The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-08
PULPIT AND PEW.
MEMS EXTRACTs or INTEREST TO
CHURCH PEOPLE.

Reasoning From tho Finite TO the Infinite.
Reasoning From Analysis in the Created
Things TO the Transcendent Perfection Of
the First Cause.
Though mans idea Of God. as the infinitely
perfect. expresses Gods essence bv means OF
attributes which his reason forms for itself on
analogica manifestations of Him IN created
things. yet he thereby knows God certainly
and truly ne totally trnnsccnding all finite
categorics of reality; and, though man knows
the infinite in finite manner and inadequate
Is. vet his knowledge is true. In reasoning
from finite or created beings 10 God rs their
absolute first cause, the medium Of illaton IS
neither univOcal nor purely equivocal; but 1t
is aualOgical. which IS something between the
two: and such medium POUNDS demonstration.
The aguOstic asserts that the following ODlec-
ton against the conclusivencss of such reason
ing from created beings 70 God IS insupera-
lie: If the medium of demonstration
be uniy0cal then God Is proved TO
be of the same specific nature
"a. the creature: il the medium be equlyocal,
a. valid conclusion can be derived through
% but between the unlvOCal and the equlvo-
CA. mo- third species of demonstTative medium
Is po.slblcn As a fact, however. there Is a
fartium aud between the unlyOcal and the
..uiVocal. which IS tho analOgical; and the
human mind does reason cOnclusvely from
tie equiyOcal effect 10 It's equivoca cause by
means of analogy nor Is Il true that the
egliyocal effect or cause, as the medium Of
errumeut is the same thing as what Is styled
in loolc "thc eQulvOcal middle term Ia syl-
lor,.rp. " which renders such syllOglsm falla-
cious. The human mind daily reasons from
al inferior 10 superior species or
order of reality. 10y means OF analogy; nor can
il he legitimately denied that such manner Of
progressing from one truth 70 another may
lie demonstrative. Besides, this objection
against the possibility OF demonstration based
Oh analogy seems % prove too much since u
logically Includes the denial Of mathematical
demonstration founded on the analogles OF
ouantitv. Man fIst knows the principle OF
oausation by way of an analytical judgment.
having necessity and universally. To deny
that principle. OF require prlOn proof OF IT,,
Is 10 call in question an axiom: Tor II is known
as a primitive truth, or one which has the ma
ture Of an evident ana absolute urst principle.
IN is a well-known truth that every cause
marks or stamps It's effect with some
Likeness, or some cOnnotatve sign or
reof Bv means Of tins character I'M
PRESSED on all effects, man IS able TO dis
Germ the visible things OF the universe as
effects. 90 know all facts as effects, and TO see
IN them that they DO not saihce 10 account LOT
fhcir own origin or that they do not contain
within themselves the sufficient reason Of
their own existence He can. by reasoning
from these visible things, come 70 the knOWl-
edge " Gods existence as their hrst cause,
that he is distinct from them, and that he
must be UNNECESSARILY superior 20 them in
perfection no other causes sufhces 10 eX-
plain creatures or % account for their origin.
H. reasoning Of God, the logical order usually
followed is ~. his existence as first cause il
concluded from the visible universe, (z) from
his existence as necessary first cause, itfODOws
that he must be eusa se-that Is. he exists in
depeudeDtv of all cause. or is absolute and
unproduced. Il ann who am" 81 from his
evistinr, as ems a $50 IL is inferred that God IS
nnre act actus purrissimus- that is he can
never chance from non-action to action. nor
VICE versa ,l from ms being pure act, as
,bus understood II is concluded that be is
absolutely immutable therefore eternal and
;rtrito In everv tirnixel ucrfectiou for no
,r,nc,,l. .ither intrinsic, or eNtriusic TO him
isr ba a.signod which limits bis perfection.
In re.-,uing If God. no predicates are affirm
eJ nrivocai1v of created or finite things. and
tboir absolute first care,. for the creature is
lie a. tbo Creation ONLY bv analogy. Even i'm
rreate1 flincs asalreadvslid. uoattributc-are
uuivocahlv common 10 effects. as such. and
tbo eouiyoc,l cause Of those effects. No
attribufe. al any realities belonging 10 the
catcrorios. or auy species Of created nature.