Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,

SECT. XX. The old Reconciling Doctrine of Augustine, Prosper and Fulgentius. And first Prosper ad Gallorum Qu. (Book 20)

660. IT is a strange thing to me that when Pelagius, Julian, Faustus, &c. thought Augustine a Novelist, and (as Usher asserteth) would have fastned the title of Predestination-Hereticks on his followers, and al∣most all confess, that Augustine was, if not the first, yet the most notable publick Vindicator of absolute Predestination and Grace, yet the Judge∣ment of Austin, with his Disciples Prosper and Fulgentius, doth not serve turn to quiet, if not to end these controversies, among those who profess to be their followers! when as they have so copiously and plainly writ∣ten upon the case!

661. I intreat the Reader that is inclining to any extreams, but to read ••over first those short answers of Prosper ad Capitul•• Gallorum and ad Ob∣jectiones Vincent. And most of the Sententiae de Capit. I shall think it worthy my labour to recite, to force them on the Readers observation, and let him see the highest old Doctrine of Gods Decrees.

Sent. 1. Whoever saith, that by Gods Predestination, as by fatal ne∣cessity, men compelled into sins, are constrained to death, is not a Catho∣lick. For Gods Predestination doth by no means make men bad, nor is the cause of any mans sin.

Sent. sup. 2. He that saith, that the Grace of Baptism received doth not take away Original sin from them that are not predestinated to life, is not a Catholick. For the Sacrament of Baptism, by which all sins * 1.1 are blotted out, is true even in them who will not remain in the truth, and for them that are not predestinated unto life.

Sent. sup. 3. He that saith, that they that are not predestinated to life, though they were in Christ regenerated by Baptism, and have lived piously and justly, it profitteth them nothing, but they are so long reserved till they fall to ruine, and they are not taken out of this life till this happen to them, as if the ruine of such men were to be referred to Gods constitution, is not a Catholick. For God doth not therefore prolong the time of any mans age, that by long living he should fall to ruine; and in his long living, fall from the right ••aith: seeing long life is to be numbered with the gifts of God, by which a man should be better and not worse.

Sent. sup. 4. He that saith, that all are not called to Grace, if he speak of such as Christ is not declared to, is not to be reprehend∣ed—

Sent. sup. 5. He that saith, that they that are called, are not equal∣ly called, but some that they might believe, and some that they might not believe, as if to any man the Vocation were the cause of his not believing, saith not right. For though faith be not but by Gods Gift, and Mans Will, yet Infidelity is by mans will alone.

Sent. 6. He that saith, that Pree-will in Man is Nothing, but it's Gods predestination which worketh in men, whether it be to good or to evil, is not a Catholick: For Gods Grace doth not abolish mans choice (or free-will) but perfecteth it; and revoketh and reduceth it into the way from error, that that which was bad by its own liberty, may by the operation of Gods Spirit be made right. And Gods predestination is alwayes in Good; which knoweth how either to pardon with the

praise of mercy, or punish with the praise of Justice, the sin which is committed by mans will alone.

Sent. 7. He that saith, that God for this cause giveth not Perseve∣rance to some of his Children whom he regenerated in Christ, to whom he gave faith, hope and Love, because by Gods fore-knowledge and predestination they were not differenced from the mass of perdi∣tion: If he mean that God endowed these men in Goodness, but would not have them remain in it, and that he was the cause of their t••rning away, he judgeth contrary to the Justice of God. For though Gods Omnipotence could have given the grace of standing to them that will fall, yet his grace doth not first forsake them, before they have for∣saken it. And because he foresaw that they would do this by a Vo∣luntary desertion, therefore he had them not in the Election of Pre∣destination.

Sent. 8. He that saith, that God would not have all men saved; but a certain number that are predestinate, speaketh hardlier of the alti∣tude of Gods unsearchable grace, than he should speak; Who would have all men to be saved, and to come to the acknowledgement of the truth; and fulfilleth the purpose of his will on them, whom being foreknown he predestinated, and being predestinate he called, being cal∣led he justified, and being justified he glorified. Losing nothing of the fulness of the Gentiles, and of all the seed of Israel, for whom the eternal Kingdom was prepared in Christ before the foundation of the World. For all the World, is chosen out of all the World; And out of all men, all men are adopted—So that they that are saved are therefore saved, because God would have them saved: and they that perish, do perish because they deserve to perish.

Sent. 9. He that saith, that our Saviour was not Crucified for the Redemption of the whole World, looketh not to the Virtue of the Sa∣crament (that is, Sacrifice) but to the part (or participation) of the unbelievers: When as the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Price of the whole World. From which Price they are Aliens who being ei∣ther delighted in their Captivity, will not be redeemed; or when they are redeemed return again to the same Captivity: For the Word of the Lord falleth not, nor is the redemption of the World evacuated: For though the World in the vessels of wrath knew not God, yet the World in the vessels of mercy knew him. Which God without their preceding Merits, took out of the power of darkness, and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love.

Sent. 10. He that saith, that God substracteth from some the preach∣ing of the Gospel, lest perceiving the preaching of the Gospel they should be saved, may decline the envy of the objection by the pa••••o∣nage of our Saviour himself, who would not work Miracles with some, that he saith would have believed had they seen them: And he forbad his Apostles to preach to some people; and now suffereth some Nations to live without his Grace—

Sent. 11. He that saith, that God by his Power compelleth men to sin, is deservedly reprehended: For God, who is the Author of Justice and Goodness, and all whose Statutes and Commands are against sin, is not to be thought to compell any to sin, and precipitate them from innocency into crimes: But if there be any of so profound impiety, as that they are reckoned to be beyond the remedy of correction, they re∣ceive not an increase of their iniquity from God, but are made •••••••• by themselves: because they deserved to be left of God, and given up to

themselves and to deceivers, for their former sins: that so their sin should be a punishment of their sin.

Sent. 12. He that saith, that obedience is withdrawn from some that are called and live piously and righteously, that they may cease to obey, doth think ill of Gods Goodness and Justice, as seeming to con∣strain the godly to ungodliness, and to take away good mens innocency from them; When as He is the Giver and Keeper of godliness and inno∣cency: He therefore that adhereth to God, is acted by the Spirit of God; but he that departeth from God, doth fall from his obedience (or cease it) by his own will.

Sent. 13. He that saith, that some men are not made by God to this end that they might obtain eternal life, but that they might be the ornaments of their times, and for the good of others, would speak better if he said, that God who is the Creator of all men, maketh not them in vain, who he foreseeth will not be partakers of life eternal: Because even in bad men, nature is Gods good work, and Justice in their damnation is laudable. But he cannot well be blamed that saith, that even by the condition of such the World is adorned * 1.2, and that those that hurt themselves by their own iniquity, are born for the good of others: For the multitude of the ungodly though innumerable is not disgraceful (or a deformity) to the World, or unprofitable to the Kingdom of God, seeing that by their propagation cometh the generation that is to be regenerate; and by tolerating and loving them, Gods people become the more illustrious.—

Sent. 14. He that saith, that they that believe not the preaching of the Gospel, are unbelievers by Gods predestination, and that God so de∣creed, that they that believe not be unbelievers by his appointment (or decree) is not a Catholick: For as Faith which worketh by Love is Gods gift, so unbelief is none of Gods constitution: Because God know∣eth how to ordain Punishment for sin, but not sin it self. And it fol∣loweth not, that what he remitteth not, he committeth: The predestinate therefore liveth by the faith which is given him: The non-predestinate pe∣rish by Voluntary and not constrained infidelity.

Sent. 15. He that saith, that Foreknowledge is the same with pre∣destination, doubtless in our good works, conjoyneth (or mixeth) those two: For what we have of Gods gift, and is said to be foreknown, must needs be predestinate: And what is said to be predestinate, must needs be foreknown. But in our evil works, only the foreknowledge of God must be understood. Because as he foreknew and predestinated, the things which he doth himself, and giveth us to do: so he FORE∣KNEW ONLY and DID NOT PREDESTINATE the things which he neither doth himself, nor requireth us to do.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He meaneth that those that sincerely covenant∣ed with God in Baptism, were truly pardoned, though he thought some of them fell away and perished.
• * 1.2

  But not by their sin i•• self.