What shall I do, then? Shall I put forth a creed or an apology to make it appear that indeed I am not concerned in any of Mr Baxter's contests ? But, —
1 . I dare not look upon myself of any such consideration to the world, as to write books to give them an account of myself (with whom they very little trouble their thoughts); to tell them my faith and belief; to acquaint them when I am well and when I am sick; what sin I have mortified most; what books I have read; how I have studied; how I go, and walk, and look; what one of my neighbours says of me, and what another; how I am praised by some and dispraised by others; what I do, and what I would have others do; what dihgence, impartiality, upright- ness, I use; what I think of other men: so dealing unmercifully with perishing paper, and making books by relating to myself, worthy
"Deferri in vieum vendentem thus et odores, Et piper, et quioquid chartis amicitur ineptis." — Hor. Ep. ii. 269.
And I should plainly show myself d,Xa.X,ovi)x;av)/o(p>.ua.fo;.
2. I know there is no need of any such thing: for all that know me, or care to know me, know full well that, in and about the doctrine of justification by faith, I have no singular opinion of my own, but embrace the common, known doctrine of the reformed churches; which, by God's good assistance, in due time I shall farther explicate and vindicate from Papists, Socinians, and Arminians. I cannot com- plain that \yu I'lf^i fiovos rav rifiuv lju.os, Apollodorus ; I have companions and coun- sellors. And, in truth, it is very marvellous to some that this learned person, who hath manifested so great a tenderness on his own behalf as to call their books '•' monsters" and themselves "liars," who charged his opinion about justification with a coincidence with that of the Papists, should himself so freely impute Antino- mianism to others, an opinion which he esteems as bad, if not every way worse, than that of the Papists about justification. But " content! simus hoc Catone;" which is all I shall say, though some would add, —
" Homine imperito nunquani quidquam injustius. Qui, nisi quod ipse facit, nihU rectum putat."
3. I must add, if for a defensative of myself I should here transcribe and subscribe some creed already published, I must profess it must not be that of Mr B. (pp. 12, 13), which he calls the " Worcestershire profession of faith;" and that, as for other reasons, so especially for the way of delivering the doctrine of the Trinity, which but in one expression at most differs from the known confession of the Socinians, and in sundry particulars gives so great a countenance to their abominations. For instance, the first article of it is, " I believe that there is one only God, the Father, infinite in being," etc., which, being carried on towards the end, and joined to the
AND OF JUSTIFICATION. 595
" profession of consent," as it is called, in these words, " I do heartily take this one God for my only God and chiefest good, and this Jesus Christ for my only Lord, Redeemer, and Saviour," evidently distinguishes the Lord Jesus Christ our Re- deemer, as our Lord, fi-om that one true God; which not only directly answers that question of Mr Biddle's, "How many Lords of Christians are there in distinc- tion from this one God? " but in terms falls in with that which the Socinians profess to be the "tessera" of their sect and churches, as they call them, which is, that they believe in the " one true, living God the Father, and in his only Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Nor am I at so great an indififerency in the business of the procession of the Holy Ghost as to those expressions of " from," and " by the Son,'"' as that confession is at, knowing that there is much more depends on these ex- pressions, as to the doctrine of tlie Trinity, than all the confessionists can readily apprehend. But yet here, — that we may not have occasion to say, AsiTToXoyav a^a- Xoyiav <piu -rXTiSuo; ! — I do freely clear the subscribers of that confession from any sinister opinion of the Trinity or the deity of Jesus Christ ; though as to myself I suppose my reasons abundantly sufficient to detain me from a subscription of it. But if this course be not to be insisted on, shall I, —
4. Run over all the confessions of faith and common-places which I have or may have here at Oxford, and manifest my consent with them in the matter under question? I confess this were a pretty easy way to make up a great book; but for many reasons it suits not with my judgment, although I would have the advan- tage of giving what they positively deliver in abundance as their main thesis and foundation, without cutting off discourses from their connection and coherence, to give them a new face and appearance, which in their own proper place they had not, or gathei'ing up their concessions to the adversaries to one purpose and apply- ing them to another : and therefore I shall wholly waive that way of procedure, al- though I might by it, perhaps, keep up some good reputation with the orthodox.