Bates - BT775 B274 1675

inconftíbíng Cpatf 3le1ernptíon; 4 fomnefs of a Carcafs, and the beauty of a living .Po- Chap. III. dy. Sad change! and to be lamented with tears of confuton. That the fin of Adam fhould be fofatal to all hisPo- fterity, is the mofi difficult part in the whole order of Divine Providence. Nothing more offends carnal Realm, which forms many fpeciotts Objeaions againft it. I will briefly confider them. Since God law that Adamwould not refift the Tem- ptation,and that upon his Fall thewhole raceof Man- kind, which he fupported as the foundation, would fink into ruine, why didhe not confirm him againfi it, was it not within his Power, and more fuitable to his Wifdome, Holinefs and Goodnefs? To this I anfwer. I. The Divine Power could have preferved Man in his Integrity, either by laying a refiraint on-the apoftate Angels that they fhould never have made an attempt upon him ; or by keeping the Underftanding waking and vigilant to difcover the danger of the Temptation, and by fortifying the Will, and rendring it impenetra- ble to the fiery darts of Satan, without any prejudice to its freedom. For that dothnot conlïft in an abfo- lute Indifference, but in a judicious and deliberate choice; fo that when the Soul is not led by a blind QuandoAni- inftin&, nor forc'd by a forreign power, but embraces ma fonts what it knows and approves, it then enjoys the moft fatiabitur true Liberty. Thus in the glorifiedSpirits above, by tafnflm- the full and confiant Light of the Mind, the Will is mabitur cha- indeclinably fixt upon its firpremeGood, and this is its ritatefuperio- Crown and, Perfe& cis bom, ut ad ion. feipfam fibi. 2. It was mofi fuitable to the Divine Wifdom, to placendo de- leave Man to fleeter ab Etas ítand Or fall by his own choice : dileí lonenon i. To difcover the neceffary dependence of all fe- poIir, Aug. conci Caufes upon the firfl. No Creature is abfo- J cont. 4. G lately

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