Chap. 28. An Expoftien anon the Book of3 o s. Via. 28. 4o Secondly , Thegreatnefs of the evil of fin maybe fees in the of it; fin re the workofthe evil one, the work, of the De- vil ; and what but evil, and the worn of evils, can proceed from the evil one ? hethat committetbfin (faith the ApoRle jobn, Eph. 3. 8.) it ofthe Devil, for theDevil finned) from t hebeginning ; for this parpofe theSon of God was manifefied, that he might de- flroy the works ofthe Devil. But what are theworks of the De- vil, which the Son of God came to defiroy ? I anfwer ; the Devils wodts are of two forts ; firfi, he works againtf us ; fe- condly, he works inus. His works againaus,'is a defigne tode- firoy us, he hath Pratagems, wiles, and devifes to undoe us for ever : asheplotted and hoped to ruine all mankinde at once in our fide parents, fo he is every day trying to do it from man to man. Now Chritl the Son of God was manifraed to deffroy chofe rtorkes of the Devil, and to fruRrateor overthrow all his defignes againa us. Secondly, The works of the D° in us, are all chofe bias and corruptions which the Devil flirts up, and then draws out to the aFking of any wickednefs. And all thofe fins which are done by man may becalled the Devils works , not only becaufe he provokes us COwork them, but becaufe they are filch as himfelf works. Sin is the Devils proper work, and therefore this text in John faith, TheDevilfnneth from the beginning. HeAot on- ly finned at the beginning, but hefinned) from the beginning. He from that day to this, hash been in a continued at of fin ; as he promotes fin inall others : fo he is an unceffant pra&ifer of it himfelf. He cannot turn his hand to any other work; he candoe nothing but fin, and advance fin, or be the executioner of the Lords righteousvengeance upon finners. There is fome evil that God doth, the evil of punifhment is his. If thereany 'vain the City that 1 have not done, faith the Lord ? (Amos 3. 6.) that is, is there any trouble or alietion in the City that Ihave not Sent ? the Lord caked) thefe evillsuponhimfelf,and freely owneththem; I have done them (faith theLord) they aremy works, rthey are the works ofmy holinefs and righteoufnefs,as well as of my wrath and indignation. Thereevils are Gods creatures, as he fpeakes (1fa, 4y.7.) Iform thelight, and create-darknefs : I makepeace, and create evil e I the Lord doall thefe things. But as for the e- vil of fin, though God bath a hand in ordering and bounding ir, yet he hash nohand in doing it ; that's the Devils work ; 'tis bis E f f work
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=