Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

Of Free-will. fhould be chofen before the Annihilation of the World, or the perditi- on of millions, if Godhad called us to it. Yea Chrift that faith, [It were good for that man that hehad never been born, ] implyeth; that a damnedmanwould choofe it as a minusmaims); yea many a one that I have known my felt, defired it. Therefore it is a thing that the Will may do. XXII. Andas another Inftance, I neednot prove, that the bonum fen- fibile which is neceffarily loved or willedbyfome complacency or liimple Volition, is not neceffarily chofen, but mayfreely lie rejeëfed. Otherwifc no fin Ccarce couldbe avoided. All thefe fortsorA&sof Free-will we hold, and are agreedon. And are we yet unfit for concord and coalition for want of acknowledging the freedomof theWill ? A. "Iemit confefi thatyou have acknowledged much. B. And I confefs that fo have youonthe other fide. I pray you now tell me, where lieth our difagreement? A. " roeoverwhelm me with Diftinhlions and numerous particulars, fo " that IfufpeTlyou do but by this dug intend to blind our eyes. Aman may " make any thing good byfucb minute difiinguifhing, and atomizing matters " to make them imperceptible. Did- you deal plainly,. i could anfwer you. B. Is this ananfwer fit for a learned or ingenuous man ? Is confiefion plainnefs with you? fuch plainnefs too many plan have deceived the Church with, and fet well- meaning Chriftians together by the ears ; fo that the Chriftian World bath longpleated the Devil, and found him fport, as fighting-Dogs and Cocks do tomen, andall by the cheats of ignorant confufion; Kingdoms and Fa&ions fight about words which theynever underftood: Like the confulting Phyficians who couldnot agree, whether their Patients Ifchury fhould be cured by siccinom, or by Eleëlrum, or byCarabe, or by Ambarum, and the poor man died be!! caufe they couldnot content. If I diftinguifh vainlyor falfly fine differentia, cannot you ¡hewwhere thevanity or falfhood is ? Howcan you tell it is falfe or vain, if you know not where the falfhood or vanity is? Will you fay, It isfirm- where, but I know not where ? Let that anfwer from others then to all your reafonings feem fufficient, [Tour reafon isfalfe, and your argument naught, but we know not were the falfhood lyeth. ] A ready confutation, fit for our Church-troublers. I have purpofely in theFirft Book, given you all the diftin&ions about Libertywhich I ufe, in an orderly Table, that youmay eafilyunderftand them by teeing them together : fothat ifthere be falfhood or vanity in them, they are open to your eafie fearch and view. Tell mewhat freedom is denied you, or elfe for fhame contend no more. A. I. "Theyhold that Original Sincloth necefiitate all the unregenerate "todo evil, and to forbeargood, fo that they cannotpofsibly forbear sinsof «Commit ion orOmiffion. II. They holdthat Grace cloth irrefts'libly neaf- "pate the Elea to believe and love God, andforbear sin,fo that they cannot "dootherwtfe. B. L Stay a little. r. Youmutt diftinguifh of feveral forts of Good and Evil : 2. And of feveral fortsof Neceffity. a. I hope you will not think it falfe, vain or curious, to diftinguifh between, a. Anungodly courfe of Life, andTome one particular a& of Sin : a. Theomillion of the predominant Love of God, and a courfe of

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