A26947:1038
A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all…A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all…
A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all that are but truly willing to understand, whether the cause of the Roman or reformed churches be of God ... containing some arguments by which the meanest may see the vanity of popery, and 40 detections of their fraud, with directions, and materials sufficient for the confutation of their voluminous deceits ... : the second part showeth (especially against the French and Grotians) that the Catholic Church is not united in any merely humane head, either Pope or council / by Richard Baxter, a Catholic Christian and Pastor of a church ...A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand, whether the cause of the Roman or reformed churches be of God ... containing some arguments by which the meanest may see the vanity of popery, and 40 detections of their fraud, with directions, and materials sufficient for the confutation of their voluminous deceits ... : the second part sheweth (especially against the French and Grotians) that the Catholick Church is not united in any meerly humane head, either Pope or council / by Richard Baxter, a Catholick Christian and Pastor of a church ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
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.
Answ. 1. Unprofitable Confusion! we distinguish between Loving God with all the Heart, as it signifieth the sincerity and predominant degree of Love, and so every true Christian hath it: and as it signifieth some extraordinary degree above this mere sincerity; and so some eminent stronger Christians have it, and as it signifieth the highest Degree, which is our duty, and which ⟨p. 282⟩excludeth all sinful imperfection: And thus we say, that no man actually doth Love God perfectly in this life: nor do we think he speaks like a Christian, that dare say, Lord I Love thee so much, that I will not be beholden to thee to forgive the imperfection of my Love, or to help me against any sinful imperfection of it. Your own Followers whom you admire as the highest Lovers of God, do oft lament the imperfections of their Love (as M. de Renty, for instance, in his Life.) But now if the question be only of the posse, and not the act, we say, that the Potentia naturalis is in all: and the Potentia Moralis, which is the Habit, is in the sanctified: but this Moral Power is not perfect it self, that is, of the highest degree, and without any sinful imperfection; though yet it hath the perfection of sincerity, and in some, the perfection of an eminent degree. And will not this content you?
Answ. 1. Unprofitable Confusion! we distinguish between Loving God with all the Heart, as it signifieth the sincerity and predominant degree of Love, and so every true Christian hath it: and as it signifieth some extraordinary degree above this meer sincerity; and so some eminent stronger Christians have it, and as it signifieth the highest Degree, which is our duty, and which ⟨p. 282⟩excludeth all sinful imperfection: And thus we say, that no man actually doth Love God perfectly in this life: nor do we think he speaks like a Christian, that dare say, Lord I Love thee so much, that I will not be beholden to thee to forgive the imperfection of my Love, or to help me against any sinful imperfection of it. Your own Followers whom you admire as the highest Lovers of God, do oft lament the imperfections of their Love (as M. de Renty, for instance, in his Life.) But now if the question be only of the posse, and not the act, we say, that the Potentia naturalis is in all: and the Potentia Moralis, which is the Habit, is in the sanctified: but this Moral Power is not perfect it self, that is, of the highest degree, and without any sinful imperfection; though yet it hath the perfection of sincerity, and in some, the perfection of an eminent degree. And will not this content you?