A26883:2148
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.
2. If the meaning be, Whether the Giving of faith be an Adequate effect of Omnipotency, it is also negatively past doubt. Though those that take God to be but Anima Mundi, say that Either the World is Infinite or that God is not Infinite, as thinking the World to be his adequate effect; yet Christians are commonly agreed, that God hath no adequate effect. Even the making of the universe, the Giving of Christ, and the Glorifying of the Church, which are the highest effects of his Power, Wisdom and Love, are not adequate effects; For nothing but another God can be an adequate effect of God: And another God, is a contradiction.
§. 2. 3. But if the sense of the question be only comparative; As, 1. Whether Omnipotency be more eminent in the giving of faith than Wisdom and Love (or Goodness)? 2. Or whether Omnipotency be more eminent in giving faith, than other works of God? they are both needless questions. And to the first I say, No: To the second, those other works of God must be named, and compared, by the presumptuous that have no safer work to do.
§. 3. 4. If the question be, Whether the giving of faith be so great a work that no Power below Omnipotency could suffice to do it? I answer, it is a presumptuous paltry question of rash men. But yet if it must be answered, it must be negatively: Because as Omnipotence is more illustrious in the making of the world, than in causing a man to believe; so Christians agree that the world it self (as I said) is not an adequate effect of Omnipotency: Which maketh so many of the subtlest Schoolmen conclude that God could not be proved to be Omnipotent by the whole Creation •as such, were it not further to be gathered from the notices of his perfection. Which were false if by Omnipotence they meant only a Power that can do all that is done: But they mean An Infinite Power; which they say must be so seen in an Infinite effect. But the world is not Infinite.