An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

or an Order of Coducibility, such as suits him as the Prima Sapientia. In the Sale of Joseph Man was cruel, but God merciful: In the Act of Judah and Tamar, Man was unclean, but God holy, aiming at the Messiah in it: In ⟨p. 68⟩Rehoboam's rough Answer, Man was foolish, but God wise, to accomplish his word: In the Assyrian Tyranny, Man was unjust, but God righteous to correct his people: In the strong Delusions sent to those that love not the Truth, Man was weak, but God strong in Spiritual Judgements; and, to name but one more: In the Crucifixion of Christ, there was Malice, Blood and Wickedness on Man's part, but Love, Justice and Righteousness on God's; one Attribute or other of his glitters in the Event, with no more taint than is upon the pure Sun-beams by their converse in unclean places. It's true, God needs not Sin to recommend his Glory, no, nor Virtue or Holiness in the Creature; but sure he uses Sin that way, and that so holily, that it deserves a more reverent Expression than trucking with sin and the Devil. As to the Event God preordains it. I confess the Event of sinful Actions is evil in it self, but in some respect it may be good to a third person:¹ A railing Servant wrought a cure upon Monica, as St. Austin relates: Nay, in some case it may be good to the sinner;² Audeo dicere superbis esse utile, cadere in aliquod apertum manifestúmque peccatum, unde sibi displiceant, qui jam ⟨p. 69⟩sibi placendo ceciderant, saith the same Author: And again on those words, Omnia cooperantur in bonum, Rom. 8. he adds, Etiam si deviant & exorbitent, ³hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum, quia humliores redeunt & doctiores; But however the Event be evil to the sinner, it is not so to God as Ordinator. The Event of Adam's Fall was evil to him, but, as it made way for the Redeemer, was not so to God; which made one cry out, O foelix culpa, quae tantum meruit Redemptorem! The Event of the vile Affections in the Gentiles was evil to them, but, as it was punitive of their Idolatry, was not so to God: Hence St. Austin saith elegantly, Tradit Deus in passiones ignominiae,