Baxters Aphorisms, Preface – Part 1

Baxters Aphorisms · Preface – Part 1

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

IF thou knoweſt me as well as I know my ſelfe, thou wilt alſo wonder as much as my ſelf, to ſee me appeare in Print, ſpecially in ſo Momentous a Cauſe, and that againſt ſo formidable an Antagoniſt. But the ground of our wondering may ſomewhat differ. That which affects thee may be, that a man of ſo deſpicable parts ſhould dare to brandiſh a weapon (though the Lords) againſt ſo great & incomparable a Champion, as fleſh and blood accounts him. But the thing which affects me is, that the Heroick Worthies of our Land hide their heads, and Come not forth to helpe the Lord againſt the mighty, Jud. 5. 23, but leave the defence of Chriſts cauſe to contemptible and unqualified perſons for ſuch a performance. In excuſe of my ſelfe againſt the imputation of raſhneſſe and preſumption, I can ſay, Mr. Baxters Aphoriſms had been extant full three yeares, before I put pen to paper to except againſt him. A ſtrong expectation ſtill poſſeſſed me of ſeeing ſomething come forth againſt him from an abler hand. When my expectation failed, and I found his Tractate of all other that have come forth theſe many yeares, moſt perillous, and pernicious, as deſtroying the very foundation of a Chriſtians hope and comfort, at length I thought it fit to do my endeavour for the undeceiving of ſome private Friends either taken, or in danger to be taken in his ſnares, not ceaſing ſtill to expect the publication of ſome work by others, openly to vindicate the grace of God from his injurious warring againſt it. At length, having finiſhed what I thought fit to be communicated privately to ſome friends, and not with-holding the view thereof from any that craved it; I ſuffered it to ſleep many moneths, in hope ſtill to ſee a more learned anſwer to his worke. What ſhould I do more? May not I juſtly ſay with David, when all the armed Worthies of Iſrael either fled, or at leaſt ſhunned the encounter, was there not a cauſe to ſtand forth (for lack of better weapons) with a ſling and a ſmooth ſtone, truſting in the name of the God of Iſrael, whoſe grace this man had defied? When the wiſe and prudent, the high Prieſts, Scribes and Phariſees oppugned the grace of God in giving Chriſt to be the juſtifier of Publicans, Harlots, and Sinners, the ſpirit of Chriſt enlarged the hearts of the illiterate and vulgar to ſing their Hoſannahs, and out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings ordained praiſe to himſelfe: Nay, if theſe ſhould hold their peace, the very ſtones ſhould cry out, ſaith our Saviour. When the caſe is like it at preſent, and the Angelici Doctores are ſilent, it is the fit ſeaſon for Chriſt to animate the very Terrae filios, to ſpeak in the defence of his grace. I held my ſelfe the unfitteſt of many (if not of all) to come upon this ſtage; yet not ſo unfit, but if none elſe would, I tooke my ſelf obliged to aſcend it. Yea ſuch is the power of Truth, this Truth of Truths, this great and cardinall truth here controverted, that I feare not by the word, and in the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus, to enter the Liſts with all men and Devills that ſhall oppugn it; ſo vain a ſhadow is all the wiſdome and ſophiſtry of men, and depths of Satan, when oppoſed to the Goſpel of Chriſt which is the power and wiſdome of God.

It will next be objected, that this Tractate of mine comes forth into publique view more raw, rugged, incompendious, and unpoliſhed, than befits the Majeſtie of the Doctrine whereof it treateth. I doe not, I cannot deny it. I ſaw what ſhould have been done more, but was not in a capacity to do it. That which I can ſay for my ſelf is, 1. That it was written for private uſe, without any purpoſe to make it common, untill I came to the latter part, and almoſt the end of it. 2. My acquaintance knoweth how many, and how long interruptions of ſickneſſe I had in the writing thereof, that I was but Canis ad Nilum, did all by ſnatches, which much hindered the right compoſure of the whole, and connexion of its parts. 3. I could not find one man about us that vel prece vel pretio, was fit and willing to tranſcribe one Copie thereof, neither was in ſtrength of body to do it my ſelfe: So that what was firſt done, in the ſame Craſſo filo in which it was firſt done, without any abreviations, alterations, or poliſhings, is now preſented to the Printer to be made uſe of: My judgment telling me that rather a courſe piece, then nothing at all ſhould appear againſt Mr. Baxter, at leaſt to invite others that excell in abilities of minde and body, to come after with a more exact Treatiſe. If all this excuſe not, and that the Velle be no fit Apology to take off the crime of Non Poſſe, I am contented to lie under Cenſure: yet with this comfort, that the leſſe of man, the more of God is to be found in theſe fruits of my Labours; All that is therein being grounded upon the ſure word of God, whoſe plainneſs hath more excellency in it then all mans accurateneſſe.

It remains, that before I diſcend to give my particular exceptions againſt the Doctrine of this Tractate of Mr. Baxter, ſomething be premiſed. 1. Of the Author, 2. Of the worke in generall, 3. Of my intention in excepting againſt it. The miſtake of the two former more deluding ſome unwary perſons (as I have obſerved) then all his arguments of themſelves could do. 1. Then of the Author.

I can ſpeak nothing of him from my owne acquaintance with him. For, Albus an ater, homo ſit neſcio, I was never ſo happy or unhappy to ſee his face, therefore muſt ſpeak of him partly as he hath been repreſented and deſcribed by others, partly as he makes out himſelf.

1. Touching his learning, as he hath been magnified by others, ſuch he manifeſteth himſelfe. He that ſhall peruſe this one Tractate of his, muſt be forced to cry out, Quantus, quantus, nil niſi ſapientia eſt, a deep and meer Philoſopher (I ſay not Philoſophaſter) yea Grammaticus Rhetor Geometres, &c. In all partt of humane learning a Cathedrall Doctor: But his Maſter-piece is Sophiſtry, in this way of the worlds ſublimated Divinity; he is not behind the Angelicall and Seraphicall Doctors, Thomas and Scotus, and their followers. As for that lower and meaner region of Learning, viz. Scripture, and more ſpecially Goſpel-knowledg, himſelfe tells us that his ſtanding and underſtanding is mounted above that mentioned, Job 8. 9. That for lack of other work, and through the defect or abſence of better Books, he once read the Scripture ſix dayes together, inAppend. pag. 110, 111. which time he ſuckt much more out of the Word, then ever God breathed into it, which he confeſſeth he could not have done of himſelfe, without the help of other Books which he had formerly read, i. e. without the gloſſes of the Schoolmen and Jeſuites, which know ſo much of Chriſt, as their Maſter Ariſtotle could teach them. And that this man underſtands the Scriptures no leſſe compleatly than the worſt of them in a Catholique ſenſe, we ſhall finde I doubt not, when we come to examine the Texts which he brings to prove his Catholique Juſtification.

2. As for his piety, ſtrictneſſe, mortification, holineſſe, zeal, &c. in reſpect whereof ſome have even canoniz'd him for a matchleſſe and ſuper-eminent Saint (as I have underſtood by many in the Weſtern parts, before I ever ſaw any of his works) I ſhould ſay enough in ſaying over what Dr. Twiſſ. hath written in his Anſwer to the Preface and Prefacer unto Arminius his Anti-perkinſinianiſm, where the Prefacer in the ſame manner exalteth the parts and vertues of Arminius, thereby to make way into the hearts of men to receive his Doctrine. The Dr. acquitting himſelfe firſt of any diſlike that he hath of the piety of children in advancing their Fathers praiſe, and affirming his deſire herein to proceed no further then to lay downe a caution, that the truth may receive no damage by the ſuperlative praiſe of any man; anſwers, That although there might be oppoſed againſt Arminius that diſſent from him in iudgment, even the whole cloud of Proteſtant Divines, the very lights of the Church, that in parts and vertues were no way behind Arminius, if not his ſuperiours; yet he will not do it, becauſe neither hath God commanded, nor is it ſafe for us to make the ſplendor of mens perſons, but the infallible word of the moſt High, our rule to judge of Doctrines, and try the opinions of men.

But I adde ſecondly, That it hath been uſuall to Satan in all ages to employ whited Sepulchers, beautifull without, to broach and defend Hereſies in the Church. He wants not his depths, is not ignorant that men of vitious lives are unfit to deceive and pervert conſciences. Therefore when himſelfe will deceive, he puts off his Devils face, and transforms himſelfe into an Angell of Light: No marvaile then if he teach his Miniſters, when they are about to ſeduce, to transforme themſelves into Apoſtles of Chriſt, and Miniſters of Righteouſneſſe, 2 Cor. 11. 13.—15. Where hath there ever been more appearance of holineſſe (and men cannot ſearch the heart) then in the Scribes and Phariſees? Then in the Monks and Fryers? then among the Socinians, yea among the very Turkes? Shall then the outward varniſh of their ſeeming vertues, befool us to drink downe their damning doctrines?

3 Though Paul or an Angel from Heaven preach unto you another Goſpel, let him be accurſed, Gal. 1. 8. ſaith the Holy Ghoſt; but whether M^r Baxter doth in this Treatiſe bring us another Goſpel, his Doctrine in the Examination thereof will manifeſt.

4 I would that this his Treatiſe did ſpeak him out to be ſo ſtrictly and tenderly conſcientious as his friends proclaim him; I ſhould then either in perſon have made recourſe to him, to communicate my thoughts to him, or written in another tone, in the ſpirit of meekneſſe to him, to have received fuller ſatisfaction from him, if my impotency could not have miniſtred ſome information to him. But we ſhall find in what he writes, many things that may work in us a jealouſie of the ſincerity of a ſanctified Conſcience in him. I ſhall here mention ſome generals, leaving the reſt untill we come to except againſt the particulars.

One thing that occaſioneth this jealouſie, is the want of ingenuity, truth and ſimplicity in his Aſſertions. For one inſtance hereof we need not ſtep further then to the title of the work, where he affirms it to be publiſhed eſpecially for the uſe of the Church of Kederminſter in Worceſterſhire. Can any man that hath but glanced an eye on the ſurface of humane literature, think him to mean as he ſpeaketh? Either we muſt conclude that he hath the very ſpirit of all Philoſophicall and Metaphyſicall learning, which he breaths forth as effectually upon his Diſciples, as Knipperdoling did the Holy Ghoſt upon his Anabaptiſts; or elſe his Church for the greateſt number of its members is not in a capacity of underſtanding him. That his Church by his preſidency in it, is on a ſudden become a Najoth in Ramah, every Saul that comes neer it doth philoſophari, if not prophetare, ſo that ex ejus Ludo tanquam ex equo Trojano innumeri principes exiêre (Pauls Princes, I mean Princes in ſecular wiſedome and learning, 1 Cor. 2. 6. 8.) elſe if his people have no ſuch inſpiration above other Churches, ſurely the moſt of them ſtagger at the firſt word in the title of the Book, underſtand not the tenth part of his ſacred ſubtle diſtinctions, but in moſt things that he ſaith he is to them a Barbarian, and they to him. Nay M^r Baxter is not a novice, he knowes where and for what mouths to chew his morſels, and to whom to give them to be chewed. It was eſpecially for the nimble wits and logicall Teachers of the Churches, that this broth was boyled (as I ſhall ſhew more fully afterward) that having miſled the leaders, he might by them miſlead their flocks alſo. 2 And as little ingenuity and truth is there in him, where he quoteth ſome whom he (againſt his ſtomach) cals Orthodox Divines, and from ſome locutions and fragments of their ſentences, concludes them to be of his Judgement; when he knowes their Doctrine about Juſtification, to be ſo diametrically oppoſite to his, as hell to heaven, and Antichriſt to Chriſt: ſo that if they be Orthodox, himſelfe muſt needs be Hetorodox. This he well knowes, but his ingenuity and ſingle-heartednes hides it, and pretends the contrary. 3 Is not his face Ferry-man-like one way, and his motion another, when the whole tenor of what he writes is not to ſet up any new opinion, but to erect again, and put life into that curſed Hereſie of the Papiſts, Juſtification by Works; yet to hide his purpoſe from them that ſee not, or will not ſee, he ſometimes ſolemnly profeſſeth before God, that it is no affectation of ſingularity that drew him to this Judgement; at other times falls foul with the Papiſts, telling us that no advantage is to be given to the Papiſts in this Doctrine of Juſtification, when himſelfe all the while is ploughing their field, and ſtrengthening their hands to the offence of all the truly wiſe and godly: what hypocriſie, ſembling and diſſembling is this? Why doth he acquit himſelfe of that which no man chargeth upon him? What underſtanding Reader of him can harbour one thought of his bending to ſingularity / It is plain to every eye that is open, that he walks not ſolitary, but hath thronged himſelfe into the communion of the Holy Mother Church, and fellowſhip of all her Saint Popiſh Schoolmen, Monks, Fryers, and Jeſuites. That his ſtudy is to lay an odium implicitely and in the dark upon us, I mean not onelyonly all the Orthodox Divines, but alſo all the Reformed Churches that have been, or now are, that they are all guilty of ſingularity, ſeperation and Apoſtacy, in departing from the Romiſh Synagogue in the Doctrine of Juſtification; therefore hath he ſpread his nets to catch as many as he can, to carry them back into Babylon againe. Let M^r Baxter have (as he hath) a confident and ſwelling opinion of his owne abilities, but let him not ſo abuſe all others, as if ſtar-like their light muſt be totally dazled at the approach of his ſuppoſed ſun-beams. Wretched England, if all her Seers are become blind, and none can diſcern Chriſt from Antichriſt, even in his myſtery. Nay let him know that there are many which ſee and deteſt what he hath written, no leſſe then if it had been ſent by the Popes own Legate, to beguile. Ingenuity, truth, and ſincerity would have acted another way. M^r Baxter if he had been ſeaſoned therewith, would have plainly acknowledged, that he had examined the Controverſie between us and the Papiſts, about Juſtification; that as far as his comprehenſion can reach, he finds them in the truth, and us erroneous: and then ſhould have alledged the Scriptures and other Arguments which they produce for the eſtabliſhing of their Tenents, and the Exceptions which in the Reformed Churches have been made againſt ſuch Arguments; and ſhewed the invalidity of thoſe Exceptions, in no wiſe anſwering or weakning the Popiſh Reaſons, by means whereof his judgement and conſcience force him to ſide with them, and not with us. Thus candour and conſcience would have wrought upon him; for he cannot deny, but that both he cloſeth with them in the ſame concluſions, and that all the Scriptures, Arguments and diſtinctions (ſcarce any excepted) which he brings for the promoting of ſuch Concluſions, are taken from the Papiſts, and have been anſwered over and over a hundred times, by our Divines. Therefore to ſet forth his Aſſertions as new, and to annex his Reaſons for the confirmation thereof, as now firſt heard of, argues intolerable impudency in his daubing and diſſembling. To have dealt thus candidly and conſcientiouſly, would have excited many learned and holy men to a lovely conference with him, which now contemn him as a ſeducer, and ſeduced; but if this had been done, where ſhould the crooked Serpent, and working of Satan, and Deceivablenaſſe of unrighteouſneſſe, which ſtill accompany that Man of ſin, and thoſe that beare his marke, have appeared? 2 Theſſ. 2. 9, 10.

4 And his doubleneſſe and liegerdemain is no leſſe exerciſed, in that thorow-out his Treatiſe, he is ever and anon ſparkling his fire-brands againſt the Antinomians, thereby ſecretly inſtilling into his unwary Readers, that it is againſt them this his work mainly levelleth; when contrariwiſe under this name and mask, his War is againſt all the Orthodox Churches and Divines that are or have been ſince the Reformation.

Theſe all with him are Antinomians, as himſelfe ſometimes when they ſtand in his way and ſtirr his paſſion, doth ſomewhat inconſiderately ſpeak out, telling us that he meanes that Antinomianiſm, whereof Dr. Twiſſ and Mr. Pemble bear up the pillars, pag. 73. and conſequently whereof Luther, Calvin, and the reſt Divines and Martyrs employ'd in the Reformation have re-edified the walls, yea Paul and Chriſt himſelf have laid the foundation. But this craft he learn'd (as the reſt) from his Maſters the Monks and Jeſuits, who when they ſet themſelves to batter the truth of Chriſt, cry out in their Pulpits and Writings againſt the Huguenots, Lutherans, Hereticks, laying ſuch ſlanders on the truth and them which teach or hold it, that they may ſtirr an Odium in the people, among whom there are ſome ſo ignorant, that dwelling at a diſtance from the Proteſtants, and having never ſeen any of them, they think them not to be men (having heard ſo much evill of them) but ſome Monſters and Devils flown lately out of the bottomles pit, to trouble and deceive the world. Therefore are filled with ſuch prejudice againſt their Doctrine, that if they were told theſe Hereticks ſay Chriſt is the Son of God and Saviour of the world, they would (in hatred of the ſuppoſed Hereticks) be ready to reject both Chriſt and ſalvation, leſt they ſhould ſeem to hold with them. Mr. Baxter needs not the incitation of any ſpurr to follow, having ſuch Leaders, and the opportunity alſo ſerved to his ends. He hath taken full notice, that in theſe laſt yeares among the greateſt, i. e. the vulgar part of our Miniſters, the name of Antinomianiſm hath been the worſt abhomination, and that they have ſo inveigled their credulous congregations with the feare and hatred of it, that any Phariſaicall, Monkiſh, or Jeſuiticall ſpirits, that would but cry aloud and lift up their voyce againſt Antinomians, found welcome not only to their perſons, but to the whole galley-maufry of formalities, moralities, wood, hay, and ſtubble that they ſcattered among the people. When contrariwiſe, if any ſhould but often name Chriſt and Grace in his Sermon, all were ſhie of him, turned their heels in ſtead of their faces towards him and his Doctrine, though never ſo pretious and wholſome, fearing ſome tincture therein of Antinomianiſm. This advantage therefore hath hee taken to batter the Doctrine of the Goſpel, under the name of Antinomiſm, knowing that if Chriſt himſelf ſhould again deſcend from heaven to preach it in his own perſon, he ſhould under this vizard, finde contempt of himſelf and his Doctrine among the vulgar. I acknowledg every divine truth to be ſo ſacred and pretious, that we ought to defend and redeem it from oppreſſion with our very blood. Whatſoever therefore of errours againſt the truth the Antinomians (truly ſo called) have broached, wee ought with all our ſtrength to reſiſt and reject. And hereof I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more fully afterward. In the interim I may lay down ſafely and truly theſe two aſſertions.

1. That Mr. Baxters principall aime is by this odious term to fright weak and inconſiderate perſons from the truth of Chriſt.

2. That all that catalogue of errors which Sleidan in his Commentaries aſcribeth to the Antinomians of Germany about 100. years ſithence; and a…l the tenents of thoſe that among us are or have bin Antinomians indeed (as farr as in my acquaintance with them I could ever gather from them) contein not a mole-hill in compariſon of that mountain of evill and miſchief, that by this Treatiſe Mr. Baxter would hurl upon us.

A ſecond thing which miniſters occaſion to us to doubt of this mans ſpirituall conſcientiouſneſſe, is his prophaning and vilifying of holy things. We find him oft in this proſt…ating religion, conſcience, and the word of God it ſelfe, to the cenſure and ſentence of reaſon, yea of naturall and carnall reaſon: and that, thoſe very things which reaſon cannot comprehend, even things which eye hath not ſeene, nor eare heard, neither hath it entred into the heart, but are revealed onelyonly by the word and ſpirit, 1 Cor. 2. 9, &c. Theſe are the myſteries of the Goſpel, Juſtification, Adoption, &c. when Mr. Baxter at ſome times cannot poſſibly evade ſuch Scriptures as diſcover his errours, with what vehemency doth he forth-with lay hold on them to ſacrifice them to ſenſe and reaſon, yea to that which is worſe then ſenſe and reaſon? Flectere ſi nequeat ſuperos, Acheronta movebit, when heaven is againſt him, he appeals to hell to ſpeak for him, ſummoning together not only the Jeſuites, but the very Ghoſts of the moſt curſed Hereticks by their authority to ſettle his conſcience, and ſubject the word to it. I… not here wanting that trembling at Gods word, which is required and found in the Saints? He doth rarely indeed mention the Authors whom he followeth as his Maſters, but that is of craft, that he might not caſt an Odium upon his Doctrine, he thinks it more fit to offer it as ſome ſacred thing ſpun out of his own brain, that there might be the leſſe ſuſpicion of it. But that it is drawn out of thoſe channels which I have mentioned, I ſhall be ready to ſhew in particulars, if any doubting ſhall demand it of me. Neither let it offend, that in groſs and courſe terms I ſpeak the truth of the Author. It is wholly againſt the bent of my diſpoſition ſo to do, were it not that it is the very foundation of all our hopes that is by him battered, and that the profuſe commendation which ſome have given of the man, to draw Diſciples to him, did not force me to ſpeak unſparingly (while truly) to undeceive ſome of my friends, that through credulity either are or might be ſeduced.

Thus far of the man as he hath been repreſented by others, I ſhal ſay ſomething of him alſo as he renders himſelf to us by this Treatiſe. I cannot, I will not think him one that is wilfully apoſtatiz'd. But finding him a man of excellent both naturall and acquired parts, of a very rationall brain, delighted more in depths than in ſhallows, in the logicall deep and ſerious, than in the lighter, and ſuperficiary parts of learning. I conceive him to have been carryed out by his own Genius to the reading of the deepeſt Scholaſtick writers, with the purpoſe that Virgil once applyed himſelf to the reading of Ennius, though not with the ſame ſucceſſe. The purpoſe of both probably was to fetch out ê ſtercore gemmam, a jewel out of the dunghill. But this man meeting with learning perfectly agreeing with his naturall Genius, became impotent to obtaine his purpoſe; for being delighted with the dunghil, he hath made it his ſphere and element; the depth of rationality which he found in his Authors, hath drawn and captivated him to their moſt curſed opinions: ſo that we find him in ſtead of a Gemm, bringing forth a Cockatrice-egg, which if it be not deſtroyed in the ſhell, will ruine himſelf and many others. It is an infirmity that hath made impreſſion in points leſſe momentous, upon ſome perſons of great note in the Church. I ſhall mention one Hierom in ſtead of the reſt. In his works as they are ſet forth by Eraſmus, Tom. 1. there is a Book intituled, Catalogos Scriptorum Eccleſiaſticorum; in which Hierom mentioning Tertullian, and not being able to deny his falling into Montaniſm, he thus at leaſt minceth his fault. Invidia & contumeliis Clericorum Romanae Eccleſiae ad Montani dogma delapſus eſt (ſaith he) i e. through the envy and reproaches which he ſuffered from the Clergy of Rome, he declined to the opinion of Montanus. Eraſmus in his Scholia upon theſe words thus writeth, Ʋt favit Hieronimus ingenio Tertulliani, &c. i. e. See how Hierom favoured Tertullians wit, almoſt excuſing him for falling into the faction of the Montaniſts, laying the fault upon the envy and reproaches of the Roman Prieſts. So farr Eraſmus. He might have further added [ſo farr he delighted in Tertullians wit, that he did not only excuſe him, but alſo] was carried by the pleaſing ſtream of his wit and learning, into the very dregs of Montaniſm as deep as Tertullian himſelf. So ſhall wee finde him diſcovering himſelf at the full, in his firſt Book againſt Jovinian, as Eraſmus himſelf in his Antidote prefixed thereunto doth hint, but the work it ſelf makes it notoriouſly plain. It contents not that good Monk Father, there to produce as his own, all Tertullians arguments, except he alſo delivers them for the moſt part in Tertullians very words, ſo that there were not wanting ſuch as excepted againſt him as a very Montaniſt. I ſpeak not to leſſen the worth of thoſe two ancient Writers, but to manifeſt in theſe two great and ſublimated Wits, when the Genius of one man ſo conſpireth with anothers, as to delight abundantly, it is as the Loadſtone and iron to draw & to follow into falſhood as well as truth, except there be interpoſed much of the ſpirit of grace and meeknes, and ſo high an eſteem of the Word, that the mind explodes all other learning as baſe in compariſon of it. No marvail then if Mr. Baxter having immixt himſelf into whole troops of Schoolmen, Jeſuits, and others of the ſame Scholaſtick train with himſelf, hath been carried away in the crowd captive to their baſeſt errors. Some would marvail rather how there ſhould be found in England any Divines profeſſing antipathy to Rome, applauding the very worſt piece of Romes Heriſies, as ſoon as Mr. Baxter hath breathed upon and bleſſed it. But the caſe is the ſame. Mr. Baxter well knew in what water to angle that he might catch, he perceived that the Doctrine of Juſtification for theſe fifty years hath been too little preached in England. That ſince the heat of controverſie betwixt us and the Papiſts about it abated, this Doctrine ſounded in few Pulpits, which before ſounded in all, that the Pia fraus (as they termed it) prevailed every where, a godly deceit to with-hold from the people the knowledg of the libertie which they have by Chriſt, leſt they ſhould turn it into licentiouſneſſe. That as this pions fraud paſſed from hand to hand among the Miniſters, many of them while they were deceiving, were themſelves deceived, and verily thought it the right art of profitable preaching to hold out the Law, and keep in the Goſpel, to waſh the utter part of the cup and platter, leaving that which is within full of guilt and corruption. Hence it came to paſs that the Law by many was turned to a two-fold uſe, like the ſword of Achilles to Tilephus, to wound firſt, and then to heale, to caſt down and to erect again, to kill and make alive, to damn and then to ſave alſo. Firſt, it was ſo brandiſhed for conviction, that all men by the light and curſe thereof might be compelled to ſee themſelves under ſin and condemnation, and then held forth as a ſoveraign remedy againſt damnation, and means of ſalvation; ſuch repentances for ſin, ſuch degrees of contrition and reformation preſcribed out of the Law, which being practiced, pardon of ſin and eternall life muſt needs follow. Thus man was made not only his own condemner, but his own Saviour alſo; his evill works in tranſgreſſing the Law purſuing him with vengeance, and his returning by repentance to good works in ſtrict obedience to the law, reſtoring him to life & ſalvation. In mean while Chriſt was left in a corner to look upon all, but without interpoſition of his operation or Paſſion. Sometimes indeed much might be heard of the riches of Gods Grace, of the efficacy of Chriſts merits to ſave the chief of ſinners, ſo that the people might even ſee the door of heaven open to them; but in concluſion, the Preacher as if he had been deputed to the office of the Cherubims, Gen. 2. ult. to keep the way of the tree of life, with his flaming ſword turning every way, affrighted the poor ſoules from all hope of entring, crying procul hinc, procul ite prophani, no prophane or unclean perſon hath right to meddle with this Grace. No, firſt they muſt have ſuch heart-preparations, purifications, and prejacent qualifications, before they draw neer to partake of mercy; muſt firſt cleanſe and cure themſelves, and then come to Chriſt afterwards; muſt be cloathed with an inherent Righteouſneſſe firſt, and then expect to be cloathed upon with a Righteouſneſſe imputed. Such hath been and ſtill is the Doctrine delivered in many Congregations within this Nation. I neither fain nor aggravate. It is that whereof my ſelf not without griefe have been oft an ear-witneſſe, and that from the mouths of very zealous Miniſters. And I fear the Lord hath a controverſie againſt the Miniſtry, and will more yet obſcure and vilifie many of them for their obſcuring of his grace and his Chriſt. Now when ſo many of them were by the tide of their own judgments moving before, not a little in Mr. Baxters way, no marvail if they have admitted him among themſelves to hoyſe the ſailes and carry them haſtier and further than they before had purpoſed; ſpecially when all the way along and thorowout his whole Treatiſe he deals with them as Eliſha did with the Syrians, telling them that he is leading them to Dothan, to Hieruſalem, holding their eyes and wits ſuſpended until he hath brought them into the ſtreets of Samaria, of Rome it ſelf, 2 King. 6. 8, &c.

This I thought fit to premiſe of the Author, the next thing promiſed was touching the work it ſelf.

Whether we conſider the matter or the artifice of it, I cannot in generall otherwiſe give a livelier character or deſcription thereof, than in the words of Mr. Fox, in his Tractate De Gratiâ gratis Juſtificante, againſt Oſorius and others, where he gives his cenſure upon a book of the ſame argument with Mr. Baxters, ſet forth by Oſorius, not as this man under the name of a Proteſtant, but ingenuouſly profeſſing himſelf a Papiſt. Among other I may as fitly apply theſe paſſages of Mr. Fox to Mr. Baxters work, as he did it to the popiſh Biſhop. Si quiſquam alius preter Oſorium, &c. If any other man ſave Oſorius had publiſhed this Book (ſaith he) but I ſay were it not that ſome unexceptively learned and godly Divines, did thorow (I know not what miſtake) favour and even patronize this Tractate, Diceremei aperté atque in os, Peſtem publicae Chriſtianorum ſaluti, labem Religioni graviorem, majorem D. Paulo, Scripturis & Prophetis, injuriam inferre neminem unquam potuiſſe quam his libris oſtenditur. i. e. I would tell openly, and to his teeth, that no man ever could bring in a more grievous plague to the common ſafety of Chriſtians, or blemiſh to Religion, or greater injury to St. Paul, the Scriptures and Prophets then is held forth in this Book. And p. 4. Ita ſentio, &c. Philoſophum t… quidem ſatis Platonicum, & Rhetorem non male Ciceronianum video; at Theologum vero parum, mihi Crede, Evangelicum, neque ad Cauſam ipſam juſtitiae Chriſtianae perorandam, ſatis exercitatum. i. e. This is my opinion, &c. [in the frame of this work] I ſee thee a Philoſopher enough Platonicall, and a Rhetorician not much beneath Cicero: but a Divine little ſeaſoned with the Goſpel, and unfurniſhed to treat of that Chriſtian Righteouſneſſe [that tends to juſtification.] And pag. 11. while he diſputeth and teacheth us many things of righteouſneſſe and juſtification, there is nothing for us to learne that comes home to the matter, not a mite that may further, but very much that may hinder ſalvation. And pag. 6. he likens him to Celſus & Antipho, mentioned by Origen, who when they wrote moſt eagerly againſt the eruth, call…d their Books foreign, a word or treatiſe of truth: ſo this man entitles his Book [A diſcourſe of Juſtifying Righteouſneſs.] I had almoſt ſaid Aphoriſms of Juſtification, at ita ut nihil contra Veram Juſtitiam [vel juſtificationem] dici poſſit hoſtilius. i. e. But ſo that nothing can be ſpoken more hoſtilely or hatefully againſt true righteouſneſſe and juſtification. All this is no leſſe true of, and pat unto Mr. Baxters than B. Oſorius his work. But much more pernicious in Mr. Baxters, becauſe he hideth his poyſon under the name and pretence of an Orthodox and Cathedrall Divine, and a great Antagoniſt to Popery.

But of the matter of the work I have delivered my judgment before, and ſhall have occaſion to examine it when I come to the bulk of his Treatiſe. Only at preſent I tranſmit the Reader (that would in a breviary find what the ſubſtance of his Doctrine is) to the ſecond part of this Anſwer, Chap. 16, 17, and neer the end of Chap. 22. where he may read in how many particulars he holds the ſame Tenet with the worſt, and tranſcends in many things, the more moderate of the Papiſts, yea of the very Jeſuits.

Here I ſhall ſpeak only of the form and artifice of the work, upon what foundation he hath laid, by what pillars he ſupports his own aſſertions, and with what Engins and Machinations hee oppugneth the ſacred truth, and judgment of all Orthodox Divines, whom he makes his adverſaries. In all this he followeth his Maſters the Schoolmen and Jeſuites, baulking the Scriptures, and laying maximes of Philoſophy and carnall, or at leaſt humane Reaſon as the foundation of his whole building, & walls and pillars it up with ſophiſticall Arguments, Diſtinctions, & quodlib…tary ſubtleties, raiſing every where duſt and vapours to cloud and darken the Sun of truth, that he may have the opportunity with his ignis fatuus, to toll men out of the ſafe and ſure way into the boggs and moſt excrementitio…s parts of Popery. Indeed ſometimes he quotes Scriptures in heaps, (as they were prepar'd to his hands by Fryars and Jeſuits) and lets them out without meaſure or tale, telling us that he will ſtand to and be tryed by the Scriptures: but ſcarce at any time vouchſafing to make known what hee would diduce thence, and how; and many times not affording the labour to name the words, and then hyeth back to his Sanctuary St. Sophiſtry again: declaring both at how cheap a rate he valueth the ſacred word, not deigning either to cite the words, or at beſt to tell us what he thinks he hath found in them (when contrariwiſe if he cite any thing out of the heathen Philoſophers, or their followers, the Popiſh Doctors unnamed, he is very buſie to preſſe and improve it to his advantage) and withall, that his meaning is to be tryed by the boon ſonns of the unholy Catholick Church: therefore turns us over to them for our in formation what may be gathered from the Scriptures produced, himſelfe paſſing by it as a thing already done to his hands by them.

Now becauſe the main ſtrength of M^r Baxter and his leaders in fighting againſt the verity of the Goſpel, conſiſteth in this ſubtle and unſcripturall way of diſputation, it ſhall not be impertinent to digreſſe a while in diſcuſſing what force there is in ſophiſticall, (or to uſe milder words) Logicall, Philoſophicall, and Metaphiſicall argumentations, to confirm or infirm Evangelical Doctrines. In Natural, Moral, Civil, and Oeconomical queſtions they may be (I acknowledg) very uſefull. Yea Logick in its ſober and moderate uſe, applyed as an inſtrument to aſſiſt in the contexture and retexture of Scriptures to finde out the ſenſe and meaning thereof; and further, as by diſcreet joyning of Goſpel poſitions together, it helpeth to elicite ſure and ſound concluſions, (not at all drawing the queſtion out of its own ſphere the Scriptures, to be judged and concluded by the nicities and quiddities of other beſides Scripturelearning) may be profitably uſed in Evangelicall queſtions. But neither Logick it ſelfe beyond this, nor Philoſophy or the Metaphyſicks at all, have any force to prove any thing in Goſpelmatters.

I know what to expect for ſuch a diſcourſe upon this ſubject. I ſhall be jeered at to be the Fox in the Fable, that being without a tayl, to leſſen his ſhame in a generall counſell of Foxes, made an Oration, declayming much againſt the diſcommodities which Foxes had by their tails, and labouring to perſwade them all to rid themſelves of ſuch a diſcommodity, that he might make the ſhame common, and then not the whole, but a ſhare of it only would be his.Gal. 6. 14. 1 Cor. 2. 2.Gal 6:141 Cor 2:2

Be it ſo, I neither arrogate nor uſurp to my ſelf the praiſe of humane learning. In reference to ſalvation and juſtification, God forbid that I ſhould glory in any thing but in the Croſſe of Chriſt, or ſhould determine to know any thing ſave Chriſt and him crucified. To plead my righteouſneſs; before God, and againſt Satan, the ſimplicity of the Goſpel plenarily furniſheth and contenteth me; leaving it to Mr. Baxter (if he think it ſafe) with ſophiſticall ſubtleties to diſpute himſelf into heaven.

Nevertheleſſe the poſition ſtands firm even in the fall of the credit of the aſſertor, That ſuch humane learning is of no force to decide, judg, and conclude any thing in queſtions meerly Evangelicall, ſuch as is Juſtification, and all other Goſpel-graces and priviledges. This may be with much facility evidenced to as many as have not their eyes blinded by the God of this world as yet, and that by theſe following reaſons.

1. All the Doctrines of the Goſpel are tranſcendent, high, and above the reach of the moſt ſublimated reaſon. Eye hath not ſeen, nor eare heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to know them, 1 Cor. 2. 9. The natural man receiveth not, cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. ibid. Verſ. 14. They are myſteries hid in God from the beginning of the world, from ages and generations, but at laſt made known by the Spirit in the preaching of the Goſpel, not only to the Saints [on earth] but alſo to the Principalities and powers in heavenly places, i. e. to the Miniſtring Angels and Spirits before God in heaven, Epheſ. 13. 9, 10. Col. 3. 26, 27. So that at the revelation thereof by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, the very Angels deſired to looke into them, as learners of that ſacred Doctrine which before they had not attained, 1 Pet. 1. 12. But all this humane learning whereof we ſpeak, is naturall, flowing originally from naturall and heathen men, who in their either moſt profound or moſt ſublime ſpeculations, could not ſee a ſpan above Nature, no nor to the top of Nature by many fathoms. Therefore is there a totall invalidity in it to diſcern one ray of Evangelical and ſpiritual things. To produce any thing therefore out of this humane literature to diſcern and judg of Goſpel-doctrines; is no leſſe folly than to make a blind man judg of colours, or a deaf man of ſounds, or to ſet a dead man to running of a race. Yea to hold forth any thing hence, to cleer up and evidence ſpiritual things, is but to hold a candle, nay a dark Lanthorn to the Sun, for the cleering of its beams that we may ſee it.

If any object, that Spiritual and Evangelical Doctrines are by none brought (as Spiritual and Evangelical) under the Tryall of this humane learning, but as they fall under ſome Topicks of this or that Art or Science, as E…s, Subſtantia, Accidens, Actio, Relatio, &c. and ſo farr only they are diſputed of by and according to the Maximes and Canons of thoſe places.

I anſwer, that even this is to ſubject ſupernatural Doctrines to the judgment and cenſure of Natural Reaſon. It will not be denyed that the firſt Founders of theſe Arts and the precepts thereof were meerely Naturall and Morall men, and neither did nor could accommodate their precepts and rules to any other but natural and Moral things; were ſo farr unable to reach them to things ſupenatural, that they left them in many things unperfect as to things natural: ſo that after all the amendments of all their followers, not a few of their Canons remain diſputable and controverted (as to Natural and Moral things) ſtill. Therefore to proſtrate ſpiritual things to the judgment of this Natural learning, is to ſubject the Authority of Chriſt to the Authority of men, the wiſdome of the Spirit to the wiſdome of the Fleſh, and that which is infallible to that which is both fallible and fallacious. Nay all the doctrines and precepts of Philoſophers are to be tryed by the word; but in no wiſe are the dictates of the Spirit, and doctrines of the word of grace to be tryed by the precepts of Men. I forbeare to ſpeak here, that otherwiſe not Chriſt but Ariſtotle muſt in matters of ſalvation be made our Ipſe Dixit: or that none but Schollars can have any ſtable ſetledneſſe of faith, the unlearned in humane literature remaining uncapable thereof, becauſe they cannot prove the truth of what they believe as well by the rules of Art, as by the Teſtimony of the word of Chriſt. I only ſay, when Chriſt by his word hath ſaid and determined, here not to ſubject and reſt ſatisfied, but to conſult with fleſh and blood, with the rules of humane Art for my fuller reſolution, is no leſſe indignity to Chriſt, than to ſet mans wiſedom in the Chair, and to proſtrate Chriſt to be his Footſtool.

2. If it have any power and efficacy to this end, it muſt be either from ſome naturall and intrinſicall vertue of its own, or elſe by Gods ordination and infuſion. Not by any naturall vertue of its own, as appeareth by what was laſt ſaid, and by this that none ever by ſuch ſecular learning attained one leaſt ſpark of Goſpel-knowledg, nor yet by Gods ordination, and inſpiring ſtrength into it to operate for ſuch an end. For let it be declared in what Scripture God inſtituted or owned it as an in-ſtrument uſefull and effectualized for ſuch a work. And if neither of theſe ways it be powerful, or in a capacity either to declare or confirm Goſpel-matters, then hath it no power at all to ſuch a purpoſe.

If any thing be excepted againſt in this Argument, it muſt be the latter disjunctive particle thereof in the Aſſumption which denieth the humane learning before mentioned to be ordained of God, or qualified by him as inſtrumental and effectual to determine any thing in Evangelical and Spiritual Doctrines. But this may be cleered and confirmed by the Reaſons following.

1. Becauſe neither the Lord Chriſt nor any of his Apoſtles or Prophets have made uſe of it to this end. Not his Prophets under the Old Teſtament: For when they ſp…ke any thing of the Myſtery of Chriſt and his Goſpel that were afterward more fully to be revealed, they did it by inſpiration from God, 2 Tim. 3. 16. and the revelation of the ſpirit of Chriſt which was in them, 1 Pet. 1. 11. not as having dipped the ſame, from the broken Ciſterns of humane inventions and learning. And when they will add a confirmation to ſuch Doctrines, the only authority which they produce is divine. Thus ſaith the Lord, The Lord of Hoſts hath ſaid it, the holy, the lofty, the mighty one of Iſroel hath ſpoken it, without any Philoſophical or Metaphyſical Arguments to prove it. No leſſe is to be ſaid of Chriſt himſelf our own and only Mr. when he deſcended from Heaven to reveal his Goſpel in its fulneſs and glory, affirming his doctrine to be onelyonly and wholly that which his Father taught him, Joh. 8. 28. which he had ſeene with his father, Joh. 8. 38. as he had commandement from his father, Joh. 10. 18. even as the father ſaid unto him, Joh. 12. 50. as he heard from his father, Joh. 15. 15. Lo all from heaven, from the Father; nothing from earth from men, in revealing the Goſpel. No nor to the confirmation of it being 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 w^ch 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.John 1:18the 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.Rom 15:19When he had fully preached the Goſpel from Hieruſalem in the regions round about even to Illyricum; he gives this account of his labors, that he had beleeved nothing, nor witneſſed or taught any thing, ſave what is written in the law of Moſes and the Prophets, Acts 24. 14. & 26. 22. That whatſoever Churches he had planted, were built by him upon the foundations of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe being the chiefe corner-ſtone, Eph. 2. 20. Nothing here of Ariſtotle and Plato, but of the Prophets and Apoſtles, i. e. the Doctrine which Chriſt had revealed to them and by them, laid to ſupport the Churches in the Faith of Chriſt. That he had utterly exploded all humane wiſdom Arts, and inventions, as incompetent with the Goſpel of Chriſt. That whether he laid in the hearts of men the principles and beginnings of Chriſt, having to deale with ſuch as were but yet in converting, or elſe but babes in Chriſt, he totally abſtained from the words of mans wiſdome, from intermingling any of the artificiall diſputes of the Philoſophers, that their faith might not ſtand in the wiſdome of men, but in the power of God: or whether he treated with them that were perfect, i. e. grown to a high ſtature in the knowledg and faith of Chriſt, even when he ſpake wiſedom, delivered doctrines of the greateſt depth and miſteriouſneſs to them, yet was it not the wiſedome of this world, i. e. neither was the matter thereof the doctrine of the profound Philoſophers and Diſputers that were held the Princes of the world for wiſdome, but the myſterie of Chriſt. Neither for the confirmation thereof did he uſe the words which mans wiſedom teacheth, i. e. that way of philoſophicall and dialectical diſputation, whereof the Philoſophers give their precepts, but in the words which the holy Ghoſt teacheth, &c. 1 Cor. 2. 1.—13.

Now if neither Chriſt nor his truly inſpired Miniſters ever uſed, or would uſe this kind of learning in Goſpel-matters, the concluſion will neceſſarily follow that it was never of Gods ordination. For Chriſt was faithfull in his houſe the Church, Heb. 3. 2, 6. and finiſhed the worke which his Father had given him to do, Joh. 17. 4. And the like may be truly affirmed and confirmed of the faithfulneſſe of all thoſe truly inſpired Miniſters of Chriſt, according to their meaſure, that with Paul they were ſtewards of God, and ſtudied ſo earneſtly to be found faithfull, that they knew nothing by themſelves to accuſe themſelves of falſhood or neglect, 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2. 4. That they kept back Act. 20. 20. 26, 27.Acts 20:20Acts 20:26Acts 20:27nothing which was profitable to the people, but declared to them the whole Counſell of God, therefore were pure from the blood of all men: ſo that it muſt follow, that either the uſe of the aforeſaid humane learning in Goſpel-matters is no ordinance of God, and at the beſt unprofitable: or elſe that Chriſt and his Apoſtles not uſing it, yea rejecting the uſe of it, were not faithfull. But all will deny the latter, therefore muſt grant the former.

A ſecond Reaſon to prove it not to be an ordinance of God, &c. I may draw from the ſlighting, abaſing, and invective terms which the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture uſeth againſt it. The wiſedom of the Holy Ghoſt doth in no wiſe ſlight any ordinance of God qualified and bleſſed by him to Goſpel-ends. But the uſe of thoſe humane pieces of learning whereof I am ſpeaking is much ſlighted and aba…ed by the H: G: as impotent and unuſefull to Goſpel-work and ends, Ergo, &c. That the H: G: doth thus ſlight it in Scripture, to omit what the Lord Chriſt ſpeaks againſt the traditionary learning of the Jewiſh Rabbies, Mat. 15. 1. - 9. & 23. 13, &c. & 11. 25, 26. Joh. 9. 29-41. I ſhall mention only how contemptuouſly the H: G: by the Apoſtles pointing directly to this Gentilizing learning, ſpeaks of it. They became vain in their imaginations (ſaith he) and their Rom. 1. 21-23.Rom 1:21–23fooliſh heart was darkened; Profeſſing themſelves wiſe, they became fools, and changed the glory of God into a corruptible image, &c. What more to the abaſing of their learning? he calls it at the beſt, the very froth of light fancies and imaginations, the darkneſſe of fooliſh hearts, a profeſſion of ſuch wiſedom as made them groſſe fools; that as it acted about religion and the way to happineſſe, it made both it and them a very abhomination to the Lord.

Again, The preaching of the Croſſe is to them that periſh, fooliſhneſſe. As it is written, I will deſtroy the wiſedom of the wiſe, & bring to nothing the underſtanding of the prudent. Where is the wiſe? where is the Scribe? where is the diſputer of this world? hath not God made fooliſh the wiſedom of this world? For after that in the wiſedom of God, the world by wiſedom knew not God, it pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſave them that believe, &c. 1 Cor. 1. 18-21, &c.

How differing is the ſpirit of our Sophiſters from the Spirit which wrought in the Apoſtle? He pronounceth this Sophiſticall learning, to be ſo far from being a furtherance to the only true which is the Goſpel-way of ſalvation, as that it is an enemie to it, rejects it as fooliſhneſſe.

2. Them that follow it as their rule and authority what to believe and do, that they may be ſaved, to be in a periſhing condition, in the ready way to damnation. They that periſh account the ſimplicity of the Goſpel without the fulture, or rather tainture of their Arts, fooliſhneſſe.

3. He affirms God to be an enemy to it, to deteſt any patronage from it to his myſterious Doctrine of the Goſpel. He hath left it upon record to curb wanton wits, that he will deſtroy the wiſedome, &c.

4. That according to his threat, he hath executed, and will ſtill fulfill, therefore challengeth the Sophiſters to give anſwer from their own experience at laſt, whether God hath not, doth not alway ſo curſe this wiſedom of theirs, that it turns to ruine and fooliſhneſſe? Where is the Scribe? where the Diſputer? &c. Hath not God? &c.

5. That it is a knowledg by which men know not God, which while they purſue, they loſe utterly the ſaving knowledg of God.

6. That in contempt of this ſecular learning, God will by the ſimplicity and fooliſhneſſe of Goſpel-preaching ſave them that believe, leaving the Diſputers to reaſon themſelves into Hell. It pleaſed God, &c.

Unto this I ſhal add but two Teſtimonies more; the one, when the Apoſtle hath to do with a company of Chriſtians dwelling among the Philoſophers, in great jealouſie & fear of them, he cryes out, Beware ye be not ſpoiled with Philoſophy, Col 2. 7. & vain decit. He ſpeaks of no poſſibility of any good that there ſhould accrew unto them by the help of Philoſophy, but of great danger to be ſpoyled and corrupted by it; and when is there ſuch hazard of being corrupted by it? he anſwers, when men intermingle this learning, which is but of humane invention and tradition, after the Rudiments of the world, 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 w^ch 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 w…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 m…ns wiſedom with it. Begin we with the Apoſtles times, when the…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 conconſcience 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 judgment, nor to admit any thing what another hath introduced of his will and judgment. Apoſtolos Domini habemus auctores, qui nec ipſe quicquam ex ſuo Tertul. l. de preſcript. adverſ. Haereticos.Arbitrio quod inducerunt, elegerunt, ſed acceptam a Chriſto diſciplinam fideliter nationibus adſignaverunt, i. e. We have the Apoſtles of the Lord herein our authors or patterns, who neither made choiſe of any thing from their owne invention, to impoſe [upon Chriſtians] but faithfully delivered to the Nations the diſcipline which they had received from Chriſt. So that if an Angel from heaven ſhall preach any other doctrine let him be accurſed. And having mentioned ſome doctrines not of Chriſts preſcribing, pronounceth of all ſuch, Hae ſunt doctrinae hominum & Daemoniorum prurientibus auribus natae, de ingenio ſapientiae ſaeculi, &c. i. e. Theſe are Doctrines of men and Devills ſprung forth from itching ears, of the nature of the wiſdome of the world, which the Lord calling fooliſhneſſe, hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world even to the confuſion of Philoſophy it ſelf. Ea eſt n. Materia ſapientiae ſaecularis, &c. For this [Philoſophy] is the matter of worldly wiſdome: a raſh interpreter of the nature and diſpenſations of God, from it Hereſies are ſuborned. And having particulariz…d what ſeverall hereſies have been foyſted into the Church from the ſeverall ſects of Philoſophers, and what from all conjoyned, and inveighed againſt Ariſtotles Logick as an enemie to Chriſtian Religion, he thus breaks forth. Quid ergo Athenis & Hieroſolymis? Quid Academiae & Eccleſiae? Quid haereticis & Chriſtianis? Noſtra inſtitutio de particu Solomonis eſt, &c. Viderint qui Stoicum & platonicum, & Dialecticum Chriſtianiſmum protulerunt, &c. i. e. what then hath Athens to do with Jeruſalem? the Academy with the Church? Hereticks with Chriſtians? Our Inſtitution [in Religion] is out of the porch of Solomon, &c. Let them look to it that have hatched out a Stoicall, Platonicall, and Logicall Chriſtianity to us. We have no need of curioſity after Chriſt, nor of inquiſitiveneſſe after the Goſpel. When we believe [viz. Chriſt and his Goſpel] wee deſire nothing beyond believing. For this we believe firſt, that there is not [viz. in Philoſophy or other Arts] any thing that we ought to believe [unto ſalvation] beyond [the Goſpel of Chriſt.] And a little after, he that is not ſati…fied with the Scripture, but ſeekes further authority from reaſon and Philoſophy, his curious inquiſitiveneſſe argues him either not to believe, or elſe to be vain-glorious in ſeeking after the praiſe of worldly wiſdom, therefore annexeth this counſell, Cedat curioſitas fidei, cedat gloria ſaluti, i. e. let curioſity give place to faith, and vain-glory ſtoop to ſalvation. So much and much more not unworthy the reading, hath Tertullian in this Book. And none will eaſily affirm that Tertullian condemns that learning which himſelfe wanted, to hide his own nakedneſs. All his polemicall works or controverſall writings declare the contrary, ſpecially his book againſt Hermogenes, where having to deale with one that little regarded the Scriptures, ſets upon him in his own fortreſſe, and aſſails him with his own weapons, and philoſophically convinceth the Philoſophaſter, and dialectically the Sophiſter, in his own arts and element, confuting and confounding him.

But ſome may object, that ſeeing he holds the uſe of theſe arts unneceſſary and hurtfull to Chriſtian Religion, why doth himſelf make uſe of them? Himſelf both moves and anſwers the queſtion elſe-where, and thus puts the queſtion, Whether ohere be not ſome Tertul. de Anima. lib.truths to be found in philoſophy? and 2^ly. whether a Chriſtian may not in ſome caſe make uſe of it in his diſputations?

His anſwer is ſomewhat large, the ſumm and brief of it runs in this tenor: That it is not to be denyed but there are ſome truths delivered by Philoſophers in the more common and open things of Divinity, i. e. (as I granted before) in naturall and morall things, and thoſe we are to take up, not for the authority of the Phyloſophers, who by the groping light of Nature have by a kind of blind happineſſe found out and delivered the ſame: but for the authority of God, who by his undeceiving word hath manefeſted it to us, and further that in our diſputes with ſuch to whom the preſcripts of philoſophy are more authoritative and authentick than the oracles of the word, when it may be done without prejudice to the word, we may retort upon the adverſarie his own arguments, and ſtop his mouth with teſtimonies of Philoſophers, which to him are moſt authentick. Nevertheleſs it is the ſafeſt and moſt pious way when wee treat with Hereticks that profeſſe Chriſtians, to hold them cloſe to the Scriptures. Aufer Haereticis quae cum Ethnicis Tertul. lib. de Reſur. carnis.ſapiunt, ſaith he, ut de ſolis ſcripturis queſtiones ſuas ſiſtant, & ſtare non potuerint, i. e. Take from the Heretieks thoſe arguments which they draw from heathen learning, that they may ſtate their queſtions from the Scriptures alone, and they will not be able to ſtand.

With Tertullian conſented the judgment of the ſound and orthodox Fathers which lived after him, during the firſt ſix hundred years in the Chriſtian Church, and my purpoſe was to demonſtrate it from the very words of ſuch of them as I have read; but finding the Preface ſwelling above its meaſure already, and the little or no uſe which they make of theſe pieces of learning, in their works, enough declaring their judgments, that they held the ſame uſeleſs and ſuperflou… at leaſt: in all their writings holding thewſelves faſt to the word, not medling with prophane arts to help or back the Goſpel of Chriſt, ſaving when they were neceſſitated to diſabuſe the people, in diſcovering the fallacies of the Manichees, Arrians, and other ſophiſtical Hereticks: I think it more pertinent to eaſe my ſelf of this burthen. By the way only noting that as Julian, when he gave his mind once inordinately to the ſtudy of philoſophy, and coveted to be a learned and philoſophical Chriſtian, did quickly declare himſelf to be an Apoſtat, and no Chriſtian: So the like apoſtacy (no doubt) by the like means befell many others, though not openly declared. And this muſt needs follow in part upon all ſuch as make not the word to be the whole foundation of their faith, but ſo farr only as it hath reaſon and philoſophy conſenting with it. But the word of the Goſpel is tranſcend…nt above the reach of Philoſophy and natural reaſon, they cannot comprehend it to give teſtimony to it, ſo that to make reaſon the touch-ſtone of Goſpel-doctrines and truths, is the ready way to apoſtatize from Chriſt and his Goſpel, although the ſelf-deceivers declare not their apoſtacy, but profeſſ Chriſtianity ſtill. To be a Chriſtian only ſo far as the very extracts and ſpirits of natural reaſon ſuggeſt cauſe ſo to be, is to be a Chriſtian only in name, but as void of the truth and power of Chriſtianity, as are the very Pagans that never heard of Chriſt.

I come now to ſpeak of the fatall (if I may ſo term it) and almoſt totall ruine of the Church and Goſpel. Towards the end of that which is called the Primitive Church, and of them which are dignified with the name of the ancient Fathers of the Church: As the Saracens invaded the Eaſtern Churches, ſo a moſt ſtupendous and barbarous people, not onelyonly unchriſtian, but alſo inhumane, the Goths and Vandals, made incurſions upon theſe Weſtern Churches with one ſwelling tide, carrying all at once before them, and made impreſſion into Italy it ſelf, and ſeizing on Rome, made it their imperiall City; and reigning over, or at leaſt moleſting all thoſe nations which in this weſtern part of the world were then termed Chriſtians, made it their work for more then a hundred years not only to raze out the very being of chriſtianity from the earth, but alſo all polite learning, filling all things and places with their barbariſm, which alſo in length of time they accompliſhed almoſt to the utmoſt.

Now when at length by the valour of Carolus Magnus they were diſcomfited, and wholly driven out of theſe chriſtian Lands, after their ſubverſion, there ſprung out of the Barbariſm which they left behind them, a Barabarian ſect of Divines, more pernicious to Religion then the Goths & Vandals had been. In a general term they are uſually called Schoolmen or School-Doctors. Theſe like the Babel-builders erected upon other foundations, and of other materials a Babel-Church, with ſuch barbarous ſlime in ſtead of cement and morter, as was never before uſed ſince the firſt building of the old Babel; who exauctorating Chriſt and his Goſpel from having any ſoveraignty in matters of Religion, and permitting them but now and then to peep for their advantage, canoniz'd Ariſtotle the moſt ſubtle, but untill then the leaſt regarded of all the ſects of Heathen Philoſophers, to be their ipſe dixit, choſe Peter Lombards ſentences to be their Text, themſelves to be the Commentators. The matter of their Commentary, a Miſcellane, partly of the excrements of their own brains, partly of moralities, legalities, formalities; and partly of ſuperſtitions, idolatries and hereſies borrowed, ſome from the Jewes, ſome from the Heathen, and the reſt from Hell it ſelf. The Language in which all is ſet forth, no Language, but being cought out in ſyllabical, barbarous, and bombaſtical ſounds of their own coining, would better fit the bellowing of a beaſt, than the utterance of men; or if the utterance of men, more beſeeming Conjurers and Charmers than Divines. The God whom they ſerve and ſacrifice unto in all is not Chriſt but Antichriſt, whoſe commands and decrees aſſoon as they have received, they muſt and will with all their Hyperborean conjurations of ghaſtly words, defininitions, argumentations, and a cell or hell full of diſtinctions, maintain them to be from heaven, though they ſmell of nothing but hell it ſelf. Nimble work-men, leaving a glory upon their diſputes when they meet with ſublunary matter, with a ſubject not above the comprehenſion of natural reaſon, but ſuch whereof all men have an idea or image within their Synteriſis, or natural conſcience; but when they meet with Goſpel-doctrine, that makes men wiſe to ſalvation, blinder than Balaam, that ſaw leſs than his Aſſe which hee rode upon. Theſe have erected and held up many hundred years a religion which can ſave none, but damneth all that cleave ſtrictly to it, and they have this peculiar vertue that they have ſtill waxed worſ and worſ, the ſecond generation more impure than the firſt, and the third than the ſecond, and ſo lineally every generation almoſt until now: ſave that in theſe laſt times they have attained ſo much of the ſubtlety, falſhood and impiety of Satan, that there is ſcarce a poſſibility of receiving a further addition. If then any man will read how far the humane Learning of which I am ſpeaking, may be helpful to propagate & maintain the truth of the Goſpel, let him but look back to the fruit of theſe ſophiſtical Doctors Labours theſe many hundred years laſt paſt, and by that which hee ſeeth he ſhalbe able to anſwer himſelf, viz. that it hath been and is powerful to deface and ſubvert utterly the whole truth and ſalvation of the Goſpel in relation to their Diſciples that reſt upon their Learning and Precepts: for look what of Religion, worſhip and ordinances there is in the Popiſh Church, the praiſe of it redounds to philoſophy and ſophiſtry the main inſtruments of laying its ground-work, and the ſole inſtruments (unleſs ye will annex to it the fire and fagot, and tyrannical inquiſition) for the maintenance thereof.

Having ſeen how great a corruption, and how long a deſolation of the truth of Religion there hath been, while Sophiſtry was made its perfidious Advocate. We are now in the next place to conſider how the ſame truth of Chriſtian Religion thrived when delivered out of the captivity of, and communion with this ſecular Learning.

After the long holding of the purity of the Goſpel in unrighteouſnes, by theſe Theologaſters, it pleaſed God to raiſe up to himſelf for the reformation of his Church, men of his own choiſe, and gifted with a meaſure of the Spirit, anſwering ſo great a work to which they were deputed; as Luther, Zuinglius, and many other learned and godly men, ſome their contemporaries, ſome their followers. Theſe reſtored the Scriptures to light again, which had been many hundred years buried in darknes, and preached again the true and clear Goſpel which had been long alſo clouded with mens inventions, traditions and ſuperſtitions. What ſucceſs this their Miniſtry had, cannot be unknown to them that know any thing of the hiſtory of thoſe times. Diſciples came in by thouſands and ten thouſands unto Chriſt, being totally revolted from Antichriſt. Whole Kingdoms, Nations, Dukedoms, that ere while worſhipped the Beaſt, now fell flat at the feet of Chriſt to ſubmit to his Scepter. And this not as conſtrained by the command of their Magiſtrates or Laws, but even while Magiſtrates and Laws ſlept, yea when Magiſtrates and Laws perſecuted with Fire and Sword all that went this way: even then the Kingdom of heaven ſuffered violence, and the violent tooke it by force, i. e. by an unreſiſtible conviction of the word, and wonderful operation of this Spirit upon their ſouls, they were carryed out in contempt of all dangers and perſecutions to receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt purely revealed in his righteouſnes, beawty and ſalvation to them. So that in few years, maugre all the malice of the Pope, Emperour, Kings, Princes, World, and Hell, Chriſt might be even ſeen reigning in the midſt of his Enemies, and whole Lands, at leaſt great multitudes of many Lands which were darknes, became light in the Lord, even ſo farr as we ſee the Proteſtant Religion at this day propagated.

If it be demanded here, how it came to paſs that the word and truth of 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 ou… ſometimes between two Apes, that having a heap of ſhels caſt before them w^ch 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 dec…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 …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 reference to the times paſt, the other to the time preſent and to come.

Palam eſt (ſaith Ameſius) Patres ex Philoſophia introduxiſſe in Eccleſiam Ameſ. Bellar. Enero. Tom. 4. Lib. 6. Cap. 1. p. 136.varios modos loquendi, precipuè de meritis humanis, & de Juſtitia Evangelij, qui in ſcripturis non comparent; & inde occaſionem datam & arreptam Scholaſticis fuiſſe, pernicioſos errores fabricandi. i. e. It is apparent that the Fathers have out of Philoſophy brought into the Church, various ways of ſpeaking, eſpecially of mans merits, and of Goſpel-righteouſneſs, which do not appear in Scriptures: And that occaſion hath been thereby given to, and caught or raught by the School-Doctors to frame many Errors. And Bullinger ſeeing this way of diſputation beginning to peep and ſhew it ſelf in its time, within the reformed Churches, having before deſcribed them that give their minds over-much to the ſtudy of Philoſophy and Logick, that they became ſuch as are unuſeful for the edification of the Church, and in ſtead thereof, Diſputatores rixoſi fiunt, cenſores ſuperbiſſimi, nihil aliud quàm diſputationes & rixas ſpirantes, omnia aliorum, &c. arrogantiſſimè conſentes, arrodentes, & maligne cavillantes, Scholarum & Eccleſiarum peſtes, ex quibus venenum altercationum, ſimultatum, &c. effunditur in Eccleſiam, i. e. become brawling diſputers, proud cenſurers, breathing nothing but diſputes and janglings, moſt arrogantly cenſuring, ſnarling, and malignly cavilling at other mens labours, niſi quod eorum capitibus gravidis admodulatum ſit preſcriptiſ que regulis congruant, if they be not tuned to their heads great with Child, and congruent with their rules and precepts [of Art;] The very plagues of Schools and Churches, out of which the poyſon of brawlings, diviſions, and diſtractions is powred out into the Church: Having thus deſcribed them, hee thus concludes in reference to the times paſt, Equidem feliciter nunquam ceſſit Eccleſiae, quando homines docti & ſtudioſi, deſerta ſimplicitate & puritati verbi dei, aliò converterunt oculos, ne que hos unicè in ſolum verbum Dei collimârunt, i. e. Verily it hath never thrived well in the Church, when learnedBulling. Ser. Decad. 5. Serm. 10. and ſtudious men, forſaking the ſimplicity and purity of Gods word, have glanced their eyes on ſome other thing, and not fixed them only upon Gods word. And thus in reference to the times to come and preſent; Si hodiè quo que pergamus ſcripturis ſanctis ma…è copulare philoſophiam, & illas ſuperſtitioſè ad diſputationes revocare, ac ſub regulas cogere humanas, vel Artium; corrumpemus & ipſi in ſcholis, grandi cum Eccleſiae detrimento, ſinceritatem doctrinem Apoſtolicae, i. e. If in our times alſo we proceed evilly to couple together the Scriptures and Philoſophy, and to call the Scriptures but outſidely or in a ſhew to our diſputations, reducing them to the rules of men, and of the Arts, we alſo ſhall to the great diſadvantage of the Church, corrupt the ſincerity of Apoſtolical doctrine in the Schools. So much ſaid Bullinger, a Claſſical Divine of his time neither without eminent learning, nor an enemie to it, for more than a 100 years ſithence, in the laſt of thoſe decads of Sermons which he ſet forth in print, Anno 1549. how long before the Edition thereof it was preached is uncertain. Ye… gives after all this to humane literature its due praiſe: Interim certum eſt (ſaith he) bonas Artes vel literas plurimum facere ad per ſpicuitatem & evidentiam; ſed moderate cum judicio, religioſe adhibitas, ut imperium relinquatur ſacris literis, ſerviant autem omnes Artes exoticae, i. e. Mean while it muſt be granted that good Arts and Learning contribute much to the cleering and evidencing [of things] ſo that they be moderately, judiciouſly, and religiouſly made uſe of, and the Scripture be ſtill left as Empreſs, and all extraneous Arts as handmaids (not to juſtle it aſide, or ſit in Chair with it, but) to do ſervice to it.

In ſome things, in many things I grant the rules of theſe Arts, (when agreeing with Scripture) to be uſefull to make out the abſurdity or rationality of a mans reaſoning about divine things: But except they could be proved univerſally, and in all parts perfect and indeficient, it is neither ſafe nor warrantable to yeeld up our faith and judgment in Goſpel-matters to their determination.

This ingenuity therefore is to be attributed to M. Baxter, that he doth (though not profeſſedly, yet actually) to this end come armed a Cap ad Pe, with this kind of learning, to deſtroy, not to maintain that ſacred and fundamentall point of the Goſpel, Juſtification of meer grace. Yet to ſhew how much more confidence he hath in his Sophiſtry than in his Divinity, and to tell out aloud that he hath deſerved to have the title of Subtiliſſimus Doctor, which Scotus hitherto hath worn, hee hath affixed to the end of his Aporiſms a Table of Diſtinctions, to ſpe…k out himſelf to all that will not otherwiſe ſee it, that he is whatſoever he is, Sophiſtry it ſelf, that diſtinctions flow from him as thick as Bees from the Hive. Only this one thing ſeems wanting in him, that he ſets not ſo much as an Aſterisk upon any of theſe diſtinctions, to tell us that either it is grounded upon the Scripture, or that it diſtinguiſheth him from a ſworn enemy to the Doctrine of Grace.

I do not expect to be free from cenſure for ſo much length in my diſcourſe upon this laſt ſubject, to ſhew the impotency and impropriety of ſecular learning to bear any authority in ſpiritual things. But I have to anſwer againſt ſuch cenſures, 1. That I have written therein nothing but words of ſoberneſs and truth; and I had rather with tediouſneſs make cleer a truth, than to drop errors with conciſeneſ…. 2. That it was not againſt my purpoſe to be ſo large, nor yet beſide the mark aimed at. For ſhould I here put a period, Mr. Baxters falſities are more than half anſwered; becauſe that more than half of his Book conſiſteth of meerly ſophiſtical queſtions, definitions, arguments, evaſions, equivocations, diſtinctions and fallacies. In all which, if there be no force to prove or refute in Goſpel-matters; and that God is ſo farr from commanding or allowing ſuch ſlights in handling Goſpel-truths, as that he explodes, hates & curſeth the ſame (as hath been manifeſted) then the greater part of his work is hereby manifeſted to be vain. As for the reſidue of the Book, wherein he ſeems to confine himſelf to plain Scripture, he ſeldom and little meddles this way, but in confidence of his Sophiſtry that he hath at hand in ambuſh, to ſuccenturiate and help him at a dead lift, elſe all the fat will quickly be in the fire, his Scripturall reaſons for the moſt part cutting the throat of his own cauſ…, and ſtoutly defending the truth which he oppugneth, as we ſhall find when I come to examine them.

One thing yet remaineth which I promiſed to premiſe, viz. what my intention is in excepting againſt Mr. Baxters book. This is not either to oppoſe him in all things which he hath written therein. For ſometimes he looks out thorow truths caſement, that we might take him ſo a ſonn of truth, and the leſs ſuſpect him when he vends his falſe wares. In this caſe I will not jangle with him whether he ſpeaks truth of envy and ſubtlety, or of good will and ſincerity. Or 2. in all that ſhal ſeem to my judgment Heterodox in his Treatiſe, but only or mainly in thoſe things wherein he joyneth with the Romiſh Synagogue to maintain their damning doctrine, againſt the truth w^ch is and hath been profeſſed in all the Reformed Churches about Faith and Juſtification. Or 3. in every particular paſſage wherein he diſcovers himſelf in this point to be for Antichriſt againſt Chriſt; for ſometimes he delivers himſelf with ſuch ambiguities and aequivocations, like Apollo of old in his Oracles, that in pretence of another ſenſe of his words than the more Grammaticall and uſuall, he may leave a way of iſſue to himſelf, in caſe he cannot maintain his words in that ſenſe wherein he would be underſtood that he may deceive. Let it not therefore be thought all granted that ſhall not be here excepted againſt, and that I approve all whatſoever I do not oppugn. For method, I deſire no other may be expected from me, than to follow Maſter Baxter in order as he hath written, and to take up his Paradoxes and moſt profound and learned miſtakes as they fall from him, examining them, not by the rules of Sophiſtry, but by the touch-ſtone of the ſacred Word.

Theſe things thus premiſed, we are now to begin to examine the unſavory particulars occurring in the Book it ſelf.

p. 1Mr. Baxters APHORISMS Exorized and Anthorized: OR, An Examination of, and Anſwer to, a Book written by Mr. Rich. Baxter, Teacher of the Church at Kederminſter in Worceſterſhire; ENTITƲLED, Aphoriſms of Juſtification.

THE FIRST PART.