The Pagan Preacher Silenced, To the reader 2
A VERDICT In the Caſe depending between Maſter J. Goodwin, and Maſter Howe, concerning the Heavens Preaching the Goſpel; maintained by Maſter Goodwin in his Pagans Debt and Dowry, as well as his Redemption redeemed.
BY GEORGE KENDALL, D. D.
To the READER.
MAY it pleaſe him to know, that though J doe not preſume to look upon my ſelf, as one vvhoſe teſtimony can adde any value to thoſe worthy Diſcourſes, which are here preſented him; yet J eſteem it ſome honour to my poor judgement, that J have been earneſtly ſolicited to ſpend it upon them.
Accordingly J ſhall aſſume the boldneſſe to ſay, that the Pamphlet which is here taken to task, vvhile it flily pretends to ſue the Pagans for an unknown debt, ſecretly releaſeth Chriſtians from a great part of thoſe ſweet obligations; wherein they juſtly rejoice to be bound, and muſt in all humble thankfulneſſe acknowledge, they can never ſatisfie them. No leſſe then the honour of the Miniſtery, the Scriptures, the goodneſſe of God in bleſſing our ears with the joyful ſound of them, and bowing our hearts quite againſt their native poſture, to an humble ſubmiſſion unto them, lies at the ſtake in this Controverſie.
And 1. Maſter Goodwins n…w licenſing the Sun, Moon, and Stars, to Prea…h the Doctrine of the Goſpel, is an apparent encroachment upon the Commiſſion granted to the Apoſtles, and us their unworthy ſucceſſors, in that honourable Office of diſpenſing theſe ſacred Myſteries. And who knows, but Maſter Goodwin (long noted for a back-friend to our publick Preachers) had a ſubtile deſign to obſcure the Lights of our Churches, by bringing in the Sun to out-ſhine them?
2. Nor yet have the Miniſters more cauſe to complain of the injuries done them by thoſe audacious Papers, then have the Scriptures themſelves. If the Pagans may ſo eaſily read the great Myſteries of the Goſpel, written with the Sunbeams, the Book of God muſt be content to be ſet at a lower rate, then David was wont even in his time to put upon it. Alas! multitudes of Chriſtians have much adoe, after many years teaching, to read any conſiderable part of the Doctrine of Chriſt, in that Obſcurer Volume; while the Pagans in the mean time, are indoctrinated by Maſter Goodwin, to run and read all in the Sun.
The Jews had ſmall cauſe, it ſeems, to talk of their Priviledge, in having the Oracles of God committed to them, Rom. 3. I wis, the Sun proclaimed all as much to the Heathens, as any of the Jews could, and more then moſt of them did pick out of their Moſes and the Prophets. And therefore Paul might have forborn to have told his Country-men ſo ſolemnly of the great advantage they had, above his new Diſciples the Gentiles. There were none of them all, but might have ſeen Chriſt as clearly in the Sunne, as ever Moſes did God in the Cloud. Nay, howbeit Chriſt were pleaſed to ſay, that ſalvation was of the Jews, (Joh. 4.22.) yet Maſter Goodwin hath concluded upon a more ſerious debate, that the Gentiles were every way as near to it; and the partition wall was no conſiderable inconvenience to them, nor the plucking down of this wall any viſible enlargement of the Courts of Gods houſe, which were all along of the ſame dimenſions with the Globe of the Earth.
I fear this ſhort Pamphlet of Maſter Goodwins, hath done much more againſt the honour of the Scriptures, then his Bulkier Volume, for the Authority of them will in haſte make amends for; notwithſtanding (a)In his Notes on the ſix Book-ſellers, p. 28.he pleaſeth to tell us of (b)As I am credibly informed, the Reverend Doctour Whichcote.one known to be at learned, grave, and judicious, as any Engliſh born at this day; who ſaid it was as good a Book as any was written ſince the Apoſtles dayes.
It had need to be ſo, to make any tolerable ſatisfaction for theſe improvident pleadings for the pretended ſufficiency of the Sunne, Moon, and Starres, to deliver all the chief contents of the Goſpel.
3. How doth this blemiſh and ſully the ſingular graciouſneſſe of our good God to us poor Chriſtians, and give occaſion to too many to ſlake their thankfulneſſe to his heavenly Majeſty, for his Letters Patents, and the Oral Proclamations of the Goſpel, vouchſafed to themſelves? ſo far is it from inflaming their zeal in the propagation of it to others. What reckon we ſo much upon our being called out of d…tkneſſe into his marvellous light? (1 Pet. 2.9.) The Pagans eyes indeed are blind, but the light of the Goſpel ſhines clearly upon them, and makes no difference between England and India; yea, the Indians have ſome advantage, as lying nearer the Sunne, whoſe Sermons it is therefore probable they may hear ſomewhat the more diſtinctly. And if we have ſo little to bleſſe God for more then the Pagans, what need we give him too many thanks for our ſuppoſed happineſſe above the Papiſts? we in vain dream of too much felicity in our ſuperfluous Reformation. Heaven is at no greater diſtance from Rome, then London. And the poor Popiſh Laicks, though interdicted the Scriptures in their Vulgar tongue; yet may read enough to ſave them, in the Sunnes Catechiſme, written in the Catholick Language. What meant our raſh Martyrs to be ſo prodigal of their bloud at the ſtake? They needed not have feared any danger of that Egyptian darkneſſe, as long as they might have enjoyed Goſpel-light enough, with a ſufficient Gods bleſſing on their hearts, in a warm Sun. What an unneceſſary quoil did many good men lately make againſt ſome imperious Prelates, for ſilencing a few ſetled Miniſters? The danger was none, or very ſmall, as long as the Sunne, that grand Itinerant Preacher, was in no peril of being ſuſpended: Maſter Goodwins dumb Preachers would have exerciſed in ſpight of them all, and that upon the very houſe-tops. Onwards, what a needleſſe quarter do the Adventurers for New England keep about erecting Schools, and training up Preachers for the Natives? Had they ten thouſand Hiacomeſſes, they could all ſay little more then the Sun doth every day of the Goſpel of Chriſt in a Language much like the Ʋniverſal Character, which the late Examiner of the Ʋniverſities, to uſe his own words, is about to excogitate as his Reſponſions doe make probation. Si Cloaca eſſet, magna eſſet. Nay, what talk we ſo much of the vain advancement of Learning at home, in order to bringing men to be better qualified for the Preaching of the Goſpel? All the Books in the Publick Library at Oxford, are not of half the uſe that Will: Lillies Almanacks are, wherein the Sunne Preacheth in his Pontificalibus. Who would have thought it, Maſter Goodwins ſix penny Pamphlet beats down all Pulpits and Libraries, and affords the Sunnes Lectures at ſuch a rate, that moſt other Books may goe for waſte paper, and think themſelves happy in being employed to defend Roſte Bief from the furie of the fire.
Thus hath he made (which who could ever have ſuſpected?) the ſuperiour Lights to Eclipſe the inferiour; and the Sunne by advantage belike of his nearneſſe to the Church Triumphant in Heaven, to darken all the lower Stars of the Church Miiitant here on Earth. Such are the conſequences of Maſter Goodwins Diſcourſes.
4. Yea more, whereas all good Chriſtians have ever been wont to bleſſe God for being pleaſed to diſtinguiſh them from many other profeſſed Chriſtians, who enjoy the Books of Scriptures, and the Oral Miniſtery of the Goſpel, as far forth as themſelves, but are not ſo happily breathed on by the Spirit of grace, which alone makes them effectual to converſion, Maſter Goodwins Book would bear them in hand, that there is little more owing to God from the beſt of Chriſtians, then the worſt of Pagans; and that theſe have equal means of ſalvation, at leaſt in a Geometrical proportion. (Red. Red. P. Ʋlt.)
The truth is, having taken ſo much worthy pains in his Redemption Redeemed, to ſhew that Chriſt died equally for all men, he was of courſe to aſſert, that he procured equal means of that equally intended ſalvation of all men; and to make good theſe equal means of ſalvation afforded to all men, he was of neceſſity to run on one of theſe two rocks, either to deny that the Preaching of the Goſpel is neceſſary to ſalvation, or to affirm, that the Sunne, Moon, and Stars (who alone viſit all the world) are ſufficient Preachers of it.
I am ſo much Maſter Goodwins friend, (what ever he think of me) as ſeriouſly to adviſe him, as he tenders his ſafety, to have a ſpecial care, while he layes himſelf out for an Ʋniverſal toleration of all Religions, that he ſet himſelf againſt Poperie to the utmoſt of his power: For however he ſpeed, through the highly deſerved favour of all other Sectaries, that may chance to get the moderation of Eccleſiaſtical cauſes; yet ſhould ever the Papiſts rule the roſte, Maſter Goodwin muſt look to be caſt into the fire: So ſeverely would the Papiſts handle him for this piece of new Doctrine, not as a Proteſtant, but an Anti-Scripturiſt. The Pope himſelf though he pretend to be the Oecumenical Paſtor, would not endure the thought of ſuch an Ʋniverſal Preacher as Maſter Goodwin is pleaſed to ordain the Sun, to the diſparagement of the Scriptures. And yet that I may give the Sunne and his Patron their due, I readily confeſſe, the Sunne Preacheth enough to condemn all the world, though not a word to purpoſe for the ſaving of any ſingle ſoul.
The Sunne rarely ſets forth the power of God, enabling ſo vaſt a body for ſo ſwift a courſe, and making ſo ſwift a courſe to bee all as regular; The Sunne never ſtumbling nor tripping ſince his firſt ſetting out, as a Giant to runne his race; never ſtopping but once in above five thouſand yeares, and that only upon a command to attend the motion of Joſhuahs army; never retreating but once, and that upon a like order, to aſſure Hezekiah of an unexpected ſetting back of the Clock of his days. The Sunne diſplayes the glory of Gods power no leſſe every year, in reviving plants, and trees, after a whole Winters Epilepſie; whence we conclude beyond contradiction, that God can raiſe our bodies out of the boſome of the Earth, with more facility then the Sunne re-quickens any vegetables upon the face of it. The Sunne as openly Preacheth the ſame power of God in its occulter operations upon Minerals, which it ſo curiouſly works, where we would not think it did look, and doth a kind of ſtupendious miracles by inviſible influences. Shortly, the Sunne tells all the world ſo plainly, that there is God Omnipotent, that too many Pagans have taken the Sunne for that God. So children are apt to look on a King at Arms, as King of the Realm. The Sunne Preacheth, that God in its face, which too too many men every where deny in their heart; but of Chriſt the Lord, it had never a word to ſay, unleſſe perhaps once, when it muffled its face, as bluſhing at the monſtrous indignities offered by poor worms on Earth to the great Prince of Heaven. But even then the Sunne ſpake ſo low under its mask, that the Jews themſelves did not hear, much leſſe did the Heathens underſtand it. And though one of their Philoſophers be ſaid to have cried out, aut Deus naturae patitur, aut mundi machina diſſolvetur; yet I believe that ſpeech of his well examined, carries more in it againſt the honour of the Almighty Creator, then for the glory of our Merciful Redeemer. Alas, they who have been the moſt diligent and curious Auditours of the Sunne, never learned any thing of that Starre which was a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Iſrael. God manifeſted in the fleſh, was a Myſtery which the Angels ſtooped down to look into, ſo little could the Pagans diſcover it in the Heavens over their heads. It was the Apoſtles wonder, to hear it ſhould ever be Preached to the Gentiles, ſo little did they conceive (what Maſter Goodwin could have taught them) that the Sun Preached words of eternall life as well as thoſe which (as Peter acknowledgeth) our Saviour himſelf had to ſpeak, Pag. Debt and Dow. P. 11. Sure I am, Aſtrologers the more they have obſerved the Sunne, the leſſe they have acknowledged our Saviour, as not conceiving how he who guides the Sunne ſhould have been carried in the arms, or he who governs that Chariot, ſuffer on a Croſſe. The glory of the Sunne made them ſcorn the obſcurity of Chriſt, which was to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſſe. Had not thoſe wiſe men which came from the Eaſt, had a Revelation of the Spirit, beſides the apparition of a Starre, they had never worſhipped him as a King of the Jews, much leſſe as Saviour of the world, whom they found ſo contemptibly Cradled in a common Manger. In a word, the Myſtery of Chriſt had been hid at this day all as much as it was in any former ages, had he not ſent othergates Heraulds then Sunne, Moon and Stars to publiſh it. It is enough, they proclaim ſo much as ſerves to condemn men for not obeying their Creator; they ſay nothing of our being to be ſaved by the man Chriſt Jeſus. The Pagans are left without excuſe, for rebelling againſt the Law which is written on their hearts; As for the Goſpel, as they ſin without it, ſo may they juſtly periſh without it, and have nothing at all to ſay for themſelves, as much as Maſter Goodwin is pleaſed to plead for them, little to the benefit of them poor wretches, exceeding much to the diſhonour of Gods grace.
That which makes his Learned Congregagation, with ſome others of the ſame hair, ſo readily to ſwallow this his tough Paradox, is his ſuperficial pretence of magnifying the riches of Gods general grace and mercy; but whiles the grace and mercy of God are ſeemingly advanced, his being gracious to whom he will be gracious, and merciful to whom he will be merciful, is moſt inſolently oppugned; and this crotchet is quickly diſcovered to be deeply guilty of a deſperate deſign, to unchriſten England, while it pretends to Chriſten the unknown parts of America. Certainly Maſter Goodwins talents had been farre better employed in endeavouring to keep Chriſtians from degenerating into Pagans, ſleighting the Goſpel both in deeds and words, then in ſhewing how Pagans may bee ſaved, though they never come to bee Chriſtians. It would have turned better to his account, to have ſhewed what a ſhame it is for Chriſtians to live as Pagans, then ſo induſtriouſly to have eſſaied to prove, that Pagans may, while Pagans, believe as Chriſtians. But it ſeems he had ſo fully indoctrinated his dear flock in all things concerning themſelves, that he had nothing left to deliver them but ſuch notorious impertinencies. And yet I cannot think but he might more profitably have ſpent his labours, in ſhewing the beſt Chriſtians their ſins againſt God, then in this ſuperfl…ous diſplaying of this pretended goodneſſe of God to the worſt Pagans.
Surely there was leſſe need of an Apology for Gods ways, then a reproof of thoſe of the beſt Saints; nor was there ſo much cauſe to clear God, as to condemn our ſelves.
The Learned Authour of this Anſwer, hath to better purpoſe travelled in Gods cauſe, may God have the glory, the Reader the benefit, himſelf the reward of his labours, that is, a thankful acceptance of them.
And he may challenge it the more, for that he dares appear ſo fully againſt Maſter Goodwin in this juncture of time, when he is crowned with ſo many Lawrels, for his late ſignal Victory, over no leſſe then a double Triumvirate of … Book-ſellers, whom notwithſtanding all the Learning they have in their ſhops to defend themſelves with, hee hath laid as low at the feet of his writings, as ever hee did high Presbytery and her ſons, though as they lie ſprawling there, their Vindicatour plaguily bites his heels with a ſtinging Apology. I doubt not but this glorious Conqueſt fluſheth him in his attempts againſt the Synod of Dort, which being once devoured, he may bee at leaſure to digeſt Doctour Owen, and my ſelf, whom he hath already thrown down his throat in his Horn-ſpoon. In the mean time, he ſatiſfies himſelf with this, that Doctour Owen hath not anſwered Maſter Horn, nor I Maſter Baxter; to both which, I humbly reply:
Firſt, for Maſter Vice-Chancellour, that it may bee a queſtion, whether he ever heard of Maſter Horns Book till I gave him notice of it about ſome three years after it was printed, I can ſcarce ſay publiſhed; but ſince there is a ſecond Edition of the Title Page, which I know not, but Maſter Vice-Chancellour may one day have leaſure to conſider. In the interim, as I am informed, the caſe ſtands thus; Maſter Horns Open door was ſhut up as it were with a Red Croſſe on it for ſome years till it was unlocked by Tho: Johnſon at his golden Key in Pauls Church-yard, who bought it for Lumber; and to make the beſt of his bargain, new printed the Poſtes of it, by which means he hopes to ſecure it a while from being diſhonored down to mens back-doors.
Next for my ſelf, may it pleaſe Maſter Goodwin to know, that Maſter Baxter and I are grown wiſer th…n to engage one another any more; not that I mean to ſpend my inke (as Maſter Goodwin will) upon better men, but upon worſe. And the truth is, Maſter Baxter and I differ not ſo much as Maſter Goodwin may chance to conceive; for there being two points handled in that digreſſion, which Maſter Goodwin ſaith Maſter Baxter encounters with as much facility, and like ſucceſſe, as fire doth the dried ſtubble; as to the firſt, concerning the impoſſibility of new immanent acts in God, Maſter Baxter profeſſeth to oppoſe my Doctrine, not as untrue, but uncertain, Section 5. pag. 16. And after hee hath produced ſeveral arguments againſt me, he is pleaſed to ſay, he knows ſeveral things that I may ſay againſt his reaſonings, p. 19. and that he doth not own all theſe arguments which he toucheth upon, p. 29. and that he mentions them only to ſhew that a full or clear ſolution of theſe doubts is not ſo facile and obvious as you ſeem to imagine, p. 29. and again profeſſeth, that if he would be of any ſide in that Controverſie, he would be of Maſter Kendals ſide, p. 29.
Beſides, Maſter Goodwin himſelf profeſſeth the ſame, if I underſtand him, (Red. Redeemed, Chap. 16. Sect. 14. pag. 425, 426.) though I cannot blame him for being angry with that paſſage, which unawares baffled a conſiderable part of his Book. And in that reſpect, I will God willing for his ſatisfaction, without breach of the Agreement between Maſter Baxter and me, handle that point in Latine (which is the only fit Language for ſuch a Diſcourſe) long before Maſter Goodwin ſhall hang up the leaſt member of the Synod of Dort at the doors of his Meeting houſe.
As to the latter, I had no more to doe then to ſhew, that the Doctrine of Juſtification from Eternity is not ſo horrible a blaſphemy as M. Goodwin was pleaſed to brand it for. Whereas he may know, that I look upon that of Condemnation from Eternity (maintained by no man that I wot of, though jumbled in by him) to be no leſſe; and therefore I ſingled out that of Juſtification, and let paſſe the other, ſaying, that in Gods Decree from Eternity to juſtifie and condemn men in time, there was ſomewhat like Juſtification in oppoſition to Condemnation, which is of another conſideration. Nor can I be perſwaded there is any abſurdity in ſaying, that in Gods Decree from Eternity to juſtifie and condemn men in time, there is ſomewhat that looks like Juſtification, though there be nothing that looks like Juſtification in the Decree which concerns Condemnation; more then in ſaying, that my purpoſe to goe to Oxford and return to London, carries ſomewhat that reſpects my going to Oxford, though my purpoſe to go to Oxford carries nothing in it that concerns my return.
As for Maſter Baxter, if in any particular I have miſ-repreſented him, (which is the main thing he laies to my charge) I ſhall, as I diſcover it, willingly retract it; and it is not unlikely but we do both underſtand each other much better then we did. But I deſire Maſter Goodwin to know, that Maſter Baxter profeſſed he was offended with me for nothing ſo much, as joining him with John Goodwin. And howbeit he pleaſe to let fall a word of my inclemency to Maſter Goodwin, in one paſſage twice quoted by him, and accordingly remembred by Maſter Goodwin, I believe Maſter Goodwin deſires his Reader ſhould take notice of that place for the many good words I beſtow on him there, (as ſome others have conceived) farre beyond the proportion of his deſerts. In Concluſion, ſo far am I from being convinced of offending by my frolicks, that I am reſolved to bee as pleaſant as ever in my Language, let who will chuſe to be bitter; only I ſhall ſtill pray to God to forgive us all our iniquities of our holieſt things, and to work our hearts to a Chriſtian endeavour of overcoming evil with good, and to the affecting of no greater Conqueſt then the captivating of all our thoughts to the obedience of Chriſt.
Feb. 6. 1654.