Of Prede.i#ïnation. tendency to his ends, by making him feem unreconcíleable to his F ther. 4. And for Achitophel and Abfalom to know the truth of this, . was no fin. 5. Other divertingObjeas and occafrons are kept out of the way, &c. Yet inall this God neitherwilleth.nor caufeih.thatwill and Aïlof Abfalom infpecie 5 but theetaE/. "C. But byall this you do defcribe God as plotting and doing the faire " thing that they do. And (but for different words) this_çometh all to " one. B. I. Ifyou think this enough, why doth it not fatifie you ? while it is granted by them that you oppugn. 2. It is not the fame thing. Is it the fame thing for Chrift tobekilled,and for the yews towillandper- formhis Murder ? Is mans willand ACt,andChri.i'ís Death the fame thing ? 3. Goddid fore-know their finful will and Action, and permit it only, but did notcaufe it, butwas a concaufe of the Effe&. So Godmay toaDrunkard, I. Caufe ftrong Drink or Wine to be in hisway. 2. And removefome fmaller Drink, that would have fa- tisfied him. 3. Andremove Diflwaders and many impediments. 4.And give himmoney, and facilityof obtaining it. 5. And caufe him truly toknow that the Drink is pleafant to the taft, exhilerating, fpiritful. 6. And caufe it when he hath drunk it, tomake him drunken. And none of this is quid prohibitum, or fin in man : But hisfinful Will and 4a, which are forbidden, are prefuppofed or fore-feen. " C, i cannotfee hut that it cometh all to one, for God to permit that "which hefore-feeth, andcould eafilyhinderif he would. B. 1. Your conceits that it cometh all to one, muttnot over-rule our certain knowledge of Gods Holinefs, andhis trueand holyWord, and all the certaintyof Religion in the World. 2. We are fire that God is Holy,a haterofall fin,and a righteous Judge, &c. Andareyou as fure thatit cometh all to one ? And mullall menelfe fay that theyare Pure of it too , or elfe be back-bitten, and called .Arminian , yefuites, &c. 3. Doyouconfider wi-, Gods permion is? It is far from afull permif fion. Hedoth all that ` iMongeth to aReaor to hinder it. He ftrialy forbiddeth itby Laws : Heopeneth the malignity of it. He threatneth mifery here, and everlafting damnation hereafter to them that will not forbear it or forfake it. Be promifeth all bleflings in this life, and end- lefs Glory in Heaven hereafter, to them that will. He fendeth his Mini- fters, firft with Miracles, after with fealed Doctrine and Gifts, to pro- claim all this to the World , and to perfwade them : He gave his own Son to condemn fin in the Flefh, on the Crof, and by his holy Life, andDoarine, andSuffering, to declare the malignity, and hateful- nefs, and hurtfulnefs of it to the World : HePets up all his Ordinances, Magiftracy, Miniftry, Sacraments, Worthip and Difcipline to this end: He warneth the World by manyJudgments; and efpecially bythe Mel- fengers of each mansdeath and the confiant Affliliionswhich are the fruits of Sin : He obligeth them to Obedience, by multitudesof Mer- cies : Hefees Heaven and Hell before them daily 5 and is this permitting it ? He doth indeed in this fenfepermitit, in that he doth notall thathe canagainfi it, or dothno more than as aforefaid. 4. If this permitting be all one as lovingor cantng it, thenwhen Godmade man a flee Agent, and refolved to rule him by moral means, and leaveAdamto hisown Will, it was a loving anda canting fin. And is every King or Parent a loverof Vice, who doth not all that he could do to reftrain it ? "C. Wedo not hold thatGod loveth fin, thoughhe will the event, mid " caufe the ad circumfiantiated. B. t
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