Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.3

'ts THE DITFEREVCE EETWP.EW THE fniSC. IIr. P Object. But is it a righteous thing with God to give man a law which cannot be fulfilled, or perfectly obeyed by him ? Answ.' I. It is righteous to give innocent man a law, 'which at first he .was well able to fulfil : and this law continues in its force and demands, though man bath lost his innocency, and by his wilful crimes hath ren- dered himself unable to fulfil this law. The sin of the creature, and his own rendering himself unable to fulfil his Maker's law, doth not make void the law of his Maker, and abolish its commands. Simile. Suppose a servant bath an order from his Master to carry a message to his neighbour, if instead of going into the neighbour's house whither he was sent, he goes into an alehouse or tavern, there drowns his senses and his natural powers in liquor, that he hath so, weakened himself, that he can neither walk nor speak he can neither go to the place where he was sent, nor deliver his message : I would ask, doth his master's com- mand cease, or is his command abolished ? and is his authority at an end in this instance, because his servant bath rendered himself incapable of fulfilling' it, either with his feet or his tongue? This would he an easy way to cancel a master's laws and commands, if the wicked- ness of a servant could have this effect. Now apply this to the case between God and man, and see whether God may not be justified in continuing his law in its perfection of demands, though man hath lost, or weakened his power to obey. Surely the moral law of God stands in force, requiring perfect obedience both ofmen and devils, and all intelligent beings, how feeble and impotent soever they have made themselves by their own crimes : for it is a law that arises from the nature of God and the creature, and from the relation that is between them ; and therefore it is an everlasting law. Answ. 2. But God is still farther to be justified in this matter : for though man hath weakened himself by his fall, he bath not utterly lost his natural powers, his na- tural ability of obeying the law. He has an understand- ing, he has a freedom of will, to choose good and refuse. evil ; but his will is so obstinately bent upon sin, vanity, and folly ; and his passions are grown so headstrong, that he will not give himself the trouble to subdue them

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