness, Obedience, and Perseverance, be Conditions of our Glorification, they are no Conditions of our final Justification, or right to Glory.
These are the Opinions, this is part of the Body of Notional Divinity, wh… I have written against th…se twenty eight years, besid… the rest of grosser Antinomianism described in my Confession. And I am confident that this honest Doctor having neither mind nor leisure to see what it is indeed that I am doing, was (some-how) induced to take a snatch, where he thought by a short view he saw advantage, and to write against he knew not whom or what.
If you ask, what that Doctrine is, that I set up instead of this, I must not still repeat: I refer you to a brief sum of it in the Preface to my Disputation of Justification.
Or in a very few words, it may suffice plain Men to hold, 1. That Christ in the Person of a Mediator, hath by his perfect Holiness and Obedience, and as a satisfactory Sacrifice for Sin, Merited a Free-Gift of Himself as our Head, and of Pardon, Spirit and Glory with and by Him; and as our Intercessor, our Owner and Ruler, doth communicate what he merited.
2. That he hath made a Covenant and Law of Grace to be his Donative (and Condonative) Act and Instrument, which is our Title to the given Benefits; (or …ur Fundamentum Juris.
3. That this Law and Covenant prescribeth a Condition of the said Right, to be performed by our selves by the help of Grace (which is our Conditio Juris).
4. That this Condition is our Faith, or Christianity, as it is meant by Christ in the Baptismal Covenant, viz. To give up our selves in Covenant be…ievingly to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; …enouncing the contraries.
5. That though true Consent to this Christian Co…enant (called Faith alone) be the full Condition of …ur first Right to the benefits of that Covenant; (of which Justification is one) yet Obediential perform…nce of the Covenant, and Conquest of temptations …nd Perseverance, are Secondary parts of the condi…ion of our Right as continued and consummate.
6. That our Righteousness, which must be the Mat…er of our full and final Justification, hath thess parts, …. Christs perfect Righteousness and Sacrifice, as the Meritorious Cause of the Free-Gift: 2. Our Right … Impunity and Glory (and the Spirit) as being the Righteousness given. 3. And our sincere performance of the Conditions of Justification and Life, as being a necessary subordinate Righteousness.
7. That because Christ will come in Judgment, not to judg Himself, but us, and will judg us according to the Law o… Grace, as performers or not performers of his prescribed conditions of Pardon and Life, therefore his Righteousness and free conditional Donation being presupposed, the Scripture throughout describeth the last Judgment as judging (that is, Justifying or Condemning) Men according to our (Evangelical) Works, or Preparations, and calleth us to care and prepare accordingly: I conclude with the words of our worthy and great Divines.
Dr. Preston of the Attributes, pag. 72. [No Man believes Justification by Christ, but his Faith is mainly grounded on this Word of God: For in Scripture we find that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh, and that he is a Lamb slain for the Forgiveness of Sins: That he is offered to every Creature: That a Man must thirst after him, and then take up his Cross and follow him. Now come to a Believer going out of the World, and ask him, what hope he hath to be saved: He will be ready to say, I know that Christ is come into the World, and offered up, and I know that I am one of them that have a part in Him: I know that I have fulfilled the Conditions, as that I should not continue willingly in any known sin, that I should love the Lord Jesus, and desire to serve Him above all: I know that I have fulfilled these Conditions; and for all this, I have the Word f…r my ground, &c.
Id. Tract. of Faith, pag. 44, 45. If I should define Justifying Faith to you, it must be thus described; It is a grace or habit, infused into the Soul, whereby we are enabled to believe, not only that the Messiah is offered to us, but also to take and receive Him as a Lord and Saviour, that is, both to be sa…ed by Him, and obey Him, Vid. caet.
But I have cited enough such else-where. see Dr. Field's Append. to the 3d Book of the Church, and Musculus on Gen. 22. 16. pag. 530. and Gen. 15. 6. pag. 352.
The Lord forgive our Weakness, and teach his Ministers the way of Peace, and make them as skilful in reconciling, as they have been in dividing.
OF THE IMPUTATION OF Christ's Righteousness TO BELIEVERS: In what sence sound Protestants hold it; And, Of the false devised sence, by which Libertines subvert the Gospel.
With an Answer to some common Objections, especially of Dr. Thomas Tully, whose Justif. Paulina occasioneth the publication of this.
By RICHARD BAXTER; A compassionate Lamenter of the Churches wounds, caused by hasty judging and undigested conceptions, and by the Theological Wars which are hereby raised and managed; by perswading the World that meer verbal or notional Differences are material, and such as our Faith, Love, Concord and Communion must be measured by, for want of an exact discussion of the ambiguity of words.
London, Printed for Nevil Simons and Jonathan Robinson, at the Kings-Arms and Golden-Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1675.