A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

So that, put•ing these Things together, the infinitely holy God, who always used to be esteemed by God's People, not only virtuous, but a Being in whom is all possible Virtue, and every Virtue in the most absolute Purity and Perfection, and in infinitely greater Brightness and Amiableness than in any Creature; the most perfect Pattern of Virtue, and the Fountain from whom all others Virtue is but as Beams from the Sun; and who has been supposed to be, on the Account of his Virtue and Holiness, infinitely more worthy to be esteemed, loved, honoured, admired, commended, extolled and praised, than any Creature; and He who is thus every where represented in Scripture; I say, this Being, according to this Notion of Dr. Whitby, and other Arminians, has no Virtue at all; Virtue, when ascribed to Him, is but an empty Name; and he is deserving of no Commendation or Praise; because he is under Necessity, He can't avoid being holy and good as he is; therefore no Thanks to him for it. It seems, the Holiness, Justice, Faithfulness, &c. of the most High, must not be accounted to be of the Nature of that which is virtuous and praise-worthy. They will not deny, that these Things in God are good; But then we must understand them, that they are no more virtuous, or of the Nature of any Thing commendable, than the Good that is in any other Being that is not a moral Agent; as the Brightness of the Sun, and the Fertility of the Earth are good, but not virtuous, because these Properties are necessary to these Bodies, and not the Fruit of Self-determining Power.

So that, put•ing these Things together, the infinitely holy God, who always used to be esteemed by God's People, not only vertuous, but a Being in whom is all possible Vertue, and every Vertue in the most absolute Purity and Perfection, and in infinitely greater Brightness and Amiableness than in any Creature; the most perfect Pattern of Vertue, and the Fountain from whom all others Vertue is but as Beams from the Sun; and who has been supposed to be, on the Account of his Vertue and Holiness, infinitely more worthy to be esteemed, loved, honoured, admired, commended, extoll'd and praised, than any Creature; and He who is thus every where represented in Scripture; I say, this Being, according to this Notion of Dr. Whitby, and other Arminians, has no Vertue at all; Vertue, when ascribed to Him, is but an empty Name; and he is deserving of no Commendation or Praise; because he is under Necessity, He can't avoid being holy and good as he is; therefore no Thanks to him for it. It seems, the Holiness, Justice, Faithfulness, &c. of the most High, must not be accounted to be of the Nature of that which is vertuous and praise-worthy. They will not deny, that these Things in God are good; But then we must understand them, that they are no more vertuous, or of the Nature of any Thing commendable, than the Good that is in any other Being that is not a moral Agent; as the Brightness of the Sun, and the Fertility of the Earth are good, but not vertuous, because these Properties are necessary to these Bodies, and not the Fruit of Self-determining Power.