The divine life in three treatises

the nature of things, in the utmost extremities of the branches being so cap•llar, and spun with so fine a thread, that the understanding is not subtle enough to discern them. And shall this disturb us in Divinity, or be imputed to it?

the nature of things, in the utmost extremities of the branches being so cap•llar, and spun with so fine a thred, that the understanding is not subtil enough to discern them. And shall this disturb us in Divinity, or be imputed to it?

If you say, That the Will of God is the Cause of all things, and therefore of sin.

I answer, If you call sin Nothing, as a shadow, darkness, death, &c. are nothing (for all that we abhor them) then you answer your selves; If you call it something, we are all agreed, that its but such a something as man can cause without Gods first causing it; It sufficeth that God do the part of a Creator in giving man the free Power of choosing or refusing; and the part of a preserver, in maintaining that power, and as an universal cause concurring to all acts in genere, as the sun doth shine on the dunghill and the flowers: and that he also do the part of a just Governor in prohibiting, and dissuading, and threatening sinners.

I answer, If you call sin Nothing, as a shaddow, darkness, death, &c. are nothing (for all that we abhor them) then you answer your selves; If you call it something, we are all agreed, that its but such a something as man can cause without Gods first causing it; It sufficeth that God do the part of a Creatour in giving man the free Power of choosing or refusing; and the part of a preserver, in maintaining that power, and as an universal cause concurring to all acts in genere, as the sun doth shine on the dunghill and the flowers: and that he also do the part of a just Governour in prohibiting, and disswading, and threatning sinners.