A supplement to the several discourses upon various divine subjects

3. He cannot sin, in sensu formally, as he is regenerate, or ex vi talis nativitatis. Grace cannot sin, because it can do nothing but what pertains to the nature of it; as the heat cannot cool, unrighteousness cannot do good. Fire doth not moisten per se, nor Water naturally heat. But it is not said, The Seed of God cannot sin; but in the Concrete, He that is born of God; and he that hath the Seed remaining in him cannot sin. A gracious man as a gracious man cannot sin, for grace being a good habit, is not capable of producing acts contrary to its nature. Sin in a regenerate man proceeds not from his grace, but from his corruption. Grace cannot be the principle of evil. But because his grace is imperfect, dwelling among remainders of sin, therefore a man sins, though this principle in him keeps sin from attaining a full dominion and superiority. Yet though he doth sin, his sin is not the proper fruit of the form whereby he is regenerate.

3. He cannot sin, in sensu formali, as he is regenerate, or ex vi talis nativitatis. Grace cannot sin, because it can do nothing but what pertains to the nature of it; as the heat cannot cool, unrighteousness cannot do good. Fire doth not moisten per se, nor Water naturally heat. But it is not said, The Seed of God cannot sin; but in the Concrete, He that is born of God; and he that hath the Seed remaining in him cannot sin. A gracious man as a gracious man cannot sin, for grace being a good habit, is not capable of producing acts contrary to its nature. Sin in a regenerate man proceeds not from his grace, but from his corruption. Grace cannot be the principle of evil. But because his grace is imperfect, dwelling among remainders of sin, therefore a man sins, though this principle in him keeps sin from attaining a full dominion and superiority. Yet though he doth sin, his sin is not the proper fruit of the form whereby he is regenerate.

4. He cannot sin in sensu composito; as long as he is regenerate, as long as the Seed remains in him, as long as he follows the motions of the Spirit, and Grace, which are able to overcome the motions of concupiscence; but he may give up the grace. As an impregnable Tower cannot be taken as long as it is defended by those within; but they may fling away their Arms, and deliver it up. Grace quantum est ex parte sua, renders a man impeccable, as long as it continues in him; as Innocency did render Adam immortal, as long as he persisted in it. But we may ex culpâ nostrâ, lose it by mortal sin, and so perish, as Adam by his own will lost the integrity of his Nature, and was thereby made subject to death. This is founded upon a false Hypothesis, viz. That Grace may be lost: And the Text renders the being born of God, and the Seed remaining in us, to be the reason why we cannot sin, not the condition of our not sinning; for if it remains, and we cannot sin therefore, how can any sin come in to expel that which preserves us from it? A man must cease, according to what the Apostle here writes, to be born of God, before he can sin in that sense the Apostle means.