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Good out of Evil-Not the Author of Confusion.

vealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Jn. 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

Rom. 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

2 Thes. 2:10 They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Rev. 17: 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. [See 236.]

250. God brings good out of evil.

Ps. 76: 10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Rom. 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righte ousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man,) 6 God forbid for then how shall God judge the world? 7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

5: 20 Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God.

251. The sense in which delusions and moral evils are not of God.

Jer. 7:9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and

God's motives and Man's.

swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

1 Cor. 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Jam. 1:13 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: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

1 Jn. 2: 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

252. God and mankind often have different motives in effecting the same events.

Gen. 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you: and they came near: and he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Is. 10:5 0 Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in

Free Agency under.

their hand is mine indignation. 6 I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

Mk. 15:9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 (For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.)

Jn. 3: 16 God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Ac. 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

253. Mankind act freely under the universal providence of God.

Gen. 42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Ex. 8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

9:27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God that he may take away from me this death only.

Dt. 30: 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

Free Agency under.

Jos. 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve.

2 S. 24:1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

Pr. 1: 10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

23:26 My son, give me thy heart.

Song 1:4 Draw me, we will run after thee.

Is. 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

Hos. 13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.

Mat. 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed.

Mat. 18:7 Wo unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Lk. 22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined but wo unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

23:39 And one of the malefactors, which were hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation ?

Jn. 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Ac. 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Rom. 2: 15 (Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another.)

Objections-Objectors reproved.

Ph. 2:12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

[See Invitations, 286, 289, 290, and Probation, 468, 469, and Regeneration, 505, 506.]

254. Objections against God's providential government.

Rom. 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? 255. Objectors against Providence reproved.

Job 40:2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Is. 45:9 Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? 10 Wo unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

Mat. 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good?

Lk. 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Rom. 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus ? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

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