operis operantis the intention of worke and the workeman Sin is besides the scope of the worke which God doth but not besides his owne intent who is the agent and workeman When he decrees sin shall be he intends it shall be by such wayes and meanes by which acts and workes so far as he works in it as in themselues and their own nature tend onely to good and are meer accidentall causes of the evill which man does The Law and word of God his mercies judgements and all his dealing with men in their owne nature tend to this end namely to make men better nor worse and if they be made worse by them it is propter scopum besides the scope and intent whereto these things in their owne nature tend The Gospel in it selfe tends to life when therefore it is the savour of death it is besides the proper scope intent and of the Gospel but though it besides the intent of the Gospel to be the savour of death it is not besides Gods intent for he both knows and intends in what effect the Gospell shall have otherwise he should be defective in his wisedome and providence besides what power the Gospel hath to produce an effect either way it receives from him Hence it is aid to be the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 the powerfull instrument which God useth to bring men salvation which power he puts into it and so likewise when he workes the other way it is power also The Lord bids the Prophet Go make the hearts of this people fat and make their â—ares heavie and shut their eyes c Isa 6.10 and how should he do this namely by preaching the word unto them by which it appeares that sometimes the word doth harden mens hearts close their ears and shut their eyes and that God intends it should do so and sends it for this very purpose yet the word in owne nature tends to soften their hearts to open their eares and eyes to make them see and heare better so that the word here is onely an accidentall cause it being beside the scope and intent of the word to harden yet this is not besides Gods intent who in all his actions and in the use of such instruments as are imployed in them propounds to himselfe a most sure and certaine end By all which appeares as the secret and just judgement of God so his infinite wisedome and skill who can worke out his owne ends by such meanes as in their owne nature do tend a contrary way CHAP. X. Shewing some usefull conclusions which do necessarily follow from what hath been spoken of this Subject Conclu 1. IF God so ordereth things that in all the sins which are committed by men though he hath a secret working hand yet he workes in a most just and holy manner and doth nothing but what is right and good Hence it followes that in all the sin which is committed in all the evill which is done either by our selves or others we lay all the blame on our selves or them not imputing the least miscarriage on God not so much as in our thoughts He is just in al his wayes and holy in all his workes what ever he doth is well done be the instruments never so bad by whom it is done In all the evill that befals us we have no just reason at all to repine and murmur to be impatient or discontent for all his dealings with us whether by his word or his workes his mercies or his judgements do in themselves tend to good when therefore any evill comes we must take heed we do not charge God foolishly Iob. 1.22 but remember that we have procured these things to our selves as the Prophet tels the people Jer. 2.17 Sin is the seed of sorrow all the evill of suffering ariseth from the evill of sinning and this ariseth onely from our selves yea though sometimes we suffer many evils altogether unjustly as they proceed from men yet as they come from God who guides all the actions of men they are done most holily wisely and justly Thus Daniel acknowledgeth in regard of himselfe and his people O Lord righteousnesse belongs to thee open shame to us Dan. 9.6 Thou art just in all that is â—one upon us saith Nehemiah for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly cap. 9. last Let God be true and every man a lyar saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 So let God be just and holy and every man sinfull wicked and wretched abundantly worthy of all the evill which comes upon him Conclu 2. Hence it follows that we ought with all reverence to admire and to adore the infinite wisedome justice and power of God that is able to worke in the most blame worthie actions of sinfull men and yet himselfe remaine altogether blamelesse that is able to bring about the best ends by the worst meanes that in many great works which have been done in the world hath wrought out such ends as have been altogether different yea sometimes contrary to the scope and intent of those who have been the principall actors and agents in them Little did Josephs brethren thinke that when they sold their brother for a slave this should be the meanes of making him the greatest mam in all the Land of Egypt next to Pharaoh Little did Haman thinke that when out of his hate and indignation against Mordecai he gate a decree of destroying all the Jewes in the Kings Dominion in one day that this should be a meanes and occasion of making them have a hand against their adversaries and of procuring liberty to destroy them yea of bringing himselfe to the Gallowes Hest 8.11.7.10 Little did the Jewes thinke that their envie and hatred against Christ should be an occasion of redemption of mankind that when they spit upon him buffeted him beat him with rods crowned him with thornes caused him to suffer the shamefull and accursed death of the Crosse that this should be a meanes of his greater advancement and exaltation yet the Scripture saith that because he made himselfe of no reputation and humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every man Phil. 2.8 what reason therefore have we in way of admiration to cry out with the Apostle Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and ounsell of God unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 Conclu 3. Thirdly hence it follows that we ought to acknowledge with all thankefulnesse that infinite goodnesse of God which doth not suffer us to goe on in a course of sinning especially in such a sort as would ruine our soules and drive us to destruction for if he should it would be in vaine for us to complaine against him he would easily acquit himselfe and justifie his owne proceedings he would be justified in his words and overcome when he is judged as the Apostle speakes Ro. 3.4 he would easily convince us that in all the evill which we have done or shall suffer the just blame lyes upon our owne heads and our destruction is of our selves he would cause our mouthes to be stopped and make us as all the world to be found culpable before him Rom. 3.10 If he should enter into judgement with us we should not be able to answer one of a thousand what a mercy is it that he doth not suffer us to fall into sin so frequently and in so fowle a manner as we are ready to doe especially that he doth not charge our sins upon us What reason have we to say with the Psalmist Praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities who doth not deale with us after our sins nor reward us after our iniquities but as high as the heaven is above the earth such is his mercy towards us as far as the East is from the West so far he doth remove our sins from us Psalm 103.1,3,10,11,12 to him alone be all glory now and ever FINIS
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
purchasor of peace Is he not called the Prince of Peace Isai 9.6 Is it not said of him that he is our peace Ephes 2.14 how then doth he say that he came not to send peace these words must needs therefore be taken with similation he came not to send peace that is not peace onely but the sword also but especially his coming was the cause of peace in another manner then it was of the sword How did it cause the sword this coming was not the proper cause of the Sword but the sword that is wars and troubles broke forth in the world occasionally upon his coming for after that Christ came and the Gospel was peeached in the word some there were that rejected it others embraced and entertained it beleived and obeyed it and accordingly made profession of Christ and his truth now those who did thuâ— came to be hated and maligned yea to be persecuted and ill intreated by the other yea by this meanes it came to passe that those who were joyned together by the nearest bond of outward relation came to be divided be carryed on with the greatest enmity and ill affection one against another so that the brother did deliver the brother to death and parents their children and children did rise up against their paâ—ents and cause them to be put to death Mat. 10 21. By which it is plaine that Christ and his Gospel had a hand in both these both in sending peace and sending the sword because the same expression is used in both if there were a bare permission in sending the sword there was permission only in sending peace if there was efficiency and working in the one there was so also in the other although after another manner In like manner when Christ saith that he came to set fire on the earth to send persecution and that his desire was this fire might be kindled Luk. 12.49 It is plaine he hath a working hand herein for what he intends and earnestly desires that he likewise some way or other effectually procures Object If it be asked how the same cause can bring forth contrary effects how the same Christ and the same Gospell can bring both peace and trouble Answ The answer is that though Christ had a sufficiency and worke in both yet in a far differing manner for he is the author and proper cause of peace this he both purchased and prayed for of this he is causa per se of the other he is causa per accidens an accidentall cause onely the end of his comming and of causing his Gospel to be preached to be preached being not to bring trouble and persecution but this ariseth from the perverse refractory wils of wicked men who therefore hate the light because their deeds are evill As the same heat of the Sun softens the waxe and hardens the clay and the same light of the Sun helps a good sight to see better but hurts sore eyes so it is in this case Thus also it is said that Christ is set or appointed for the rising and fall of many Lu. 2.34 Not onely for the rising of some but the fall of others that he is the corner stone elect and precious be is made in head of the corner to believers but a stumbling stone and rock of offence to those that are disobedient 1 Pet. 2.7,8 He hath an efficiency in both these for the text sayth he is made to both but of the one he is the author and proper cause and therefore altogether faultlesse and blamelesse their owne willfull unbeliefe being the proper cause of their stumbling CHAP. VII Shewing that God may worke in the same blame-worthy actions with Sathan and sinfull men and yet himselfe be altogether blamelesse THat the holy God doth worke in the same action with the sinfull creature hath been already shewed Not only Sathan moved David to number the people but God also 2 Sam. 24.1 Jacobs sons sold their brother into Egypt so it is said that God sent him thither Psal 10,17 when Jobs cattle were taken away by ill instruments Job saith the Lord tooke them away Job 1.21 Now it followes to shew yet further how the Lord may be blamelesse when he workes with the creature in the same blame-worthy actions This hath been in part made plaine by that which hath been shewed already namely that in all sinfull actions he is onely causa per accidens an accidentall cause no proper cause which workes out of inward principles and according to its own nature and this yet will more clearly appeare if we consider the differences that are betwixt him and the sinfull creature in their working though they work together in the same action yet they differ in the ground in the manner and in the end of their working 1. They differ in the ground the ground of all Gods actions is his owne most holy will his owne purpose and good pleasure He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Ephes 1.11 Whatsoever pleased the Lord that did he in heaven and in earth Psal 135.6 But evill instruments are guided by their owne wicked wills and not by Gods will in their evill actions for they do that which is contrary to his revealed will and his secret will they know not if they do the same things God wils yet not because he wils them but upon other corrupt grounds when a wicked man sins he seeks to fulfill the will of the flesh but not at all to fulfill the will of God Eph. 2.2 he doth that which seems good in his owne eyes and not which seems good in Gods eyes 2. They differ in manner of working for in sinful actions God works with evil not as a moral cause but as a natural cause onely God no where doth counsel or command or perswade men to do evil but altogether the contrary But herein wicked men follow only the dictate of their depraved judgement the sway of their corrupt will the motion of their inordinate affections or are carryed on by the counsels and perswasions or examples of others that are like unto themselves It belongs to God as the author of nature to uphold the creature in all its naturall motions and actions And he moves the creatures with a motion agreeable to their severall natures as irrationall creatures so also Angels and men when he moves good men they work according to their natures when he moves bad men they worke also according to their natures and this without any iniquity or injustice at all in God for he is the author and proper cause of the motion of the obliquity of it he is onely an accidentall cause saith Dr. Twisse Vindict l. 2 p. 86. True it is that in good actions he useth a further motion and concourse then he doth in other actions for there he workes not only as the author of nature but of grace not only by a generall influence of nature but by an influence of speciall
but this was long of their own wickednesse no fault in Gods goodness Object 5. It is said that if the false Prophet be deceived the Lord hath deceived him Ezek. 14.9 Answ The deceiving of the false is here attributed to God in these respects 1. In that he with-drew his grace from him and left him to the deceitfulness of his own heart which was of it self ready enough to run out into wayes of error 2 He did this to punish the people because they rejected the doctrin of the true Prophets and would not believe nor obey that truth which they held forth to them both these were acts of justice 3. By administring occasions for the judgements threatned by the true Prophets were not presently executed hence the false Prophets took occasion to perswade that they should never be But further sometimes the true prophets did foretell a peaceable and flourishing estate of Judah and Jerusalem as that Jerusalem stould be called the throne of the Lord and that all nations should be gathered unto it Jer. 3.17 That Jerusalem should be a praise in the earth Esay 62.6 That their Land should no more devoure the inhabitants Ezek. 36.14 These and many other like promises which were not to be fulfilled till the latter dayes the false Prophets understood and applyed to the present times and so thereby deceived both themselves and the people but that they made a false interpretation or application of the doctrine of the true Prophes the fault was onely in themselves and not in the Doctine which the other had truly taught Object 6. It is said that God gave up the Gentiles to vile affections Ro. 1.26 and that he sent strong delusions to those that lived under the Antichristian Apostacy 2 Thes 2.2.11 Answ These Gentiles had vile affections of their own and the other wanted the love of the truth and that God left them to their vile affections and to the deceitfulness of their owne hearts or to the delusions of false Teachers this was an act of Justice to punish the one for going against the light of nature and and the other for not receiving the truth in love when it was held forth to them Object 7. When the evill spirit offered himself to seduce Ahab the Kord bids him goe and doe it 1 King 22.22 Here is more then a permission here is a command therefore here the Lord seemes to be Author of Ahabs being deceived by the evill spirit what a man commands to be done that he is Author and proper cause of Ans 1. It is plaine by this Scripture that the evill spirit was desirous to seduce Ahab for he offers himself as an instrument to effect it but that he had no power to do it without leave from God Now when the Lord bids him go and do so this hath but the force of a permission as if he had said thou maist go and do the thing thou desirous to do namely to perswade Ahab to go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battail that he may fall there 2. It may be answered that all this which is here spoken by the prophet Michaiah of the Lords sitting upon a Throne and all the host of heaven appearing before him and the question and answer here made that all this I say is delivered in a parabolicall way and therefore cannot in every breach be taken properly Locj commun loc 14. Deus inducitur per prosopopeiam saith Peter Martyr God is brought in the person of a man and speaking after the manner of men Now in parables the scope of the parable is chiefly to be looked at and what truth it holds forth neither is every parabolical application to be urged as a thing really done as in the parable of the Rich Man he is brought in as speaking to Abraham and Abraham answering him again which we cannot think was really done so in this place every circumstance cannot be urged as a thing really acted touching the Lords sitting on a Throne and all the host of heaven shanding before him and the question propounded and answered but this is brought in by way of resemblance to Kings and Princes who when they have business of weight in hand are wont to consult with their Nobles and those about them All parables are similitudes and of them the rule is true that in every similitude there is aliquid dissimile there is something that is unlide and therefore they ought not to be stretched beyond their bounds and so urged as if they agreed in every thing to that which they are brought to illustrate These are the principall Scriptuers wherein such expressions are used as seem to make God the Author of sinne for other like unto these they may receive the like answer namely that when God is said to do the same things which sinful men do he doth it either as the Author of nature and supporter of it in naturall actions or as the righteous judge by withdrawing of his grace and punishing one sinne with another or by administring occasions In all which he is altogether blamelesse CHAP. IX Containing an answer to some objections which arise from that which hath been before delivered touching the manner how God hath a hand in sinne IT hath been shewed before that God doth not onely permit sinne but that he doth willingly permit it therefore his will is conversant about it and his will is more then a velleietas a meer wishing what he permits that he wils with an active will against this it may be objected Object 1. That will may be said to be evil whose act is evil that act is evill which hath an evill object for all acts receive their information and so their denomination from their object when the act of a mans will is carryed after things unlawfull then is this act evill and so is the will whence it proceeds Answ To this it may be answered that sin is not so wholly and absolutely evill but it may have some respect of good it may have some good joyned with it 1. For in sinfull acts natures worke is good as hath been shewed It is a true rule that actus peccati in genere entis bonus est in genere moris malus The act of sin as it is an entity it is good in regard of the morall affection or quantity of it so it is an evill Secondly though in it selfe it be evill yet it may be made a meanes an occasion of good God is able to bring good out of it Hence Augustine saith excellently August in Enchirid. cap. 96. Quamvis quae mala sunt in quantum mala sint non sin bona tamen ut non solum bona sed etiam sint mala bonum est Although evill things so far as they are evill are not good yet it is good that not only good but evill should be Sin is in it self against the glory of God therefore he cannot will it as it is in it selfe and in its owne nature