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,…

P. Here we see what it is to quarrel about ambiguous Words: No one of these is true that you say, of the common nature of a condition; or at least as we mean by that word. 1. Civilians define a Condition to be Lex addita negotio, qua donec praestetur eventum suspendit. As it is Required it is only Modus promissionis, donationis vel contractus: as Performed it is only a Removal of an Impediment, and a Disposition of the Receiver. So that as the Non-performance is but the suspension of a Causation, so the performance of a Condition as such, is no Cause efficient: But it is dispositio subjecti, which you may call a necessary Modus of a Material Cause, as the Recipient may improperly be called; Dr. Twice therefore calleth faith Ca•sa justificationis dispositiva. ⟨p. 249⟩2. So it be an act of our own, it is no way necessary that it be done without the Commanders help or gift: For he that giveth us to believe, doth give it by this means, even by commanding it, and making it a Condition of his further benefits, that so he may induce us as rational free agents, to perform it ex intuitu mercedis, or by the motive of the end or benefit. For he causeth it by suitable means. And no doubt, but faith, and the rest, are free acts of ours, though caused by Gods grace. 3. And it is accidental to a Condition, that it be any way commodious to the Imposer. What profit is it to a Father that his Child put off his Hat and say, I thank you? And yet he may make that a condition of his gift. What profit is it to a free Physician, that the Patient observe his order in taking his Medicines? And yet he may give them on that condition. But yet I will add, that as usually men make that the condition of a Gift or Contract, which the person obliged is backward else to perform, and that which is somewhat either for the Donor or Contractors Interest, or the Ends of his contract: so God who taketh his Glory and Pleasure in his Children's Good, to be as his Interest, and the End of his Gifts, and knoweth how backward we are to our duty, doth on these accounts impose on us our duty and conditions, his Pleasure and Glory being instead of his Commodity.

P. Here we see what it is to quarrell about ambiguous Words: No one of these is true that you say, of the common nature of a condition; or at least as we mean by that word. 1. Civilians define a Condition to be Lex addita negotio, qua donec praestetur eventum suspendit. As it is Required it is only Modus promissionis, donationis vel contractus: as Performed it is only a Removal of an Impediment, and a Disposition of the Receiver. So that as the Non-performance is but the suspension of a Causation, so the performance of a Condition as such, is no Cause efficient: But it is dispositio subjecti, which you may call a necessary Modus of a Material Cause, as the Recipient may improperly be called; Dr. Twisse therefore calleth faith Casa justificationis dispositiva.