A26883:2753
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.
B. These are words of confusion, which, when opened, will appear nothing, and that we are all of a mind. Either you will distinguish Gods Decrees by the Objects, or not. If not, you must not distinguish between Election and Rejection, willing and nilling, loving Peter, and hating Judas, &c. If yea, then you must not take up with the unexplained words, Reprobation and Election. 1. By Reprobation is meant either Gods Will to punish men. 2. Or his Will to give them no special saving Grace. 3. Or his not-willing to give it them. For the first, I told you before that the Object of God• Will to punish men in Hell, is a Sinner fore-seen finally rejecting Mercy. 2. The Object of his Will to punish men with positive temporal punishments, is the Sinner fore-seen in his immediate capacity for them. 3. Whether punishment by not giving that Spirit for Faith, Repentance, and Holiness, be decreed (being nothing but a not-giving) is before discussed. But if it could be proved, yet the Object of Gods denying further 1mercy and help, is evermore one that hath abused former mercy, or refuseth that as offered to him. 4. But Gods non-Volition to give Grace i• no act, and hath no Object. But we judge that all mankind are now from under the mere Covenant of Innocency, and that none perish but for the abuse of mercy, which had a tendency to their recovery (The case of Infants must be spoke to in its place once for all.) But all this belongeth to the Case of Grace and Free-will. *And 2. As for Election, we say that 1. The Object of Gods Will to glorify men, is man sanctifying and persevering in an immediate capacity for Glory in esse cognito. 2. The Object of Gods Will to give the Grace of perseverance, is a fore-seen sanctified person in the next capacity. 3. The Object of Gods Will to justify, sanctify, ⟨p. 13⟩and adopt, is a fore-seen Believer. 4. The Object of Gods Will, to give special Grace, which shall effectually cause men to repent and believe, is ordinarily a fore-seen disposed Sinner prepared by his common Grace; but sometimes an unprepared Sinner, whom, of his free will, he will suddenly convert, as it pleaseth him freely to distribute his benefits (all being unworthy.) 5.