Thescholastic approach to theology has arguably fallen on hard times. To manyChristians today, the term “scholastic” may imply a concern with the esotericand obscure aspects of the faith that majors in the minors at the expense ofthe “practical.” But is this perception an accurate reflection of thescholastic method? A study of one of its most gifted practitioners, Puritanminister John Arrowsmith (1602-1659), suggests otherwise.
JohnArrowsmith was a minister, scholar, college master, and theologian in Englandduring the Puritan era. In these roles, he crossed paths with many names familiarto readers of the Puritans, including Richard Sibbes, Thomas Goodwin, WilliamStrong, and other delegates to the Westminster Assembly (1643-1653).In his biographical introduction to Plans for Holy War, Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorndescribes Arrowsmith as one of the assembly’s most respected scholars. Indeed, hewas regularly appointed to special committees where he put his pastoral andscholarly wisdom to good use.
Arrowsmith’svarious talents were on full display in his final work, Plans for Holy War,published two years before his death. In this lengthy treatise,Arrowsmith traces the theme of spiritual warfare throughout the Scriptures,beginning with Genesis 3:15. Like many Puritan authors, Arrowsmith leaves nostone unturned, mining a myriad of biblical texts for concepts, principles, andapplications for the spiritual soldiers under his care. But what makesArrowsmith stand out among his peers is his command and judicious use ofclassical sources.
VanDixhoorn notes:
“The one other aspect of Plans for Holy War that neither thetranslator’s nor editor’s introductions can fully capture is what the workssays about the impressive extent of the author’s scholarship and reading. Herewe are reminded again that Arrowsmith was no amateur theologian with Olympicconfidence. He was drawing on a rich life of scholarship that is inadequatelysummarized in terms of statistics.”[1]
While mostPuritan ministers were well-versed in these sources, Arrowsmith’s talent forweaving quotes and allusions into his pastoral writings stands out even amonghis most learned peers. Perhaps this stems from his distinction as a superiorLatinist (this first edition of Plans for Holy War was translated from Latinby Dr. David C. Noe), which granted him more immediate command of these sources.
In anycase, reading even a few lines of Arrowsmith’s writing reveals that he employedhis learning in a manner that helps his readers better understand the truthsfromeach biblical text. Contrary to the caricature of scholasticism as esoteric sophistry,Arrowsmith’s citations (of both Christian and pagan sources) are warm andlife-giving.Arrowsmith himself calls this marriage of devotional andacademic writing a “Scholastico-Pastoralis” style. As Noe says:
“His winsome, brilliant, and diligent appropriation of theChristian tradition, as well as his dedication to the truth, his affability,and his wit, are good models not only for students of theology but also forstudents of the ancient languages Arrowsmith loved and whose study hevigorously championed.”[2]
In theexcerpt below from Book 1, Chapter 5, Sections 8-10 of Plansfor Holy War, the extent of Arrowsmith’s theological and pastoral insightis on full display. After Arrowsmith has established that all Christians arespiritual soldiers in Christ’s army, he encourages the believer by answering acrucial question:
What resourcesdoes Christ provide for His soldiers to claim victory in spiritual combat?
§ 8. First, then, let us discuss the weapons. People think anunarmed man is unwarlike. When it is time to join the battle, then he is calledto arms. The weapons Christ supplies are denoted by a twofold character in thesacred literature. They are called “weapons of light” (Rom. 13:12), that is,most gleaming (in Romans 13). And this Paul does, if I am not mistaken, as anallusion to the practice of those same Romans. It was their establishedpractice to dispatch soldiers to the line decked in shining armor. ThusJuvenal: “His silver shone in arms alone.”[3]Suetonius, when writing about Julius Caesar, says, “He kept his soldiers sostylishly equipped that he decked them out with polished weapons of silver andgold. This was as much for their appearance as that they would grip them moreresolutely in battle from fear of loss.”[4]Onosander’s advice also had this aim: “A general must see to it that his armygleams, equipped with shining armor. For his soldiers look more awe-inspiringwhen sparks, so to speak, flash off their armor.”[5]But even the very lightning is cast into shadow when compared to the light ofspiritual weapons—I mean the light of knowledge, true godliness, and joy. Inanother passage, these are called the “weapons of righteousness” (2 Cor. 6:7).Within this title we note a luminous difference between our weapons and worldlyones. For the weapons of the world are generally dedicated to unrighteousness,and “sin is granted legal standing.” This was the poet’s complaint.[6]We also note that famous passage of Antigonus where he mercilessly lambasts aman who provided him a commentary on the nature of justice while attackingforeign cities. Is there not also this bit about Marius, “who denied that hecould hear the laws over the commotion of weapons”? Not to mention thatanecdote of Pompey:[7]“Did I put on armor so that I could meditate on the laws?”[8]Horace really nailed it when he described Achilles’s savagery like this:
The laws, heclaimed, were born for some but not for him to heed.
Whate’er he hadhe’d gained by might, and force of manly deed.[9]
§ 9. Second, let us look at thesoldiers’ pay. Wars depend on twomotivating forces: iron and gold. From the former, weapons are forged, and fromthe latter, salaries are paid. The mark of a good general is to see to it that,if at all possible, these are not diminished. For, the Apostle says, “Who everserved as a solider at his own expense?” (1 Cor. 9:7). So by this veryargument, Paul claims that ministers of the gospel are owed a fair wage.Consequently, nothing is so unfair as when soldiers enjoy the pay owed them,while ministers of the Word are either begrudged their salaries or it is deniedthat these are due them. This is not the way Christ acts as commander, who“established by a particular law”—ὁ κύριος διέταξε[10]—“thatthose who proclaim the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14). Ifmen regard this divine regulation I just mentioned (oh, how shameful that someconsider this to be petty grasping!), the soldiers of Christ will not have togo without their pay. He will be, O man of God, whoever you are (provided youreally are a man of God)—though you be treated very shamefully by the men ofthis world—the “Almighty will be your most precious gold, and your silver, andyour strength” (Job 22:25). This is how the words of Eliphaz are rendered inthe Junio-Tremellius version.[11]
Thisis the third consideration: a good general will supply provision. A famished army cannot maintain its discipline, asCassiodorus remarks,[12]and commonsense proves it. Recall the famous Gaspard de Coligny,[13]butchered in that Paris slaughterhouse. He had this to say about the army: “Ifanyone wants to build a brilliant army, he must begin with the stomach.” Bythis he meant that the daily ration was absolutely indispensable. This is sucha keen concern to our general that He does not refuse to nourish us by His ownSpirit and feed us on His word. No, He does more than that. So no one in Hiscamp suffer hunger, He even stoops to offer us His own blood for drink and Hisflesh for food. Scriptural proof of this concept is very clearly given in theEvangelist: “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats myflesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him” (John 6:55–56).
§ 10. Fourth, we have the commander’sexample. The vigorous commander willgo out ahead of His army not merely in words but also in actions. Thus, one ofthe Caesars—I am not quite sure who, but unless I am mistaken, it wasJulius—when something difficult needed doing, would typically address hissoldiers like this: “I do not say, ‘Advance, soldiers,’ but, ‘Let us soldier ontogether.’”[14]As Lucan said of Cato,[15]
He went ahead on foot, his spear clutchedtight
Before the faces of his host surprised,
And showed them how to bear the task nor did
He give command.[16]
Abimelech, in the book of Judges, said to hismen: “What you have seen me do, do quickly” (Judg. 9:48). And what of Christ?Let us listen to Him directly. “I have given you an example, that as I havedone for you, so you should do yourselves” (John 13:15). And let us hear whatPeter says about Him: “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that weshould follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Augustine sings in unison with bothwhen he says, “The words of your Word are our lessons, the deeds of your Wordour examples.”[17]In another passage, moreover, he says, “Christ’s whole life was an instructionin proper morality.”[18]Likewise, Leo wrote, “In vain are we called Christians if we do not becomeimitators of Christ. He said that He was the way: the teacher’s conversationwas to be the student’s pattern, and the servant would choose that humilitythat his master followed.”[19]
Fifth,there is help. It is truly the commander’s duty to come to the aid ofeven a common soldier when he is in danger. Trajan[20]reportedly dressed his soldiers’ wounds with his own hand.[21]And when they ran out of bandages, Trajan did not even spare his own clothingbut tore it all up for tourniquets and poultices. The sacred Scriptures teachus that Christ our Lord offered up Himself—I do not mean His clothing but Hisvery flesh—to be torn asunder that “by his wounds we might be healed” [Isa.53:5]. Yet He is always present through His Holy Spirit to bring needed help toChristians and ministers as they toil. For this reason, Paul wrote to thePhilippians, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me: Christ”(Phil. 4:13). He does not, of course, mean all things without exception, for hecould not create a world. But when he says “All things,” he means by thisphrase whatever is in accord with his own calling, as Calvin notes.[22]For now, I do not want to tarry over particulars. It will be sufficient just totouch briefly, as it were, on the main points of these topics. Do we need helpreading? “Christ opened the disciples’ minds that they might understand theScriptures” (Luke 14:45). We acknowledge that the Spirit of Christ is thedoorkeeper to the holy books. No one may gain access to enter into these innerholy places if Christ does not admit them. Do we need to pray? Let us heed theApostle as he writes to the Romans: “The Spirit with us bears our weaknesses.For we do not know what we should pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes forus with inexpressible groans” (Rom. 8:26). Augustine, in his Confessions,remarks eloquently as follows: “There is nothing, O Lord, that You hear from methat You have not first spoken to me.”[23]What about preaching? If there is any power in our words, it is owed to Christ.For Paul says, “The one who worked through Peter as an apostle of thecircumcision also worked through me as an apostle among the gentiles” (Gal.2:8). Finally, what about hearing? The Lord is said to have “opened Lydia’sheart to heed what Paul was saying” (Acts 16:14). And concerning the Spirit ofChrist, Gregory Nazianzus says, ᾧ μόνῳ Θεὸςκαὶ νοεῖται καὶ ἑρμηνεύεται καὶ ἀκούεται (“Through the Spirit alone God isunderstood, explained, and heeded”).[24]
[1] Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn, “John Arrowsmith: ATheological Life,” Plans for Holy War, 66 [2] Dr. David Noe, “Translators Preface,” Plans forHoly War, 14 [3] Juvenal, Satyra, 11. [4] Cap. 65.] Gaius SuetoniusTranquillus, b. ca. 70, Romanbiographer and historian, De XII. Caesaribus(Leiden, 1651), bk. 1, ch. 67. [5] Strategic. c. 28.] Onosander,fl. first century AD, Greek philosopher, Strategicus (Heidelberg, 1600),ch. 28, p. 42. [6] Lucan. phars. l. 1.] Lucan, BellumCivile, bk. 1. A. here cites from line 2 of the Roman poet Lucan’s epic Pharsalia:iusque datum sceleri. The context is the Roman civil wars, and A.wrongly cites line 1. [7] Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey),106–48 BC, Roman general and statesman. [8] Vid. Grotium de bello &pace in proleg.] Grotius, De Iure Belli Ac Pacis (Amsterdam, 1642), sig.a4r (prolegomena). [9] Horace, De Arte Poetica, in Opera(Paris, 1642). [10] “The Lord decreed.” [11] Biblia Sacra, Job 22:25, p.356. [12] Variarum 4. c. 13.] Cassiodorus, Variarum, bk. 4, ch. 13. [13] Gaspard II de Coligny, 1519–1572,French Huguenot admiral. [14] Suetonius, De XII. Caesaribus,bk. 1, ch. 67. [15] Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato theYounger), 95–46 BC, Roman politician. [16] Lib. 9.] Lucan, Bellum Civile,bk. 9.587–89. [17] De veraRelig. c. 16.] Augustine, De VeraReligione, in Opera,vol. 1 (Basel, 1528). This quotation is often credited to Augustine; A.’sphrasing does not appear to be in the treatise he cites. [18] De Vera Religione, XXIX (29). [19] Serm.de nativitate Dei.] Leothe Great, In Nativitatem Domini (sermo 5). [20] Marcus Ulpius Traianus (Trajan), ca. 53–117, r. 98–117, Roman emperor. [21] Dio Cassius.] Dio Cassius, ca. 164–post-229, Roman statesman andhistorian who wrote in Greek, Historiae Romanae (Hanover, 1606), bk. 68. [22] Calvin, Commentarii In OmnesPauli Epistolas, sub. Phil. 4:13. [23] Lib. 10. c. 2.] Augustine, Confessionum,10.2.2. [24] In Apologet.] Gregory Nazianzus, ca. 325–389, Cappadocian father, Apologeticus,in Opera, vol. 1 (Paris, 1630) (oratio 1). A. gives the Greektext, together with his own Latin gloss.
