Thirdly, It is not by any coaction. You will say, Though 1sin is in men for the cause of it, yet men cannot help it, man cannot but sin. Now to that; First, God made man in such a condition, that he might not have sinned, and though there be a necessity, that man fallen cannot but sin, yet it excuses not this necessity, He sins as freely as if he could do otherwise. Men, though it's true, through 2their fall they cannot do that that is good, they cannot but sin, Eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease from sin, as the Apostle saith of some, yet they sin as freely as if they had power to keep from sin, It's that that pleases their wills, it's that that is suitable unto them, It's true, that the Saints in Heaven they cannot but glorify God, but yet they glorify God with freedom too, they are so set in an estate of glory, as they cannot sin, but yet they honour God freely, that is, They do that that's suitable to their own spirits in the honouring of God; if so be that there be a necessity of sinning from mans fall. Yea, 2. From a judicial act of God in giving men over to sin, yet that's but in a way of punishment for former sins, and they bring this upon themselves, so still they destroy themselves. Every sinner that perishes, murders himself. And all that are damned eternally, they all of them are Self murderers, this is a grievous thing, O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self. The more there is of Self in mens destruction, the more grievous is their condition; It would make our hearts to pity any Fowl that should be shot with an Arrow that was feathered from her own body: all the Judgments of God, all the Arrows of the Almighty that come against sinners, they are a it were feathered by that that comes from sinners themselves, they are the cause of their own evils: The more self in sinners destruction the more hard is our condition.
Thirdly, It is not by any coaction. You will say, Though 1sin is in men for the cause of it, yet men cannot help it, man cannot but sin. Now to that; First, God made man in such a condition, that he might not have sinned, and though there be a necessity, that man fallen cannot but sin, yet it excuses not this necessity, He sins as freely as if he could do otherwise. Men, though it's true, through 2their fall they cannot do that that is good, they cannot but sin, Eyes full of Adultry that cannot cease from sin, as the Apostle saith of some, yet they sin as freely as if they had power to keep from sin, It's that that pleases their wills, it's that that is sutable unto them, It's true, that the Saints in Heaven they cannot but glorifie God, but yet they glorifie God with freedom too, they are so set in an estate of glory, as they cannot sin, but yet they honor God freely, that is, They do that that's sutable to their own spirits in the honoring of God; if so be that there be a necessity of sinning from mans fall. Yea, 2. From a judicial act of God in giving men over to sin, yet that's but in a way of punishment for former sins, and they bring this upon themselves, so still they destroy themselves. Every sinner that perishes, murders himself. And all that are damn'd eternally, they all of them are Self murderers, this is a grievous thing, O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self. The more there is of Self in mens destruction, the more grievous is their condition; It would make our hearts to pity any Fowl that should be shot with an Arrow that was feathered from her own body: all the Judgments of God, all the Arrows of the Almighty that come against sinners, they are a it were feathered by that that comes from sinners themselves, they are the cause of their own evils: The moreself in sinners destruction the more hard is our condition.
- 13.
- 2Note.
