The riches of Gods love unto the vessels of mercy, consistent with his absolute…The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute…

Like as the immediate cause actionis laesae, of a natural function of the body imperfect, is the disease or infirmity that hath seized upon some part of the body; And the Physician who is able to cure it, and will not; is the cause why it continueth uncured: But no wise man will say, he is the cause why this or that member in a sick mans body doth not perform its operation as it should. In like manner as touching the vicious actions of the soul, the want of supernatural grace is the cause, why those vicious actions continue uncured, because God alone by his grace can cure them; but no sober man that is well in his wits, should say that is the cause of vicious actions; but acknowledge rather the corruption thereof to be the cause of these vicious actions. And indeed all moral philosophy refers the cause of every vicious action, unto the vicious habit depraving the will, and inclining it to vicious courses. Fourthly, Yet farther to represent the wildness of this Authors discourse. The vicious habit it self is not the sole cause; no nor the principal and immediate cause of a vicious action in particular. For if it were, then that particular vicious action should always be committed by it; So that an impure person should always commit fornication; a Liar should always lye; a Thief should always steal; a Murderer should always commit murder. For it is a rule generally received, that the immediate and principal cause being existent, the effect must needs exist also. And indeed albeit, habits, whether good or evil, do work after the manner of nature inclining and swaying the will to the accomplishment of them; Yet the will of man being a free, and not necessary Agent, proceeds not to work, but according unto judgement and occasions and opportunities from without. And albeit a purser that maintain himself by robbery hath a fair opportunity offered him to advantage himself to take a purse; yet if upon consideration he finds himself too weak to go through with it, or that he cannot do it safely, he will forbear. For albeit a vicious habit doth naturally, and necessarily incline him to a naughty end, yet in the choice of the means conducing to this end, he is free.

Like as the immediate cause actionis laesae, of a naturall function of the body imperfect, is the disease or infirmity that hath seised upon some part of the body; And the Physitian who is able to cure it, and will not; is the cause why it continueth uncured: But no wise man will say, he is the cause why this or that member in a sicke mans body doth not performe its operation as it should. In like manner as touching the vicious actions of the soule, the want of supernaturall grace is the cause, why those vicious actions continue uncured, because God alone by his grace can cure them; but no sober man that is well in his wits, should say that is the cause of vicious actions; but acknowledge rather the corruption thereof to be the cause of these vicious actions. And indeed all morall philosophy referres the cause of every vicious action, unto the vicious habit depraving the will, and inclining it to vicious courses. Fourthly, Yet farther to represent the wildnesse of this Authours discourse. The vicious habit it selfe is not the sole cause; no nor the principall and immediate cause of a vicious action in particular. For if it were, then that particular vicious action should alwayes be committed by it; So that an impure person should alwayes commit fornication; a Lyar should alwayes lye; a Theife should alwayes steale; a Murtheret should alwayes commit murther. For it is a rule generally received, that the immediate and principall cause being existent, the effect must needs exist also. And indeed albeit, habits, whether good or evill, do worke after the manner of nature inclining and swaying the will to the accomplishment of them; Yet the will of man being a free, and not necessary Agent, proceeds not to worke, but according unto judgement and occasions and opportunityes from without. And albeit a purser that maintaine himselfe by robbery hath a faire opportunity offered him to advantage himselfe to take a purse; yet if upon consideration he finds himselfe too weake to goe through with it, or that he cannot do it safely, he will forbeare. For albeit a vicious habit doth naturally, and necessarily incline him to a naughty end, yet in the choice of the meanes conducing to this end, he is free.