and ineffectually apprehended and intended. I desire the learned reader to peruse well the first disputation of Rada for Scotus on this question. Prop. 13. The acts of love or faith are considerable, 1. Physically. 1. In general, as faith and love. 2. In special, as this faith and love about this object, the Father and Son. And thus, by common grace men may have true faith and love; that is, such as is physically a true or real act. 2. They are considerable morally; and that, 1. Either as duty answering a precept, "Believe and love God;" and thus they have an analogical, defective morality in them, and so are thus far sincere or true; but not that same true love or faith, in specie morali, which the command requireth. For it commandeth us to love God above all, &c. 2. They are considerable as conditions of the promises and evidences of spiritual life in the soul; and thus wicked men, by common grace, are never made partakers of them. They have not the things themselves. Their faith and love is not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel, and so are not true or sincere. Prop. 14. By common grace men may love God under the notion of the chiefest good and most desirable end, and yet not with that love which the chiefest good must be loved with, and therefore it is not morally sincere or saving. Prop. 15. There is no notion whatsoever that a true Christian hath of God, and no word that he can speak of him, but an unregenerate man may have some apprehension of that same notion, and speak those words, and know every proposition concerning God and Christ, as Redeemer, which a godly man may know; and so may have some love to God, or faith in Christ in that same notion, though not with such a clear effectual apprehension, and lively powerful love, as the sanctified have. Object. He cannot love God as his end. Answ. I have proved before that he may with a superficial, ineffectual, subdued love. Object. He cannot love him as the chief good. Answ. I have proved that he may love him under that notion, though not with that love which the chief good must be loved with. Object. He cannot believe in Christ, or desire him as a Saviour to free him from every sin. Answ. Not with a prevalent faith or desire, for still he hath more love than averseness to that sin, and therefore more averseness than love to Christ as such; but as in general he may wish to be free from all sin, so in particular he may have effectual wishes to be free from his most beloved sin in several respects. Object. But not to be free from sin as sin, or as against God. Answ. Yes; a man by common grace may know that sin as sin is evil, and therefore may have ineffectual wishes to be freed from it as such; but at the same time he hath stronger apprehensions of the pleasure, profit, or credit that it brings him, and this prevaileth. Indeed, men's carnal interest, which in sin they love, is not its opposition to God, nor the formal nature of sin. Doubtless all men that are ungodly, do not therefore love sin because it is sin, and against God; at least this is not so total in them, but that there may be a subdued mind to the contrary, and dislike of sin as against God. Many a common drunkard I have known, that when he hath heard or talked of sin as sin, and as against God, hath cried out against himself, and wept as if he abhorred it, and yet gone on in it, for the pleasure of the flesh. Object. But where, then, is man's natural enmity to God and holiness? Answ. 1. It is doubtful whether man naturally have an enmity to God and holiness considered simply, or only considered as being against man's carnal interest. 2. But were the former proved, yet common grace abateth that enmity, and gives men more than corrupted nature doth. Object. But the experience of the godly telleth them that it is another kind of light and love which they have after conversion than before. Answ. 1. It is not all converts that can judge by experience in this; because all have not had common grace in the highest, or any great observed measure before conversion. 2. It is hard for any to make that experiment, because we know not in our change just when common grace left, and special grace begun. 3. A physical, gradual difference may be as great as that which your experience tells you of. Have you experience of common light and love before conversion, and of another since which differeth from it more than the greatest flame from a spark, and more than the sunshine at noon from the twilight, when you cannot know a man; or more than the sight of the cured blind man, that saw clearly, from that by which he saw men like trees; or more than the pain of the strappado from the smallest prick of a pin? Object. But it is not common gifts that are worked up to be special grace. One species is not turned into another. Answ. 480 THE SAINT'S EVERLASTING REST. True: imperfection is not turned materially into perfection. The dawning of the day is not materially turned into the greater light at noon; but a greater light superveneth, and is added to the less. The blind man's seeing men like trees, was not it that was the perfect, following sight, but an additional light was it. Object. But special grace is the divine nature, the image of God, the new creature, &c., and therefore doth differ more from common. Answ. I easily yield the antecedent, but deny the consequence. The difference is as admirably great as these terms express, though it be but a moral specific difference. Reader, I will trouble thee no more but to entreat thee, if thou be of another mind, to differ from me without breach of charity, as I do from thee, and to remember that I obtrude not my explications on any. And if I have done thee wrong, it is but by telling thee my thoughts, which thou hast liberty to accept or reject as thou seest cause. But again I entreat thee, rather lay this by, or tear it out of the book, than it should be any stumbling-block in the way, or hinder thee from profiting by what thou readest. The Lord increase our light, and life, and love. Jan. 15, 1657. THE END. INDEX (ALPHABETICAL AND ANALYTICAL) OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE WORKS OF THE REV. RICHARD BAXTER, The Index of the Principal Matters, contained in the LIFE OF MR. †† The LARGER Roman Numerals in this Index refer to Volumes II. to XXIII.; A. ABBOT (Dr. Robert), testimony of, Abrogation of the Mosaic Law, consi- of study prosecuted in, XIV. 219— Argu- will be the accusation, 432-434. VOL. XXIII. Admonition to civil rulers, considera- Adoption, as the children of God, one Adultery, no law against, enacted at Adults not to be admitted into church- I I previous profession of their faith,XIV. Advantages and prospects in life, fitted Affliction, a season for meditation, III. Almightiness. See Omnipotence. Amen, import of, XIX. 158. Angels, prayer to, both idolatrous and 196. With what sentiments we Aged persons especially bound to re- Anger defined, as it respects ourselves, 367. Its ill consequences, 369. Whether it be necessary to believe |