Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Section 9
SECT. IX. Whether Gods Operations be equal on all?
§. 1. IF the queſtion be ex parte Dei, it is abſurd to make a queſtion of it. For God is the ſame, whatever the diverſity be in his *Of Preparation for Grace, Medina noteth three degrees of it: one which Grace ever followeth (which is it that our Divines mean by effectual Vocation) and this he ſaith, is never had but by Gods ſpecial help: (the other two are diſtant and common.) But that the Schoolmen of the other parties think otherwiſe he confeſſeth, and ſaith, In hac quaeſtione Durand. Scot. & propemodum omnes Nominales, quos ſequitur Adrian. Quodlib. 7. q. 4. tenent partem affirmativam, ſcilicet quod homo per ſ…as vires ſine ſpeciali auxilio Gratiae, poteſt ſe ad Gratiam praeparare, ſic ut conſequatur gratiam infallibiliter, & ex merito de congruo: D. Tho. tenet contrarium: Medin. ib. p. 593. But then by ſufficiens praeparatio ad Gratiam, he meaneth Converſion it ſelf, dimovere animum ab iniquitate, & ſt in Deum convertere; ſicut convertere faciem ad ſolem, ut qui… illuminetur.works. And Gods acts as in himſelf, are God. And there is no Virtue or Efflux from God, but what is a creature, or effect of God.
§. 2. If the queſtion be of ſecond cauſes, and of Gods operation in and by them; I anſwer, 1. Some things God Giveth and Doth as Rector of the World, by a Law, or according to a Law: And herein God doth equally, till man make a difference (as is aforeſaid) viz. in his Legiſlation (though not in the promulgation) and in his Judgement. 2. Some things God Giveth and Doth, beſides, as Owner and free-Benefactor: and here he primarily maketh a difference. So that there is a certain ſort and meaſure of grace given equally, till men make a difference: And there is a ſort and meaſure given unequally, by the meer will of God, as he diverſifieth Natural things.
§. 3. But if the queſtion be of the effects on the ſoul, thoſe effects are, 1. Mans prediſpoſition, 2. The divine Impreſs, 3. The Acts, 4. The Habits, as is ſaid: And as to the firſt; God equally diſpoſed man at firſt: But two Cauſes have filled the World with very unequal diſpoſitions: One is mans ſin, corrupting themſelves and their poſterity more than as they are the ſeed of Adam (and this God is no Cauſe of.) The other is Gods free differencing mercy to ſome of equal ill deſert, giving them both Greater outward helps, and Common Grace, and fewer impediments, and ſo more preparing them for ſpecial Grace. But no man by Indiſpoſition is deprived of ſpecial Grace, but he that hath contracted more than he had from Adam only. And God doth not equally repair and diſpoſe all that have viciouſly undiſpoſed themſelves: Though while they are here, he giveth ſuch mercy to all, as tendeth to their recovery.
§. 4. If the queſtion be of the equality of Gods Impulſe, or Influx on the ſoul, 1. There may be a diverſity of further effects, where the Impreſs is the ſame in kind and meaſure; becauſe of mens various Diſpoſitions to receive it, and their various concurſe: That may convert one, that doth not another. But yet God doth not make equal Impreſſions on mens ſouls: For, 1. His own free-will as a Liberal benefactor doth more for ſome (as Paul) than for others. 2. Mens ill deſerts may ſo forſeit grace and quench the Spirit, as to make a difference. 3. The means much differ which ſeveral men have: And God uſually operateth according to the means, upon the ſoul.
§. 5. If the queſtion be either of the Act or Habit, it is no queſtion: For that were but to ask, Whether all men have equal faith, love and other graces? which common experience denyeth.
§. 6. Whereas ſome will ſtick at my mentioning a Divine Impreſs on the ſoul, in nature antecedent to Act and Habit, I would have them remember, that either there is ſuch a thing or not. If there be, I rightly mention it. If not, we are inſtantly at an end of all this ſort of Controverſies, and Calviniſts and Arminians cannot differ if they would. For then the queſtion muſt be only about that which is paſt queſtion, viz. 1. Either about Gods Act as in Himſelf, which is his ſimple Eſſence: 2. Or about the Act and Habit of Faith, Love, &c. in Man, which all the World knoweth is not equal; For all men have not faith: For as for pre-diſpoſition, the queſtion will be revolved to the ſame point; It is certain that all are not equally diſpoſed, and it is certain that Gods Acts as in him are his Eſſence.