Pharach charging him to let the people of Israel goe but hence Pharach tooke an occasion to grow stubborne and rebellious and more to harden his heart in a resolution not to let them goe Exod. 5.2 I know not the Lord saith he neither will I let them go yea the ofner Moses came to him with command from God for doing it the more he still hardned his heart against it looke as a strong streame the more it is stopt the higher it riseth though no new water be added to it so it is in this case Thus the Jewes the more they were warned by the Prophet of their Idolatry and that they should not goe downe into Egypt Jer 42.17 the more obstinate and wilfull they waxed both these wayes Chap. 44.16 so when Christs hearers heard that which they thought touched themselves it is said they were filled with with wrath and thrusting him out of the City they led him to the edge of an hill with purpose to have throwen him downe headlong Luk. 18.27 When Stephen preached so excellently to the Jews they burst with anger and gnashed upon him with their teeth running violently upon him Act 7.54.57 So that Christs and Stephens preaching was an accidentall cause of the wrath of these wicked men as the stopping of a streame is the cause of the rising of it Hence the Apostle speaking of the Law saith where there is no law thene is no transgression Rom. 4.15 that sin took occasion by the command and wrought in him all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin is dead but when the Law came sin revived Rom. 7 8 9. that sin took occasion by the command and deceived him verse 11. so that the Law quickned sin put life into it and seâ— it on worke it lying as it were dead before and not stirring so strongly as it did after the comming of the Law by all which it appeares that the Law is an accidentall cause of sin Now so far as the Law workes it God workes it the Law being his agent and instrument But here it may be asked Quest how can it be that the Law which in it selfe is holy just and good should any way be the cause of evill This ariseth from the contrariety that is betwixt the good and holy law of God Answ and mans corrupt and wicked heart there is nothing more pure and holy then the Law of God it being the perfect rule of righteousnesse and an exact idaea of all purity and holinesse there is nothing more corrupt and and impure then the wicked heart of man it being the fountaine of all pollution and filthinesse Mat. 15.19 Jer. 17.9 Now it is a true rule in Logick Contraria juxta se posita magis â—lâ—cescunt when contraries are placed neer together the contrarieties of their natures doth more appeare and put forth it selfe keep fire and water at a distance and the contrarieties of their natures doth not much shew it selfe but bring them together cast water upon the fire or put coales of fire into the water then they fight one with the other and the stronger overcomes the weaker so the more neer and close the most pure and holy word of God be brought and applyed to the corrupt and rebellious will of man the more is the innate corruption and rebellion of it irritated and stirred up and the more strongly doth it put forth it selfe The more strongly the command was pressed upon Pharaoh touching letting the Israelites goe the more strongly did his rebellious will rise up agaâ—nst it This we may see true in the ordinary carriage of wicked men Let a proud swearer or filthy speaker be rebuked for their ill language and they will the more breake forth into abusive speech Thus we see how the Law and Word of God that in its owne nature tends to restraine and represse sin may accidentally provoke and put men forward to greater eagernesse and violence in sinning yea not onely the Law but the Gospel may by accident be an occasion of greater evil Thus our Saviour tels the Pharisees that if they had been blind they had had no finne but because they said they did see therefore their sin remained Joh. 9. last if they had had no meanes of knowledge their sin had not been so great but now the light shined upon them thereby their sin was increased because they sâ—ut their eyes against it Hence likewise the Apostle saith that the Gospel was to somethe savour of death 2 Cor. 2.16 In it owne nature it did tend to life but by accident it came to be an occasion of death to such as rejected it Thus we see how God may be accidentally a cause of sin namely by administring occasion and that both inwardly and outwardly both by his workes and by his word and Bellarmine himselfe is forced in a manner to acknowledge thus much for he saith Bellar. de amiss grat statu pcti l 2. c. 14. Patientia Dei aliquo modo indurat Caeterum non dicitur excecare vel indur are nisi per accidens sedipsis homines abutentes rebus bonis seipsâ—s obdurat The patience of God doth after a sort harden men but yet he is not said to blind or to harden but onely by accident for when they doe abuse good things they harden themselves Here Bellarmine grants that God may bee said to blind and harden men by accident when they abusing his Patience and long suffering take occasion from thence to harden themselves in sinne CHAP. VI. Shewing that such causes as worke by accident may have a true efficiency and yet not be altogether blameless in blame-worthy actions THat accidental causes may have a true efficiency and yet not be faulty when the effect is faulty may appear both by Reason and Scripture 1. The rule of reason tels us that whatsoever hath a vis any power or vertue to bring forth an effect is so far a cause of that effect For causa est cujus vires est Now there be many things which have an efficiency in bringing forth such or such an effect which yet cannot justly be blamed though the effect be evill When a man stands so neare the fire that he scorcheth his legges the fire hath a true efficiency in this scorching yet not the fire but the man onely is to be blamed for though it be the natural property of the fire to burne yet the end why the fire was made was to warme not to burn those that stand before it and that it scorcheth the mans leggs it is his owne fault because he did not stand further off when he might have done it and the fire was onely an accidental cause of scorching When a man weares a sword for his defence and he in a Melancholike or mad humour shall run the Sword into his own body here not the Sword but the man is to be blamed because the end of wearing a Sword is the safety not the hurt
of the owner and though it hath a true efficiency in hurting wounding him yet the fault onely is his owne because he willingly turned the Sword against himself When a Physitian according to the true rules of Art shall administer wholesome Physick to his Patient for such or such a disease and this meeting with some hidden distemper or corrupt humour in the body shall cause greater pain or it may be death yet here neither the Physick nor Physitian are to be blamed because the work of both these in their owne nature tended to health and was fit to procure it When Jason had his impostume cured by the thrusting of a Sword into his body by the hand of his enemy this was no thank to his enemy who intended not his health but his death so on the contrary it is no blame to the Physitian that intends health and useth fit meanes to procure it though death follows by accident When the same Sun beames lights upon a Garden and a Dunghil and raise a sweet smell from the one and an ill savour from the other neither the Sun nor the beames thereof are to be blamed because the efficacy of them did extend to both a like but the different effect did arise from the difference of the matter whereon they did light The like instances also may be brought from Scripture when a man is hewing wood with an Axe and the head of the Axe slippeth from the helve and slayes the stander by here neither the Axe nor the man are to be blamed though they have an efficiency in the death of the other because they are onely causes by accident the scope of neither being to hurt the stander by Deut. 19.5 When King Uzziah went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense Azariah with fourscore other Priests went in after him and withstood him telling him that it did not belong to him to burne incense to the Lord then it is said Vzziah was wrath 2 Chron. 26.16 17 18 19. Here the Priests were causes of the wrath of the King but no faulty causes because they did but their duty and their intention was onely to hinder him from doing that which was unlawful for him to do but not to provoke him to anger and wrath When the Pharisees were filled with wrath against Christ and the Jews breast with anger against Stephen because they justly reproved them they were accidental causes of their wrath and anger but no faulty causes The Apostle saith that the Law causeth wrath Rom. 4.15 It causeth wrath by meanes of Transgression for transgression onely properly causeth wrath as the Law is the cause of wrath so likewise is the cause of transgression namely an accidental cause yet no faulty cause for the proper end of the Law was neither to procure wrath nor to procure transgression but rather to be a meanes to preserve man from both these by directing him so to walke as he might please God so when he saith that the motions of sin were by the Law that is were stirred up by the Law Rom. 7.5 and that sin took occasion by the Commandement and wrought in him all manner of concupiscence verse 11. here sin is said to be stirred up by the Law and to take occasion by the Commandement of working concupiscence and therefore the Law hath some kind of efficiency in producing of sin it is an accidentall cause but no faulty cause As the Law is in it selfe holy and just and good Rom. 7.12 so it is good that it should be brought to mans understanding by the knowledge of it and to his will and affections by the right application of it but the more this is done he being left to himselfe the more doth it irritate and stir up corruption in him and his will by reason of the contrariety that is in it to the holy Law of God waxeth so much more stubborne and rebellious as the Law is more closely applyed to it When the Apostle saith that beleevers are not under the Law Rom. 6.14 and that they are delivered from the Law that being dead namely that corruption wherein we are held Rom. 7.6 this must needs be understood of the accidentall worke of the Law whereby by meanes of our corruption it stirs up sin in us for it cannot be understood of the Law as it is a rule of obedience because then the Law should be wholly abolished to which the Apostle gives an absit do we then make the Law of none effect through faith God forbid Rom. 3.31 neither can it be understood in this place of the condemning power of the Law for though it be true that believers are freed from the curse and condemnation of the Law yet this is an effect of justification and hath reference to that whereas the subject of the Apostles discourse in these two Chapters where he speakes of freedom from the Law namely the sixth and seventh is altogether about sanctification and he brings many arguments to prove the necessary connexion of these two together and this amongst the rest because they were not under the Law they were delivered from it they must not suffer sin to raigne in their mortall because they were not under the Law but under grace cap. 6.14 they were delivered from the Law lust and concupiscence being kild in them chap. 7.6 How were they not under the Law how were they delivered from it So far as they were truly sanctified they were no longer under the accidentall worke of the Law whereby it had power to irritate and stir up the rebellion and corruption of their natures and so to cause sin more to abound in them being implanted into Christ and made partakers of the vertue of his death and resurrection their old man was crucified and their body of sin destroyed so as they should no longer serve sin as they did before chap. 6.6 while they were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law which were stirred up by having the Law brought nearer to them did worke in their members to bring forth fruit unto death but they were delivered from the Law from that accidentall worke of the Law that being dead wherein they were held their sinfull lusts being in part mortified that they should serve God in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter chap. 7.5.6 by both which places it appeares that the Law hath power to stir up sin and corruption in those that are in the a state of corruption that remaine as yet altogether unsanctified and so it is an accidentall cause of sin yet no faulty cause that remaining still holy and just and good In this sence likewise Christ saith of himselfe that be came not to send peace but the Sword that he came to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against the Mother Mat. 10.34 35. that he came to set fire on the earth Luk. 12.49 How is this to be taken that
therefore he cannot will it as it is in it selfe and in its owne nature and as wicked men will it But as the skilful Physitian can so order and temper some poysons that though they be in themselves destructive to nature yet he can make them medicinall and helpfull so the wise and mighty God is able to make that which is in it selfe against his glory to be serviceable to his glory he can worke out his owne glory from the work of mens actions he can make them usefull to the best ends and so far he may both will them and worke them namely as he can and will bring good out of them Non sineret bonos fieri malis Enchirid. cap. 100. nesi omniâ—otens etiam de malo facere pâ—ssâ—t bene saith Augustine the good God would not suffer evill to be unles he being omnipotent could bring good out of evil To the same purpose he saith also in another place Scivit Deus magis ad omnipâ—tentissimam ejus bonitatem pertinere De correpes grat cap. 10. etiam de malis benefacere quâ—m mala non sinene God did know that it more befirs his omnipotent goodnesse to bring good out of euill then not to sâ—ne any evill at all to be yea Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth that God did Ex lapsu hominis ingens bonum eliceâ—e did draw forth a wonderfull great good out of the fall of man So that we see that sin though evill in it selfe may have some respect of good in it and some way make for the glory of God now in this respect onely God wils it and this he may do and his will still be a just holy and righteous will If mans sâ—n be the object of Gods decree Object 2 then mans sins necessarily for what God hath decreed must necessarily come to passe and if the decree of God be the cause of this necessitie then likewise it is the cause of that sin which followes upon it and so God shall be the Author and proper cause of sin That Gods decrees do not take away the liberty of mans will may appeare many wayes Answ 1. Christs death was decreed for he was delivered by the determinate counsell of God Acts. 23. yet he dyed freely for he saith of himselfe that he laid downe his life when no man had power to take it from him John 10.17 18. he laid it downe willingly and freely beside if he had not done thus if Christs death had not been voluntary it had not been an act of perfect obedience and so could not have been meritorious The stedfastnesse and firme standing of the good Angels in their integrity is a free act for they are not enforced to it 2 Thes 2.2.13 yet this was decreed for they are elect Angels The Saints are chosen to faith and sanctification yet they beleeve and repent freely not being led to it by any naturall or violent necessity All our naturall motions and actions proceed freely from us yet to deny these to be within the compasse of Gods decree were to deny a great part of his providence In him we live and move Act. 11.28 Pro. 16.9 And what he doth in time he hath determined to doe before all time 2. Gods decree is actus ad intra one of those immanent acts which are alwayes within himselfe and of theâ—e acts the rule holds true that they do nihil ponere in objecto they put nothing into the object about which they are conversant Gods decree alone being an instrument within himselâ—e works nothing upon the creature till it comes to execution till some some way or other he doth put forth his purpose by some outward act unlesse therfore it can be sâ—ewed how God in the execution of his decree by some outward act upon man doth necessitate mans will his decree alone will never infer any necessitie upon it and we find the contrary by experience namely that we are carryed forward to the committing of sin frely as we are to eat out meat or drinke our drinke or performe any other action most agreeable to our natures being led to it neither by any violent or naturall necessity 3. Gods decree is so far from infringing the liberty of the second causes that it establisheth and strengthens them in their liberty for he doth not onely discernere rem ipsam sed modum rei not onely determine and decree the thing it selfe but also the manner of it he determines that somethings shal come to passe necessarily other things freely and contingently That necessary things shall come to passe by necessary causes contingent things by contingent causes All entilies and beings as from God with all the adjuncts and properties that belong to them and he worketh in all things according to the nature of the things and therefore in naturall agents he causeth things to come to passe necessarily in free agents contingently so that though Gods will determine mans will yet it determines to worke contingently and freely Vt voluntas necessario movetur ad agendum eu uâ—posttione motionis divinae Vindic. lib. 2. pag. 31. page 27. ita eâ—iam necessariâ— movetur ad ageâ—dum libere quia movet Deus voluntatem hominis conveniunter suae natucae saith Dr Twisse as the will is necessarily moved to act upon supposition of the divine motion so it is necellaâ—ily moved to act freely because God moves mans will in a way agreeable to its owne nature Posito decreto necesse erat ut primus 〈◊〉 peccaâ—et sed necesse erat ut peccaret liberè Upon suppoâ—â—ition of Gods decree it was necessary that the first man should â—inne but it was also necessary that he should sinne freely 4. Causes by accidâ—nt never worke necessarily but contingently the Sun sends forth light necessarily but darkes weake eyes contingently The Law is onely an accidental cause of sin as before was shewed and look how the law works it God workes it and as he workes it so he hath decreed to worke it therefore his decree inferres no necessity Besides a cause by accident never workes till causa perâ—se such as is properly and in its owne nature a cause sets it on worke The Sword which a mad man weares will never move to hurt him till he himselfe begins to move it The wall will never hurt the glasse or pot till the drunken man or some other dasheth it against the wall no more will the Law of God ever hurt a man till he dasheth himselfe against it Causes by accident are alwayes reducible to other causes so the last resolution of sinne must be in the freewill of man as into the true and proper cause of it Object But here it may be further objected that if that which God hath decreed doth not necessarily come to passe then his decree may be frustrated Answ This Objection makes as much against Gods foreknowledge as against his decree for as he cannot be disappointed in his decree so he cannot be
THE EXTENT OF Divine Providence OR A Treatise tending to shew that the just and holy God may have a hand in the unjust actions of sinfull men and that in such a way as shall be without any impeachment of his Justnesse and Holinesse or diminution of his Power and Providence By Thomas Whitfield Minister of the Gospel The Lord is just in all his wayes and holy in all his workes Psal 145.17 How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 LONDON Printed for John Wright at the Kings-Head in the Old-Bailey 1651. To the Right Honorable Edward Lord Mountague of Boughton a fruitfull increase of piety prosperity and all true happinesse both here and hereafter My Noble Lord IT would not a little conduce to the happinesse of our lives if our thoughts which are the immediâ—te and to oft abortive issue of our minds were rightly employed and improved then are they well imployed when they are conversant about the most excellent object when they are taken up with the contemplation of the wisedome power providence justice holines and other excellent attributes of him who is excellency it selfe in the fruition of whom is our highest felicity this made the sweet Singer of Israel to say How precious are thy thoughts to me O God how great is the summe of them Psa 139. As if he had said the thoughts of thy wisdome and wonderfull workings of thy providence things which before he had mentioned are of great price and worth being things of incomprehensible excellency yea they are as rare as precious the minds of most men being so seldom taken up with them I am bold to present to your Lordship this small Treatise that it might give you occasion to entertain such thoughts as these as also that it might be a testimony of my thankefull acknowledgement of all that honorable respect I have received from you Thus humbly imploring the Father of mercies that he would farther enrich you with the true treasure inable you inwardly with the graces of his spirit proportionably to those outward endowments wherewith he hath been pleased to dignifie you I resign you to his mercy rest Your Honors in all due observance and Christian service Tho. Whitfield The Preface IT hath been a question much controverted in all ages how the good and holy God can have a hand in the great evils that are done in the world Quomodo id non fieret praeter Dei voluntare quod fit contravoluntatem as Austin speaks this is done mire inessabili modo as he saith this one of the mysteries and depths of divinity worthy our searching into Scripture expressions for the most part hold this forth by way of action As when it is said that God hardned Pharaohs heart that he sent Joseph into Egypt that he took away Jobs Cattle which were taken away by the Chaldaeans and Subaeans and the like Papests and Arminians confine this onely to a way of permission without action and calumniate our Orthodox divines as if they made God the Author of sin because they bring it within the compasse of his will and decree and make him to have a kind of action in it Thus Bellarmine chargeth Zunighlius Calvin Peter Martyr â—eza The like imputation also Arminius seeks to fasten on Mr. Perkins I know well that it is far beyond my ability to untie this knot as may give satisfaction to all but if I may contribute any beame of light towards the clearer discovery of Gods manner of proceeding in the production of sin If I may helpe to vindicate the innocency and Orthodoxie of our worthy Writers from the unjust aspersion of their adversaries especially if I may in any sort vindicare the All wise and All working providence and power of God from that over much streightning and dimination which hath been put upon them for the maintaining of his justice If I say I may by this discourse be helpefull any of these wayes I shall attaine the end which I aime at Whereunto I shall onely promise these things briefly 1. That this discourse is not so much intended for those of the learned fort who are better able to informe these lines as for such ingenuous Christians who when they meet with those Scriptures wherein by the sound of the words God seems to be made the proper cause of sin they stumble at them and not being able to satisfie themselves desire help this way 2. I shall desire the indifferent Reader that if in this discourse he shall meet with that which may seem to go higher then many of our Divines have done in making God to have an active hand in the actions of sinfull men he would forbeare either to reject or censure till he hath weighed the strength of the arguments brought to prove the thing propounded 3. If I shall let fall any thing in this Treatise which shall not be agreeable to cleare evidence of Scripture and this be made appear to be so I shall not refuse to unsay any thing which I have said and readily to imbrate my truth though not agreeing with my former apprehensions The good Spirit of truth make us all lovers of truth and lead us into all those wayes of truth which may bring us at length to the enjoying of him who is the another of truth Amen Exodus 9.12 And the Lord hardned Pharaohs heart c. IT is a principall priviledge belonging to the Covenant of Grace and a speciall promise which God hath made unto his people that he would take away their stony heart from them and give unto them hearts of flesh Ezek. 36.26 that is that he would take away the hardness of their hearts How God should take away the hardness of heart in some and yet harden the hearts of others is not easie to apprehend The scope of this Treatise is to shew how the just and holy God may have a hand in the sinfull actions of men and that not onely by way of permission but also by some kind of operation and working and yet this be done without any diminution of his justice or violation of his holinesse but still he remaine to be most just in all his waies and holy in all his works CHAP. I. Shewing what hardness of heart is HArdness of heart may be said to be an evill quality of the soul which makes it in a man insensible of the evill which he doth or the evill which he shall suffer when either he hath no feeling of it or feels it not in that measure which he should do then is his heart affected with hardness It is mans duty to be sensible of the sin which he commits and of the suffering which will most certainly follow after God hath placed in his soul that faculty of Conscience for this very end and purpose to give him warning and make him take notice of both these that he might be affected accordingly Now when after the comitting of sin
there are no affections of grief sorrow and trouble of spirit stirring in him when there is no feare to commit sin nor care to prevent the evill that sin will bring then is the heart heardned This hardness of heart is either naturall or adventitiall and acquired the first of these we all bring with us into the world being either altogether insensible of our spirituall misery by reason of sin and suffering or not so sensible as we should be Hence the heart of man is said to be a heart of stone Acquired hardness is that whereby the natural is increased and augmented this may in some degree be not onely be in the worst but in the best of men which is brought to passe either by custom in sinning or by secret judgement or by both of this there are divers degrees as 1. When a man takes liberty voluntarily and frequently to do such things as he knows to be sinfull 2. When he doth these against the frequent perswasions admonitions and cals of the word to the contrary 3. Against such corrections punishments and judgements which God shall inflict upon himself or he shall see inflicted upon others for the same or for the like sins 4. When he shall do this against the stirrings and strivings the checks or rebukes of his own Conscience 5. When notwithstanding all these he shall take up strong resolutions and confirmed purposes to do as he hath done namely to maintain his own wil against Gods will Thus may wicked men harden their own hearts and thus i'ts often said of Pharaoh that he hardned his heart and would not let the people goe when he once saw that the judgement was past 6. When he shall come to be past all sence and feeling of his sin thus the Apostle speaks of some that being past feeling gave themselves to commit all uncleannesse with greediness Eph. 4.10 2. There may be an acquired hardnesse by the secret judgement of God Thus it s said here that the Lord hardned Pharachs heart and of Sihon that the Lord hardned his spirit and made it obstinate that he might give him into the bands of the Israelites Deut. 2.30 How this is done more shall be spoken in the due place CHAP. II. Shewing that God is not nor cannot be the author or proper cause of this or any other sinne BY another and proper cause I understand causa perse such a cause as is in it self and in i'ts own nature tends to produce such or such an effect as the Sun is the proper cause of light and heat the water of moissure and the like That God cannot thus be the cause of sin may appear upon these following grounds 1. God is the Author of all good Argu. and therefore he cannot be Author of evill for out of the same fountaine cannot proceed sweet water and bitter Jam. 3.11 As the Sun cannot be the proper cause of light and darkness no more can the Lord be of good and evill 2. Sin is a defect now God is all act yea he is actus purissimus perfectissimus the most pure and perfect act therefore he cannot be the Author that which is a defect for however sinne cleaves to mens actions as the accident to be subject yet it self is a meere defect in a privation of what should be 3. Sin is contrary to those excellent qualities and properties which immediately flow from the nature of God is light sin is darkness 1 Joh 1.5.6 God is purity and holiness Sin is pollution and filthiness Jam. 1.21 God is righteous yea righteousness it self all sin is unrighteousness 1 Joh 5.17 God is perfection in the highest degree all sin is imperfection now one contrary cannot be the proper cause of another 4. God is said to be such a God as loveth not wickednesse neither can evill dwell with him yea he hates all the workers of iniquity Psal 5.4.5 he hates them because of their sinne now he cannot hate that which himself is the Author and proper cause of 5. He thâ—carons in his word that he will punish all sinne and iniquity that he wil not hold the wicked innocent Exod. 34.7 but he wil visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children even unto the third and fourth Generation that the wicked shall not goe unpunished Prov. 11.21 they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 Now it cannot stand with his justice to punish that which himself is the Author and proper cause of 6. Sin makes a reparation between God and the soul Esay 59.2 It is an aversion of the soul from God Now God cannot be the Author of that which is an aversion from him for then he should deny himself but he cannot lye or denye himselfe 1 Tim. 2.13 7. If God could be the Author of sin he himself might be said to be a sinner if he were the Author of unrighteousness he himself might be said to be unrighteous to which the Apostle gives an absit as a thing blasphemous to speak or think Is God unrighteous which punisheth saith he God forbid How then shall he judge the world Rom. 3.5 6. 8. The Apostle saith that he who committeth sin is of the Devil 1 John 3.8 and that Christ came into the world to dissolve the workes of the Devil Now Christ came not into the world to dissolve the works of God therefore sin is none of his work 9. If God should be the Author of sin then the difference betwixt good and evil would betaken away both arising from the same cause in the same manner 10. If God should be the Author of sin then he should seem to dissemble and deale deceitfully with men because he so often cals off from this as a thing which he loathes and abhors and mean while is the parent and producer of it By all these grounds it appeares that God cannot be the Author and proper cause of sin though he hath some kind of hand in it CHAP. III. Shewing how God hath a hand in the sinful actions of men THe just and holy God may be said to have a hand in the unjust actions of sinful men divers wayes as 1. By way of permission when he suffers them to follow the sinful inclinations and dispositions of their own wicked natures and so produce actions accordingly without restraining or hindring them Thus it is said he suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own waies Act. 14.16 A man may be said to have a hand in that which he willingly and wittily suffers to be done when he hath power to hinder it This is granted on all hands for if God should not suffer sin to be it could not be committed God is able to restrain and hinder the committing of sin if he pleaseth if any thing should be done whether he would or not then were he not omnipotent 2. By suffering Satan to tempt and provoke men to sinne and by his temptations to prevaile thus it is said that he did deliver all that Job had
be evill yet he hath some kind of efficiency and working in it for if he should leave it to others and have no hand at all in the effecting of it then the thing might never be and so God might be disappointed of the thing which he decreed It is a true rule being rightly understood Qua decrevit fecit If God should decree to permit sin and that this permission should be without action without doing any thing in it then he should decree to do nothing which cannot stand with the nature of a decree 5. So far as sin makes for the glory of God Argum. so far he hath a hand in effecting it for he both decrees and workes all things which make for his glory so far as they make for his glory but sin by accident makes much for the glory of God The Jews crucifying and killing of Christ made way for the glorious worke of our redemption The Apostle saith that mans unrighteousnesse commends the righteousnesse of God and that the truth of God abounds through our lye unto his glory Rom. 3.5.7 so far as sin is for God so far it is from God Of him through him and by him are all things to him be honour and glory Rom. 11. last 6. The Substratum or subject of sin namely Argum. the naturall motion or action whereto sin cleaves is such a thing without which sin could not be for an accident could not be without a subject men could not use their tongus to deceit if they could not speak at all neither could their feet be swift to shed blood if they could not go at all But of this natural motion and action God is the author and proper cause as hath been shewed if God wils to yield his concurrence to the substance of any act it is plain that he wils that act should be done now without this act the sin that cleaves to the act could not be therefore he must needs likewise some way both will and-work in the sin of the act especially because in many evill actions not onely the action it self simply considered but the pravity and deformity of it makes way and is an occasion whereby God gets himself glory 7. Argu. If Gods permission of sin should be a bare permission without action then he should be a meere spectator of men in their sinfull actions himself not doing any thing And this would much diminish and strengthen the work of his providence in ruling and governing the world by excluding and shutting him out from having any working hand in the greatest part of those actions that are done in the world for the number of wicked men in the world being farre greater then the number of good men the number of evill actions must needs farre exceed the number of good actions yea thus the actions of greatest consequence as the mutation or over-throw of Kingdoms States Common-wealths which for the most part are done in a sinful way should be exempted and excluded from the working of his providence Arminius saith Quae deus neque fiers vult neque non vult ea permiâ—tit Those things which God neither wils nor wils not to be done those he permits But is not this to make God an idle spectator of the greatest part of actions that are done in the world If a man stands and sees a thing to be done which he neither would have to be done nor would not have to be done wherein he will neither helpe nor hinder doth he not here stand as in idle spectator as one not at all caring whether the thing be done or not and yet such a kind of carriage do they attribute to God in regard of the greatest part of things done who make his permission to be without action yea herein they do after a sort contradict themselves For Arminius makes permission to be Armin. in Perk. 134. efficacis impedimenti suspensio the with-holding of an efficacious impediment of such a thing as would certainly hinder the doing of a thing Bellarmine saith Permittere est gratiam efficacem qua peccatum vitetur negare To permit is to deny such effectual grace as whereby sin may be avoided But can this with-holding of an impediment and this denyal of effectual grace be without any action at least without the action of Gods will and doth he not work answerably to his will 8. It is granted by the adversary Argu. that God doth punish one sin with an other Now is it not a ridiculous thing to say that the judge permits onely punishment to be inflicted upon a Malefactor doth he not appoint it and if it be not just he ought not to permit it There can be neither appointing nor executing of judgment and punishment without action By all these aguments it plainly appeares that God doth exercise more then a bare permission in the sin which man commits This may further be confirmed by the testimony of the most Orthodox Writers Excellent Calvin saith thus Instit lib. 1. cap. 18. Sect. 2. Deus indurat corda hominum non tantum permittendo sed etiam agendo God hardneth the hearts of men not onely by permitting but by acting Deus dicituâ— induâ—are reprobos corum corda vertere inclinare impellere Id quale sit Lib. 2. cap. 4. Sect. 3. nequaquam explicatur si confugitur ad praescientiam permissionem God is said to harden reprobates to turn their hearts to incline and move them How this is done is not sufficiently explicated if we fly to praescience and permission onely Peter Martyr saith Loej Com. loc 13. Sect. 16. Est permissio quidem sed aliquid amplius efficacibus illis loquutionibus ostenditur There is indeed a permission but something more is held forth in these strong expressions namely such as before were mentioned Si minus propriè loqui velineus Deus poterit aliquo modo dici Locj com loc 13. Sect. 7. aut initium aut causa peccati non propria quidem sed ea quae removens prohibens appellatur If we will speak improperly God may be said some way to be either the beginning or the cause of sin no proper cause indeed but that which is called the removing of what hinders Piscator saith An vero negari potefl Ad Amic coll vorstij Sect. 17. illum procurare negotium cujus consilio decreto negotium geritur Can he be denyed to procure a business to be done by whose counsell and determination the thing is done Mr. Bayne saith Bayne on the Lords Prayer p 129. Gods sufferance is not to be understood without his action he is a voluntary agent in the things he suffereth we must not think his permission to be a pure permission without action Yea not onely our modern Divines but that famous ancient Angustin himself gives a large suffrage to this truth August in Enchirid. ad laurent cap. 100. Deus permittit saith he aut voleus aut invitus non
certè invitus quia id esset cum tristitia potentia se majâ—rem haberet si volens permittit pâ—â—missio est genus quoddam voluntatis God permits a thing either willingly or against his will if against his will this would be with pain and grief to him and then he should have some other greater in power then himself if he permits willingly then his permission is some kind of will Sencti affliguntur secundum Dei voluntatem Ibid. 1 Pet. 3.17 at illi non possunt pati nisi alter agat Qui unit passionem vult actionem actio proficiscitur ab agente The Saints are afflicted according to the will of God 1 Pet. 3.17 They cannot suffer unlesse another acts he that wils the passion wils the action also and action proceeds from an agent Here by the way we may take notice how ill Bellarmine agrees with S. Austine in this point for the writing of this subject and answering to that place Act. 2.23 where it is said that Christ was delivered to be crucified by the determinate councell of God Bellar. de Amis grat statu Pcti lib. 2. cap. 13. He saith Saepe accidit ut actio sit mala passio bona Deus voluit passionem patientiam sanctorum non autem actionem eorum a quibus affliguntur But this crosseth Austine who saith that in the Saints suffering who suffer according to the will of God Qui vult passionem vult actionem and it is contrary to right reason for action and passion aâ—e one and the samemotion one cannot be without the other therefore he that wils the one must needs will the other also Further Austine speaking of that place Rom. 1.26 where God is said to give men up to their vile affections hath these words Quid est quod dicit Contra. Iul. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. cum desiderijs suis traditi dicuntur relicti per divinam patientiam intelligendi sunt non per potentiam in peccata compulsi Quasi non simul posuit haec duo idem apostolus patientiam nempe potentiam Rom. 9. What is it which he saith when men are said to be delivered up to their to their own affections and desires are they to be understood as left onely by the divine patience and not put forward to sin by the divine power as though the same Apostle did not joyne both these together namely patience and power Rom. 9.22 Thus we see that this learned Father goes as high or rather higher in his expressions touching the manner of Gods working in sin then those of our Divines have done who are so much quarrel'd against by Bellarmine and Arminius I know well that most of our Orthodox writers do seldom use that expression that God did decree sin or is the cause of it but only that he did decree to permit sin but their meaning must needs be that he did decree that sin should be effected and brought about in such a way and manner and by such meanes as himself would not be the Author or proper cause of it but onely a cause by accident For if they should mean that he would have no efficiency or working in it then they should make him to exercise a bare permission in it and so to be an idle spectator of all the sinful actions done in the world which is an opinion that they altogether renounce and reject as hath been already shewed Doctor Twisse hath a passage where he affirmes that though God intends the evill action which man doth yet he intends not the evill of the action But that is meaning his he doth not so intend it as to be the Author of it though he hath a working hand in it appears by many other places in his writings as when he saith Vindic. grat lib. 2. pag. 156 Cum peccatum Adae eveniebat non nisi Deo volente eveniehat When it sell out that Adam did sin this fell out by the will of God Excaecare est preouldubio Effectum dare ut quis excaecaretur To blind is so to work bring it about that a man should be blinded Ibid. p. 87. An quae Satanas in sanctnm Job patravit Deo tantum permittente facta sunt Annon Job profitetur Deum abstulisse quae dederat Were those things which Satan did ill against Job done onely by Gods permission doth not Job profess that God had taken away what he gave Decretum permissiuum nihilominus est efficax ad fines a Deo sibi praestitutos quam effectivum Ih. p. 157. The permissive decree is no less efficacious for the ends fore appointed of God then his working decree These are the words of that learned man by which it appeares that his meaning in the former words is not as if he denyed that God did decree the evill actions of men at all for here he grants a decree and that an efficacious decree but only that he doth not so decree the evill of an action as to be the author or proper cause of it for if he should not at all intend the evill of mens actions then the evill of those actions should fall out besides his intention and then it should be either besides his knowledge and so he should not be omniscient or against his will and so he should not be omnipotent CHAP. V. Shewing more particularly the manner how the righteous God hath a hand in the unrighteous actions of sinfull men THat God is not the Author or proper cause of sin and yet hath some kind of efficiency and working in it hath been already shewed it followes now to shew more particularly the manner how he worketh in producing of it The manner of Gods working in sinfull actions is secret and hidden not easily to be apprehended Contra Justinum Pelag. lib. 5 cap 3. much lesse to be explicated which made Austin speake thus of it Quanta est poena tradi passionibus ignominiae sive deâ—erendo sive alio quoque vel explicabili vel inexplicabili modo c. how great a punishment is to be given up to unseemly passions whether this be done by way of desertion or by any other explicable or inexplicable way yet there is one way which is not altogether above our apprehension but therein we may in some sort discerne Gods manner of working in sinfull actions and that is by administring occasions by presenting such objects and offering to men such things are in themselves lawfull and good but they make an ill use of them taking occasion by them to be stirred to evill in some kind or other Licet Deo ita se gerere in rerum omnium administratione ut materiam occasionem objiciat unde homines naturaliter excitentur pro varia affectuum qualitate vel ad bonum vel ad malum saith Dr. Twisse God may so carry himselfe in the administration of things Vindic. lib. 2. p. 133. as he may offer matter and
as in the actions of uncleannesse of drunkennesse and the like but man if he were able were bound not to do this so that we see God may do many things which his Law binds men not to do the other side may not do many things which by his Law men are obliged to do and therefore he is not subject to it as men are he is Dominus legis non subditus True it is that God is so a Law to himselfe that he can do nothing which is contrary to his one nature as he cannot lye he cannot deny himselfe but there are some things forbidden in the Law which are not contrary to the nature of God Thus we see how God may worke in the same actions with the sinfull creature and yet himselfe be altogether blamelesse for look as when God gets himselfe glory by the actions of wicked men as by the Jewes crucifying of Christ it is no thanke to them because they never intended it so on the other side when they abuse his power and providence supporting the strength of nature euen in sinfull actions it is no blame to him because he being the good of nature must sustaine nature in all her actions and motions and because that as the evill which wicked men doe is onely an accidentall cause of his glory so the good which he affords them and the helpe which he administers in upholding their naturall strength is onely an accidentall cause of the evill which they commit CHAP. VIII Shewing how those Scriptures are to be understood which by the sound of words seeme to make God the author and proper cause of sinne THose Scriptures wherein the same sinfull actions are attributed both to God and men and set forth by the same expressions as when God said that what David had done he would doe 2 Sam. 12.12 seem to sound so as if both were alike causes of these actions therefore it will be needfull to speake something that may be helpfull to weaker apprehensions for the right understanding of these Scriptures and for clearing of Gods holinesse and justice I shall instance onely in some of the principall of them and what shall be held forth for the clearing of these may likewise be helpfull for giving satisfaction to other places wherein the like expressions are used In that place Object Exodus 9.12 which was propounded for the subject of this discourse it is said that God hardned Pharaohs heart afterward it is said that Pharaoh hardned his owne heart verse 34. Now it may be asked since the same action is attributed to both how both were not causes alike in producing of it The Lord did this in another way then Pharaoh did it Answ he did it onely by administring occasion he sent Moses with a peremptory command to Pharaoh to let his people go this did irritate the natural pride and rebellion of Pharaohs heart and stir up in him a stronger and more stubborn resolution not to let them go As the command was holy just and good so it was good that it should be applyed to Pharaoh by propounding it and urging it upon him but the more this was done the worse he grew for the command being holy and his heart altogether unholy these two being contrary the nearer they were brought together the more they did strive and fight one against another this being the nature of contraries as before was shewed But here was no fault at all in the command for the proper end of the command was to informe Pharaoh of his duty and to stir him up to the performance of it But Pharaoh takes a contrary course for whereas the end of the command was to make him willing to let the people goe he takes occasion from it to grow more refractory either because it put him in mind of the damage he should receive by their departure they being so serviceable in making brick for his buildings or that it might appear that he thought not any no not the great God greater then himself and therefore he scorned to stoope and submit himself to any of his commands By all which it appeares that the command was onely an occasion or accidentall cause of Pharaohs hardning but no faulty cause at all Now as the command did it God did that being his agent and he working by it Neither God nor his command put any evill into Pharaohs heart but by propounding good to him and not imparting grace to perform it he takes occasion to become more evill Deus obdurat non impartiendo nialitiam sed non impatiendo gratiam saith S. Austine God hardneth not by infusing any evil Augustine Epist 105. ad Sixtum but by not bestowing grace To this purpose Doctor Twiss saith well In his answer to Mr Cotten that when a man is moved to courses contrary to his corrupt humours whether by the word of God or his works these motions being onely by way of perswasion and he doth not by grace remove or correct those corrupt humours in this case to move and to deny grace is to harden It is a good thing to move to good actions by outward perswasions neither is God bound to confer grace inwardly upon all those whom he doth thus perswade outwardly 2 It is said that God did Object that which Absolon did when he defiled his Fathers Concubines 1. Answ As god did it it was an Act of justice in punishing Davids sin with Vriahs wife by suffering Absolon to commit the like sin with his wives 2. God administred occasion of this action by causing David to leave his Concubins to keep his house There was no evill in this buâ— hence Ahitophel takes occasion to give that wicked counsell and Absolon takes occasion to follow it in defiling his Fathers Concubines 3. Object David saith that God bad Shimei go and curse him 2 Sam. 16.10 This is not to be taken properly Answ as if Shimei had received a command from God to do this but onely it sheweth the efficacy of the divine administration of things even in such things whereof God is onely a cause by accident 2 God did administer occasion to Shimei for his heart being full of rancor against David he seeing now David to be brought into distresse thought this a fit time to vent his malice because now he might do it with hope of impunity as before was shewed 3. He did it as an Act of justice David had caused the name of God to be blasphemed by the sins which he had committed and the Lord suffers this wretch to curse and blaspheme him 4. Object It is said that God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people Psal 105.25 He is said to doe this not that he infused any hatred into their hearts Answ but in that he administred occasion for he caused his people to grow and increase exceedingly both in number and in wealth Now this gave occasion to the Egyptians to envy and to hate them here
deceived in his foreknowledge but it is granted on all sides that God did foresee and foreknow Adams fall as all other sins before it was committed and therefore his foresight doth not hinder the free working of mans will no more doth his decree 2. It followes not that his decree may be frustrate and disappointed though some things come to passe contingently because although it be necessary that what God hath decreed should come to passe yet not that it should come to necessarily that it should be effected Necessario modo necessarijs medijs in a necessary manner and by necessary meanes God having decreed that not a bone of Christ should be broken it was necessary that this should come to passe and that Christs leggs should be preserved from breaking when the others were broken that were crucified with him but yet this came not to passe necessarily for both Christs bones were in their own nature fragilia talia quae frangi possint such as might be broken as also the Souldiers did freely abstaine from breaking of them without any compulsion at all But it is not possible that the same effect should come to passe both necessarily and contingently Yes it is possible as this effect hath reference to divers causes as the not breaking of Christs bones had reference to Gods decree and appointment it was necessary as hath been shewed because that could not be disappointed but as it had reference to the second cause namely the free will of the Souldiers as it was not necessary but contingent So on the other side the Suns giving light in the aire and the fire burning of combustible matter are necessary effects as they have reference to the second causes but contingent as they have reference to the first cause for God doth freely not necessarily concur with the Sun in his shining and the fire in his burning Hence arise these distinctions so frequent with Divines of nenessitas absoluta hypothetica necessitas causae consequentiae an absolute and condition all necessity a necessity of the cause and of the consequence The absolute necessity or necessity of the cause is when things are so fast and firmely tyed together by the order of the second causes as according to the course of nature the effect cannot come to passe otherwise then it doth As if a man be a man he must needs bea reasonable creature if fire be fire it must needs have the property of burning if a stone be a stone the motion of it must needs tend downward The conditionall or consequentiall necessity is when there is no such fast linking together of the second causes but that when they worke one way there is a disposition in them to worke another way though one thing doth certainly follow another yet by no necessary causation but by a free and contingent manner of working Upon supposal of Gods Ordination and appointment the rising of the Sun follows the rising of the morning Star and in the Countries where we live the comming of the warm summer follows the comming in of the Swallows amongst us and this by a consequentiall necessity for it is never otherwise but not by any absolute or causall necessity God having decreed and appointed concerning Esau and Jacob that the elder should serve the younger it was necessary that Jacob should get the birth-hood and blessing from his brother Esau but this was effected by as contingent meanes as might be for it was no whit necessary that Esau should come in hungry from hunting that Jacob should have Pottage in a readinesse that Esau should be desirous of them and be willing to part with his birth-right for them all these things were done freely on both parts there was no necessity that Jsaac should mistake Jacob for Esau and his savory meat for Esaus Veinson but all this was done most freely though guided by a secret providence God having determined that the Israelites should spoile the Egyptians of their Jewels of Silver and Jewels of Gold at their departure out of Egypt Exod 12.35 compared with Chap. 3.22 and 11.2 this must necessarily come to passe yet it was done in a most free manner without any enforcement or necessity for it is said they asked of the Egyptians Jewels of Silver and Jewels of Gold and the Lord gave them favour in their eyes that they granted their request Chap. 12.34 35. So God having decreed the fall of Adam it was necessary that this should come to passe but it was also necessary it should come to passe freely and accordingly he did freely and willingly yeild to the enticing perswasion of the Serpent without any compulsion at all For as the power of God whereby he his able able to change the nature of things doth not hinder the necessary working of necessary causes so likewise the will of God whereby he hath determined the event one way doth not hinder the free and contingent working of contingent causes Besides every necessary truth is an eternall truth this being a most true rule that axioma necessacium est quod semper verum est ne falsum esse potest a necessary proposition is that which is alway true and can never be false that man is a reasonable creature was a necessary truth before man was born That a Cain should kill his brother was no necessary truth before the thing was done no more was it a necessary truth that Adam should eat the forbidden fruit before he had eaten it and although it was a truth afterwards yet no necessary truth for no circumstance of time can change the nature of things as to make a contingent truth to become necessary or a necessary truth to become contingent True it is that when a thing is done it cannot be undone for a thing cannot be and not be both at once but it was not necessary that it should be done if it be a thing of contingent nature What I now speak or write is necessary should be thus spoken or written when it is once done but before it was done it was not necessary that I should speake or write in this manner or speak or writ at all these being acts of freedom and liberty so it is in all actions of the like nature in all contingent actions Thus we see that Gods determination and decree doth no whit infringe or obstruct the liberty of mans will and therefore not withstanding such decree man is no whit lesse blame-worthy nor God at all faulty in the evill which man doth A third objection which may be raised from what hath been delivered is Object that God hath been said to be an accidentall cause of sin if so then the sinfull actions of men fall out besides his scope and intent for that is said to be an effect by accident qu indo aliquid pâ—ater efficientis secpum accidit when some event happens besides the intent of the efficient Now how can God will or decree sinne if it sals out
besides his scope and intents To this doubt answer may be made by distinguishing betwixt intentio operis operantis Answ the intention of worke and the workeman Sin is besides the scope of the worke which God doth but not besides his owne intent who is the agent and workeman When he decrees sin shall be he intends it shall be by such wayes and meanes by which acts and workes so far as he works in it as in themselues and their own nature tend onely to good and are meer accidentall causes of the evill which man does The Law and word of God his mercies judgements and all his dealing with men in their owne nature tend to this end namely to make men better not worse and if they be made worse by them it is propter scopum besides the scope and intent whereto these things in their owne nature tend The Gospel in it selfe tends to life when therefore it is the savour of death it is besides the proper scope intent and of the Gospel but though it besides the intent of the Gospel to be the savour of death it is not besides Gods intent for he both knows and intends in what effect the Gospell shall have otherwise he should be defective in his wisedome and providence besides what power the Gospel hath to produce an effect either way it receives from him Hence it is aid to be the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 the powerfull instrument which God useth to bring men salvation which power he puts into it and so likewise when he workes the other way it is power also The Lord bids the Prophet Go make the hearts of this people fat and make their â—ares heavie and shut their eyes c Isa 6.10 and how should he do this namely by preaching the word unto them by which it appeares that sometimes the word doth harden mens hearts close their ears and shut their eyes and that God intends it should do so and sends it for this very purpose yet the word in owne nature tends to soften their hearts to open their cares and eyes to make them see and heare better so that the word here is onely an accidentall cause it being beside the scope and intent of the word to harden yet this is not besides Gods intent who in all his actions and in the use of such instruments as are imployed in them propounds to himselfe a most sure and certaine end By all which appeares as the secret and just judgement of God so his infinite wisedome and skill who can worke out his owne ends by such meanes as in their owne nature do tend a contrary way CHAP. X. Shewing some usefull conclusions which do necessarily follow from what hath been spoken of this Subject IF God so ordereth things Conclu 1 that in all the sins which are committed by men though he hath a secret working hand yet he workes in a most just and holy manner and doth nothing but what is right and good Hence it followes that in all the sin which is committed in all the evill which is done either by our selves or others we lay all the blame on our selves or them not imputing the least miscarriage on God not so much as in our thoughts He is just in al his wayes and holy in all his workes what ever he doth is well done be the instruments never so bad by whom it is done In all the evill that befals us we have no just reason at all to repine and murmur to be impatient or discontent for all his dealings with us whether by his word or his workes his mercies or his judgements do in themselves tend to good when therefore any evill comes we must take heed we do not charge God foolishly Iob 1.22 but remember that we have procured these things to our selves as the Prophet tels the people Jer. 2.17 Sin is the seed of sorrow all the evill of suffering ariseth from the evill of finning and this ariseth onely from our selves yea though sometimes we suffer many evils altogether unjustly as they proceed from men yet as they come from God who guides all the actions of men they are done most holily wisely and justly Thus Daniel acknowledgeth in regard of himselfe and his people O Lord righteousnesse belongs to thee open shame to us Dan. 9.6 Thou art just in all that is come upon us saith Nehemiah for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly cap. 9. last Let God be true and every man a lyar saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 So let God be just and holy and every man sinfull wicked and wretched abundantly worthy of all the evill which comes upon him Hence it follows Conclu 2 that we ought with all reverence to admire and to adore the infinite wisedome justice and power of God that is able to worke in the most blame worthie actions of sinfull men and yet himselfe remaine altogether blamelesse that is able to bring about the best ends by the worst meanes that in many great works which have been done in the world hath wrought out such ends as have been altogether different yea sometimes contrary to the scope and intent of those who have been the principall actors and agents in them Little did Josephs brethren thinke that when they sold their brother for a slave this should be the meanes of making him the greatest mam in all the Land of Egypt next to Pharaoh Little did Haman thinke that when out of his hate and indignation against Mordecai he gate a decree of destroying all the Jewes in the Kings Dominion in one day that this should be a meanes and occasion of making them have a hand against their adversaries and of procuring liberty to destroy them yea of bringing himselfe to the Gallowes Hest 8.11.7.10 Little did the Jewes thinke that their envie and hatred against Christ should be an occasion of redemption of mankind that when they spit upon him buffeted him beat him with rods crowned him with thornes caused him to suffer the shamefull and accursed death of the Crosse that this should be a meanes of his greater advancement and exaltation yet the Scripture saith that because he made himselfe of no reputation and humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every man Phil. 2.8 what reason therefore have we in way of admiration to cry out with the Apostle Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and ounsell of God unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 Thirdly Conclu 3 hence it follows that we ought to acknowledge with all thankefulnesse that infinite goodnesse of God which doth not suffer us to goe on in a course of sinning especially in such a sort as would ruine our soules and drive us to destruction for if he should it would be in vaine for us to complaine against him he would easily acquit himselfe and justifie his owne proceedings he would be justified in his words and overcome when he is judged as the Apostle speakes Ro. 3.4 he would easily convince us that in all the evill which we have done or shall suffer the just blame lyes upon our owne heads and our destruction is of our selves he would cause our mouthes to be stopped and make us as all the world to be found culpahle before him Rom. 3.10 If he should enter into judgement with us we should not be able to answer one of a thousand what a mercy is it that he doth not suffer us to fall into sin so frequently and in so fowle a manner as we are ready to doe especially that he doth not charge our sins upon us What reason have we to say with the Psalmist Praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities who doth not deale with us after our sins nor reward us after our iniquities but as high as the heaven is above the earth such is his mercy towards us as far as the East is from the West so far he doth remove our sins from us Psalm 103.1 3.10 11 12. to him alone be all glory now and ever FINIS