To charge you with ⟨p. 58⟩this, were to make you tantum non unreasonable. And yet I know not what to say to you, that is, how to understand you. For if you mean a mere physical transeunt fact, which is no such legislation or promise-making, then it is far more absurd than the former. For if it be not a sign of Gods will obliging to duty, or conferring benefit, then can it not so oblige to duty, nor confer benefits. It is no other transeunt fact but legislation that can oblige a subject to duty, nor any other transeunt fact but promise, or other donation, that can convey right to a benefit, or oblige the promiser. A moral or civil effect must be produced by a moral or civil action, and not by a mere physical action; which is unfit to produce such an alien effect, and can go no higher than its own kind. What sense therefore I should put on your words, without making them appear unreasonable, even much below the rates of ordinary rational peoples discourse, I cannot tell. For to say, it is not a law but legislation, is all one as to say, it is not the fundamentum, but the laying of that foundation that causeth the relation, or from which it doth result. And to say it is an alien physical act, which hath no such thing as right for its subject or terminus, is to confound physics and morals, and to speak the grossest absurdities; as to say that the transeunt fact of eating, drinking, going, building, &c. do adopt such an one to be your heir. I must needs think therefore, till you have better cleared your self, that you have here quit your self as ill, and forsaken and delivered up your Cause, as palpably as ever I knew man ⟨p. 59⟩do, without an express confession that it is naught. When men must be taught by this obtuse subtlety to prove that Infants Church-membership needed no revocation, forsooth [because their Church-membership was not caused by a law, precept, promise or covenant, but by a transeunt fact] than which as you leave it, the world hath scarce heard a more incoherent dream. But I pray you remember in your reply that you being the affirmer of this, must prove it. Which I shall expect, when you can prove that you can generate a man by spiting or blowing your nose, or by ploughing and sowing can produce Kings and Emperors.
To charge you with ⟨p. 58⟩this, were to make you tantum non unreasonable. And yet I know not what to say to you, that is, how to understand you. For if you mean a meer physical transeunt fact, which is no such legislation or promise-making, then it is far more absurd than the former. For if it be not a sign of Gods will obliging to duty, or conferring benefit, then can it not so oblige to duty, nor confer benefits. It is no other transeunt fact but legislation that can oblige a subject to duty, nor any other transeunt fact but promise, or other donation, that can convey right to a benefit, or oblige the promiser. A moral or civil effect must be produced by a moral or civil action, and not by a meer physical action; which is unfit to produce such an alien effect, and can go no higher than its own kind. What sense therefore I should put on your words, without making them appear unreasonable, even much below the rates of ordinary rational peoples discourse, I cannot tell. For to say, it is not a law but legislation, is all one as to say, it is not the fundamentum, but the laying of that foundation that causeth the relation, or from which it doth result. And to say it is an alien physical act, which hath no such thing as right for its subject or terminus, is to confound physicks and morals, and to speak the grossest absurdities; as to say that the transeunt fact of eating, drinking, going, building, &c. do adopt such an one to be your heir. I must needs think therefore, till you have better cleared your self, that you have here quit your self as ill, and forsaken and delivered up your Cause, as palpably as ever I knew man ⟨p. 59⟩do, without an express confession that it is naught. When men must be taught by this obtuse subtilty to prove that Infants Church-membership needed no revocation, forsooth [because their Church-membership was not caused by a law, precept, promise or covenant, but by a transeunt fact] than which as you leave it, the world hath scarce heard a more incoherent dream. But I pray you remember in your reply that you being the affirmer of this, must prove it. Which I shall expect, when you can prove that you can generate a man by spiting or blowing your nose, or by plowing and sowing can produce Kings and Emperors.
