II. AS to the way of Aureolus, Durandus, Ludov. à Dola, &c. I conceive it is commonly rejected, because not understood, or because the wording of it soundeth disgracefully; But it is a great matter that all confess, how easily it would end all these controversies, were it true. And by Lud. à Dola's Explication, and what Capreolus saith of Aureolus, I conceive that they are commonly mistaken. Durandus thinketh, that to the motion of the Creature it is necessary 1. That God by his continued 1influx continue the being and the nature and properties of the agent; 2. And that he continue all the circumstant creatures, concauses and objects and the media of action; 3. And that no powerful impediment hinder the action. Now, say the Jesuits and Dominicans and the rest, God doth moreover concur as the first cause to the Act it self, by an Immediate efficient Influx, besides that by which he upholdeth the Power and second Causes. But I think that Durandus meaneth as much as they: that is, that God doth not only uphold the creature in its meer esse, but in its Nature, which is its Mobility, and its principium motus; And this Nature is not only a Power to Action, but also an Inclined Power. So that for God by constant Influx to continue a Natural Power and Inclination to Action or motion, with all necessary concurrents, without impediments, is truly by his Influx to concur to the motion as the first Cause; while his Influx is not only as to Being, but as to the Motive force, and inclination: And no more than this doth seem to me to be simply necessary to motion.
II. AS to the way of Aureolus, Durandus, Ludov. à Dola, &c. I conceive it is commonly rejected, because not understood, or because the wording of it soundeth disgracefully; But it is a great matter that all confess, how easily it would end all these controversies, were it true. And by Lud. à Dola's Explication, and what Capreolus saith of Aureolus, I conceive that they are commonly mistaken. Durandus thinketh, that to the motion of the Creature it is necessary 1. That God by his continued 1influx continue the being and the nature and properties of the agent; 2. And that he continue all the circumstant creatures, concauses and objects and the media of action; 3. And that no powerful impediment hinder the action. Now, say the Jesuits and Dominicans and the rest, God doth moreover concurr as the first cause to the Act it self, by an Immediate efficient Influx, besides that by which he upholdeth the Power and second Causes. But I think that Durandus meaneth as much as they: that is, that God doth not only uphold the creature in its meer esse, but in its Nature, which is its Mobility, and its principium motus; And this Nature is not only a Power to Action, but also an Inclined Power. So that for God by constant Influx to continue a Natural Power and Inclination to Action or motion, with all necessary concurrents, without impediments, is truly by his Influx to concurr to the motion as the first Cause; while his Influx is not only as to Being, but as to the Motive force, and inclination: And no more than this doth seem to me to be simply necessary to motion.
- 1No doubt but God is quoad praesentiam Immediate in all his efficiency, and as Near to the effect, as if he used no second cause: But yet he is not so immediate as to exclude second causes, as media: And while he useth them, he operateth on us according to their kind of operations, even as if they were between him and the effect. And this is the sense of Durandus and à Do•a, and easily reconcileth all. Amyraldus de lib. Arbit. c. 4. concurreth with Durandus. It is considerable that all confess, that if Durandus's way did hold, it easily ended all the controversy. As Lud. le Blank noteth Thes. 3. de Concurs. Juxta hos doctores nulla est difficultas in conciliando divino concursu cum libertate, &c. And this way is as consistent with Gods certain disposal of events as predetermination it self.No doubt but God is quoad praesentiam Immediate in all his efficiency, and as Near to the effect, as if he used no second cause: But yet he is not so immediate as to exclude second causes, as media: And while he useth them, he operateth on us according to their kind of operations, even as if they were between him and the effect. And this is the sense of Durandus and à Do•a, and easily reconcileth all. Amyraldus de lib. Arbit. c. 4. concurreth with Durandus. It is cons•derable that all confess, that if Durandus's way did hold, it eas•ly ended all the controversie. As Lud. le Blank noteth Thes. 3. de Concurs. Juxta hos doctores nulla est difficultas in conciliando divino concursu cum libertate, &c. And this way is as consistent with Gods certain disposal of events as predetermination it self.
