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,…

And the British Divines in their Synodic. Explic. say, [They contract damnable guilt, and lose their present aptitude to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Adding, [So that while they remain in that state of Impenitence, they neither ought nor can persuade themselves otherwise, than that they art obnoxious to death. Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. For they are bound in a capital Crime, by the desert whereof, according to Gods Ordination, they are subject to death, though they be not yet delivered to death, nor shall be, if we respect Gods fatherly love, but shall be plucked out of this sin, that so they may be plucked out of the guilt of death. Lastly, For their present condition, they lose their aptitude to enter into Heaven, &c. And Thes. 4. p. 193. [Gods unmovable ordination requireth that a Believer thus exorbitant, do first return into the way by renovation of Faith and the act of Repentance, before he can be brought to the ways end, which is the heavenly Kingdom. By the Decree of Election, the faithful are so predestinated to the end, that they can no otherwise be brought to it, than by Gods instituted means, as by the Kings high way. And Gods Decrees of the means, and of the end and order of events, are as firm and certain, as those of the end, and of the events themselves. If any man therefore go on in a way contrary to Gods Ordination, as the broad way ⟨p. 95⟩of uncleanness and impenitence, which directly leadeth to Hell; he can never come that way to Heaven. Yea if death surprise him wandering in ¹that out-way, he cannot but fall into everlasting death. This is the constant and clear voice of the Scripture.—As Paul said of those in the Ship, &c. Act. 27. 31.—It is certain that David and Peter, Gods Elect Servants, were to come to Heaven; But it is as certain that if one had remained impenitent in his Adultery and Murder, and the other in his denial of Christ and perjury, neither of them could have been saved. Providence and Mercy untie this knot, by providing that no elect person die in that state, in which, according to any Ordination of Gods Will, he should have been shut out of Heaven.

And the Brittish Divines in their Synodic. Explic. say, [They contract damnable guilt, and lose their present aptitude to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Adding, [So that while they remain in that state of Impenitence, they neither ought nor can perswade themselves otherwise, than that they art obnoxious to death.