the Will are forged by him as to the subâ—rate matter that unto all the hatred of himself all the Lying Cursing Rapâ—ne Blood Cruelty and Confusion in the World he is the first â—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 nâ—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 Efficienâ—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 confutâ—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 aâ— 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 Truâ—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 Actiâ—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 aâ—axie of it it 's Irregularity wherein the formal nature of Sin consisteth its incoâ—formity to Law that is a privation it 's a non ens or nihil it hâ—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 Sâ—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 biâ—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
or Nay Lyâ—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 â—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 Chriâ—tian inâ—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 Wiâ—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 lessâ—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 Subjâ—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 Evâ—l hâ—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 aboâ—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 â—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
they are Inviâ—cibly deâ—ermined to Evil or bent on it in the General or cannot do Good Man in Innocency he had perfect Good or spotlâ—ss Obedience and also Sin and Evil within his power both being made Mutabâ—e Man Restored and Manumitted by Grace hath imperfect Good compâ—red to the Original Law or Sincere Oâ—edience within his power and also Sin and Disobedâ—ence being on Earth defectible or not yet Confirmed though the Decrâ—e and Efficiency of God shall prevent that he sinneth not to Death Yet may Free-Will be denominated or affirmed of them all The one act as freely as the other the worst in sinning as the best in obeyâ—ng He acts freely that can act or not act what when and how he pâ—easeth in things which mâ—y be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in our power so doth the sâ—rvant at his Masters Beck Col. 3.23 where note by the way that to act voluntarily or freely and yet necessarily are consistent and may well stand together The Angels in Heaven they love God and serve him Voluntarily and Freely so shall the Sâ—ints in Glory and so doth man in his present state even in what hath a kind of natural Connexion with the Will determine himself Freely according to the Dictate of his Reason and Judgment A Rational a Voluntary and a Free Choice are Convertible Terms The Will acteth Freely not Necessarily as opposed to Volunâ—ary either contrariè by Coaction or Violence against its Elicit Inclination or negativè from a meer natural Necessity without Reason Bâ—t still it acteth Necessarily in some sense as the Will evermore doth when Reason hath once cast the Scale with necessity of Immutability in respect of the Event which opponitur possibili non esse is opposed to a Possibility not to be God's Supportation and Concurse presupposed or eventus contrarii of the contrary Issue or Event it can do no otherwise and tâ—at from the Potency or perfection of the Rational Faculty and Cognation that it hath with the Objâ—ct And the contrary is as true of Wicked and Unregenerate men they Act freely following the Dictate of their Reason and Judgment such as it is though Brutish Jer. 10.8 21. 55.17 thougâ— Carnal â—ensual and Deviliâ—h Jam. 3.15 Jer. 4.22 voâ—d of all natural Necessity or Coaction in their choice of Sin and Flâ—sh-pleasing Eph. 2.3 Yet do they Act Necessarily also so as that they cannot possibly Will or Do the Contrary without renewing grace Job 5.44.45 Rom. 2.5 and that ab intriseco from a Privation in their Mind Rom. 3.11 Eph. 4.18 and an Impotency or contraty Propension in their Will and Affections preponderating them to Evil though not sub ratione mali and to a Disrelish of true Holiness Rom. 8.5 7. which is languor aegritudo animi the Souls sickness and depravation of its Faculties the fruit of mans first Apostacy from God Job 14.4 though he be still habile subjectum a Subject capable of the Retrivement of God's Image into his Soul Col. 3.10 i. e. Man still with his natural faculties of Reason and Will and so Good is yet possible to him in some sense if God please to adapt him for it Eph. 2.10 In and about particular Acts agible within mans power and unto which he is not actually or virtually by a previous invincible Habit or Propension of Mind and Will predetermined lieth the Contingency and Evitability of Humane actions In such actions hath man a liberty of Contrariety or Contradiction in the Exercise and Specification of his Acts or of Indifferency accordingly as his Reason doth sway him He may and can Act or suspend his Act his Will containeth within its dominion a power and possibility unto contrary acts and effects what is future is yet evitable and that possible that is not future Man saith the Learned Davenant hath not onely potentiam in se liberam a faculâ—y in its self free or capable of freedom but liberum usum potentiae the free Vse or Exercise of it A wicked Man for instance can upon other Deliberation resolve to do otherwise than he doth which freedom is evident in Adulterers Thieves and all manner of Sinners who being resolved to Commit this or that Sin when they perceive some great Danger presently choose to abstain from it till fitter opportunity Cain Absalom Judas and others were not under a Necessity of committing those Sins whereof they are noted to be Guilty it was out of their free Election having a power whereby they might have abstained from them The Angels that fell notwithstanding the Decree of the Divine Will had a Possibility of Not-rebelling against God and a Sufficiency of Divine Grace given them to have preserved them so had Adam had they not abused it God's absolute prescience doth not take away the possibility of the contrary Action or Event no more doth his absolute decree to think that the decree of absolute Reprobation must leave men under a necessity of committing their several sins is a false Imagination as every mans Conscienee is able to witness so the aforesaid Author p. 116.199.328.344 whom I have the rather consulted for that he is instanced in by some and produced for a maintainer of God's Predetermination of mans will in the sense by them pleaded for Which himself termeth a controversy between the Dominicans and Jesuits with whose Metaphysical speculations our Protestant Divines love not to torture their brains Nor yet do I take all Extrinsick Predetermination to be Inconsistent with humane Freedom in Acting For it hath been before granted that such Predetermination of God is necessary unto the Conversion of any Sinner unto him though the Sinner is capable of doing something that in the Order of Gods appointment hath a tendency to it Prov. 2.3 5. Isa 64 7. and it lieth at the Door of any under the call of the Gospel that they are not converted and healed by God it 's their own fault Jer. 13.27 Mat. 25.29 and their heart will one day Reproach them for it Luk. 16.28 neither do we when we speak of an Irreversible Insuperable Irresistible Determination whether to good or evil Actions meane any more than such as cannot or rather shall not be resisted such as is efficaciously prevalent and never fruastrate Yet is the Liberty and Freedom of Co-operation in the Subject in such case no more than that of a Rational Spontaneity it containeth in it's own nature nothing of contingency or possibility of the contrary Event In Effectual calling the New Creation wherein God worketh something above and besides the Order and Course of second Causes in order to the new Biassing and Pointing the soul towards himself Heaven and Holiness whatever the Influence or Efficiency of God be on the soul or its faculties of Reason and Will or his manner of Operation whether it be by way of objective Proposal and Fixation on the mind Demonstrating the Object and Effectually setting home Truth to an immutation therein and turn 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 thâ—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 throughouâ— 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 mentâ—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 â—ollow If the Souldiers do not keep their Râ—nks or obâ—erve not tâ—eir due and proper Motions the disorder of the Army reâ—â—lâ—s and noâ—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 Musicâ— and that by Resultancy from it So let the Habits and Propensiâ—ns â—f the Soul be wrong pointed and its natural Actions determâ—ned as to the Entity of them and manner of Being cross to the Law of God wâ—encesoever it be and its Harmony is deâ—troyed Sin results neâ—ther can the Guilt of it come any oâ—her way He that so acteth doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Sâ—n Joh. 8.34 Sin it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression besides or agaâ—nst the Law 2 Pet. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impâ—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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—edity or Impuritâ— Mat. 23.27 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wickedness Act. 8.22 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Injuâ—tice or Deviation from the Rule of Righteousnâ—ss is Sin 1 Jâ—h 5.17 The Question is of what all this is Denominated what it is that whoever can justly be châ—rged therewith the Gâ—ilt of all that cleaveth to him Surely it 's somethâ—ng Reâ—l not Imaginary onely that it 's spoken of it 's as well of Habits as Privations of Actâ— 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—brâ—dled Concupiscence Rom. 7.8 or the Habitual Inclination of the Whole Man to what is Prohibited and Dâ—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 Tranâ—gression The Natural Habit or Inclâ—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 subordâ—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 Coâ—â—â—itution of Soul a Leprosie Isa 1.6 a Running sore upon it Ps 38.5 it 's more than a Privatâ—on it 's a contrary Habit to Good a Plagâ—e on â—he Heart Hos 11.7 Inclinatio ad malum prohibitum reciprocanter to inclâ—ne to any Act or Object that God Prohibits is to Encline to Moral Evâ—l or Wickednâ—ss and such Inclination of Mind Will or Afflections or so modâ—fied and determined is Wicked and Sinfull the Entity of it is so moâ—ally not Physically so is the Miâ—d its self so Affected Act. 14.2 the Will Eph. 2.3 and Affâ—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 Affectâ—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 thâ—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 anâ— 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 takâ—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 Transgâ—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
of Religion to depend on the stating of the same Some affirm a Physical predetermination of God of all and every the Acts and Operations of man such Physical precurse and efficient pre-exciting and determining influence they assert to accompany and to be necessary also to the specification of any Act whatsoever whether good or evil as that without which the Creature could never act or determine its self at all To me it seems hard to make out whether there be any such way of Gods determination of man as that termed Physical in Contradistinction to Moral though here as to good I would moâ—t readily admit it for to evil I do peremptorily deny it I mean to good actions for it's non-sense to speak of Predetermination Physical or Moral either to ought but the act or action which is good or evil upon an account Adventitious and Extrinsecal to its self as related to Law What it is I say that God doth in the Conversion of a sinner as to the way of working that first Turn to himself seems to me difficult to find out Joh. 3.8 If such a Physical operation there be terminating on the entity of the Soul it must as well reach the body too the Ministerial and Organical parts which are also said to be sanctified 2 Thes 5.23 it may consist in the suscitation or elevation of its natural faculties rendring them capable of taking in a new Impression or irradiation from the Word and Spirit to which the soul was disabled before which some understand by Vivification or Quickning 1 Cor. 15.45 Eph. 2.1 and opening the Heart Act. 16.14 and Understanding Luk. 24.45 Bending also and applying the Faculty to the Object in order to its receiving of the Impress and stamp thereof upon it Job 33.16 the Signature of Truth upon the Mind and Heart all which I deny not but still evident it is That God worketh not any Moral Change on the Understanding otherwise than objectively also by offering Reason to it or proposing that before it which invincibly bindeth it to an admittance thereof Hos 11.4 and the Gospel is the deepest Reason and Faith the most solid Understanding Mat. 13.44 45. Isa 1.18 the Word of God is the Seed of the New Birth out of all question Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 and that as proposed to the mind 1 Cor. 4.15 and intertained there Jam. 1.21 Nor doth God work on the Will or Affections or Executive power in Conversion otherwise than Mediante ratione by the intervention of Reason 1 Cor. 2.4 not by any Physical attingency immediately but by Moral Suasion and Objective Proposal by the Mind the eye of the Soul God shall perswade Japhet Gen 9.27 By objective Proposal and moral Suasion I do not intend onely that of God Externally in his Word Commanding Perswading Counselling c. or in and by the Ministry of Man but moreover his Internal application to the Soul in the Ministry of the Word or otherwise where yet the Word is the Instrument in the hand of the Spirit working in a Moral way efficiently too in a Sense yet not modo Physico after the manner of a real Impulse or proper Physical Action or Causation God knoweth how to reach the Reason and Elective Faculty the main Springs of the Soul and how to fasten a Nail there Eccl. 12.11 a fit Word spoken on his Wheeles Prov. 25.11 how to catch the Soul e're it is aware Luk. 5.10 to allure and draw Cant. 1.4 not motu physico by proper physical determination I take it but by convincing Reason and Teaching Instructing with a strong hand Isa 8.11 Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6.44 45. is made Willing Psal 110.3 the Stony Heart all Prepossession and Aversation against God and Godliness is removed Ezek. 36.26 and its sense of things is changed Rom. 8.5 and the new man is put on viz. in a Moral sense Eph. 4.24 the propension and inclination of the Subject altered and changed and become a radicated Principle in the Soul disposing it unto Holiness If the Devil can so far overmatch the Understanding of man when by God left to his delusions that an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an effectual working is ascribed to him 2 Thes 2 9. Whom yet all acknowledge to work only morally and objectively 1 King 22.21 Who can say but that God who is more intimate to man than he is to himself can so accommodate his Word and follow it by Internal suggestion so fit it as a key to the heâ—â—t of the sinner fast loâ—ked against him as to shoot aside the bolt the dâ—ssenting power and to overperswade and invincibly determine him to â—â—â—â—oâ—â—osse repudiaere an mpossiâ—ility of withstanding any longer the Call of Câ—rist or to a free yet certain entertainment of it without such a physical influx as some insist so much upon flecting the will and predetermining 〈◊〉 in its operation and specification of its Acts in a way contradistiâ—ct to that we are speaking of and wherein it is not concerned The Natural faculties of the soul its powers of understanding reasoning assentâ—ng willing and its affections of loving hating c. are out of doubt à primà causâ from God as the first cause who giveth Being to all things and the exertion of those powers into act in line â physicâ is from him they are dependent Beings and cannot reduce themselves into act or exercise without his influence or assistance And that in the way of physiâ—al concurse and cooperatâ—on before and after conversion the same Act. 26.22 and moreover it 's with me out of question that the Lord doth anticipate and prevent the soul in a more than ordinary way in its first Turn to him Jer. 31.18 2 Tim. 2.25 rectifying all the powers of the soul the mind will affections c. Turning them to their right Object and dâ—sposing them to their right Use and End that he specifieth and determineth the souls Acts and operations in conversion which is their modification as well as concurreth to their Entity or enableth to their existence in the general as acts or actions The question only is whether this determination of the natural powers of the soul to a beleiviâ—g in God a liking loving willing chusing of the things of God or of the Spirit directly opposite to the channel wherein the soul in the egress or exercise of those powers or acts ran before that whilst it believed the Devil rather than God liked and preferred the world and the pleasing of the flesh above the pleasing of God loved sin and hated strict piety whether I say God doth change the course of the soul and determine its operations as before I mean give to will and to do yea effectually cause so to do by any physical Precurse or Predetermination distinct or different from the power which he lendeth to enable the creature to all and every its natural motions and operations or which himself evermore exorteth
third he acknowledges Providence also but he blames the Person that did it and seeks his remedy against him for his Illegal act If yet the Person that wounded him should confidently argue with him that he should rest satisfied in the Dominion of Providence and not look at him that he was invincibly or effectually premoved and determined to it his Reâ—son and Free-will was in it indeed but he could not help it that the Entity of the Action was good and for the anomie or irregularity it was a Privation a non ens had no efficient cause at all he had no hand in that nor yet can tell untill it be pleadâ—d whether any Law will take cognizance of it or not I doubt that the party aggrieved would hardly stand to dispute his distinctions but he would tâ—ach him better Gods Providence in the Government of sinful Actions is not in dispute but the Question is de modo how God serveth himseâ—f on sinful men or determineth them in their sinful actions to serve his Providence whether by his transient influence upon their Minds and Wills he pre-exciteth premoveth and predeterminâ—th them unto such Acts or Actions or some other way he ascertaineth the Event onely the latter is it which I affirm and the former by many asserted is it which I oppose Touching the firâ—t Apostacy of Men or Angels the Scriptures give us no account directly relating either to the Decree of God thereof or his Agency therein at all The Angels that fell had a possibility of attaining Happiness and a sufficiency of Divine Grace given them to have preserved them from their Rebellion had they not by a Voluntary Act of their own abused it so had Adam no decree of God did hinder him from creating him with a sufficiency of Grace or with a possibility of Stâ—nding saith Davenant Animad p. 282. Yet that God foreknew their defection is out of doubt yea and that his Governing Providence was highly concerned therein and served thereby For the Providence of God or its concernment in all the future Acts of Sin whether of wicked Men or Devils since the first Apostacy therein the Scripture doth lend us more Light in which there is not one instance upon Record where God is said to Decree Order or Determine the Beâ—ng or existence of such or such evil actions yea or to do them the which if I be not much mistaken may not be made out were it necessarâ— to be withâ—n the reach of Humane Reâ—son to fâ—thom and to assign how he might bring it about most certainly and that by no other medium but that onely of Permission and Impedition and objective proposal or Premotion excâ—ting to Cogitations and Actions good and Materially agreeing to his Law Which two former ordinarily insiâ—ted on at every turn by Divines to solve the equâ—ty of Gods Juâ—tice in his procedure with men notwithstanding his Providence over ruling their sinful actions the former notion of Physical Predetermination doth wholly deny aâ—d overturn For if the motus primo primi the first sigments or thoughts of the Heart or machinâ—tions of the Mâ—nd Isa 59.4 5. and Conceptions of the Will Psal 11.2 Job 15.35 be forged by God if the Will cannot elicit any Act nor imperate the execution thereof nor the executive power follow otherwise than as the obedâ—ential capacity of the Subject or possibility of action contained in the powers in an indifferency or indetermination must be first reduced into Act and also determined by God hâ—mself as the first cause then is Permission and Impedition or hindring a meer Chimaera what should he permit or prevent in others or what need of that when he determineth all and doeth aâ—l himself or effiâ—iently determineth the second cause to it as is supposed But that such a thing there is and that predicaâ—ed or affirmed of God in Scripture innumerable Texts do plainly speak and also accommodate to our present Enquiry God is said to Suffer the Nations to waâ—k in their own ways Act. 14.16 So Luk 8.32 to Suffer the Devil to enter into the Herd of Swine and to permit or to give men up to the Swing of their own Hearts Lust Rom. 1 24. till he sâ—e what their end shall be Deut. 32.20 And frequently again to obstruct or hâ—nder what else would certainly be Effâ—cted Gen. 12.6 7. God withheld and suffered not Abimelech to touch Abraham's Wife chap. 20.6 he suffered no man to do them wrong Psal 105.14 none shall dâ—sire their Land Exod. 34.24 He maketh Diviners mad and turneth Wise mâ—n backward in order to the performâ—ng of the Counsel of his Messengers and all his Pleasure Isa 44.25 28. Disappointing the devices of the Crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterâ—rise Job 5.12 the remainder of wrath shall he restrain Psal 76.10 106.46 How many wayes câ—n God render abortive the Conceptions of men prevent them or cause them to miscarry hence is that Memento of the Apostle James ch 4.15 Ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that So Job 19.11 Psal 64.5 7. in like manner by exciting to Good may God cause that an other evil rather than that projected shall be effected as Gen. 37.20 compared with v. 26. and that in persuance of sme farther Design ch 45.8 Mat. 26.63 65. or by giving a Diversion only c. Wherein God's providential disposal of the Event or order of this rather than the other to take effect neither diâ—poileth the Creature of the liberty of specifying his own Act in a matter whâ—rein he must be accountable to his Judge nor doth make God the cause or determiner of it any more than Davidâ— slâ—â—ghter of the Amâ—lâ—kâ—â—es 1 Sam. 30.17 lay at the door of the Philistines ch 29 7. who would not let him abide any longer wiâ—h them or than my coming by on the Rode when a Robber is about to set upon a Person and so preventiâ—g him thereby would infer me to be the cause of his next robbery or murder that he commits immediately iâ— another place alâ—hough I foresaw that it would so prove Yet such is the order and Dirâ—ction of God's Providence such his dominion therein in every inâ—â—ance of that kind that his dâ—termâ—nate counsell may be affirmed to reach the most wicked actions in a sense Act. 4.28 Isa 46.10 when he hath any Design to serve by them Gen. 50.20 Yea he is said to bid and to do them The Lord hath said unto hâ—m curse David 2 Sam. 16.10 I wâ—ll do this thing opeâ—ly and before the Sun 2 Sam. 12.12 he moved David against them to sâ—y go number the people ch 24.1 even when the Devil does it 1 Chr. 21.1 1 Thess 2.11 Tâ—e Lord hath taken saith Job ch 1.21 when the Sabeans had spoiled him and God had smitten him he said or he received that Evil of his Boils from him ch 2.10 when it was the Devil that had done it by God's permission v. 1.
and would have reached his life too would he have suffered him v. 4. without any premoâ—ion of God's therein or Predeterminatâ—on otherwise as to the manner than by a non-impedition of his own motion and Inclination The Eveâ—t is indeed in the Diâ—pose of God and the Executioner as the Axe Rod or Stâ—ffe in his hand Isa 10.5 Yet so as that he retaineth a dominion over his own Act therein Gods sustâ—ntation concurse and pâ—rmission presupposed he is not a mere machine or dead engine nor yet his Reason and free Will carried along after the way and manner of a vital engine or spontaneous inâ—â—rument yet necessâ—rily but is so termed from his subserviency aâ— that time to God's special Providence and instrumentalâ—ty in performing his Design though in such a way as he he may justly and equitably afterwaâ—ds be called to an account for the same as well for the fact Isa 10.12 as for the circumstances of it v. 7.13 otherwise than in every other Omission of his or every Act of Unbelief Impenitency Hatred of God and the like men are not ordinarily styled God's instruments therein or compared to the Axe or staffe in his hand or to be conceived of by us as such with reference thereunto Herein I subscribe to the worthy Bishop Davenant As for the procuring and working the impenitency or infidelity of Reprobates God doth not saith he at all work any vitious dispositions or defective and sinful actions in such men wicked habits or dispositions are diseases bred within mens own soules and yet they have an entity not infused into them by the Physician of our souls wicked and sinful actions are the productions of theâ—r own corrupted free-Will and not produced by any divine operation working in them for it 's onely in holy and good actions that God giveth us both the Will and the deed Animad p. 120. neither doth God draw any man unto sin by an unconquerable power but he permiteth some men by the Devil and their own lusts to be drawn from sin to sin till at last they perish in them of whom perditio tua exâ—te thy destruction is of thy self notwithstanding is most truly verified p. 121. although the Will of God hath the determining Stroke amongst all possible evil actions or events which shall infallibly be and which not And God may be said to be the prime cause of the substrate matter or act in every motion whether of the soul or body as in whom we live and move and have our Being as the same learned Author asserteth Yet doth it not follow but that man still retaineth his sâ—lf-determining power quoad speciem actûs a liberty of specifying his own act as the same Author maintaineth with St. Augustine deus it à ordinat omnia ut proprios motus exercere sinat p. 154. From whence the formal nature of good or evil resulteth as the same is conform or inconform to the Law of God I mean from its specification not its Entity in the general The Saebeans and Chaldeans for instance had their power and their actual Exercise thereof from God enabling them to take goods and drive cattel and to destroy the life of man or beast but the specification of that power in the actual Exercise thereof or it's modification which hath nothing more of Entity which way soever it 's determined unto the Robbing of men or slaying of the innocent was not of God but of themselves that they spoiled Job not another man and slew his Servants in individuo and not another mans was of themselves as and of God too though in a different sense of themselves as the immediate cause of the action of God as the prime cause or fountain of Being and Operation of themselves as the specifyers of the act according to their own free election of God in that he permitted it for the triall of his servant when possibly he had hindred them from hundreds of such like expâ—oits before and besides that overruled its circumstances so as that it should infallibly light upon him and no other man at that time Which I cannot better express than in the words of the aforesaid learned man Those that derive the evil Actions of men from their own Free-Will as the proper efficient cause and the exsisting or coming of such actions in eventum à decreto dei permittente ordinante into event from the permitting and disposing decree and appointment of God are in no errour at all p. 57. The providence of God reacheth to all Events and actions but forwicked actions which according to Gods eternal determined Decree come into act at the time appointed as the Betraying of Christ the murdering of him and such like the Devil and mens Free-Will are the only moving and determining causes unto them p. 115 God cannot be an Author or Producer much less an Inforcer in regard of any sinful action yet he may be a determiner in permitting it p. 118 Gods decree in malis is only as he tâ—rmeth it antecessio ordinis not causalitatis 4 Nor is the question yet farther about Determination in general or Predâ—termination simply considered or of the compossibility or consistency thereof with humane fredom For it s granâ—ed 1. That an Aequilibrium or Indetermination is not mans best state Such a pendulous Suspâ—nse or Even poyse and inclination of mind and Wâ—ll in the Exerciâ—e and specification of its acts consequenter aftâ—r the object is united with the faculty and reason haâ—h weighed the good and evil the conveniency and â—nconveniency of things in its ballance and deliberated about it is the soules sickneâ—s or disaster arising from an insufficient applâ—catiâ—n of the Object or defect in the Understanding an inability to judge of the Good or Evil of what lieth before it which should ponderate it and cast the Scale in its election that it hangeth in a Suspense which is the freedom which Arminians seem to plead for True Freedom consisteth not in a power or libeâ—ty after the due exercise of ratiocâ—nation be the evidence what it will to write black for white or white for black to judge Evil Good or Good Evil or still to be undetermined about it for fear of forestallâ—ng the will or in a power or liberty in the will not to follow the liberum arbitrium the free award of Reason or for the soul in willing not to be confined to its own reason in what it chuseth or avoideth or pro libitu arbitrarily or at his pleasure to elicit and imperate what it listeth though against the sentiment of the mind or at least that after reason hath issued in a judgment the Will should still be indetermined to one Such a dominion over its reason or liâ—erty and freedom of will cannot but be abhorrent to the nature of man All that can be desired is that the soul hath such a freedom of Will and dominion ovâ—r its â—wn acts as that in what ever it willeth it acteth as a
vital and rational agent in respect of its proper nature and internal principle of operation with such a natural indifferency in sensu diviso before it acteth for quicquid est quando est necessariò est as whereby Reason proposing to the Elective Faculty diverse Objects that have no natural Connexion with the Will in determinâ—ng its self to eitâ—er it followeth the dictate of its own judgement of Dâ—scretion void of all natâ—ral Necessâ—â—y such as when the Fire burneth or of Coaction as when a man is halâ—d or carried without or against his own choice neither is led by a blind instinct as the Beast nor acted like a meer Mâ—chine or Eâ—gine that ordereâ—h not its own motion nor knows its use or tendency It s generally acknowledged that if the Understanding hath but one Object alone proposed before it or but one way or means to such an end or that if the Object be presented in all respects good as circa finem that happiness in General is to be desired or if any particular Object be presented as undequáque bonum having no appearâ—nce of Evil in one respect as well as of Good and Eligibleness in another respect the Will quoad speciem actûs if it acts at all must close with it and cannot refuse the same and so if there be in it omnimoda ratio malâ— an appearance of nothing but Evil in all and every respect it must neccessarily repudiate or nill it and cannot otherwise determine its self Yea and it is affirmed of God himself in Scripture that he is not at liberty in some things to determine himself or to will or act otherwise than he doth its impossible for him to lye Heb. 6.18 or not to do that which is just and right Gen. 18. 25. the Saints also in Heaven are determined to good as was our Saviour Christ even on earth they are invincibly inclined to it and it is their Perfection that it's as well Nâ—turally as Morally impossible for them to will the contrary and thâ—t for reasons unalterably prâ—ponderating them that way keeping the Will Habitually fixed and indeclinably pointed towards God and Holiness wherein all future instances of Worship and acknowledgment being included as the effect in its cause are Virtually in Act the faculty being so far forth determined and it 's our unhappiness that it is otherwise with us now It 's no defect or want of any desireable Freedom of Will that a man cannot obtain of himself to cut his own throat or feel not himself indifferent about it To be determined to evil onely or to be in such state and condition as that to do good formally such every way pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God is impossible to be sure is a most Deplorable estate though it be ab intrinseco from an innate Principle Neither is it denied but that such an indetermination as some state the Freedom of mans Will to consist in were better and to be preferred before determinate Fixation in and insuperable propension of Will unto Sin Jer. 13.23 2 Pet. 2.14 But still though lapsed man till restored by Grace doth not estimate aright of the things of God though he nauseateth the things of the Spirit and declineth God and Holiness It 's not from the Enjoyment or want of any such Freedom as is essential to Humane nature nor can he plead an equitable dismission from his obligation to Obedience since he is disabled by his own fault but from a privation in his mind laesa facultas a peccancy or disease therein as to his discerning and relish of Divine and Spiritual Objects Eph. 4.18 Rom. 8.5 7. and a vicious disinclination in his Will and Affections ballancing him another way Gen. 6.5 Eph. 2.3 Joh. 3.19 Free Will is still retained What though a mâ—n cannot turn the course of the Sun in the Firmament yea what though many attainments as well Natural as Moral be now impossible to man which were possible to Adam and of his concreated perfection Gen. 2.19 what if he be a lover of pleasures more than a lover of God 2 Tim. 3.4 and cannot obtain of himself to do otherwise Yet is he a man still a rational and voluntary Agent in all that he doth and retaineth a Dominion over his own Acts and a Liberty in their Specification too of all within his Sphere and Compass The Saints in Heaven notwithstanding that their state is no other than of a determiâ—ate perfection not of Indifferency to Good or Evil yet they retain a liberty of Competition Contrariety or contradiction in their Acts with reference to this or that particular Object within the bounds and limits of God's Will and Law indelâ—bly engraven on their heart The Natural or Unregenerate man in like manner notwithstanding his impotency to Good and invincible Propension determining him to Evil in General yet reraineth the like Lâ—berty and Freedom to Will or Nill to Chuse or Refuse and consequently to Do or not Do this or that in the ordinary way of Gods Providence save in what by the Apostacy or by a radicated Habit or Custom in Sinning he hath Disabled himself or is left of God In his Natural and Civil Acts or in his Sinful Acts he hath a Self-determining power if God permit he can Specifie his own acts he can of two Objects before him chuse one and refuse the other as the Cogency of his Reason shall sway him A wicked man can chuse whether he will go to this Alehouse or that or to neither of them he can pay a Summe of Money that he hath given Bond for at the day if he have it or he can let it alone he can Hear and Read and Pray though not every way as he ought to do yea were he not deficient to himself might overcome his Will to it possibly he may be wagered or by penalties be driven to it as well as the contrary Every disaffection is not Invincible Luk. 11.7 8. Jeroboam Baasha and other the Kings of Israel upon the denunciation of Wrath against them might and could for ought we know we are sure graceless persons may have Humbled themselves and caused their People to Fast as well as Ahab or the King of Nineveh did upon the like Message sent of God to them but they did not Jer. 5. 21 23. Mat. 11.23 12.41 Yea and the best Saints may and can do more Good and forbear more Evil than they do as hath been hinted David might and could have forborn to make Vriah Drunk or Murder him and he could have done Mephibosheth Right against that Traitour Ziba 2. Sam. 19.27 but he did it not Whose Heart is it that reproacheth him not for preventable Miscarriages In such things it is which are within mans power either way that God is said to Try or Prove men sometimes Deut. 8.2 16. Gen. 22.11 12.2 Sam. 24.12 The Saints in Glory are Immutably determined to to Good or cannot sin The Sinnâ—â— or Unrenewed man or men
and the same Act or Action every way alike Circumstantiated may and have received either Denomination sometimes that of Good or Righteous and then again of Sinful or Unrighteous upon the Alteration of the Law the Standard of Righteousness Josh 7. 20 21. and chap. 8.2 So it was with reference to the Ceremonial and Judicial Law after the Coming of Christ If in lineâ Physicâ the Jews kept their course Acted and did what before that they practised those same Actions were now Impious and Sinful that before were Pious and Good Shall we then think that the Goodness and Rectitude of the same natural Habits and Acts was ens and had an Efficient Cause when the Law was in force but yet that the Malignity and Obliquity of them was nihil after its Repeal and had no Cause at all what did they more in the One than in the Other its too Subtile for me to understand The Truth is he that is the Authour or Efficient of the Act is the Authour or Efficient of both Righteousness or Unrighteousness streight or oblique is but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Habitude of the Act and all its Circumstances to Law and he that Doth or Causeth the Act Doth or Causeth Righteousnâ—ss or Unrighteousness accordingly as the same Act is Conform or Inconform and Cross to the Law of God and that in a proper Sense or the Scriptures do never treat-of the one or the other properly at all Did not Solâ—mon King ' of Israel sin by these things Neb. 13.26 What hath been said may suffice for the Explication of the Scriptural Notion of Sin To reassume then our former Argument and reduce what hath been before iâ—sisted on to the Case in hand 1 As to Original Sin originans I mean that of Adam and ours in Him If our first Parents Inadvertency or Omâ—ssion of a due Exercise of Reason and Understanding if their Eating of the Forbidden Fruit if their Losâ— and Depravation of the Image of God in Knowledge and Light necessary to Conduct them unto God and Holiness or their Declining from God and Inclination and Propension to the Flesh-pleasing contrary to the Law of God was Sin then accordingly it followeth from our Adversaries hyyothesis that God must be the Author of Sin But the Antecedent is true Ergò the Consequent The Antecedent is proved Gen. 3.6 what is this that thou hast done saith God v. 13 17. 1 Tim. 2.14 Rom. 5.12 Col. 3.10 Nor can it be denied to be Sin The Consequent is evident in that they make God to be the first Cause and Predeterminer of Man unto all in every Branch thereof That Adam did not Advert Weigh and better Consider the Evil and Danger of Complying with the Temptation was they say from Gods withdrawing his Influence and Causation from him as often as man doth not Will or Act he therefore doth it not say they because God doth not determine him to it and that None-determination or Suspensation of God meerly of its self without any positive action inureth to the preventing of all Operation of the Creature They affirm that God did subtract or take away from Adam before his Fall that spotless Light and Primogenial Perfection of his Understanding wherein he was at first Created and and left him so denuded or stript to shift for himself that moreover God did Predefine his Lapse or Fall and that in Execution of his Decree he did Premove and Efficiently by his Physical Influx Predetermine his Will to the Eating of the Tree whereof he Commanded him not to Eat to chuse that rather than the other and that Indeclinably so as that it was Inevitable to him considered as he stood in Subordination to the aforesaid Decree and Efficiency of God and his necâ—ssary Dependence on him though in sensu diviso considering him or his furure Act without the Consideration of the Decree and Efficiency of God or his Dependence upon him in esse operari or secluding the Foreknowledge of God of all future Contingencies c. which is impossible they deny not but that he might possibly have stood and not have been so Predetermined by him or Caused to Fall either I say all that was not Sin nor Culpable or according to them God was the Author of his Sin or Transgression So in like manner 2 For our Personal Original Sin ortum I mean or originatum that which ab origine we bring into the World with us Job 14.4 if God be the Authour and Efficient of our Habits or Inclinations in the General and their Specifier and Determiner giving them their Biass that way they propend or go namely contrary to his Law then is he the Authour of Sin But according to them who go the way of Physical Predetermination he doth the former Ergò according to them he doth the latter also The Minor is their own assertion they say that not onely the power of Willing and the radical affections of Love and Hatred but their alienation from the Life of God the Habitual Pointing and Determining them Oblique and Cross to his Law to the Love of the Word and Flesh-pleasing and to the Hatred of Himself and Enmity to his Law both their Entity and Modification God is the prime Cause and Efficient of He from Eternâ—ty foresaw it and that in his Decree with which his Efficiency runs Parallel and Even in all and every Creature-effect all that hath Entity The Connexion or Consequence of the Major Proposition will not I suppose be Denied namely that the Habitual Dis-inclination of the Soul to Holiness or Propension and Inclâ—nation to Acts Discrepant to the Law of God such as the Hatred of God and aversâ—tion unto his Commands is indeed Sin or the Law of Sin Rom. 8.3.5 Iâ— then God be the Authour and Determiner of or unto that he is so of Sin The Case is still the sâ—me as to Actual Sin whether of Omission or Commission If God be the Cause of mens not Hearing the Word Reading Praying Omitting or not Exercising of this and the other act which his Law Commandeth and Oâ—ligeth them unto causa prohibens by his Suspending or Denying that Influence of his without which the Creature cannot move or act at all but is Determined to a Non-agency then is the Authour or is wholly in Cause of all Sâ—n against the affirmative Commands of his Law but according to our Adversaries in this point he is so Ergo. That the Omission of many Physical acts is Sin cannot be denied Mat. 5.42 But that God by his Non-operation doth Predetermine the Câ—eature Unâ—versally to a Not-acting is their constant Doctrine as â—o all Natural Acts nor onely as to Gracious or truly Pious acts the which we grant in a Sense since Man hath disabled himself Then by undeniable Consequence is God the Cause yea the Sole Cause of such Sins for Man doth nothing at all therein neither according to them can do nor ever could and that Common assertion
of Divines wherewith they have been wont to stop the Mouths of Objectors against the Equity of Gods procedure with Man for that he cannot do this and that namely that Man once had Power is by them Exploded as Heterodox and of no Use if this be true Again If God Premoveth and Efficaciously by his Influence and Causation Predetermineth men unto the Perpâ—tration of Acts Repugnant to the Negative Precepts of his Law such as Gluttony and Drunkenness not bare Eating and Drinking Fornication Aduâ—tery Incest and the like then is he the Authour or Predeterminer of Sin or else those Acts are no Sins But God causeth those Acts according to them Man they would have to be the Deficient Cause and God the prime Efficient All such Acts say they were from Eternity future and that could not be without a Cause If Gods Will then were not it there must be an Effect without a Cause This they term an Insoluble demonstration that such Effects have God for their Cause Thence they proceed to Argue that the Operation of the second Cause is the Effect of the Precurse of the first Cause as lâ—ss Worthy Dependent and Subordinate to it c. Now let any one shew me how God for Instance should Premove or Excite Achan to covet the Babylonish Garment the Silver and the Gold Josh 7.21 How he should Predetermine him by his Physical Influence to Will and to Do to take them and to hide them in the Earth which himself acknowledgeth to be Sin v. 20. add for the which doing or for the passing of which Act out of its potentiality into Existence and determination he died and yet not be the Authour or Cause of that Sin of his how God should Effectually cause that Numerical Act but not the Obâ—iquity of it the Law abiding Or what Achan the Secondary Instrument did more If it be Granted but that he was the Subordinate Author of that Wickedness though Inevitable to him But enough of that Arg. 2. The aforesaid Hypothesis of Gods Predetermining all sinful Actions reflecteth on the Attributes of God and therefore is not to be admitted 1 It asperseth the Essential Holiness of God 1 Pet. 1.15 16. whil'st he is made to predetermine to and by his energetical Operation to give a Shall-be or determinate Existence to all the Impious Actions Conceived and Committed in the World Yea to Actions intrinsecally Evil not only contrary to the Light of our Nature the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Fundamental Principle of Reason relating to Morals But Repugnant to its own Nature which is regula regulans such as are not so from the bare Will or Pleasure of God prohibiting them But by Resultancy from his Nature and from the Eternal Reason of the thing in Conjunction with the Habitude or Relation that we stand in to him and which himself cannot alter not change As to hate his Blessed self and to Lye and Blaspheme his Holy Name to say in the Heart that there is no God or to Curse him As to such Acts or Actions God himself cannot alter the Standard which they run cross to nor can separate their Entity from their Obliquity or make them not to be Wickedness And yet this he is said by those whom I Oppose to Predetermine men to even to those very Acts but not to the Sinfulness they say More tolerable is the Opinion of the Manichees who feigned two Gods one to be the Author of Evil and the other of Good than so to affirm or to Father such Actions on the true God 2 It Impeacheth the Legislative Righteousness of God and the Equity of his Law It hath been Generally taken for Granted that God not only made Man with the Faculties of Reason and free Will without which he had not been a Being of such a species or kind as had been capable of any Law But that also he was furnished with whatever might adapt him to the keeping of that Law he should be put under and that the same was due to him from Gods Justice or Righteousness of Condecency as due to his Soul in Case he Expected Obedience from him and that he should be no wayes necessitated to transgress or Obedience be rendred impossible to him from any Cause Extrinsecal to himself Now all this the former Hypothesis overturneth Where then is the Equity of â—he Law or by what shall the Righteousness of God be vindicatâ—d If it be true which is by them maintained that God never gave to a Man a self-determining Power through his Assistance that he never made nor could make such a Creature as might or could possibly specify his own Acts that could Chuse or Refuse but as himself first determineth him That it were a Contradiction to suppose it For that he must be a God not made after his Image that doth it Nor could God foresee if it were so what he would Issue in Nor his Supremacy he Retained over such a Subject what Reason then that man should be Obliged by any Law when he can neither Will nor Chuse in any Instance of Action whether this or that shall be or not be which is Essentiâ—l to the Idea of a Subject capable of Moral Government and Obnoxious to an Enquiry about it Yet farther If Man cannot but Omit what God Efficaciously determineth him not to but must abide in an Everlasting Indetermination why shouâ—d he by Law be Obliged to a Natural Impossibility And if God Invâ—ncibly determineth him unto every Action that he doth by what Righteous Law should he be Obâ—iged to be above God or to be Stronger than he Thus to râ—solve all Mans Wickedness into Necessity is to justifie him and to Condemn God Nemo tenetur ad impossibile 3 It reflecteth on the Wisdom and Counsell of God in the Constitution of his Law The Law must be rather for himself than for them if Man cannot nor never could ever put in Act the least Thought or Motion conform nor inconform to it but as he Predetermineth him A Man might as Rationally make a Law for his Axe Hammer or Saw for though his Elective Power goes along they say with Gods Precurse or Premotion Yet in no Instance can he turn this way or the other but as he is first Inclined by the Law-giver and Predetermined antecedenâ—er therein Let the Law Speak what it will for it or against it still the Instrument can neither Move nor Act otherwise than it doth what then meaneth the solemnity of a Law or to what End should it be designed 4 It Impeacheth the Fidelity and Sincerity of God in his Expostulations with Men if nothing be within the Verge of their Power Why will you die saith he Ezek. â—8 signifying his being agrieved at their Sin and Ruine thereby What shall we think of his Upbraiding Men for it and protesting he willed the contrary O that my People would Consider c. Deut. 5.29 and 32.29 Isa 48.18 Jer. 44.4 Psal 18.13 Mat. 11.20 and 12.41