A26883:3594
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. I confess this is the Point that maketh the greatest noise. But let us enquire how far indeed you differ. 1. Resistance is Passive (as a hard block resisteth the wedge) or Active (as Fighters do resist each other.) 2. Resistance is effectual (when the Resister overcometh) or uneffectual (when it is overcome.) 3. The Act of Resistance, must be distinguished from the power of Resistance: And to overcome actual Resistance, from the destroying of the Power. 4. Physical and moral Power of resisting must be distinguished as is aforesaid. 5. Real and Logical Power of Resistance also must be distinguished as afore.
A. Well: How do you apply these distinctions?
B. 1. All the gracious Operations of God on the Soul of a Sinner, are not only resistible, but ever resisted, both passively and Actively, in some degree. 1. Materia passiva qua talis, is said to resist the motion of the active nature, in that its own nature is averse to Action, and the motus must be violentus. And though mans Soul be not material, yet as under God it is substantia passiva, and so passively may be said to resist, in a lower sort, that is, to require the exerting of the Power of the Agent to its motion: Though this putteth God to no difficulty. 2. But sinful Privations and Indispositions make the name of passive resistance to the Grace of God, yet more apt. 3. And the contrary operations and re•itence of a vicious Mind and Will, are an active resistance. Though it be above our reach to know in what sense it may or may not be called a Resistance as to Gods Act in it self (God being not passive); yet that it may be called a Resistance, as to the effect, is past doubt; (As I resist a mans Work, if I undo what he doth, though I touch not him.) All penitent mens consciences tell them that they resist God in all the good that he persuadeth them to, and doth them. 2. No man actively resisteth God, but by his own power: That is, 1. God as the Author of Nature, keepeth up natural Power, and concurreth with it. 2. Man vitiateth and perverteth this, in morals. 3. God by outward and inward motion doth Operate towards the rectifying of it. 4. Man using his natural power viciously against those rectifying Operations, striveth by it against Gods gracious Work, and so resisteth him by his own strength. 3. When ever Grace effecteth the Faith, Repentance, Obedience which it moveth us to, it overcometh all our actual resistance. Grace is not always overcome, when it is resisted. To say that effectual Grace overcometh resistance, is but to say that it is effectual. 4. All Grace which is sufficient, that is, which giveth all that is absolutely necessary to the effect, is not victorious or effectual; and so it is resistible, as that signifieth superable, and that uneffectual; that is, all necessary sufficient Grace is not effectual.