The orthodox faith and vvay to the Church explaned and iustified in answer to a popish treatise, entituled, White died blacke; wherein T.W. p. in his triple accusation of D. White for impostures, vntruths, and absurd illations, is proued a trifler: and the present controuersies betweene vs and the Romanists are more fully deliuered and cleared. By Francis White Bachelour in Diuinitie, and elder brother of Doctor Iohn White.

Vntruth 15. Whether Protestants make God the Author of sinne.

T. W. Maister White being desirous, that his Religion should decline all contumelious reproch and slaine, touching the author of sinne, thus writeth: The doctrine of the Prote∣stants doth not make God the Author of sin, nor inferreth a∣ny absolute necessity constraining vs, that we cannot do other∣wise then we doe. But contrary to thisg, Zuinglius saithh; that God moueth the theefe to kill. And that the theefe killeth, God procuring him: and the theefe is inforced to sinne. And Bezai: God exciteth the wicked will of one theefe to kill ano∣ther, guideth his hand, &c. And Caluink; In sinning the Diuell is not author, but rather an instrument, &c. This do∣ctrine is condemned by Castalio, Hooker, Couel: and Iacobus Andreal chargeth Beza with making God the author of sin. Thus we see how antipodes like, and oppositly our Doctor trea∣deth to the feete of his owne brethren.

Answ. Protestants affirme, that it is blasphemy and damnable heresie, to teach that God is the author of sinnem. And some learned Papists acquite the Prote∣stants of this imputation commonly obiected. Suarez saithn; The Heretickes (Protestants) know well, that God in∣tendeth not that which is formall in sinne, nor inclineth the will of man to intend it. And Vasqueso: Caluin, Zuingli∣us,

and Beza, do plainely affirme, that sinne as it is sinne, is not to be referred to God as the cause thereof.

T. W. The former sayings of Protestants, although they do not actually imply so much, yet they doe it potentially, and by necessarie inference.

Answ. 1. The like formes of speech are vsed by Papists themselues: Canusp saith; God vseth his minister Sathan as an instrument, and thus is said, to effect that which his mi∣nister being strengthened by his authoritie, doth. And V••s∣quesq: Diuers moderne Schoolemen affirme, that God ha∣uing no respect of mans owne determination of himselfe to sin, doth apply, excite, and impell to the deed of sinne.

2. Zuinglius, Beza, Caluin, &c. speake of the substance and matter of the act of sinne, not of the wickednesse or qualitie. Zuingliusr hath these words; Ad opus non ad crimen, To the worke, and not to the fault: Neither simply to the deed, but as it serues to the end prefixed by him. To the worke, Ratione passionis & euentus, In respect of the pas∣siue euent.

3. This Popish Priest notoriously abuseth Caluins: for whereas he saith, that Sathan is Gods instrument, in agendo, in doing; the Popish Priest produceth him, say∣ing; that he is Gods instrument in peccando, in sinning: And that which this learned author speaketh of the posi∣tiue act of sinne, this Romist applyes to the qualitie: as if one saying, the motiue facultie in the naturall body, effe∣cteth motion, therefore it effecteth halting.

4. Maister Hookert in the place obiected by this Priest,

treating of the twofold will of God, affirmeth, that Gods secret will is not the rule of morall actions, but speaketh nothing concerning this present question.

5. Castalio, and Iacobus Andrea, being Aduersaries to Caluin and Beza, and the one of them a phantastike, and the other a turbulent vbiquitarie, are not indifferent censors to passe vpon the credit of these worthy men.

Notes

• g

  Briarly apol. tr. 2. c. 3. pag. 577 hath the same.
• h

  Zuingl. de prouid. Dei.
• i

  Beza, display of popish abuses
• k

  Caluin. instit. l. 2. c. 4. §. 4.
• l

  Colloq. Mon∣tisbelg. pag 47.
• m

  Reade before part 1. ch. 8. pa∣ragr 1. obseruat.
• n

  Suar. opusc. l. 2 c. 2. pag. 111.
• o

  Vasq 1. d. 99. c. 4. n. 22. Plane dicunt, &c.
• p

  Can loc l. 2. c. 4. & 7. Vasq. 1. d. 96. c 10 n. 64. Quia De is vtitur mi∣nistro suo satha∣na tanquam in∣strumento, & ita dicitur efficere quod suus mini∣ster, autoritate sua roboratus facit.
• q

  Vasq. ib 99. c. 4. n. 22. Nulla habita ratione determinationis nostrae, ad opus pecc. nos appli∣cate, excitare, ••egere, impel∣lere, &c. Ib. c. 3. n. 9. Re∣centiores theo¦logi doctrinam, S. Tho•• & an∣tiquorum theo∣logorum, sic patant intelli∣gendam: vt Deus ab aeterno praefinierit singulas nostras operationes, eiusq́ue praefinitio fuerit prior ordine causae nostra determinatione & cooperatione: quia nulla habita ratione illius, ex se Deus, singula opera no ••ra decreuerit: id quod non solum in operibus gratiae censent esse verum, sed in alijs o∣peribus etiam peceati, si sermo sit, non de malitia, sed de substantia actus.
• r

  De prouid. Dei.
• s

  Instit. lib. 2. c. 4. n 4.
• t

  Eccles. pol. l. 5. pag. 104.