The logical method; two ways of arranging; differences from subjects, objects, ends
2. The LOGICAL is that which aptly distinguishes the parts of the divine kingdom and their acts recalled to certain genera, and brings together under one head the parallels that occur scattered in the Scriptures, so that the joining of both methods may give greater light and help to understanding and memory alike.
It can be instituted in two ways.
First, when the end of the doctrine is known beforehand and the subject is set, the acts that are certain means to the end are enumerated nearly in the order in which they follow one another — the method we most approve in compendia and summaries of Christian doctrine, and which we follow in this handbook and idea of theology.
Second, the acts of God's kingdom can be so enumerated and divided that differences are taken chiefly from the subjects or matter of the kingdom; for habits and acts are specified chiefly by subjects and ends, as we taught in chapter 1, section 7.
Remote differences are taken from acting subjects (for example common-place classes about the acts of God and of man, and specifically about the acts and offices of pastors, parents, children, magistrates, subjects, and so on); nearer differences in the acts of each subject are taken from the objects toward which the action tends (for example man's acts and offices toward God, himself, neighbor, friends, enemies, the poor, the rich, and so on); nearest differences are taken from the end or good the action intends and introduces from subject into subject (for example man's acts and offices toward the neighbor as to the good of intellect, will, body, outward worship, and so on).
Latin
2. LOGICA est, quae partes regni divini earumque actus ad certa genera revocatos apte discernat, & quae in scripturis parallela sparsim occurrunt, ad unum caput coacta inter se conferat: ut utriusque methodi conjunctio intellectui pariter ac memoriae lucem majorem ac praesidium afferat. Haec dupliciter institui potest. Primo, ut praecognito fine doctrinae, & posito subjecto, enumerentur actus, qui sunt media quaedam ad finem, eo fere ordine, quo se mutuo subsequuntur. Quam methodum in compendiis & summis doctrinae Christianae maxime probamus, inque hoc Theologiae enchiridio & idea nostra sequimur. Secundo, actus regni Dei ita enumerari ac dividi possunt, ut differentiae sumantur potissimum a subjectis sive materia regni. Nam habitus & actus specificantur potissimum a subjectis & finibus, ut cap. 1. §. 7. docuimus. Et primo quidem remotae differentiae sumantur a subjectis agentibus: ut, verbi gratia classes locorum communium fiant de actibus Dei, hominis & in specie de actibus & officiis pastorum, parentum, liberorum, magistratuum, subditorum &c. Secundo, propiores differentiae in subjectorum singulorum actibus sumantur ab objectis, in quae tendit actio: v.g. de actibus & officiis hominis erga Deum, erga seipsum, erga proximum, erga amicos, inimicos, pauperes, divites, &c. Tertio, proximae differentiae sumantur a fine sive bono quod intendit actio, & quod a subjecto in subjectum introducitur, v.g. de actibus & officiis hominis erga proximum quod ad bonum intellectus, voluntatis, corporis, cultus externi, &c.