A Christian Directory

§. 13. 6. The sin of the sensitive appetite consisteth in the inordinate rage or immoderateness to its object, which causeth it to disobey the Commands of Reason, and to become the Great inciter of Rebellion in the soul; violently urging the Mind and Will to consent to its desires. Materially this dependeth much on the temper of the body: but formally this also is so far sinful as (positively or privatively, mediately or immediately) it is voluntary. To have an Appetite simply to the object of Appetite is no sin: But to have a diseased, inordinate, unruly appetite, is a sin: not primarily in it self considered; but as it is voluntary; as it is the Appetite of a Rational free agent, that hath thus disordered the frame of its own Nature.

§. 13. 6. The sin of the sensitive appetite consisteth in the inordinate rage or immoderateness to its object, which causeth it to disobey the Commands of Reason, and to become the Great inciter of Rebellion in the soul; violently urging the Mind and Will to consent to its desires. Materially this dependeth much on the temper of the body: but formally this also is so farr sinful as (positively or privatively, mediately or immediately) it is voluntary. To have an Appetite simply to the object of Appetite is no sin: But to have a diseased, inordinate, unruly appetite, is a sin: not primarily in it self considered; but as it is voluntary; as it is the Appetite of a Rational free agent, that hath thus disordered the frame of its own Nature.

§. 14. 7. The sin of the exterior parts, tongue, hand, eyes, feet, &c. is only in Act and not in Habit, or at least, the Habits are weak and subject to the will. And it is in the execution of the sinful desires of the flesh, and commands of the will that the fame consisteth. These parts also are not the primary subject of the guilt, but the will that either Positively puts them upon evil, or doth not restrain them when it ought: And so they are guilty but participatively and secondarily as the other imperate faculties are: It is not Good or Evil merely as it is the act of tongue, or hand, but as it is the act of the tongue, or hand of a Rational free agent (agreeable, or disagreeable to the Law). If a mad-man should speak blasphemy, or should kill, or steal, it were no further sin, than as he had Voluntarily contracted the ill disposition which caused it, while he had the use of Reason. If a mans hand were held and forced by another to do mischief utterly against his will, it is the sin of the chief agent, and not of the involuntary instrument. But no force totally excuseth us from Guilt, which leaveth the act to our Rational Choice. He that saith, Take this Oath or I will kill thee or torment thee, doth use force as a Temptation which may be resisted, but doth not constrain a man to swear: For he leaveth it to his Choice whether he will swear, or die, or be tormented: And he may and ought to choose death rather than the smallest sin. The will may be tempted but not constrained.