Evil is the destruction of nature: and it is taken for sin or for the punishment of sin. Now sin is governed of God by two actions: the first is an operative permission. I so call it, because god partly permitteth sin, and partly worketh in it. For sin as it is commonly taken hath two parts; the subject or matter, and the form of sin: the subject of sin is a certain quality or action; the form is the anomie or transgression of Gods law. The first is good in it self, and every quality or action so far forth as it is a quality or action is existing in nature, and hath God to be the author of it. Therefore sin though it be sufficiently evil to eternal damnation, yet can it not be said to be absolutely evil as God is absolutely good, because the subject of it is good, and therefore it hath in it respects and regards of goodness. In respect of the second, that is the breach of the law it self, God neither willeth, nor appointeth, nor commandeth, nor causeth, nor helpeth sin, but forbiddeth, condemneth and punisheth it: yet so, as by withal he willingly permitteth it to be done by others, as men and wicked angels, they being the sole authors & causes of it. And this permission by God is upon a good end: because thereby he manifesteth his justice and mercy. Thus it appears that in original sin, the natural inclination of the mind, will, and affections in it self considered, is from God, and the ataxy or corruption of the inclination in no wise from him, but only permitted: and that in actual sin the motion of the body or mind is from God, but the evilness & disorder of the motion is not from him, but freely permitted to be done by others. As for example in the act of murder, the actions of moving the whole body, of stirring the several joints, and the fetching of the blow whereby the man is slain, is from God; for in him we live, move, & have our being:1 but the disposing & applying of all these actions to this end, that our neighbours life may be taken away & we thereby take revenge upon him, is not from ⟨p. 96⟩God, but from wicked men and the devil.
Euill is the destruction of nature: and it is taken for sinne or for the punishment of sinne. Now sinne is gouerned of God by two actions: the first is an operative permission. I so call it, because god partly permitteth sinne, and partly worketh in it. For sinne as it is commonly taken hath two parts; the subiect or matter, and the fourme of sinne: the subiect of sinne is a certaine qualitie or action; the forme is the anomie or transgression of Gods law. The first is good in it selfe, and euery qualitie or action so farre forth as it is a qualitie or action is existing in nature, and hath God to be the authour of it. Therefore sinne though it be sufficiently euill to eternall damnatiō, yet can it not be said to be absolutely euill as God is absolutely good, because the subiect of it is good, and therefore it hath in it respectes and regardes of goodnesse. In respect of the second, that is the breach of the lawe it selfe, God neither willeth, nor appointeth, nor commaundeth, nor causeth, nor helpeth sinne, but forbiddeth, condemneth and punisheth it: yet so, as by withall he willingly permitteth it to be done by others, as men and wicked angels, they being the sole authors & causes of it. And this permission by God is vpon a good ende: because thereby he manifesteth his iustice and mercie. Thus it appeares that in originall sinne, the naturall inclination of the mind, will, and affections in it selfe considered, is frō God, and the ataxie or corruption of the inclination in no wise from him, but onely permitted: and that in actuall sinne the motion of the bodie or mind is from God, but the euilnes & disorder of the motion is not frō him, but freely permitted to be done by others. As for exāple in the act of murder, the actions of moouing the whole bodie, of stirring the seuerall ioyntes, and the fetching of the blowe whereby the man is slaine, is from God; for in him we liue, mooue, & haue our being:1 but the disposing & applying of all these actions to this end, that our neighbors life may be taken away & we thereby take reuenge upon him, is not frō ⟨p. 96⟩God, but from vvicked men and the deuill.
- 1Acts. 17.28.
