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,…

C. Is any one ever converted by this sufficient Grace, or not? If not, frustra fit potentia, &c. If yea, then it is effectual Grace.

B. Now you have brought the Controversy to the parting point, where the two Parties use to part: (As you may see in Dr. Sanderson and Dr. Hamond's Letters. I will first answer your Consequences. 1. Non frustra fit talis potentia, though it never act. For 1. It attaineth other good ends, though it attain not their Salvation. 2. If one of a thousand should not use their power, or if a thousand to one do use it, that varieth not the case: For it is still as much vain to that one man, as if no one used it. But 2. So far as it is vain, that is, to their own Salvation, they make it vain themselves, and must blame themselves. 3. I ask you whether you think not your self, that 1. All wicked men by common Grace; 2. And all godly men by special Grace, have power to do more good and forbear more evil than they do? If so, Do you hold that all that power which they never use to any of those omitted acts is vain? If not, why should this in question be accounted vain? But to the great difficulty it self, I answer, 1. You must not forestall the Truth by any of these false suppositions. ⟨p. 147⟩1. That there is any man to whom God giveth a mere Power, neither disposed, nor provoked to the Act. For 1. Mans natural faculty it self, besides natural power, hath all these aptitudes to the Act. 1. Man hath self-love, and a desire of felicity, and an unwillingness and fear of Hell and Misery, and of all that he knoweth doth tend to it as such. He can seek for Glory, Honour and Immortality, Rom. 2. And therefore God thus argueth with men, Ezek. 33. Turn ye, why will ye die? And 1 Pet. 3. 10. He that loveth life, and would see good days, &c. as making use of a common principle. 2. Man hath reason to understand what is told him of Good and Evil in some sort, and Nature containeth a Law written in the heart,