Davenant - Houston-Packer Collection BT810 .D38 1641

2 4 Supralapfaraani chargeGod 4' That whichmaketh a man finne by way ofneceMty one- .1y, that is, with and not againft his will, is the caufe of his finne in a worfe manner then that which conftrainerh him to finne againft his will : As he which by powerful! perfwafions draweth a man to flab or hang or poyfon himlèlf, is in a groffer manner the eaufe of that evil and unnaturall action then he that by forcecompelleth him ; becaufe he maketh him to content to his own death. And fo if Gods decree do not onely make men finne, but finne willingly too , not onely caufe that they fhall male' ague, do evil, but male' velle, will evil, it hath the deeper hand in the finne. vipfina.4. I V. Sinne (Z) may be confidered ,x6 Sinne, or as a Means of declaring Gods jufiice in wens punifhments: God doth not predeftinate men to finne as it is Sinne, but as a Means of their punifhtnent. He is not therefore (fay they)the authour offinne. ufw. s. A good (r ) end cannot moralize a bad acaion : it re- maineth evil, though the end be never fogood. Bonum oritur ex integris : End, manner, yea and matter too mull be good, or elfe the a.iion is naught. He that !hall Real, that he maygive analms; or commit adultery, that he may beget. children for the Church ; or opprefTe the poore, to teach them patience; or kill a wicked man, that hemay dòno more hurt j with his example ; or do any forbidden thing; though his end be never fo good, he finneth notwithftandin ; : And the tea- fon is, becaufe the evil of finne is greater then any good that cancome by finne; for as much as it is 14o Divine maje(ia- tis, a wrongingof Gods majeftie,and foDivino bolo oppofta, direalyprejudiciall to the good'of almighty God, as much as any thing can be. ThisS. Paul knewvery well : and there- fore he telleth us plainly, that we muff not doevil that good may come of it,Rom.3.8. Whofoever thereforewilled] a finne, though for never fo good an end, he willeth that which is truly and formally a Sinne : And confequently God , though he will finne for ends never fo good , yet willing it with fuch a powerfull and efFeCtuall will as giveth a necefiarie being to it, he becometh authour of that which is formally fine. z. The members of this diflindion are not oppofite : For finne (0 ) asSinne, and in no other confideration, is ameans of puaifhment. If God therefore willeth it as a Means of'pu- nifhment, hewilleth it as a Sinne: his decree is terminatedat the very formality of it. 3. This

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