Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

I will add one description of Free-will out of the last named Schoolman, D'Orbellis a Scotist, in 2. sent. d. 25. dub. 2. And tell me what the most rigid opposer of Free-will can desire more. [Q. Whether Free-will be equally in all that have it? Ans. Free-will may be compared 1. To that which it is free from, 2. And to that which it is free to 1. In the first sense, there is a threefold Liberty; 1. From constraint, 2. From sin, 3. From misery. Liberty from sin is not equally in good and bad, nor in man on earth and in Heaven. As Aug. Enchir. That's the freest will, that cannot at all serve sin. And Liberty from misery is not equally in all: But Liberty from constraint is equally in all, because the will cannot be forced. Though in God and the blessed there be a Necessity of Immutability, yet not of Co-action. And necessity of Immutability, repugneth not Liberty: For the will is called Free simply, not because it so willeth this, as that it can will the contrary: but because that whatever it willeth, it desireth it by its own Empire; Because it so willeth any thing, that it willeth to will it: And therefore in the act of willing, it moveth it self, and useth dominion on it self; And so far it is called Free, though it be immutably ordained to it. ^*2. But if free-will be compared to that to which it is free, viz. To do right (for as Anselm saith, It is a faculty or power to keep rectitude) so it is not equally in all: For this Power is in God of Himself; and in the Creatures received from God: And it is more in the confirmed than the nonconfirmed, ⟨p. 133⟩and in the good than in the bad. And seeing to be able to sin, is a diminution of Liberty; therefore according to Anselm, to be able to sin, is no Liberty nor part of liberty▪ taking Free-will according to the Common Reason of it. But to have power as to the Act which deformity is annexed to, may well be a part of Liberty, not simply, but of Created Liberty. And so the deformity in the Act more agreeth with free-will as it is a Creature, or as it is of Nothing, than as it is Free.—Dub. 3. Can free-will be compelled? Answ. God can destroy it, but not force it; for that is a Contradiction: But he can well effectually incline it, and make it move it self freely to which part God will.^*