An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 21. Moral Virtue in the proper sense of the word, is the same thing as Holiness taken comprehensively, as containing our Love and Duty to God, and to man for God's sake: But as Holiness is taken narrowly for our Love and Duty to God, as distinct from our Love and Duty to Man, so Moral Virtue is the genus, and Holiness the chief species of it. And thus we take Moral Virtue and Moral Action, and so all Morality, as contradistinct from Physics or things merely natural, not falling under the genus morris: And so Virtue and Vice (or Sin) are all that is Moral, that is, Moral Good and Moral Evil: And this is the first and most notable sense of the word.

§. 21. Moral Virtue in the proper sence of the word, is the same thing as Holiness taken comprehensively, as containing our Love and Duty to God, and to man for God's sake: But as Holiness is taken narrowly for our Love and Duty to God, as distinct from our Love and Duty to Man, so Moral Virtue is the genus, and Holiness the chief species of it. And thus we take Moral Virtue and Moral Action, and so all Morality, as contradistinct from Physicks or things meerly natural, not falling under the genus moris: And so Virtue and Vice (or Sin) are all that is Moral, that is, Moral Good and Moral Evil: And this is the first and most notable sence of the word.

But some of late have used Moral as contradistinct from Holiness or Grace, or from infused Habits, or from Faith and Christianity; and some tell us confidently but falsely, That this is the most fit and famous sense, and the word so to be taken when not otherwise explained. It's the sad case of Mankind, that we have no words but what are liable to ambiguity: And it's the unhappiness of the Church that hath so many Teachers that will dispute, write, and wrangle about words unexplained, and in the end show, that under divers terms they mean the same matter in which they are agreed and know not their Agreement.

But some of late have used Moral as contradistinct from Holiness or Grace, or from infused Habits, or from Faith and Christianity; and some tell us confidently but falsly, That this is the most fit and famous sence, and the word so to be taken when not otherwise explained. It's the sad case of Mankind, that we have no words but what are liable to ambiguity: And it's the unhappiness of the Church that hath so many Teachers that will dispute, write, and wrangle about words unexplained, and in the end shew, that under divers terms they mean the same matter in which they are agreed and know not their Agreement.