A39663:834
The Fountain of Life Opened
The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carried on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...
London: printed for Rob. White, 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, He permits and suffers the worst of creatures in his dominion to be, and act as they do. The deceived, and the deceiver are his. Job. 12.16. Even those that fight against Christ, and his people, receive both power, and permission from him. Say not that it's unbecoming the most holy, to permit such evils which he could prevent if he pleased. For as he permits no more than he will overrule to his praise; so that very permission of his, is holy, and just. Christs working is not confounded with the creatures. Pure Sun-beams are not tainted by the noisome vapours of the dunghill on which they shine. His holiness hath no fellowship with their iniquities: nor are their transgressions at all excused by his permissions of them. He is a rock, his work is perfect; but they have corrupted themselves. Deut. 32.4, 5. This holy permission, is but the withholding of those restraints from their Lusts; and denying those common assistances which he is no ⟨p. 211⟩way bound to give them. Acts 14.16. He suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. And yet should he permit sinful creatures to act out all the wickedness that is in their hearts, there would neither remain peace, nor order in the world. And therefore,
Secondly, He permits and suffers the worst of creatures in his dominion to be, and act as they do. The deceived, and the deceiver are his. Job. 12.16. Even those that fight against Christ, and his people, receive both power, and permission from him. Say not that it's unbecoming the most holy, to permit such evils which he could prevent if he pleased. For as he permits no more than he will overrule to his praise; so that very permission of his, is holy, and just. Christs working is not confounded with the creatures. Pure Sun-beams are not tainted by the noisom vapours of the dunghil on which they shine. His holiness hath no fellowship with their iniquities: nor are their transgressions at all excused by his permissions of them. He is a rock, his work is perfect; but they have corrupted themselves.