The Harmony of the Divine Attributes "-Ar' ' petite in Mediocrity. In !hort, God required Obedience as a Sacrifice. For the FrobibiChap. 2 • tion being in a matter of natural Pleafure (e), and a Curb to Curiolity, which is the ~ Lull: and Concupifcence of the mind after things concealed _; by a reverend Regard to gla~u eft m ea Jt, Man prefcnted lus Soul and Body to God as a hvmg Sacnfice, winch was his reafona- :t/~~·!;:,~ttr ble Service, B.om. 12. 1. Plin. CH A P. Il. Man's Natural State was mutable. The Devil, mo·ved by Hatred and Envy, attempts tofeduce him. The Temptation was fuitable to Man's compounded Nature. Tbe Woman being deceived, perjuades her Huoband. The ~ality of the £rfl: Sin. Many were combined in it. 'Twas perfeEfly voluntary. Man had Power to.fland. The Devil could only allure, not compel him. His Underjlanding, and Will the Cattfes of his Fall. The Punijhment was of the fame Date with his Sin. He forfeited his Righteolffnefs and Felicity. The Lqf.r of original Right-eolffnifs, as it./ignifies the Purity and Liberty of the Soul. The Torment of Corljcience that was confequent to Sin. A vif?ole Army of Evils enter with it into the World. M AN was created perfeRly holy, but in a nat ural, therefore mutable State. He was invefl:ed with power to prevent his Falling, yet under a poffibility .of it. He was compleat in his own Order, but re. ceptive of finful Impreffions. · An invincible Pcrfeverance in Holinefs belongs to a fupernatural fiatc; 'tis the privilege of Grace, and exceeds the defign of the jrft Creation. · 1~ 11!' rebellious Spirits, who by a furious ambition had raifed a War in Heaven, and w~~~ f~llen from their Obedience and Glory, defigned to cormpt Man, and to make him a companion with them in their Revolt. The moll: fubtile amongf! them fets abouc this WorJ<, urged by two f!rong Pa!f10ns, Hacred and Envy. I. ,B~ Hatred. For being under a final and irrevocable Doom, he lookt on God as ~n irreconcilable Enemy.- And not being able ro injure his E!fence, he ll:.-uck ac his Image.- As the Fury of fome Beafis d1fcharges it fclf upon the P1aure of a Man. He , fii1gled out Adam as the mark of his malice, that by feducing him fi·om his Duty , he ~;mght defeat God's dcfign, which was ro be honoured by Man's free Obedience, and fo obfcure his Glory as if He had made Man in vain. . 2. He was follic1ted by Envy, the frJI Native of Hell.- For havmg loll: the Favour of G,od, and being earl out of Heaven, the Region of Joy and Ble!Tednefs, the fighc of A..¥-1P.J·s Felicity exafpcrated his Gnef. That Man, v:ho by the condition of his nature, was below him, 01ould be Prince of the World, wlnlft he was a Prifoner under thofe ~hail)! which refirain'd and tormented him, the power and wrath of God, this made his {tare more intolerable. His torment was incapable of allay, but by rendring Man as mi. (erablc as himfelf. And as hatred excited his envy, fa envy inAam·d his barred, and)oth Joyn'd in mifchief. And_ thus pufh'd on, his Subnlty being equal to his Malice, be contnves a Temptation, \duch might be mofi taking and dangerous to Man in his ratfed and happy fiate. He attempts him with Art, by propounding the lure of Knowledg and Plcafure, to inveigle the Spinwal and Senjiuve Appetites at once. .And that he might the better fucceed, he add reffes to the Woman~ the weakefl and mof! !table to feduCtion . He h1dcs hm1 fclt in the Body of a Serpent, which before Sin was not t~rnbk: unto her · And by this inftrument infinuares his Tef!lptation. He firjf allures With the Hopes of. lmpu~ mty, Te fbail not dye; theJl he prom1feth an univerfal Knowledg of Good and £,vt!. lly th<io
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