Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

z Of god's gracious Operations on Man's :. This ThirdPart which cometh up to themain Controverfe, is fhorr, and troubleth you lefs with other mens opinions, and Schoolmens Wrang- lings about Grace and Free -will : Partly becaufe youhad enoughof them by thewaybefore I And chieflybecaufe I wouldnot by tedioufnefs, and re- citationof Contentions, obfcure that which I molt delire to make plain, nor difcourage the Reader by the length. I thinkif I canmanifeft, thatthere is no real, or confiderable difference among theLearned andModerate oneach fide, ( fuchas are the Synod of Dorton one fide, and evenBella?mine, Suarez, Ruiz,&c. on the other, be- fides themoderate Lutheransand Armenians, ( whomay be a(lerned ifthey go farther from us thanthe Jefuites) befides abundanceof Scho,>lmen that -are of a middle ¡train, between the Dominicans and Jefuites, ) few un- derftanding Divines would then think that there were any confiderable difference remaining about Predeffination, or the univerfality of Redem- ption; Thofe difference'sbeing but refpective unto this.: _. But about PerfeveranceI confefs that theredoth a real difference remain But that it is of lets moment thanmoft onboth fides fay, and fuch as is no way fitto quench ChrithanLove, or alienareChriftiansfrom each others or hinder their liberties or peaceable communion, Ï have fully proved in theSecond Part, and formerly inapeculiarTreatife entituled, My Thoughts of Perfeveränye. _ If therefore I can truly difprove our pretended difference about the ope- rations of Grace, or at leaft prove it to bebut as it is, no greater nor more intolerable than that of Perfeverance, I fhall think that all is done that is. ( thus) neceffary. Themain difference (feeming or real) is -about the Powerof Mans will: Of which I have fpoken much in the Firft Part, and purpofely leave much to text Reconciling Praxis in the Second Book; which fhall diffipate the cloud of ambiguous words : Till then it fhall here fuffice to manifeft, a. That weare agreed with them whofeconciliation- I endeavour, that it is not the natural Powers effential to a man which we are deprived of. z. But thatthefe Powers have by our cotnmàn corruption, a, fnful Dif- pofition,' unfittingthem for adueexercife for God and againft fin. 3. And that all men (at leaf¡ at age) are not depraved - in the fame degree. q:. That this Ill difpofition is calleda MóralImpotency, when it is filch as while itremaineth, the tiinful At is ever done, or the commanded a& is never done There is then no Moral Power. -5 . That the vitious fin - ful impotency of thewill, and its Habitual or difpofitive unwtllingnef to good, and proneneßto things forbidden, is all one. 6. That he is Morally. Able, who without any other grace than he hath, can do the thing com- manded, or forbear the thingforbidden, 7. That there is no Power but of God. 8. That Nateorr,caatwoo r ee, and fpecial grace, give feveral, powers or difpofitions. 9. That a moral power is lets than a good habit. ro. That every man hath a moralproper power to do more good than he doth, and forbear moreevil. t r. That every man is commanded to ufe force means inorder to his falvation, which he is morally able to ufe, 12. ThatGod ufeth tobear long with the abufers of their Power before he forfakethem., 13. That many have many perfwafions and helps to ufe their power that abufe it. 14. That it's joli withGod to forfaiteluci, 11. Andgreat mercy to the eledt not to be fo forfaken. All which will be made clearerin their due connexion, which I fhall now here offer you. $. Z. As

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