A26883:2244
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.
§. 1. It must be well considered, that God made mans Nature before he made any positive Laws for him: And that the Law of Nature it self, is in order of Nature after Nature though not in Time: Man being first considerable as Man, before he be considerable as obliged to duty. And also that the Law, both Natural and Positive, is before mans obedience and sin. So that as man is first in order of Nature Man, and then Gods Governable Subject, and then (in order of Time) obedient or disobedient; so God is first his Creator, and then Nature Motor, and then his Governor by Legislation, and then his Gracious Helper, and lastly his Judge and Rewarder.
§. 1. It must be well considered, that God made mans Nature before he made any positive Laws for him: And that the Law of Nature it self, is in order of Nature after Nature though not in Time: Man being first considerable as Man, before he be considerable as obliged to duty. And also that the Law, both Natural and Positive, is before mans obedience and sin. So that as man is first in order of Nature Man, and then Gods Governable Subject, and then (in order of Time) obedient or dis•bedient; so God is first his Creator, and then Natur• Motor, and then his Governour by Legislation, and then his Gracious Helper, and lastly his Judge and Rewarder.
§. 2. Therefore as Natural Being (substance and faculties) and Natural Motion are antecedent to Morality; so Gods causation of both these is antecedent: and therefore to be Creator, Preserver and Motor is not to be the Cause of sin, or of Virtuous acts, as such.
§. 3. God as Creator was not pleased to make all his creatures of one kind, nor of one degree of excellence: but in such variety as is wonderful to our observation. Besides the innumerable species of beings, and the innumerable parts of every compound being, the dissimilitude of individuals of the same species is admirable: so that no two faces are perfectly like, no nor no two Stones in the Street, no two Trees, Birds, Beasts, &c.