C. XV. i Lohn 3. 19. Argued. 368 The Apo(tlenextly advanceth farther with his cíefigne and faith, He that is borneofGod cannotfinne: that is, That finne which he finneth not, he cannot 4' 64' finne; He cannot fall under the power ofraigning finne unti death. I confeffe the words can,& cannot, are varioufly ufed in the scriptures; Come kindof7M poffbility inone refpe& or other (for things may be in forne regard impof- fible, that are not fo abfolutely) it alway. denoteh. Thewhole of the va- riety in this kind, may be referred to two heads. r. That which is morally impoflìble. Of that it is faid, that it cannotbe done 2 Cor. 13. 8. SaithPaul,we can donothing againfl the 7ruth.AndAs 4.20. Say the Apoftles, we cannot butfpeake the things we havefeen andheard. It was morally impoffible that ever any thing mouldhave beendone by Paul againft the truth or thattheApoftles having received theSpirit íhould not (peak what they had feen and heardofChrift. Andof many things that are thusmorally impoffible , there are moft certaine and determinate caufes, as to make the thing fo impofíïble as in refpe& ofthe event, to be abfolutely impoffible. It is morally impoffible that the Divell fbould do that which is Spiritually good, and yet abfolutely impoffible. There is more in manya thing that is morally impoffible than a nieere oppouition to Janice; as we fay Illxdpoffumus quodjure poffumus. The caufes ofmorall impoflbility may be fuch, as to tye up the thingwhich it relateth unto, in aneverlafting nonfisturition. There is all() 2. An impoffibility that is Physical!, froth the nature ofthe things them- felves. So jerent. 13.23. Can the' ?thyopian change his shin .' that is, Hecannot. 'Mat. 7.18, A good tree cannot bring forth evil!fruit, neither can an evil!" tree bringforth goodfruit. That is, nothing can a& contrary to its owne naturali principles: And as we {hall fee afterwards, there is of this impofhbilityin the cannot- here mentioned_ 'They cannot do it, upon the account ofthenetw 'Spirituall nature wherewith they are indeed. Now there may be a third kindof impojfibiliry in Spirituali things, arifing from both thefe, which Onehath not ineptly called Ethico-physicall,or onoral- ly natural!, partakingofthe nature ofboth the other. It is moral/becaufe itre- lateth to duty, what as tobe doneor not to be done. And it isrhysicall becau(e it relateth to a caufe or principle that can, or cannot produce the effe&. Soour Saviour telleth the Pharifees; How canye being evil!,rpealtegood things. Orye cannot Mat. 12. 34. You cannot heare my.words John 8.43. It was morally im- poflible they fhould either fpeahe or heare, that is, : either believe or do that which is Spiritually good,having no principles that fhoutd enable themthere-. unto, havingno root that should beare up unto fruits being evils trees in themfelves, and having a principle, a root continually, univerfally, unin- terruptedly, inclining, anddifpofing them an other way, to aéls of aquite contrary nature. Ofthis kind is that impoflìbility here intimated The effe& denyed is morally impoffible, upon the account of the internal! Physical! caufe hindringofit. However then the word in the Scripturemay be varioufly taken,yet here it is from adjacent circumftances, evidently reftrained to fuch a fignification as in refpe&ofthe event, abfolutely rejeð the thingdenyed. The gradation ofthe Apoftle alto leadeth us to it. Hefinnethnot, nay, he cannot fin: He can- nottin, rifeth in the Aflertion of that beforeexpreffed He finneth not:which abfolutely rejeð theslop thattome feeke toputupon the words,namely, that cannot,finne isno morebut cannotfinne easily.: and 'cannotfinnebut as it were with difficulty,fisch is the Antipathy6v habitual! oppositionwhich they have 'tofinne, which Mr Goodwin adherethunto: For betides, That
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