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

I. If there be any Difficulty in this Matter, 'tis nothing peculiar to this Scheme; 'tis no Difficulty or Disadvantage wherein it is distinguished from the Scheme of Arminians; and therefore not reasonably objected by them.

Dr. Whitby supposes, that if Sin necessarily follows from God's withholding Assistance, or if that Assistance be not given ⟨p. 253⟩which is absolutely necessary to the avoiding of Evil; then in the Nature of the Thing, God must be as properly the Author of that Evil, as if he were the efficient Cause of it. From whence, according to what he himself says of the Devils and damned Spirits, God must be the proper Author of their perfect unrestrained Wickedness: He must be the efficient Cause of the great Pride of the Devils, and of their perfect Malignity against God, Christ, his Saints, and all that is Good, and of the insatiable Cruelty of their Disposition. For he allows, that God has so forsaken them, and does so withhold his Assistance from them, that they are incapacitated from doing Good, and determined only to Evil. ^‡Our Doctrine, in its Consequence, makes God the Author of Men's Sin in this World, no more, and in no other Sense, than his Doctrine, in its Consequence, makes God the Author of the hellish Pride and Malice of the Devils. And doubtless the latter is as odious an Effect as the former.

1. ‡Ibid P. 302.305.

Again, if it will follow at all, that God is the Author of Sin, from what has been supposed of a sure and infallible Connection between Antecedents and Consequents, it will follow because of this, viz. That for God to be the Author or Orderer of those Things which he knows before-hand, will infallibly be attended with such a Consequence, is the same Thing in Effect, as for him to be the Author of that Consequence. But if this be so, this is a Difficulty which equally attends the Doctrine of Arminians themselves; at least, of those of them who allow God's certain Fore-knowledge of all Events. For on the Supposition of such a Fore-knowledge, this is the Case with Respect to every Sin that is committed: God knew, that if he ordered and brought to pass such and such Events, such Sins would infallibly follow. As for Instance, God certainly foreknew, long before Judas was born, that if he ordered Things so, that there should be such a Man born, at such a Time, and at such a Place, and that his Life should be preserved, and that he should, in divine Providence, be led into Acquaintance with Jesus; and that his Heart should be so influenced by God's Spirit or Providence, as to be inclined to be a Follower of Christ; and that he should be One of those Twelve, which should be chosen constantly to attend him as his Family; and that his Health should be preserved so that he should go up to Jerusalem, at the last Passover in Christ's Life; and it should be so ordered that Judas should see Christ's kind Treatment of