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

So, a Man of an exceeding corrupt and wicked Heart, who has no Love to God and Jesus Christ, but on the contrary, being very profanely and carnally inclined, has the greatest Distaste of the Things of Religion, and Enmity against 'em; yet being of a Family, that from one Generation to another, have most of 'em died in Youth of an hereditary Consumption; & so having little Hope of living long; and having been instructed in the Necessity of a supreme Love to Christ, and Gratitude for his Death and Sufferings, in Order to his Salvation from eternal Misery; if under these Circumstances he should, thro' Fear of eternal Torments, wish he had such a Disposition: But his profane and carnal Heart remaining, He ⟨p. 172⟩continues still in his habitual distaste of, and Enmity to God and Religion, and wholly without any Exercise of that Love and Gratitude, (as doubtless the very Devils themselves, notwithstanding all the Devilishness of their Temper, would wish for a holy Heart, if by that Means they could get out of Hell:) In this Case, there is no sincere Willingness to love Christ and choose him as his chief Good: These holy Dispositions and Exercises are not at all the direct Object of the Will: they truly share no Part of the Inclination or Desire of the Soul; but all is terminated on Deliverance from Torment: and these Graces and pious Volitions, notwithstanding this forced Consent, are looked upon undesirable; as when a sick Man desires a Dose he greatly abhors, to save his Life.— From these Things it appears.

So, a Man of an exceeding corrupt and wicked Heart, who has no Love to God and Jesus Christ, but on the contrary, being very profanely and carnally inclined, has the greatest Distaste of the Things of Religion, and Enmity against 'em; yet being of a Family, that from one Generation to another, have most of 'em died in Youth of an hereditary Consumption; & so having little Hope of living long; and having been instructed in the Necessity of a supream Love to Christ, and Gratitude for his Death and Sufferings, in Order to his Salvation from eternal Misery; if under these Circumstances he should, thro' Fear of eternal Torments, wish he had such a Disposition: But his profane and carnal Heart remaining, He ⟨p. 172⟩continues still in his habitual distaste of, and Enmity to God and Religion, and wholly without any Exercise of that Love and Gratitude, (as doubtless the very Devils themselves, notwithstanding all the Devilishness of their Temper, would wish for a holy Heart, if by that Means they could get out of Hell:) In this Case, there is no sincere Willingness to love Christ and chuse him as his chief Good: These holy Dispositions and Exercises are not at all the direct Object of the Will: they truly share no Part of the Inclination or Desire of the Soul; but all is terminated on Deliverance from Torment: and these Graces and pious Volitions, notwithstanding this forced Consent, are looked upon undesirable; as when a sick Man desires a Dose he greatly abhors, to save his Life.— From these Things it appears.