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

But if it should nevertheless be said, Supposing the Case so, that God, when he had made Man, might so order his Circumstances, that from these Circumstances, together with his withholding further Assistance and divine Influence, his Sin would infallibly follow, Why might not God as well have first made Man with a fixed prevailing Principle of Sin in his Heart?

I answer, 1. It was meet, if Sin did come into Existence, and appear in the World, it should arise from the Imperfection which properly belongs to a Creature, as such, and should appear so to do, that it might appear not to be from God as the Efficient or Fountain. But this could not have been, if Man had been made at first with Sin in his Heart; nor unless the abiding Principle and Habit of Sin were first introduced by an evil Act of the Creature. If Sin had not arose from the Imperfection of the Creature, it would not have been so visible, that it did not arise from God, as the positive Cause, and real Source of it.— But it would require Room that can't be here allowed, fully to consider all the Difficulties which have been started, concerning the first Entrance of Sin into the World.

And therefore,