But then comes the second Case proposed, if a wicked man can do nothing but evil, then it seems he ought to leave undone all his Alms, Prayers, Fastings, and Religions services, because we are to abstain from every thing which is polluted with sin; and that which God will not see, man must not do. To this I answer No, by no means. The poor man at the pool of Bethesda, 1though utterly impotent and unable to crawl in when the Angel came to stir the waters, did not yet neglect what lay in his power to wait at the place, and to endeavour his own cure; Natural impotency can give no excuse to wilful neglect. When Simon Magus was in the gall of bitterness, yet Saint Peter directed him then2 to pray. Here then these two Rules must regulate this Case. First, a wicked mans necessity of sinning must not nullify the Law of God, which requires the doing of those things, though not with such an unclean heart as he doth them. The impotency of man must not either prejudice Gods Authority, or diminish his own duty. As, though where sin abounds Grace doth more abound, yet a man must not sin that grace may abound; so, though when a wicked man doth the things of the Law, he finneth, ⟨p. 247⟩yet he must not omit the duty, upon pretence to escape the sin. Secondly, when a thing is evill Propter fieri, because it is done, the doing of that thing is unlawful, and inti insecally sinful, and therefore to be avoided; but when a thing done is evil, not because it is done, but because something which should make the doing of it good and acceptable is omitted, and so it is evil not in the substance of thing, but by reason of the defects which cleave unto it, here this ought still to be done, but the other ought not to be left undone. Jehu was commanded3 to destroy the house of Ahab, he did so, and thus far he did well; but his ends and Gods divide the same Action, God out of Justice, he out of policy, and therefore though he esteemed it zeal, yet God accounted it murder and shedding of blood, and though as it was in substance the thing which God commanded, he did reward it, yet as the execution thereof was otherwise then he required, so he threateneth to revenge it: I will avenge 4the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. What then, is Jehu to commit murder? God forbid: and yet is he to do that, in doing whereof he did commit murder?
But then comes the second Case proposed, if a wicked man can doe nothing but evill, then it seemes hee ought to leave undone all his Almes, Prayers, Fastings, and Religions services, because we are to abstaine from every thing which is polluted with sinne; and that which God will not see, man must not doe. To this I answere No, by no meanes. The poore man at the poole of Bethesda, 1though utterly impotent and unable to crawle in when the Angell came to stirre the waters, did not yet neglect what lay in his power to waite at the place, and to endeavour his owne cure; Naturall impotency can give no excuse to wilfull neglect. When Simon Magus was in the gall of bitternesse, yet Saint Peter directed him then2 to pray. Here then these two Rules must regulate this Case. First, a wicked mans necessity of sinning must not nullifie the Law of God, which requires the doing of those things, though not with such an uncleane heart as he doth them. The impotency of man must not either prejudice Gods Authoritie, or diminish his owne dutie. As, though where sinne abounds Grace doth more abound, yet a man must not sinne that grace may abound; so, though when a wicked man doth the things of the Law, he finneth, ⟨p. 247⟩yet he must not omit the duty, upon pretence to escape the sinne. Secondly, when a thing is evill Propter fieri, because it is done, the doing of that thing is unlawfull, and inti insecally sinfull, and therefore to be avoided; but when a thing done is evill, not because it is done, but because something which should make the doing of it good and acceptable is omitted, and so it is evill not in the substance of thing, but by reason of the defects which cleave unto it, here this ought stiil to be done, but the other ought not to bee left undone. Iehu was commanded3 to destroy the house of Ahab, he did so, and thus farre he did well; but his ends and Gods divide the same Action, God out of Iustice, he out of policie, and therefore though he esteemed it zeale, yet God accompted it murther and shedding of bloud, and though as it was in substance the thing which God commanded, he did reward it, yet as the execution thereof was otherwise then he required, so he threatneth to revenge it: I will avenge 4the bloud of Iezreel upon the house of Iehu. What then, is Iehu to commit murther? God forbid: and yet is he to doe that, in doing whereof he did commit murther?
- 1Joh. 5. 7.Ioh. 5. 7.
- 2Act. 8. 22, 23.
- 32. King 10. 30.
- 4Hos. 1. 4.
