A26883:2437
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,…
Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. V. III. Of the Scotists and Nominals way.
III. And as to the third way, ascribed by Alvarez to the Scotists and Nominals, I think that de nomine it is not a proper expression to call God causa partialis. But if we agree of the sense, we may bear 1with improper expressions about God, of whom we can say nothing without some impropriety. Doubtless God and man are not to be accounted co-ordinate concauses of the act; but whatever man doth, he doth it in subordination to God. But God operateth 1. As the prime cause of Nature, in a stablished way, by natural causes; And so he giveth man his Natural vital power and the Liberty of using it: and by this Power and Liberty a man can do more than he always doth. So that Gods natural causality and concurse doth not bring all the Power which he giveth men into proportionable adequate Action: but men freely exercise the same power sometime more and sometime less. 2. And in the like manner God causeth gracious or holy acts: Rectifying our Powers, and fortifying them by holy habits, and preserving and actuating them, by the Holy Ghost: Yet the Spirit is to Grace, as God the prime cause is to Nature: He giveth us more Gracious Power than we use, and than his own concurse always reduceth into adequate act: So that Gods operations in Nature and Grace are not ad ultimum posse Dei, nor ad ultimum posse hominis; but limited by his most wise and holy will: And man as a free agent is not only Able, but obliged, to use his power further, than by all Gods concurse or premotion it is used.
III. ANd as to the third way, ascribed by Alvarez to the Scotists and Nominals, I think that de nomine it is not a proper expression to call God causa partialis. But if we agree of the sense, we may bear 1with improper expressions about God, of whom we can say nothing without some impropriety. Doubtless God and man are not to be accounted co-ordinate concauses of the act; but whatever man doth, he doth it in subordination to God. But God operateth 1. As the prime cause of Nature, in a stablished way, by natural causes; And so he giveth man his Natural vital power and the Liberty of using it: and by this Power and Liberty a man can do more than he alwayes doth. So that Gods natural causality and concurse doth not bring all the Power which he giveth men into proportionable adequate Action: but men freely exercise the same power sometime more and sometime less. 2. And in the like manner God causeth gracious or holy acts: Rectifying our Powers, and fortifying them by holy habits, and preserving and actuating them, by the Holy Ghost: Yet the Spirit is to Grace, as God the prime cause is to Nature: He giveth us more Gracious Power than we use, and than his own concurse alwayes reduceth into adequate act: So that Gods operations in Nature and Grace are not ad ultimum posse Dei, nor ad ultimum posse hominis; but limited by his most wise and holy will: And man as a free agent is not only Able, but obliged, to use his power further, than by all Gods concurse or premotion it is used.