A26883:2574
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.
XVI. I believe that the will is the prime seat of Morality, and that love or complacency is as the spirit of all saving special grace. But yet ⟨p. 102⟩it is ill said, that Christs grace is necessary only to love or delight. For the soul of man hath three faculties, which must be conjunctly sanctified, viz. Vital active power, Intellect and Will; and sin is in all; And the Spirit reneweth them by a threefold effect, Vivification, Illumination and Conversion (or love.) And hatred of sin, and fear of sinning, and of God, are graces of Christ also, (as are obedience, patience, &c.) though below love.
2. There is an Analogical good that is done by self-love and fear, which hath a tendency to mans recovery, though not such good as is true holiness and hath a promise of salvation.
XVII. I. Here we come to a difficult case: 1. Whether indeed any ungodly man or Infidel, do love God sincerely amore amicitiae & propter se: The doubt is, because to love him less than sinful pleasures and the creature, seemeth to be a loving him as less amiable or good. And to love him as such, is not to love him as God, nor indeed to love God, but an Idol of the imagination. I think we must say, 1. That no man loveth God adequately; for no man hath an adequate conception of him. 2. But yet that there are some essentials of such true love as is necessary and suitable to our dark and weak condition, which all must have that will be saved (either distinctly or confusedly): As to know and love him as the Infinite Spirit the first cause and last end of all, most powerful, wise and good, our Owner, our Ruler and our Benefactor and chief good: Father, Word and Spirit; the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier; the Author of Nature, Grace, Glory. 3. That no wicked or unholy person truly loveth God thus, viz. As his own Governor to make him holy, and save him from the Flesh and World: and as the Author of those holy Laws, by which he governeth, and a righteous Judge according to those Laws. 4. Therefore Jansenius's little sincere Love in sensual men is but a love of aliquid Dei, somewhat of God, and not properly of God as God: speaking of God as the object of love it self. 5. Yet the same person may have all the foresaid Notions of a Deity, and may notionally call them all good and laudable; but his Practical Judgement is not such of God as his holy Governor, Judge and End, as to bring him truly as such to love him. 6. Yet this may be called a Love of God analogically, as he is said to love the King who loveth him as great and good to the Common-wealth, though not as a governing restrainer of his lusts. By this I would have that explained which I have said of this subject in my Saints Rest.