A26883:1361
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
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.
Were it not for wearying the Reader, and my self, I would here answer all that Suarez saith, (de Legib. li. 10. c. 2.) to prove that no praeceptum positivum morale is added by Christ: And I would easily prove that as some parts of Nature are unalterable, and accordingly natural Duty, so some things of Nature are mutable, and so is that natural Duty which is founded on them: And Christ hath by supernatural Performances and Revelations made such changes in the nature of things, as inferreth new natural Obligations. Were the Devils redeemed, and Grace now offered them, nature would make it their duty to accept it.
In sum, it is a sufficient confutation of all Suarez's Reasons, to say, that they run upon this false supposition, that Nature and supernatural Precept may not both oblige man to the same duty, and that God cannot lay two Obligations on us to the same action. For all that he laboureth, is to prove that supposing the Revelation, Nature bindeth us to believe all the Christian Articles, to preach, and hear, and pray to God by Christ, to love our Redeemer, and be thankful, &c. and that the Gospel is thus fitted to lapsed Nature, as the first Law was to innocent Nature. All which I like very well, and take it for a great honour to Christ and the Gospel, that it is so suited to the natural necessity and state of fallen and miserable man, and may be called the Law of sinful Nature. But Suarez himself had before proved that Moses's Decalogue was both a Declaration of what Nature bound men to, and yet also the matter of a new Precept of God: And why could he not see the same of the Gospel, it being so evident, that it containeth Christ's Commands? And the very sum of our Ministry is, 1. To disciple and baptize all Nations, &c. 2. And then to teach them to observe all that Christ commanded. And indeed Suarez confesseth (p. 816.) That Christ did by new commanding add new Obligations to the duties of Nature, though he deny that Christ added any positive Precept as to the moral matter commanded by the Law of Nature—.