Does this refer to Baxter's view of Justification

[NaphtaliPress]

The below is from a sermon by James Durham. Does he refer to Baxter here and if so what work? It would have to have been in print before about May 1656. And if not Baxter, who or who in addition since he speaks of "men"?

I shall say no more on this use, but these two words: We may partly regrate [lament] our great ignorance that we know so little of the use of faith in our justification; and partly we may lament the great confusion that is in these times, wherein men are set to overturn such a clear truth as if faith had no instrumentality in our justification, but as if it and other duties and work were equal sharers and alike in it.
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[NaphtaliPress]

Apparently only Baxter (by his own admission?). “Perhaps I shall be blamed, as singular from all men, in denying Faith to be the Instrument of our Justification.” See Baxter, Aphorismes of Justification (1649; 1655), 218, 139.

 

[MW]

Apparently only Baxter (by his own admission?). “Perhaps I shall be blamed, as singular from all men, in denying Faith to be the Instrument of our Justification.” See Baxter, Aphorismes of Justification (1649; 1655), 218, 139.

Chris,

Baxter was the mover and shaker. He broached the subject early in the peace, and the early interaction was with him. Those who came afterwards were known as Baxter's followers or of Baxter's school. The orthodox Scottish divines took particular issue with Baxter's theology on this and relevant points. E.g., Samuel Rutherford's Influences of the Life of Grace and John Brown (Wamphray), Life of Justification Opened, who both quoted from Baxter's Aphorisms.

Samuel Rutherford, p. 246:

Yet withal here we would beware of Mr. Baxter's order of setting repentance and works of new obedience before justification, which is indeed a new covenant of works, meriting the sprinkling of Christ's blood and washing in justification, and this blood payeth them back again; for by the merit of Christ's blood good works do justify and save.

John Brown, preface:

Yea even those who were purer in appearance, pressing the moral duties & practical doctrine of piety (I mean the followers of that famous Minister Mr. Richard Baxter) did corrupt the true Doctrine of Justification, because they adopted Universal Grace and Redemption. For suspending such an Universal Redemption as Conditional, upon the virtue of Faith, taught, that Justification is depending upon this virtue, and consequently that a man by Faith, as a virtue, must be justified: and because Repentance should be acknowledged as a Condition of eternal happiness, beside the virtue of Faith, therefore they imagine that Justification may be suspended even upon Repentance; so that we must believe, that Justification is not only by Faith, but also by Repentance.

P. 375:

Yea they say, that as Love & Faith are propounded in the Gospel, as of the same necessity, so they are necessary in Justification, & concurrent in apprehending Christ. So spoke Mr. Baxter in his Aphorisms. And in his Confess., p. 34, 35, he saith, Though Charity, as it respecteth other objects, is no part of faith, yet as it respecteth an offered Saviour, it is as much essential to faith, to receive Christ with Love, as it is essential to a Saviour (the object of faith) to be good for us; for good as good is received by love. Nor was it ever the Intent of the Holy Ghost, to take faith in Christ, in so narrow a sense, as includeth not Love to him, when it is saving Faith, that is spoken of.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Thanks very much Matthew; do you know who some of these others may have been circa 1649-1655? I mean who published? It may be Durham is not necessarily speaking of men as all published but men preaching I suppose.

 

[MW]

Chris, It is difficult to say at this early stage of the debate. It is easier to identify the Baxterians at the later stage when Witsius wrote his Irenicum.

At this earlier stage there were various shades of anti-antinomian preachers/writers. Baxter shared some affinity with the classical Anglican tradition, e.g., Taylor, Hammond, and Thorndike. Allison's Rise of Moralism is a good secondary source for tracing the school of thought.