_, in the Conflittttion oftM Perfon of Cllrijt a·meer AEf ofPower, without the ufe of any means for the removal of the caufo of that alteration. That man him_felf could not he this means, that is, that he could not reflore himfelf, i~ openly evident. Two wa·ies there were whereby he might attempt it, and neither joyntly nor feverally could he do any 'thing inthem~ f' 1. He might do it by returning unto Ohdience unto God on his own accorJ. He tell off from God on his own accord by difobedience through the fuggeftion of Satan. Wherefore a 'Voluntary Return unto his former Obedience, would feem to reduce all things unto their firft efiate. Bqt this way was -both iwpojfiMe, and upon a fuppofition of it 1. would have been infufjicient unto the end defigned. -For, _ {' 1. This he ct!Uld not do.. He had by his fin and falllo!l: that Power whereby he was able to yield any acceptable 0bedieflce unto God. Ar1d a Return unto O!Jedience is an Afr - ofgreater Power than a perfifiency in the way and courfe of it, and more is required thereunto. But all mans original Power of Obedience conf1fied in the Image of God. This he· had defaced in himfelf, and .deprived himfelf of. Having, -therefore lofi that Power whtch fhould have enabled him to live unto God in his -p(ir:pitive condition, he could not retain agreater Power in the fame.kind to.return thereunto. This indeed was that ' which Satan deceived and deluded him. withal; namely-, that by his difo!Jedience .he fl1ould acquire new Light and Power, which he had not yet received; he fhould be like unt-o Got!. But he was io far from any advan– tage by his Apofiafy, that one part of his mifery confified in· · the lojs of all Power or Ability to live to God. This is the folly of that Pelag,ian HereiJ•, which is now a _tiJird time attempting to impofe it felf on the Chrifl:ian -– ~orld. It fuppofeth that men have a Power oJ their .own to - r.eturn unto Ood 1 after they had loft the Po-.,ver they had of ... · aMdiJ?!§., -· !
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