A26923:1139
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 25: Of good Works and Merit, and trusting to any thing of our own.
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.
Ans. We commonly hold degrees of Glory according to the degrees of Holiness; and if any abusive Doctor mean any more, that's nothing to ⟨p. 298⟩the rest. And it's pity that Men that are agreed, should hate or revile each other as differing.
§. 61. Vasquez the Jesuit is one that is supposed to say most for Merit, who saith so much against it, as I dare not say: For he tells us, That God doth not reward us at all as an Act of Justice, either Commutative, or Distributive: Commutative Justice he easily disapproveth, and in that we all agree: But the generality of Christians, Papists, Protestants, Greeks, &c. hold, That God rewardeth us in governing-paternal-distributive Justice, as a Father giveth Benefits to a thankful Child that humbly taketh them, and not to the contemptuous or rebellious that spit in his Face. But Vasquez saith, That God hath not so much as Distributive Justice in our Rewards. And yet, I think, he differeth but in words, and really meaneth as we all do. And he that dare for Words, revile Consenters, is bolder than I would have any good Man be: And yet I doubt not but I and this Writing shall be so reviled by many that differ not from me, when they think they do, (through Faction and Prejudice) when I am dead, even for these words.
§. 61. Vasquez the Jesuit is one that is supposed to say most for Merit, who saith so much against it, as I dare not say: For he tells us, That God doth not reward us at all as an Act of Justice, either Commutative, or Distributive: Commutative Iustice he easily disapproveth, and in that we all agree: But the generality of Christians, Papists, Protestants, Greeks, &c. hold, That God rewardeth us in governing-paternal-distributive Iustice, as a Father giveth Benefits to a thankful Child that humbly taketh them, and not to the contemptuous or rebellious that spit in his Face. But Vasquez saith, That God hath not so much as Distributive Justice in our Rewards. And yet, I think, he differeth but in words, and really meaneth as we all do. And he that dare for Words, revile Consenters, is bolder than I would have any good Man be: And yet I doubt not but I and this Writing shall be so reviled by many that differ not from me, when they think they do, (through Faction and Prejudice) when I am dead, even for these words.