Bates - BT775 B274 1675

42 ij at natwd $ t Vbine2itttibutt , Chap. III. l but the y l nn 1ó f elin. He that is efenìaly, is only unchangeably Good. Infinite Goodnefs alone excludes all pofîibility of receiving Corruption. The Fall of Angels and Man convince us, that there is onefole Being immuta- bly Pure and Holy, on whom all depend and without whole Influence they cannot be, or milli be eternally miferable. 2. 'Twas very fit that Adam íhould befirfi in a ítate of Trial, before he was confirm'd inhis Happinefs. The reafonof it is clear, he was left to his own judgment and eleelion that Obedience might be his choice, and in the performance of it he might acquire a title to the reward. A determinating vertue over himhad croft the endof his Creation, which was to glorifie God in fuch a free manner. Therefore in Paradife therewere amiable objet's to allure the lower Faculties, before they were difordered by Sin. The forbidden Fruit had beauty to invite the Eye, and fweetnefs to delight the Palate. And if upon the competition of the sen- fual with the IntelleCtualGoodhe had rejeited the one and chofe the other, he had been rais'd to an un- changeable fate; his Innocence had been crown'd with-Perfeverance. As the Angels who continued in their Duty, when the refs revolted, arefinally eftablifht in their Integrity and Felicity. And the Apo,file gives s. cot. 15.46. us anaccount of this order, when he tells us, That was NIwhichwas natural, then that which isfpiritual and fupernatural. Man wascreated in a !fate of perfeftion, but 'twas Natural, therefore mutable, the confirming of him immediately had been Grace, which belongs to a more excellent Difpenfation. Now to bring Man from not being to a fupernatural fitate, without trial of the middle fiate of Nature, was not fo congruous to the DivineWifdorne. 3. The

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