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. Deceive not your self: No mortal man can know in what it ordinarily, constantly, or chiefly consisteth. We know, 1. That though God as Rector per Leges, keeps one even and constant course, yet as Proprietor and Benefactor he may vary as he please: And that a Benefactor may give unequally to men of equal merits: And that God really doth so de facto: And that his Will hath no Cause. 2. We know that God hath innumerable ways to fulfil his Will, and make a difference between man and man, which are beyond the search of Mortals. 3. And though we can name divers which he can take, we know not de facto, which he doth take, hic & nunc.

C. What differencing free acts of Grace do you observe.

B. None which violate Gods established order, or diminish his universal Grace. But such as are superadded specially to some. As, 1. To Children of the same Parents, he giveth to divers a temperament of Body, as in one much more conduceth to thoughtfulness, tenderness, meekness, sobriety, chastity, zeal, honesty, &c. than in the other. He is a stranger to man that knoweth not this. 2. He sometime giveth them various Education: One is piously educated. Another is snatched away and made a Janizary. A third the Parents dying, leave to such as educate them viciously. And some the Parents apostatizing educate in Heresy or unpiety themselves. 3. He oft casteth their lot under different means for their Edification. One is set Apprentice to a Godly Master, and another to an ungodly one. One is cast under a Holy able Minister, and another under an ignorant Seducer: One is cast among Godly Companions, and another among lewd Seducers, idle, wanton, voluptuous, unclean, malignant, scornful, or other such tempting persons, as that a great deal more grace or help is necessary to their preservation. 4. One (for ought we see of equal commerit) is impelled or occasioned to go to Church, just when an apt Sermon is prepared for him: and another occasioned to be absent. A Minister or Friend is sent (as Philip to the Eunuch, though by ordinary means) to meet with one, and speak suitably to his case; and not to the other. 5. One falleth under some great affliction, which taketh him down, and awakeneth him to seriousness; and another swimmeth down the violent and dangerous stream of prosperity and constant health. 6. One seeth some notable Judgments on others, or some convincing Providences, or hath some strange deliverance himself; which another never hath.