A26883:1180
Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…
Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1675
THE Second Part. OF GODS GOVERNMENT, AND MORAL WORKS. › A PREMONITION.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
5. One act of our Obedience now is not the fulfilling of all the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, nor entitleth us alone to Glory, unless God cut off our life as soon as that act is done: Perseverance to the end is part of our Condition of Glory. And we know of no such difference between Adam's Covenant or Case and ours, as will prove it otherwise with him.
6. Else it would make the Condition of the Covenant of Grace to be much harder and severer than of the Law of Innocency; which is not likely: To perform one act of Love and Obedience, is not so hard as to do it to the death, though we lose our lives in the expressions of it.
Object. But our first Faith giveth us Right to the Spirit of Confirmation and Immutability, though more must be done for Perfection.
Answ. 1. It appeareth then that Perfection and Glory is more than Confirmation. 2. It is certain, that the Regenerate are mutable as to the degrees of Grace, and are far from Perfection at the first. 3. The generality of the Fathers and ancient Churches thought that true Justification, and Right to Heaven, and true Love to God, was lost by many: And Austin himself and his Followers so thought. 4. And they that think otherwise yet know, that Glory is still given us (quoad jus in the Promise) on condition of our perseverance: And we should hardly find so many Threatenings against them that fall away, if all might so easily know that the first act of Obedience doth so fix us, and give us in justice a Right to Immutability.