Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

CHAP. XI. Whether a Justified man should be afraid of becoming unjustified?

P. I have said so much of this before about Perseverance and Assurance, as forbiddeth me tedious repetitions. Here needeth no more but this explication of the matter which you confound: 1. Fear is either Causeful or Causeless. 2. Fear is either such as hindereth comfort, or such as helpeth it. 3. Fear is either a Duty, or an unavoidable natural passion, or a sin of unavoidable infirmity, or a more deadly or heinous sin. 4. It's one thing to cause and cherish Fear, and another thing to teach men that cannot avoid it, how to deal by it. And now I assert, 1. Too many are confident that they are justified, who ought not only to Fear that they are not, but to know it. 2. Too many that are Justified fall into such decays of Grace, and heinous sin, as that it becometh thereupon their duty to fear lest their hearts ⟨p. 257⟩should deceive them, and they prove unjustified, till they rise by repentance and revived Faith. The uncertainty becoming unavoidable, some Fear in an uncertain person is a duty, without which he would show a contempt of God and his salvation. 3. Too many Justified persons have Grace so weak and unactive, and sin so strong, as that in that case, both uncertainty and fears are unavoidable to them: A Certainty beyond fear, supposeth a very high proportionable degree of all other Graces; (For the new creature in the chief parts useth to increase or decrease together:) But few have such high degrees of Grace. 4. A fear of particular great and heinous sins (which must be Repented of, if you will be saved) must be moderately feared by all Christians; none being certain that they shall escape them. 5. A believing lively apprehension of the dreadfulness of Gods Judgement, as he is a consuming fire, and one that can cast soul and body into Hell, with so much as is necessary to vigilancy and labour for prevention, is all mens duty, Luke 12. 4, 5. Heb. 12. 28, 29. And on this consideration if we will serve God acceptably, it must be with reverence and godly fear. And we must keep under our bodies (with Paul) and bring them into subjection, lest having preached or professed, we should yet be cast aways. 6. Needful cleansing, repenting and preventing fear, doth secure and further our comforts, by removing the sin and danger that would hinder them. 7. All our enemies and dangers are not overcome till the end. And danger must be escaped by moderate fear.

P. I have said so much of this before about Perseverance and Assurance, as forbiddeth me tedious repetitions. Here needeth no more but this explication of the matter which you confound: 1. Fear is either Causeful or Causeless. 2. Fear is either such as hindereth comfort, or such as helpeth it. 3. Fear is either a Duty, or an unavoidable natural passion, or a sin of unavoidable infirmity, or a more deadly or heinous sin. 4. It's one thing to cause and cherish Fear, and another thing to teach men that cannot avoid it, how to deal by it. And now I assert, 1. Too many are confident that they are justified, who ought not only to Fear that they are not, but to know it. 2. Too many that are Justified fall into such decayes of Grace, and heinous sin, as that it becometh thereupon their duty to fear lest their hearts ⟨p. 257⟩should deceive them, and they prove unjustified, till they rise by repentance and revived Faith. The uncertainty becoming unavoidable, some Fear in an uncertain person is a duty, without which he would shew a contempt of God and his salvation. 3. Too many Justified persons have Grace so weak and unactive, and sin so strong, as that in that case, both uncertainty and fears are unavoidable to them: A Certainty beyond fear, supposeth a very high proportionable degree of all other Graces; (For the new creature in the chief parts useth to increase or decrease together:) But few have such high degrees of Grace. 4. A fear of particular great and heinous sins (which must be Repented of, if you will be saved) must be moderately feared by all Christians; none being certain that they shall escape them. 5. A believing lively apprehension of the dreadfulness of Gods Judgement, as he is a consuming fire, and one that can cast soul and body into Hell, with so much as is necessary to vigilancy and labour for prevention, is all mens duty, Luke 12. 4, 5. Heb. 12. 28, 29. And on this consideration if we will serve God acceptably, it must be with reverence and godly fear. And we must keep under our bodies (with Paul) and bring them into subjection, lest having preached or professed, we should yet be cast awayes. 6. Needful cleansing, repenting and preventing fear, doth secure and further our comforts, by removing the sin and danger that would hinder them. 7. All our enemies and dangers are not overcome till the end. And danger must be escaped by moderate fear.

God who brings his servants over all their dangers, will save them by a sober fear and vigilancy, and not by fearlessness of the evil. 8. But all that fear which includeth error or unbelief, or distrust of Christ, is sinful, and to be resisted with all our care; And the more distrust, the greater is the sin. 9. All Fear that driveth from Christ, and faith, and hope, and love, and true consolation we cry down daily, as injurious to God and man. 10. We teach all Christians to contend with utmost diligence, to get up to the highest Trust, Love, Joy, Thanksgiving and Praise, as the proper Evangelical excellency, nearest Heaven: and to get as fast as they can above that fear which hath torment, which is cast out as love groweth perfect: and to pray and seek for the Spirit of Adoption, of Power, and Love, and a sound mind, instead of the Spirit of fear and bondage: And not to place too much of their Religion in that very fear which in its season is a duty, much less in hurtful sinful fear: But always and in all things to Rejoice in the Lord, with Love and Gratitude, and confidently to cast all their cares on him. 11. But as all men here are imperfect in Holiness, Faith and Assurance, and in their doubts, some fear of the event (besides mere reverence of God) is their duty, so we teach men how so to live in an uncertain fearing state, as safeliest to get above it. 12. And we know that sin, wickedness, presumption, self-deceit and pride are so common in the world, that Fear is very needful to the most; and we have cause to call with Paul to many proud Professors, Be not high minded, but fear (even lest God should cut them off as he did the Jews); and Having a promise of entering into his rest, let us fear lest any of us come short of it, Heb. 4. 1. And Christ thrice over reciteth his urgent exhortatory words, Luke 12▪ 4, 5. I say to you my friends—I will tell ⟨p. 258⟩you whom you shall fear—Fear him who when he hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you (the third time) fear him: Is not this authority full, and these words plain and very earnest, even to his friends? 13. And it is not fit to make such a Doctrine a fundamental certainty, which we find none of all the Churches of Christ held from the Apostles days for many and many hundred years (that ever I could read or hear of,) I mean that [all the Justified persevere].

Be it never so clear to you, that which now is, and so long was thought so far from clear and sure to the Churches of Christ, as it is no fit foundation for the Churches Concord, so neither for a Christians everlasting hopes, to be so much laid on it, as by some they are.

CHAP. XII. Of Mans Power to believe; and of calling the unregenerate to Duty.

P. X. & XI. OF the first of these I have said so much before, that I will here pass it by. And as to the second, you are a man of pernicious principles, and downright heretical and damnable, if indeed you would have us call no unregenerate persons to any duty whatsoever. Answer me these Questions: Quest. 1. Would you not have your Wife, Children and Servants taught, that it is their duty to love, honour and obey you? and your neighbours to deal justly with you? and the Rulers to protect you, and the Judges to do you Justice?

Lib. I speak only of Religious and not Civil duties.

P. You are indifferent it seemeth as to the Interest of Gods honour and mens salvation: Let those alone, so be it your own interest be secured. Duty to you, must be preached, but not to God. But would you not have them taught to do you service as to the Lord, and as such as from him shall have punishment or reward? and to submit themselves to the Higher Powers for conscience sake as to the Ministers of God? and •o Honour Father and Mother in obedience to God, and that by his reward their days may be long? Should not all be done to the Glory of God?

P. You are indifferent it seemeth as to the Interest of Gods honour and mens salvation: Let those alone, so be it your own interest be secured. Duty to you, must be preached, but not to God. But would you not have them taught to do you service as to the Lord, and as such as from him shall have punishment or reward? and to submit themselves to the Higher Powers for conscience sake as to the Ministers of God? and •o Honour Father and Mother in obedience to God, and that by his reward their dayes may be long? Should not all be done to the Glory of God?

Lib. Yes, it should be; but the wicked cannot do it: Therefore they must be first made Godly, and the Heart renewed, that the life may be amended.

P. We are as much and more for Heart-work, and for beginning there, than you are •• we know that God accepteth not the hypocrite, that draweth near him, and honoureth him with the lips, when the heart is far from him: The outward actions are no further Good or Bad, than they are •••• or from the Will. The Divine Nature, and Image of God, and life of the new creature, is the new heart by the Love of God shed abroad upon it by the Holy Ghost. But, Quest. 2. Are we to call men to no duty at all, to the getting of a new heart? Should we not persuade them to hear Gods Word?

P. We are as much and more for Heart-work, and for beginning there, than you are •• we know that God accepteth not the hypocrite, that draweth near him, and honoureth him with the lips, when the heart is far from him: The outward actions are no further Good or Bad, than they are •••• or from the Will. The Divine Nature, and Image of God, and life of the new creature, is the new heart by the Love of God shed abroad upon it by the Holy Ghost. But, Quest. 2. Are we to call men to no duty at all, to the getting of a new heart? Should we not perswade them to hear Gods Word?

Lib. Ye•: How shall they believe unless they hear?

P. Quest. 3. Must we call them from the Tavern, Ale-house, Gaming-house, Play-house, Whore-house, yea, from their lawfuiler employments that they may hear in season? and call Martha to choose Mary's part, and those that say, They cannot come because of their Oxen, Farms and Business, to change that mind?

P. Quest. 3. Must we call them from the Tavern, Ale-house, Gaminghouse, Play-house, Whore-house, yea, from their lawfuiler imployments that they may hear in season? and call Martha to choose Maries part, and those that say, They cannot come because of their Oxen, Farms and Business, to change that mind?

Lib. Yes, no doubt of it: Zaccheus must be in Christs way.