ANTECEDENT

ANTECEDENT, in the Schools, something that precedes, or goes before another, in respect of time; from the Latin Preposition ante, before, and cedens of cedere, to go. In this Sense the Word stands opposed to Subsequent.

An Antecedent Decree, is a Decree preceding some other Decree, or some Action of the Creature, or the Prevision of that Action. See DECREE.

'Tis a Point much controverted, whether Predestination be a Decree antecedent to Faith, or subsequent thereto. See PREDESTINATION.



So, an Antecedent Will, or Desire, is that which precedes some other Will or Desire, or some Knowledge or Prevision. Thus we say, God by a sincere, but Antecedent Desire, wills all Men to be saved: That is, this sincere Desire of God precedes, and does not suppose, the Knowledge of their Faith and Repentance.

By the way, it must be noted that the Term antecedent is only applied to God in respect of the Order of Nature, not of an Order of Succession; for that God, by reason of his infinite Perfections, sees and foresees both at the same Time: after the same manner he also wills, and not successively, one thing after another. Yet does not this hinder, but that God may will one thing on occasion of another, or have such a desire on occasion of such a Prevision; which Divines call the Order of Nature, in contradistinction to that of Time.

Antecedent, Antecedens, in Logic, is the first Proposition of an Enthymeme, or of an Argument which only consists of two Members. See ENTHYMEME, PROPOSITION, etc. In Opposition hereto, the latter is called the Consequent. See CONSEQUENT. Thus in the Syllogism cogito, ergo sum, I think, and therefore exist; cogito is the Antecedent; being thus called because it precedes the ergo, or the copula of the Argument.

ANTECEDENT, in Mathematics, is the former of the two Terms of a Ratio; or that which is compared with the other. See RATIO and TERM. Thus, if the Ratio be of a to b; a is said to be the Antecedent.

Antecedent Signs, are such Symptoms of Disorder as appear before a Distemper is so formed, as to be reducible to any particular Class, or proper Denomination. See SIGN and SYMPTOM.

ANTECEDENT in Grammar, the Word which a Relative refers to. See RELATIVE.

ANTECEDENT