The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

Suppose the Devil had so disguised the Temptation, that notwithstanding all his circumspection and care, Adam could not have discovered its evil: his invincible Ignorance had rendered the action involuntary: But Adam was conscious of his own action, there was light in his mind to discern the evil, and strength in his will to decline it. For the manner of the defection, whether it was from affected Ignorance, or secure Neglect, or transport of Passion, ⟨p. 31⟩it doth not excuse: The action it self was of that moment, and the supreme Law-giver so worthy of Reverence, that it should have awakened all the powers of his Soul to beware of that which was Rebellion against God, and ruin to himself.

Suppose the Devil had so disguis'd the Temptation, that notwithstanding all his circumspection and care, Adam could not have discovered its evil: his invincible Ignorance had rendered the action involuntary: But Adam was conscious of his own action, there was light in his mind to discern the evil, and strength in his will to decline it. For the manner of the defection, whether it was from affected Ignorance, or secure Neglect, or transport of Passion, ⟨p. 31⟩it doth not excuse: The action it self was of that moment, and the supreme Law-giver so worthy of Reverence, that it should have awakened all the powers of his Soul to beware of that which was Rebellion against God, and ruin to himself.

Or suppose he had been tried by Torments, whose extremity and continuance had vehemently oppressed his nature; this had only lessened the guilt, the action had still been voluntary; for no external force can compel the Will to choose any thing, but under the notion of comparative goodness. Now to choose Sin rather than pains,¹ and to prefer ease before obedience, is highly dishonourable to God, whose Glory ought to be infinitely more valuable to us than Life and all its endearments. And although sharp Pains by discomposing the Body, make the Soul unfit for its highest and noblest Operations, so that it cannot perform the acts of Virtue with delight and freedom, yet then it may abstain from evil. But this was not Adam's case: The Devil had no Power over him (as over Job, who felt the extremity of his rage, and yet came off more than conqueror) to disturb his felicity, he prevailed by a simple suasion.