A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

And for Gods Decree, though they did nothing but what God decreed, Gods purpose never decreed any sin should be wrought otherwise than as it is wrought by the propounding objects and occasions, and leaving them to themselves and Satan, but he never decreed to force any to sin, therefore let God and his Throne be guiltless, let iniquity rest on the wicked, but Gods hand is not with it.

And for Gods Decree, though they did nothing but what God decreed, Gods purpose never decreed any sin should be wrought otherwise than as it is wrought by the propounding objects and occasions, and leaving them to themselves and Satan, but he never decreed to force any to sin, therefore let God and his Throne be guiltlesse, let iniquity rest on the wicked, but Gods hand is not with it.

Use 1. Is a just refutation of the Papists, that impute it to us, as if we made God the Author of Sin, whereas we teach and believe, that there is no sin in the world that is from the Father, but from the world, let no man when he is tempted say, he is tempted of God, for he finds nothing in sin to desire it, but his care is to show the wisdom of his Providence and Justice; we say there is no sin but God gives occasion to; if Shimei curse David, the Lord bid him; that is, gives him opportunity; so the Lord stirred up the Pharisees to Crucify Christ, but all this was not from God as a proper cause. Suppose a man were Master of many Horses, and one falls lame, what, shall not the Master ride on him because he halts? it is not the Masters fault that the Horse halts, but from some distemper, or disease in the Horse, and he knows it too, yet he will not leave off using him for that; what if God know if he send showers there will grow as well Weeds as good Corn, and Herbs, what then, must he therefore restrain the showers? no, it is meet his Providence should be fulfilled; what if the dunghill stink by the Sun beams, shall not the Sun therefore shine? the Sun causes not the stink properly, but the filth in the Dunghill, so there is nothing but Gods Providence worketh; what if his Providence turn many things to sin, the fault is not in Gods Providence, but mens corruptions, but he is as far from the Sin, as the Sun from stench.