A26923:59
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
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.
§. 5. Yea, it is certain, that of God, who is incomprehensible, we have here no partial Conception that reacheth so high as to be strictly FORMAL, but only such as are called analogical, equivocal, metaphorical, or by similitude. Neither Substantia, Vita, Perfectio, Potentia, Actus, Intellectus, Voluntas, Love, Truth, Goodness, Mercy, &c. are formally and univocally the same in God and in the Creature: Scotus excepteth only ENS. Which is true, as ENS is only a Logical term, signifying no more than EST or Quoddity, and not QUID est, or Quiddity.
§. 5. Yea, it is certain, that of God, who is incomprehensible, we have here no partial Conception that reacheth so high as to be strictly FORMAL, but only such as are called analogical, aequivocal, metaphorical, or by similitude. Neither Substantia, Vita, Perfectio, Potentia, Actus, Intellectus, Voluntas, Love, Truth, Goodness, Mercy, &c. are formally and univocally the same in God and in the Creature: Scotus excepteth only ENS. Which is true, as ENS is only a Logical term, signifying no more than EST or Quoddity, and not QUID est, or Quiddity.
§. 6. Yet this Knowledge by similitude is not •ull or vain; but the greatest advancement of Man's Understanding: All that which is formally excellent in the Creature, is EMINENTLY and transcendently in God. Though he have not that which we call Knowledge, Will, Love, &c. he hath that which is infinitely more excellent, which these in Man have some likeness to, whereby we know him.
§. 7. Man's Knowledge beginneth at our selves and not at God: We do not first know God: But first we perceive our own Souls Acts, and thereby we know our Power, and our Substance, and thereby we know what all is that is such as we; and so what a Spirit is, and so what GOD is. As by seeing, hearing, feeling we perceive that we see, hear, feel, &c. every Sense having essentially a self-perception: So by thinking, knowing, willing, illing, loving, joying, we perceive that we do it essentially; yet though the famosius significatum be our own Act as to formality and priority, it is God's as to Eminency and Perfection.