The Reduction of a Digresser, Section 1 – Section 2
§. 1.
Sir,
THough I would not have you restrained from revealing Truth, yet if I had been worthy to have been of your counsell, I should have advised you to have▪ avoided this quarrelsom way. Our world hath Contention enough already; and it comes not from so good a root (Prov. 13. 10.) nor is it so good a symptom, nor doth it produce such lovely effects (Prov. 22. 10. & 17. 19. & 29. 21.) nor doth it bring so good a name (Prov. 21. 24.) as may make it seem desirable in my eyes. Had you consulted Solomon himself, he would have bid you [Strive not with a man without a cause, if he have done thee no harm, Prov. 3. 30.] and [Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame, 25. 8.] for [The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention before it be medled with, 17. 14.] It seems a strange thing to me, that you could finde no man to deal with in the main Controversie here chosen out, that was indeed against you, but that you must make to your self, an adversary of one that you confess doth not once deny your Conclusion. Unless it be because you are likely with such a one to have the easiest conflict. But then you should have remembred, that the Victory will be as small. I pretend not to such a piercing knowledge, nor to such acquaintance in the invisible regions, as to determine infallibly of what Province or Degree, of what quality, albus an ater, that spirit was tha… raised the storm of your Passions, or to know exactly his name and sirname that animated these your lines: But seeing you are pleased to choose me for your adversary, I must desire you to bear with me if I speak sometime less pleasingly; and to use what patience you have left, as knowing you have drawn this trouble upon your self. And whereas you put me on a double imployment: one to desend the Truth; and the other to defend my self; so I perform the first successfully, I hope I may be excused if I be more negligent in the later; yea if I give you the day, and free…y conf…ss as much ignorance as you charge me with. Its true that I have not the …i…s or Rob… of Honour, and as little deserve them, as you here express. But mi… I be sure that I have right to that farre better Title (of piety) which you are pleased to bestow on me, I could easily allow you the other. I remember the description of the old Christians by Minutius Faelix, [N…s qui non habitu sapientiam, sed mente praeferimus; non eloquimur magna, sed vivimu…: gloriamur nos consec…tos quod ill… summa contentione quaes… verunt, nec invenire potuerunt.] And that of Mirandula [Faelicitatem philosophia quaerit, Theologia invenit, Religio possidet.] And to contend for the reputation of being Learned, I shall scarce think is worth my labour, till I have higher thoughts of the prize. Mens thoughts and words are a poor felicity. Applause is such an aery nourishment, that I see few thrive by: (though I must confess that in me, as well as in others▪ the unreasonable sin of pride is daily stirring, and convincing me by experience that it is mortified but in part.) O that I may have the honour of being a member of Christ, and then I can spare the vain glory of the world! Vera ibi gloria erit, ubi laudantis nec errore quisquam, nec adulatione laudabitur: Verus honor qui nulli negabitur digno; nulli deferetur indigno: sed nec ad eum ambiget ullus indignus, ubi nullus permittetur esse nisi dignus: saith Austin, de Civit. Dei, li. ult. cap. ult. Only I must crave this of the Reader, that my confessed weakness be no prejudice to Gods truth: and that he will not judge of the cause by the person, nor take the name or person for a fault; which is the thing that the ancient Christians did so deprecate of the Pagans, and therefore I hope every Christian will grant. And I must also desire that want of smooth and pleasing words may not be judged the want of truth. Enimvero dissoluti est pectoris in rebus seriis quaerere voluptatem, & cum tibi sit ratio cum male se habentibus atque aegris, son…s auribus infundere dulciores, non medicinam vulneribus admovere: inquit Arnobius li. 1. adv. Gent. p. 49. I confess I do deeply compassionate ordinary Christians, when I think what a hard thing it is for them to discern the truth, among all the smooth words and plausible arguments of Learned contenders. Usually they think every mans tale good, till they hear the other; and then they think it bad: and at last when they see what fair glosses a Learned man can put on the worst cause, they are ready to run into the other extream, and to believe or regard nothing that they say. As Minutius Faelix saith, [Altius mov…or de toto genere disputandi: quod plerum{que} pro disserentium viribus & eloquentiae potestate, etiam perspicuae veritatis conditio mutetur, Id accidere pernotum est auditorum facilitate, qui dum verborum lenocinio a rerum intentionibus avocantur, sine delectu assentiuntur dictis omnibus, nec a rectis falsa secernunt, nescientes inesse & in incredibili verum, & in verisimili mendacium. Itaque qu… saepius asseverationibus credunt, …o frequentius a peritioribus arguuntur: sic assidue temeritate decepti, culpam judicii transferunt ad incerti querelam, ut damnatis omnibus malint universa suspendere, quam de fallacibus judicare.] But let such at least hold fast the Foundation, and remember that we are all agreed in that.
The Reader that I expect should profit by these Writings, must neither be u… terly unlearned, nor so learned as your self. For the former are not yet capable of it; and the later are beyond it, and will hardly learn from any but the more learned. It is the younger sort of Students whose edification I intend: who are neither quite above, nor below my instructions; nor so engaged to a Party or Opinion, but that their mindes lye open to any evidence of Truth. Praevent…s enim falsae opinionis errore humanus auditus, ad veri rationem percipiendam, durus & perdifficilis invenitur, quantiscunque testibus urgeatur. Mavult enim pravi dogmatis sententiam, quae semel infectus est, perversus vindicare, quam hanc …andem tantis divinarum humanarum{que} legum authoritatibus refutatam salubrius immutare: inquit Vigilius contra Eutich. li. 1. initio.
Lastly, If you should be in the right and I in the wrong in any one Philosophical Controversie, I must expect that the Reader do not thence conclude, that you are right in your Theology. And I could with that you had so mean thoughts of your Philosophy, as that you might not build your Theology on it too much; nor think much the better of your Writings, or of your self. For doubtless when the Canon of a Council forbad the reading of Heathens Books, these things were not so highly valued as now. I approve not of that extream neither: but shall conclude with that serious exclamation of Ahenagoras (Legat▪ per Christian. p. 13, 14.) foreign, &c.
§. 2.
Pag. 133. Mr K.
FOr the fuller opening of this particular, I will be content to make some Digression from your Book, and to shew 1. That there can be no new immanent act in God, against M r Baxter. 2. That there is somewhat like Justification in that immanent act of God, whereby he decrees from eternity to justifie and condemn men. And 3. that yet that immanent act cannot be stiled Justification; nor is it meant so by Dr. Twisse or Mr. Pemble that I know; and so that Justification is not from eternity: and then I shall return to you, &c.