A. No verily. It is the greatest blasphemy that can be to avouch, or conceit any such thing of God. There is no one thing so contrary to another, not white to black, not darkness to light, not death to life, as sin to God. That which is said of lying, may more generally be said of sin,1 It is impossible (and that in the most strict and absolute kind of impossibility that can be) It is impossible that God should sin,2 or be a cause, or Author of sin. This we ought to believe and profess, 1. because his supreme and absolute power is such as it ought not to be called into question. Is it fit to say to a King, thou art wicked? and to Princes, ye are ungodly? 3how much less to him that accepteth not the person of Princes, &c? 2. because the perfection of his purity is such as it admitteth no mixture.4 God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 53. Because he is the original fountain of all goodness:6 so as if this principle (doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?) be infallibly true of any fountain, it is without contradiction most true of this original fountain. On these and other like grounds, we may well know that God hath power to give, with-hold, or withdraw what he will, and when he will: and to support or forsake whom he will: and that he is not bound to that law which he hath set to his creatures, nor to give an account to any. Yea we ought to acknowledge God to be as most pure in his nature, so most just in all his counsels, words and works: and if we cannot fully and clearly understand how the forenamed actions concerning leading into temptation can be attributed unto God, and yet God freed from all accessarinesse to sin, to lay our hands upon our mouths, and to ascribe it to the shallowness of our own apprehension: but no way to charge God with folly or sin. Among the Principles which without all gain-saying ought to be believed, this is one of the prime,7 that the Lord is a God that hath no pleasure ⟨p. 236⟩in wickedness: he can no way be accessory thereto. But besides this absolute sovereignty and perfect purity of God, other particular reasons of Gods dealing with men in this kind may be given, and those so clearly just and equal, as any one, but such an one as is blinded in his mind by the god of this world, may discern the justice and equity thereof. For
A. No verily. It is the greatest blasphemie that can be to auouch, or conceit any such thing of God. There is no one thing so contrarie to another, not white to blacke, not darknesse to light, not death to life, as sinne to God. That which is said of lying, may more generally bee said of sinne,1 It is impossible (and that in the most strict and absolute kinde of impossibilitie that can be) It is impossible that God should sinne,2 or be a cause, or Author of sinne. This we ought to beleeue and professe, 1. because his supreme and absolute power is such as it ought not to bee called into question. Is it fit to say to a King, thou art wicked? and to Princes, ye are vngodly? 3how much lesse to him that accepteth not the person of Princes, &c? 2. because the perfection of his puritie is such as it admitteth no mixture.4 God is light, and in him is no darknesse at all. 53. Because he is the originall fountaine of all goodnesse:6 so as if this principle (doth a fountaine send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?) bee infallibly true of any fountaine, it is without contradiction most true of this originall fountaine. On these and other like grounds, wee may well know that God hath power to giue, with-hold, or withdraw what hee will, and when hee will: and to support or forsake whom hee will: and that he is not bound to that law which hee hath set to his creatures, nor to giue an account to any. Yea we ought to acknowledge God to bee as most pure in his nature, so most iust in all his counsels, words and workes: and if wee cannot fully and clearely vnderstand how the forenamed actions concerning leading into temptation can bee attributed vnto God, and yet God freed from all accessarinesse to sinne, to lay our hands vpon our mouthes, and to ascribe it to the shallownesse of our owne apprehension: but no way to charge God with folly or sinne. Among the Principles which without all gaine-saying ought to bee beleeued, this is one of the prime,7 that the Lord is a God that hath no pleasure ⟨p. 236⟩in wickednesse: hee can no way be accessarie thereto. But besides this absolute soueraignty and perfect puritie of God, other particular reasons of Gods dealing with men in this kinde may bee giuen, and those so clearely iust and equall, as any one, but such an one as is blinded in his minde by the god of this world, may discerne the iustice and equitie thereof. For
- 1Heb. 6. 18.
- 2Why it is impossible that God should be accessory to sin.Why it is impossible that God should be accessarie to sinne.
- 3Job 34. 18, 19.Iob 34. 18, 19.
- 41. Joh. 1. 5.1. Ioh. 1. 5.
- 5Jam. 1. 17.Iam. 1. 17.
- 6Jam. 3. 11.Iam. 3. 11.
- 7Psal. 5. 4.
