A26919:217
The divine life in three treatises
The divine life in three treatises ... by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Francis Tyton, 1664
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
These things being all certain, I add 1. Let them dispute that dare, that yet de facto God doth Positively Will the Events of all Privations, or Negations of acts. 2. But when men are once habitually wicked, and bent to evil, it is just with him, if he permit them to follow their own lusts, and if he leave before them such Mercies as he foreknoweth they will wilfully make occasions of their sin; and if he resolve to make use of the sin which he knoweth they will commit, for his Churches Good, and for his Glory.
These things being all certain, I add 1. Let them dispute that dare, that yet de facto God doth Positively Will the Events of all Privations, or Negations of acts. 2. But when men are once habitually wicked, and bent to evil, it is just with him, if he permit them to follow their own lusts, and if he leave before them such Mercies as he foreknoweth they will wilfulfully make occasions of their sin; and if he resolve to make use of the sin which he knoweth they will commit, for his Churches Good, and for his Glory.
Object. But doth not God Will that sin Eventually shall not be?
Answ. Even as I before said, he willeth that obedience eventually shall be. If sin come to pass, it is certain that God did not simply Will that it should not come to pass: For then he must be conquered and unhappy by every sin: But he willeth simply that it shall be the Duty of man to avoid it; And he may be said to Nill the Event in tantum, so far as that he will forbid it, and threaten and dissuade the sinner, and give him the helps, that shall leave him unexcusable if he sin, and so leave it to his Will. Thus far he may be said to Will that sin Eventually shall not be; but not simply.
Answ. Even as I before said, he willeth that obedience eventually shall be. If sin come to pass, it is certain that God did not simply Will that it should not come to pass: For then he must be conquered and unhappy by every sin: But he willeth simply that it shall be the Duty of man to avoid it; And he may be said to Nill the Event in tantum, so far as that he will forbid it, and threaten and disswade the sinner, and give him the helps, that shall leave him unexcusable if he sin, and so leave it to his Will. Thus far he may be said to Will that sin Eventually shall not be; but not simply.