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,…

§. 11. ^*The great question is, How far the diversity of Receptive Dispositions is from God? Answ. 1. God made all equal at first in Adam. 2. All were equal in sin by his fall. 3. Cain and Abel differed from several causes, and not one alone. Abel differed from Cain in faith and obedience, by Gods grace as the chief cause, and his own will and agency as the second cause. Cain differed from Abel by unbelief and sin, by his own will and Satan's temptations. 4. The sins of later parents (as of Cain, Ham, Esau, Achan, Gehezi, &c.) make a further difference, by depriving their posterity of some means, helps or grace, which else they had been equally capable of with others. 5. It is certain that man hath much to do about his own heart, by which he is to be the second cause of his own Receptive disposition; and if he fail, is the only cause of his indisposition.

§. 11. ^*The great question is, How far the diversity of Receptive Dispositions is from God? Answ. 1. God made all equal at first in Adam. 2. All were equal in sin by his fall. 3. Cain and Abel differed from several causes, and not one alone. Abel differed from Cain in faith and obedience, by Gods grace as the chief cause, and his own will and agency as the second cause. Cain differed from Abel by unbelief and sin, by his own will and Satans temptations. 4. The sins of later parents (as of Cain, Cham, Esau, Achan, Gehezi, &c.) make a further difference, by depriving their posterity of some means, helps or grace, which else they had been equally capable of with others. 5. It is certain that man hath much to do about his own heart, by which he is to be the second cause of his own Receptive disposition; and if he fail, is the only cause of his indisposition.

1. *I know that Bradwardine li. 2. c. 32. Cor. p. 612. saith that Deum non dare scientiam, eratiam aut perseverantiam seu quodlibet munus suum creatur• capaci, est causa quare ipsa non accipit, & non habet: & non è contra. Et (p. 614.) Quicquid obex dicatur potest illa resp•nsio corripi, cum nullus possit hunc obicem tollere nisi Deus, vel per Deum prius praetollentem; & si ipse cum voluerit tollere, irresistibiliter tollitur; Auferam cor lapideum, &c.