Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
... This notwithstanding, it is better to maintain the Truth with the Generality of the Orthodox than to err with Origen: Mr. Baxter was subject to Mistakes. Bernardus non videt omnia. His Aphorisms about Justification was very [illegible word] to the most judicious Divines both in England and New-England.
His Christian Directory hath some Superstitious Things in it, which his Antagonist (Mr. Danvers) hath noted, and thereby exposed him to those Men who have no Kindness for his Memory. In many of his Writings these are Arminianish. Notions, which I wish had never been there. He honoured himself in his imitating Austin, in writing a Book of Retractations: I wish he had done more that Way. Were he now living, it would not trouble him to see any of his Mistakes corrected. Not long before his Death, in private Discourse, he did seriously profess his Desires to me, that if I observed any dangerous Error in any of his Writings, in Case the Lord should continue my Life after his, I would refute that Error. This argued both a Sincere Love to Truth, and Humility to be in his Holy Soul. ...
For more, see Increase Mather on Richard Baxter.
His Christian Directory hath some Superstitious Things in it, which his Antagonist (Mr. Danvers) hath noted, and thereby exposed him to those Men who have no Kindness for his Memory. In many of his Writings these are Arminianish. Notions, which I wish had never been there. He honoured himself in his imitating Austin, in writing a Book of Retractations: I wish he had done more that Way. Were he now living, it would not trouble him to see any of his Mistakes corrected. Not long before his Death, in private Discourse, he did seriously profess his Desires to me, that if I observed any dangerous Error in any of his Writings, in Case the Lord should continue my Life after his, I would refute that Error. This argued both a Sincere Love to Truth, and Humility to be in his Holy Soul. ...
For more, see Increase Mather on Richard Baxter.
