Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

OfSufficient andEffe ual Grace. C. Well l but what is all this physcal Difcourfe to our present Contro. verge ? B. I. The conftancy of God in operating according to an eftablithed order in the world, doth (hewus , that the God of Order delighteth fo to do. 2. Therefore we have reafon to conceive that he doth fome fuch thing in the methodsofGrace, ashe doth in nature, via. That hehath inftituted a frameof means, which are the eftabli(hed way in and with which he will conveyhis Grace : And that he hath decreed to concur with a certain congruous univerfal influx which (hall afford to all fuch a degreeoffufcitating, illuminating, and converting attraaive force, as his wifdom feeth meet tobe theeftablt(hed meafure forthe redeemedWorld. And this univerfal Influx is the fole efficient of all the good that is found in the redeemed : But s. It is but a certain convenient proportion, and therefore will not do all that Godcan do 5 nor do the fame on one man asonanother 5 nor at one time as at another, or}-thee fame man. 2. And recipitur admodum recipientis : The diverfity of feond effeûs may oft be molt affigned to the diverfity of receptive Difpofttions. It is awonder to feehow the fame caufesvarioufly work onmensminds Ilemonfr. Declar. F. that are difpofitively diverfifiedbut by fomepreconceived opinion. You 17, Hide [se converfoni homo ex infira fbi pravi- may fee twomen learned, fober, pious, in doubt whether theArminians rate d. in re$ m, ndanaa or Calvinifts, theConformiftyor Non- conformifts 5 yeaperhaps the Pa- leas, obiam& impedi- pillsor Protestants, be in theTight. One is before hand more inclined one poie erpnt ¡æpp ftie way, and theother the other way 5 yea perhapsnot inclined in will, but voBetaspr edz ten'e X have received in judgment a great apprehenfion that fomeone Principle gat,r ¡u¡q;deyhábear,ruia isright, whichmore induceth to one fide than the other. They both ñomíñaaa inpadiráim pray, and meditate, and refolve to read and fearch the Scripture and verbam perfunLtorie tra- Controverfal Writings with all pofi-ible diligence and impartiality : Direr, mugis rebs,s manda- They let upon it 5 and one feeth all along as he goeth the fullest modoo =Dimy ediat gnawminann dence, as he thinketh for theone fide and the other, feeth all goon the ipf doarrina anangedic.e other fide , through the difference of Receptivedifpoftion. veraas, ecepirar, utltiraa I have had fuf{icient noticeof two Non-Conformifl Miners, that had vePverbsofrooaiaruejd Favoured in mind, the latecaufe of the Parliament in the Civil War, and ótu aern báb s ¡piri n. by the faceof the dreadfulness and heynoufnefs oftheguilt, ifit should onto guar, 1pirotuo rEfiiat, prove that theircaufe wasbad, were brought to refolve to do all that dr boss dej Pius coit poffibly they could tobe resolved. They bothlet themselves to Fait and infofas , obtat,u vola '- Pray, they fearched thewhole Scripture, read over theStatute-Book, elldat ¢r exterm:net. and all the Common Law-Books andCafes, that they could get, and all the Hiftoryof our ancient Government, and ofour late Tranfaûions 5 they read what was laid onboth fides , and one law all as clear as the light gofor the King againstthe Parliament, wonderingthat any ( hould make a doubt of it 5 and the other, though (till not fully certain, was more confirmed in his old apprehenfions the other way 5 yet both letar- ned, able, judicious, godly, and truly defirousto know the truth; and many and many years begged it of God, and unweariedly followed on the fearch 5 and no carnal intereft I am fully perfwaded made the diffe- rence. Andwhat then, `(hall we afcribe it all to immediate operations of God, without any more ado? No 5 as far as I couldperceive the diffe- rencearofe fromhence: One of them was firft deeply poffeffed with the fetife of Gods late yudgments Spiritual and Corporal on theReligi- ouspartywhich adhered to the Parliament 5 and thought thefe Judg= inentsindicated their fin: Their scandal , Divifions, confusons, Mutual Cenfiares, and Errorswere (till before his eyes 5 and the Laws of Order and Government, andObedience, and Patience, lay in greateff:power on his heart. The other lookt all abroad the world ; to Infidel, Heathen, drfahonáetän 175

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