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,…

Suppose a Stone or Rock hang in the Air quasi per filum, or by somewhat that hindereth its descent: If God continue the Natural Gravity of that Rock, which is not only a power but an inclination to descend, and if he continue all concauses and media, and if the thread be cut or the impediment removed that held up the stone, yet saith the Dominican, this Stone cannot fall unless God moreover by another action thrust it down, or▪ by an efficient physical premotion predetermine it; or as▪ the Jesuits say, unless God concur with a further moving Impulse. A plain contradiction: That a Power of motion, strongly inclined to act, so as a greater power is necessary in the impediment that will hinder it, and this in genere Agentis, continued by Divine Influx, yet cannot act, unless otherwise moved.

Suppose a Stone or Rock hang in the Air quasi per filum, or by somewhat that hindereth its descent: If God continue the Natural Gravity of that Rock, which is not only a power but an inclination to descend, and if he continue all concauses and media, and if the thred be cut or the impediment removed that held up the stone, yet saith the Dominican, this Stone cannot fall unless God moreover by another action thrust it down, or▪ by an efficient physical premotion predetermine it; or as▪ the Jesuits say, unless God concurr with a further moving Impulse. A plain contradiction: That a Power of motion, strongly inclined to act, so as a greater power is necessary in the impediment that will hinder it, and this in genere Agentis, continued by Divine Influx, yet cannot act, unless otherwise moved.

God worketh so constantly by Natural Inclinations of second causes, as fully proveth to us, that ut prima Causa Naturae, he hath decreed so to work. And how is that then but by his Influx into Nature as Nature?