A26883:3781
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. Inclination is a hard word, and belongeth both to Natural Inclination (such as we have to Felicity) and to Habits, and to mere Dispositions. And a pre-disposition we grant: As when you spur your Horse, you make him first the patient of your act, and by suscitating ⟨p. 165⟩his natural faculty, you dispose him to a speedy motion: though the similitude doth not quadrare per omnia, because Gods influx is on the whole Soul it self. But this Disposition to the present act, is far less than a proper Habit; or it's another thing.
B. Inclination is a hard word, and belongeth both to Natural Inclination (such as we have to Felicity) and to Habits, and to meer Dispositions. And a pre-disposition we grant: As when you spur your Horse, you make him first the patient of your act, and by suscitating ⟨p. 165⟩his natural faculty, you dispose him to a speedy motion: though the similitude doth not quadrare per omnia, because Gods influx is on the whole Soul it self. But this Disposition to the present act, is far less than a proper Habit; or it's another thing.
C. When I spur my Horse, or whip my Dog, I do but stir up a former faculty, or slothful power: But God giveth a new life and power to them that were dead in sin.
B. Yet, I cannot take words for matter. 1. It's nothing but the natural faculty or power which you suscitate in the beast: And hath not an unbeliever the Natural faculties or power? Is he not a man? Why do you not bury him, if he be not alive? 2. Death in sin is relative, or real: The Relative is Reatus mortis, which denominateth men filios mortis, and is done away by pardon. The real is the Privation of a holy disposition to the act of Faith and Repentance, &c. or of the Act it self, or of the Habit. You can name no other. Now 1. the death which consisteth in the privation of the first disposition to act (supposing all natural dispositions) is taken away by the first influx or suscitation of the Holy Ghost. 2. And by the same in secunda instanti is caused the Act, and the death gone that lay in its privation. 3. And (in the third instant, or afterward by degrees) is taken away the death which lieth in the privation of the Habit. And this giving the Habit, is called in Scripture and by Divines Sanctification as following Vocation, and it is wrought in us by degrees and not all at once, and that by the Spirits power, with and by our exercised Acts. In my youth I was so prematurely confident of the contrary, that the first Controversy that ever I wrote on (was a Confutation of Bishop Downam, Amesius, Medall. de Vocat) Mr. Tho. Hooker, &c. in Defence of Pemble herein; but riper thoughts made me burn that Script.