IT is now somewhat vpward of two yeares , This must be referred to the time when the Author writ it . since passing through the City of Bristol towards the Vniuersity of Cambridge , I was by the importunity of sundry Cittizens , my very good friends , arrested there certaine daies . For no sooner was I there arrived , but presently they repaired vnto me , and like so many Iacobs began to wrestle with me , Gen 32.24.26 . Rom. 1.11 . Mat. 11.12 . protesting they would not let me goe vnlesse I first promised to blesse them , and to bestow some spirituall gift among them . It was no small Ioy vnto mee to see the Kingdome of Heaven suffer such violence , and the people of God ( like so many thirsty Harts , Psal. 42.1 . braying for the rivers of waters , ) & panting after the liuing God . Wherefore I could not but with Iacobs Angel giue them leaue to prevaile , Gen. 32.28 . Mat. 5.41 . & yeeld so farre vnto their earnest request , that being angariated to goe but one mile , I was notwithstanding content to goe with them more then twaine , preaching ( before my departure thence ) divers sermons vnto them .

One time among the rest I chose for my Theme that of St Paul to the Ephesians , Ephes. 6. 16. Aboue all take the shield of Faith whereby ye may quench all the fiery darts of that wicked One. Wherein because Iustifying Faith seemed to be commended as the principallest peece of the Christians Panoplie , & of surest proofe against all the assaults & temptations of Satan , I held it necessary with all diligence to enquire what might be the true nature and definition thereof , and at length I resolued that the Act thereof was not Assurance but Affiance , the Subiect not the vnderstanding , but the will ; and the Obiect not present grace and future glory , but the person of the Mediator . So that I defined it , not as vulgarly it is conceiued , An assurance that we are already justified and shall be saued ; but thus , An affiance vpon Christ the Mediator for justification and consequently Saluation . The occasion mouing me to intreat of this argument was this ; A certaine graue and godly Matrone of that City hauing beene a long time sore afflicted with sicknesse both in mind and body , I went vpon entreaty with other friends to visit her ; and after mutuall salutation , Sister quoth I vnto her , were I Physitian for the body , I would aduise you the best I could for the health thereof : but it is not my element , and therefore I may not without great rashnesse put my selfe into it : neuerthelesse if you shall please to discouer vnto me the wound of your spirit , happily I may apply such a salue thereunto , as by the blessing of God may close it vp , or at least giue some refocilation and ease vnto the anguish thereof . My wound then , quoth she , in a word is this : I want faith ; And what may be the ground , quoth I , of this perswasion ? Because , quoth she , I am not assured that I am iustified and shall be saued : A weake ground , quoth I , seeing a man may haue Faith that wanteth such Assurance ; how may that be , quoth she ? for as hitherto I haue beene taught , Faith is no other then Assurance : then haue you beene taught amisse , quoth I : and if this be all the scruple that troubleth you , I hope ere we part to finish the cure . Thereupon I began freely to declare what I conceiued of the true nature of iustifying Faith , and proued vnto her by sundrie remonstrances that it was not Assurance but Affiance , and with so good successe , that both she and all that were present rested therewith much comforted and contented . Only they prayed me both for their owne confirmation , and the farther information of others , that I would be pleased to speak of it againe in a more publike audience : wherevnto ( seeing no reason to disswade me ) I readily condescended , and on the text aforesaid handled the matter somewhat largely .

This Sermon at least so farre as concernes the Definition of Faith was by one Mr Baxter then preacher of that City greatly distasted and disliked : in so much as by message he threatned me with open confutation thereof in the Pulpit , vnlesse I gaue him the speedier & better satisfaction ; which threatning though I little feared , knowing I had built nor hay nor stubble vpon the foundation , 1 Cor. 3.12.13 . but such doctrines as were well able to endure the triall of the fire : yet because the Apostle chargeth to be ready alwayes to giue answere to euery man that asketh a reason of the Hope that is in vs , 1 Pet. 3.15 . I was eftsoones willing the best I could to satisfie him . Being therefore by the mediation of some friends brought to a parlie with him , I prayed him to remember that whatsoeuer I sayd in that Sermon was not barely affirmed but soundly proued , and therefore he might not in reason demaund satisfaction of me vntill himselfe had satisfied my reasons : which if he should substantially doe , I would ease him of his Pulpit-confutation , and the same tongue that broched the errour , should in the same place againe reuoke it . Then began I to presse him with this argument , If faith be Assurance , then God commanding a Reprobate to beleeue , commands him also to be assured , which is absurd : whereunto all his answere was , who art thou that disputest with God ? I replied , Rom. 9.20 . that I neither disputed with God nor controled his actions : but only denyed that God commands a Reprobate to be assured , for so he should command that to be beleeued for true , which nor is nor euer shall be true . Againe I argued thus , If Faith be Assurance , then whosoeuer wanteth Assurance wanteth Faith , which to a distressed soule is most vncomfortable . To this he answered that desire of Assurance is in the acceptation of God as Assurance it selfe . I replyed , that Mr Perkins being vrged with the same Obiection answered in the same manner , but vnsufficiently : for if actuall Faith be necessary to iustification , then is actuall Assurance also necessary if Faith be assurance : Here Mr Baxter would needs take occasion to expostulate , why I should presume to define otherwise then Mr. Perkins , and so many worthy Divines had done before mee . Wherevnto I answered roundly and plainely , Socrates is deare , Arist. Eth. l. 1. c. 5. and Plato is deare , but truth is farre dearer : and therefore prayed him that leauing to oppose authority vnto reason , and sounding names vnto sound proofes , hee would returne againe within the lists , and either satisfie what I had said , or giue mee leaue to proceed to the rest of my arguments ; But for this he craved , as then , to bee excused , pretending vrgent and instant businesse , yet offering to haue our conference adiourned vnto some other day : I told him that the time of absence ( limited me from the Colledge , whereof I was then Fellow ) was almost at an end ; so that vnlesse I would hazard my place I might make no longer stay there : neverthelesse if he pleased I would before my departure giue him my minde in writing , and attend his answere also in writing at his better leisure : To this hee presently condescended , holding it the fittest course , and promising ( if I held my word with him ) within one Moneth to returne me his full answere . I assured him that for my part I would not faile him : and therevpon embracing one the other , and giuing hand that wee would proceed as wee had begun with all peace and loue , we brake off talke at that time and departed . The second day after , according to promise , I sent him the Treatise following , Of the true nature & definition of iustifying Faith , comprizing therein with some addition whatsoeuer touching the matter in question I had more briefly deliuered in the Pulpit : and the next morning taking leaue of my friends , & commending them to the grace of God in Christ I set forward for Cambridge .

The moneth being expired I looked out for my answere : for I could not thinke he would proue a bad pay-master , and breake day with me : But a moneth and a moneth and many other moneths followed after their predecessor , and all the while not a word from my Antagonist : which though in some Creditors it would haue bred suspition , yet was I content to lay hold on the better handle , and to set the best construction I could vpon his ouerlong silence , Epist. Fam. l. 9. ep. 8. interpreting it as Cicero did his frend Varros forbearance , rather Diligence then Slacknes . For as Zeuxis was the longer in drawing his Pictures , because as he said vnto Agatharchus , he painted vnto Eternity : so Mr Baxter perhaps might the more slowely come off with his answere , that in the meane season he might make it the more exact and accurate , it being seldome seene that the same thing is both hastily and exquisitely done . But while I was thus ingenuously censuring his silence , and resoluing yet further to forbeare him , remembring that of Cato , Soone enough if well enough : I receiued certaine aduertisement that he had erewhile broken silence , and dispersed among his friends a most bitter and contumelious Invectiue against me , contrary both to his promise that he would proceed with all peace and charity , and the reputation of learning he so much affects , not daring to send me a Copy thereof . Loth I was seeing I haue not the rule of other mens pens , that others should haue the command of my affections : yet being so vrgently & vnschollerly dealt withall , the next time I passed through the City I could not but with some indignation challenge him for it to his face : At which time how he faltered and staggered in his tale , now confidently affirming he had by a friend conueyed his answer vnto me , & by & by being contested by the party , shamefully retracting it . Pretending for excuse the losse of my paper , I appeale to them who then both saw and heard it . But this I say , that as his inconstancy and distraction bewrayed little friendship betwixt his heart & tongue , & argued a selfe-guiltines of a poore and sorry Reply : so the pretenced losse of my paper was but a silly shift to delay me for the present , and as the euent shewes a miserable tergiuersation . For hauing a fresh offered within one moneth to send me an answere , and thereupon engaged both his credit and schollership if he were supplied with another coppy : although the next day I left one for him vnder my hand , and now not one onely but twelue monthes are since fully finished and expired , yet hath he hitherto beene to me ward as silent as midnight : to me ward I say , for otherwise the libell still passed vnder hand , and at euery meeting made his disciples good glee . Whereby it plainly appeareth , his meaning neuer was by an honest and christian entercourse of writing to sift out the truth : but onely by secret pamphletting to disparage me among his followers , that so himselfe might rise the higher , in the ballance of their estimation . For had he sincerely and vnfainedly purposed the maintenance of Gods truth , and the reformation of my erronious iudgment , would he thus vncharitably haue played his prizes in the dark , and to michingly haue gone about to steale an opinion of victory ? or would he not rather as became a right Champion of truth boldly haue confronted his aduersary in the field , yea though hee had beene armed with no better weapon then a fillie sling , as long as he came ( for so he pretends ) in the name of the Lord of Hosts ? But the truth is perceiuing himselfe so farre aduanced into the battell that now without shame and confusion hee might not retreat , hee held it the safest course by writing something to make the world beleeue hee had duly performed with mee , and yet by limiting it vnto the hands of a few of his trustiest friends to depriue mee of all possibility of answering for my selfe , resting assured that my silence would be taken to proceed rather of weaknes and insufficiencie in me , then any necessitie by his cunning enforced vpon mee . A new kinde of policie , or of malice rather as Hierome saith vnto Ruffin , Contra Ruffin . ad Pamm . & Marcell . l. 1. c. 1. to accuse of what you feare to discouer , and to write what you would haue concealed . And so warie and heedfull hath he been herein , that with all the diligence and endeauour I could vse , I could not for the space of full two twelue moneths be seized of his Answer .

But at length the night-raven fell into the snare , and by the watchfulnesse of my good friends in Bristow I obtained such a Copie thereof as with all his shifts and excuses hee cannot possibly disclaime , being indeed subscribed with his owne hand . Perhaps you may think it found me when I first receaued it , strongly forestalled and possessed with preiudice : and indeed his base and vnworthie dealing deserued no other . For how could I entertaine any indifferent conceit of that whereof the authors selfe seemed to bee ashamed ? Neverthelesse before I began to pervse it , so farre prevailed I over my affections , that I throughly cleered them of all partialitie and presumption , yea and grew so rigorous & vnequall against my selfe , that I was content to suppose I might be in error , and he happily the Physitian to cure the disease of my iudgement , resolving if I might plainely be convinced to take vnto me Christian severity and recant the same . For if I may not hope in this life to aspire to the highest degree of wisdome , yet would I willingly rise to some degree of modesty : that if I may not in all things say that which is not to be repented of , yet I may at least repent me of what I haue said amisse .

In this temper and disposition I tooke the booke , and casting mine eye vpon the front thereof , there I found it thus inscribed . The answer of Nath. Baxter Bachelor in Divinitie and Warden of new Colledge in Yoghul to the arguments of Mr Io. Downe Bachelor in Divinitie in a controversie of justifying Faith , preached by the said Mr Downe in Bristoll . Then vnderneath , the Question thus stated M. Downe ; Iustifying Faith is not assurance , perswasion , or firme knowledge of a mans salvation in Christ Iesus . M. Baxter ; Iustifying Faith is an assurance and knowledge of our salvation in Christ Iesu . And lastly vnder that againe this passage of Calvin vouched , In ad Coloss. c. 1. to . 6. The Faith of the Gospell is properly called a knowledge of the grace of God : because no man ever tasted of the Gospell but he which knew himselfe reconciled vnto God , and apprehended his salvation offered to him in Christ . In the inscription , though it please him in such sort to stile himselfe , I thinke to make the reader beleeue that I had met with my peer at least ; Horat. lib. 1. Sat. 7. and if I were a Bithus , he were no lesse then a Bacchius : yet could he not without great arrogance challenge those titles to himselfe , hauing never taken such degree in either of the Universities , and being no more Warden of Yoghul then was Captaine Stukelie Marques of Ireland , Gentil . exam. Conc. Trid. Sess. 1. or Robert Venantius in the Councel of Trent Archibishop of Armach . As touching the Question that also is very defectiuely and imperfectly propounded : for neither doe J maintaine negatiuely alone that Faith is not Assurance , but affirmatiuely also that it is Affiance . neither doth he only affirme contradictorily vnto me that it is Assurance , but further granteth in his Answer that it includeth also my Affiance . And as for the passage of Calvin , to what end it is here prefixed vnlesse it be to preiudicate mee with the greatnesse of his authoritie , I knowe not . But as hee would hold it vnreasonable if another should vrge him therewith in the question of Ecclesiasticall Policie & conformitie , because himselfe is of another minde : so neither hath he any reason to presse the same vpon me in this controversie wherein I professe my selfe ( but with all modestie ) to differ from him . These flashings , as it were , and inflammations thus appearing in the very face of his booke , made mee I confesse , somewhat stagger in my former resolution , and to doubt lest they might be symptomes of an vnsound and distempered bodie . Neverthelesse I was not so driven from my station but that I easily recovered the same againe . For fearing lest as the Physiognomer was foully deceiued , iudging of Socrates only by his outward Physnomie and countenance ; so I also might be as much mistaken if by the front alone I should make an estimate of the whole Answer : I was soone perswaded , yet further to suspend my verdict vntill I had taken a full and thorow survay thereof : Which when I had once done , then indeed began I to be greatly abashed , and vtterly to condemne my selfe of foolish lightnesse and credulity , Mat. 7.16 . that could hope so suddenly to gather Grapes of Thornes ; or reape other then tares in the field of the envious man . For whereas touching the manner I looked hee should haue followed the Apostles counsell , who adviseth to instruct with meeknesse those that are contrary minded , if God at any time will giue them repentance to acknowledge the truth : 2 Tim. 2.25 . he as if he had to deale , not with a brother erring of infirmity , but some obstinate Heretike condemned of his owne conscience , Tit. 3.11 . inflames his affections against me in as high a degree as was Nabucodonosors furnace , seven times hotter then Christian charity could haue made them : And whereas touching the matter I expected that hee who stood so much vpon tearmes of schollership , should vse nothing else but Syllogismes and necessary Demonstrations , that by pure vertue and fine force he might captiue my reason vnto the obedience of Faith : he rather like an idle declaimer , trusting more to the noise and multitude of his words then the strength and pregnancy of his reasons , traverseth a loofe in vnnecessary and impertinent discourses , and puffs vp his empty Answer with the breath of many frivolous & vainely affected phrases , gaining perhaps thereby applause of the vulgar and simple , but from the graue and learned no better entertainment then the Shepheards whistle . In a word , Cic. l. 1. ep. 13. ad Attic. Hist. nat. lib. 12. c. 19. as the Troglodytes ( of whom Pliny reports ) venture vpon the maine Ocean , withou● either rudder or oare or sayle , hauing in their boats nothing but man and boldnesse : even so my adversary hazardeth himselfe vpon this deepe question , and taketh vpon him the Confutation of my Treatise , vsing therein nor naturall reason , nor humanity , nor divinitie , but only impudent facing , and desperate asseveration .

The consideration of all which halfe perswaded me at the first not to vouchsafe it any Replication at all , but without farther ceremonie to commit it to the mercy of the Moth or the Grocer . For how could I reply vnto it , but either I must grace it by making it seeme worthy to be confuted , or disgrace my selfe by confuting so vnworthy a ioy ? And what should I reioine vnto it ? That which is serious and of importance ▪ I could not , because he giues me no occasion : Reproch for reproch , and slander for slander ? I might not , because it is vnchristian : and to answer a foole according to his folly were to proue like vnto him , as Salomon saith . Prou. 26.4 . Howbeit vpon riper aduise and deliberation I held it for sundrie causes if not necessary yet very expedient and fitting to shape him an answer . And first in respect of him , if it may be to expresse his audaciousnes , and to let him see that they oftentimes leap too short , who thinke to make anothers impeachement arise for their owne reputation . For if a foole be not answered according to his folly , Prou. 26.5 . he will saith Salomon , waxe wise in his owne conceit . Then secondly in regard of my owne selfe , and the credit of my Ministery , to wipe away the slanderous aspersions and imputations of I know not what strange opinions and dangerous intentions wrongfullie if not maliciously charged vpon me : lest if I dissemble them I bee thought to confesse them , or to approue them if I refell them not . Thirdly and lastly in regard of others , and among the rest those my good friends especially who occasioned the preaching of this doctrine , partly to preserue from recidiuation such as by the comfortablenesse thereof were recouered out of great distresse , and partly to preuent others from falling into the like perplexitie . Although therefore I denie not but that good houres bestowed vpon so bad a subiect might haue beene more profitably employed , especially considering that by the violent struggling thereof against the rooke of truth , it hath whollie turned it selfe into froth , and hath not so much as a drop of cleere reason in it : yet notwithstanding for the reasons aforesaid , and that it may perfectly appeare how stedfast and vnmoued the rocke stands , and how little the stormes and tempests raised against it haue preuailed vpon it , I haue thought good to skim away the fome of Sophistrie wrought about it , and to discouer the very ground whereon it is setled . Which when I shall haue done , I doubt not , howsoeuer my aduersary with his tong-valiantnes and swelling words may haue made vnexperienced folke belieue that with the breath of his mouth hee is able to driue whole armies of arguments before him : yet I shall approue euen to the iudgement of preiudice it selfe that whatsoeuer in this windie & wordie Pamphlet he hath vented against me is vainer then vanitie it selfe .

And thus , Christian Reader , haue I at length fully acquainted thee with the whole story both of the originall and progresse of this controuersie . Now it remaineth ere thou passe thy censure and sentence thereupon , that thou be pleased to bestow a little paines in perusing our aduersary writings ; and what thou findest in them ( said or gainsaid ) diligently to examine , not by the deceitfull ballance of priuate opinion , but by the publicke beame of the Sanctuarie euen the Scriptures of God . For mans siluer is mingled with drosse , Esa. 1.22 . and his wine is tempered with water , neither hath he receiued such a measure of the Spirit as to know all things , or to be exempted from possibility of erring : but God is light and in him is no darknesse , 1 Ioh. 1.5 . and truth is vnto him so necessary and essentiall as it is impossible hee should either deceiue or be deceiued , it implying contradiction with his nature . And therefore the priuilege of infallibility belonging vnto him alone , to him alone belongeth also the prerogatiue of supreme iudicature : so that whatsoeuer he saith , is simply and absolutely to bee belieued , whereas the sayings of men are by his word to be tried and determined . This I say not to impeach the credit or estimation of any , only I would reserue vnto God the Soueraigne authority due vnto him : Which if any presume to arrogate or claime vnto himselfe ( as indeed the Bishop of Rome doth vnto his chaire , as if it were made of Irish timber , and might not endure a spider to hang his web thereon ) hee is vndoubtedly possessed with the Spirit of Antichristian pride , and like another Lucifer vsurpeth vpon the throne of God . But they that are led by the Spirit of Christ , and haue beene reputed the worthiest instruments and ornaments in the Church , acknowledging holy Writ to be the Standard of truth , and the only vnmoued Principle into which all Questions of Faith are finally to bee resolued , boldly exact the writings of other men thereunto , and meekely submit their owne to be censured thereby . Let one S. Augustin speake for all , The disputations of men , saith he , Epist. 111. ad Fortunatian . how Catholicke or laudable soeuer , we ought not to esteeme as Canonicall Scripture , as if it were not lawfull ( sauing the honor due vnto them ) to disallow or reiect any thing in their writings , if happily wee find ought in them swaruing from truth . Such am I in the writings of other men , and so would I haue others to vnderstand in mee . Now therefore , to draw to a conclusion , seeing to thy vpright censure and arbitrement I referre my selfe , and the rule by which thou art to proceed if thou wilt pronounce righteously , is as we haue shewed , not the opinion of man , but the oracle of God ; I must entreate thee that laying aside all respect of persons thou suffer not thy selfe to bee swayed either with the multitude or greatnes of those that are contrary minded , but conferring cause with cause , and counterpoising reason against reason , thou giue thy iudgement of them as the weight of Diuine euidence shall incline thee . For otherwise , if like a partiall Festus , willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure , Act. 25.9 . thou demand of me , Whither I will goe vp to Ierusalem and there bee iudged of these things before thee : I must roundly and peremptorily answer thee with S. Paul , V. 10.11 . I stand at Caesars barre where I ought to be iudged , to the Iewes I haue done no wrong , neither may any man deliuer me vnto them , I appeale vnto Caesar : But if with the same Festus better aduised by his Counsell , V. 12. thou say vnto me as hee did vnto Paul , Hast thou appealed vnto Caesar ? Vnto Caesar shalt thou goe : then looke what definitiue sentence soeuer thou shalt giue according to Caesars law , I meane the sacred Scriptures , I shall as becommeth a subiect of the Kingdome humbly submit my selfe vnto it , and without further prouocation or appeale quietly and peaceably rest in it . In the meane season I conclude with that holy and deuout prayer of Fulgentius , beseeching the God of all truth , De Praedest . to Mon. l. 1. that by his preuenting and pursuing mercy whatsoeuer truths we know which sauingly are to bee knowne he would teach vs , in those which already we know to be true hee would keepe vs , wherein as men we faile and are deceiued he would correct vs , in what truths we doubt of hee would confirme vs , and from false and pernicious errors he would deliuer vs : Eph. 4.13 . that so at length wee may all meet , as the Apostle speaketh , in the vnity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God vnto a perfect man , euen to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ . Amen .