The Glory of Gods Works, is their likeness to Himself; And as Intellection and Free-will are parts of this likeness, we know not just how far God can go in such Communications. I see no contradiction in it, to say that a faculty maintained by God in its natural force, with necessary (though not determining) concurse, can determine it self without any more causation. And if it be not a Contradiction, God can do it.
4. But this is all prevented by considering, that mans Soul is never out of Act. Its active force is never idle; though it act not always the same way, nor with the same extension or intension: so that to reduce it into act, is not to reduce it from a mere potentia in actum, but from a power acting one way, or slowly, to act another way, or more intensely.
5. Yea, this is all answered by considering, that as I said, while God continueth the Soul in its nature, it continueth a naturally active force or power; inclined essentially to activity: So that though, I say▪ that Action ⟨p. 33⟩needeth more cause than non-action, that is, here done, in God still causeth the active disposition. But supposing that upheld, I say, that there is oft more need of other causality or strength to keep it from Action, than to cause it to act. Whatever the world talketh against Durandus, they are never well able to answer à Dola (though in sense they that factiously oppose him mean the same as he.) And if a Rock hanged in the Air by something that might be cut off or removed (as a thread), supposing God to continue the nature of it, and all things else, there is more strength and causality needful to hold it from falling, than to make it fall, when the thread is cut. It was a work of Gods Power to keep the fire from burning the three Confessors, Dan. 3. and the Lions from devouring Daniel, Dan. 6. and the Sea from flowing on the Israelites, and the Sun from moving in Joshua's fight.
6. And yet consider that it is not so much as an Action, which is but modus rei, that is in question, but only the comparative circumstantiating of that action; so that it is but modus modi rei.
7. And lastly, The denial of the matter of our power and liberty in this I have else-where proved, overthroweth the certainties and fundamentals of all our Religion.
The Glory of Gods Works, is their likeness to Himself; And as Intellection and Free-will are parts of this likeness, we know not just how far God can go in such Communications. I see no contradiction in it, to say that a faculty maintained by God in its natural force, with necessary (though not determining) concurse, can determine it self without any more causation. And if it be not a Contradiction, God can do it.
4. But this is all prevented by considering, that mans Soul is never out of Act. Its active force is never idle; though it act not always the same way, nor with the same extension or intension: so that to reduce it into act, is not to reduce it from a meer potentia in actum, but from a power acting one way, or slowly, to act another way, or more intensly.
5. Yea, this is all answered by considering, that as I said, while God continueth the Soul in its nature, it continueth a naturally active force or power; inclined essentially to activity: So that though, I say▪ that Action ⟨p. 33⟩needeth more cause than non-action, that is, here done, in God still causeth the active disposition. But supposing that upheld, I say, that there is oft more need of other causality or strength to keep it from Action, than to cause it to act. Whatever the world talketh against Durandus, they are never well able to answer à Dola (though in sense they that factiously oppose him mean the same as he.) And if a Rock hanged in the Air by something that might be cut off or removed (as a threed), supposing God to continue the nature of it, and all things else, there is more strength and causality needful to hold it from falling, than to make it fall, when the threed is cut. It was a work of Gods Power to keep the fire from burning the three Confessors, Dan. 3. and the Lions from devouring Daniel, Dan. 6. and the Sea from flowing on the Israelites, and the Sun from moving in Joshuah's fight.
6. And yet consider that it is not so much as an Action, which is but modus rei, that is in question, but only the comparative circumstantiating of that action; so that it is but modus modi rei.
7. And lastly, The denial of the matter of our power and liberty in this I have else-where proved, overthroweth the certainties and fundamentals of all our Religion.
