were able were bound not to do this so that we see God may do many things which his Law binds men not to do the other side may not do many things which by his Law men are obliged to do and therefore he is not subject to it as men are he is Dominus legis non subditus True it is that God is so a Law to himselfe that he can do nothing which is contrary to his one nature as he cannot lye he cannot deny himselfe but there are some things forbidden in the Law which are not contrary to the nature of God Thus we see how God may worke in the same actions with the sinfull creature and yet himselfe be altogether blamelesse for look as when God gets himselfe glory by the actions of wicked men as by the Jewes crucifying of Christ it is no thanke to them because they never intended it so on the other side when they abuse his power and providence supporting the strength of nature euen in sinfull actions it is no blame to him because he being the good of nature must sustaine nature in all her actions and motions and because that as the evill which wicked men doe is onely an accidentall cause of his glory so the good which he affords them and the helpe which he administers in upholding their naturall strength is onely an accidentall cause of the evill which they commit CHAP. VIII Shewing how those Scriptures are to he understood which by the sound of words seeme to make God the author and proper cause of sinne THose Scriptures wherein the same sinfull actions are attributed both to God and men and set forth by the same expressions as when God said that what David had done he would doe 2 Sam. 12.12 seem to sound so as if both were alike causes of these actions therefore it will be needfull to speake something that may be helpfull to weaker apprehensions for the right understanding of these Scriptures and for clearing of Gods holinesse and justice I shall instance onely in some of the principall of them and what shall be held forth for the clearing of these may likewise be helpfull for giving satisfaction to other places wherein the like expressions are used Object In that place Exodus 9.12 which was propounded for the subject of this discourse it is said that God hardned Pharaohs heart afterward it is said that Pharaoh hardned his owne heart verse 34. Now it may be asked since the same action is attributed to both how both were not causes alike in producing of it Answ The Lord did this in another way then Pharaoh did it he did it onely by administring occasion he sent Moses with a peremptory emptory command to Pharaoh to let his people go this did irritate the natural pride and rebellion of Pharaohs heart and stir up in him a stronger and more stubborn resolution not to let them go As the command was holy just and good so it was good that it should be applyed to Pharaoh by propounding it and urging it upon him but the more this was done the worse he grew for the command being holy and his heart altogether unholy these two being contrary the nearer they were brought together the more they did strive and fight one against another this being the nature of contraries as before was shewed But here was no fault at all in the command for the proper end of the command was to informe Pharaoh of his duty and to stir him up to the performance of it But Pharaoh takes a contrary course for whereas the end of the command was to make him willing to let the people goe he takes occasion from it to grow more refractory either because it put him in mind of the damage he should receive by their departure they being so serviceable in making brick for his buildings or that it might appear that he thought not any no not the great God greater then himself and therefore he scorned to stoope and submit himself to any of his commands By all which it appeares that the command was onely an occasion or accidentall cause of Pharaohs hardning but no faulty cause at all Now as the command did it God did that being his agent and he working by it Neither God nor his command put any evill into Pharaohs heart but by propounding good to him and not imparting grace to perform it he takes occasion to become more evill Augustine Epist 105. ad Sixtum Deus obdurat non impartiendo malitiam sed non impatiendo gratiam saith S. Austine God hardneth not by infusing any evil but by not bestowing grace To this purpose Doctor Twiss saith well In his answer to Mr. Cotten that when a man is moved to courses contrary to his corrupt humours whether by the word of God or his works these motions being onely by way of perswasion and he doth not by grace remove or correct those corrupt humours in this case to move and to deny grace is to harden It is a good thing to move to good actions by outward perswasions neither is God bound to confer grace inwardly upon all those whom he doth thus perswade outwardly Object 2 It is said that God did that which Absolon did when he defiled his Fathers Concubines Answ 1. As God did it it was an Act of justice in punishing Davids sin with Vriahs wife by suffering Absolon to commit the like sin with his wives 2. God administred occasion of this action by causing David to leave his Concubins to keep his house There was no evill in this but hence Ahitophel takes occasion to give that wicked counsell and Absolon takes occasion to follow it in defiling his Fathers Concubines Object 3. David saith that God bad Shimei go and curse him 2 Sam. 16.10 Answ This is not to be taken properly as if Shimei had received a command from God to do this but onely it sheweth the efficacy of the divine administration of things even in such things whereof God is onely a cause by accident 2. God did administer occasion to Shimei for his heart being full of rancor against David he seeing now David to be brought into distresse thought this a fit time to vent bis malice because now he might do it with hope of impunity as before was shewed 3. He did it as an Act of justice David had caused the name of God to be blasphemed by the sins which he had committed and the Lord suffers this wretch to curse and blaspheme him Object 4. It is said that God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people Psal 105.25 Answ He is said to doe this not that he infused any hatred into their hearts but in that he administred occasion for he caused his people to grow and increase exceedingly both in number and in wealth Now this gave occasion to the Egyptians to envy and to hate them here the goodnes of God to his people stirred up evill affections in them
according to the divers qualitie and tempers of their affections yea Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Bellar. de amiss grariae sta pcti l. 2. c. 14. Deum immutare cor principum immittendo aliquam bonam cogitationem aut saltem indifferentem ex qua tamen impediuntur a proposito suo ita decipiuntur That God doth change the mind of Princes by putting some thought that is good or at least indifferent whereby they are hindred from their purpose and so are deceived Thus God may administer occasions of sinning either inwardly or outwardly Inwardly by stirring up and suggesting such thoughts to their minds as are in themselves lawfull and good or at least not evill and yet they take occasion by them to be led to evill It was no ill thought for Josephs brethren to thinke that their Father loved him better then he did them yet this was the occasion of their envy and hatred against him Gen. 37.4 It was no ill thought for Pharaoh to think that if the Israelites should continue to multiply and increase as they began they might in time grow too strong for him and so depart out of his country whether he would or no yet hence he takes occasion to oppresse them with heavie burthens and to give command for murthering their male children Exod. 2.10.13,14 Shimei whose heart was full of rancor and bitternesse against David because the Kingdom was translated from his tribe to the Tribe of Judah when he saw that David was in distresse being driven from Jerusalem by the conspiracy of his son Absolon and thinking it may be that this came upon David as a just judgement of God for his unjust dealing with Vriah the Hittite hence takes occasion to vent his splene by cursing of David the the hope of impunity likewise helping him forward Jeroboam thought if the people should goe up yearly to worship at Jerusalem this might be a means to make them returne again to the house of David this was no evill thought yet hence he takes occasion to set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel whereby he made Israel to sin 1 Kin. 12.26,28 If the Jews thought that to morrow they should dye that is that destruction would shortly come the Prophet having denounced it this was no ill thought yet hence they take occasion instead of fasting to fall to feasting Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shal dye say they Isai 22.13 The Jewes thought if they should let Christ alone all men would follow after him this thought was not evill but hence they take occasion of taking counsell to kill him Joh. 11.48 Vind. lib. 2. p. 83. Deus non modo occasiones ministrat sed ad consilia ex occasionibus nata formanda concurrit saith Dr. Twisse i. e. God may administer occasions outwardly and that both by his workes and by his word By his workes divers wayes as 1. By his works of mercy Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily saith Solomon therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to doe evill Eccles 8.11 These things hast thou don saith God and I was silent and thou thoughtest that I was such an one as thy selfe Psal 50.21 When God holds his peace at wicked men when he doth not speake to them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure then they are ready to thinke that he likes of them well enough and of their wayes and and courses so that we see Gods patience and long suffering is an accidentall cause of mans security of his presumption and boldnesse in evill wayes Magna peccandi illecebra impunitatis spes saith the Orators hope of impunity is a great allurement to iniquity And as his patience is an occasion of presumption so is bounty of forgetfulnesse yea of rebellion against God When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe beware thou forget not the Lord thy God Deu. 8.10,11 saith Moses to the people Give me not riches least I be ful and deny thee Pro. 30.9 When Jeshurun waxed fat then be kicked then he waxed wanton and rebellious Deut. 13.15 and it followes Psal 18. Thou hast forgotten God that formed thee 2. By workes of justice Thus men men oftimes take occasion by the judgements and punishments which God inflicts upon them for sin to breake out further into sin The Lord led his people through the wildernesse and caused them sometimes to meet with want of water other whiles want of bread sometimes to be assailed by enemies to humble and to prove them that he might do them good in their latter end Deut. 8.2 But the bad ones amongst them hence tooke occasion to murmur and rebell against him When the Lord powres the vials of his wrath upon the followers of the Beast and the adherents of Ante-Christ hence they take occasion to blaspheme God of Heaven for their paines and sores and repented not of their workes Rev. 16.10 when the King of Moab was brought to great streights by the Armies of Judab and Israel to whom the Lord had promised successe in their expedition against him 2 Kings 2.17 he takes his eldest son and sacrifices him upon the wall ver 27. 3. By his works of providence It was the worke of a favourable providence which caused the Israelites so exceedingly to multiply in Egypt yet hence Pharaob takes occasion to oppresse them and to murther their male-children It was a worke of providence that brought David in his slight from Saul to Abimelech the Priest for relief at such a time when Doeg the Edomite was with him 1 Sam. 22.7 now hence he takes occasion by his false slaunders to stirre up Saul to kill all the Lords Priests at Nob and to make him the instrument 1 Sam. 23.18 It was a worke of providence that brought David to the sight of a woman washing her selfe in her garden when he was walking upon the roof of his house in an evening this was an occasion to him of entertaining thoughts of uncleannesse and of putting them forth into action 2 Sam. 11.2,4 there was no fault at all in offering the occasion but all the evil arose from David for Joseph had as strong an occasion offered to allure him to the like sin yet was not at all hurt by it Gen. 39.9 It was a work of providence that brought the wise men that came from the East to Jerusalem to enquire after the King of the Jewes who was then borne it was the speciall command of God to direct their going home another way and not to returne againe to Jerusalem yet Herod hence takes occasion to murther all the male children in Bethlem and the bordering coasts that were two yeares old and under Mat. 2.16 2. As God by his works administers occasion to men to breake forth into sinne so he doth the like by his word Thus he sent his word and command to Pharaoh charging him to let the people of Israel goe but hence Pharaoh
and trouble of spirit stirring in him when there is no feare to commit sin nor care to prevent the evill that sin will bring then is the heart heardned This hardness of heart is either naturall or adventitiall and acquired the first of these we all bring with us into the world being either altogether insensible of our spirituall misery by reason of sin and suffering or not so sensible as we should be Hence the heart of man is said to be a heart of stone Acquired hardness is that whereby the natural is increased and augmented this may in some degree be not onely be in the worst but in the best of men which is brought to passe either by custom in sinning or by secret judgement or by both of this there are divers degrees as 1. When a man takes liberty voluntarily and frequently to do such things as he knows to be sinfull 2. When he doth these against the frequent perswasions admonitions and cals of the word to the contrary 3. Against such corrections punishments and judgements which God shall inflict upon himself or he shall see inflicted upon others for the same or for the like sins 4. When he shall do this against the stirrings and strivings the checks or rebukes of his own Conscience 5. When notwithstanding all these he shall take up strong resolutions and confirmed purposes to do as he hath done namely to maintain his own wil against Gods will Thus may wicked men harden their own hearts and thus i'ts often said of Pharaoh that he hardned his heart and would not let the peoplegoe when he once saw that the judgement was past 6. When he shall come to be past all sence and feeling of his sin thus the Apostle speaks of some that being past feeling gave themselves to commit all uncleannesse with greediness Eph. 4.10 2. There may be an acquired hardnesse by the secret judgement of God Thus it s said here that the Lord hardned Pharaohs heart and of Sihon that the Lord hardned his spirit and made it obstinate that he might give him into the bands of the Israelites Deut. 2.30 How this is done more shall be spoken in the due place CHAP. II. Shewing that God is not nor cannot be the author or proper cause of this or any other sinne BY another and proper cause I understand causa perse such a cause as is in it self and in i'ts own nature tends to produce such or such an effect as the Sun is the proper cause of light and heat the water of moisture and the like That God cannot thus be the cause of sin may appear upon these following grounds Argu. 1. God is the Author of all good and therefore he cannot be Author of evill for out of the same fountaine cannot proceed sweet water and bitter Jam. 3.11 As the Sun cannot be the proper cause of light and darkness no more can the Lord be of good and evill 2. Sin is a defect now God is all act yea he is actus purissimus perfectissimus the most pure and perfect act therefore he cannot be the Author that which is a defect for however sinne cleaves to mens actions as the accident to be subject yet it self is a meere defect in a privation of what should be 3. Sin is contrary to those excellent qualities and properties which immediately flow from the nature of God is light sin is darkness 1 Joh 1.5.6 God is purity and holiness Sin is pollution and filthiness Jam. 1.21 God is righteous yea righteousness it self all sin is unrighteousness 1 Joh 5.17 God is perfection in the highest degree all sin is imperfection now one contrary cannot be the proper cause of another 4. God is said to be such a God as loveth not wickednesse neither can evill dwell with him yea he hates all the workers of iniquity Psal 5.4.5 he hates them because of their sinne now he cannot hate that which himself is the Author and proper cause of 5. He threatens in his word that he will punish all sinne and iniquity that he wil not hold the wicked innocent Exod. 34.7 but he wil visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children even unto the third and fourth Generation that the wicked shall not goe unpunished Prov. 11.21 they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 Now it cannot stand with his justice to punish that which himself is the Author and proper cause of 6. Sin makes a reparation between God and the soul Esay 59.2 It is an aversion of the soul from God Now God cannot be the Author of that which is an aversion from him for then he should deny himself but he cannot lye or denye himselfe 1 Tim. 2.13 7. If God could be the Author of sin he himself might be said to be a sinner if he were the Author of unrighteousness he himself might be said to be unrighteous to which the Apostle gives an absit as a thing blasphemous to speak or think Is God unrighteous which punisheth saith he God forbid How then shall he judge the world Rom. 3.5,6 8. The Apostle saith that he who committeth sin is of the Devil 1 John 3.8 and that Christ came into the world to dissolve the workes of the Devil Now Christ came not into the world to dissolve the works of God therefore sin is none of his work 9. If God should be the Author of sin then the difference betwixt good and evil would be taken away both arising from the same cause in the same manner 10. If God should be the Author of sin then he should seem to dissemble and deale deceitfully with men because he so often cals off from this as a thing which he loathes and abhors and mean while is the parent and producer of it By all these grounds it appeares that God cannot be the Author and proper cause of sin though he hath some kind of hand in it CHAP. III. Shewing how God hath a hand in the sinful actions of men THe just and holy God may be said to have a hand in the unjust actions of sinful men divers wayes as 1. By way of permission when he suffers them to follow the sinful inclinations and dispositions of their own wicked natures and so produce actions accordingly without restraining or hindring them Thus it is said he suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own waies Act. 14.16 A man may be said to have a hand in that which he willingly and wittily suâ—…ers to be done when he hath power to hinder it This is granted on all hands for if God should not suffer sin to be it could not be committed God is able to restrain and hinder the committing of sin if he pleaseth if any thing should be done whether he would or not then were he not omnipotent 2. By suffering Satan to tempt and provoke mon to sinne and by his temptations to prevaile thus it is said that he did deliver all that Job had into the hans of Satan and then
motions but guides these with the several adjuncts and accidents belonging to them to such ends as seem best to his wisdom and in none of these doth he appeare in any sort culpable CHAP. IV. Shewing that God hath a hand in the evill actions of men more then by way of bare permission THat permission is excised by God in the sinful actions of men is by none denyed for if he did not suffer them they could not be but whether this permission be accompanied with action whether he hath any kind of efficiency or working in the evill that is done by men is the great question the affirmative part whereof may thus be proved Argu. 1. The Scripture expressions whereby God is said to have a hand in sin are almost alway such as denote action and not a bare permission onely It doth not say that God suffered Pharaoh to harden his own heart but that God hardned Pharaohs heart Exod. 9.12 It is not said that he suffered the Cananites to hearden their hearts against Joshua but that it was of the Lord that they should harden their hearts to come against Israel that they might destroy them and they might have no favour Josh 11.20 It is not said that he suffered Absolon to commit wickednesse with his Fathers Concubins but he tels David What thou hast done in secret I will doe in the sight of the Sun 2 Sam. 12.12 It is not said that he suffered the Egyptians to hate his people but that he turned their hearts to hate them Psal 105.25 that he suffered the false Prophet to be deceived but I the Lord have deceived him Ezek. 14 9. that he suffered the Gentiles to follow their vile affections but he gave them up to vile affections Rom 2.26 that he suffered those who received not the love of the truth to be led away with delusions but he should send them strong delusions to beleeve a Lye 2 Thes 2.11 When our Saviour directs us to pray against temptation he doth not bid us pray that God would not suffer us to be led into temptation but that he would not lead us into temptation By these and many other places where Gods working in sin is held forth to us by way of action it plainly appeares that in the sinfull actions of men God doth exercise more then a bare permission else why should the Scripture so constantly use such expressions as denote action The Scripture doth never so frequently and constantly speake improperly in any subject where it might as easily have spoken properly Argu. 2. When God is said to harden Pharaohs heart and Pharaoh is said to harden his own heart if one of these may be taken by way of permission only why not the other also and so Pharaoh should have no action in the hardning of his own heart for though God doth act and worke in another manner then Pharaoh himselfe doth as shall more largely be showne afterwards yet the same expression being applyed to both it plainly argues that action belongs to both in this hardning though the manner of their acting be far different Argu. 3. It is granted by all that God doth permit sin to be otherwise it could not be Now if he doth permit then he doth volens permittere he doth willingly permit it for if he should not willingly permit it thâ—n it should come to passe against his will but it cannot stand with his omnipotency that any thing should come to passe whether he will or no It is the true rule of Austin August in enchirid cap. 95. Nihil fit nisi quod omnipotens fieri velit vel ipse faciendo vel permittendo ut fiat There is nothing done but the omnipotent God will have it to be done either by doing it himselfe or by permitting it to be done by others If he willingly permits it then he wils it for an act of his will passeth upon it if he wills it look how far he wils it he works it For he is in Heaven and doth whatsoever he will Psal 115.3 so far as he wils any thing shall be or come to passe so far he acts in bringing it to passe for his will is an active and operative-will The acts of his will are actus ad intra acts within himself and all immanent acts are of the same nature with himselfe who is totus actus all act how then can it be conceived that such acts as these should be without action All these immanent acts namely the acts of his will counsell and purpose touching things which shall be as they are in him from all eternity so in time he puts them forth in some outward action and working Hence it is said That he workes all things according to the counsell of his will Ephes 5.11 Bella mine saith Bellar. de amiss grat statu pcti lib. 2. c. 14. Deus est causa indurationis non positivè sed negativè seilicet permissive God is the cause of hardning not positively but negatively namely by way of permission so that he makes permission to be such a thing wherein God denies and withholds all action and thus he saith God hardens But to harden is an act and how can an act be without action so that this is nothing else but to bring in a clear contradiction for the blinding of the truth yea he saith further Deus praesidet ipsis malis voluntatibvs eas regit gubernat terquet flectit in iis invisibiliter operando God doth as it were sit President over the evill wils of men and doth rule governe wrest and bend them by working invisibly in them Is not here a manifest contradiction to his negative permission for are not all these actions and can there be action without action Far more agreeable to truth is the assertion of Dr. Twisse speaking of this subject Dr. Twisse vindict l. 2 p. 27. Non tantum voluisse Deum ab aeterno dicimus sed conformiter ita operatum esse in tempore totum negotium ita administrasse ut revera peccaret Adamus We affirme that God did not only will from all eternity but did answerably so worke in time and so order the businesse that Adam should certainly fall Argum. 4. The Scripture saith that Herod Pontius Pilate and the people of Israel were gathered together against Christ to do whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done Acts 4.27,28 what these did to Christ in his suffering was sinfull in a high degree yet it was done by the determinate counsel of God and as it is in this so it is in all other actions of the like nature whatever is done in time is determined and decreed before all time Now the decrees of God are oneâ—geticall decrees whatever he hath decreed shall be he some way or other procures the being of it so that though he be not the Author of it if it be evill yet he hath some kind of efficiency and working
tooke an occasion to grow stubborne and rebellious and more to harden his heart in a resolution not to let them goe Exod. 5.2 I know not the Lord saith he neither will I let them go yea the ofner Moses came to him with command from God for doing it the more he still hardned his heart against it looke as a strong streame the more it is stopt the higher it riseth though no new water be added to it so it is in this case Thus the Jewes the more they were warned by the Prophet of their Idolatry and that they should not goe downe into Egypt Jer. 42.17 the more obstinate and wilfull they waxed both these wayes Chap. 44.16 so when Christs hearers heard that which they thought touched themselves it is said they were filled with with wrath and thrusting him out of the City they led him to the edge of an hill with purpose to have throwen him downe headlong Luk. 18.27 When Stephen preached so excellently to the Jews they hurst with anger and gnashed upon him with their teeth running violently upon him Act 7.54.57 So that Christs and Stephens preaching was an accidentall cause of the wrath of these wicked men as the stopping of a streame is the cause of the rising of it Hence the Apostle speaking of the Law saith where there is no law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 that sin took occasion by the command and wrought in him all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin is dead but when the Law came sin revived Rom. 7.8,9 that sin took occasion by the command and deceived him verse 11. so that the Law quickned sin put life into it and set it on worke it lying as it were dead before and not stirring so strongly as it did after the comming of the Law by all which it appeares that the Law is an accidentall cause of sin Now so far as the Law workes it God workes it the Law being his agent and instrument Quest But here it may be asked how can it be that the Law which in it selfe is holy just and good should any way be the cause of evill Answ This ariseth from the contrariety that is betwixt the good and holy law of God and mans corrupt and wicked heart there is nothing more pure and holy then the Law of God it being the perfect rule of righteousnesse and an exact idaea of all purity and holinesse there is nothing more corrupt and and impure then the wicked heart of man it being the fountaine of all pollution and filthinesse Mat. 15.19 Jer. 17.9 Now it is a true rule in Logick Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt when contraries are placed neer together the contrarieties of their natures doth more appeare and put forth it selfe keep fire and water at a distance and the contrarieties of their natures doth not much shew it selfe but bring them together cast water upon the fire or put coales of fire into the water then they fight one with the other and the stronger overcomes the weaker so the more neer and close the most pure and holy word of God be brought and applyed to the corrupt and rebellious will of man the more is the innate corruption and rebellion of it irritated and stirred up and the more strongly doth it put forth it selfe The more strongly the command was pressed upon Pharaoh touching letting the Israelites goe the more strongly did his rebellious will rise up against it This we may see true in the ordinary carriage of wicked men Let a proud swearer or filthy speaker be rebuked for their ill language and they will the more breake forth into abusive speech Thus we see how the Law and Word of God that in its owne nature tends to restraine and represse sin may accidentally provoke and put men forward to greater eagernesse and violence in sinning yea not onely the Law but the Gospel may by accident be an occasion of greater evil Thus our Saviour tels the Pharisees that if they had been blind they had had no sinne but because they said they did see therefore their sin remained Joh. 9. last if they had had no meanes of knowledge their sin had not been so great but now the light shined upon them thereby their sin was increased because they shut their eyes against it Hence likewise the Apostle saith that the Gospel was to some the savour of death 2 Cor. 2.16 In it owne nature it did tend to life but by accident it came to be an occasion of death to such as rejected it Thus we see how God may be accidentally a cause of sin namely by administring occasion and that both inwardly and outwardly both by his workes and by his word and Bellarmine himselfe is forced in a manner to acknowledge thus much for he saith Bellar. de amiss grat statu pcti l. 2. c. 14. Patientia Dei aliquo modo indurat Caeterum non dicitur excecare vel indurare nisi per accidens sed ipsis homines abutentes rebus bonis seipsos obdurat The patience of God doth after a sort harden men but yet he is not said to blind or to harden but onely by accident for when they doe abuse good things they harden themselves Here Bellarmine grants that God may bee said to blind and harden men by accident when they abusing his Patience and long suffering take occasion from thence to harden themselves in sinne CHAP. VI. Shewing that such causes as worke by accident may have a true efficiency and yet not be altogether blameless in blame-worthy actions THat accidental causes may have a true efficiency and yet not be faulty when the effect is faulty may appear both by Reason and Scripture 1. The rule of reason tels us that whatsoever hath a vis any power or vertue to bring forth an effect is so far a cause of that effect For causa est cujus vi res est Now there be many things which have an efficiency in bringing forth such or such an effect which yet cannot justly be blamed though the effect be evill When a man stands so neare the fire that he scorcheth his legges the fire hath a true efficiency in this scorching yet not the fire but the man onely is to be blamed for though it be the natural property of the fire to burne yet the end why the fire was made was to warme not to burn those that stand before it and that it scorcheth the mans leggs it is his owne fault because he did not stand further off when he might have done it and the fire was onely an accidental cause of scorching When a man weares a sword for his defence and he in a Melancholike or mad humour shall run the Sword into his own body here not the Sword but the man is to be blamed because the end of wearing a Sword is the safety not the hurt of the owner and though it hath a true efficiency in hurting wounding