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 have talked long enough to you about Power before, and therefore would not turn back needlessly to say it over again. Gods Spirit putteth no such thing into us, as we call a faculty or natural power: For that is the form or essence of the Soul; and our Species is not changed by Grace. But he giveth us that which is called a Moral Power, which consisteth conjunctly in the concurrence of means and objects, and the disposition of our faculties to the act. Hear Dr. Twice against Hord, pag. 12. lib. 2. He secretly maintaineth that every man hath such a power by Grace, by which he may repent if he will: Concerning which Tenet of his, we nothing doubt but every man hath such a power: but we say it is nature rather. Page 18. Truly I see no cause to deny this, that even the wicked could do good if they would: We may safely say with Austin, Omnes possunt Deo credere & ab amore rerum temporalium ad Divina praecepta servanda see converter, si velint. (Here is posse see convertere, id est, velte, si velit.) But saith Twice, pag. 170. l. 1. [But such is the shameful issue of them that confound impotency moral with impotence natural, as if there were no difference] which he oft showeth is but the want of actual and dispositive willingness. Now the rod or spur may cause both a present disposition, and an act of will.

B. I have talkt long enough to you about Power before, and therefore would not turn back needlesly to say it over again. Gods Spirit putteth no such thing into us, as we call a faculty or natural power: For that is the form or essence of the Soul; and our Species is not chang'd by Grace. But he giveth us that which is called a Moral Power, which consisteth conjunctly in the concurrence of means and objects, and the disposition of our faculties to the act. Hear Dr. Twisse against Hord, pag. 12. lib. 2. He secretly maintaineth that every man hath such a power by Grace, by which he may repent if he will: Concerning which Tenet of his, we nothing doubt but every man hath such a power: but we say it is nature rather. Page 18. Truly I see no cause to deny this, that even the wicked could do good if they would: We may safely say with Austin, Omnes possunt Deo credere & ab amore rerum temporalium ad Divina praecepta servanda se convertere, si velint. (Here is posse se convertere, id est, velte, si velit.) But saith Twisse, pag. 170. l. 1. [But such is the shameful issue of them that confound impotency moral with impotence natural, as if there were no difference] which he oft sheweth is but the want of actual and dispositive willingness. Now the rod or spur may cause both a present disposition, and an act of will.