The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

3. God is an omnipotent Good, and 'tis his peculiar glory to bring Good out of Evil, that by the opposition and lustre of Contraries, his Goodness might be the more conspicuous. To speak strictly, Sin is the only evil in the world: for all the rest which appear so to our fancies and appetites, are either absolutely good, or upon the supposal of Sin: viz. either for the reformation of Sinners, or for the ruin of the Obstinate. Now the Evil of Sin God permitted as a fit occasion for the more glorious discovery of his Attributes, in sending his Son into the world to repair his Image which was defaced, and to raise Man from an Earthly to Celestial Happiness. I shall conclude with the excellent Answer of St. Austin to the adversary of the Law and the Prophets: Quibus autem videter sic hominem fieri debuisse, ut peccare nollet, ¹non eis displiceat sic esse factum, ut non peccare posset, si nollet. Nunquid enim si melior esset qui no• posset peccare, ideo non benefactus est qui posset & non peccare? An vero usque adeo d•s•ipiendum est, ut homo videat melius aliquid fieri debuisse, & hoc Deum vidisse non putet? Aut putet vidisse, & credat facere noluisse? Aut voluisse quidem & minime potuisse? Avertat hoc Deus a Cordibus piorum. The substance of which is; that 'tis an impious folly to imagine that God was either defective in wisdom, not to know what was the best state for man in his Creation; or defective in goodness, that knowing it, he would not confer it upon him; or defective in power, that willing, he was unable to make him better.

3. God is an omnipotent Good, and 'tis his peculiar glory to bring Good out of Evil, that by the opposition and lustre of Contraries, his Goodness might be the more conspicuous. To speak strictly, Sin is the only evil in the world: for all the rest which appear so to our fancies and appetites, are either absolutely good, or upon the supposal of Sin: viz. either for the reformation of Sinners, or for the ruine of the Obstinate. Now the Evil of Sin God permitted as a fit o•casion for the more glorious discovery of his Attributes, in sending his Son into the world to repair his Image which was defac'd, and to raise Man from an Earthly to Celestial Happiness. I shall conclude with the excellent Answer of St. Austin to the adversary of the Law and the Prophets: Quibus autem videter sic hominem fieri debuisse, ut peccare nollet,