Of Free-will, XXIII. The Will: is not a Power of choofng or willing an unknown good : Therefore it may be truly faid to be naturally unable to will that which the Intelleíï perceiveth not to be good. And he that giveth know- ledge to fuck a Mind, doth trulygive more power to theWill, as the lofs of knowledge :is its lofs ofpower. Though the Will it felffhould re- ceive no habitual alteration by it. XXIV. We mull not conceive of the fufcitation of an aElive nature, aswe do of the motion of deadmatter, which is meetly pafftve : But as of that which is pave indeed fromGodand fuperior - Caufes, but waive in it felf, and on inferiors; ( And I think like the Sun beams, paflive from no .lower nature , fave by flop or refinance of its own a&i- vity.) XXV. As the scotifls diiftinguifh Pave (Receptive) Power, into natural ( which is naturallydifpofed to the form received) , and violent (which is averfe or oppofite to the form) orneutral (which is indiffe . rent ) , and affirm the Soul to have the firft fort ofpave power (na- tural ) tothe love of God and fupernatural felicity fia thediftinction isfound, and their áffettion is true as to the nature of theSoul in it fell confidered, ( for it was madeto love God ). But accidentally by rea- fon of adventitiouspravity, it isbut potentia paffivaviolenta : for the thecarnal mind itenmity to God, andneither is nor canbe fubject to his Law. So that it is bothnatural and violent in leveral refpects. XXVI. As for the great queftion, what is a moral Power ? I anfwer, r. Power may be called Moral ab objetto, becaufe it is ad mores, and fo our naturalpower is moral, and alíus humanisa and am' moralis are oft put for synonima's. 2. Power may be called moral from the way of effeíling it. And fo our natural Powers allo are moral ; not iñ the Effence of the Soul, but in the Relative.formof thepower in fpecie vel indivviduo ad hoc objeltum : For he that caufeth or revealeth the Objed, doth by moral caufation give us anatural power adhoc. 3. Power is called moral, formally; In that of it felf it is a moral Virtue or Vice, Goodor Evil: which yet couldnot be true if it were but meer power : For morality confifteth formally and primarily in the Will or Voluntary : And to be able to doGoodor Evil, as luch, is not formallyanymoral Good or Evil, (but natural) : But Difpofition is. 4. Power is called Moral, Analogically and Reputatively, as caul fìnalis is laid to carafe, when it iscalled a moral caufe, and the operation metaphorical, oras he is called a moral caufe who perfwadeth to theEnd or Obje&. And fowe take the word [ Moral Power in our queflion. And fo the received Impref{ or Influx of Divine Agency, as alto the habits ofGrace in the Soul, are an Analogical Power; becaufe they are neceffary to the natural powers performance of the Ad : And fo the fufcitation (as received) of a dormant a&ive power, may be called Analogically a Power : And the rightdifpouition ofapower may be called ä power : And the deep fore.defcribed4lïion of theSoul, may be called a power to other fenfible Ads. XXVII. Next to this moralpower, is potentia logica which is but the name of Powergiven extrin[cally from fomeother thing, without which the effect will never be, though it be poffible, and the Caufes have power fufficient. And the nameof Impojfibility de e f llu is oftner and more tollerably here ufed, than of impotency as in the carafe. So we fay that whatfoever God willed) or decreeth is poffible, and what he nilleth abfalutely is impofible : And thence fome fay, That God can do it becaufe he
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=