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. 1. I suppose that ab uno omnia, God without diversity causeth all diversity, which is only in the Creatures, and not in him. 2. I suppose that God hath appointed natural means and second causes for common natural effects; and his Will is, that they shall operate according to their aptitude: And that he hath appointed extraordinary means, even Christ, and supernatural Revelation, for the production of saving Faith: And it is his will that they shall work usually according to their aptitude. 3. It is his command that we use these several means (natural and supernatural) accordingly. 4. As these means are special, extraordinary, and for a special end (the production of Faith and Holiness.) So it is the will of God that they shall have answerable, noble, special effects; which effects besides his operation on and by the means, the said Volition of God it self produceth immediately operating on the Soul; not as a mere volition alone, but as conjunct with his Wisdom and Vital Power or Activity by which he operateth all in all. I could here say that God doth concur with these supernatural means on his Elect, with a stronger, greater, special energy, force, or influx. But I am loth to deceive you with bare words: for this force, energy, or efflux is either God or something created. God operateth by that Wisdom, Will, and Power or Activity which are his Essence: therefore there are here no degrees in any operation: And in the effects the degrees are not denied. The sum of all is then but this, natural effects are natural effects, and Faith is Faith: the difference we partly perceive; the means also are various▪ but in God the operator there is no diversity. And so you may see what the stir about Infusing and Acquiring is come to.

B. 1. I suppose that ab uno omnia, God without diversity causeth all diversity, which is only in the Creatures, and not in him. 2. I suppose that God hath appointed natural means and second causes for common natural effects; and his Will is, that they shall operate according to their aptitude: And that he hath appointed extraordinary means, even Christ, and supernatural Revelation, for the production of saving Faith: And it is his will that they shall work usually according to their aptitude. 3. It is his command that we use these several means (natural and supernatural) accordingly. 4. As these means are special, extraordinary, and for a special end (the production of Faith and Holiness.) So it is the will of God that they shall have answerable, noble, special effects; which effects besides his operation on and by the means, the said Volition of God it self produceth immediately operating on the Soul; not as a meer volition alone, but as conjunct with his Wisdom and Vital Power or Activity by which he operateth all in all. I could here say that God doth concur with these supernatural means on his Elect, with a stronger, greater, special energy, force, or influx. But I am loth to deceive you with bare words: for this force, energy, or efflux is either God or something created. God operateth by that Wisdom, Will, and Power or Activity which are his Essence: therefore there are here no degrees in any operation: And in the effects the degrees are not denied. The sum of all is then but this, natural effects are natural effects, and Faith is Faith: the difference we partly perceive; the means also are various but in God the operator there is no diversity. And so you may see what the stir about Infusing and Acquiring is come to.