A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Quer. 13. Moreover I demand of you, Whether you take God indeed to be the Governor of this world, or not? By [Governor] I mean properly, One that Ruleth the Rational Creature as such, by Moral Means, even Laws and Executions. I exclude not his ⟨p. 144⟩Potential, Efficacious operations, but conclude a Necessity of Moral Government. I know a self-conceited Popish Infidel hath endeavoured to persuade the world, that Gods Sovereignty and Moral Government are Metaphorical expressions, arising from the misconceivings of weak men; and that Wiser men like himself do conceive of Gods Government only as of an Artificers disposal of his works, that Physically accomplisheth all his Will. As if Gods Natural Causations, and his Moral were inconsistent; Or as if God were not Wise and Good as well as Almighty! or did not in his Government of man demonstrate his sapience in his Laws, and his Goodness in Attractive Benefits, as well as his Power in mere Natural Motion! Or as if man were not a Rational Creature, and a free-agent, and were not to be governed according to his Nature, by Objects suited to his Intellect and Will: but must be used and ruled like a stone, or beast! Or as if God could not infallibly attain his Ends by a Sapiential Government, and by preserving the liberty of the Will, as well as by a mere Necessitating causation! This man was so enamoured upon his supposed skill in Physics and Metaphysics, that he not only lost his Morality, but grew to be such an Enemy to it, as to blot out all true Morality, Civility, Policy, Economy at a dash; and stands with the rest of the Proud fraternity, as a Monument of Gods justice against the Proud, so deplorately forsaken even in the Reason that he glorieth of, that children may perceive his folly. He that is all for Operations of Power, as excluding Sapiential Government by Laws, and their just executions, doth think sure that a horse hath more of the Image of God then a man: For he is much stronger. Brutish force would be more excellent then the Attraction of Goodness and the Conduct of Wisdom, if the Government (which is no Government) that these men dream of, were the most excellent. As he will allow his Artificer to show as much at least of his wit, by making a Watch or Clock that shall, though by a necessity, move without the finger of the workman continually moving it;

Quer. 13. Moreover I demand of you, Whether you take God indeed to be the Governour of this world, or not? By [Governour] I mean properly, One that Ruleth the Rational Creature as such, by Moral Means, even Laws and Executions. I exclude not his