A26883:3036
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.
A. But they say Christ died not equally for all.
B. Do you, or dare you, say otherwise your selves? 1. You confess that his Death doth not equally save all: 2. You confess that from eternity God fore-knew who would believe and be saved, and who not. Now the question is of equality of benefit (before denied) and equality of Intention: And can you think that Christ, as God, at the time of his Death (or before) did equally intend or decree to save those that he fore-knew would neither believe nor be saved, and those that he knew would believe and be saved? You cannot, you do not imagine this.
A. We do not: But we say that as to Gods antecedent Will, he both elected and redeemed all alike; and the inequality is only in his consequent Will. But the Synodists say otherwise.
B. 1. If you understand the distinction aright, they say the same as you: that is, If you thus distinguish only of the Will of God as Rector, or his governing Will, and by the Antecedent Will mean only the Legislative which making our Duty, goeth before our doing or not doing it, and by the consequent Will, mean only the judicial which followeth Duty and Sin. God dealeth equally by all men in the first, (as to the tenor of his Law, though the different promulgation make a difference of Obligations,) but unequally in the second. 2. And if you distinguish thus of his eternal Decrees, either they respect Damnation or Salvation. And by his Antecedent Will, you mean that which goeth before the fore-sight of mans Will, and by the consequent, that which followeth this fore-sight. Now, 1. Have I not said enough to convince you that as it is Actus Agentis in God, we cannot prove any diversity or priority? But only ex connotatione objecti. 2. And as to Damnation, I have proved that they commonly agree with you, that God decreeth not Sin, but fore-seeth it, and decreeth Damnation only as for fore-seen Sin. What-ever Piscator and a few more say, this is the common Doctrine of Protestants and Fathers. 3. But as to Election dare you say your self, that God decreeth to change no mans Will, but upon fore-sight that the person himself will first change it?