The sum of sacred divinity briefly & methodically propoundedThe summe of sacred diuinitie briefly & methodically propounded

But is not God hereby made the Author of sin? God forbid. The Manichees indeed, when they knew not how otherwise to excuse him, plunged themselves into a foul and monstrous absurdity: for they made two ⟨p. 89⟩beginnings of things; God, from whom all goodness cometh, and the Devil, from whom all evil, or (which is all one) two gods, a good and an evil god. This is a horrible and a fearful Blasphemy, and striketh at the very root of all Religion. But for avoiding all danger that may grow hereby, it is necessary, first, to know how and in what sense we say, that God hath a stroke in unrighteous and sinful actions; not because he instilleth or poureth into his Creatures a poison which before they had not; or inclineth them unto wickedness: (for that were indeed to make God the author of sin) but partly, in that he forsaketh and leaveth them to their own natural corruption, either by taking away the grace they had, or not bestowing new grace which they want, whereby they run head-long unto evil: partly, that he letteth Satan loose upon them, to be by him blinded and miss-led, because they have refused to be ruled and governed by Gods Word and Spirit. To the former, those places are to be referred, where he is said to tempt or try them, as the Holy Ghost recordeth ^yof HEZEKIAH, that when he dealt with the King of Babylons Ambassador, God forsook him, trying him what was in his heart. And Moses ^zin Deuteronomy, Remember all this way wherein JEHOVAH thy God hath led thee now forty years in the Desert, that he might afflict thee, in trying what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest obey his Precepts or not. So afterwards ^ahe upbraideth the people, that notwithstanding these great trials, signs and wonders which Jehovah had done for them, Yet he had not given them a mind to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear: wherein we may not think God unjust, who is indebted to none: For who ^bgave unto him first, and he shall be recompensed? And who, according to his own free pleasure, bestoweth the measure of his graces how and where he will. I ^c