WICKED

A word to the wicked, who march furiously against God and his people, let them know that God's decree is unchangeable. God will not alter it, nor can they break it; and while they resist God's will they fulfil it. There is a two-fold will of God, Voluntas praecepti et decreti; the will of God's precept, and of his decree.' While the wicked resist the will of God's precept, they fulfil the will of his permissive decree. Judas betrays Christ, Pilate condemns him, the soldiers crucify him; while they resist the will of God's precepts, they fulfil the will of his permissive decree. Acts 4:48. God commands one thing, they do the contrary; to keep the Sabbath, and they profane it. While they disobey his command, they fulfil his permissive decree. If a man sets up two nets, one of silk, the other of iron, the silken net may be broken, not the iron; so while men break the silken net of God's command, they are taken in the iron net of his decree; while they sit backward to God's precepts, they row forward to his decrees; his decrees to permit their sin, and to punish them for their sin permitted.