A26923:781
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.
§. 17. Obj. But how doth God love a holy Soul if he forsake him, and with-hold his Spirit? And if he be not loved of God, he is miserable? If he be loved, he will not be forsaken.
Ans. Answer this your self as to the Case of the Angels and Adam. God loved them, and yet not so as to secure them from the loss of Grace: But he so far loved them efficiently, as to give them that grace by which they could persevere; but not that by which they necessarily should persevere; and he loved them complacentially, according to the goodness which was in them, and yet they lost it.
§. 18. Obj. That is because they were left to their Free will, and had but sufficient Grace, and ⟨p. 207⟩not efficacious determining Grace: But it is now otherwise with all true Believers.
Ans. True Believers have not determining efficacious Grace, to prevent all sin, nor all such sin as Noah, Lot, David, Peter did commit: And that sin deserveth an answerable desertion of God, it being a deserting him first so far: And though God pardon it, yet the desert is presupposed to the pardon; for it is desert of punishment that is pardoned.