Baxters Aphorisms, Part 1 · Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Queries about this queſtionary and diſtinctionary way of Diſpute, too much uſed by Mr. Baxter, whether it be warrantable, and not manifoldly hurtfull. To which is added a brief examination of what Mr. Baxter hath of Chriſts Active and Paſſive righteouſneſs.
BUt having ſpoken ſomewhat largely of this kind of learning in the Preface to prevent length and tediouſneſs in the following diſcourſe, I ſhall here only oppoſe ſome queſtions to his queſtions, and paſs away. And in theſe queſtions I ſhall be an appealer to Mr. Baxters conſcience only.
1. Whether he hath learned this Art of ſubtle, ſuperfluous, and unſcriptural queſtions and diſtinctions to explain holy and evangicall dioctrines, from the Lord Chriſt or his Apoſtles, or from any ſolid, humble, and orthodox Divines ancient or modern? and not wholly from the Popiſh Doctors and their adherents, Grotius, Socinus, Arminius, and their Diſciples?
2. Whether in this queſtionary and diſtinctionary way of diſpute, his purpoſe be not contrary to what he pretends (the explication of Divine truth) even the ſame with the Papiſts whom he followeth, to dim the truth, that having left it in a miſt, he may take the advantage to foyſt upon mens conſciences the fancies and errors of his own brain under the name of truth?
3. Whether it be not intolerable arrogance and preſumption againſt the Moſt High God, not to reſt contented with that which he hath revealed by his word, but audaciouſly to ſearch into his ſecrets which he hath kept hidden in his own boſom? himſelf acknowledging that the H: G: ſpeaketh in Scripture very ſparingly (i. e. indeed not at all) of many things that he here hath ſo peremptorily queſtioned and diſputed of, yet hath the front from ſophiſticated reaſon to argue and determine of them. Is not this proudly to pry into the Ark of Gods preſence, and uncalled, to make himſelf of Gods Cauncell? If the Lord Jeſus in a way of rebuke tells his Diſciples, It is not for them (though deputed to a greater and higher charge than Mr. Baxter) to know the times and ſeaſons which the Father hath put in his own power, when they ſought (not from their Rabbies, nor from pur-blind reaſon, nor from their own deceitfull brains, but) from the oracle of Chriſts lips, when the kingdom ſhould be reſtored to Iſrael; under what rebuke lies Mr. Baxter and his fellows, which audaciouſly ſearch after the things which the Father hath put in his own power, to be there hidden untill he ſhall be pleaſed to reveal them, and them to ſearch after, not from the lips of Chriſt, but from their own mad reaſon and reaſonings? Is not this knwledg a forbidden fruit? and will not the luſting after it bring vengeance?
4. Whether this were not the ſin of Elimas the ſorcerer, who being full of ſubtlety and miſchief, perverted the right wayes of the Lord, Act. 13. 10. What were the right ways of the Lord, but the pure Goſpel which the Apoſtle had preached in its ſimplicity and plainneſs? And what was Elimas his perverting thereof, but the uſe of his ſubtlety and miſchief, in his diſputes to make that which in Pauls preaching was plain, right and ſtraight, to ſeem abſurd, abſtruſe and crooked? doth Mr. Baxter either here or throughout his whole book ceaſe to uſe the like ſubtlety? what more plain and ſtreight than the Theſis or point here laid down by himſelf? or what is his endeavour in his explication thereof, but with his ſubtle queſtions and diſtinctions to leave ſo crooked and ſo manifold windings upon it, that he makes it a very Labyrinth; that without his Clew, or with it, there is ſcarce a poſſibility of paſſage in ſafety thorow it? And the like operations of his we ſhall find every where in this book.
5. Whether he be not in ſuch his diſputes captious of praiſe to himſelf, ſeeking his own, not Gods glory? and as it tickled the ear of Demoſthenes to hear the people whiſpering, yonder comes the eloquent Demoſthenes: So whether he hath not an itching ambition to be accounted and called the profound and learned Mr. Baxter, the great Reader, the man of deepeſt ſpeculations and matchleſs comprehenſions? I do but appeal to his Conſcience. For my part I cannot with my dull apprehenſion as much as conjecture, what els he can in ſome paſſages of this work aim at in uſing ſo much ſophiſtry, when there is no need of it, neither doth it as farr as I can ſee, any whit further him to the end at which he driveth, unleſs it be his own praiſe among unſpirituall men, and to make his authority the greater to deceive.
6. Whether he offends not here and elſewhere againſt the rule of the Apoſtle who enjoyneth upon all to take heed of high thoughts of themſelves, and to be wiſe to ſobriety, Rom. 12. 3. i. e. not to mount above their reach and meaſure. And what ſhall be accounted a wiſedom without and againſt ſobriety, if not that which intrudeth it ſelf into the things of God which it hath pleaſed him not to reveal, pretending an ability with the key of ſecular learning to unlock the Cabinet of …ods Counſells to which the moſt glorious Angels never dared to approach? The Chriſtian Spirit is the meek and modeſt Spirit, where the Scripture is not the inſtructor, contents it ſelf to be ignorant, concluding with Tertullian, Quis revelabit Tert. lib. de Anima fere in Principio.quod Deus texit? unde ſciſeitandum eſt? unde & ignorare tutiſſimum eſt. Praeſtat per Deum neſcire quia non Revelaverit, quam per hominem ſcire, quia ipſe preſumpſerit, i. e. Who ſhall reveal what God hath covered? whence [in ſuch caſe] ſhall we make enquiry? …ea hence to be ignorant is moſt fafe. It is better not to know by [the will of] God, becauſe he hath not revealed it, than [to ſeem] to know by man becauſe he hath preſumed.
7. Whether he doth not croſs another precept of the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 6. 20. peculiarly appropriated to all Miniſters under the name and perſon of Timothy? O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy truſt, avoyding prophane and vain bablings, and oppoſitions of ſcience falſly ſo called. He cannot, none can deny the thing committed to Timothies truſt, to be the Goſpel in its verity, purity, and ſimplicity. This therefore he is charged to keep, to make it his buſineſs to preſerve it alive and inviolated within him, to keep and hold himſelf cloſely to it, without deviating to any other ſtudies as helpfull to ſalvation. Therefore to avoid vain bablings and oppoſitions of ſcience falſly ſo called. Neither will Mr. Baxter deny, and all Commentators affirm the thing to be avoyded here, to be ſophiſticall and philoſophical diſputes; which if intermixed with the Doctrine of the Goſpel, are here termed prophane and vain babling, which hath the name and opinion of ſcience or wiſdom in the opinion of men, but is falſly ſo called and reputed. Doth not Mr. Baxter here ſee himſelf ſet aſide by the Holy Ghoſt for a prophane and vain babler? and his learning and wiſdom exploded as ſhady and falſe, having nothing of ſubſtance and truth in it?
8. Whether he doth not by this way of diſputing (as much as in him is) uncanonize and make void the word? For if he hold with the Apoſtle that the holy Scripture is ſufficient and able to make men wiſe to ſalvation through faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim. 3. 15. why doth he not ſtick to it? what els doth his ſo oft and foul digreſſions from it, to fetch ayd from his ſophiſtry, but argue that he holds the Scripture to be invalid to ſave, and that there is either an equall or greater power in his ſophiſtry to make men wiſe and perfect to ſalvation?
9. Whether it doth not bewray his Cauſe to be naught, that he knows it to be naught, therfore ſeeks to bear it up with ſuch ſlights & feats as a good Cauſe needeth not? When we ſee a houſe propped up on every ſide, at every end with poſts, ſtakes and pillars, who concludes not, ſurely it is a ruinous and rotten building that needs ſo many ſupporters? It is not for the maintenance of the Aphoriſm or Doctrine which Mr. Baxter doth here pretendedly explicate, that he doth tye knots and unty them, bind and looſe with ſuch a hurry of queſtions and diſtinctions. This doctrine ſtands firm enough upon its own bottom. Conſcious he is therefore of a rotten building, which he means in the following part of this Treatiſe, to erect, and therefore furniſheth himſelf with ſo many poſts and ſtakes to under-prop it. It is well obſerved by Mr. Pemble out of Eraſmus, Malè res agitur ubi opus eſt tot remedijs. It is a certainPemb. of Juſtiſ. Sect. 2. Cap. 1 p. 37. ſign of an untrue opinion when it muſt be bolſtered up with ſo many diſtinctions. And if the Cauſe be naught, and the defender know it, yet perſiſts to defend it, then are the Cauſe and the man both alike.
10. Whether this kind of Argumentation doth not declare Mr. Baxter to be of another ſpirit from Chriſt and his Apoſtles, Chriſt came into the world to preach the Goſpel to the poor, Lu. 4. 18. to give ſight to the blind, that they which ſee not might ſee, Joh. 9. 39. And Paul diſcended low nurſlike with flattering ſpeech unto the weak as to babes in Chriſt, feeding them with milk and not with meat, untill they became capable to digeſt it, 1 Cor. 2. 1.—4 & 3. 1, 2. likewiſe alſo the reſt of the Apoſtles. But this man ſoareth on high unto the upmoſt region of the Airy element, above the kenn and reach of weak Chriſtians, ſuch as he acknowledgeth them (for the greateſt part to be) for whoſe ſake chiefly he wrote this, ſpeaking not to the comprehenſion of any, ſave of ſuch windy ones as himſelf, at leaſt to the delight of no other; ſo elevated ſeems he with the vain-glory of his own excellencies. And do not theſe contrary operations ſomwhat argue a contrary ſpirit moving him? I mean contrary to that which moved in Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
11. Whether it tends not to the quenching of the comfort, and hazzarding of the ſalvation of weak Chriſtians? 1 to the quenching of their comfort. For when from the pure word of God, not ſophiſticated with the intermixture of mans wiſedom and inventions, they have attained to believe and joy in believing, and living by faith in Chriſt, rejoyce in the grace and light of Gods countenance ſhining upon them thorow him; meeting with Mr. Baxters work, and finding therein, ſo holy, ſo incomparable a man for learning and piety, ſcattering ſo many doubts, and puzling queſtions about the very beginning, & foundation of our redemption, that himſelf cannot anſwer himſelf otherwiſe than by conjectures, peradventure it may be thus, and it may be it is ſo: The poor ſouls are apt to fall foul upon themſelves, for that they have been ſo audacious to believe any thing, ſeeing now ſo many doubts and uncertainties; and to account all their former joyes in Chriſt to be a deluſion: and being unable to make out the myſtery of their redemption to themſelves in his ſophiſticall way, they lye down and ſink under the burthen of their ſorrow as hopeleſs. It tends to the hazzarding of their ſalvation alſo. For while he goes about to make them philoſophicall Chriſtians, Popiſh and Socinian Chriſtians, to live not by faith but by ſenſe, not by the word of Gods mouth, but by reaſon, ſo far only to believe as they ſee reaſons in nature to ſupport their faith (for hereunto all Mr. Baxters diſputes are levelled) he makes indeed all that will be his Diſciples no Chriſtians. And ſuppoſe that Mr. Baxter hath a great confidence by his ſophiſtical diſtinctions and arguments even to wreſt from the Lord Chriſt a crown for himſelf in the day of judgement: yet what ſhall become of his unlearned Diſciples, that are not ſo nimble Sophiſters, nor have their d…ſtinctions at the fingers end ſo ready as their Maſter? Theſe muſt ſink under the ſentence of Chriſt, having the word againſt, and not being able to plead reaſon enough artificially and ſubtlely for themſelves.
12. Whether it tends not to the corrupting and depraving of all the people of God within the Land? Mr. Baxter is no longer a ſtudent, but the higheſt graduate in policy, in that piece of policy at leaſt now moſt in uſe, to ſee and proſecute the neereſt and readieſt way to the attainment of his own ends. His end in this work who ſees not to be the poyſoning of this whole Nation with the worſt of Popiſh errors. For the attainment hereof his whole endeavour and wit is employed to poyſon therewith the Miniſtry (as I have before ſhewed) For his ſophiſtry is of little force to beguile the ignorant which underſtand it not. Therefore notwithſtanding all his ſpecious pretences he lays, and ſpins out his webbs, to catch the learned, them at leaſt that have ſome pieces of learning in them. Theſe he knows to be the pipes and ſluces thorow which the water of life is to be conveyed thorow the Land: If theſe be poyſoned or tainted, the tainture and poyſon will be conveyed to all that come to dip the water of life from them. They are the light of the world; if he can prevail to turn this light into darkneſs, how great will be the darkneſs of this our little world?
13. Whether that kind of learning which he venteth ſo abundantly, and truſteth in ſo confidently, be not that ſecular wiſedom which the Lord hath even curſed, and threatned to deſtroy and bring to nothing, and turn it into fooliſhneſs or madneſs, 1 Cor. 1. 19, 20. If ſo, both he and we ſhall ſee in good time whoſe counſel ſhall ſtand, either Mr. Baxters in counter-working againſt God, ſetting up his wiſedom and learning againſt the wiſedom of God, the wiſedom of the word: or Gods counſell in deſtroying Mr. Baxters wiſedom and making it, i. e. diſcovering it to the world to be meer fooliſhnes, ſo turning his glory into ſhame and baſeneſs.
Laſtly, whether this threat be not in ſome meaſure already executed upon him from heaven? I would I could deny, that I had good grounds upon which to deny it.
But ſith Mr. Baxter not contented with the light and wiſedom of the word, hath rolled himſelf into the pits of heathen and Popiſh learning, out of their darkneſs to digg to himſelf ſuch light as is not cohering with, but prejudiciall to the wiſedom of God and his word, whether the Lord hath not turned this wiſedom of his into fooliſhneſs, and yeelded him up to be ſtifled with the moſt pernicious of their errors, and to hug the ſame in his boſom as a treaſure, ſo that he is become one of thoſe ſome of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, which while they profes this ſophiſtical & philoſophical learning, falſely called ſcience or knowledge, being indeed meerly prophane and vain babling, have erred concerning the faith, 1 Tim. 6. 20, 21. The ſequell of this his Treatiſe in our examination thereof will ſomewhat declare.
I have here ſpoken once for all in anſwer to his ſophiſtical diſputes, as they are ſophiſticall and imitating the School-Doctors of the Popiſh Church, having reference therein not only to what in this place he ſaith, but to all of the ſame kind, which we ſhall find flowing from him in full tide… elſe-where frequently in this book. So that as oft as we meet him ſpeaking again in the ſame tone, I ſhall either paſs him by with ſilence, or els turn him over to that which I have here ſaid.
There remains yet one queſtion more in the explication of this 7th Aphoriſm, and the ſame of as great importance and uſefulneſs, as moſt of the former are vain and ſuperfluous. Mr. Baxter thus propoſeth it.
B. Whether we are juſtified by Chriſts paſſive righteouſneſs only, or alſo by his active? p. 44.
Here he mentioneth 3. opinions; the firſt he utterly explodeth, viz. the imputation of Chriſts active obedience unto Juſtification. The ſecond, viz. the efficacy of Chriſts ſufferings to make ſatisfaction to the juſtice of God for our ſinns, whereupon we are forgiven and conſtituted righteous in the ſight of God, he kindly ſaluteth and paſſeth ſome plauſible Complements upon it, and ſo Bids it farewell, without any purpoſe to be in love or familiarity with it. And then takes up the third as beſt agreeing with the end he drives at, though in ſubſtance it be the ſame with the firſt which he ſhook off and trampled under foot with great defiance as the abſurdeſt of abſurdities.
What my judgment (as to the two former) is, I need not here expreſs, becauſe it is not a queſtion controverted between us and the Papiſts. It is a queſtion not of very long ſtanding. Mr. Beza in his Expoſition of the Epiſtle to the Romans, by appropriating the ſeverall parts of Chriſts righteouſneſs to make up the ſeverall parts of Juſtification, gave the occaſion of the diſpute, as I conceive. And the difference hath hitherto made no breach of communion and amity between ſtable and able Divines or Chriſtians. Nay among them that hold for the active righteouſnes alſo, there have bin and are ſtill at preſent not a few ſo learned and pious, that it would be no diſparagement to Mr. Baxter and my ſelf to be admitted as their Amanuenſes. And therefore I queſtion the truth of that accuſation which Mr. Baxter layeth on Mr. Walker, pag. 53. (whom he principally not only meaneth, but alſo nameth, when he tells us of ignorant men, that are ſtrong revilers, and weak diſputers, reproaching them for hereticks that diſſent from them in judgment. I doubt much that Mr. Baxters main end here in declaiming againſt Mr. Walker, is to Apologize for himſelf, and that his anger againſt Mr. Walker is, becauſe he finds the ſtroaks which M. Walker levelled againſt Mr. John Goodwin, do now more wound Mr. Baxter than they did Mr. Goodwin then. I remember I once ſaw that little Tractate of Mr. Walker in a friends houſe, and read curſorily ſome part of it, in which he charged Mr. Goodwin with Socinianiſm, and Arminianiſm. But if my memory fail me not (as too oft it doth) it was not upon this ſcore, that Mr. Goodwin maintained Juſtification by the Paſſive righteouſneſs of Chriſt only, but upon this, that he upheld the foreign or act of believing, or rather Faith as it is a part or act of our ſanctification to be the very thing that is imputed to us for righteouſneſs. And Mr. Baxter cannot deny but this opinion was firſt broached by Socinus, and afterward promoted by Arminius. But becauſe Mr. Baxter hath taken it up from them, end ſpeaks it out in this his Tractate, more in the full of the mouth, than Mr. Goodwin had done, (as wee may ſee afterward) Therefore to prevent the like imputation of Socinian and Arminian hereſie to himſelf, by his chafe againſt Mr Walker, he affrights all from charging him therewith. And yet howſoever he ſeemeth to decline ſuch an imputation, who ſeeth not that he will, yea doth more readily take up a curſed Hereſie from any of theſe learned Sophiſters, then a bleſſed truth from ſuch ignorant and unſtudied Miniſters, that glory in nothing but the fooliſhnes of Chriſts Croſs, and dare not to be wiſe unto ſalvation, beyond the rule of the Goſpel?
Hence he paſſeth to his third opinion, which is wholly one withPage 54. the firſt in ſubſtance, and a little d…fference onelyonly made in the ſound of words; for the Queſtion was thus propounded, Whether we are juſtified by Chriſts paſſive Righteouſneſſe onelyonly, or alſo by his active? The Aſſertors both of the firſt and of the third opinion, anſwer both with one conſent, we are juſtified by both: OnelyOnly Mr Baxter that he may ſhew his wit and force of his Sophiſtry, that he can at his pleaſure exauctorate any Tenet in Divinity, laying it all defiled and dead in the duſt, to be trampled under foot, and then give it a reſurrection with a new body, to ſhew it ſelf as an eminent and orient Pearl, to adorne Chriſtian Religion; doth annihilate, and vilifie it in one ſound of words, and after Cannonize it in another. And what is the difference betwixt the opinion which he ſpewes out as filth and garbage, and that which he ſucks and ſwallowes as the bread of life, and food from heaven? Forſooth, this only, that the one opinion makes the active righteouſnes of Chriſt, together with his paſſive, to be imputed to us for righteouſnes; the other makes the active, together with the paſſive righteouſnes of Chriſt, ſatisfactory to Gods juſtice, to put us into the participation of Righteouſnes or Juſtification. A vaſt difference in ſenſe, no leſſ then that was, between Doctor Martin, and Doctor Luther, or that which one put betwixt the operation and working of Pepper, that it was hot in the one, but cold in the other. Mr Baxter knowes that the moſt judicious Aſſertors of the firſt opinion, urge no further then to have it granted, that the active as well as the paſſive obedience of Chriſt, is meritorious to our redemption and juſtification. That they are but the more inconſiderate ſort that will have it ſo imputed, that we ſhould be accounted before God as thoſe that have fulfilled all the righteouſnes and duties of the Law, in and by Chriſt fulfilliing the ſame. Therefore his taking up this opinion as a third opinion, under the name of truth, is but a taking up again as holy and ſavory, that which before he had rejected as the embryon of ignorant and unſtudied brains, full of the greateſt abſurdities.
But he tels us, pag. 55. that for ten years together he held the paſſive righteouſnes onelyonly effectual to juſtification, but ſince that, he hath been converted. Should I demand, how it came to paſſe that ſo Eagle-eyed a man ſo long doted upon a cloud, in ſtead of Juno, and by what means his eyes were at laſt opened, that he ſaw the deluſion, and ſhunned it? Himſelf gives us a hint what to anſwer; and I hope he will not be too angry if we gueſs, ſo far that our conjecture hath his own conſcience (if awaked) giving conſent. 1 Then (to ſpeak nothing of Mr. Bradſhaw, whom either by face or writings I never had acquaintance with) that great wit Grotius, with his deep and ſublimated ſpeculation…, over-poiſed him in his late reading of him. And how hard a thing is it for Mr. Baxter, ſo great an admirer and adorer of humane wit and learning, to meet with a brave Sophiſter indeed, and not to cloſe in judgement with him, though a Papiſt, an Apoſtate, and more then a Semi-Atheiſt? ſo far do acute and fine-ſpun diſtinctions prevail with him, more then the honourable Authority of the plain word of God. 2 It is moſt probable that during theſe ten years Mr. Baxter held Juſtification by Faith onelyonly according to the Scriptures, and judgement of the Orthodox Churches, therefore ſtuck ſo long to the Doctrine of Juſtification by Chriſts ſole paſſive obedience, as cohering very harmoniouſly therewith. But ſince he hath caſt himſelf into the Channels of Popiſh Writers, and thence derived Juſtification by works, it concern'd him to caſt off his former Opinion, for the ſole paſſive righteouſnes, as being much repugnant to Juſtification by works, and to take up this as authentick, and ſomewhat conducing and helpfull to his Cauſe. For if Chriſts active obedience ſhould not be held meritorious and ſatisfactory to God, with what face could Mr. Baxter attribute a prevalency and power herein to our beſt works and actions? I purpoſe not to trifle away time and labour to refel this Doctrine, or to ſhew the weakneſſe of his fine and plauſible Exceptions which he maketh againſt the Objections that he thinks will be made againſt it▪ himſelf knoweth that ſome of his fore-mentioned Queſtions being granted and cited Opinions which he neither denyeth nor oppoſeth, would turn his Grotian diſtinction of idem and tantundem, into winde and ſmoake. As for the reſt which he ſpeaketh, we may grant there is ſome plauſibility; but if it were ſearched to the bottome, there would be little of ſolidity found therein. But my purpoſe is (as I have ſaid) onelyonly or chiefly to except againſt his apparently Popiſh Doctrines, and with theſe he ſo much aboundeth, that I ſhall not want matter to take up more time and labour then my other Employments can well afford.