CHAP.I. upon the Epiflle of JAM B 5. VERs.q. ACtion of the Creatures, as lhall be 'cleared elfewhere. · . 11. I am to fiate the efficiency and concurrence of God about fin : All that God dorh in it rray be given you in thefe Propofitions. 1. ~Tis certain that without God Sin would never be; without his prohibition an Action would not be fin!ul: The Apofile faith, where Mno Law, there M no tran[gre;Jion; but I mean chiefly without hu ptrmi/]ion. andfore-k.,.nowledg, yea,and I may add; with– out his will and cottcurrence, without which nothing can happen and fall out; it cannot be be{ide the Will of God, for then he were not omnifcient; or againft bis Will, for then he were not omnipo-_ tent. There is no Action of ours, but needeth the continued con– currence and fupportation of his providence ; .and if~ did not uphold us in being andWorking, we could do nothing. 2. Yet God can by no means be looked upon as the diref1 Au– thor of it, <;>r the proper caufe of that obliquit] that is in the Acti– ons of the Creatures ; for his providence is converfant about fin~ Without fin, as a Sun-beam lighteth upon a Dunghil, without heing Rained by it : This is beO: cleared by a collection and fummary of all thofe AClions, whereby, from firfi to lafi, providence is con– cerned in mans fin; which are briefly thefe : I. Fore-k...nowledg and Pre-ordination; God intended and ap– pointed that it lhould be: Many that grant pre-fcicnce, denypre– ordination, lefr they lhould make God the Author of Sin ; but thefe fear, where nofear is : The Scriptore fpeaketh roundly, a– fcribing both to God; Him being deliveredby the fore-k!Jowledg anddeterminate counfel of God, Ail. 2. 2~. Mark, Peter faith not onely 7f 'lTfY)'I'cJa-q, by the fore-k,.nowledg, but ec:~a-p.tv~ {31$'-n, de– terminate counfel, which irnplieth a pofitive decree; now that cannqt infer any guilt or evil in God, for God appointed ic, as he meant to bring good out of it : Wicked men have quite contrary ends; thcsJo[tph fpeaketh to his Brethren,when they were afraid of his revenge, Gen. 50, 19. Am. I in the placeof God? that is, was it my dejign to bring thefe things to pafs, or Gods decree? and who am I, that I fhould refifi the will of God? And then again, Vetf. 20. But a; for you, ye thought evil, /Jut God meant it for good, to bring it to pafs,M it is this day, tofave much people alive; that is, God decreed it otherwife then youdejigned it: your aim was wholy evil, his good. 2. There is apermiffio;aofit: Gods decrees imply that 6n lhall 0 3 be, IOI ,,
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