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,…

C. Well, now tell us, Unde Gratia fit Efficax.

B. Any ordinary Logician will tell you, that the effect is from all the causes, and not from any one alone. It is effectual in that it produceth ⟨p. 190⟩the effect: To which each cause doth its proper part; and one is not all▪ The effect in question now is Faith. Faith is caused as is said, 1. By Gods will as the Original. 2. By Christ as sending the Spirit (and meriting Grace first). 3. By the Spirit as the Operator. 4. By the Gospel as the Instrument. 5. By the Preacher as a Sub-Instrument. 6. But all this effecteth ordinarily in materia disposita, and no other. (Having before wrought that preparation). 7. But extraordinarily in materia indisposita, working disposition and all at once. Now here, 1. Gods Will doth its part without any cause; Velle ex parte Dei (sicu• & agere) is his essence; and the termination of it in rem Volitatam hath no efficient, but only an Objective Cause. 2. This prime Cause is the prime reason of all the efficacy of Inferior Causes: Not qua voluntas simply moving them, but qua voluntas cum potentia executiva moving them; and qua volitio inferreth the necessitatem consequentiae of the effect. So that plainly, I think that no Good cometh to pass in the world, but what God forewilled, and nothing which he absolutely willeth, cometh not to pass; what he fore-knoweth is necessary, necessitate Infallibilitatis, and what he absolutely willeth, necessitate Imutabilitatis; and what he worketh from such a will is necessary necessitate invincibilitatis. 3. Though all the other Causes are the reason of the effect, and not only the first, yet none of them operate on the first Cause, and put any force into it for the act. So that its force is from it self, but theirs from it. And having said this much preparatorily, I thus resolve your great question. Here are three things before us, whose cause may be enquired of; 1. The necessitas Logica consequentiae, ex quo in ordine probandi necessario sequitur eventum futurum esse: And this is the Decree or Will of God, (yea, and his fore knowledge) This is presupposed. 2. The prime effect of Gods Will and Active power operating: And this prime effect is not our Faith, or Act, but the Impression or Received Influx of God on the Soul. For the Soul receiveth (its like) some Impression by the Divine Influx by which it believeth or acteth it self: