Ii4 city/iv. 8phefians,Chap.t, V Ex,12, who fo givethhis fonne to abolifh it, never willed the exifting or being ofit ; thofe may be fubordeyned one to the other. t,Argument 12. That which God willeth for ends, that hehathneed of. God isalfufficiet, not needing any thing out ofhimfelfe, never- theleffe uppon fuppofition that God freely will have Ionic ends, thofe things areinfomekinde neceflary,whichhis will guided with wifdome choofeth, and his counfell advifeth as behoofefull to fuchpurpofe; thus the being of finne may be faid needful', fo farre as it fignifieth a matter advifedbycounfell, and chofen by Gods free pleafure, as fit- ting to fuch ends which he propounded : the denial! ofthe wife manis refpeélive to this,that (inners think there is fuchneed of their frn,as may excufe them in finning ; as Peter faith,Godwas not flacke,as men count flackneffe,fo he faith,God needeth not finners as finfull menthinke him toneed them. Argument 13. It is a circle which SaintPaul isnot afhamedof,God flint up all under finne, that heemight filmmercy onall; we feeevery day he woundeth, thathe may healeagaine; he bringeth to the grave, that he may raife up. Argument r4. To that in lames, it is true, firft, that God dothnet tempt any man, fo as man can excufe himfelfe; Secondly, he tempteth not thecreature to that which is finne unto him, or meerely ayming at the fedudtionof the creature; for this darkneffe of finnegoeth into light, this evill is good, fo farre asit is an objeEì,ahout whichhis will may be occupied; Nevertheleffe God may lead the creature intotemptation, fuffering the Devil! to tempt, and God may preferre fuch objeéts to his creature, on which he doth fee that he will finne, and intend that he (hall finne ac- cordingly as he doth fee him inclined : This is not to be an author of finning tohis creature, but todetedt unto good purpofe, the defedfi. bility which he doth fee tobein his creature. It is then denyed that he who ordaineth that his creature (hall fall, or willeth it, becommeth a tempter of his creature to fall, or finne againft him : As God wil- led that finne fhould be, fo he willed that it fhould be by the will of man freely obeying the feducing fuggeflion ofthe Devil', and per- vetting by accident fuch things as fhould have contained him in due obedience. Thus have I endeavoured to uniefe this Gordian knot, which bath exercifed the wits ofthe learnedfl Divines that ever were. In a point offogreat difficulty, Iprefume not peremptorily to define, but fubmit all that 1 have conceivedfor the opening of it, totbe judgement ofthe Church of God. Vanua 13; Now followeththeendwhywe are Paid to have obtained aninheri- tanceinChrift:ln which we are to confider;Pirft,ofthe perfons.Second- #y, the end it felfe. The perlons are defcribed from the effetì, their bops
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