i. 5.) "And God commanded the light to shine out of darkness," saying, "Let there be light, and there was light." But I never learnt from the scriptures, that God commanded Sin to shine out of holiness, by saying, let there be Sin. Yet I well know, that the word holds forth a possibility of creatures sìnning without a cause, as it is written, "Let them be ashamed that transgress without a cause.”—Ps. xxv. And I verily believe that the first creatures that did transgress, they transgressed without cause.

3.

POSITION THIRD.-"It is evident, the first cause could have no positive influence in its (Sin's) production; I mean, so as by force, fraud, or incitement, to compel, deceive, or instigate the creature to the commission of it; for if this be supposed, Sin must be in the cause, and the above contradiction returns, that is, Sin was before it was."

This third observation teaches most plainly, that Sin is produced by a cause without influence, or in other words, that Sin is the effect of that which cannot effect. MR.T--R tells us, "It is evident, the first cause could have no positive influence in its (Sin's) production." Yet without this cause, which could have no influence, Sin could not have had being; for he tells us, "Sin could not be a first cause, and so produce itself, nor be without a cause: (see position 1st.) So that according to his argument, the cause which has no influence in Sin's production. is nevertheless the essential cause of that production; nor could it be possible for Sin to have had existence, but by the effect of this cause which evidently could. have no effect. Wonderful logic!

But MR. T-R here opposes the express language of tradition, when he asserts, the cause of Sin to be without "force or excitement to the commission of it." Tradition speaks upon this point as follows.

"God made Adam and Eve to this very purpose, that they might be tempted and led into Sin. And by the force of this decree it could not be otherwise but that they must Sin."-PISCATOR.

"God doth holily drive or thrust men on unto wickedness."-PISCATOR.

"God either directly or remotely excites bad men, as well as good ones to action. He undoubtedly is the supreme author of all our actions, even all the actions done by the wicked."-TOPLADY.

Hence we find every matter resolved ultimately, into the mere sovereign pleasure of God, as the spring and occasion of whatsoever is done in heaven and earth." -TOPLADY, vol. v. p. 194.

Tradition also states, that

"The acts of God's omnipotency, are to be distinguished from his legislative acts; by these last, God always forbids Sin: but by the former, he secretly excites men unto it, whence it comes to pass that they cannot but Sin."

"God hath two wills, the one outward and revealed. whereby he doth most sweetly invite sinners to his grace; and most graciously calls them to repentance, seemingly as though he was earnestly desirous of their, salvation: the other will is inward and secret, which is irresistable, and takes effect infallibly, and by this he brings, through ways unavoidable, to a state and course of Sin here, and then to eternal damnation and punishinent hereafter."-CALVIN.

Now MR. T R flatly denies all this, when he tells us that "The first cause could have no positive influence in Sin's production; as by force, fraud, or incitement, to compel, deceive, or instigate the creature to the com

mission of it." But does he honestly deny it because he conscientiously renounces the sentiment? or, does he knavishly disown it as a thief would disown the name of thief, though he still continues his thievish practises ? The old veterans honestly confessed their views; but Mr. T-R appears to smuggle his principles, and to do business in a crafty under-trade way. He talks about the bare permission of Sin, at the commencement, but before he has done he gives us to understand that this "bare permission" is the same in power and operation as absolute ordination. Hence, in p. 150, he tells us "the bare permission was no active or blame able cause." In in same page he tells us, a will to permit in God is equivalent to the determination of the being of the thing permitted;" which latter clause not only contradicts the former, but also couches the whole substance of what is expressed in the above quotations from the old divines, &c., so that when he talks of Sin being produced by a cause, without influence, it is but polished deception. Mr. T -R's whole design from first to last is to prove that God is the cause of Sin, only he conceals the ugly word (Sin) as much as possible; hence his eleventh letter concludes in language as follows:

"Of what has been said this is the sum.

"All things and circumstances of things; all causes, effects, relations, and qualities whatsoever, found in created spirits and matter, are displays of, and produced by the exertion of that attribute we call power. And if so, it will demonstrably follow, that all things without exception, are the objects of his decrees, will, and choice: and that it is impossible it should be otherwise. For will and power with God (in this respect) are the same; his power exerted and displayed, is his will in act and manifestation. In a word, to will is

C

power in God: and the simple volition, 'Let it be,' generated the whole of matter and spirit. He spake, and it was done he commanded and it stood fast.' And of him, and through him, and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever.

"On the whole then we may safely conclude,— That whatsoever is effected by, or is a manifestation of, the power of God, is the object of his determinate

will.

But all things, without exception, are effected by, and are manifestations of, the power of God.

Therefore all things, without exception, are the objects of his determinate will and choice."-T-R, let. xi, p. 77, 78.

Mark, if Mr. T-R had inserted the ugly word (Sin) in every place in this quotation, where it is intended, it would have been equally as expressive as any language uttered by the old divines. Hence, where he says, "all things, &c. are produced by the exertion of that attribute we call power." He means to say, that all Sin is produced by that attribute we call power. This is evidently his meaning, had he been honest enough to express it in plain terms. And this is the evident bearing of his language throughout the quotation. But let us hear further what Mr. Tr says upon this point, and see whether he does not plainly confess that there is both fraud and force in the business. In letter nineteen, he writes as follows:

"I might here add another incidental or occasional cause of Sin; namely, giving to the creatures and placing them under a law. This appears, because the law worketh wrath; for where no law is there is no transgression. And had not the law entered, Sin had not abounded. '-T-R, let. xix, p. 144.

Now if the law was given in paradise to be the cause

of Sin, and that it actually worked wrath in the pure mind of our first parents, and thereby was the cause, or a cause, of their first transgression; there evidently must have been something like force or fraud working secretly upon, or in them by that law, otherwise it could not have worked wrath. So that Mr. T-R's argument cuts its own throat.

But who ever learned from the scriptures that the law given in paradise worked wrath in the pure mind of our first parents before they disobeyed? Mr. T-R has brought the above quotations from the sacred word, in order to give a scriptural appearance to his most awful insinuation, viz., of God giving to his pure creatures a law to be the cause of Sin; two of which sentences has no more to do with man in a state of purity, than they have to do with the man in the moon. He might with equal propriety have held forth the following language of the Apostle, as the express language of Adam, "I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, Sin revived and I died. For the motions of Sin which were by the law did work in my members to bring forth fruit unto death. So that I through the law am dead to the law."

This would have

fit his purpose neatly, and it would have been every whit as honest, and as sound a prop to his rotten fabric as the above which he has made choice of. But if the law was given to be the cause of Sin, how comes it about that Sin was in the world before this law was given? "For," saith the apostle, "until the law Sin was in the world." Did Sin exist prior to that which caused it to exist? The fact is, the apostle is arguing upon the law of works, and its effects upon the depraved nature of fallen man,

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