The Preface.  
Christian Reader,  
HAving not in all my few labours and studies either heard of, or met with any entire Treatise of this kind or nature, and daily perceiving the Spirit of Dissension beyond Measure Operating amongst the generality of Mankind, so that if it were possible he would beguile and seduce the very Elect: I thought fit therefore upon a serious Consideration, to endeavour to put a stop to the malicious Project of the Devil, who is incessantly striving to draw men headlong into Eternal Perdition with himself, especially by insinuating into them some blasphemous thoughts of the Almighty, according to that which you'll find mentioned in the following Discourse, viz. That he has appointed some on purpose, as it were, for the endless Torments of Hell, as well as others for the Enjoyment of Everlasting Bliss; and that (they being so voluntarily predestinated) if they did use all imaginable means, there can be no hopes or possibility of a repeal; which in my opinion, is a very great Blasphemy, to think of so Wise and Merciful a God as ours is, who did not only vouchsafe to send his only begotten Son Christ Jesus, to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice for all our Sins, but has left his plain written Word, whereby if Men had but Grace to Read and Practise it, they might be easily convinced of such wicked Imaginations: He has also granted a Redemption and Deliverance from all Sins whatsoever, except that against the Holy Ghost, provided that Men will timely and sincerely perform the Conditions upon which they are pr●mised. My Courteous Reader, I shall not here trouble myself with a second Exposition, but if you please diligently to peruse the following Treatise, I hope, through God's Grace, you'll find full satisfaction concerning the whole Point: Besides, you will find many other wicked conceits about the same Matter, and all of them singly opposed and confuted by the plain Word of God: Therefore I shall not here take time to reckon them up in their Order; neither will I recommend it to the protection of any particular Person, presuming that it may be material enough in itself to Challenge a Patronage from all those that are any way concerned for the Interest and Honour of their Maker.  
Now, my Christian Reader, I have no more to add, for the better offering of it to thy kind acceptation, but only this seasonable Admonition, viz. Be not too curious, too inquisitive, in searching after those things, which God is not pleased to Communicate to any humane Capacity, according to that excellent Maxim in Philosophy, quae supra nos, nihil ad nos; But yet above all, be careful and diligent to know and understand those things which especially belong to thy Spiritual and Eternal Welfare, always remembering that no Man can be too circumspect in a business of so great a Moment; which that you, and I, and all may do, God of his infinite Mercy grant, etc. Farewell,  
S. D.   

An Antidote against the Erroneous, or rather Blasphemous, Opinions of some People in this our Corrupt Age, etc.  James 1st. 13, 14, 15. Verses. 
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth he any Man.  
But every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed.  
Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth Sin, and Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth Death.  
ALthough all Scripture are inspired by one and the same Spirit of Truth, yet have they an accidental difference, according to the Nature of the Penmen that did first indite them, some being of a higher, others of a lower Style; some hard and intricate, others more plain and easy to be understood.  
And this, I presume, it was that occasioned St. Gregory to compare some Scriptures unto Jacob's hasty Rods, which were partly peeled, and partly covered; others unto Acab's house of Ivory, which was without any covering at all.  
The Scripture which I have now mentioned unto you, is of the former sort, hard and difficult to be understood: It craveth therefore your best attention whilst it is interpreted, and your chiefest affection when it is applied; I will first briefly and plainly, as I can, lay down the general heads, and afterwards come unto the particulars.  
1. We have here a full and complete proposition, viz. That God is not the mover unto evil, nor the author of Sin:  
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.  
2. The Apostle confirms and strengthens this proposition by two Arguments in the following Words. The first whereof is drawn from the of God's divine Nature, and is partly Negative, and partly Affirmative.  

1. Negative, He cannot be tempted with Evil.  
2. Affirmative, He tempteth not Man.   
2. The second Argument is drawn from the Corruption of Man's own Nature, arising out of the verse following, where the Apostle setteth down the true and efficient Cause of Sin, which is our own concupiscence and desire; For every man is tempted when he is drawn by his own Lust and enticed.  
And in the next place, by a kind of gradation, he proceeds further to show us our Corruption, in semine, in germire, in fructu, in the seed, in the bud, in the fruit.  
In the seed there is, concupiscentia titillans, pleasing concupiscence, in the bud there is, concupiscentia provocans, willing concupiscence, and in the fruit there is, concupiscentia proveniens, actual concupiscence: And then follows the effect which this bitter Root doth produce, and that is Death; When Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin being finished bringeth forth Death and Destruction, both to Body and Soul.  
These are parts that I chief design to insist upon, that I may thereby vindicate the Honour and Justice of God, from the Blasphemous thoughts of wicked and obstinate People.  
This Proposition is the first point, that God is not the Mover unto Evil, nor the Author of Sin: A point, I must needs confess, very hard and intricate, if rightly weighed and considered; and if we take it in its full latitude, it will bring us to understand, if it were possible to be comprehended, how far God hath a hand in the actions of sinning: A point so high as the highest Heavens, and dwelleth in Light as unsearchable as God himself, covered with a Curtain of Sacred secrecy, which shall never be drawn aside; for who is able to apprehend (that hath his habitation here upon Earth, and his dwellings amongst us Mortals) how far the Council of God goeth in ordering and disposing of sinful actions.  
The Manichees were here driven to such a straight, that they framed two Gods unto themselves, to the end that they might acquit one from being accessary unto Evil. 1. They called a good God the Father of Christ, and the Author of the New Testament; But the other they surmised to be Evil, and the Author of the Old. And this they say was he, who is said to have hardened Pharoah's heart, to bid Shemei curse David; and lastly to have delivered the Gentiles unto a reprobate sense, Rom. 1.24. But, alas! foolish men, they were deceived, for the Apostle tells us plainly, Eph. 4.6. That there is but one Lord, and one God, and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  
And St. James saith here in the Text that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that cannot be moved or tempted unto Evil: But I will leave this Error of theirs, and c●me nearer unto ourselves: There is a great Error about this point, and I suppose it to be in two extremes.  
The 1st is of those who maliciously ch●r●e God to be the Author o● Sin; these are the sensual Libertines of our Age, who rub their Filthiness and Licentiousness upon God's Purity.  
2dly, The others are those who think that God doth only suffer and permit 〈◊〉; and so they make him like a King, sitting upon a Scaffold, to behold a Stratagem; or as if his Godhead were bound up, and restrained like Sarr●●●'s Arms, that he could not use it.  
Either of th●se Opinions do seem r●ally to deny the Godhead itself, the one destroying the Goodness and Divin● Justice of the Deity in that they charge God to be the author of Sin: The other his Omnipotence and Providence in that they bereave him of a great part of his Honour.  
The latter of these positions is very true, that God doth permit sin, and sound and Catholic enough if more were added unto it, as you shall find in the explication of the point in hand: But the other is filled to the brim with monstrous Impiety; for if the very damned Spirits in Hell might be heard to speak against God, what could they say to deprave him more than this?  
Indeed the very best of us all, no doubt, have sinned, and that most presumptuously too, and have most highly violated the Sacred Laws of our Maker: But that God caused us so to do, is, I say, a most damnable and reprobate Thought, that any Vessel of Clay can conceive of his Maker, who is absolutely good, and neither is, nor can be, tempted with evil.  
And yet our Adversaries, the Papists, have not stuck to father the birth of this prodigious Monster upon our Church itself, by affirming that we maintain it as a point of Doctrine, that God is the Mover unto evil, and so consequently the Author of sin: I say our Church never affirmed it, and to redeem a thousand Deaths if more were due unto our sins, we would not.  
'Tis true, this we say, that whatsoever hath substance, being and perfection in the action of sin, God is the Author of it, because it is good, and proceedeth from him in whom we live, and move, and have our being, Acts 17.28. Our life, our motion, our being is from God; he is, Anima Mundi, the very Life and Soul of the World. A Poet of the Gentiles did first deliver it, but now an Apostle of ours hath ratified it, and sanctified it for a truth. Our Life is God's, whether we live to him as we ought to do, or to the Lusts of the Flesh, or after the pleasure of the God of this World, the Prince of Darkness. Our Motion is his, whether we lift up our hands to Prayer, or to Murder, or to Stealth, or any other Outrage. Our Essence is also God's, the nature, being, and substance of man, of reprobate Angels, and others are from him, and his good Creatures, for he made all thin●s good, and not evil. So that still I say, God, thus s●r, is a worker in Temptation, or may be said to have a hand in Sinning; for in sin, you must know, there is a positive and peccative port, nature and corruption, action and defect; now God is the Author of the former, but not of the latter: As for Example, in the striking of a jarring and untuned Instrument, the playing and singering is from the Person, but the jarring & discord is in the Instrument: So God is the Author of every action, but not of wickedness in any action. But would you see it yet more plain by an example out of the Book of God, then let Cain be the man, Gen. 4.5. we read that because Cain's Sacrifice was rejected, and his Brother's accepted, he was exceeding wrath, his countenance fell, and he had a purpose to slay his Brother: Now Cain could never have thought of the death of Abel, his eyes could never have seen any offensive thing in his accepted Sacrifice, nor his heart have prosecuted with desire, nor his hands have executed with power so unnatural a fact, if God had not given him strength and activity to have used the service of all these faculties.  
To think, to desire, to move the parts of the Body, are the good Creatures of God, and therein consisteth the action of God: But to turn these gifts of God unto so wicked, and vile a purpose, as to murder his Brother, was the sin of Cain himself, the fault of the action proper to him alone. And so in all our motions and actions God hath a hand in them, as far as they are righteous and good, but as they are evil and sinful, they chief proceed from the impure fountains of our hearts, for God can no way be touched with evil.  
2. God may be said to move unto Evil, per p●ivationem gratiae suae, by withdrawing his Grace; and in this sense saith St. Chrisostome, God is said to give over unto a reprobate sense, to harden, to blind, to tempt unto evil: Non quod haec a Deo siunt, quippè cùm a pr●pria hominis m●lit●a provenient, sed quià Deo justè homines deserente, haec illis contingunt, Not that these things are done by God himself, for they proceed from the malice of men, but because while he doth fully forsake men for their obstinacy and rebellion against him, these things do commonly overtake them. And to the same purpose is that of St. Austin, Indurare dicitur Deus quèm mollire noluerit, God is said to harden whom he will not mollify, Et ex●ae care quem illummare noluerit, and to blind them whom he will not illuminate; so he hardened Pharoah's heart, and blinded the false Prophets.  
Neither may we here arraign God of injustice, because it is lawful for him to do what he pleaseth with his own: He hath power over his Clay, to make of it at his pleasure, either in Judgement, a vessel of Dishonour, or in Mercy, a Vessel of Honour: And the Clay may not say to the Potter, why hast thou made me thus or thus.  
3. God may be said to move unto evil by offering occasions and objects, to try whether a Man will sin or not: As for Example, A Master suspecting his Servant to be false and thievish, lays something of considerable value in his way, to try if he will steal it, which if he does, the Master having found his theft, will not only expose him to the world for a Rogue and Deceiver, but will for ever after suspect his fidelity and trust; now this Trial is no sin in the Master, altho' the theft be a great one in the Servant: Even so it is with God, we must not fashion my injustice on him, because he tryeth and proveth us by occasions and objects, for they are things good in themselves, tho' we pervert them unto evil ends.  
M●ses wrought many signs and wonders in the Land of Egypt, which were good in themselves, and yet proved as means to harden Pharoah's heart, not so intended by God, but so perverted by his malicious temper. Thus we see that the Wicked and Blasphemous Opinions of those who make God to be the Author of sin, and so charge him with our impieties, are absolutely false, for he is not evil himself, neither tempteth he any Man unto evil.  
I come now to the second Opinion, viz. of those who make God to be the only sufferer and permitter of evil, which I confess is but an Error of humanity, many offending herein rather through infirmity than malice: They speak a truth of God, when they acknowledge his permission of sin, but not the whole truth, because they think he only permitteth it, and so they make him an idle spectator of all our actions: But for our sure proceeding herein, let us take along with us these three Notes, viz. That God doth praescire, permittere, & ordinare peccatum, foresee, permit, and dispose of the sinful actions of Men.  
1. He forseeth sin, he foresaw the iniquity of Esau, long before his being, and the sentence of reprobation was denounced against him before he had done either g odd or evil, Rom. 9.11. He foretold the infidelity of the Jews, (saith St. Austin) and their malicious purpose in complotting the Death of the Son of God: What of that? praedixit non fecit, he only foretold it, but did not work it: Vidit ab aeterno (saith Lipsius') sed vidit non coegit scivit non sanxit, praedixit, non praescripsit: He saw it from all Eternity, but he only saw it, enforced it not, knew it, decreed it not, foretold it, prescribed it not.  
2. As the Lord forseeth sin, and yet is not the author of evil, so he permitteth sin to be done in the World: He suffered the Amorites to go on in their wickedness, and telleth Abraham that it was not yet full, Gen. 15.16. He suffered Shemei to curse David, as we read in the 16th Chap. 2d Book of Samuel: I omit several other places of Scripture, of less importance, because it is so true, that it needs no proof, for there is nothing visibly or sensibly done within the compass of the whole World, which is not either commanded or tolerated from the Court of the highest Emperor.  
He suffers his own Children to be tempted, that they may not be exalted above measure, and that they may know the Power of the Lord, and the proof of his Armour.  
And thus he suffers the wicked also to go on in their wickedness, that their Condemnation may be greater.  
3. As he forseeth and permitteth evil, so he ordereth and disposeth of it, as seemeth best to his Godly Wisdom, ●or as he is a most 〈◊〉 Creator of good Natures, so he is a most righteous disposer, of the evil wi●●s and siaful actions of Mankind.  
Look upon that unnatural sin in selling Joseph into Egypt, and you shall see it there so plainly delivered, that no man need to doubt, I will not take time to recite the whole History, the words, which especially make for our present purpose, are these in the 45th Chap. C●n. 8th Verse. It was not you that sent me hither, but God, and at the 50th Chap. of the same Book and 20th Verse, Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, t● bring to pass as it is this day, to save much People alive: Observe, they thought evil, God disposeth it unto good, their minds were wholly bend with malice and envy towards their Brother, whilst God's providence was working how to serve them in a famine, and to save much People alive. Thus you see that the Lord doth not only foresee and permit evil to be done in the World, but in the very doing of it, his Providence is busy, how to order and dispose of it, that he may bring it to some good Event: I will now join all these three together, viz. The Pre-science, the Permission and Providence of God in the action of sinning, and so couch them under one Example, and that shall be in the seducement and fall of Ahab, as we have it in the 22d Chap. of the first Book of Kings, at the 19th Verse; It is a place, I must needs confess, that hath been strongly urged to tax God of injustice, for it seems God did not only permit the false Spirits to seduce Ahab, but giveth encouragement also, saying, thou shalt prevail, adding a commandment go forth, and likewise allowing of the form of acting in the matter do so.  
Now that you may know how innocent God is in an action of such a prejudice, observe well the circumstances of the place, and the thing intended, the thing designed was that Ahab should fall at Ramoth Gilead: and concerning the means, inquiry was made, who should entice Ahab, because it was not in the nature of God himself to effect it, therefore that which he doth, he doth by a false Spirit, one of Satan's Band and Retinue.  
But observe also, God infuseth no mischief into the Spirit, he comes furnished of himself, for when one said thus, and another thus, he proffered his service, saying, I will entice him, when God demanded the means, he invented the practice, I will be, saith he, a false Spirit in the mouth of his Prophets.  
Now what were these Prophets of Ahab they were a faithless Generation, whose guile it was, either for reward or ●avour of the King to say they had dreamt, when it was not so, and that the Lord had said it when he never spoke it; so you s●e there is h●th Malice in the Spirit, and falsehood in the Prophets, before God had any hand in the Matter: Therefore what doth the Lord therein? Wh●●, he sitteth upon the Throne as the Judge and Moderator of the whole Action; He Commandeth the Attendance of all the Army of Heaven on the Right Hand, and on the Left, both clean and unclean Spirits are in Subjection unto him: He giveth leave then unto the Spirit, who, without his permis●ion is unable to do any thing.  
Thou ●hal ●nt●●● saith be and then he giveth the Success, which all the Devils in Hell, c●uld n●● effect, if he would have resisted it: Therefore saith he th●● shall prev●●t, and then he biddeth him go, and he goes; run, and he ru●s: And ●●●●ly, he disposeth the Course, do so, i. e. do so, and no more than so; which is us much, as if he had said, since thou hast Malice to bestow, Extend it upon Ahab, rather than upon Je●●phaphat, and falsehood to infuse, power it forth upon the four hundred Prophets of Ahab, rather than upon Micah'●, or an● other Prophets of mine: And let the fall of Ahab be at R●●●●th G●●●●d, rather than at any other place; And in this Battle with the King of A●●t●●, rather than at any other time. Thus when the Matter is thei● own, God giveth the Fashoning and Ordering thereof, in some sort touching the Persons, time, and place, and other the like particulars.  
I hope Re●der by this time you are sufficiently convinced, that in the Actions of sinful Men there is more to be deemed of God than his bare permission: for doubtless he hath his will therein, mistake me not I beseech you, I mean not Vo●●ntaetem Appr ba●●onis, His will 〈◊〉 Approbation, as if the Lord did either Allure, Counsel, or Compel unto Evil: But I m●an Volunt●tem Providentiae, His Provident W●●●, whereby the Lord doth order and govern sinful Actions in applying them to better ends, than the Offender's are ware off: For God saith the Prophet is of pure ●●es and can be●●ld n Wickedness, his Soul hateth and abhorteth Sin: His Law to this ve●● day curseth and condemneth Sin, his hands have smitten and scour●●● S●n; He hath thrown down Angels from Leaven, pla●●d M●n upon E ●th, ●●●●●rted whe●● Kingdoms, destroyed whole ●●●ies and Corporations, and not spared his own Son Christ Jesus, w●il● he appeared in the similitude of sinful Flesh.  
He hath drow●ed the World with a Flood of Waters already, and will ●er aster consume it wit● Fire 〈…〉 of Sin: He hath threatened Tribulation, An●●ish and D●●●● unto a● the Workers of Iniquity, and that Sentence of his shaft fraud more Stable than all the Marble Pillars upon Earth, and endure longer than the days of Heaven.  
If then his Indignation against Sin be such, Who can accuse him to be the Author of it.  
Let God then be true, and let all Men be Liars, let God be just, and let all Men be sinners: Let him be justified in 〈…〉, and p●●● in his say, and then let all his a●●●s●●s vanish and 〈◊〉 away like the foam upon the Waters. But as 〈◊〉 those that 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 the Lord, let them stand fast as M●nat 〈◊〉, which 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 ●●t them stand fast in Love, fast in Faith, 〈…〉 in ●●ve that they keep his Commandments, 〈…〉 not from Grace, fast in hope, that they despair 〈…〉 in ●●●●●ance, that they ●ha● one day enjoy the Rivers of plea●●●● in the Kingdom of Heaven for evermore.  
And now I am come to the first argument, whi●h the Apostle produceth here to prove the former propositions, which 〈◊〉 immediately drawn from the purity of God's Divine Nature, being partly Negative, and partly Affirmative:  
First, Negative, And therein the Apostle denyeth God to be tempted with evil.  
Secondly, Afirmative, And therein he averreth that he tempted not man.  
I shall begin first with the Negative part, God cannot be tempted with evil. As if the Apostle should have said here, God is in nature so pure, that he cannot be stained; in Will so stable, that he cannot be moved; in Wisdom so wise, that he cannot be deceived; and in Liberty so free, that he cannot be compelled unto Evil; He is Light, and there is no Darkness, either of Error or Ignorance, in him; He is goodness, and there is no evil of sin, which can contaminate or defile his divine Nature; He is good 〈◊〉, & extrorse, in himself, and without himself; in himself, as being the Father of all Goodness, for there is no goodness upon Earth, but what is derived from him; In which sense our Savour saith there is none good but God; He is ipsa ●●mit●●, Goodness itself, his Nature is Goodness, and from him, as from an Ocean, flow all the streams of Goodness into the World: He is exceeding good without himself, I mean unto all his Creatures in general, whether you consider him in his Creation, or in his Preservation of them.  
1. In his Creation, there was not a Work that passed his fingers without the approbation of his Judgement, Behold it was good, and very good, and God saw that it was good, Gen. 1.10.  
2. In his Preservation; For he opened his hands, and filleth all things living with his Blessings, the whole Earth is full of his Goodness, (saith the Psalmist) and his Mercies are over all his Works. He is also exceeding good unto his chosen, unto his Israel, unto those that are of a pure heart, Psal. 73.1.  
Do you distrust of his righteousness? Ask as proud and ●●●●ate a ●●●ner as ever transgressed, P●areah by name, and he will tell you, that the Lord is righteous, though he and his people were wicked, Exod. 9.27.  
Ask but the m●●●ers of humane Wisdom, and they will inform you in this be●●●●. 〈…〉 of him, 〈…〉 no ●●ans is unjust, but as 〈…〉. A 〈…〉 the Question, why the Gods do good? Answereth himself, N●●●● 〈◊〉 their Nature is the cause; they neither take, nor do wrong, they neither give, nor have mischief in them.  
I am come now to the second ●●●●rmative part, viz. As he is in Nature so pure, that 〈…〉 tempted himself, so likewise tempteth he no man 〈…〉 doth not pe●●●●de men unto sin, not does ●e approve of it, when 〈…〉; For 〈◊〉 art ●ot a God, that 〈…〉, (saith the Prophet) 〈◊〉. ●. 4. ●eather shall 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉: T●● go●●sh shall not stand in 〈◊〉 sight, 〈◊〉 ●●●●st all them that 〈…〉.  
If then God neither move men unto sin, nor command it when it is committed, nor assist the committers of it, because his Nature is so good, that he can neither tempt, nor he tempted unto evil, in no wise then certainly is he the Author of Sins, For▪ ●eus ●ui borus ●st, (saith P●●●●● mal●rum causa dici non ●●●●st; And it is an excellent speech which St. A●s●●● hath to this purpose; Fi●●i non potest, 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 a peccatis s●●gi●●r, 〈◊〉 cum in peccata decidatur: It cannot be that men should ●●ll, or be driven into sin by him, through whom they have their Resurrection from sin; for surely, if he did truly and properly throw them down, he would never be so willing to raise them up. Many have been restrained and held up by God's Grace, that they might not fall into disparate 〈◊〉, but none have been by him occasioned to fall, for he tempteth no man unto ●●●l.  
Doth God tempt no man unto evil? why then (may some say) do the Scriptures seem to speak so plainly to this purpose? why is it said of God, Exod. 4.21. I will harden Pharaoh 's heart, that he shall not let the People go: And Exod. 7.22. we read that Pharoah's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them, as the Lord had said. And Rom. 1.24. it is said of the Gentiles, that the Lord delivered them up unto a reprobate sense: Nay, the Prophet Jeremiah chargeth God to his face, in the 4th Chap at the 10th Verse, Then said I, ah Lord God surely thou deceived this People and Jerusalem, saying ye shall have Peace, whereas the Sword reacheth unto the Soul.  
And the Lord himself in plainer terms taketh it upon himself, Ezek. 14.9. If the Prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that Prophet: And in the 2d Chap. 2 Epist. to the Thess. at the 11th Verse, God shall send them strong Delusions, that they should believe a lie.  
If so, how doth our Apostle speak a truth here, when he saith God tempteth no man unto evil,  
For the better explication of these mysterious Expressions, and withal to make it appear unto you, how God shall be just, and ●●t bathe the natures and workers of such wickedness shall be ashamed before him: Take, I beseech you, seriously these two things into your Christian consideration.  
First, That in all the Scriptures before alleged, th●re is 〈◊〉 made of some precedent Iniquity in those ungracious Persons, wh●●● God so dealeth with, deserving and procuring the hand of God t●●, heavily upon them.  
Hath God hardened Pharaoh, surely ●●●●●●h ha●d●●● himself, Exod. 8 32. Du●ities oft Hominum peccatum O 〈…〉 s●●th 〈◊〉 so it was with this Obstinate Sinner, (saith S. A●g●●●●) D●●● 〈…〉 Ju●●●●●●●ys● 〈◊〉 per l●●erum a●b●trium, God hardened 〈◊〉 by his just Judgement, but Pharaoh first hardened himself by his 〈◊〉 free Will. Did he give over the Gentiles to a reprobate Sense? Filthiness not to be 〈◊〉 of▪ Look into the 〈◊〉 of the Rom. at 27, and you shall find the Apostle there to Answer in God's behalf, that it was a Recommence or Reward of their former Errors, or because they chan●●d the truth of God into a lie, worshipped the Creature more than the Creator, and turned the Glory of an incorruptible God into the Image of a corruptible Man; and wherefore were they misled with strong delusions, but because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved  
Thus God as a just Judge, seeing the Heart of Man to be wholly bend upon Wickedness, doth inflict upon him the Spiritual Punishment of induration, slumber, blindness, or the like punishment, I say, for when Sin is plagned with Sin, as it is many times in the Wisdom of God whereby he governeth the World, than it is not Peccatum but Judicium, not Sin, but Judgement; Thus St. A●gustin speaking of the hardening of Pharoah's Heart, he thus concludeth, God indeed did incline 〈◊〉 will of Phar●●h, being Evil of itself in this Sin, but it was by his Just and Secret Judgement. D●●● non est Author Pe●cati, ut est Peccatum, sed ut est ●●●●a P●●●at; God i● n●t the Author of Sin, as it is Sin, but as it is the punishment of those former Sins, which we have so presumptuously committed 〈◊〉 his Divine Majesty.  
But (2dly,) The second thing which I would 〈◊〉 you to consider is this, That whatsoever God doth in the Action of Sin●ing, as in hardening of Pharoah's Heart, or any other the like Judgements, he doth it not by infusing any Wickedness into their hearts; 〈◊〉 infused no Wickedness into the Heart of Pharaoh, there was Infidelity, Obstinacy, and Rebellion, before God did any thing in the matter, as it evidently appears by that Speech of his unto Moses and A●●●●, Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord th●● I should hear his Voice, and let Israel go, I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.  
Thus Reader, as this Doctrine hath been sufficiently proved, suffer the Instructions, (I beseech thee) arising from thence to be effectually enforced.  
In the first place then, if God be not the mover unto evil, or the author of sin, as the Apostle here affirmeth, then let no man attribute his sin unto God, by saying, God moved me to do thus or thus: For perditio tua ex t●, O Israel, thy sin is of thyself, and thou art the cause of thy own ruin.  
We cannot but be sensible that it is a great wickedness of this present Age too, too heathenish to impute the fault when they have sinned unto the Stars and Planets, by saying they were born under a Malignant Planet, and that the Stars had fore-signed their going awry: But to this St. Austin answers, and saith, that the Grace of God doth not only excel all the Stars and Planets in Heaven, but also controlleth the very Angels and Devils in Hell. And if you look into the 10th Chap. of Jeremiah at the 2d Verse, you shall not only find this judicial Astrology to be condemned as a heathenish invention, but also the People of God to be forewarned that they should not rely upon such vain signs and constellations.  
2dly, Others there be which stick not at this only, but reach more immediately at God himself, by saying, God would have it thus, and thus; and if God would not, I could not have done it, for who can resist his power.  
Thus, when they have spilt the blood of the innocent, like water upon the ground, defiled their Neighbour's beds, and provoked Heaven with many presumptuous sins, as Rapes, Robberies, Murders, Treasons, and the like; they will spew out a Blasphemy against God himself, by countenancing their sins under his authority; and by pleading that they have done but the will of God, in committing such wickedness against him.  
'Tis true, but it is a will, against his will, that because they did not value or regard that which God had publicly enjoined them, they should do another thing which he had privately determined; and he that fulfilleth the will of God in this manner, or rather the will of God is fulfilled upon him, will certainly, without timely and unfeigned repentance, perish unto all Eternity.  
I am now come to the second Argument, which the Apostle produceth here to prove his former proposition, which is drawn from the corruption of Man's own Nature, arising out of these words, but every Man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.  
As if the Apostle should have said here, but every Man's falling into any Sin, comes from himself, his own Treacherous sensual Appetite suggests, and tenders him some sensitive carnal baits, and so consequently by them draws him out or his Course, and entices him unto Sin.  
God then is neither the Mover, not the Author, nor the perfecter of any evil Action, that proceeds partly from our own Corruption, and partly from the suggestions of Satan: for our Nature's being through the ●ail of ou● first Parents corrupted, our desires are defiled, and being defiled rebel against the rules and dictates of right Reason, and so hu●●y u●on headlong unto all uncleanness, to draw iniquity with cords of Vanity and sin as it were with Cart-ropes.  
Now what shall we ●ay, that God is the cause of this Original Corruption, ●●●●ly no, But every Man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own ●ust and enticed.  
God placed Man at first in a perfect state of happiness, of innocently and integrity, for he made him pure in his Body, pure in his Soul, and pure in the 〈…〉 Soul,  
1. For his Body, though it was form out of the Dust, yet we must consider, that the Earth was not then corrupted, nor at that time infected, the Corruption came afterwards through the fall of Adam, when that curse of God was laid upon it by reason of Adam's Sin; Cursed is the Earth for thy sake, Gen. 3.17. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life, Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee: Before that, Man was free, and had a possibility to live for ever.  
2. For his Soul, it was most divine and heavenly, (Divinâ particulâ Aurae) being a spark of Divinity infused by God himself, who breathed into Man the breath of Life, and made it spiritual like unto himself: It was not of the Essence of God, for than it should have been equal with God, but it was such a workmanship, as did resemble him in true holiness and perfect integrity.  
3. As for the faculties of his Soul, they were likewise pure, his reason and understanding was clear, without any blindness or imperfection at all; His will was free from all Bondage, Coaction, or Compulsion whatsoever, so that none but himself could have brought any inconveniencies, or damage unto himself.  
There's no fault then upon God's side possibly to be found, no hard measure offered by him: He gave unto Man all things necessary and commodious for a pleasant and an happy life, he gave him liberty and freedom to stand, what more could he desire? It was miserable Man then, that was the cause of his own ruin, who abused that power which God had given him, by suffering the Devil that great Enemy of Mankind, who always Enveighed at his prosperity, to beguile and poison him with an Apple, not by force, but by deceit, working on the Woman, the weaker Vessel, she being poisoned, poisoneth her Husband, and the poison being contagious; spreads itself through all the faculties both of Body and Soul, and that deadly too: For so God had said before, in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, Gen. 2, 17. Man was now after all this, subject unto all infirmities, his Body to the Temporal, his Soul unto the Spiritual and eternal Death.  
There is neither Disease of the Body, nor Sickness of the Soul, but what came in with Sin, not unto Adam only, but unto us his Offspring; for though at first he only sinned, yet we are culpable through his Fact, and it is derived unto us both by imputation and propagation.  
1. By imputation, so saith the Apostle, Rom. 4, 19 By one Man's disobedience many were made Sinners.  
2. By Propagation, Ezek. 18, 2. The Fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and the children's Teeth are set on edge.  
So that now (our natures being corrupted) the soundness and integrity of all the faculties therein are diseased, the Image of God is wholly defaced, the Soul is taken up with a Mass of Injustice, and we are subject to a necessity of Sinning.  
For as it was true of Man in the State of Innocency, Potest non peccare, he might if he would, not have Sinned, because God left him in the hands of his own Counsels, and gave him liberty both ways, either to Sin, or not to Sin; So now it is true in the State of Corruption, non potest non peccare, he cannot choose but sin; the whole lump of his Nature being soured with that ancient Leaven; nor shall he ever be delivered from that Corruption, whereunto he is Subject, until he attains unto the State of glorification, wherein it shall as certainly be verified, non potest peccare, he cannot Sin, though he would, corruption having put on incorruption, both in Body and Soul.  
Which necessity of Sinning in the mean time is not in any external cause, but in the decayed Nature of Man, upon the fall whereof cometh Vanity in the Mind, and a frowardness in the Will, to departed from the living God.  
Thus than you see the immediate cause of Sin, to be our own corruption and concupiscence, which draweth us away from the rules of Reason, and the right Paths of God's commandments: nor is this true only in the wicked and reprobate, but even in the dearest Children of God; They are not free from this Original infection, they have many combats and conflicts in them.  
There is Ishmael against Isaac, the Flesh against the Spirit continually striving; S. Paul himself complained hereof, Rom. 7, 23. He found one Law in his Mind, another in his Members, striving against the Law of his Mind, and leading him from that which was true, just, and holy, unto the contrary which he did not allow of.  
Thus than we still see the former proposition to be very true, viz. That God is not the mover unto Evil, nor the Author of Sin, but every Man is Tempted when he is drawn away by his own Lust and enticed. For there is an absolute Antipathy betwixt God and Sin, as being contrary to his divine Nature, which is pure and holy. Let no Man then say at any time, when he is tempted unto evil, God caused him to err, for he hath no need of Sinful Man; The Lord hateth all abomination of Error, and they that fear God, love it not, saith the Son of Syrach, Eccles. 15.11, 12. Again in the last Verse of that Chapter he hath Commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man a Licence to Sin.  
In the last place, this Doctrine may teach us all not to suffer ourselves at any time to be drawn away by our own Lust and Concupiscence; not to hearken to the dictates of our own corrupt Natures, but to endeavour with all immaginable resistance to oppose those unruly Motions, and evil inclinations, which do daily tempt and solicit us to violate the sacred Laws of our Maker.  
In a word, whensoever the Devil shall assault us by any manner of Temptation, let us I beseech you both remember and practise what S. Peter hath prescribed unto us 1. Peter 5.9. Whom resist steadfast in the Faith, and by how much the De●●●●●●he more watchful for his Prey, let us I beseech you, be so m●●● the more watchful unto prayer to withstand him.  
It is good Advice, which the Wiseman gives, viz. That we should giv● the water no Passage, no not a little; so we should give as small an entrance unto Satan as possibly may be, for let but one foul Spirit enter and rest 〈◊〉 while in thy Soul, and by and by Legions will be there, and then Satan wi●● be like the Centurion's Servant in one part, but not in the other; bid his come and he comes presently, but bid him go and he will not be gone without much ado, for if you once give him an Inch, he'll be sure to take an Ell●  
Let us therefore (obstare principiis) withstand him in the beginning of hi● assaults, and stifle our sins in their first conception, before they are brought forth into action, for when once Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and si● when it is finished bringeth forth death, death and destruction both to body and soul, and a final rejection from God and all divine Mercies, which man by sin hath justly deserved from the hand of his Creator.  
I might indeed here enlarge a great deal more, but I think it needless having made out the main points of the Text, and answered all the objections that might possibly have been brought to oppose it.  
So I beseech all that bear the name of Christians, to abandon every wicked conceit, or opinion of their Maker, and likewise not to be any way concerned for the non-apprehension of those sublime mysteries, which he doth no● think either profitable, or convenient for us to be acquainted with: Bu● let us all unanimously join in the diligent fulfilling this most seasonable and excellent advice of S●lomon, Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the Whole Duty of Man; This is indeed the Will of God, and th● end of all our obligations to him, with which we are charged, and to which w● are all enjoined: But as for the Books of God's Councils and secret Decrees which are clasped up, that no man may read them, let us leave them unto th● Lamb and blessed Trinity; But those of Moses, and the Prophets, of Christ, and his Apostles, are written for our Instruction, and for our posterity's after us These let us search, and inquire into with all imaginable care and diligence and with reverence and submission, let us with the Prophet David Meditate upon them day, and Night, that hereby our Sinful Souls may be amended and saved finally in the day of our Lord Jesus. Amen.  
FINIS.