I’ve been thinking lately about Witsius’ Animadversiones Irenicae, the piece he wrote in 1696 for various British divines. What has prompted my thinking on this piece is the news that there may be further dissertations being written on the venerable Wits, specifically his covenantal thought as it relates to the British divines of his day (the High Orthodoxy of the 17th century).
The impetus for the Irenicum was a debate between the Neonomians and the Antinomians of British clergy and scholars. Witsius was enlisted to referee the disagreement, and the Irenicum is his published result. As I was looking at a few notes, I was struck by how Witsius’ arguments parallel several of the current debates in contemporary Reformed & Presbyterian circles. Notice how he begins:
For there is a dispute, 1. concerning the way and manner of obtaining salvation. 2. concerning the application of the purchased salvation. 3. concerning justification. 4. concerning the nature and genius of the covenant of grace. 5. concerning the utility of holiness and good works. 6. concerning the preaching of the law and the gospel.
How many of these same issues have spilled ink in our journals, denominational magazines, and conferences? And yet despite some of the exact same concerns, how many ministers and leaders in Reformed & Presbyterian denominations know the wisdom that men like Witsius (not to mention Erskine, Boston, Ames, etc.) have passed down on these issues?
Go check out Conciliatory and Irenical Animadversions!
