A26923:695
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
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.
CHAP. XV. Of Effectual Grace, and how God giveth it.
§. 1. AS I said before about Sufficient Grace, so here about Effectual; the first thing to be done by Disputers, is, to agree what that is which they here call [Grace] as the Subject of the Question. And as I there showed, 1. It cannot or must not be God's essential Will or Power, for that is simple and immutable, and not in it self (save relatively) distinguishable into sufficient and effectual. 2. An Efflux or vis, which is neither God nor the Effect, there is none, or none provable. 3. It is not Faith it self that is meant here by Grace, for it is the Grace that effecteth Faith; and it were absurd to ask what Faith is effectual to make or cause it self: This is true both of the Act and Habit. The meaning is not, what Habit ⟨p. 182⟩of Faith is effectual to the Act, nor what Act to the Habit or it self, but what Grace of God is effectual to cause both Act and Habit. 4. Therefore there is nothing left to be meant by Grace, but the two things before mentioned, viz. 1. The gracious Means or second Causes appointed by God to cause our Faith. 2. The first moving Impress on the Soul, as it is antecedent to Act and Habit, (supposing that such there is, *though some deny that there is any such thing.)
§. 1. AS I said before about Sufficient Grace, so here about Effectual; the first thing to be done by Disputers, is, to agree what that is which they here call [Grace] as the Subject of the Question. And as I there shewed, 1. It cannot or must not be God's essential Will or Power, for that is simple and immutable, and not in it self (save relatively) distinguishable into sufficient and effectual. 2. An Efflux or vis, which is neither God nor the Effect, there is none, or none proveable. 3. It is not Faith it self that is meant here by Grace, for it is the Grace that effecteth Faith; and it were absurd to ask what Faith is effectual to make or cause it self: This is true both of the Act and Habit. The meaning is not, what Habit