A26923:1131
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 25: Of good Works and Merit, and trusting to any thing of our own.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 54. And the partial Teachers are the Cause of all this, while instead of opening the Doctrine truly to the People, in what sense we have or have not any Worthiness or Merit, they without distinction cry down Merit, and reproach those that do otherwise: And if they do but say, [Such a Man or such a Book speaketh for Merit and Free-will] they have sufficiently rendered him odious or much suspected with their followers; when yet all sober Christians in all Ages have been for Merit and Free-will in a sound sense: And is not this to be Incendiaries and Adversaries to Truth, and Love, and Peace?
§. 54. And the partial Teachers are the Cause of all this, while instead of opening the Doctrine truly to the People, in what sence we have or have not any Worthiness or Merit, they without distinction cry down Merit, and reproach those that do otherwise: And if they do but say, [Such a Man or such a Book speaketh for Merit and Free-will] they have sufficiently rendered him odious or much suspected with their followers; when yet all sober Christians in all Ages have been for Merit and Free-will in a sound sence: And is not this to be Incendiaries and Adversaries to Truth, and Love, and Peace?
§. 55. I have formerly thought, that though we agree in the thing, it is best omit the name, because the Papists have abused it: And I think so still, as in such Companies and Cases where the use of it not understood will scandalize men, and do more harm than good: (For why should I use words against mens edification?) But in other cases I now think it better to keep the word, 1. lest we seem to the ignorant to be of another Religion than all the ancient Churches were. 2. Lest we harden Papists, Greeks and others, by denying sound Doctrine in terms, which they will think we deny in sense. 3. Because our penury of Words is such as for my part I remember no other word so fit to substitute instead of [Merit] or [Desert] or [Worthiness.] The word [Rewardable] ⟨p. 296⟩is long and oft harsh: And what other have we? And it is nothing else that we mean.