A52591:114
A Declaration of the faith and order owned and practiced in the Congregational churches…
A Declaration of the faith and order owned and practiced in the Congregational churches in England agreed upon and consented unto by their elders and messengers in their meeting at the Savoy, October 12, 1658.
London: printed by John Field, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
IV.
The almighty Power, unsearchable Wisdom, and infinite Goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his Providence, in that his determinate Counsel extendeth it self even to the first Fall, and all other sins of Angels and Men (and that not by a bare permission) which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold Dispensation to his own most holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the Creature, and not from God, who being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be the author or approver of sin.
The almighty Power, unsearchable Wisdom, and infinite Goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his Providence, in that his determinate Counsel extendeth it self even to the first Fall, and all other sins of Angels and Men (and that not by a bare permission) which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold Dispensation to his own most holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth onely from the Creature, and not from God, who being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be the author or approver of sin.
V.
The most wise, righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.