Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Section 27 – Table of contents 3
SECT. XXVII. Of the fewneſs of the glorified, and the many that periſh.
368. Though it be comparatively but a little Flock, and part of this world to whom God will give the heavenly Kingdom, yet the number will in it ſelf be exceeding great. And it's very probable that (this Earth being a very little punctum of the Creation) that taking all God's rational Creatures together, the number of the damned will be found a very ſmall number in compariſon of the bleſſed; even as the Malefactors in the Jailes are to the Subjects of the Kingdom. For the worlds above us are incomprehenſibly vaſt and glorious; And the Text telleth us, Heb. 22. 22. That we are come to an innumerable company of Angels: Though the proportions be unknown to us, I ſpeak this again, that miſtakes tempt not men to unworthy thoughts of the infinite amiable goodneſs of God, or of the Chriſtian Faith.
369. And what the Saints do want in number, they ſhall have in excellency, to glorifie the goodneſs of God. The little Flock which ſhall have the Kingdom, ſhall be all Kings and Prieſts, and ſhall judge the world (Judgment in Scripture is much put for Government): They ſhall be equal with Angels, and ſhining Stars in our Fathers Firmament, and ſhall ſit with Chriſt upon his Throne: And ſhall in a word, in the perfection of their Natures, perfectly know, love and praiſe, obey and delight in God, in a perfect ſociety in the ſight of Chriſt's Glory, and be aſſured of this to all eternity. Amen.
And we ſee in Gods Works of Nature, high Excellencies are rare. There are not ſo many Suns as Stars, nor Stars, as Stones, or Leaves, or Trees; nor ſo much Gold as Earth; nor ſo many Men, as Flies, Fiſhes, and other Animals; nor ſo many Kings as Subjects; nor ſo many Teachers as Learners; nor ſo many men of learning and wiſdom as ignorance. And we ſee there are not ſo many godly as ungodly.
370. And, as I told you before, that as Iſrael was not all Gods people in the world before Chriſt's Incarnation, and that the Chatholick Church now ſucceedeth them in their high and rare Peculiarities and Priviledges above the reſt of the world, and far exceedeth them in the greatneſs of our Mercies; and that Chriſt's Incarnation hath put the reſt of the world into no worſe a condition than they were before; and that all the world is under a Law of Grace, and none under the Law and Covenant of Innocency only: So I now add, that all ſhall be judged by that Law which they were under; They that have ſinned without a (written) Law, ſhall be judged without that Law: And what ſtate each particular Rom. 2.Soul is in, the Judge only knoweth, and not we, who are inſolently arrogant, if we will ſtep up into his Throne, and judge his Subjects without his Commiſſion. But this we know that God hath various degrees of Rewards and Puniſhments (as to Infants and Adult, ſo to the Adult among themſelves.) And that he that gained but two Talents ſhall be Ruler of two Cities: And he that had but one might have improved one, though he could not have improved more than he had: And that they that have done good ſhall go into everlaſting life, and thoſe that have done evil to everlasting puniſhment. And the kinds and degrees of their different Matth. 25. laſt.puniſhments hereafter, how great, and how far involuntary, they are beyond the very miſerable caſe of their ſinfulneſs it ſelf, are things that are unknown to us. But certain we are, that the Judge of all the world will do righteouſly, and that all wiſe and righteous mens judgments, when they ſhall ſee what the number of Sufferers, and the ſorts and degrees of their puniſhment are, ſhall be fully ſatisfied of the Goodneſs, Clemency, Wiſdom and Juſtice of God, and never once wiſh it had been otherwiſe. And that the Servant that knew his Lords Will, and prepared not himſelf, nor did according to his Will, ſhall be beate… with many ſtripes: But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy Luk. 12. 47, 48.of ſtripes, ſhall be beaten with few ſtripes. For unto whomſoever much is given, of him ſhall he much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him will they ask the more.
371. It is little underſtood by moſt how much man by ſin it ſelf is effectively his own Tormenter, (which tempteth man to doubt of Hell, as if it were Gods too much ſeverity ſo to puniſh.) How Sin is a puniſhment it ſelf, and how God antecedently made mans nature ſuch, that if he would ſin, it ſhould torment him and undo him of it ſelf (like poyſon to the Body) I have opened in the firſt Chapter. See Gabr. Biel in 2. d. 36. that Omne peccatum eſt poena, and the four Reaſons of Bonavent. recited by him.
372. The Stoicks and Platoniſts Revolution, and the Pythagorean Re-incorporation, are ſo like the Chriſtian Doctrine of the Reſurrection, that (though we muſt not with Origin ſeek to make them liker than they are, yet) thoſe Infidels are unexcuſable who take this for incredible, and yet take the other for the moſt rational conjecture.*Such as are moſt of the ſober Heathens in the world. For the moſt religious and ſober of them are Pythagorears to this day: Lege Varenium de diverſ. Relig. poſt Hiſt. Jap…n.
Bleſs, Lord, thy own reconciling Truths, to the healing of thy Churches, or at least of ſome diſ-joynted minds. And teach me with patience to bear the Obloquy and Reproach of miſtaken zealous Conſurers: And forgive them that know not what they ſay or do. And wherein I err, forgive and rectifie me, and better inform both the Reader and me.
The Third Part: OF God's Gracious Operations ON MANS SOUL; Their DIFFERENCE, and the OPERATIONS OF MANS WILL. For the fuller Deciſion of the Controverſies about EFFECTUAL and DIFFERENCING GRACE. By RICHARD BAXTER.
LONDON, Printed by Robert VVhite, for Nevill Simmons at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. MDCLXXV.
THE CONTENTS.
THE Preface. Pag. 1.
Sect. 1. The Preſuppoſed Principles briefly repeated, p. 7▪
Sect. 2. The Order of Divine Operations, p. 9.
Sect. 3. Of the Operations and Principles as compared, p. 12.
Sect. 4. How far God uſeth Means, p. 16.
Sect. 5. Of the Cauſes of the different Effects of Grace (and Means), p. 18.
Sect. 6. Of the Limitations of Gods Operations on the Soul, p. 20.
Sect. 7. Of the Reſiſtibility of Grace, p. 21.
Sect. 8. What is that Operation of God on the Soul, enquired of in many following Queſtions? And whether ſearchable by man? p. 22.
Sect. 9. Whether Gods Operation be equal on all? p. 31.
Sect. 10. Whether it be Phyſical or Moral? p. 32.
Sect. 11. What Free-will man hath to Spiritual Good. p. 35.
Sect. 12. More of Predetermination by Phyſical Premotion, p. 37.
Sect. 13. More of Mans Power, Natural and Moral, p. 43.
Sect. 14. Whether the giving of Faith be an act of Omnipotency and a Creation? and a Miracle? p. 46.
Sect. 15. Of the Sufficiency and Efficacy of Grace? p. 48.
Sect. 16. Of Infuſed Habits and the Holy Ghoſt, even ſpecial Grace, p. 53.
Sect. 17. Whether Man be meerly Paſſive as to the firſt Grace? p. 55.
Sect. 18. Whether the firſt Grace, and the New and Soft Heart, or Faith it ſelf, be Promiſed or Given abſolutely, or on any Condition to be performed by man? ibid.
Sect. 19. How God may be ſaid to Cauſe the Acts of Sin, p. 57.
Sect. 20. How far God, and how far man himſelf, is the Cauſe of Hell and other puniſhments, p. 62.
The Concluſion.
§. 1. The Conceſſions of the Synod of Dort, ſpecially the Brittiſh Divines: More of Divine Motion or Impreſs, p. 67.
§. 2. The Epitome of Alvarez de Auxil. drawn up by himſelf in Epilogo in Twenty Concluſions, conſidered, p. 70.
§. 3. A Cenſure of the other three wayes deſcribed by him, viz. 1. The Jeſuits de Scientia Media, p. 75.
§. 4. 2. Durandus's Way, p. 76.
§. 5. 3. That of the Scotiſts and Nominals: Of Gods partial Ca…ſality, p. 79.
§. 6. The true face and Scheme of the Dominican Predeterminant way, in the Senſe and Conſequents, in Fifty Propoſitions, and the Reaſons of my preferring any before this, p. 80.
A Summary of all, to ſatisfie ſober minds. p. 100.
Additional Animadverſions on Mr. Peter Sterrey's Book of Free-will: making God the Author of Good and Evil, as he is of Light and Darkneſs, p. 106.