The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…

but if it be, by what Law is he bound to give it? If there be no such Law, why may he not suspend it? But if there be, how can he permit sin, seeing he is bound to give ⟨p. 99⟩such Grace as will actually prevent it? But you'll say, Permission is no such suspension of Grace, but a leaving a man in manu consilii sui, a dimission of him to his own Genius and free Will; if so, then how doth God hinder sin? Doth he in hindering sin offer violence to man's Liberty, as in permitting it he leaves him thereunto? Surely, if God hinder it, it must be by some kind of Grace or other; and therefore if he permit it, it must be by some suspension of Grace, or not at all. But to go on. May not he concur to the Material Act of sin? Then how much Motion is there independent from the first Mover? How much Entity is there independent from the Being of Beings? May not also the great Clock of the World stand alone without the Everlasting Arms, and all the Creature-wheels therein go alone, without any touch of Providence? Lastly; If God did not bound sin, would not that Moral Monster soon devour all Religion and Humanity? And if he did not order it to his own Glory, how should Light come out of Darkness, and Order out of Confusions? In a word: God in great Wisdom permits the folly of sin; in providential power the weakness thereof; ⟨p. 100⟩and in unspotted purity the pollutions thereof.

but if it be, by what Law is he bound to give it? If there be no such Law, why may he not suspend it? But if there be, how can he permit sin, seeing he is bound to give ⟨p. 99⟩such Grace as will actually prevent it? But you'l say, Permission is no such suspension of Grace, but a leaving a man in manu consilii sui, a dimission of him to his own Genius and free Will; if so, then how doth God hinder sin? Doth he in hindring sin offer violence to man's Liberty, as in permitting it he leaves him thereunto? Surely, if God hinder it, it must be by some kind of Grace or other; and therefore if he permit it, it must be by some suspension of Grace, or not at all. But to go on. May not he concurr to the Material Act of sin? Then how much Motion is there independent from the first Mover? How much Entity is there independent from the Being of Belings? May not also the great Clock of the World stand alone without the Everlasting Arms, and all the Creature-wheels therein go alone, without any touch of Providence? Lastly; If God did not bound sin, would not that Moral Monster soon devour all Religion and Humanity? And if he did not order it to his own Glory, how should Light come out of Darkness, and Order out of Confusions? In a word: God in great Wisdom permits the folly of sin; in providential power the weakness thereof;