A26883:2644
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.
§. 28. I think that as the Divine Life and Power glorifieth it self eminently in the Causation of the Being, Motion and Life of the creatures; so the Divine Wisdom eminently glorifieth it self in the Order of all things, and in the Moral Directive Sapiential Regiment of Intellectual free agents. And that Gods Laws and Doctrine are the Image of his Wisdom, and an admirable harmonious and beautiful frame: And that all would think so, and be wonderfully delighted in them, were they completely printed on our Minds and Hearts.
§. 28. I think that as the Divine Life and Power glorifieth it self eminently in the Causation of the Being, Motion and Life of the creatures; so the Divine Wisdom eminently glorifieth it self in the Order of all things, and in the Moral Directive Sapiential Regiment of Intellectual free agents. And that Gods Laws and Doctrine are the Image of his Wisdom, and an admirable harmonious and beautiful frame: And that all would think so, and be wonderfully delighted in them, were they compleatly printed on our Minds and Hearts.
§. 29. II. And accordingly I think, that the glory of his governing Wisdom, and Punishing and Rewarding Justice, is a great and notable part of that glory which man must give him now and for ever. And that this Justice is not his physical using all things according to their physical aptitude only: But his Judging and Executing according to that moral aptitude commonly called Merit, by Punishments and Rewards: And that to deny God the glory of all this, is no small error in a Philosopher or Divine.
§. 30. III. Accordingly I think, that God made man a free self-determining agent, that he might be capable of such Sapiential Rule: And that it is a great Honour to God, to make so noble a Nature, as hath a Power to determine its own elections: And though such are not of the highest rank of Creatures, they are far above the lowest: And that God (who we see delighteth to make up beauty and harmony of diversities) doth delight in the Sapiential Moral Government of this free sort of Creatures: And though man be not Independent, yet to be so far like God himself, as to be a kind of first-determiner of many of his own Volitions and Nolitions, is part of Gods Natural Image on Man.