Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 1.

Objection. IF God harden the heart of a sinner how can he chuse but sinne, seeing that by nature we are all the children of wrath?

Ans. In every action, the ••nd and meanes must goe together; the cause doth never follow the effect, but the effect the cause; and in one and same action there is a double cause; as 1. The instrumentall cause moving. 2. God separating from the instrument, yet giving power of motion to the same; and so the wicked may be said to be the instruments of God, yet not God the cause of their wickednesse, and therefore one saith, Deus agit per malos, non in malis, God worketh by evill men, not in evill men. God therefore may be said to be the cause of the action, but* 1.1 not of the quality of the action. Gods decree is no cause of their sinning, but the voluntary inclination of the will unto evill, being neither forced, nor by any violence compelled, and therefore no evill is either to be attributed to God or his decre••.

2. Again, God is no way the author of sinne, seeing he neither tempteth nor perswadeth unto it, Jer. 1. 13. neither hath he com∣manded it, but forbidden it in his Law, neither doth he worke with them that doth evill; for all that God doth is good, and so

there is none good but God, Mark 10. 19. neither doth the Lord approve sin being done, Psal. 84. Thou art a God that hatest wic∣kednesse. So then if God neither move to sin, nor commend it be∣ing done, nor yet assist the actors of it, he can in no wise be said to be the author of sin,

3. If God should cause sin, then every man should sin of neces∣sity, and so his punishment should be unjust, being forced to sin; but God who cannot be deceived, hath not brought upon any a necessity or willingnesse of sinning; for it cannot be that by whom men rise from sin, by him they should fall into sin. God that is good cannot be said to be the cause of evill, for then he should be contrary to himself. Again, if God should be any waies the Author of sin, then it should be no sin; for whatsoever God doth is good, nay not to doe that which the Lord willeth, is sinne.

Yet seeing, 1. God is said in Scripture to harden the heart, which betokeneth an action; and likewise in other termes, as God is said to give some over to vile affections, as in Rom. 1. 26. and to send upon some strong delusions that they should not beleeve the truth, 2 Thes. 2. 11. and to make the heart fat, the eares heavie, and to shut the ••yes, Isa. 6. 10. all which phrases implyeth an acti∣on, or opperation; it is therefore requisite to shew what the hardnesse of heart is. 2. By what meanes it is effected or procured; and 3. In what respect God may be said to work in the action.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God is no way the author of sinne.