A89737:339
The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few…
The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few whereof are much opposed and eclipsed in this perilous hour of the passion of the Gospel) are briefly discussed, cleared, and confirmed: as a further help, for the begetting, and establishing of the faith which is in Jesus. As also the state of the blessed, where; of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution: and of their persons after their resurrection. By John Norton, teacher of the church at Ipswich in New England.The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few whereof are much opposed and eclipsed in this perillous hour of the passion of the Gospel) are briefly discussed, cleared, and confirmed: as a further help, for the begeting, and establishing of the faith which is in Jesus. As also the state of the blessed, where; of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution: and of their persons after their resurrection. By John Norton, teacher of the church at Ipswich in New England.
London: printed by John Macock for Henry Cripps, 1654
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.
Answ. We must distinguish between the action, and the evil of the action: God is so the Author of the action, Acts 17.28. as that he neither is, nor can be the Author of the evil of the action, James 1.14. It is impossible either that God should not be the Author of all good, or that he should be the Author of any evil. The act or effect hath an efficient Cause; now God is the cause of all Efficiency: the evil cleaving to the action is a defect, therefore hath no efficient,1 but a deficient Cause: Now God cannot be a deficient Cause, because he is the first and absolutely perfect Cause, therefore cannot be the cause of a non-ens, i. e. a nullity, or or that which is defective. To say God is the cause of sin, is to deny God to be the first and absolutely perfect Cause. The Rider, that causeth the Horse to go, is the cause of his going, but not of his halting. The ready Scribe, that writes upon bad paper, is the cause of the letter, but not of the blot. The Musician that playeth upon an Instrument out of tune, is the cause of the sound, but not of the untuneableness. The heat of the Sun that attracts the secret virtues of the Earth, is not the cause of the stink of the dunghill.2 The upper wheel of a Clock going well, and turning about the lower wheel out of kilter, is the cause of its going, but not of its going amiss. The child illegitimately begotten is the good creature of God, its illegitimation is of its parents.
Answ. We must distinguish between the action, and the evil of the action: God is so the Author of the action, Acts 17.28. as that he neither is, nor can be the Author of the evil of the action, James 1.14. It is impossible either that God should not be the Author of all good, or that he should be the Author of any evil. The act or effect hath an efficient Cause; now God is the cause of all Efficiency: the evil cleaving to the action is a defect, therefore hath no efficient,1