On the Imputation of Adam's First Sin · §392

Man. Post. Cap. VII: PLAC — power vs justice; will determined by justice

not God's power that is asked here, but his justice, which he has disclosed partly by the laws he gave, partly by the most holy sentences by which he vindicated it from the Jews' calumnies. Why should we not rather acquiesce in these revelations of his than in men's judgments or opinions? Whence is a legislator's justice, and what he approves, better known than from his law? God is indeed bound by no laws—namely of another; but by his own laws, why may he not freely bind himself? His own will is the norm and law of what is to be done—not precisely as it is will, but as it is the best, most just, most holy will, and the same most wise; and so he can will or do nothing foolishly, nothing unjustly, nothing badly. For volition necessarily aligns with the will's universal perfection. Therefore God's will is determined to willing well by his own justice, &c.: for it cannot contradict its own perfection—that is, itself.

Latin

PLAC. De potestate Dei hic non quaeritur, sed de eius justitia, quam partim datis legibus, partim sanctissimis sententiis, quibus eam a calumniis Judaeorum vindicavit, qualis sit patefecit. Quid est, cur his eius revelationibus non acquiescamus potius, quam hominum judiciis, aut opinionibus? Unde enim potius cognoscatur legislatoris justitia, & quid probet, quam ab eius lege? Nullis quidem legibus obstringitur Deus, nempe alterius; at suis ipsius legibus quid est quare se se ultro obstringere non possit? Sua ipsi voluntas est agendorum norma & lex; non certe praecise quatenus est voluntas, sed quatenus est optima, justissima, sanctissima voluntas, eademque sapientissima, itaque nihil insipienter, nihil injuste, nihil male velle, aut facere potest. Necessario enim volitio congruit cum voluntatis universali perfectione. Determinatur igitur voluntas Dei ad bene volendum a sua ipsius justitia &c.: non potest enim suae ipsius perfectioni, hoc est, sibi ipsa repugnare.

About this text

New English, free to read. Open any section below.

English follows the locked 1661 Saumur Latin of Capita I–XIV partial through Man. Post. No modern English was copied. Cap. IX deepen+ remain.

Catalogue & scope

IA deimputationepri00lapl. Densify: Capita I–XII + Caput XIV + Man. Post. Cap. II–VI through Cap. X Rom. 5:14 tip. Not whole Disputatio; Cap. X Rom. 5:14+ / ~494 pp Disputatio remain.

Witnesses

This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.