Admonition to William Eyre, Section 11
§. 11.
YEt you have not done with me: for pag. 190. you fall on without fear or— that the end may be like the beginning. You say, 1. That the Papists assert no other works and condition to be necessary to our Justification and Salvation then what our adversaries do. 2. Neither Papists nor Arminians do ascribe any more Meritoriousness to Works then our opponents, &c. And in this sense Mr. Baxter will tell you that the performers of a condition may be said to merit the Reward. The Papists never pleaded for Merit upon any other account.
Rep. 1. If this be true, our Divines are notorious liars and slanderers, so frequently to charge them with more. Which yet I had rather of the two believe of Mr. Eyre then of them, if I must needs do one. 2. If this be true, the Papists are notorious liars and slanderers, to wrong one another so much as they do, by asfirming more of one another. 3. If this be true, doth not Mr. Eyre speak better of the Papists then we are use to hear? and should not all honest men be glad to hear that so great a part of Christendome, are far better men then we took them for? 4. Doth not this intimate; Why may not the Papists be encouraged and have liberty in England as well as we, R. B. and a hundred Divines that say as much as he? Especially if you compare this passage with what he saith to Mr. W. pag. 117. [I dare say a more unsound Assertion cannot be picked out of the Writings either of Papists or Arminians then this is.] And why then should not we be respected a like, if we be corrupted a like? Whether he mean that we should be restrained as they, I know not well; but by his Epistle to the Parliament it is liker he means that they should have Liberty as well as we. You that are Mr. Eyre his neighbours, wrong him sorely if you think him a friend to Popery, you may see the Papists will endure you to call Mr. W. and I, and all the Reformed Churches, Papists, if you will but open the door and let them in, and help them in weakning our hands and resisting us in the work of Christ.
You adde, [Though Mr. B. seems to mince the matter, calling his conditions but a sine qua non, and a Pepper co…n, &c. he attributes as much, if not more to Works then the Papists, Arminians and Socinians have done. The Papists will not say that Works do merit in a strict and proper sense.]
Rep. Prov. 19.5. A salse witness shall not be unpun shed, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. Though I delay this business purposely till I come to Mr. Crandon, yet I will give the Reader one word here before hand.
1. Out of one of their own; Bellarmine (Printed Ingolst. 80 1605) pag. 2567, 2568, &c. cap. 17. l. 5. de Justifie. thus determineth this Question [Ʋtrum opera Bona sint Meritoria ex condigno ratione pacti tantum? an ratione operis tantum? an ratione utrins{que}?] Media sententia nobis videtur probabilior, quae docet, Opera bona Justorum Meritori… esse vitae aeternae ex condigno, ratione pacti & operts simul, &c.] And p. 2571, 2572, he bringeth seven Arguments to prove that in opere bono ex Gratia precedente, est quaedam proportio & aequalitas ad praemium vitae aeternae. And li. 1. c. 21. pag. 2208, 2209. he endeavoureth to prove [Meritum de congruo fundari in aliqua Dignitate operis potius quam in promissione.] Judge now Reader, what credit is to be given to Mr. Eyre's words? and how dangerous a thing this Antinomian conceit is, that sin is all pardoned before we repent or are born. Durst such a pious man as this else over and over, even here on one page repeat in Print so notorious a falshood? and say, [Neither Papists nor Arminians ascribe any more Meritoriousness to Works] then we do? Nay that [I attribute as much, if not more to Works then the Papists.] Was Bellarmine no Papist? I deny all Merit to our Faith or Works; unless by the word [Merit] you mean somewhat that is not Merit. Doth Bellarmine do so? Nay he saith again here [The Papist never pleaded for Merit upon any other Account] then ex pacto. The Lord pardon this audacious falshood to you Brother, and humble you for it.
But if Bellarmine be no Papist with you, what say you by Aquinas? See him 1.2 ae. q. 114. art. 1. c. & art. 3. c. [Si consideretur secundum operis substantiam & secundum quod procedit ex libero arbitrio, sic non potest ibi esse condignitas propter maximam inaequalitatem: Sed est ibi congruitas propter quandam aequalitatem proportionis. Si autem loquamur de opere Meritorio secundum quod procedit ex gratia Spiritus sancti, sic est Meritorium vitae aeternae ex condigno: sic enim Valor meriti attenditur secund…m virtutem Spiritus sansti moventis nos in vitam aeternam, &c.]
3. The world knows that the Papists have commonly maintained (I say not, every man of them) the Merit of congruity, the very nature of which they ordinarlly affirm to be from the respect of the work it self, and not from the Pact or Promise.
4. Our Divines commonly charge them with more. Perkins Reformed Cathol. of Merit, Vol. 1 p. 574, 545 saith, [The Popish Church placeth Merits within man, making two sorts thereof: the Merit of the person, and the Merit of the work: The Merit of the work is a dignity or excellency in the work, whereby it is made fit and enabled to deserve Life Everlasting for the doer: And Works, as they teach, are meritorious two waies. 1. By Covenant, because God hath made a promise of Reward to them. 2. By their own dignity: For Christ hath merited that our Works might merit: And this is the substance of their Doctrine.] So far Perkins.
I will adde no more, but leave it to the consideration of Mr. Eyre's Churchmembers, whether for this publique sin, they ought not to admonish him, and defire him publiquely to profess his repentance? If not, let them at least see the evil fruits of his Doctrine, and that all his words are not to be believed Its scarce likely that he will make much more conscience of an untruth in the Pulpit, then in the Press; the later being the most publique, and therefore should be most advised and cautelous way of delivering our minds.
Yet he is at it again before he comes to the end of the same Page, saying, [But now Mr. B. goes a step beyond them, in that he ascribes a Meritoriousness to Works, which the Arminians and Socinians have not dared to do.]
Rep. I am glad this is the last place where I find my self named. For I love not above all Writings to deal with those which are capable of no other Answer for substance, then that one Word by which the fellow confuted all Bellarmine. Methinks it fouls my mouth, so much as to tell you what your words are; and it cannot but be unsavoury and unprofitable to the Reader; and therefore I shall say no more to you; but heartily desire the Lord to recover and forgive you, and to that end to make you ask forgiveness believingly and penitently, and to that end to convince you that you are guilty, till forgiveness come, and that no Infidels or Impenitent Rebels are forgiven: And I heartily desire, that if you preach this to your people, which you publish in this Book, the sad effects of it may never appear in their hearts and lives, but that Gods truth may lye neerer their hearts and prevail, and the face of your doctrine may not be seen in the face of your hearters conversation or your own.
FINIS.
Novemb. 26. 1653.
Reader,
VNderstand, that for all the hot words between us, Mr. Eyre and I are agreed, if he be a man to be believed. For pag. 67. he hath these words, [However were the thing it self granted, That there was in God from Everlasting an Absolute, Fixed and Immutable Will never to deal with his people according to their sins, but to deal with them as Righteous persons, this Controversie were ended.]
Supposing that it is in regard of eternal punishment that he speaks, and not of meer Legal Obligations, Convictions or Condemnations by Law, Conscience, or men (in all which respects God deals not with the unrighteous as with righteous men) I do grant the whole, and here subscribe my concession: and so if Mr. E. be a man of his word, The Controversie is Ended.
Rich. Baxter.
POSTSCRIPT.
READER,
BEcause Mr Eyre hath the modesty to alleadge Mr Rutherfords Judgement for his Opinion, I intreat thee to get and reade a full Volume of Mr Rutherfords (which I had forgotten when I cited those words before) called [A Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist: opening the Secrets of Familism and Antinomianism, against Mr Saltmarsh, Mr Dell, Town, Dr Crispe, H. Den, Eaton, &c. in which is revealed the Rise and Spring of Antinomians, Familists, Libertines, &c.]
It is not only as against Mr Eyre's Testimony that I desire this of thee, but especially because it is one of the fullest Books that I know extant, against the Errors of this Sect; and very usefull to the godly in these seducing times.