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

Such a State or Act of the Will, may be required by Command, as does not already exist. For if that Volition only may be commanded to be which already is, there could be no use of Precept; Commands in all Cases would be perfectly vain and impertinent. And not only may such a Will be required as is wanting before the Command is given, but also such as may possibly be wanting afterwards; such as the Exhibition of the Command may not be effectual to produce or excite. Otherwise, no such Thing as Disobedience to a proper and rightful Command is possible in any Case; and there is no Case supposable or possible, wherein there can be an inexcusable or faulty Disobedience. Which Arminians cannot affirm, consistently with their Principles: for this makes Obedience to just and proper Commands always necessary, and Disobedience impossible. And so the Arminian would overthrow Himself, yielding the very Point we are upon, which He so strenuously denies, viz. that Law and Command are consistent with Necessity.

If merely that Inability will excuse Disobedience, which is implied in the Opposition or Defect of Inclination, remaining after the Command is exhibited, then Wickedness always carries that in it which excuses it. 'Tis evermore so, that by how much the more Wickedness there is in a Man's Heart, by so much is his Inclination to Evil the stronger, and by so much the more therefore has he of moral Inability to the Good required. His moral Inability, consisting in the Strength of his evil Inclination, is the very Thing wherein his Wickedness consists; and yet according to Arminian Principles, it must be a Thing inconsistent with Wickedness; and by how much the more he has of it, by so much is he the further from Wickedness.

If meerly that Inability will excuse Disobedience, which is implied in the Opposition or Defect of Inclination, remaining after the Command is exhibited, then Wickedness always carries that in it which excuses it. 'Tis evermore so, that by how much the more Wickedness there is in a Man's Heart, by so much is his Inclination to Evil the stronger, and by so much the more therefore has he of moral Inability to the Good required. His moral Inability, consisting in the Strength of his evil Inclination, is the very Thing wherein his Wickedness consists; and yet according to Arminian Principles, it must be a Thing inconsistent with Wickedness; and by how much the more he has of it, by so much is he the further from Wickedness.