A30249:226
Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…
Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the errors of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians in XXX lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians in XXX lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by James Young for Thomas Underhill, 1647
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. There is a natural power of free-will left in us. Free-will is 1not indeed a Scripture name, but merely ecclesiastical, and hath been so abused, that Calvin wished the very name of it were quite exploded: but if we speak of the quid sit, and not the quid possit, the being of it, and not the working of it, we must necessarily acknowledge it. The nearest expression to the word Free-will, is that 1 Cor. 7. 37. having [Greek or Hebrew], power over his own will: but generally the Scripture useth the word [Greek or Hebrew], and [Greek or Hebrew], which is as much as we intend. There is in all men naturally that power, whereby, through the help of Reason, he chooseth this, and refuseth another-thing; only this must not be extended to the things of grace. Now to say what this Free-will is, is very hard: Perkins, following some School-men, maketh it a mixed power of the Understanding and the Will; others a third real distinct power from them: but it may probably be thought, that it is nothing but the will in electing or refusing such things; so that we call it the Will in those things it's necessarily carried out to, as to will what is good, and not sin as sin: and then Free-will, when it's carried out to those things that are not necessarily connected with it: Even as in the Understanding, while the Understanding doth consider first Principles, it's called Intellectus; while Conclusions that are gathered from them, it's called Ratio. Therefore our Adversaries do but calumniate us, when they say, we turn men into beasts; for we hold the Understanding going before, and the Will after: and this is more then a mere spontaneous inclination in things natural. Therefore it is, that we do not bid the fire burn, or persuade an horse to go, because there is not Understanding or Will in these things, as there is in a man.
1. There is a naturall power of free-will left in us. Free-will is 1not indeed a Scripture name, but meerly ecclesiasticall, and hath been so abused, that Calvin wished the very name of it were quite exploded: but if we speak of the quid sit, and not the quid possit, the being of it, and not the working of it, we must necessarily acknowledge it. The neerest expression to the word Free-will, is that