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,…

B. I many a year studied thinking to prove that true: But I doubt it is but a game at words, and groundless distinguishing, for a false conclusion. For, 1. Sin is a Relation formally; even a disconformity of an Act or disposition, and so of the person to Gods Law. It can no otherwise be caused, but by making the Law, and causing the Act in the circumstances disconform. God maketh the Law, and God maketh man and his faculties, and God causeth the Object, and God permitteth the tempter: If God also cause the Act in the prohibited circumstances, he doth all that can be done in the causation of sin: And so of his Volitions or Decrees. As for the essence of sin in notion, without the existence, more may be said that God indeed is some cause of that, without culpability, yea by his Holiness and Power. For as the Relations of Curvitude and Dissimilitude result from the Relate's fundamentum, as compared to the Correlate, or terminus; so he that causeth any of them, hath some hand in causing the Relation as a Relation: And so God by forbidding Adultery, Lying, &c. by his Law, doth by Institution make those acts to be sin; that is, He layeth down the rule from which they are so denominated ⟨p. 31⟩when committed. That Adultery is committed is long of man: that it is a sin when committed is long of God and man; God by his Law, and man by his Act. So that when you say God causeth not the essence, but the existence or futurity, you are so far out, as that less of causality is to be ascribed to him, as to the existence, than the essence. 2. But what is the existence but the essence existing, or extra causas? And what is it to cause sin, but to cause it to exist? And what is it to cause it to exist, but to cause it, or give it a being? And what is it to will that sin shall exist, but that the essence of it shall exist? And what is it to will the event or futurity, but to will that sin shall be? And what more can man will or do about it, to show himself to be bad, (as Estius and others fully manifest.)

B. I many a year studied thinking to prove that true: But I doubt it is but a game at words, and groundless distinguishing, for a false conclusion. For, 1. Sin is a Relation formally; even a disconformity of an Act or disposition, and so of the person to Gods Law. It can no otherwise be caused, but by making the Law, and causing the Act in the circumstances disconform. God maketh the Law, and God maketh man and his faculties, and God causeth the Object, and God permitteth the tempter: If God also cause the Act in the prohibited circumstances, he doth all that can be done in the causation of sin: And so of his Volitions or Decrees. As for the essence of sin in notion, without the existence, more may be said that God indeed is some cause of that, without culpability, yea by his Holiness and Power. For as the Relations of Curvitude and Dissimilitude result from the Relate's fundamentum, as compared to the Correlate, or terminus; so he that causeth any of them, hath some hand in causing the Relation as a Relation: And so God by forbidding Adultery, Lying, &c. by his Law, doth by Institution make those acts to be sin; that is, He layeth down the rule from which they are so denominated