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,…

280. And Vossius ubi supra copiously laboureth to prove that the Ancients held three degrees of true Grace: One which men might fall from easily, and oft did, though if they had dyed in it they had been saved: Another which men may lose as to the act at least, but scarcely as to all seeds and habits. And another state next to perfection, which none shall lose. I refer the Reader to his Collections, though I do not clearly perceive by them, that many had such distinctions of Believers: But the weak and the strong or confirmed all distinguish.

281. But the other side had need as much to be persuaded to pacific moderation in their censures: And first, They say, that it is an intolerable opinion which is confessedly contrary to all the ancientest Churches of Christ: And by Vincent. Lerinens. rule, (quod ab omnibus, ubique & s•mper) such singularity or novelty must be heresy, or certain error at the least. I answer, 1. They that assert this certain perseverance of all the justified, do believe that the Churches planted by the Apostles, were of their mind; which they gather from the Scripture. 2. The foresaid Rule holdeth indeed in things so universally received as Essentials of Religion, and Necessary Articles of Faith and Practice, without which men cannot be saved; But Universality of Consent in a doubtful or unnecessary opinion, or practice, may possibly be erroneous, and may oft lawfully be deserted. It was once (and beyond the investigation of its original) the practice of the Universal Church, that there should be no Adoration by Genuflexion on any Lords Day, or on any Week day between Easter and Whitsunday: And this commanded in the Great Council of Nice, and the Canons of Trull: And yet the Papists themselves have now forsaken it. To distinguish as is usual, between such Canons of Practice, and points of mere doctrine, and to make consent of Antiquity more obligatory in the latter, is but vanity. For where a point of Practice is founded in an oportet or supposition of Divine or Apostolical authority, it must needs be at least as obligatory as a mere Doctrinal so founded. For all Precepts include Doctrines, and all Obedience includeth Faith; Though all Doctrine be not Preceptive, nor all Belief for immediate practice. For every Divine Precept includeth this assertion [This God commandeth]. And that God commandeth it, is de fide; and then it must be obeyed for Gods Authority, as it is first believed for his Veracity. All therefore that can be said is, that this practice was not taken to be by a Divine universal Law, unchangeable; but by universal Custom of the Church: And so may there be a consent in unnecessary and questionable Doctrinals (as there hath been for the peripatetic Philosophy almost).