Doctrine of Particular Unconditional Election, Reply
An Apologetical Reply to the Slanderous Charge given in againſt me, to ſome of the London Miniſters, by that Malecontent Party, which (Schiſmatically) ſeparated from the Church in C. whereof I was the (then) Lawful Paſtor.
THE Charge was, That I was a Man of an Independant Judgment, a great Enemy to Mr. Baxter, declaring, that Mr. Baxter is Damn'd in Hell, a Man who (openly) declar'd, that Chriſt hath but two or three true and faithful Miniſters, (in and about London) who Preach Chriſt in Truth, and who bid a publick Challenge to Mr. Williams (and all the Baxterians,) to diſpute certain Poſitions held and aſſerted by Mr. Baxter, and ſuch as go his way, and (to add no more) one who is an univerſal Decryer of all the Duties of Holineſs in a Chriſtians Life and Converſation, crying out, (in the Pulpit) Away with your Holineſs, to Hell with your Duties and perſonal Qualifications.
This Charge conſiſts of five branches or parts, to each of which I will ſpeak as diſtinctly as I can, and that with as great Seriouſneſs and regard to Conſcience, as if I were to make the preſent Defence at the Bar of the Great Judge.
I begin with the firſt, (viz.) My being an Independant, I have this to ſay for my ſelf, firſt, the Congregational way (of Church Government) is the Principle which (according to my preſent light) I apprehend to be neareſt to the Platform of Goſpel-Churches, planted by the Apoſtles, which to own and practiſe, I am (fully) convinc'd, is my Duty: For which, I humbly hope and charitably believe, none of my Brethren of the Presbyterian Perſwaſion dare to cenſure or blame me, until I can ſee, that I am herein miſtaken and out of the way.
Secondly, As touching my Judgment (herein) I do affirm, (and that in truth) God knows I lye not, I honeſtly and fairly acquainted my (now) Reproachers, what I was in my Judgment, (as to this very Point) when they firſt diſcovered an Inclination to call me to take the Paſtoral Charge of their Souls: About this, they and I had ſeveral (occaſional) Diſcourſes Pro. and Con. for and againſt it; and in concluſion they (with the reſt of the Covenanters with God, in a Church way) did own themſelves fully convinc'd, that the Congregational way (of Church Government) was (moſt certainly) the way of the Goſpel; and as ſuch, they freely cloſed with me. If what I have now aſſerted be deny'd, I ſhall (by Authentique Teſtimonies) make the ſame good to their Faces.
I come to the ſecond Branch of the Charge, (viz.) My being a great Enemy to Mr. Baxter, &c.
In anſwer whereto, I poſſitively affirm, that I never (in my Life) had any Prejudice againſt Mr. Baxter, ſave only to diſlike and caution my Flock againſt ſome Notions of his, wherein I conceived him to be Heterodox in the Foundation Principle of Juſtification. I told my Auditory, as plainly as I could ſpeak, that in mentioning Mr. Baxter's Name, my deſign was not to meddle in Judging him, as touching his Eternal State, only what of Corruption I found in his Books, I judg'd it my Duty to take notice thereof, and to caution my Hearers (who had his Books) to beware of ſuch Notions. And what I did herein, I did it (God and my Conſcience knows) in Faithfulneſs to Chriſt, and the Souls of thoſe committed to my Paſtoral Charge by the Great Shepherd of the Sheep.
But to ſay, that Mr. Baxter was Damn'd (in Hell,) I abhor the very hearing or thoughts of ſuch a thing; neither dares any one living (except a cauteriz'd and brazen fac'd Sinner) to charge ſuch a Slander on me; ſo far was I from uttering ſuch an uncharitable (I may ſay Infernal) Expreſſion, that I plainly ſpoke the contrary, (as my Judgment of him) declaring, that I hoped Mr. Baxter was with Chriſt in Glory; and that I dare to think, no otherwiſe. As for what of Corruption, which is mixt with his Writings, I told my Auditory, I lookt on that as a part of the Wood, Hay and Stubble intended by the Apoſtle in 1 Cor. 3.12. of which Mr. Baxter will (I doubt not) ſuffer the Loſs in the Great day, though he (himſelf) be ſaved, he holding Chriſt the Foundation, firm and ſtedfaſt to the end, as (in Charity) I hope he did.
The third Branch of the charge is, that I affirmed, that Chriſt had but two or three right Goſpel Miniſters, who Preach Chriſt (truly) in and about London.
To this I anſwer in the Negative, viz. That I never thought or ſpoke ſuch a thing, either in or out of the Pulpit in all my Life.
The occaſion of this Slander was this, I was (in a Sermon) bewailing the ſmall number of right Goſpel Preachers; at which time, and on which occaſion, I ſaid, that a great many Preach'd up the Pope: That foreign that Man of Sin. Others (ſaid I) Preach up the National Hierarchy, and its Intereſt; inſtead of the Kingdom of Chriſt. Others there be (ſaid I) who Preach up Moſes, and obedience to his do, and live, in the room of Chriſts Mediatorial ſpotleſs Righteouſneſs, for Juſtification and Life; ſo that (in compariſon) it is (undeniably) true, that Chriſt hath but few who Preach him and his immaculate Righteouſneſs, as the only Meritorious and procuring cauſe of Juſtification and Salvation. This is what I ſaid (then) and truly I ſee but ſmall reaſon to think or ſay otherwiſe: I queſtion not, but the Orthodox (in and about London) will readily Harmonize with me herein: But that I did limit the true Miniſters of Chriſt to any certain (definite) number; or that I mentioned any Miniſters Names (by way of diſtinction) I utterly deny. And I have very good reaſon to judge it no breach of the Law of Charity, to believe that the ſecret deſign of the Reporters hereof, was to incenſe and provoke the Spirits of Godly Miniſters, and their reſpective Congregations againſt me. And (hereby) to prepare them for a more facil and ready reception of the other black and ſcandalous Reproaches, which were to be brought on the Stage, on purpoſe to do my buſineſs; as one of their Confederates was heard to ſay he would do. I come to the fourth Branch of the Charge, which is, That I ſhould bid a publick challenge to Mr. Williams, (and the reſt of Mr. Baxters followers) to Diſpute certain Poſitions held (and aſſerted) by Mr. Baxter, and thoſe who go his way.
To which I reply, That this is as true as the reſt, and did (I am very ſure) proceed from the ſame lying Spirit which Coined and Forged their other lying Stories againſt me; the deſign whereof, was not only to corroborate that their Deſign (in its Foundation) but alſo to draw over Mr. Williams (and others, whom they knew to be impatient to hear any Oppoſition given to any Notions of Mr. Baxters) to them; to help and encourage them to break that Church, whereof themſelves were an Eſſential part, and to force my flight from my Station in C. to which their own Electing Voice called me.
The occaſion of this Slander was thus, I did one day (in Preaching) lay down this Poſition, viz. That an Elect Sinner is (in effectual Calling) freely juſtified from all charge of Sin, both Original and Actual, by the alone Mediatorial Righteouſneſs of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, freely imputed by God; and that without any regard had to any Conditions performed by, or Qualifications inhering in the Perſon of the Sinner, (as con Cauſes with Chriſt in Juſtification) This (ſaid I) is a truth ſo clearly laid down and aſſerted in the Goſpel, and ſo back'd with the witneſs of Gods Spirit (in the Hearts of all aſſured Believers) that all the Diſputers in the World, (who oppoſe the ſame) will never be able to overthrow it, be their Wit and Parts never ſo ſharp and admired. And whether I be miſtaken (herein) I freely appeal to the Judgment and Determination of all Orthodox Proteſtants; who (in the point of Juſtification) are not more or leſs tainted with the Ropiſh, Arminian Leaven of Free Will and General Redemption.
But to bid a challenge to Mr. Williams, (or any others) to diſpute matters of Controverſie in Religion; I do (moſt ſolemnly) profeſs, I never ſpake ſuch a thing, either in or out of the Pulpit.
The fifth and laſt Branch of the black Charge brought in againſt me, was, That I am an Univerſal Docryer of all Religious Duties in the Life and Converſation of a Chriſtian: Crying out (in the Pulpit) away with your Holineſs, &c.
The deſign of my Accuſers (in this) was to repreſent and expoſe me as a rank Antinamian, and ſo I ſhould prove, were the Accuſation true.
But to let all (who read this) ſee withwhat a virulent and malicious Spirit the Contriver and Preſenter of this black Charge, (againſt me) was Acted; I (here) ſincerely and conſcientiouſly ſet down the very Words I ſpake, from which, the occaſion was taken to repreſent me in ſuch black Colours. The thing was thus, the Subject I was then upon, leading me to diſcover the ſad and deplorable Condition the Poor Sinner is in (while in a ſtate of Unregeneracy) I had theſe Expreſſions, (whoſe deſign and tendency was to awaken and convince the Sinner of his Miſery by Nature) by way of obſervation, viz. That where God ſets the Law on work in the Conſcience of an unconverted Sinner, it will (like the Avenger of Blood) purſue the Guilty Sinner, till it either drive the Sinner to Chriſt, (the only City of Refuge) or till the Sinner he Lodged in Hell.
To bring the matter home more particularly and cloſely, to an awakened Conſcience, labouring (with Adam) to cover the Sinner with the Fig-leaves of Self-rightcouſneſs, (both Negative and Poſſitive) thereby to be juſtified and ſaved: I addreſs'd my ſelf to this Sinner, in theſe words, Thou convinc'd (Rebel) Sinner! who art now under the Laws Arreſt, and ſinking under the heavy weight of thy Sins, hoping to relieve and lick thy ſelf whole with thy Conditions and Qualifications, as if there by thou couldſt make amends to the offended Juſtice of God, for all thy Violations of his Righteous Law, know, and conſider it thou muſt, that the Juſt and Righteous Law of God. (whoſe terrible Sentence (in thy guilty Conſcience) thou art now ſtriving to fly and ſhun in this way of Works) it is like a ſtrict Creditor, who will not accept (for Payments) any Coin, which appears ſhort and deficients either in Quantity or Quality: It will not hear of a Sinner's being juſtified by any Works; but ſuch as are exactly Commenſurate to its own Juſt and Holy Demands. Now (ſaid I) either ſee that thy Conditions and Qualifications (whereunto thou truſteſt for Life and Salvation) be ſpotleſs, and exactly commenſurate to the Law's Demand, or in caſe they be not, then away with thy Fig-leaf Holineſs, to Hell with thy Duties and perſonal Qualifications. Look to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, (by an Eye of Faith) caſt thy weary ſinking Soul on him for Life and Salvation, or thou wilt Periſh eternally, Jo. 3.36. Jo. 8.24. This is what I ſaid (then,) Chriſt knows I Lye not, my Conſcience alſo bearing me witneſs in the Holy Ghoſt.
When I have to do with believing Chriſtians, I preſs them to the Duties of practical Holineſs and good Works, as if they were to be juſtified and ſaved by them. But ſtill, with this ſeaſonable Caution, that Believers do never join their Works of Sanctification with Chriſt's juſtifying Righteouſneſs in the Work of Juſtification.
Beſides the black Charge brought againſt me, to which I have ſpoken by way of Apology, mine Accuſers (the better to palliate their own black and horrid. Crimes) charge me with Defectiveneſs in my Life and Converſation, as not practiſing what I Preach. To this I reply in four Particulars.
Firſt, By way of Conceſſion (or Grant) my Life and Converſation is not according to my Preaching; in a ſenſe I own it, I do (humbly) acknowledge, (with ſhame and grief) that I find my ſelf vaſtly ſhort of that Perfection (in Sanctification) which (in Preaching) I preſs (as Duty) on my ſelf and others; and the Searcher of Hearts beſt knows of how great a Concern it is to me, to reflect on the vaſt Diſparity which I (ſenſibly) perceive is between what I am, and what I ought to be in point of Conformity to Chriſt, in Life and Converſation, which lays me under an indiſpenſible neceſſity of ſubſcribing to that Video meliora proboque deteriora ſequor. I know and approve better things, but follow or encline to things which are worſe: And to that of Paul, Rom. 7.24. foreign, O wretched man that I am, &c.
Secondly, By way of Negation, if my Accuſers intend and mean, that I give my ſelf up to a courſe of diſſolute and looſe Living, or that I allow my ſelf in the approved Practice of any Immorality, which is incompatible with a Regenerate State, or which is Inconſiſtent with a Holy Poſſeſſion; I abſolutely (through ſpecial Grace) deny the Charge, and do bid my Invidious Beſpatterers (and all ſuch as do (uncharitably) credit ſuch malicious Reports of me) a fair and ſober Challenge, to make good ſuch a Charge againſt me, by any Authentick Witneſs, which is not known to be prejudic'd againſt me, (if not one or more of them) who have plotted to overthrow my Reputation and Miniſtry.
Thirdly, If ſhort coming in living up to what I Preach and Profeſs, be a ſufficient Warrant for Church Members, to prevaricate and run away, (like Children of Belial) throwing off the Yoke of Duty, (in the Church;) I would gladly know how it is poſſible for any Churches to be kept up on Earth, conſidering that the Inſtruments, by whoſe Miniſtry God ſees fit to gather and Build up Churches, to fit them for Glory, are frail Men, not ſinleſs Spirits.
For my own part, albeit I am far from pleading for any Sin, (though but the leaſt Infirmity) whereof either I my ſelf, or any other know me Guilty. I muſt needs ſay, that I never yet could find, that ever God the Father (in the Old Teſtament,) or Chriſt his Son (in the New,) did call or ſend any to be Prophets or Apoſtles, who were exempt or free from perſonal Failings; or who were ever able to live up (perfectly) to the Doctrine they Preached to others: Yea, it is moſt evident, (to any intelligent Reader) that a conſiderable part of the Canon of Holy Scripture is Occupant about diſcovering, acknowledging and bewailing the ſinful Miſcarriages and ſhort comings of the Pen-men thereof, as the Learned and Godly well know.
Fourthly, and Laſtly, Suppoſing that my Brethren knew and could prove me guilty of as great Falls as ever any pardoned Sinner fell into; is it not the duty of Church Members, to endeavour my Recovery, by coming to me in the Spirit of Meekneſs, and Brotherly Love, to call on me, and to ſtir me up to Repentance and Reformation? knowing than the Holieſt of Saints, (even thoſe of the higheſt Attainments in Grace) while in the Body, are Obnoxious to the ſpreſt Temptations; and by reaſon thereof (and the remains of indwelling Corruption) are liable to the ſoreſt falls thereby.
The Word of God proves, that ſo to do is the undoubted Duty of Church Members one towards another, Lev. 19.17. Mat. 18.15. Gal. 6.1. But this my Schiſmatical Brethren never did to me, though never ſo earneſtly Courted, and lovingly Entreated thereto; and that both in and out of the Pulpit: As can be ſufficiently prov'd if need be.
Satan and his plotting Agents knew (fullwell) that the old Trade, Report, and we will report it, Jer. 20.10. was the moſt likely and effectual way to accompliſh their ungodly Deſign, which was to unchurch the Church, and (for future) to render my Miniſtry uſeleſs: In order whereto the Paſtor muſt firſt be attackt, according to Zach. 13.7. Smite the ſhepherd, and the ſheep ſhall be ſcattered.
This Apology I thought not only Expedient, but my Duty to publiſh, for the true Information of thoſe, (eſpecially Diſſenting Miniſters) who have (from the Character given them of me, by thoſe I here intend) ſuckt in Prejudice againſt my Name and Miniſtry.
And to occaſion their (ſeriouſly) conſidering, how (every way) unbecoming the Goſpel it is, for one Chriſtian (eſpecially ſuch as are called to Sacred Office) to be open Ear'd, and of too credulous a Temper, in liſtening to, and improving (to the great Prejudice of thoſe, whom the Law of Charity commands them to love) any Reports, which looks like a Deſign to blacken or ſtain the Reputation of a Brother, eſpecially a poor Stranger, who (for Chriſt and the Goſpel) hath loſt his All; and who (for witneſſing againſt the ſpreading Errors of the times) is ſurrounded and beſieged with Enemies of all ſorts. To frown on, and carry it ſtrange to ſuch, will neither pleaſe God, credit Religion, or help to make a dying Bed eaſy and comfortable, Exod. 22.21. Deut. 10.19. Mat. 7.12. Coloſ. 3.12, 13, 14, 15.
Obſequium Amicos, veritas Odium parit.
Flattery begets Friends, ſpeaking Truth cauſeth Enemies. Compare Eſa. 30.10. with Amos 5.10.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Barry, Doctrine of Particular Unconditional Election (1700)