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THE

CONCLUSION.

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HETHER the Things which have been alleged, are liable to any tolerable Anfwer in the Way of calm, intelligible and strict Reasoning, I must leave others to judge: But I am fenfible they are liable to one Sort of Answer. 'Tis not unlikely, that fome who value themselves on the fuppofed rational and generous Principles of the modern fashionable Divinity, will have their Indignation and Difdain raised at the Sight of this Difcourfe, and on perceiving what Things are pretended to be proved in it. And if they think it worthy of being read, or of fo much Notice as to fay much about it, they may probably renew the usual Exclamations, with additional Vehemence and Contempt, about the Fate of the Heathen, Hobbes's Neceffity, and making Men mere Machines; accumulating the terrible Epithets of fatal, unfruftrable, inevitable, irrefiftible, &c. and it may be, with the Addition of borrid and blaf phemous; and perhaps much Skill may be used to fet forth Things which have been faid, in Colours which thall be fhocking to the Imaginations, and moving to the Paffions of those who have either too little Capacity, or too much Confidence of the

Opinions

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Opinions they have imbibed, and Contempt of the contrary, to try the Matter by any serious and circumfpect Examination. † Or Difficulties may be ftarted and infifted on which don't belong to the Controverfy; becaufe, let them be more or lefs real, and hard to be refolved, they are not what are owing to any Thing diftinguishing of this Scheme from that of the Arminians, and would not be removed nor diminished by renouncing the former, and adhering to the latter. Or fome particular Things may be pick'd out, which they may think will found harfheft in the Ears of the Generality; and thefe may be glofs'd and defcanted on, with tart and contemptuous Words; and from thence, the whole treated with Triumph and Infult.

'Tis eafy to fee how the Decifion of moft of the Points in Controverfy, between Calvinists and Arminians, depends on the Determination of this grand Article concerning the Freedom of the Will requifite to morál Agency; and that by clearing and eftaᎠ d blishing

↑ A Writer of the prefent Age, whom I have several Times had Occafion to mention, fpeaks once and again of those who hold the Doctrine of Neceffity, as fcarcely worthy of the Name of Philofophers.I don't know, whether he has refpect to any particular Notion of Neceffity, that fome may have maintain'd; and if fo, what Doctrine of Neceflity it is that He means. -Whether I am worthy of the Name of a Philofopher, or not, would be a Queftion little to the prefent Purpose. If any, and ever fo many, fhould deny it, I fhould not think it worth the while to enter into a Difpute on that Question; tho' at the fame Time I might expect, fome better Answer thould be given to the Arguments brought for the Truth of the Doctrine I maintain; and I might further reafonably defire, that it might be confidered, whether it don't become those who are truly worthy of the Name of Philofophers, to be fenfible, that there is a Difference between Argument and Contempt; yea, and a Difference between the Contemptibleness of the Perfon that argues, and the Inconclufivenefs of the Arguments he of fers.

blifhing the Calvinistic Doctrine in this Point, the chief Arguments are obviated, by which Arminian Doctrines in general are fupported, and the contrary Doctrines demonftratively confirmed. Hereby it becomes manifeft, that God's moral Government over Mankind, his treating them as moral Agents, making them the Objects of his Commands, Counfels, Calls, Warnings, Expoftulations, Promifes, Threatenings, Rewards and Punishments, is not inconfiftent with a determining Difpofal of all Events, of every Kind, throughout the Universe, in his Providence; either by pofitive Efficiency, or Permiffion. Indeed fuch an univerfal, determining Providence, infers fome Kind of Neceffity of all Events, fuch a Neceffity as implies an infallible previous Fixedness of the Futurity of the Event: But no other Neceffity of moral Events, or Volitions of intelligent Agents, is needful in order to this, than moral Neceffity; which does as much ascertain the Futurity of the Event, as any other Neceffity. But, as has been demonftrated, fuch a Neceffity is not at all repugnant to moral Agency, and the reasonable Ufe of Commands, Calls, Rewards, Punishments, &c. Yea, not only are Objections of this Kind against the Doctrine of an univerfal determining Providence, removed by what has been faid; but the Truth of fuch a Doctrine is demonftrated. As it has been demonftrated, that the Futurity of all future Events is established by previous Neceffity, either natural or moral; fo 'tis manifeft, that the sovereign Creator and Difpofer of the World has ordered this Neceffity, by ordering his own Conduct, either in defignedly acting, or forbearing to act. For, as the Being of the World is from God, fo the Circumftances in which it had its Being at first, both negative and pofitive, must be ordered by him, in one of thefe Ways; and all the necef

fary

fary Confequences of thefe Circumftances, must be ordered by him. And God's active and positive Interpofitions, after the World was created, and the Confequences of these Interpofitions; alfo every Inftance of his forbearing to interpofe, and the fure Confequences of this Forbearance, muft all be determined according to his Pleasure. And therefore every Event which is the Confequence of any Thing whatsoever, or that is connected with any foregoing Thing or Circumstance, either pofitive or negative, as the Ground or Reafon of its Existence, must be ordered of God; either by a defigned Efficiency and Interpofition, or a defigned forbearing to operate or interpofe. But, as has been proved, all Events whatsoever are neceffarily connected with fomething foregoing, either pofitive or negative, which is the Ground of its Existence. It follows therefore, that the whole Series of Events is thus connected with fomething in the State of Things, either pofitive or negative, which is original in the Series; i. e. fomething which is connected with nothing preceding that, but God's own immediate Conduct, either his acting or forbearing to act. From whence it follows, that as God defignedly orders his own Conduct, and its connected Confequences, it must neceffarily be, that he defignedly orders all Things.

The Things which have been faid, obviate fome of the chief Objections of Arminians against the Calvinistic Doctrine of the total Depravity and Corruption of Man's Nature, whereby his Heart is wholly under the Power of Sin, and he is utterly unable, without the Interpofition of fovereign Grace, favingly to love God, believe in Chrift, or do any Thing that is truly good and acceptable in God's Sight. For the main Objection against this Doctrine is, that it is inconfiftent with the Dd 2

Freedom

Freedom of Man's Will, confifting in Indifference and felf-determining Power; because it fuppofes Man to be under a Neceffity of Sinning, and that God requires Things of him, in order to his avoiding eternal Damnation, which he is unable to do; and that this Doctrine is wholly inconfiftent with the Sincerity of Counfels, Invitations, &c. Now this Doctrine fuppofes no other Neceffity of Sinning, than a moral Neceffity; which, as has been fhewn, don't at all excufe Sin; and fuppofes no other Inability to obey any Command, or perform any Duty, even the moft fpiritual and exalted, but a moral Inability, which, as has been proved, don't excufe Perfons in the Non-performance of any good Thing, or make 'em not to be the proper Objects of Commands, Counfels and Invitations. And moreover, it has been fhewn, that there is not, and never can be, either in Existence, or fo much as in Idea, any fuch Freedom of Will, confifting in Indifference and Self-determination, for the Sake of which, this Doctrine of original Sin is caft out; and that no fuch Freedom is neceffary, in order to the Nature of Sin, and a juft Defert of Punishment.

The Things which have been obferved, do also take off the main Objections of Arminians against the Doctrine of efficacious Grace; and at the fame Time, prove the Grace of God, in a Sinner's Converfion (if there be any Grace or divine Influence. in the Affair) to be efficacious, yea, and irrefiftible too, if by irrefiftible is meant, that which is attended with a moral Neceffity, which it is impoffible fhould ever be violated by any Refiftance. The main Objection of Arminians against this Doctrine is, that it is inconfiftent with their felf-determining Freedom of Will; and that it is repugnant to the Nature of Virtue, that it should be wrought

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