ARra1INIANISM. 65 (r.)- Every thing that is independent of any elfe inoperation, is purelyative, and fn confequentlya God ;. for nothingbut adivinewill can be apure aft, poffeffing filch a liberty by virtue ofits own effence; every created will muff have a liberty by parti- cipation; which includeth fuchan imperfectpotentiality, as cannot be brought intoaft, without forcepremotion (as I may fo lay) ofa fuperiour agent ; neither Both this mo tien, being extriofecal, at all prejudicethe true liberty ofthewill, which requireth in deed, that the internal principle ofoperation he aftive and free, butnot, that that principleße not moved to that operation byan outward,fuperiour agent; frothing in this fenfecan. have an independent principle ofoperation, whichhathnotan:iildepeadent being : iris no more neceffaryto the natureof a free caul, from whence a free aftion. mugproceed, that it be the firß beginning of it, thanit is neceffary to the nature ofa made, that it be the firfr calif. (a.) Ifthe free a£lsof our wills are fo fubfervient totheprovidenceof God, as that he ulerh them to what end he will, and by them effefteth manyof his purpofès, then . they cannot ofthemfelves be foabsolutely independent, as töhave in their ownpower, every neceffary circumflance, and condition, that they may life, or not wfe at their: pleafure. Now the former isproved by all thole reafons, and texts of feripture I Id.: fore produced, to fheiv that the providence ofGod overruleth the nftions, -and deter-, mineththewillsof men, freely todo that whichhehath appointed : and truly,were it: otherwife, God's dominion over the mob things that are ,in the world;, were quite excluded, he had notpower to determine, that any one thing fhould,ever come topals, . whichhathany.reference to the wills of men.. (3.) All the afts of the will being pofitive entities, were it not previoufly moved by God himfelt; in whom we live, move, and have onr being, mug needs have their' effence and exigence folely fromthe will it felf: which is thereby maded,a,:e. a firft. and fupream caufe, enduedwith anunderived being : and fo much to that particular.. 2. Let us now in the fecund place look upon the power ofour freewilt, in doingthat which is morally good.; where we (hall find not onlyan, criminal imperfefliion, in as . much as it is created, but altoa contrafted defect, in as stnch as it is corrupted : the ability which the Arminian afcribe .both it inthis kind, Ofdoing that which ismorally and fpiritually good, is as large aáthemfelves willconfer tobe competent unto it, in the gateof innocency even a powerof believing, and a ponver of refining the Gofpel ; of obeying, and not obeying; ofturning, orof not being converted. The fcripture, as T obferved before, bath no furls term at all, not any thing equivalent unto it; but the expregions it ufeth concerning 'our nature and all ,fie faculties thereof, in this gate offinand unregeneration, feem to imply the quite con.: trary; as that roe are inbondage, Heb. ii. 15. deadin fin, Ephef ii. 3. and fo fee from r'ghteoufoefs, Rom. vi. fervasei offm, der. i 6. under the reign anddominion ibere f ver. 12. all our members being inf rumens ofunrghteoufnefs, ver. r 3 not free indeed, untik the fonmake us free ; fo that this idol offree will, in refpeft of fpiritual things, is lino; one -whit better than the other idols of theheathen. Though it look like Inver and gold, it is the work ofmens hands ; it hath a mouth, but it fpeaks not, it bath eyes but it fees not, it bath ears but it hears not, feet but it walks not, neither fpeaketh it through thethroat, all they that made it, are like unto it, andfois every one that tsjléth in it,. O Ifrael, trulf thou in the Lord, &c. That it is the work ofinens hands,:or a human invention, I lhewed before; for the reft, it hath a mouth, unacquainted with the myßeries ofgodlinefs, full only ofeurfgandbitternefs, Rom.,iii. 14. fpeakinggreat feel, ling words, Jude roer. 16. great things and blafphemies, Revel. xxüi. 9. a.mouth ce5Lg the fifh toßn, Ecclef. vi. 5. his eyes are blind, not able toperceive thófe things that are ofGod, nor to know chafe things that are fpirituallydifcerned, :Cor. ü:. 14. eyes before which there is no fear of God, Rom. iii. 18. his underffanding is darkened, becaaf ofthe blindnef- of his heart, Ephef. iv. 18. wife to doevil, but to do good he hathno knawledgeÿ Jerem. iv. 22. fothat without fartherlight, all the worldis but á meer darkuefs, }tlrn a. he bath ears, but they are like the ears ofthe deafadder to the wordof Gód, refillingco hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never fo wifely, Pfal. liv. 8. being dead when this voice firft calls it, yohnv. 25. tares flopped, ,that they fhould bat hear, Zec11. 1t. heavy ears that cannot hear, Va. vi. 1o. a noie, towhich the Gofpel is the favour of deathunto death, 2 Corr ii. 16. hands full ofbleed, liar. i; ,.y. and, fingers defiled with iniquity, chap. lix. 3 feet indeed, but like Mephibof esh, lame in both -by a fall, fo that he cannot at all walk in the pathof goodnefs : but fwift to fliedblood, deflruflen and mifery are in theirways, and the way ofpeace theyhave not known, Rom. iii. 15, 16, 17. 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