Page:The Faith as Unfolded by Many Prophets.djvu/149

 supposed that sin was created by Adam, I made the same reply, saying, If God permit aught evil which he could prevent, the evil is from him: — If he could not prevent, why call we him God?

Rather let us suppose, said Eber, that what men now call evil shall prove in the end to bring forth that which is holy and blessed. Pain is now grievous to us, and it is lawful to escape from it when an innocent way is open, though we must endure willingly that which it is not permitted to escape. Sin is the most odious of all things, and therefore we must watch against it, and flee from it with all our might. We ought to dread falling under temptation more than the dangers of a precipice, and should purify ourselves from the infection of bad examples more carefully than from that of the plague. Having sinned, we should be more anxious to repent than the sick man to be healed of his sickness. Fearful are the ways of God in the earth: — but of all the sorrows which he has ordained, none are so terrible as those which await upon guilt.

Is sin then to be patiently endured like sickness? asked Aza.

The sinner, like the afflicted, must humble