The Buckler of the Faith, Part · Article 8
THE EIGHTH ARTICLE.
We beleeue, that he hath not onelyonly created all things, but that he gouerneth and conducteth them, disposing and ordering all things that happen and are done in the world according to his will: not that he is the author of euill, or that the fault thereof can be imputed vntounto him, seeing that his will is the soueraigne and infallible rule of all right and equitie: but he hath admirable meanes to be serued in such manner by the diuels and the wicked, that he can turne the euill which they do, (and whereof they are culpable) into good. And so, confessing that nothing is done without the prouidence of God, in humilitie we adore the secrets that are hidden from vsus, without enquiring further thereof then becometh vsus. But rather apply that vntounto our vse which is shewed in the holy Scriptures for our repose and safetie. For that God to whom all things are subiected, watcheth ouer vsus with a paternall care, so that not one haire shall fall from our heads without his will: and in the meane time holdeth the diuels and all our enemies bridled, in such manner that they can do vsus no harme, without his leaue.
M. Arnoux passing ouer these three articles, by his silence declareth that he can say nothing to them. Neuerthelesse, in another place he hath bene fencing against the doctrine contained in the eight article: imposing vponupon Caluine and vsus, that we make God the author of sinne, whereunto we hauehave made answer in a Treatise apart by it selfe.In the Treaty of the iust prouidence of God. But because this matter is the field wherein our enemies display their banners, and fall into odious exclamations; and for that this doctrine is thorny, and where the way is slipperie, and the inuectiues plausible, it is necessary to cleare this matter, to preuent the slanders, and to vntangle this spindle, which Sathans malice hath much twirled.
Of the prouidence of God, and how God conducteth the actions of the wicked, without being author of sinne, or participating with their vices.
Section. 21 Three maximes or generall rules serue for the ground of this matter. The first is, that all things are gouerned and conducted by the prouidence of God. As Saint Paul saith, Ephes. 1.11. That God worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will. The second is, that God is soueraignly iust, and is not the author of sinne, neither inciteth man to do euill: as it is said in the 45. Psalme, and 7. verse: Thou louest righteousnesse, and hatest wickednesse.
The third is, that man is the cause of his owne destruction, and that he sinneth by his owne will: as God saith by the Prophet, Hosea 13.9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy selfe, but in me is thine helpe. Euen as in the generation of creatures celestiall causes worke with the inferiour, and if any imperfection hapneth, as when a monster is ingendred, that imperfection is neuer imputed to the celestiall, but to the inferior causes, and to the euill or bad disposition of the matter. So in voluntary actions, although God moueth and sustaineth them, neuerthelesse if any default hapneth, it ought to be imputed to the will of man, and not to God. Whosoeuer receiueth not these three maximes, defendeth the reprobates cause, casteth the cause of their destruction vponupon God, and will teach God to be iust, or bind him to yeeld an accompt of his actions.
But the holy Scripture oftentimes vseth diuers manner of speeches, from whence prophane men take occasion to make God author of their sinne, as if God had thrust them into it, or as if necessitie to sin, had bene imposed vponupon them by the will of God, which man cannot withstand. For example the children of Iaacob by a wicked conspiracie, sold their brother Ioseph to be carried into Aegypt, whereof behold what Ioseph saith, Gen. 45.7. God sent me before you, to preserue you a posteritie in the earth, and to saue your liues by a great deliuerance. Whereby it appeareth, that the selling of Ioseph was done by Gods prouidence. And in the first of Sam. 2.25. it is said, That the children of Ely hearkened not vntounto the voyce of their father, because the Lord would slay them. And in the 25. chapter of the 1. of kings, 10. verse: A wicked spirit came before the Lord, and offered to make the Prophets lie, to whom God said, thou shalt perswade them, and preuaile also, go forth and do so. In the second of Samuel chapter 16. Semei curseth Dauid with execrable speeches, whereupon Dauid said, So let him curse, because the Lord hath said vntounto him, curse Dauid. And in the 12. chapter of the same booke, God intending to punish the murther and adulterie committed by Dauid, said, that he would raise vp euill against him in his owne house, (that is, the rebellion of his owne sonne,) and that he would take his wiues before his eyes; and after addeth, For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel. So God suffered the diuell to afflict Iob, and the Caldeans to rob him of all his goods: and all that historie is recited to hauehave bene done by the prouidence of God; and therefore Iob said, God giueth it, God taketh it, blessed be the name of the Lord. Ieremie in his Lamentations 3.37. speaketh thus of the desolation of the Iewes by the Babilonians: Who is he that saith, and it cometh to passe, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the most highest, preceedeth not euill and good? Saint Peter in Acts 4.28, speaking of the conspiracie of the Iewes, of Herod, and of Pontius Pilate, against Iesus Christ, saith, they gathered themselues together to do those things which the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done. Thereby shewing, that all the euils committed against Iesus Christ, were not done without the counsell of God. The Apostle Saint Paul in the first to the Romans, speaking of prophane men and infidels, saith, that God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts, to vncleannesse, to vile affections, to a reprobate minde, to do those things that are not conuenient. And God declareth, Exod. 10. and Romans 9. That he hardened Pharaos heart. Gods words to the Prophet Esay in the 6. chapter verse. 10, are fearefull, saying, Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heauie, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their heart, and conuert and be healed. Words, which being wrung and wrested by some prophane man, might giuegive him occasion to make God the cause of his infidelitie.
But lest that any man on the one side should abuse these places of Scripture, to brand the iustice of God, or to make him author of sinne, or ro excuse libertines and prophane persons, as if God had constrained them to do euill; and lest that on the other side we should derogate any thing from the prouidence of God, esteeming that the wickednesse which man committeth happeneth without his prouidence, Diuines produce and set down certaine doctrines and distinctions, which are reduced into the sixteene propositions herafter following.
1 The holy Scripture speaketh vntounto vsus of two sorts or kinds of the will of God, the one the commandement of God, the other, the decree of his prouidence. The first is the rule of his righteousnesse which is manifested vntounto vsus, the second is the decree of his secret counsell. The first ruleth and gouerneth our thoughts, words, and works: the second disposeth and ordereth the euents of all things which happen and are done in the world. We are bound onelyonly to obey the will of God, which is his Law, without enquiring or making question of his secret decrees, and the determinations of his prouidence, Deut. 29.29. The sonne that prayeth vntounto God for the health and recouerie of his father that is sicke, doth a worke acceptable vntounto God, and according to his commandements, although his prayer be conrrary to Gods decree, and his counsell, whereby he hath decreed that his father shall die of that disease. The wicked are not excusable in the execution of wickednesse or euill for hauing serued Gods secret decree, which the diuels also execute. For we shall not be iudged according to that whereby we hauehave serued God in his secret decree, but according to the measure whereby we hauehave obeyed Gods commandements.
2 To speake properly, the decree of God onelyonly, which is a determination of his prouidence, is the will of God. Touching his commandements, they are rather a rule of righteousnesse, and a declaration of that which God approueth, and which man is bound vntounto, then a will decreed or determined.
3 When we say, that the decrees of the counsell of God are hidden from vsus, we must except those which God hath made manifest vntounto vsus by the execution and accomplishment therof, and those that are declared vntounto vsus in the word of God, although they are not yet fulfilled: as the decrees of the counsell of God, touching the destruction of Antichrist, and of the resurrection and the iudgement to come.
4 There are two kinds or sorts of euill, the one is the euil of the fault, the other the euill of punishment. The first euill proceedeth from man, the second commeth from God, that punisheth the sinnes of men: neuerthelesse the euill of the fault sometimes serues for the euill of punishment; when God in his wrath, withdraweth his grace and assistance from a man, because he abuseth it by ingratitude. And then that brydle and restraint being broken, men giuegive themselues ouer to vices, which draw them into destruction. Then the euill of fault which serueth for a paine or punishment, proceedeth not from God, as it is the euill of fault, or as it is sinne, but God onelyonly maketh it serue for a punishment.
5 God permitteth or suffereth sinne. For if God would let or hinder man from sinning, he is powerfull enough to do it. As Saint Paul Rom. 9.19 saith, Who is he that can resist his will? This permission is not a forcible, but a voluntarie permission: no man hath constrained him to suffer sinne to enter into the world. Therefore then he hath of himselfe permitted euill. God will hauehave nothing but that which is good. Therefore it was good that God permitted euill, for those reasons which he knoweth better then we do. So then that which we perceiue thereby is, that by that meanes God is much more glorified: for if there were no sinne committed in the world, we should not know Gods iustice in punishing of sinne, nor his mercy in pardoning of sinne, nor his infinite louelove in the mysterie of the incarnation of his Sonne hauehave bene reuealed. Not that God hath any need of the sinnes of men to maintaine his glory, and his beatitude; but I say, that God hauing determined to make man perfectly happy, by this permission of sinne, the way to leade a man to this perfection is opened. For if man had not knowne what sinne and wickednesse is, he could neuer hauehave attained to a perfect knowledge of the goodnesse and iustice of God. The finall end for the which all things are made, is, that God might be glorified: and withall the Scripture teaching vsus, that God punisheth one sinne by other sinnes. If God onelyonly permitted this punishment contrary to his will, it should not be a punishment of a Iudge, who neuer punisheth by permitting the culpable to be punished, but by commanding. Looke, touching this punishing of one sinne by another sinne, in Saint Augustine lib. 5. cap. 3. against Iulian.
6 There is none but God, that permitting euill can turne it into good: but men ought not to suffer or permit sinne, nor to do it, vponupon hope that good may come thereof. The Pope that permitteth the stewes in Rome, to shun and preuent Sodomiticall sinne, as they say that seeke to excuse him, doth not remedie that euill; for Sodomiticall sinne ceasseth not still to be committed there. Adde hereunto, that the actions of God, are not the rules of our life, but his commandements.
7 The permission whereby God permitteth the wicked to sinne, is not a vaine or idle permission, but such as bridleth the wicked, to the end that they should not passe the limits of the prouidence of God, or to do hurt vntounto those whom God will blesse and preserue. For although the will of man be corrupted, yet God hath not lost his power, whereby he conducteth all things, and keepeth mens wils in subiection, euen those that resist his knowne will, which is his commandement.
8 There are two faculties in the soule of man, that is, the vnderstanding and the will; the one, whereby man knoweth; the other, whereby he moueth; the one, whereby we are wise or ignorant; the other whereby we are good or euil: That which is in the vnderstanding, is to affirme or deny; that in the will, is to desire or shunne. God neuer puts euill desires into the will of man, nor inciteth him to do euill, but sometimes in his wrath blindeth his vnderstanding. For as a master doth well to put out his schollers candle, when he seeth that he employeth the night in leudnesse, or to reade wicked bookes: so God taketh away the light of his knowledge from those that abuse it by ingratitude. As Saint Iohn, 12.40, saith. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, &c. Now as it may happen to that scholler being without light, to stumble and to hurt himselfe, vnlesse his master guide him: so after God hath blinded the vnderstanding of any man, he falleth into vices and addicteth his mind vntounto euill, vnlesse God guideth him. So we must vnderstand that which God saith in the Psal. 81.12. I gaue them vp vntounto their owne hearts lusts, and they walked in their counsels. Looke Acts. 14.16. and Rom. 1.25.26. It may also be said, that God hardeneth the hearts of the wicked, in setting before them meanes proper and wholsome for saluation, as his word and his sacraments; and not giuing them grace and vertue, to serue him as they should, whereby it happeneth, that of themselues they waxe worse, God by that meanes punishing their peruersitie. This hardening of the heart, which followeth by accident of the blinding of the vnderstanding, is the reason whereby the Scripture saith that God hardeneth the heart of the wicked. And yet to shew that the ground of this hardening proceedeth from man, the Scripture doth not only say, that God hardened Pharaos heart, but also that Pharao hardened or exasperated his owne heart, Exod. 8.15. But there are two kinds of those whom God hardeneth, as also there are two kinds of hardening. For besides that hardening which is cōmon to all reprobates that hauehave abused the knowledge of God, there are some men wickeder then others, whom God deliuered to Satan by a particular iudgement, and an extraordinary manner, as Pharao, Saul, and Iudas.
9 Euen as the Sunne is not the cause of darkenesse, (for of his owne nature he produceth nothing but light) although darknesse necessarily succeedeth when it is gone downe: So God is not the cause of sinne; for of his nature he is righteousnes it selfe, although irregularity, sinne, and disorder of affections necessarily ensue when he hath withdrawne his grace. Some say, that the Sunne withdrawing it selfe, is the cause of darknesse, not the efficient, but the defectiue cause. But these termes are harsh, and ought not to be attributed vntounto God: as also that by this distinction a thing that is no more, (as a light put out) might be called a defectiue cause. Now that which is no more, can in no manner be a cause. But the absence thereof may well be a cause of the truth of some affirmation.
10 Although the wicked worke voluntarily of themselues, and without God being any cause of their sinne, yet the euents that happen thereby, are directed by his prouidence. For, as the water of a spring, by nature is inclined to runne downeward, but by mans industrie is drained, and by channels made to runne where & which way he will: so the wicked are of themselues inclined to euill, and God moueth them not to do euill, but directeth their wicked wils to execute one thing rather then another, by his secrct iudgement to punish those whom he will, and to exercise and trie his children. The Wise man in the 21. of the Prouerbs vseth this similitude, saying: The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the riuers of waters, he turneth it whither soeuer he will.
11 God slacketh or looseth the bridle to Sathan and to the wicked, to execute their wicked intents, which proceed from themselues, and not from God: neuerthelesse, all whatsoeuer they shall do, shall serue to effect the counsels of God. And as Saint Peter saith, They shall do those things which the hand and the counsell of God had determined before, Acts 5.
Euen as horsleaches applied to a mans body, intend nothing but to fill themselues with blood; but the Phisitians end who applieth them, is to heale his patient: So the wicked, by whom God serueth his turne to chasten his children, hauehave no other end, but to satisfie their inordinate lusts and desires. But God making them his instruments, hath a regard to the saluation and instruction of his children. See Esay 10.6.7. Howsoeuer God vseth the seruice of the wicked, in such manner that he constraineth not their wils, and taketh not from them their free choice, which in the wicked is most free to do euill.
12 As God is necessarily good, and yet most free and without constraint; so the diuell and those whom he gouerneth absolutely, are necessarily euill, and yet do euill without constraint, and with free libertie. Necessitie is not opposite to libertie, but constraint. Necessitie is so much the stronger, when it is voluntarie. If man were driuen to do euill by a compulsiue necessity and not voluntary, God should be vniust to punish him.
13 We must carefully distinguish the action from the deprauation or imperfection which is in the action. It is one thing to go, and another thing to halt as we go. The soule which moueth a lame man maketh him go, but maketh him not halt. That which is naturall (as going) comes from the soule. That which is vicious, is accidentall, and proceedeth from some other thing. So the action whereby a man sinneth, is one thing, and the defect and deprauation in the action, another thing. There is great difference betweene the naturall mouing of the murtherer to kill, and the vice or repugnance to the Law of God, which is in the action. That which is naturall in this action, proceedeth from God; For by him we hauehave life, mouing, and all things, &c. Acts 17.25. And wee cannot stirre nor moue without his aide. That which therein is vicious comes from man and not from God.
14 We must carefully distinguish these three things, the will to sinne, the execution of this will, and the euents which follow this execution. For example, in the selling of Ioseph, the treason and the crueltie was in the hearts of his brethren, and came from them, and not from God. The execution thereof, which is the selling of Ioseph, was also done by them, but directed by the prouidence of God. The euents that followed, as the exaltation of Ioseph, and the preseruation of the people of Israel, are purely and simply effects of the prouidence of God. Wherein there is nothing so easie as to calumniate, by interpreting that which some of vsus shall hauehave said of the execution, or of the euents after the execution: as if his meaning were to speake of the will to sinne.
15 As in naturall workes or actions, God sustaineth and moueth all creatures not onelyonly by a generall vertue, but also by his particular assistance: So we must say, that to moue mens wils to good, and to direct the wils of the wicked to the end and intent that God hath purposed, God ruleth and assisteth, not onelyonly by his generall aide, but also by his particular prouidence: seeing it appeareth that the effects which follow, as the death of Iesus Christ happened by the wickednesse of the Iewes, and the preseruation of the people of God by the selling of Ioseph, are things manifestly guided by the speciall prouidence of God.
16 When God looseth the bridle to Satan, to tempt man, well may the diuell solicite him, or present obiects vntounto him to tempt him, or by some alteration of the humors of the body, moue his fantasie, but he hath no power ouer the will of man, to constraine him to sinne: otherwise, God should be vniust to punish man, and all the fault should be in the diuell.
17 Saint Augustine vseth hard termes in this matter, which neuerthelesse, by the distinctions aforesaid, may be mitigated. In the twentieth chapter of Grace and Freewill, speaking of Semei cursing Dauid, vponupon that which God had said to Semei, curse Dauid: *Non enim iubendo dixit vti obedientia laudaretur, sed quod eius voluntatem proprio vitio malam, in hoc peccatum iusto suo iudicio & occulto inclinauit.God (saith he) did not command him to do it, that his obedience might be praised, but because God, by his iust iudgement, did incline his will to that sinne, which was euill by his owne fault.*Operatur Deus in cordibus hominum ad inclinandas eorum voluntates quocun{que} voluerit, siue ad bona pro sua misericordia, siue ad mala pro meritis eorum. And chapter 21. God worketh in the hearts of men, to incline their wills which way he will, either to good by his merciemercy, or to euill according to their merits.
And in the fifth booke against Iulian, the third chapter, The peruersitie of the heart cometh not without the secret iudgement of God, which maketh men not to hearken to the truth, and by that means they fall into sin: and so, that sinne is the punishment of precedent sinne. And a little after, Then God giueth them ouer to villanous desires, to do things that are not conuenient: but he giueth them iustly ouer, and so those sinnes become punishments for sinnes past, and merites for future sinnes.
Thomas Aquinas followed him, in his commentarie vponupon the ninth to the Romans, the third Lecture, where after he hath said, that God suffereth some to fall into sinne, for punishment of precedent iniquities, he addeth: I am of opinion, that in this place there is more to be vnderstood: that is, that by a certain interior instinct men are moued by God to good or euill. Therefore also Saint Augustine in his booke of Grace and Freewill saith, that God worketh in the hearts of men to incline their wils which way it pleaseth him, whether it be to good, according to his merciemercy, or to euill, according to their merites.
Bellarmine is intollerable in the fifteenth chapter of the second booke, of Falling from grace, and the state of sinne. The second meane (saith he) is, that wee vnderstand that God moueth and prouoketh some men to euill, or that he commandeth them to do euill, and that he vseth them as instruments, because he suffereth them to do euill. And in the 14, chapter, By the iudgement of the most mighty God, by precedent sinnes, man is in such sort destitute of diuine aide, that it is impossible for him morally not to fall. After he expoundeth from whence this necessitie of falling cometh; that is (saith he) because God doth not call him, nor moue him so, as he seeth it fit and requisite for him, that he may follow Gods calling him, that is, vouchsafeth him not congruent grace for him in this estate.