CHAPTER X. SI$ prevented it ; so that this may be reckoned a negative rather than apositive cause : The negligence of a gardener, or the want of rainy are the deficient causes of the withering of plants ; and the carelessness of the pilot, or the sinking of the tide is the cause of a ship's splitting on a rock : The forgetfulness of a message is thecause of a quarrel among friendsor of the punishment of servants : The not bringing a reprieve in time is the cause of a criminal's being executed, and the want of education is the cause why many a child runs headlong into vice and mischief: The blindness of a man or the darkness of the night are thecauses of stumbling : A leak in a boat is a deficient cause why the water runs in and the boat sinks ; and a hole in a vessel is called a defi- cient cause why the liquor runs out and is lost. Man is the defi- cient cause of all his sins of omission, and many of these carry great guilt in them. II. A permissive cause is that which actually removes im- pediments, and thus it lets the proper causes operate. Now this sort of cause is either natural or moral. A natural permissive cause* removes natural impediments, or obstructions, and this may be called a de-obstruent cause. So opening the window- shusters is the cause of light entering into a room : Cleansing the ear may be the cause of a man's hearing music who was deaf before : Breaking down a dam is the cause of the overflowing of water and drowning a town : Letting loose a rope is the cause of a ship's running adrift : Leaving off a garment is the cause of a cold and a cough ; and cutting the 'bridle of the tongue may be the cause of speech to the dumb. Note, The cause which removes natural impediments may be a proper efficient cause with regard to that removal, yet it is not properly efficient, but merely permissive with regard to the consequences of that removal. Amoral permissive cause removes moral impediments, or takes away prohibitions, and gives leave to act: So a master is the permissive cause of his scholars going to play ; a general is the same cause of his soldiers plundering a city ; and a repeal of a law against foreign silks is the permissive cause why they are worn. Query, Was not God's permission of Satan to afflict Job rather natural titan moral, since his mischievous actions did not become lawful thereby, and since it is now become his nature to do mischief, where he has no natural restraint. III. A condition has been usually called causa sine qua non, or a causewtliont which the effect is not produced. It is gene- 1f the word de-obstruent were always used to denote a cause removing na- turel obstuct,on, then we might leave the term petjniuive only to signify moral Cauros of this kind. Vot.. atto K 4
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