Chap. 1. 2 the fixed Caufe is internal, in Man's Nature, and alfo that it is very powerful. It proves the fir, namely, that the Caufe is fixed, because the Effect is fo abiding, through fo many Changes. It proves the fecond, that is, that the fixed Cause is internal, because the Circumftances are fo various: The Variety of Means and Motives is one Thing that is to be referred to the Head of Variety of Circumstances; and they are that Kind of Circumftances, which above all others proves this; for they are fuch Circumftances as cannot poffibly caule the Effect, being moft oppofite to the Effect in their Tendency. And it proves the third, viz. the Greatness of the internal Caufe, or the Powerfulness of the Propenfity; because the Means which have oppofed its Influence, have been fo great, and yet have been ftatedly overcome. But here I may obferve by the Way, that with regard to the Motives and Obligations which our firft Father finned againft, it is not reasonably alledged, that he finned when he knew his Sin would have deftructive Confequences to all his Pofterity, and might, in Process of Time, pave the whole Globe with Skulls, &c. Seeing it is fo evident, by the plain Account the Scripture gives us of the Temptation which prevailed with our firft Parents to commit that Sin, that it was fo contrived by the Subtilty of the Tempter, as first to blind and deceive them as to that Matter, and to make them believe that their Difobedience should be followed with no Deftruction or Calamity at all to themselves, (and therefore not to their Pofterity) but on the contrary, with a great Increafe and Advancement of Dignity and Happiness. Evafion Evafion II. Let the Wickedness of the World be ever fo general and great, there is no Neceffity of fuppofing any Depravity of Nature to be the Caufe: Man's own Free-Will is Caufe fufficient. Let Mankind-be more or lefs corrupt, they make themselves corrupt by their own free Choice. This Dr. T. abundantly infifts upon, in many Parts of his Book *. But I would afk, how it comes to pass that Mankind fo univerfally agree in this evil Exercise of their Free-Will? If their Wills are in the first Place as free to Good as Evil, what is it to be afcribed to, that the World of Mankind, confifting of fo many Millions, in fo many fucceffive Generations, without Consultation, all agree to exercise their Freedom in Favour of Evil? If there be no natural Tendency or Preponderation in the Cafe, then there is as good a Chance for the Will's being determined to Good as Evil. If the Caufe is indifferent, why is not the Effect in fome Meafure indifferent? If the Balance be no heavier at one End than the other, why does it perpetually and as it were, infinitely preponderate one Way? How comes it to pafs, that the Free-Will of Mankind has been determined to Evil, in like Manner before the Flood, and after the Flood; under the Law, and under the Gofpel; among both Jews and Gentiles, under the Old Teftament; and fince that, among Chriftians, Jews, Mahometans; among Papifts and Proteftants; in thofe Nations where Civility, Politenefs, Arts, and Learning moft prevail, and among the Negroes and Hottentots in Africa, the Tartars in Afia, and Indians in America, towards both the Poles, and on every Side of the Globe; * Page 257, 258. 52, 53. S. and many other Places.. Sect. IX. S Globe; in greatest Cities and obfcureft Villages; in Palaces and in Huts, Wigwams and Cells under Ground? Is it enough to reply, It happens fo, that Men every where, and at all Times, chuse thus to determine their own Wills, and fo to make themselves finful, as foon as ever they are capable of it, and to fin conftantly as long as they live, and univerfally to chufe never to come up half Way to their Duty? As has been often obferved, a fteady Effect requires a fteady Caufe; but Free-Will, without any previous Propenfity to influence its Determinations, is no permanent Caufe; Nothing can be conceived of, further from it: For the very Notion of Freedom of Will, confifting in felf-determining Power, implies Contingence: And if the Will is free in that Senfe, that it is perfectly free from any Government of previous Inclination, its Freedom muft imply the moft abfolute and perfectContingence: And furely Nothing can be conceived of, more unfixed than that. The Notion of Liberty of Will, in this Senfe, implies perfect Freedom from every Thing that should previously fix, bind or determine it; that it may be left to be fixed and determined wholly by itself: There fore its Determinations must be previously alto gether unfixed. And can that which is fo unfixed, fo contingent, be a Caufe fufficient to account for an Effect, in fuch a Manner, and to fuch a Degree, permanent, fixed, and conftant? When Men fee only one particular Perfon, going on in a certain Courfe with great Conftancy, againft all Manner of Means to difiuade him, do they judge this to be no Argument of any fixed Difpofition of Mind, because he being free may determine to K do do fo, if he will, without any fuch Difpofition? Or if they fee a Nation or People that differ greatly from other Nations, in fuch and fuch Inftances of their conftant Conduct, as though their Tempers and Inclinations were very diverfe, and any fhould deny it to be from any fuch Caufe, and fhould fay, We cannot judge at all of the Temper or Difpofition of any Nation or People, by any Thing obfervable in their conftant Practice or Behaviour, because they have all Free-Will, and therefore may all chufe to act fo, if they please, without any Thing in their Temper or Inclination to. biafs them; would fuch an Account of fuch Effects be fatisfying to the Reafon of Mankind? But infinitely further would it be from fatisfying a confiderate Mind, to account for the conftant and univerfal Sinfulness of Mankind, by faying, that the Will of all Mankind is free, and therefore all Mankind may, if they pleafe, make themselves Wicked: They are free when they first begin to act as moral Agents, and therefore all may, if they pleafe, begin to fin as foon as they begin to act: They are free as long as they continue to act in the World, and therefore they may all commit Sin continually, if they will: Men of all Nations are free, and therefore all Nations may act alike in thefe Refpects, if they please (though fome do not know how other Nations do act.)-Men of high and low Condition, learned and ignorant, are free, and therefore they may agree in acting Wickedly, if they please (though they do not confult together.)-Men in all Ages are free, and therefore Men in one Age may all agree with Men in every other Age in Wickednefs, if they please, (though they do not know how Men in other Ages have acted) &c. &c. Let every one judge whether fuch an Account of Things can fatisfy Reafon. Evafion Sect. IX. S Evafion III. It is faid by many of the Oppofers of the Doctrine of Original Sin, that the Corruption of the World of Mankind may be owing, not to a depraved Nature, but to bad Example. And I think we must understand Dr. T. as having respect to the powerful Influence of bad Inftruction and Example, when he fays, p. 118. "The Gentiles "in their Heathen State, when incorporated into "the Body of the Gentile World, were without "Strength, unable to help or recover themselves." And in feveral other Places to the like Purpose. If there was no Depravity of Nature, what elfe could there be but bad Instruction and Example, to hinder the Heathen World, as a collective Body, (for as fuch Dr. T. fpeaks of them, as may be feen p. 117, 118.) from emerging out of their Corruption, on the Rife of each new Generation? As to their bad Inftruction, our Author infifts upon it, that the Heathen, notwithstanding all their Difadvantages, had fufficient Light to know God, and do their whole Duty to him, as we have observed from Time to Time. Therefore it must be chiefly bad Example, that we muft fuppofe, according to him, rendered their Cafe helpless. Now concerning this Way of accounting for the Corruption of the World, by the Influence of bad Example, I would obferve the following Things : 1. It is accounting for the Thing by the Thing itfelf. It is accounting for the Corruption of the World by the Corruption of the World. For, that bad Examples are general all over the World to be followed by others, and have been fo from the Beginning, is only an Inftance, or rather a Defcription K 2 |