The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

Answ. It is granted that man is impotent, and God Omnipotent, and Omnipresent, and therefore that God could indeed do as is here intimated, even make all men do well, and not command it: But, 1. it is apparent, that de facto he doth not so. 2. And his wisdom being more eminently to be manifested in the work of Government than his Omnipotency, doth show us partly, why he doth not so, even because the sapiential way is more suitable to his ends and to the subject. Creation did most eminently glorify (or manifest) Omnipotency; Government doth most eminently glorify God's Omniscience or Wisdom, as our Perfection or Glorification will most eminently manifest, and glorify his Love and Goodness. Each Attribute shineth most eminently in its proper work: and mans conceits must not confound this perfect order.

Answ. It is granted that man is impotent, and God Omnipotent, and Omnipresent, and therefore that God could indeed do as is here intimated, even make all men do well, and not command it: But, 1. it is apparent, that de facto he doth not so. 2. And his wisdom being more eminently to be manifested in the work of Government than his Omnipotency, doth shew us partly, why he doth not so, even because the sapiential way is more suitable to his ends and to the subject. Creation did most eminently glorifie (or manifest) Omnipotency; Government doth most eminently glorifie God's Omniscience or Wisdom, as our Perfection or Glorification will most eminently manifest, and glorifie his Love and Goodness. Each Attribute shineth most eminently in its proper work: and mans conceits must not confound this perfect order.

Yet let it be here noted, that all this while I meddle not with the controversy of the Liberty of man's will; and so, whether God's sapiential government by Laws, do operate also by necessitation, and Physical causation, as the natural motions of the Orbs, or the artificial motions of an Engine. I only argue, that whether God thus operate by his Government by secret necessitation or not, yet it is most certain, that he governeth Morally, and useth the Means of Doctrine, Laws and Judgments: which might consist with Physical necessitating efficacy in all that do obey indeed, if God's wisdom, and man's freedom of will did infer nothing to the contrary. But if it had been granted, that all God's government is by Physical efficacy, it would stand good nevertheless, that Laws and Judgment are part of the means which he maketh so effectual. But yet I shall go further in the next Argument.