The Method of Grace in the Justification of Sinners, Title page – To the reader
THE METHOD OF GRACE in the JUSTIFICATION OF Sinners.
Being a REPLY to a Book written by Mr. William Eyre of Salisbury: Entituled, Vindiciae Juſtificationis Gratuitae, Or the Free Juſtification of a SINNER juſtified.
Wherein the Doctrine contained in the ſaid Book, is proved to be Subverſive both of Law and Goſpel, contrary to the conſent of Proteſtants. And inconſiſtent with it ſelf.
And the Ancient Apoſtolick Proteſtant Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith aſſerted.
By Benjamin Woodbridge Miniſter of Newbery.
Rom. …. 16
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.
Exod 24. 7.
Keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, and tranſgreſſion, and ſin, and that will by no meanes clear the guilty.
LONDON, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Edmund Paxton in Pauls Chain, right over againſt the Caſtle Tavern, near Doctors Commons, 1656.
THE EPISTLE to the Reader.
Reader,
BEfore thou enter upon the enſuing Diſcourſe, it is neceſſary that I premiſe ſomething for thy information, 1. Concerning my Sermon. 2. Concerning Mr. Eyres anſwer. 3. Concerning this Reply.
1. For the firſt, Mr. Eyre having already acquainted thee with the time when it was preached, I ſhall only give thee a more faithful account of the occaſion of preaching it, and of ſome paſſages in it. The Providence of God, which ruleth all our wayes and motions, directed me to the City of New Sarum at ſuch a time, when it fell to Mr. Thomas Warrens turne to preach the weekly Lecture there; whoſe Sermon, (as it well deſerves) is ſince printed; and in it thou mayeſt reade thoſe certain, neceſſary and important truths which he then inſiſted on. Mr Eyre withſtood him vehemently, not without the great diſturbance and grief of many, to whom the Word of Truth is precious and amiable. I had formerly been a Preacher in that …ity, for ſome time together; but was at that time detained there full …ore againſt my will, by the ſurprizal of a Chronical diſtemper, which gave time and occaſion to many of my acquaintance to viſit me, and to deſire me, (as I then could) to ſet my ſeal publicklie to the truth of the Goſpel, which accordingly I did in that Sermon, which is here vindicated againſt Mr Eyre I was earneſtly importuned by many worthy Miniſters & Chriſtians to print my Sermon; whoſe deſires nevertheleſſe, I refuſed to gratifie; partly, becauſe I could not be wrought to eſteem of it, as they did: principally, out of reſpect to Mr. Eyre himſelf whoſe weakneſſes I was unwilling ſhould be made ſo publick by my meanes. One Copy indeed I promiſed for the private uſe of ſome Chriſtians, which accordinglie, when I was returned home, I wrote haſtily, and ſent to them, reſerving no Tranſcript of it in my own hands. After ſome weeks, (how many, I cannot now juſtly tell) I was informed, that they, who had the peruſal of that Copy, were reſolved to ſend it up to London; and if it found the like Approbation there, as in the Countrey, to commit it to the Preſſe: When I heard this, conſidering how many judicious Miniſters had ſolicited me to print it, and how many more might paſſe judgement upon it before it ſhould be printed; I was reſolved to meddle nor make no more in the buſineſſe, but leave it wholly to the judgment of others; which I ſpeak for the vindication of Reverend Mr. Cranford, (who was pleaſed to give himſelf the trouble of prefixing an Epiſtle to my Sermon; for which reſpect to me, then altogether a ſtranger to him (as I yet alſo am, having never ſeen his face, nor he mine, as I know of) I do hereby return him that acknowledgement which I owe him) when he tells the Reader, that it was not by my meanes that my Sermon was printed. And whoſoever he was that aſſured * Mr Eyre ofIn his book p. 38. any other hand that I had in the printing of the ſaid Sermon, then as I have here related, ſpake without book.
Soon after the printing of mine, Mr. Eyre publiſhed a Sermon of his own preached at the following Aſſizes. In his Epiſtle to the Reader he complains much of my unchriſtian language, eſpecially that I ſhould ſay he was obſtreperous; and produceth a Certificate under ſix witneſſes hands, living (as I am informed, for I know not all the men) in the County of Dorſet, the County of Wilts, and the City of Sarum, of his ſaire deportment in that oppoſition which he made againſt me in the publick meeting-place, after Sermon was ended. I acknowledge the word to be ſomewhat homely, and ſuch as if I had printed againſt Mr. Eyre, I ſhould have forborne; and ſeeing it gives him ſuch offence, do publikely recant it; (for, it is not only there, but, as I remember, thrice in his book that he takes notice of it, with a moſt ſufficient Talio,) Nevertheleſſe, if he will give it another terme, I ſhall own the accuſation, and be content that it be tried by number of witneſſes too. I do therefore aſſure thee (Reader) that many Chriſtians in that City, (whom Mr. Eyre would heretofore have accounted worthy of belief, though now I think he will allow them no better teſtimony then that they go for Profeſſours) having conſidered in what formalitie Mr. Eyre proceeded againſt me, took themſelves bound in conſcience to teſtifie what they had ſeen and known, and ſent me of their own accord a large letter, ſubſcribed with all their hands, (which were very many more then thoſe which Mr. Eyre procured to certifie for him▪ a…eſting fully and particularlie the thing I charged him with; aſſuring me alſo, that if need had been, they could quickly have doubled their numbers in the ſame teſtimony. This letter I alſo ſh…wed to ſome of my neighbouring Miniſters, that they might be my witneſſes, (if called thereto) that I report the truth. Yet, though I acknowledge my ſelf beholding to them that ſent me the letter, for their love and reſpects to me, I will by no means make uſe of their teſtimony; as not eſteeming my credit worthy to be redeemed with the leaſt damage that may befal them, by the evil eye of others on the weather-ſide of them.
But out of my own mouth will Mr. Eyre condemn me; becauſe when he brake off the conference, I uſed thoſe words of the Apoſtle, Gal. 4. 12. Be ye as I am, for I am as you are; you have not wronged me at all; which words I underſtood, when I ſpake them in no other ſenſe then Dr. Presto… ſomewhere gives of them, as not reckoning of his oppoſition againſt me, or his unfair dealing therein, ſo as to entertain any enmity in my heart againſt him. Forgive me this wrong.
2. Yet if I in this word have been uncivil with Mr. Eyre, he hath made himſelf a ſufficient recompence in his Anſwer to me: having drawn the lines of his grave cenſures quite through me, and round about me, characterizing, (as he ſees fit) my bPage 165. ſect. 8heart, cPage 100. ſect. 11.intentions, ſoul and body, my very dPage 165.face, and eEpiſt … the Reader, page 1, 2. & …bi p…ſſion.ſtatur… not excepted. All which things trouble me the leſſe, becauſe I have ſuch companions in theſe reproaches, as I do not dare to compare my ſelf with the meaneſt of them. As not only Mr. Cranford, Mr. Baxter, my brother, but all that ſtand in his way, that is, the maine body of Proteſtants, who have wrote upon this ſubject, ever ſince the name of Proteſtant was known upon the earth. But it is ſomewhat ſtrange to me, to obſerve what meaſure Mr. Eyre meteth to all that cannot vaile to his judgement. If Mr Baxter lay down principles inconſiſtent with his, he muſt be repreſented as an Arminian, a Papiſt, a Socinian, and what not? If a faithful Chriſtian, (and that in Mr. Eyres own judgement, though none of the meaneſt rank of Chriſtians neither) do but ask him a queſtion, and that with all due reſpect, he muſt be bid to fPage 9, 10.—I will not engliſh the words for very ſhame. The Profeſſion there following will never be believed after ſuch premiſes; nor will they be any ſalve for ſuch a publick putting to ſhame, and ſpitting in the face of a member of Chriſt. If my brother declare himſelf againſt his notions, he muſt be gPage 84.printed as a deſertor of his Church in New-England, for the love of a better Parſonage in old. Durus Sermo I could name many Miniſters, that ſince theſe times have returned from thence hither, and have gained ten times more by their return then my brother hath, or is ever like to do; were they all deſertors of their Churches for fatter morſels? If a man ſhould print of Mr. Eyre, that he is of late grown an enemy to hEpiſt dedic. the Councel of War before his Sermon.Tithes, that (if they be ſold) he might adde ſome of them to his former Purchaſes: or if they be put into a publick treaſury, he might take of them more liberally, in the more reformed way of a State maintenance; or becauſe he envies bread to every Miniſter that cannot hold pace with him in the way he goes, and would have them all at his mercy: If (I ſay) a man ſhould print theſe things of Mr. Eyre, I ſhould verily account him a ſlanderer, unleſſe he were able to prove it better, then (I am ſure) Mr. Eyre can prove his charge againſt my brother. He findes fault with my brothers argument, becauſe de occultis non judicat Eccleſia: and yet is his own practice faultleſſe, in judging of that which the Church may not judge of, I mean the intentions of a mans heart? It concernes not me to praiſe my brother; his own innocency in many yeares Profeſſion of Chriſt, is a ſufficient defence to him againſt a thouſand ſuch calumniations; nor is he mindful to take ſo much notice of Mr. Eyres language, as to give him an anſwer; but content, without envying Mr. Eyre his great yearly revenews, to ſerve God with chearfulneſſe in his poverty; only for his arguments, Mr. Eyre hath taken them up upon truſt, (which was not faire dealing) and his informer hath miſrepreſented them. I had them, and a Vindication of them under my brothers hand, and was intended to have printed them, as not fearing what Mr. Eyre or any man elſe could rationally have excepted againſt them: but finding my book to be of it ſelfe growen beyond that proportion which I intended, I have omitted it.
In his anſwer to me, (to leave theſe perſonal matters, which can be neither grateful nor profitable to the Reader,) how often be daſheth himſelf againſt himſelf; and in the whole ſcope of his Diſcourſe, oppoſeth himſelf againſt the body of Proteſtant Divines, the Reader may in ſome meaſure ſee in this Reply. So little cauſe hath he to charge the doctrine, which my ſelf or others maintain againſt him, with a compliance with Popery. If I delighted in recriminations, I could tell him, that his doctrine of eternal reconciliation is Socinianiſme: that his denial of the elect to be at any time puniſhed for their ſin is iCalv. inſtr. adverſ. Lib … ti… cap …4 pag. (mihi) 181.Libertiniſme: as alſo that God is well pleaſed with ſome men in the midſt of all their ungodlineſſe. That his denying of the kChap 1 § 1. p. …10. compared with §. 7.Law, any power to hold the tranſgreſſors of it under an obligation to the puniſhment which it threateneth, is Antinomianiſme. lPage 152. §. 6.That the death of Chriſt tends not to the procuring of our Juſtification. mPage 62.That ſins are pardoned in nature and time before Chriſts ſatisfaction. nPage 122.That ſinners have no more right to ſalvation after their beleeving then before: with many other Paradoxes of like complexion, are Anti-Goſpeliſm, and may (for ought I know) out-vie the moſt pernicious doctrines amongſt the Romaniſts. As for his other charge of Arminianiſme, the Lord knowes, and my own ſoul knows, to my daily ſhame and ſorrow, I have as little reaſon as any man to expect Juſtification in a Popiſh or Arminian way. Nevertheleſſe, I am altogether proſelyted to renowned Bp. Davenants judgement, concerning the extent and effects of the death of Chriſt, (if that be Arminianiſme) eſpecially ſince I read Daylee's late Vindication of Amyrald againſt Spanhemius. And the chief reaſon that enclines me to it, beſides the evidence of truth, is the advantage I have thereby to give a clear and ſmooth anſwer to all the Scriptures, which the Arminians are wont to uſe in defence of their cauſe.
It is true, Mr. Eyre alledgeth the teſtimonies of ſome Divines, as ſpeaking ſeemingly for him. But that the ſame Divines do elſewhere more plainly ſpeak againſt him, hath been ſo fully evidenced by Mr. Baxter, Mr. Warren, and bleſſed Mr. Graile, that I cannot account it worth while to take a particular view of his teſtimonies. Only I intended to take ſome ſpecial notice of two of his Authors, viz. Robert Parker, (my Reverend Grandfather,) and renowned Dr. Twiſſe. As to that paſſage which Mr. Eyre hath picked out of my Grandfathers book, De deſcenſu Chriſti ad inferos, it hath been already ſo cleared both by Mr. Warren and Mr. Baxter, that I am perſwaded if Mr. Eyre were to write his book again, he would quit the hold he takes on thoſe words. Much leſſe would he have declared ſo tragically againſt me, as if I had no leſſe then juſtified my Grandfathers perſecutors in all their injurious and unworthy dealings againſt him, in writing for that truth which he never denied. But if I do anything unworthy of the name and memory of that Reverend man, (who yet was never perſecuted for his book De deſcenſu; much leſſe for being ſuppoſed to be an abettor of the Juſtification of impenitent and unbelieving ſinners,) Mr. Eyre might have thought it no greater fault in me, then in his own and only ſonne, my Reverend and much honoured Uncle Mr. Thomas Parker, (vir omni exceptione major) who hath taught me long ſince, that oDe traduct. peccat. ad vitam. theſ. 5. 6.Conditio (reconciliationis) a parte noſtra, eſt Chriſti receptio, the condition of reconciliation on our part, is our receiving of Chriſt, which muſt firſt be done,—Cum ex ea tanquam medio praerequiſito reconciliatio ineatur, becauſe it is a means praerequiſite to our reconciliation. As for Dr. Twiſſe, if he were capable of receiving any addition of honour by my teſtimony, I ſhould be more ambitious to perform it then Mr. Eyre could be deſirous of the favour of his pEp. dedic.moſt noble Senatours. I may not deny that I had beſtowed ſome paines in comparing the Doctours expreſſions in ſeveral places: but it pleaſed God to ſtir up a far better hand, qIn his Preface to Mr. G…ayles book.Mr. Conſtant Jeſſop, a learned, faithful, ſuffering ſervant and Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, to do the Doctour the honour of vindicating his judgement and doctrine, from thoſe general miſreports and miſapprehenſions that went abroad of him.
Something I ſhould alſoſpeak concerning Mr. Eyres marginal quotations, which are many of them falſe, as I was once intended to have ſhewed the Reader in a Liſt. But conſidering that the difference of Volumes or Editions, in which his Authors are extant, may breed a miſtake of ſome; and that the Printer tells us, Mr. Eyre was not able to overlook the Preſſe; and ſo through the errour of that, others might be miſtaken, I have thought fit to forbear.
3. As for this my Reply, though the Authors above mentioned, and Mr. Eedes beſides, (who yet hath miſrepreſented me, in reporting that I deny faith to be an evidence of our Juſtification) coming all out ſo long before me, may ſeem to make my undertaking needleſſe; yet I was loth to deceive the expectations of ſo many, as had ſo long waited for my Reply. The truth is, I had ſoon drawn up the ſumme of my anſwer, ſo far as I was ſure that I underſtood Mr. Eyre aright. That I made no more haſte to the Preſſe, the Reaſons were, 1. The inceſſant emploiments I have had, both at home and abroad, which have made me uncapable of following works of this nature ſo cloſe as they ſhould be. 2. The frequent and long-continuing bodily infirmities, which have kept me from writing many weeks together. 3. While the controverſie was hot, I was willing to ſee whether any thing would come out pro or con, that might occaſion any new enquiries. I hear of none but Mr. Robertſon, (who threateneth us with a few pedantick Scoticiſmes) and Mr. Crandon againſt Mr. Baxter, whom (for the report I had heard of the man) I greedily deſired to reade. But lighting by accident upon his diſcourſe, about the afflictions which befal the godly in this life. I found him vox & praeterea nihil, and ſo leave him to thoſe Readers, who can be edified by his melody.
Mr. Eyres Comment upon the title page of my Sermon I paſſe over. His digreſſion in chap. 2. about publick diſputes with the Miniſters, will have ſome more cautions before it paſſe for canonical, if ever it be his lot to be exerciſed in that way, as much as ſome worthy Miniſters have been, in ſome Churches which I have known. In my Reply to his Arguments I have faithfully ſet down the ſtrength of his argument, though not every word in every place. And ſo (Reader) I commend thee, and this my writing, unto the bleſſing of him, who will one day owne it for his truth, and thee for a childe of truth, if thou walk in it.
BENJAMIN WOODBRIDGE.