Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	apostle_n	sin_n	transgression_n	5,988	5	10.4357	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52204	The middle way of predetermination asserted. Between the Dominicans and Jesuites, Calvinists and Arminians, or, A scriptural enquiry into the influence and causation of God in and unto humane actions; expecially such as are sinfull.	Humfrey, John, 1621-1719.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.; W. M.	1679 (1679)	Wing H3692A; Wing M95B; ESTC R10732	43,527	48

the Will are forged by him as to the sub●rate matter that unto all the hatred of himself all the Lying Cursing Rap●ne Blood Cruelty and Confusion in the World he is the first ●over the reducer of it out of its bare potentiality into Act its Specifier and Predeterminer as to its Existence and mode of Being not only the Assyrians spoiling and taking the Prey Isa 10.6 but all his evil meaning 20.7 and his saying that by his Strength and Wisdom he had done it v. 13. both Habit and Act all that had any thing of Entity in it that n●t only the Power of Herod and the exercise thereof unto the taking of a Wife was from God But in specie and individuo that he took his Brother Philip's Wife rather than an other Woman he was indeclinably premoved of God and Efficien●ly Predetermined by him and so in all instances of natural Action This is it which I oppose and the which now commeth more directly to be Considered and Argued 1. The First Argument which I shall insist on for the confut●tion of the Doctrine aforesaid and in maintainance of the Position by me before laid down which is diametrically opposite to it is this It maketh God to be the Efficient cause or the Author of sin not a sinner for that he is above Law say some but of all that is so in man The consequence I know is denied by them whom I oppose yea and the thing disowned they will not affirm nor grant God to be the Author of sin nor do think that from what they assert it will unavoidably follow whatever odious Consequences we fasten upon an opinion in the way of Argumentation we take for grant the contrary Namely that they who do hold that Opinion do not hold that which we connect with it or that which we tell them will follow thereupon When I endeavour to convince a man of his errour by reducing him ad incommodum or absurdum to an inconveniency or absurdity I take it for Grant that himself accounteth it an absurdity which I would fasten upon him Or my Argument is to him lost If he agreeth not with me in that which I make Use of a● my medium to convince him and there is no man so perfect but he holdeth contradictions though he seeth it not or if he doth not with me more firmly adhere to the Tru●h which I take to be contradictory to his Errour my Argument which procedeth ex concessis will not pinch him at all Here therefore they distinguish of the Physical Action and the Morality of it the Acti●n they say is of God and its Existence He it is that premoveth and by his transient Physical influence causeth and efficiently predetermineth men in and unto all their sinful Actions and is the first cause and determiner in all their Omissions that he specifieth and giveth its particular Individuation to every such numerical Action but for the anomie or a●axie of it it 's Irregularity wherein the formal nature of Sin consisteth its inco●formity to Law that is a privation it 's a non ens or nihil it h●th no Author or Efficient cause at all only a deficient cause or subject rather nor is caused The Action they say the substrate matter of Sin God causeth or effecteth not the Obliquity of it the Act not the sinfulness the former i. e. the Act they say is ens it hath an Entity or Being and ens bonum convertuntur it must necessarily therefore be good and have God for its Authour who is so of all that is good c. But surely ens bonum morale are not convertible terms every thing that is is not morally good and of Metaphysicks we are not disputing Laying aside therefore all Philosophical and Scholastical subtilties let us attend to the Scriptures and see whether we can find out what is Sin and whether it may be said to have any Author of it or no and if so what it is that denominateth any one such in the Language of the Holy-Ghost Sin is either Orginal or Actual Original is either that of Adam or of all mankind in him Rom. 5.12 which was Origo the first beginning and Spring-head of all sin Or the immediate Product thereof that which though it be not the first S●n or Transgression yet is ab origine congenite or of the same Original with us and that is either private The loss or Want of something in debito subjecto that de jure ought to be in the Subject termed the Image of God Gen. 1.26 Ecc. 7.29 Col. 3.10 Or positive an Alienation or Dis-inclination to what the Law of God requireth and a bi●ss and propension to what it prohibiteth Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 and 58.3 Gen. 6 5. Rom. 3.10 which is heightned by continued Acts Jer. 13.23 and this is the Source and Fountain of all other Sin Actual Sin is either of Omission or Commission The former is the subject's not exerting or not coming up to some particular Act which by the Law he stood obliged to The latter the Perpetration of some Act or the Doing of some thing which the Law of God forbids to be committed or done Luk. 11.42 The formal nature of Sin in abstracto is a Repugnancy to Law or Rule so the Apostle defines it a Transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 All Sin however Distinguished is such and for the same reason is Sin because Inconform to the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Illegality it 's not the Object or Circumstance of an Act or Intention of the Agent in Acting that is the Rule or Measure of its Morality but the Act or Action so modified is Good or Evil as Conform or Inconform to Rule Rom. 4.15 Sin in concreto is a Peccant Habit Act or Omission against Law or Rule In it there is nothing more nor less to be considered but the Habit or Privation Act or Omission of the Law and the Habitude of the former to it The Law that is Good and Holy Rom. 7.12 it 's also index recti obliqui the Rule and Standard of what is Right and what Not. God is the Authour of That Man of the Habit or Act Deviant from it the Habitude or Relation of Sinfulness stante lege results from the former Act. The Formality God is the Authour of in some Sense he Constituteth the Law what Action shall be Good what Evil his Nature and Will giveth it so to be it 's of Him but the Existence of the Act or Action discrepant to Law is of Man God is not the Authour or Predeterminer of That he might not do it or was not Necessitated so to have done it Sin is sometimes in Scripture predicated of the Soul now depraved somtimes of its Faculties of the Understanding Will and Affections and sometimes of the Body its Instrument as the Subject and Efficient of it so it is of the Habit or Propension to Evil and Privation of Light and of

the contrary Inclination to Good whereof the Soul it self and its natural Faculties is the substratum the prime Subject of such Depravation and vicious Inclination and in like manner of all sinful Omissions or Non-agencies and of actual sinful Commissions the substratum or materiale the matter whereof is the act it self yea it 's denominated of th●m all in the Abstract Eph. 5.8 Rom. 8.7 ch 1.29 Let now this irregular warping of the Faculties this crookedness of the habitual Frame and Inclinations of the Soul and disconformity of its actions Isa 59.8 let it I say be what it will be in its precise nature ens reale rationis modus entis or modus modi entis still it cleaveth to and is affirmed of the Faculty Habit or Act whereof it is the Mode the Scriptures throughou● and he that determineth or is determined to an Act forbidden doth or is so also to the Sin or Evil of it in the Judgment of God or to the evil Action in concreto as well to its irregularity as to the Entity of the action which whilst the Law abides it can never really onely by a ment●l Precision or Abstraction be separated from Put but the Fundamentum and terminus and the relation results If a Man begets a Child the relation of Paternity cannot but ●ollow If the Souldiers do not keep their R●nks or ob●erve not t●eir due and proper Motions the disorder of the Army re●●l●s and no●e can help it The Winding up or loosing of a string or Physical undue Touch or motion of it will cause an Irregularity or Discord in Music● and that by Resultancy from it So let the Habits and Propensi●ns ●f the Soul be wrong pointed and its natural Actions determ●ned as to the Entity of them and manner of Being cross to the Law of God w●encesoever it be and its Harmony is de●troyed Sin results ne●ther can the Guilt of it come any o●her way He that so acteth doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make S●n Joh. 8.34 Sin it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression besides or aga●nst the Law 2 Pet. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imp●ety 2 Tim. 2.16 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deflection from a streight Line Rom. 5.14 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Aberration or Lapse v. 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience v. 19. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pravity Act. 3.26 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●edity or Impurit● Mat. 23.27 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wickedness Act. 8.22 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Inju●tice or Deviation from the Rule of Righteousn●ss is Sin 1 J●h 5.17 The Question is of what all this is Denominated what it is that whoever can justly be ch●rged therewith the G●ilt of all that cleaveth to him Surely it 's someth●ng Re●l not Imaginary onely that it 's spoken of it 's as well of Habits as Privations of Act● as Omissions and hath an Efficient Cause and Real Foundation with the Entity whereof those Relative Respects are Identified and he that Causeth one Causeth both That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u●br●dled Concupiscence Rom. 7.8 or the Habitual Inclination of the Whole Man to what is Prohibited and D●sclination to what is Commanded It 's termed in Scripture Sin the Body of Sin and Law of it Rom. 7.23 something Present Dwelling and Moving in the Subject v. 5.17 ch 8.3 Sometimes it 's said to Warre sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Reign or to Lord it this Non-ens as some will have it Let not Sin Reign in your Mortal Body that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 This our Catechizes teach to be a Corrupt Nature Inhering or Dwelling in us pondus a weight and an Operative Effective Principle an anomalous thing yet the fomes peccati the Source and Fountain of all Actual Tran●gression The Natural Habit or Incl●nation is quid reale something Real and Existent an Active Quality It 's the Soul the Form that Acteth but by the Habit it 's disposed to Act its Faculties and Habits or Dispositions are its Instruments of Action and concurre subord●nately thereunto If it Inclineth stands Bent or Determined towards what the Law forbids or be pointed repugnantly to Rule It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Complexion Habit or Co●●●itution of Soul a Leprosie Isa 1.6 a Running sore upon it Ps 38.5 it 's more than a Privat●on it 's a contrary Habit to Good a Plag●e on ●he Heart Hos 11.7 Inclinatio ad malum prohibitum reciprocanter to incl●ne to any Act or Object that God Prohibits is to Encline to Moral Ev●l or Wickedn●ss and such Inclination of Mind Will or Afflections or so mod●fied and determined is Wicked and Sinfull the Entity of it is so mo●ally not Physically so is the Mi●d its self so Affected Act. 14.2 the Will Eph. 2.3 and Aff●ctions Rom. 1.26 as well as that which proceedeth or cometh our of them For from within out of the Heart of Men proceed Evil Thoughts Adulteries c. saith our Saviour all these Evil things and defile the Man Mark 7.21 23. having Eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 So for Omissions and Commissions Omissions There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 64.7 There is none that Vnderstandeth none that seeketh after God none that doth Good Rom. 3.11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingrateful 2 Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Natural Affect●on v. 3. I was an Hungred and ye gave me no Meat In Prison and ye visited me not Mat. 25.42 All this is Impiety Sin or Unrighteousness By what th●n doth a Man Contract the Guilt of all but by a non agency nor non-exertion of some Physical Act which the Law of God some affirmative Precept requireth it results from it In like manner for Commissions They are all gone out of the way Rom. 3.12 Their Throat is an open Sepulchre With their Tongues they have used deceit c. v. 13. this is Sin and Wickedness The Question is whether Sin hath an● Efficient or Author or not Or if so what it is to be the Author of it Sin is the Transgression of the Law saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.4 But he that lieth carnally with another mans Wife or that tak●th away the Life of an Innocent Person or uncondemned c. Transgresseth the Law Jam. 2.11 Ergò So to do is Sin The very natural Act is such Put but the Law and the Act and it results If ye have respect of Persons ye commit Sin and are convinced of the Law as Transg●essors v. 9. You are the Authours of it Hence such Actions receive a new denomination when Illegal The Natural Use of Woman is lawfull but that is not called Adultery So to take away the Life of man in some case but that is not termed Murder as before Jam. 2.11 All Eating and Drinking is not Surfetting and Drunkenness nor every taking of a Purse Theft nor saying Yea

or Nay Ly●ng but as the question is put Act. 5.8 the modification then of these natural Acts the Power whereof is from God Act. 17.28 the Specifying and Determining them this or the other way with their Relation to God's Law is that which giveth them both Name and Thing If a man ●ayeth Yea when by the Law of God he ought to say Nay it 's Lying and the physical Act Sin or Transgression To pour water and to Baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost is no Sin yea may be Righteousness but so to do and say over a Beast can never be but Sin To Name the Word Devil is is not alwayes Sin But to Baptize a Chri●tian in●o his Name hath a moral Malignity in it that can never by the Wit of Man be separated from it but that he that determineth to the Act doth also to the Obliquity of it Hence it is that Men are said to hatch and contrive Mischief Isa 59.4 to do Wickedness Gen. 39.9 or Unrighteousness Lev. 19.15 Rom. 1.29 and to commit Sin Ja. 2.9 the Abstract for the Concrete this though it may not be Good Metaphysicks is found Divinity I am sure It 's meant of Acts oblique and thwarting Gods Law Termed a Working of Wi●kedness 2 King 21.6 It 's the Act or Substratum only that is meant or that Man doth when he is said to be the Authour or Worker of Sin and that he pleaseth himself in when he is said to take Pleasure in Unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.12 or that his Members are Serviceable to when he is said to yield them as Instruments of Unrighteousness Rom. 6.13 or that he repents him of when he is said to repent him of his Wickedness Act. 8.22 and beg pardon for it Psal 32.2 5. or that Men are Damned for when they are said to Receive the Wages of Unrighteousness And yet surely that is Sin Rom. 6.20 23. these things hast thou done Psal 50.21 And diverse Affection Sin hath predicated of it whereas non entis nulla est affectio It 's said to be Intended and Remitted some to be greater some less●r Sins and Sinners Gen. 15.16 a Wonderfull and Horrible thing is Committed Jer. 5.30 and 23.14 it 's said also to leaven 1 Cor. 5.6 and its self to be purged out 2 Pet. 1.9 some to be overcome of it 2 Pet. 2.19 and others to overcome it Rom. 12.21 being aware of its deceit Heb. 3.13 What can all this and the like be affirmed of but of somewhat that hath Entity It 's the Material the Substrate matter or Subject the Illegal Habits or Operations of the Soul that is called Sin and the Body of it Rom. 6.6 Yet farther If sin be a non-ens Nothing Or hath no Efficient neither is Grace any thing nor hath it God for its Authour nor yet man This appeareth from the Rule of Contraries contrariorum eadem est ratio Sin and Grace Righteousness and Unrighteousness are opposed contrarily not privatively in Morals Sub habitu vel actione morali They are two Contraries meeting sometimes in the same Subj●ct and combating there Gal. 5.17 As Grace or Holiness is an Elective habit of the Mind and Will or an Act Imperated of it commensurate to the Law of God So is Vice or Sin in the Mind or Will a Habit or Act deflecting from the same Rule And in the Abstract the deflection opposed to commensuration is its Vitiocity or Sinfulness and the Will of man is the Efficient cause of it of Evil equally as of Good Errour hath its Radication in the Mind as well as Truth and to be Wise to do Ev●l h●th as much of Entity in it as to do Good Jer. 4.22 Blindness Darkness or Ignorance is indeed nothing Positive If it be of what the Nature of man is Incapable of or was never Endowed with It 's but Simple Nescience a Negation only If of Natural things only the loss of an Endowment of Mind in the discerning of and Knowledge in and about things not Relating to Religion wherein yet Manonce had Understanding and was capable of It 's a Privation but no Sin or Moral Evil. If a Man becometh Ignorant or Nescient in or unto the compassing of what is by the Law of God forbidden It 's Metaphysical Evil if I may so term it a Privation of something that hath an Entity and with which transcendental Good the common Affection of Entity is Convertible but it 's Moral good Jam. 3.15 let not my Soul come into their Secret Gen. 49.6 Ignorance or Darkness in and abo●t the things of God and of the Spirit be it juris or facti of the Law or of the Adequation of the Act to it 1 Tim. 6.5 Isa 5.20 if of that which is due and was connate to man to know and Understand it 's a Privation viz. of that the Habit or Power whereof was once an Humane Endowment and the which he is a Subject capable of having again retrived by a Supernatural and Divine power and Perfective of man and its Moral Evil. The Soul or Mind of Man is the Substratum or Subject of it or that that is so deprived and being destitute of Light and Truth it 's ens moraliter Malum a Being ethically Evil a depraved Faculty Eph 4.18 and he that extinguisheth the Habit causeth the Privation and all the Evil that ●nsueth Rom. 1.28 2 Pet. 3.5 The Pravity or Sinfulness of the Soul or its Faculties by reason of that Privation is from the Law requiring the contrary Habit. The Formal Nature thereof is its discrepancy and repugnancy to Law or Rule and hath as much of Entity in it as when the fundamentum the Foundation of that relative Respect is quid positivum something positive as a Habit. And the reason of Sin is the same in Omissions and Commissions the Will is culpable in both alike either Efficiently or Deficiently and the Obliquity or Illegality of the one hath as much of positivity in it as of the other Neither hath Righteousness or Holiness the contrary Mode of Being any thing more of Entity as hath been said than Sin or Unrighteousness or is there any more of Efficiency to the one than the other Neither Sin nor Grace Piety or Impiety can subsist out of any Subject or hang in the Air inconcreto abstracto in that agree Harmony na Discord Order and Disorder Conformity and Disconformity Rectitude and Obiquity Righteousness and Unrighteousness have an Efficient Cause and Men are said as well to do one as the other if we may Credit the Scriptures 1 Joh. 3. 7 10. Lev. 19.15 Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uncorruptness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sincerity Tit. 2.7 which is as Salt that rendereth every Instance or Obedience Savoury hath no more of Positivity in it than the Contrary Deceit Corruptness Prevarication or Hypocrisie of which the former is the Negation without Hypocrisie Isa 3.17 1 Pet. 3.4 that is Upright in the Affirmative Yea one