The Riches of Gods Love, Part 2 · Section 9
Section 9.
Sinne may be conſidered as ſinne, or as a meanes of declaring God's juſtice in mens puniſhments. God M. Maſon's Addit. p. 37. 38.doth not predeſtiminate men to ſinne, as it is ſinne, but as a meanes of their puniſhment. He is not therefore, ſay they, the Authour of ſinne.
1. A good end cannot moralize a bad action; it remaineth evill though the end be never ſo good Bonum oritur ex integris. …end, manner, yea matter too muſt be good, or elſe the action is naught. He that ſhall ſteale that he may give an almes; or commit adultery, that he may beget Children for the Church; Or oppreſſe the poore to teach them patience, Or kill a wicked man that he may doe no more hurt with his example; or doe any forbidden thing, though his end be never ſo good, he ſinneth notwithſtanding. And the reaſon is becauſe the evill of ſinne is greater then any good that can come by ſinne; foraſmuch as it is laeſio divinae majeſtatis, a wronging of God's majeſty; and to Divino bono oppoſita, directly prejudiciall to the good of Almighty God as much as any thing can be. This Saint Paul knew very well, and therefore he tells us plainely that we muſt not doe evill that good may come thereof. Whoſoever therefore willeth ſin, though for never ſo good an end, he willeth that which is truly and formally a ſinne, and conſequently God, though he will ſinne for never ſo good ends, yet willing it with ſuch a powerfull, and effectuall will, as giveth a neceſſary being to it, he becommeth Authour of that which is formally ſinne.
2. The members of this diſtinction are not oppoſite, for ſinne as ſinne, and in no other conſideration is meanes of puniſhment. If God therefore willeth it as a meanes of puniſhment, he willeth it as a ſinne; his decree it determinated at the the very formality of it.
3 This diſtinction faſtneth upon God a further aſperſion, and loadeth him with three ſpeciall indignities more.
1. Want of wiſedome and providence. His counſells muſt needs be weak if he can find out no meanes to glorifie juſtice, but by the bringing in of ſinne, which his ſoule hateth, into the world and appointing men to commit it, that ſo he may maaifeſt juſtice in the puniſhment of it.
2. Want of ſincerity and plaine dealing with men. Tiberius as Suetonius reports, having a purpoſe to put the two ſonnes of Germanicus, Druſius and Nero, to death uſed ſundry cunning contrivances to draw them to revile him, that reviling him they might be put to death; and herein is juſtly cenſured for great hypocriſie. And ſo if God having appointed men by his abſolute will to inevitable perdition, doe decree that they ſhall ſinne that ſo they may be damned for thoſe ſins, which he decreeth, and draweth them into; he diſſembleth, becauſe he ſlaughtereth them under pretext of juſtice for ſinne, but yet for ſuch ſins only as he hath by his eternall counſell appointed as the meanes of their ruine.
3. Want of mercy in an high degree, as if he did ſo delight in bloud, that rather then he will not deſtroy mens ſoules, he will have them live and dye in ſinne, that he may deſtroy them, like to thoſe Pagan Princes of whom Juſtin Martyr Apol: 2, two or three leaves from the beginning ſaith, They are afraid that all ſhould be juſt leaſt they ſhould have none to puniſh. But this is the diſpoſition of Hang-men rather then of Good Princes: And therefore farre be thoſe foule enormities, and in particular this latter from the God of truth and Father of mercies. And thus notwithſtanding theſe diſtinctions, it is in my conceit moſt evident that the rigid and upper way makes God the Authour of mens ſins, as well as puniſhment. And ſo much for the firſt generall inconvenience, which ariſeth from this opinion, namely the diſhonour of God.
I willingly profeſſe I am to ſeeke what that Divine of ours is that ſaith God doth predeſtinate men to ſinne, as a meanes of their puniſhment. Here this Authour is ſilent, names Anſwer.no man, quotes no place; Like as in the former he carried himſelfe in this manner. The Ancients generally take predeſtination in no other notion, then to be of ſuch things which God himſelfe did purpoſe to bring to paſſe by his own operation, not of ſuch things as come to paſſe by God's permiſſion, Neither can I call to remembrance any Divine of ours that talkes of God's predeſtinating men unto ſinne. But the Scripture affords plentifull teſtimony of God's will, ordination, and determination, that the ſins of men come to paſſe by God's permiſſion. Was it not God's will that Pharaoh's heart ſhould be hardened, ſo as not to let Iſrael goe for a while, when he told Moſes that he would harden Pharaoh's heart that he ſhould not let Iſrael goe? Was it not God's appointment that Abſolom ſhould lye with his fathers Concubines, when he denounced this judgment againſt him, that he would give his wives unto his neighbour, who ſhould lye with them before the ſun? Was it not his will that the ten tribes ſhould revolt from Rehoboam, when he proteſted of that buſineſſe, that it was from him? Was it not God's will that the Jews and Gentiles ſhould concurre in crucifying Chriſt when the Apoſtles profeſſe, that both Herod & Pontius-Pilate, with the Gentiles, and people of Iſrael were gathered together to doe what God's hand and counſell had before determined to be done? Doth not Saint Peter profeſſe of ſome that ſtūbled at the word being diſobedient, that hereunto they were ordained? And Act: 4. 28. 1 Pet: 2. 8. Rev: 17. 17.that the ten Kings in giving their Kingdomes to the beaſt did fullfill the will of God, as touching this particular? But that God ſhould will or ordaine it as a meanes of puniſhment, as if the end which God aimed at, were the puniſhment, is ſo abſurd and contradictious unto Scripture, that in my opinion it cannot well enter into any judicious Divines heart ſo to conceive. And marke how this Authour ſhuffles herein: for firſt he ſaith that ſin may be conſidered either as ſinne; or as a meanes of declaring God's juſtice in puniſhing it. And why doth he not keep himſelfe unto this? eſpecially conſidering, that not permiſſion of ſin only, but the puniſhment of ſin alſo are jointly the meanes of declaring God's juſtice. And where King Solomon profeſſeth that God made the very wicked againſt the day of evill, in the ſame place he manifeſteth what is the end of this; namely in ſaying that he made all things for himſelfe, that is for the manifeſtation of his own glory. And this glory is not only in the way of juſtice; but in the way of mercy alſo; which this Authour as his manner is, very judiciouſly conceales; this attribute of mercy lying not ſo open to this Authours evaſion as that of juſtice. And is it poſſible God's mercy and the demonſtration thereof ſhould have place where there is no ſin? conſidering that no other evill, or miſery, had entred into the world, had it not been for ſin, according to that of the Apoſtle, By one man ſin entred into the world, & death by ſin. Neither are theſe generalls the only end that God aimed at in this, but many other particulars Ro: 5.there are, whereby the glory of God's wiſedome and power, and grace doth appeare, by occaſion of ſins entrance into the world. The horrible facts of Jewes and Gentiles cō mitted upon the perſon of the Son of God, were ſuch as whereby the Lord brought to paſſe the redemption of the world. if Chriſt had not been crucified what ſatisfaction had been made for the ſins of the world? how could he have been ſet forth as a propitiation for our ſins through faith in his blood? & yet this is not all the glory of God that breaks forth by the permiſſion of ſin. The puniſhment of one ſin by another is an admirable worke of God's providence, and that more waies then one. For God can puniſh, and doth, one man by the ſin of an other. The Aſſyrians and Babylonians committed outrages enough upon the people of God, yet hereby the Lord was juſt in puniſhing the ſins of Eſa: 10. Habak: 1.his own people, Senacherib blaſphemed the God of Iſrael, the creature his Creator, moſt unnaturally, this unnaturallnes of his towards God, the Lord avenged by the unnaturalneſſe of his own children towards him: This was the worke of the Lord, as himſelfe acknowledgeth. I will cauſe him to fall by the ſword in his own land. Man ſeeketh the face of the Ruler, but every man's judgment is of the Lord. Many unjuſt judgments have their courſe in Eſ: 37. 7. Prov: 28.the world, yet Solomon ſaith, every man's judgment is from the Lord. It is juſt with him to puniſh unjuſt courſes with unjuſt courſes, and there is mercy in this; for no better way then this to bring mens former wicked courſes to their remembrance. As Adonibezek when the thumbs of his hands, and great toes of his feet were cut off, then he remembred his former cruelty; and how that 70 Kings had eaten bread under his Table, having the thumbes of their hands and feet cut off; And herein he acknowledged the juſt hand of God ſaying. As I have done to others ſo hath God done to me. And as many as will not in like manner acknowledge the juſt hand of God in like caſes, let them take heed leſt Adonibezek one day riſe up in judgment againſt them. Thus it is juſt with God by one ſin of the ſame man to puniſh another. For becauſe the Gentiles knowing God, glorified him not as God, but were unthankfull, turning the glory of the incorruptible God into the Image of corruptible things, therefore the Lord gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to doe thoſe things which are not convenient. Therefore God gave thē up to vile affections. Therefore Ro: 1. 28. verſe 26. verſe 24. verſe 26.God gave them up to their hearts luſts, unto uncleanes to defile their own bodies between thē ſelves. And what were theſe inconvenient things? what was this uncleanes? Wherein conſiſted this, defiling of their bodies between themſelves? The text expreſſeth it thus. For even their womē changed the naturall uſe into that which is againſt nature. And likewiſe alſo the mē left the naturall uſe of the women, & burned in their luſt one towards another, & mā with man verſe 27.wrought filthines. But was there any judgment of God to be obſerved in this? The Apoſtle hath diſcovered this alſo unto us in the words immediately following thus, And they received in thēſelves ſuch recōpence of their errour as was meet; obſerve manifeſtly the juſt hand of God in all this. As for the manner how God brought all this to paſſe, we anſwer with Auſtin, whether it be modo explicabili, or inexplicabili, by a way that may be explicated by us, or whether it be inexplicabile, the Apoſtle troubleth not himſelfe hereabout, his care was only to ſhew how great a judgmēt this was: & this is proſecuted farther by Auſtin in the ſame place, Aug: contra Julian: Pelag. l. 5. cap: 3.ſhewing by variety of particulars, all taken out of the word of God; in the place formerly quoted. Neither is this all the glory of God that cōes to be manifeſted by the permiſſion of ſin. For he knows not only how to judge one ſin by another, but to heale one ſin by Lib. 5 cont. Jul. Pelag: cap 3.another alſo. Audeo dicere, ſaith Auſtin, utile eſt ſuperbis in aliquod apertum manifeſtum que cadere peccatum, that ſo they may be humbled and brought to ſobriety, and paſſe the time of ſojourning here with greater care and feare. Now conſider in how hungry a manner this Authour ſets downe our tenet concerning God's providence in willing, and decreeing, that ſin ſhall come to paſſe in the world by his permiſſion; whē he talkes of ſin being a meanes of puniſhment, a moſt abſurd expreſſion, both in a ſiniſter ſtating of the end, puniſhment not being the end, but a meanes coordinate to an other end, to wit, the manifeſtation of God's glory, who hath made all things for himſelfe, that is for the ſetting forth of his own glory; as alſo in a ſiniſter ſtating the end, ſin being not a meanes (as moſt abſurdly he ſtiles it) but a meritorious cauſe of puniſhment: Like as in reference to the manifeſtation of his glory, it is not the meanes, but the materiall cauſe thereof, But the permiſſion of ſins, that and not ſin is the meanes together with the puniſhment thereof, tending to the manifeſtatiō of God's glory in the way of juſtice? 1. A good end cannot moralize a bad actiō. We grant it. But ſeeing it is impoſſible that the divine hand can doe any bad action, the end of his actions is ſufficient to juſtifie his courſes. For as Aquinas hath delivered; God's wiſedome is his juſtice. For he is a debtor to none but to himſelfe; and how to himſelfe? Not otherwiſe then in all things which he doth, to carry himſelfe ſo as it becōmeth himſelfe; Aquia: q: 23. de volunt. Dei arti…. 6.that is to order every thing to a right end, which is only the manifeſtation of his own glory. For himſelfe is moſt lovely; and 'tis his nature to be moſt loving of that which is moſt lovely. Now to order all things aright to their congruous ends, is the part of wiſdome. And ſee how extravagant this Authour is in evey one of his inſtances. For to ſteale, to commit adultery, to oppreſſe, to kill, is to ſinne, and in willing any of theſe, a man wills his own ſinne. But the Argument we treat of, is of God's willing the ſins of others; as when God's hand and his counſell determined that thoſe things ſhould be done, which by Herod, Pontius-Pilate, the Gentiles, and people of Iſrael were committed againſt the holy Son of God; and when the Kings gave their kingdomes to the beaſt herein they are ſaid to doe the will of God and when every mans judgment is ſaid to come frō the Lord; not only judgmēt juſt, but even judgments unjuſt to wit, of men, yet God hath a juſt hand in plaguing others by thē; man ought not to doe evill that good may come thereof; but God's willing it to come to paſſe by his permiſſion is no evill at all; Nay it is good; nor ſo only, but the thing willed by him is good by the confeſſion of Bellarmine, even then when he is oppoſing us in this very argument; Malum fieri Deo permittente bonum eſt, it is good that evill ſhould come to paſſe by God's permiſſion: And it was avouched by Auſtin many hundred yeares before Bellarmine was borne. And he profeſſeth that God would never have ſuffered ſinne to have entered into the world, had he not knowne that it appertained to his almighty goodneſſe, rather to work good out of evill, then not at all to ſuffer evill. Compare the judgment of Auſtin with the judgment of this Authour, and conſider whether they differ not as much as light and darkneſſe. And what wiſedome were it for God to permit ſinne (when it is in his power to hinder it, as this Authour acknowledgeth in the ſixt Section) if it be a greater evill. (and that to God, as it appeares by his expreſſion of it, Laeſio divinae majeſtatis, the hurt of the Divine majeſty) then the good that can come thereby can be? So that the crucifying of Chriſt was greater in the kind of evil, then the redemption of the world that came thereby, was in the kind of good. No man of common diſcretion will permit ought (if it lye in his power to hinder it) to his own diſadvantage, unleſſe he can make thereby, not only an equall advantage, but a greater. But let us farther conſider the ſuperficiary ſpeculation of this Divine, more becomming children in the Church of God then a grave and learned Divine. Sinne, he ſaith, is laeſio Divinae majeſtatis, the wronging of the Divine majeſty; but in what ſenſe I pray? Is God any thing the worſe for any man's diſobedience, and tranſgreſſion of God's law? Surely like as he is no way advantaged by our obedience, ſo is he as little diſadvantaged by our diſobedience. Yet I affect not to carry that I deliver by the authority of mine own bare word, which is this Authours courſe moſt uſually; I repreſent Scripture for it. If thou ſinneſt, what doeſt thou againſt him; yea when thy ſins are many, what doeſt thou unto him? If thou be righteous what giveſt thou him, or Iob: 36. 6. verſe 7. verſe 8.what receiveth he at thy hands? Thy wickedneſſe may hurt a man as thou art, and thy rightouſneſſe may profit a Son of man. And in reaſon, looke of what nature the benefit is that redounds from the creature unto God, of the like nature is the detrement. Now God by making the world acquires no internall perfectiō unto himſelfe, but only makes his glorious nature known, and accordingly if the world ſhould have an end, this manifeſtation ſhould ceaſe; but his glorious nature ſhould ſtill continue the ſame. And as he manifeſts his glory by the world, ſo ſome creatures he hath made intelligent, fit to take notice of his glory, and accordingly requires at their hands they ſhould acknowledge it, and that not in word only, but by their dutifull obedience; and that for the farther manifeſtation of his glory, to their good and wonderfull happineſſe, if they obey; and their extream ſorrow and miſery, if they continue rebellious againſt him. So that whereas the end of all God's actions being but the manifeſtatiō of his glory, he doth not looſe ſo much as this, by the ſins of men; For he can glorifie himſelfe in their juſt deſtruction; Nay he can manifeſt his glory another way; namely both the glory of his mercy in pardoning their contempt of his majeſty done unto him; which men ſo proud many times they are, can hardly doe; but in ſuch a caſe prove implacable. Likewiſe of his grace in curing it, as alſo his power and wiſedome in procuring a ſtrange ſatisfaction to be made for it in a wonderfull manner, and that by his own blood; That ſo way may be made for the manifeſtation of his, not royall only, but Divine magnificence in beſtowing the kingdome of Act: 20. 28.heaven upon them. So farre is he from being any way hurt by the ſins of men in any true reall account. And accordingly as he permits ſins dayly; ſo he offers his free grace dayly for the pardon of them; and to this tended the dayly ſacrifice among the Jewes, of a lamb every morning and a lambe every evening. But why then is ſinne, ſaid to be laeſio Divinae majeſtatis? I anſwer this is to be underſtood not of any hurt done to his majeſty in it ſelfe, but as in the minds of men, who hereby manifeſt their contempt of the divine majeſty. And they that doe contemne him would put him out of his throne if they could, & wiſh that there were no God; & the foole would faine bring his heart about to thinke ſo. But though earthly Kings may be dethroned & ſometimes have been, yet he that ſitteth in heaven laughs all them to ſcorne that riſe up againſt him. And bids the potſheard ſtrive Eſ: 45. 9.with his follow potſheards, not with his maker. Who will ſet the thornes & briars againſt me in battells I would goe through them & burne them together. For God is a conſuming fire. It is true Eſ: 27. 4. Heb: 12. 29. Zeph: 3. 5we muſt neither do evill that good may cōe thereof; nor permit it neither, if itlye in our power to hinder it. God neither will doe any iniquity nor cā doe, but yet is lawfull for him to permit evill that good may come thereof. Yea & will, or decree that evill ſhall come to paſſe by his permiſſion, as I have proved at large in a digreſſion to this purpoſe & therewithall diſcovered the Sophiſticall arguments of Aquinas, & Durandus, to the contrary, not to ſpeak of Valentianus; not one part of all which large digreſſiō do I find āſwered by this Author. I have often alleadged pregnant paſſages of Scripture to this purpoſe &; Arminius confeſſeth expreſly that God would have Ahab to fill up the meaſure of his ſin; which could not be done but by adding ſin unto ſin; Yet this is made the object of God's by Arminius. This will of God to have ſinne come to paſſe by his permiſſion, is effectuall. For whenſoever God permits it, it comes to paſſe, as both Arminius and Vorſtius acknowledge, not Piſcator only: And amongſt Papiſts Navarettus & Alvarez as before I have ſhewed; Yet God hath no efficiencie in the ſinne, but only in the act whereunto ſinfulneſſe adheres; and the ſaying of Auſtin is well knowne. Non aliquid fit, niſi omnipotens fieri velit; Not any thing comes to paſſe, but that which God will have come to paſſe. And the eleaventh Article of Ireland is moſt expreſſe for this. I am driven to repeat the ſame things often; this Authours frequent Tautologies urge me thereunto.
2. Though the members be not oppoſite it matters not; it is ſufficient they are diſparate; the purpoſe of it being to ſhew, not that God doth not will ſin, but only to ſhew under what notion he willeth it. Yet it is falſe and abſurd to ſay that ſinne is a meanes of puniſhment. For to him it belongs to worke the meanes, who intends the end, but ſinne, as ſinne, is no worke of God; but the permiſſion of it is his worke, and his meanes, not to this end that he may puniſh it, but he doth both permit it and puniſh it for the manifeſtation of his glory in the way of juſtice, like as he doth alſo permit ſinne in others, not to pardon it; but he both permits ſinne, and pardons it to manifeſt his glory in the way of mercy.
3. I come to the conſideration of the ſpeciall indignities wherewith God is loaded by this our doctrine as this Authour pretendeth.
1. And indeed is God's wiſedome and providence ſo ſtrong, as that he is able to find meanes to glorifie his juſtice without the permitting of ſinne? (For God hath no other hand in ſinne as ſinne, but of permiſſion; to the ſubſtance of the act he cooperates as a cauſe efficient, as all confeſſe.) For of what juſtice doe we treat in this argument? Is it of juſtice remunerative, or juſtice vindicative? Was it ever heard that permiſſion of ſinne was required to make way for God's juſtice remunerative? Or is it poſſible that way can be made for the manifeſtation of Gods juſtice vindicative (in Scripture called God's wrath) unleſſe ſinne be permitted to enter? For though he hates Rom: 9. 2 3.it; yet this Authour confeſſeth that God permits it, as without whoſe permiſſion it could not enter into the world. Sect: 6. In the laſt place this Authour helps himſelfe with a phraſe of God's appointing men to commit it, which he obtrudes upon us thinking to make the ballance on his part the heavier, not conſidering that words are but wind. We ſay the horrible outrages committed upon our Saviour, God foredetermined to be done; And told David that he would give his wives unto his neighbour, who ſhould lye with them before the Sun; And that it was his will that the Kings ſhould give their Kingdome to the Beaſt; this we deliver according to God's word; whereas all this our oppoſit's diſcourſe is quite beſides the word of God; as if he would have us take his abſurd conceits in ſteed of oracles. And doth he not know that Auſtin ſometimes ſayd that, Iudas electus eſt ad prodendum ſanguinem Domini, Iudas was choſen to betray his Maſter? Or will he anſwer that he was the firſt that ſaid ſo?
2. To the ſecond I have already anſwered, and that at large in my anſwer to M. Hoord, in the preface and ſecond Section. There I have ſhewed how that it was merely deviſliſh policy in Tiberius to move him to take this courſe, to make way for a grand child of his own, to bring him to the imperiall throne, This moved him to ſeeke the death of Germanicus his two Sons, whom Auguſtus made him to adopt as ſucceſſours in the empire, & leſt the putting of them to death without cauſe might provoke the people to mutiny againſt him; therfore by cunning contrivances he cauſed them to be provoked to revile him, that ſo he might have ſome cauſe to juſtifie his deſtroying of them; which yet he did not by any publique execution; he was loath to come to that for feare of raiſing ſome tumult thereby; Fame necavit, he famiſhed them. Now how hath Satan poſſeſſed the heart of this unhappy Divine thus to blaſpheme the holy one of Iſraell by comparing his waies to theſe abominable courſes of Tiberius, not fearing leſt his tongue rot in his head while he is uttering of them? Cannot God take the life of any man from him, be he never ſo innocent, and that what way he will, even by puniſhment, if it pleaſe him? For is it not of God's mere mercy that he promiſeth, Not to famiſh the ſoule of the rightous? As for provoking courſes, is it not apparent by theſe our oppoſites confeſſion, that to all the provoking courſes in the world God doth concurre, and that as an efficient cauſe of every action? And accordingly he did concurre with theſe provoking courſes uſed by Tiberius. And did not God profeſſe that he would provoke the Iſraelites by a fooliſh people, and by a fooliſh nation he would anger them? How did Shimei provoke David by railing upon him; And how did David interpret it, The Lord, ſaith he, hath bid him to curſe David? Not that he gave any ſuch command in proper ſpeech, but by his ſecret providence brought this to paſſe, uſing to this purpoſe the vitious diſpoſition which he found in Shimei, but cauſed it not. And obſerve what Auſtin ſpeakes in the like caſe of his mother Monica exerciſed with the opprobrious ſpeeches of her ſervant, Quid egiſti Deus meus? unde curaſti? unde ſanaſti? Nonne protuliſts durum & acutum ex alterâ animâ convitium tanquam medicinale ferrum ex occultis proviſionibus tuis, & uno ictu putredinem illam praecidiſti? My God what diddeſt thou? how diddeſt thou cure her? how recover her? Diddeſt thou not bring forth an harſh and ſharp reproch out of an others heart as a medicinall inſtrument in thy ſecret providence, and with one ſtroke pared away all that rotteneſſe? Thus Adonibezek when his thumbes and great toes were cut off by his enemies, he acknowledged that God had done to him, as he had done to others. And Solomon teſtifies that, every man's judgment commeth of the Lord. If every man's judgment, then ſurely unjuſt judgments and not juſt only. And although they are unjuſt as they proceed frō man; yet are they juſt as they proceed from God. Like as the parricide of Adramelech & Sharezer committed upon their Father Senacherib, the Lord takes unto himſelfe when he ſaith, I will cauſe him to fall by the ſword in his own land. Yet what was David the worſe for Shimei's curſing; neither would he thereby be Eſ: 37. 38. 7.urged to requite evill for evill upon his ſubjects; the more inexcuſable were the Sons of Germanicus for reviling their Prince Tiberius, though never ſo much provoked thereunto. Neither was this fact of Tiberius a fruit of Hypocriſy, which is the counterfeiting of holines, juſtice was pretended indeed not holines & that through feare. For the wicked man is continually as one travelling with child, A ſound of feare is in his eares. The cunning contrivances Iob 15. 20. 21that Tiberius uſed are ſpecified by this Authour, but he doth not ſpecifie the cunning contrivances that God uſeth by our opinion, as he obtrudes upon us Belike he was to ſeek of thē, yet we expreſſe God's providence herein by no other termes then the word of God it ſelfe doth ſuggeſt unto us; Namely of blinding the mind, of giving over to ſtrong illuſions, of hardning the heart, of giving over unto their hearts luſts, unto vile affections, unto a Reprobate mind. To all which is required no other thing then the not curing of that naturall corruption, and habituall vitious diſpoſition which is found in the wicked whether in the way of luxury, or in the way of uncharitableneſſe, and malice; or in the way of ambition & pride. And ſecondly the adminiſtration of congruous occaſions unto this their corrupt diſpoſition, which Arminius himſelfe confeſſeth to be the worke of God's providence in his Theſes of providence, and which in Scripture phraſe is ſtiled the leading into temptation; againſt which our Saviour taught his diſciples to pray. Thirdly the giving them over to the power of Satan. And laſtly God's generall concourſe in moving all creatures to worke agreably to their natures, neceſſary things neceſſarily; contingent Agents contingently; and free Agents freely. But my anſwer to this I have proſecuted at large in more ſheets then here are leaves in my anſwer to M. Hoord.
3. As for want of mercy, we willingly confeſſe according to the tenour of God's word (as this Authour delivers himſelfe without all reſpect thereunto) that God ſhewes no mercy in hardning them. For to harden in Scripture phraſe is oppoſite to God's ſhewing mercy. And as he is bound to none; ſo he profeſſeth that, He will ſhew mercy on whom he will ſhew mercy, and will have compaſſion on whom he will have compaſſion. And this the Ex: 33. 19.Apoſtle takes hold of in proſecuting the doctrine of election and concludeth from hence in part, & in part from God's hardening of Pharaoh, that God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth, by hardning meaning ſuch an operation, the conſequence Rom: 9. 18.whereof is alwaies diſobedience; as appeares by the objection derived therehence in the words following; Thou wilt ſay then why doth he yet complaine? (now he complaines only of diſobedience) For who hath reſiſted his will? Manifeſtly implying that when God hardens man unto diſobedience, it is his ſecret will that he ſhall diſobey. Like as when God hardned Pharaoh that he ſhould not let Iſrael goe; It was God's ſecret will that he ſhould not let Iſrael goe for a good while: Secret I ſay in diſtinction from the will of command, which is alwaies made knowne to them who are commanded. But it pleaſed the Lord to make this will of his knowne to Moſes, though it was kept ſecret from Pharaoh; yet afterwards he told Pharaoh to his face by his ſervant Moſes ſaying. And indeed for this cauſe have I appointed thee to ſhew my power in thee, and to declare my name to all the world; though Pharaoh believed it not as appeares by that which followeth; yet thou exalteſt thy ſelfe againſt me, and letteſt them not goe. But this Authour together with M. Hoord goeth by other rules, which his own fancy ſuggeſt's unto him, he will have God's love and mercy extended to all and every one, Chriſt's redemption to extend to all and every one; the Covenant of grace to comprehend all and every one; and upon theſe univerſalities he grounds his tranſcendent conſolations; whence it comes to paſſe, that Abraham the father of the faithfull, was of no more comfortable condition, then the grand Signior among the Turkes: And the grand Siginior had as good grounds of conſolatiō as Abraham himſelfe. Yet this not ſhewing of mercy on the veſſells of wrath prepared unto deſtruction tends to the greater demonſtration of his mercy on the veſſells of mercy prepared unto glory: As the Apoſtle teſtifies Ro: 9. 23. And let this Author tell Saint Paul if he thinks good, That this is the diſpoſition of hang-men rather then of good Princes. And this is the perpetuall tenour of this Authour's diſcourſe to conforme God's courſes to the conditions of courſes humane. Man is bound to ſhew mercy on all; God is not. God is free to pardon whom he will, man is not. If we permit men to ſinne in caſe we can hinder them, we ſhall be guilty with them, but how innumerable are the ſins committed in the world, which if God would hinder could never be committed? As Auſtin diſcourſeth lib. 5. contra Iulian: Pelag: cap. 4 In nothing did Nero's cruelty ſhew it ſelfe more, then in prolonging the lives of men, that he might torment them the more. What then? Shall we taxe God for crueltie in keeping mens bodies and ſoules alive for ever in hell fire to torment them everlaſtingly without end? See what a doore of blaſphemy is opened againſt the juſt God that will doe no iniquity, by this Authour's unſhamefaſt diſcourſe.Zeph: 3. 5.
By this let the indifferent Reader judge of this Authour's preſent performance, & withall take notice of that which himſelfe hath diſſembled all along touching his own tenet; namely that of every ſinfull act committed by the creature, God is the efficient cauſe, as touching the ſubſtance of the act, as for the ſinfulneſſe thereof we hold it impoſſible that God can have any agency at all therein, or any culpable deficiency; foraſmuch as he neither doth ought which he ſhould not doe, or after what manner he ſhould not, nor leaves undone ought which he ſhould doe, or after what manner he ſhould doe, all which are incident to the creature who is ſubject to a law; but not at all to the Creatour who gives lawes to others, but himſelfe works according to the counſell of his own will in all things. The ſumme is, whatſoever we deliver as touching God's ſecret providence in evill, we have expreſſe ſcripture for us, nothing but pretence of carnall reaſon againſt us; which when it comes to be examined, is found ſubject to manifeſt contradiction, both as touching their feigning things future without the decree of God; And as touching their conditionall decrees, and conditionall concurrences; ours is not in any particular; The greateſt ſhew of contradiction on our parts is in the point of neceſſitie and libertie; Now to cleare this, as others, have taken paines, ſo have I in my Vindiciae proving divers and ſundry waies, that theſe two doe amically conſpire, to wit, the Lib. 2. digr: 5neceſſitie being only upon ſuppoſition; the liberty and contingency ſimply ſo called; only it is not to be expected that there ſhould be no difference between the liberty of the creatures, and the liberty of God the Creator; Or that the creature in her operation ſhould be exempt from the operation of God; The ſecond cauſe exempt from the motion of the firſt; whereunto this Authour addreſſeth not the leaſt anſwer. As for the difference which this Authour puts between the upper way and the lower in making God the Authour of ſinne; compare this with Arminius his profeſſion; Namely that the ſame twenty reaſons which he objected againſt the upper way, may all of them be accommodated againſt the lower way, all of them admitting of the ſame diſtinctions (which this Authour invades) to cleare God from being the Authour of ſinne.