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,…

After the manner of men it may be said that consequentially he willeth or decreeth a thing, when he willeth or decreeth that from which it necessarily followeth, though it could not be proved that the will of God is directly terminated on that consequent thing it self: And so it may be said, that Qui vult quid majus, consequenter vult minus illud quod in majore includitur. And so as when God commandeth duty he doth more than politically permit it, he may be said eminenter to permit it, and so he may be said to will or decree his own permission of it: But that is not formaliter as permission, or a negative non-impedition, but eminenter, because he formally willeth the quid majus, viz. the command. 30. So God may be said eminenter to will his non dare gratiam, aut Gloriam, when he penally as a Judge, denieth it to a sinner. But here the thing formally willed is a positive judicial denial, rejection or exclusion of the sinner, which the privation followeth. And now for the application of all this to our case it may be perceived, 1. That the very Controversy is such, as a sober Christian should be afraid to resolve on either side. ^†It is a tremendous thing to poor sinful worms, who know not the nature of one arenula or pile of grass, or the soul of an insect, nor how the perceptions of a poor Be is ordered in gathering her Honey and Wax, and making her Combs, &c. to determine insolently and contentiously in what order God conceiveth of things, or willeth them? which first and which second, and what reasons move him? and for what use and end each thing is willed? and whether he have positive Volitions of every non-entity that it shall not exist then? &c. I am afraid lest my very opposing and rebuking of this presumption should be found guilty of bold profaneness, while I so much meddle with so unsearchable a thing; which I should avoid, had not disputers and railing censurers made it necessary. 2. That though while we talk together familiarly and popularly, men may leave each other to liberty to say that God Decreeth non-entities, or willeth that Infinite species and individual nothings shall never be, yet to make this the matter of a Church-dispute, and censure those that say not as they say, and calumniate them as favouring some perilous error, seemeth to me no better than diabolical. 3.

After the manner of men it may be said that consequentially he willeth or decreeth a thing, when he willeth or decreeth that from which it necessarily followeth, though it could not be proved that the will of God is directly terminated on that consequent thing it self: And so it may be said, that Qui vult quid majus, consequenter vult minus illud quod in majore includitur. And so as when God commandeth duty he doth more than politically permit it, he may be said eminenter to permit it, and so he may be said to will or decree his own permission of it: But that is not formaliter as permission, or a negative non-impedition, but eminenter, because he formally willeth the quid majus, viz. the command. 30. So God may be said eminenter to will his non dare gratiam, aut Gloriam, when he penally as a Judge, denyeth it to a sinner. But here the thing formally willed is a positive judicial denyal, rejection or exclusion of the sinner, which the privation followeth. And now for the application of all this to our case it may be perceived, 1. That the very Controversie is such, as a sober Christian should be afraid to resolve on either side.