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
him yet the fault onely is his owne because he willingly turned the Sword against himself When a Physitian according to the true rules of Art shall administer wholesome Physick to his Patient for such or such a disease and this meeting with some hidden distemper or corrupt humour in the body shall cause greater pain or it may be death yet here neither the Physick nor Physitian are to be blamed because the work of both these in their owne nature tended to health and was fit to procure it When Jason had his impostume cured by the thrusting of a Sword into his body by the hand of his enemy this was no thank to his enemy who intended not his health but his death so on the contrary it is no blame to the Physitian that intends health and useth fit meanes to procure it though death follows by accident When the same Sun beames lights upon a Garden and a Dunghil and raise a sweet smell from the one and an ill savour from the other neither the Sun nor the beames thereof are to be blamed because the efficacy of them did extend to both a like but the different effect did arise from the difference of the matter whereon they did light The like instances also may be brought from Scripture when a man is hewing wood with an Axe and the head of the Axe slippeth from the helve and slayes the stander by here neither the Axe nor the man are to be blamed though they have an efficiency in the death of the other because they are onely causes by accident the scope of neither being to hurt the stander by Deut. 19.5 When King Uzziah went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense Azariah with fourscore other Priests went in after him and withstood him telling him that it did not belong to him to burne incense to the Lord then it is said Vzziah was wrath 2 Chron. 26.16,17,18,19 Here the Priests were causes of the wrath of the King but no faulty causes because they did but their duty and their intention was onely to hinder him from doing that which was unlawful for him to do but not to provoke him to anger and wrath When the Pharisees were filled with wrath against Christ and the Jews breast with anger against Stephen because they justly reproved them they were accidental causes of their wrath and anger but no faulty causes The Apostle saith that the Law causeth wrath Rom. 4.15 It causeth wrath by meanes of Transgression for transgression onely properly causeth wrath as the Law is the cause of wrath so likewise is the cause of transgression namely an accidental cause yet no faulty cause for the proper end of the Law was neither to procure wrath nor to procure transgression but rather to be a meanes to preserve man from both these by directing him so to walke as he might please God so when he saith that the motions of sin were by the Law that is were stirred up by the Law Rom. 7.5 and that sin took occasion by the Commandement and wrought in him all manner of conceupiscence verse 11. here sin is said to be stirred up by the Law and to take occasion by the Commandement of working concupiscence and therefore the Law hath some kind of efficiency in producing of sin it is an accidentall cause but no faulty cause As the Law is in it selfe holy and just and good Rom. 7.12 so it is good that it should be brought to mans understanding by the knowledge of it and to his will and affections by the right application of it but the more this is done he being lest to himselfe the more doth it irritate and stir up corruption in him and his will by reason of the contrariety that is in it to the holy Law of God waxeth so much more stubborne and rebellious as the Law is more closely applyed to it When the Apostle saith that beleevers are not under the Law Rom. 6.14 and that they are delivered from the Law that being dead namely that corruption wherein we are held Rom. 7.6 this must needs be understood of the accidentall worke of the Law whereby by meanes of our corruption it stirs up sin in us for it cannot be understood of the Law as it is a rule of obedience because then the Law should be wholly abolished to which the Apostle gives an absit do we then make the Law of none effect through faith God forbid Rom. 3.31 neither can it be understood in this place of the condemning power of the Law for though it be true that believers are freed from the curse and condemnation of the Law yet this is an effect of justification and hath reference to that whereas the subject of the Apostles discourse in these two Chapters where he speakes of freedom from the Law namely the sixth and seventh is altogether about sanctification and he brings many arguments to prove the necessary connexion of these two together and this amongst the rest because they were not under the Law they were delivered from it they must not suffer sin to raigne in their mortall because they were not under the Law but under grace cap. 6.14 they were delivered from the Law lust and concupiscence being kild in them chap. 7.6 How were they not under the Law how were they delivered from it So far as they were truly sanctified they were no longer under the accidentall worke of the Law whereby it had power to irritate and stir up the rebellion and corruption of their natures and so to cause sin more to abound in them being implanted into Christ and made partakers of the vertue of his death and resurrection their old man was crucified and their body of sin destroyed so as they should no longer serve sin as they did before chap. 6.6 while they were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law which were stirred up by having the Law brought nearer to them did worke in their members to bring forth fruit unto death but they were delivered from the Law from that accidentall worke of the Law that being dead wherein they were held their sinfull lusts being in part mortified that they should serve God in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter chap. 7.5.6 by both which places it appeares that the Law hath power to stir up sin and corruption in those that are in the a state of corruption that remaine as yet altogether unsanctified and so it is an accidentall cause of sin yet no faulty cause that remaining still holy and just and good In this sence likewise Christ saith of himselfe that be came not to send peace but the Sword that he came to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against the Mother Mat. 10.34,35 that he came to set fire on the earth Luk. 12.49 How is this to be taken that Christ came not to send peace but the sword is he not the Author and
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
in it for if he should leave it to others and have no hand at all in the effecting of it then the thing might never be and so God might be disappointed of the thing which he decreed It is a true rule being rightly understood Qua decrevit fecit If God should decree to permit sin and that this permission should be without action without doing any thing in it then he should decree to do nothing which cannot stand with the nature of a decree Argum. 5. So far as sin makes for the glory of God so far he hath a hand in effecting it for he both decrees and workes all things which make for his glory so far as they make for his glory but sin by accident makes much for the glory of God The Jews crucifying and killing of Christ made way for the glorious worke of our redemption The Apostle saith that mans unrighteousnesse commends the righteousnesse of God and that the truth of God abounds through our lye unto his glory Rom. 3.5.7 so far as sin is for God so far it is from God Of him through him and by him are all things to him be honour and glory Rom. 11. last Argum. 6. The Substratum or subject of sin namely the naturall motion or action whereto sin cleaves is such a thing without which sin could not be for an accident could not be without a subject men could not use their tongus to deceit if they could not speak at all neither could their feet be swift to shed blood if they could not go at all But of this natural motion and action God is the author and proper cause as hath been shewed if God wils to yield his concurrence to the substance of any act it is plain that he wils that act should be done now without this act the sin that cleaves to the act could not be therefore he must needs likewise some way both will and-work in the sin of the act especially because in many evill actions not onely the action it self simply considered but the pravity and deformity of it makes way and is an occasion whereby God gets himself glory Argu. 7. If Gods permission of sin should be a bare permission without action then he should be a meere spectator of men in their sinfull actions himself not doing any thing And this would much diminish and strengthen the work of his providence in ruling and governing the world by excluding and shutting him out from having any working hand in the greatest part of those actions that are done in the world for the number of wicked men in the world being farre greater then the number of good men the number of evill actions must needs farre exceed the number of good actions yea thus the actions of greatest consequence as the mutation or over-throw of Kingdoms States Common-wealths which for the most part are done in a sinful way should be exempted and excluded from the working of his providence Arminius saith Quae deus neque fiers vult neque non vult ea permittit Those things which God neither wils nor wils not to be done those he permits But is not this to make God an idle spectator of the greatest part of actions that are done in the world If a man stands and sees a thing to be done which he neither would have to be done nor would not have to be done wherein he will neither helpe nor hinder doth he not here stand as in idle spectator as one not at all caring whether the thing be done or not and yet such a kind of carriage do they attribute to God in regard of the greatest part of things done who make his permission to be without action yea herein they do after a sort contradict themselves For Arminius makes permission to be Armin. in Perk. 134. efficacis impedimenti suspensio the with-holding of an efficacious impediment of such a thing as would certainly hinder the doing of a thing Bellarmine saith Permittere est gratiam efficacem qua peccatum vitetur negare To permit is to deny such effectual grace as whereby sin may be avoided But can this with-holding of an impediment and this denyal of effectual grace be without any action at least without the action of Gods will and doth he not work answerably to his will Argu. 8. It is granted by the adversary that God doth punish one sin with an other Now is it not a ridiculous thing to say that the judge permits onely punishment to be inflicted upon a Malefactor doth he not appoint it and if it be not just he ought not to permit it There can be neither appointing nor executing of judgment and punishment without action By all these aguments it plainly appeares that God doth exercise more then a bare permission in the sin which man commits This may further be confirmed by the testimony of the most Orthodox Writers Excellent Calvin saith thus Instit lib. 1. cap. 18. Sect. 2. Deus indurat corda hominum non tantum permittendo sed etiam agendo God hardneth the hearts of men not onely by permitting but by acting Lib. 2. cap. 4. Sect. 3. Deus dicitur indurare reprobos corum corda vertere inclinare impellere Id quale sit nequaquam explicatur si confugitur ad praescientiam permissionem God is said to harden reprobates to turn their hearts to incline and move them How this is done is not sufficiently explicated if we fly to praescience and permission onely Peter Martyr saith Locj Com. loc 13. Sect. 16. Est permissio quidem sed aliquid amplius efficacibus illis loquutionibus ostenditur There is indeed a permission but something more is held forth in these strong expressions namely such as before were mentioned Locj com loc 13. Sect. 7. Si minus propriè loqui velineus Deus poterit aliquo modo dici aut initium aut causa peccati non propria quidem sed ea quae removens prohibens appellatur If we will speak improperly God may be said some way to be either the beginning or the cause of sin no proper cause indeed but that which is called the removing of what hinders Piscator saith Ad Amic coll vorstij Sect. 17. An vero negari potefl illum procurare negotium cujus consilio decreto negotium geritur Can he be denyed to procure a business to be done by whose counsell and determination the thing is done Mr. Bayne saith Bayne on the Lords Prayer p 129. Gods sufferance is not to be understood without his action he is a voluntary agent in the things he suffereth we must not think his permission to be a pure permission without action Yea not onely our modern Divines but that famous ancient Angustin himself gives a large suffrage to this truth August in Enchirid. ad laurent cap. 100. Deus permittit saith he aut volens aut invitus non certè invitus quia id esset cum tristitia
potentia se majorem haberet si volens permittit permissio est genus quoddam voluntatis God permits a thing either willingly or against his will if against his will this would be with pain and grief to him and then he should have some other greater in power then himself if he permits willingly then his permission is some kind of will Ibid. Sencti affliguntur secundum Dei voluntatem 1 Pet. 3.17 at illi non possunt pati nisi alter agat Qui unit passionem vult actionem actio proficiscitur ab agente The Saints are afflicted according to the will of God 1 Pet. 3.17 They cannot suffer unlesse another acts he that wils the passion wils the action also and action proceeds from an agent Here by the way we may take notice how ill Bellarmine agrees with S. Austine in this point for the writing of this subject and answering to that place Act. 2.23 where it is said that Christ was delivered to be crucified by the determinate councell of God He saith Bellar. de Amis grat statu Pcti lib. 2. cap. 13. Saepe accidit ut actio sit mala passio bona Deus voluit passionem patientiam sanctorum non autem actionem eorum a quibus affliguntur But this crosseth Austine who saith that in the Saints suffering who suffer according to the will of God Qui vult passionem vult actionem and it is contrary to right reason for action and passion are one and the samemotion one cannot be without the other therefore he that wils the one must needs will the other also Further Austine speaking of that place Rom. 1.26 where God is said to give men up to their vile affections hath these words Contra. Iul. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. Quid est quod dicit cum desiderijs suis traditi dicuntur relicti per divinam patientiam intelligendi sunt non per potentiam in peccata compulsi Quasi non simul posuit haec duo idem apostolus patientiam nempe potentiam Rom. 9. What is it which he saith when men are said to be delivered up to their to their own affections and desires are they to be understood as left onely by the divine patience and not put forward to sin by the divine power as though the same Apostle did not joyne both these together namely patience and power Rom. 9.22 Thus we see that this learned Father goes as high or rather higher in his expressions touching the manner of Gods working in sin then those of our Divines have done who are so much quarrel'd against by Bellarmine and Arminius I know well that most of our Orthodox writers do seldom use that expression that God did decree sin or is the cause of it but only that he did decree to permit sin but their meaning must needs be that he did decree that sin should be effected and brought about in such a way and manner and by such meanes as himself would not be the Author or proper cause of it but onely a cause by accident For if they should mean that he would have no efficiency or working in it then they should make him to exercise a bare permission in it and so to be an idle spectator of all the sinful actions done in the world which is an opinion that they altogether renounce and reject as hath been already shewed Doctor Twisse hath a passage where he affirmes that though God intends the evill action which man doth yet he intends not the evill of the action But that is meaning his he doth not so intend it as to be the Author of it though he hath a working hand in it appears by many other places in his writings as when he saith Vindic. grat lib. 2. pag. 156 Cum peccatum Adae eveniebat non nisi Deo volente eveniehat When it sell out that Adam did sin this fell out by the will of God Excaecare est preouldubio Effectum dare ut quis excaecaretur To blind is so to work bring it about that a man should be blinded Ibid. p. 87. An quae Satanas in sanctnm Job patravit Deo tantum permittente facta sunt Annon Job profitetur Deum abstulisse quae dederat Were those things which Satan did ill against Job done onely by Gods permission doth not Job profess that God had taken away what he gave Ib. p. 157. Decretum permissiuum nihilominus est efficax ad fines a Deo sibi praestitutos quam effectivum The permissive decree is no less efficacious for the ends fore appointed of God then his working decree These are the words of that learned man by which it appeares that his meaning in the former words is not as if he denyed that God did decree the evill actions of men at all for here he grants a decree and that an efficacious decree but only that he doth not so decree the evill of an action as to be the author or proper cause of it for if he should not at all intend the evill of mens actions then the evill of those actions should fall out besides his intention and then it should be either besides his knowledge and so he should not be omniscient or against his will and so he should not be omnipotent CHAP. V. Shewing more particularly the manner how the righteous God hath a hand in the unrighteous actions of sinfull men THat God is not the Author or proper cause of sin and yet hath some kind of efficiency and working in it hath been already shewed it followes now to shew more particularly the manner how he worketh in producing of it The manner of Gods working in sinfull actions is secret and hidden not easily to be apprehended much lesse to be explicated which made Austin speake thus of it Contra Justinum Pelag. lib. 5 cap 3. Quanta est poena tradi passionibus ignominiae sive deserendo sive alio quoque vel explicabili vel inexplicabili modo c. how great a punishment is to be given up to unseemly passions whether this be done by way of desertion or by any other explicable or inexplicable way yet there is one way which is not altogether above our apprehension but therein we may in some sort discerne Gods manner of working in sinfull actions and that is by administring occasions by presenting such objects and offering to men such things are in themselves lawfull and good but they make an ill use of them taking occasion by them to be stirred to evill in some kind or other Vindic. lib. 2. p. 133. Licet Deo ita se gerere in rerum omnium administratione ut materiam occasionem objiciat unde homines naturaliter excitentur pro varia affectuum qualitate vel ad bonum vel ad malum saith Dr. Twisse God may so carry himselfe in the administration of things as he may offer matter and occasion whereby men may be excited either to good or evill
grace but in all actions he workes as the supporter of nature whereas wicked men worke as the abusers of nature Bellarmine grants that Gods has an influx into all the actions that proceed from men and yet that he is not the author of sin because he hath onely a generall no particular influx into the action wherein sin is committed such an influx as is indifferent either to good or evil But by this reason as he is not the Author of evill so he should not be the Author of good and if God be the Author of nature he must needs have a particular influxe into all natural actions but into good actions he hath a double influxe namely not onely a naturall but a gracious influxe 3. As they differ iâ— the ground and manner so also in the end of their actings The end of all Gods actions is himselfe and his owne glory He hath made all things for his owne sake even the wicked for the day of evill Prov. 16 4 for this purpose he stirred up Pharaoh that he might shew his power in him and might declare his name through all the earth Rom. 9.17 and for this end doth he suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction namely to make his power knowne verse 22 Now the now the end which wicked men aime at in their actions is not God and his glory but some unworthy and base respects of their owne wicked men usually make themselves and the satisfying of their lusts the end of their actions they prefer their owne glory before Gods Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty saith that proud King Dau. 4.27 How far evill instruments when they worke in the same action together with God doe differ from him in the ground and end of their working will yet further appeare if we shall look into some particular instances When Sathan assayled Job with his temptation he did it out of hatred against him to drive him to distrust and impatience so overthrow ruine him But God did this out of love that thereby he might exercise his faith and patience and make way for his greater advancement When Satan moved David to number the people he did this out of malice against David and the people and that hereby he might stir up the anger of God against them But God did it to humble David and to make it an occasion of inflicting just punishment upon the people for their many miscariages When Josephs brethren sold him into Egypt they did it out of envie and hatred and that they might rid themselves of him but God did it out of love to Jacob and his family that it might be an occasion of Josephs preferment in Egypt and so of preferring of Jacob and his houshold in the time of extreame Famine when the Jewes high Priests and Elders delevered up Christ to the Souldiers to be Crucified they it out of envy and ill will and that they might rid the world of him but God did it out of love and good will to his Elect that they might be saved and delivered out of their lost condition so that the ends of evill instruments in those actions wherein they worke together with God being altogether differing yea sometimes contrary to Gods ends they may be justly blame-worthy when he is altogether blamelesse Object But wicked men are blame-worthy though they propound good ends to themselves in the bad actions they doe how then can God be blamelesse when he concurs with them in the same actions though his end be good 1 Because he differs from them not onely in the end but also in the ground and manner of his working Answ 2 There is not the same reason betwixt God and man betwixt the Creator and the creature Man is bound not onely to aime at a right end but also to be guided by a right rule he is bound to regulate all his actions by the holy Law of God but though man be bound to yeeld obedience to the Law God is not bound to do it for he made the law not for himselfe but for the creature not to put himselfe but man under the subjection of it he having no other Law but his owne most righteous and holy will Who shall say to him What doest thou Job 9.12 He giveth not an account to any of his matters cap. 33.13 If he be not to give an account to any then is he not subject to any Law for whoever is subject to the Law must give an account to some or other else the Law would be of no use So that this is sufficient to make all Gods actions good because the end is alway good namely himselfe and his owne glory If a man were free from all obligation of a Law and onely bound to aime at the glory of God or the good of his neighbour in the things which be doth then if he propounded these these ends to himselfe in all his dealings with God and men he should be free from blame but besides this he is obliged to live by a Law to this law he owes subjection which God doth not But God is a Law to himselfe If this be so understood as that whatever is the ground and guide of his actions it is within himselfe then it is true for he borroweth nothing from without himselfe which he makes the motive and ground of any of his actions but all proceed from his owne good will and pleasure But if this be so taken as that whatever Gods law binds man to do his nature binds him also to do the like then it holds not for the Law binds a man to do many things to which God is not bound it binds man not onely not to commit sin but also to hinder it if he hath power to hinder it but God is not bound to this yea man is bound to employ all the skill and power that he hath to hinder the committing of sin if it were so with God then there should never be any sin committed in the world for by his omnipotent power he is able to hinder it besides if there were no sin at all he should loose a great part of his glory for as he is able to bring light out of darknesse good out of evill so he daily doth it The Apostle saith our unrighteousnesse commends the righteousnesse of God and some sins by accident make much for the glory of God as before hath been shewed Besides the Law bindes man to doe all the good he can to convert all his children and kindred his friends and neighbours if we were able to doe it God is able to do this but he doth it not neither is bound to do it God supporteth sinfull men in their sinfull actions and supplyeth them with naturall strength for the acting of them as in the actions of uncleannesse of drunkennesse and the like but man if he