Andthe Sub-operations ofMan's Will. ióß Grace ( external and Internal ;) though as Rector and the common Benez' ftidor of loft inners, he alter not the terms andmeans of Grace, which hd At firft determined of. And the equalityand conflancy of his Réctorál and Judicial diftributions, is noway inconfiftent with the diverfity which as a' free Owner and BenefaFíor hemaketh either in hisDecrees or Gifts. So that he is the Caufe of All Good, though not every way egna/ly to All; tomake All Good and happy : And he hath made man capable of Impro- ving his Gifts, toreturn him his own with Ufury, which he will require. But he is the Author ofno evil of fin ; nor punifbeth any butfor fin, and as a means to that Good which is better than the Impunity of the [inner c' But he ruleth and cauCeth the Effecis offin, whenhe eau ftthnot thefn it fell. TheOrder of hisProditlionsmay be much perceived by man, and are fit .for our obrervation. Of his own KnowledgeandGolitions of them, we know' no tro e, but that it is not formally the fame thingas Knowledge and will in Man ; that It is mot/ perfedt and incomprehenfible; that It is his Ef[ential Intelletl andwill varioufly named as varioufly connoting the effeéts and ob jefts : that To difpute of any other internal order, priority or pofteriority in God's Knowledge, or Will, (asifhe had particular Thoughts, Ideas and Tolitions as manbath, or any thing in Him were Caufed by the object, )' and to vex the Church with contentions hereabout, is a prefumptuous aí rogance and prophanenefs, ve hichGod will punilh, and good add fober men fhould tremble at andhate, and not become parties, in filch daring medling with the Confuming Fire: Notes on forcepaffagesof Mr. Peter Sterries Book of Free-will. ?; t. TT is long lince I heard muchof the name and fame of Mr. Pc 1 ter sterry, long Chaplain to Robert Lord Brook, and after to Oliver cromwel when he was Protestor (as then called.) His commod fame was, that his Preaching was fuch as dime or few could underftand a Which incenfed my delire tohave heard him, of which I (till mitt, though I oft attempted it. But now ftnce his death, while my Book is in the Preis unfinithed, a pofihumous tra&ate of his cometh forth ofFree-will : uponperufal of which I find in him the fame notions ( for fo far as he meddlethwith the fame fubje&s) as in Sr, H. Pane; and fomewhat of what Dr. Gibbon feemeth todeliver in his Scheine but all handled with much more firength of parts and raptures of higheft devotion, and great candour towards all others, than I expected. His Preface is a molt ex- «liens Perlwáfive to UniverfalCharity : Love was never more extolled than throughout his Book. Doubtlefs his head was thong, his wit ad- mirably pregnant, his fearching ftudies hard and fublime, and, I think, his Heart replenifhed with holy Love to God, and great charity, modera- tion, and peaceablenefs toward men : In fo much that I heartily repent that I fo farbelieved fame as to think fomewhat hardlier or lefs charitably of himand his few adherents than I now hope theydid deferve. Hafty judg- ing, and beliievino fame is acaule of unfpeakable hurt to the world, and injury to our brethren. 2. But I find that itis no wonder that he was understood by few, For t . His fublime and philofophical notions, met not with many Auditors, fo well ftudied in thofethings as to becapable of underltanding them. It is agreat inconvenience to men of extraordinary difcoveries and fublimity, that they mutt (peak to very few. 2. And thoughhe cloud nothis mat- PPPP a çet!
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