A Preface to the Reader. tained a definitiveSentence on their fide, againft their Adverfaries, But through the jolt Ven. geance ofGod, upon a packot bloudy perfecutingIdolaters , giving there up more and mote to the Beliefe of Lye's', contrary almoft to the expectation of all men This very yeare 1653 Pape Innocent the tenth , whonow weares theTripleCreveneconjured by the fubulty and dreadful intereftof the 7efuires in all nations, thatas yetwonder after him, ,by a Solemne I? 11 or Papal ConuftonanDetermination , in theCafe of `fanfenituBithopofTpre let, bath turn id the Scales upon his fide Suppliants, and Caft theCaufe on the PelagianSide. But of that whole bufinefs elfewhere. - I (hall notperplex the Reader, with theHorrid names, ofírombet , Holcot , Bricot, Sicher, Tartaret, Brulifer, nor with their more Horrid termes and expreffions. Let the one Angelical Doefar anfwer for the reft ofhis Companions. That thisman then ( one of the great Mattersof the Crew ) abodeby the Principles of him before infifted on,may quickly be made evident byfome few inflances clearingbis judg- ment herein: This inthe lirft placeheeverywhere infifts on ; that no Habitualgrace received,no improve meet thatcan be made ofit , by the utmofl ability , diligence , and the moll rayid Confederations of the bell of men Will castle any one certainly to Perfevere , without thepeculiar prefervationof 'Clod, Of this he gives his Realon: Lib. 3. Contrd Gent: Ca:155. Iliad quad21(,aeard fad ell Yariabile,ad hoc,quod figatur inono, indiget Auxilio alicujtu moventie immobile; fed ltberum ar- bitriism etiam exiflentte sagratiáHabituali adhue maneevariabile,trlexibiled bona in Ma'am; ergo adhac,gaodfigatur in bono &perfeveret in illo,nfg, ad Finem , indigetSpeciali Dei Anxilio. An Argument of the fame importance,with that mentioned out ofBradwardine:which (how- foever at firft appearance it may feem to lye atthe Out-skirts ofthe Controverfy in hand;yet indeed ) is filchas being granted, bathan influence into thewhole,as bathbeenmanifefted. And this the fame Authourfurther Confirmes, ( faith he ) p:p: r 09. 49. Clem nullum agensfecundum agar nifi in Virtutepriori, fit¡ care ffiritni perpetuò rebellie ; non potefl Homo li- cet jamgratiam canfecutue , perfeipfum operati Ronum, & vitare Peccatum, abfg novo Auxilio Dei; ipfummoventú, dìrigentú,&protegentis; quamvis alia Habitualisgratia adhac,ei neceffaria atufe. And the Reafons hegives of this conclufion inthe body ofthe Article are confide- cable. This faith he, muff be fo; prima quidem, rationegenerali propter hoc, quadnulla Res cre- ata potefìin quemcungr Atlumpradire,nili virtutemotionúdivine. The Pelagian felfefuffici- ency, and exemption from dependance , in Selidum,uponGodbothprovidentialÿ, and Thy- /ically,astooperation was notfo freely receivedin theSchooles as afterward. Secunda ( faith he ) rationfpeciali , propter Canditionem flatissHumana Natura,quequidem lic/tper Gratiamfanetur , quantumadmentem , remanet tarnen in ea Corrnptio,& Infeetioquas. turnadcarnem,per quamfervit legipeccati;ut dtcitnr,Ro:7: Remanet seismgaadam Ignarantia ad- /Caritas in intelle(lu,kcsoulúmquarts ( at etiam dicitur Rom : 8.) quid eremitefcut opertet nefci- mue : ideo necefe ell nobis, ut dDeo dirigamur, &pestegamur s quiamnianovit , & amnia Potell. And will notthis man think you , who in his gropingsafter Light , when darknelscovered theFace of the Earth, and thick darknels was uponthe Inhabitants thereof, with thishis dif- cbvery (ofthe impotencyof the belt ofthe Saints for Perfeverance,upon the Account ofany Grace received, becaufeof theperpetual powerful rebellion of indwelling Luft, and Corru- ption , and that all thatdoperfevere, areprefervedby the power of God unto falvation) rife in Judgment agáinftThofe who in our Dayes, wherin the Sun ofRighteoufnefs isrifen with hea. ling under his wings do afcribe a fufficiency unto men in themfelves upon thebottome of their Rational Confederations, to abidewith God,or Perfeveretothe end? And this affection ofthe r/lngelical Doilour is notably confirmed by Didacuo Alvarez in hisVindication of it from the exceptionof Medina,that wemake ufe of habitswhen wewill,(r ifmen Will make ufe oftheir HabitualGrate , they may perfevere , without relation toany After graceof god:faith he: Refpondetur, Habitibees quidemWs, neicismvalumm,fed at velimue ilia s;ti,prarequiriturMotio Deieffrcax ,pramovens L:berum Arbitrium,ut utatur Habits; adoperan- dain, & aperetur bonum, prafertim quandoHabituefontfopernatorates ; quia aimpertineant ad fuperiorem Ordinem , habenfpecialem Rationem ,propter quam potentiamere naturalis nonutitur rirderet Habitibue, nife fpeciali Dei Auxiliomoveatur : Alvar : de Aux : Lib. 10. Dilput. loc. Though received Graces are reckoned by him asfupernaturalHabits , yet fuch as we adnot by, nor with, but fromnew fupplies foamGod. Having layd down thisPrinciple, Thomas proceeds tomanifeft,that there is a fpecialGrace ofinerfeverance , bellowed by God on force, and thaton whomfoever it is bellowed, they certainly , and perfevere to theend: p: p: A:roC:andcontr,agent:Lib3: Ire proves this Affertion fromP:6. a Pet :5:ao,Pfsl:r6. tBut
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=