Certain Questions and Answers Concerning the Knowledge of God, Part 38
How many waies sinne is considered.
Q. Goe too then, shewe first how many waies sinne is to be considered.
A. Sinne is to be considered in three waies.
1 As it is of it selfe sinne, and striuing against the law of God.
2 As it is a punishment of sinne, that went before: for God doth oftentimes punishe one sinne with another.
3 As it is the cause of more sinne following,Rom. 1.26. for one sinne doth beget another, as one Deuill called 7. Deuils.2. Thes. 2.11.
Q. Now declare how many things you do consider in sinne?
A. In eueryevery sinne there be 3. things.
1 The action, and that is either inward or outward.
The action which we call inward, is threefolde. either of the minde, as euill thoughts: or of the hart, as euill affections and desires: or of the will, as an euill choise, or consent to sinne. The actions which we call outward, are the actions or workes of the sences, fighting against the law of God.
The 2. thing in euerye sinne, is the deformitie or corruption of the action, that is, when the action doth decline from the rule of Gods law; and this properly is sinne, or the forme of sinne.
The third thing in eueryevery sinne, is the offence or guiltines therof, wherby the partie offending is bound to vndergoe punishment. This guiltines and obligation (wherby we are bound to vndergoe the penaltie of sinne) hath his foundation in sinne it selfe, but it ariseth from the iustice of God,Rom. 6.23. who in his iustice rewardeth sinne with death, as iustice indeed giueth to eueryevery one his due.
Q. Now come to your third point: and shew how many waies one is said to will a thing.
A. Wee are saide to will a thing two waies, either properly for it selfe, or improperly for another end.
Q. What meane you by a proper willing of a thing?
A. We do will a thing properlye for it selfe, or for it owne sake, when the thing which we will or desire, is of the owne nature to be wished and desired: as for the body, health, food, apparrell, and such like: or for the Soule, faith, repentance, pacience, &c. We doo will a thing improperlye, when the thing which we will, is not of it selfe to be wished: but yet we will hauehave it for some good that may come thereof, as for example: we will the cutting of some member of the bodye, not because of it selfe it is to be wished, but for the health of the body, which doth followe that cutting.
Q. What difference is there betweene these two willes?
A. There is great differēce, for those things which we wil, properly we louelove & approue them, we incline vntounto thē, and we delight in them: but that which is knowen of it selfe to be euill, our will is not carried vntounto that with louelove and liking, but doth decline from it: and wheras a man willeth a member of his bodye to be cut, or cut off; wee maye rather call it a permission, then a willing, and yet a willing permission.
Q. You hauehave shewed how many waies sinne is to be considered: how many things are to be considered in eueryevery sinne, and how we are saide to will a thing: now let me heare what you say to the matter in question, that is, whether God doth will sinne or no?
A. Before I answere directly to your question, I think it not amisse to shewe what euerye one must carefully take heed of in answering to this question: for in answering there is danger.
Q. Let me heare what dangers must be auoyded in answering.
A. There are two, and euerie one must auoyde them, and sayle betweene them, as between two dangerous rocks.
The first is this, wee must take heede, least we make God the authour of sinne, by affirming that he willeth sinne, as the Libertines doe, and as Adam did:Gen. 3.12. for that were the next way, not onelyonly to put of our sinnes from our selues, and lay them vponupon God; but also to cast of all conscience of sinne, and all feare of God: then the which nothing can be more blasphemous against God, or pernicious to our selues.
Question. What is the second thing to be auoyded?
Answere. The other is this, wee must take heede that wee affirme not any euill to be in the worlde, which God knoweth not of, or whether God will or no, for that were to denie Gods omnipotencie, and all knowledge.
Question. These are two dangerous rockes, and heresies indeede, but nowe Iexpect a direct answere to the question.
Answere. That cannot be at once, but by going from point to point; according to our former distinctions of sinne, and willing.
Quest. Very well. Then declare first of all, what thinges God doeth properlie wil, which of themselues are to be willed.
A. God doeth first and chieflie will himselfe, that is, his own glorie and maiestie, as the end for which all things are: and this hee is saide to will properly; that is, he loueth it, aduanceth it, and delighteth in it, & to this purpose serue all those Scriptures which commande vsus to sanctifie his name, and to aduaunce his glorie, as in Esai, 48. 11. Pro. 16.4. Rom. 11.36. 1. Cor. 10.31.
Secondly, besides him selfe he doeth properlie will all other things which he made, and which he doth himselfe, in so much as he doth approue them, & louelove them, as appeareth by these places following;Gen. 1.3. God sawe all that he made, and it was good: and therfore gaue a commandement, that one should preserue another by multiplying and increasing. Againe,Psal. 115.3 it is said, Whatsoeuer the Lord wil, that he doeth, therfore whatsoeuer he doth, that he will. And although hee hateth euill, yet he doth properly will and louelove that good which commeth of euill: that is, his owne glorie, and the saluation of his people.
Q. Whether doeth God will punishments, or no?
A. Yea, his will is the first and efficient cause of all punishment, which is proued by this reason & argument; EueryEvery good thing is of God. EueryEvery punishment, being a worke of iustice, is a good thing: therfore eueryevery punishment is of God, and hee doeth will it.
Q. What say you then to the words in Ezechiel, Ezech. 18.23.3I will not the death of a sinner?
A. That place is to be vnderstood onelyonly of the elect, for properly indeed God doth not will their death, & therfore to keep them from death, meaning eternal death, he geueth them repentance.
Q. Whether doeth God will sinne, as it is a punishment of sinne that went before.
A. Yes he doeth, and it is vsuall with God to punish one sinne with another: as for example, the hardning of Pharaos heart, was a sinne in Pharao, and God brought it vponupon him, not as a sinne, but as a punishment of his former sinnes.