 CHAPTER 18 The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God While He Continues Free from Every Taint. This last chapter of the first book consists of three parts, Roman numeral one. It having been said that God bends all the reprobate and even Satan himself at his will, three objections are started. First, that this happens by the permission, not by the will of God. To this objection there is a twofold reply, the one that angels and men good and bad do nothing but what is appointed by God. The second, that all movements are secretly directed to their end by the hidden inspiration of God. section one and two. Roman numeral two. A second objection is that there are two contrary wills in God, if by a secret counsel he decrees what he openly prohibits by his law. This objection refuted. section three. Roman numeral three. The third objection is that God has made the author of all wickedness when he is said not only to use the agency of the wicked but also to govern their counsels and affections and that therefore the wicked are unjustly punished. This objection refuted in the last section. One. The carnal mind, the source of the objections which are raised against the providence of God. A primary objection, making a distinction between the permission and the will of God refuted. Angels and men good and bad do not but what has been decreed by God. This proved by examples. Two. All hidden movements directed to their end by the unseen but righteous instigation of God. Examples with answers to objections. Three. These objections originate in a spirit of pride and blasphemy. Objection that there must be two contrary wills in God refuted. Why the one simple will of God seems to us as if it were manifold. Four. Objection that God is the author of sin refuted by examples. Augustine's Answer and Admonition. Section 1. From other passages in which God is said to draw or bend Satan himself and all the reprobate to his will a more difficult question arises. For the carnal mind can scarcely comprehend how, when acting by their means he contracts no taint from their impurity, nay, how in a common operation he is exempt from all guilt and can justly condemn his own ministers. Hence a distinction has been invented between doing and permitting, because to many it seemed altogether inexplicable how Satan and all the wicked are so under the hand and authority of God that he directs their malice to whatever end he pleases and employs their iniquities to execute his judgments. The modesty of those who are thus alarmed at the appearance of absurdity might perhaps be excused, did they not endeavor to vindicate the justice of God from every semblance of stigma by defending an untruth. It seems absurd that man should be blinded by the will and command of God and yet be forthwith punished for his blindness. Hence recourse is had to the evasion that this is done only by the permission and not also by the will of God. He himself, however, openly declaring that he does this, repudiates the evasion. That men do nothing save at the secret instigation of God and do not discuss and deliberate on anything but what he has previously decreed with himself and brings to pass by his secret direction is proved by numberless clear passages of scripture. What we formerly quoted from the Psalms to the effect that he does whatever pleases him certainly extends to all the actions of men. If God is the arbiter of peace and war as is there said and that without any exception who will venture to say that men are born along at random with a blind impulse while he is unconscious or quiescent. But the matter will be made clearer by special examples. From the first chapter of Job we learn that Satan appears in the presence of God to receive his orders just as do the angels who obey spontaneously. The manner and the end are different but still the fact is that he cannot attempt anything without the will of God. But though afterwards his power to afflict the saint seems to be only a bare permission yet as the sentiment is true. Quote, the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away as it pleased the Lord so it has been done. We infer that God was the author of the trial which Satan and wicked robbers were merely the instruments. Satan's aim is to drive the saint to madness by despair. The Sabeans cruelly and wickedly make a sudden incursion to rob another of his goods. Job acknowledges that he was deprived of all his property and brought to poverty because such was the pleasure of God. Therefore whatever man or Satan himself devise God holds the helm and makes all their efforts contribute to the execution of its judgments. God wills that the perfidious Ahab should be deceived. The devil offers his agency for that purpose and is sent with a definite command to be a lying spirit in the mouth of all the prophets, 2 Kings 2220. If the blinding and infatuation of Ahab is a judgment from God, the fiction of bare permission is at an end. For it would be ridiculous for a judge only to permit and not also to decree what he wishes to be done at the very time that he commits the execution of it to his ministers. The Jews' purpose to destroy Christ, Pilate and the soldiers indulge them in their fury. Yet the disciples confess in solemn prayer that all the wicked did nothing but what the hand and counsel of God had decreed, Acts 428. Just as Peter had previously said in his discourse that Christ was delivered to death by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, Acts 2 23. In other words, that God, to whom all things are known from the beginning, had determined what the Jews had executed. He repeats the same thing elsewhere, quote, those things which God showed by the mouth of all his prophets that Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled, end quote, Acts 418. Absalom, incestuously defiling his father's bed, perpetrates a detestable crime. God, however, declares that it was his work. For the words are, quote, thou midst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Son, end quote. The cruelties of the Chaldeans in Judea are declared by Jeremiah to be the work of God, for which reason Nebuchadnezzar is called the servant of God. God frequently exclaims that by his hiss, by the clang of his trumpet, by his authority and command the wicked are excited to war. He calls the Assyrians the rod of his anger and the acts which he wields in his hand. The overthrow of the city and downfall of the temple he calls his own work. David, not murmuring against God but acknowledging him to be a just judge confesses that the curses of she may are uttered by his orders. The Lord says he, quote, has bitten him curse, end quote. Often in sacred history whatever happens is said to proceed from the Lord, as the revolt of the ten tribes, the death of Eli's sons and very many others, of a similar description. Those who have a tolerable acquaintance with the scriptures see that with a view to brevity I am only producing a few out of many passages, from which it is perfectly clear that it is the merest trifling to substitute a bare permission for the providence of God, as if he sat in a watchtower waiting for fortuitous events, his judgments, meanwhile depending on the will of man. With regard to secret movements what Solomon says of the heart of a king that it is turned hither and thither, as God sees meat, certainly applies to the whole human race, and has the same force as if he had said that whatever we conceive in our minds is directed to its end by the secret inspiration of God. And certainly did he not work internally in the minds of men? It could not have been properly said that he takes away the lip from the true and prudence from the aged, takes away the heart from the princes of the earth that they wander through devious paths. To the same effect we often read that men are intimidated when he fills their hearts with terror. Thus David left the camp of Saul, while none knew of it because a sleep from God had fallen upon all. But nothing can be clearer than the many passages which declare that he blinds the minds of men, and smites them with giddiness, intoxicates them with a spirit of stupor, renders them infatuated, and hardens their hearts. Even these expressions many would confine to permissions as if, by destroying the reprobate, he allowed them to be blinded by Satan. But since the Holy Spirit distinctly says that the blindness and infatuation are inflicted by the just judgment of God, the solution is altogether inadmissible. He is said to have hardened the heart of Pharaoh, to have hardened it yet more, and confirmed it. Some evade these forms of expression by a silly cattle, because Pharaoh is elsewhere said to have hardened his own heart, thus making his will the cause of hardening it, as if the two things did not perfectly agree with each other, though in different senses, viz that men, though acted upon by God, at the same time also acts. But I retort the objection on those who make it. If to harden means only bear permission, the contumacy will not properly belong to Pharaoh. Now, could anything be more feeble and insipid than to interpret as if Pharaoh had only allowed himself to be hardened? We may add that scripture cuts off all handle for such cavals. I, say at the Lord, quote, will harden his heart, end, quote, Exodus 421, so also Moses says of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, that they went forth to battle because the Lord had hardened their hearts, Joshua 1120. The same thing is repeated by another prophet, quote. He turned their hearts to hate his people, end, quote, Psalm 10525. In like manner, in Isaiah, he says of the Assyrian, quote, I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, end, quote, Isaiah 106. Not that he intends to teach the wicked an obstinate man to obey spontaneously, but because he bends them to execute his judgments, just as if they carried their orders, engraving on their minds. And hence it appears that they are impelled by the sheer appointment of God. I admit, indeed, that God often acts in the reprobate by interposing the agency of Satan, but in such a manner that Satan himself performs as part just as he is impelled and succeeds only insofar as he is permitted. The evil spirit that troubled Saul is said to be from the Lord, 1 Samuel 1614, to intimate that Saul's madness was a just punishment from God. Satan is also said to blind the minds of those who believe not, 2 Corinthians 4.4, but how so, unless that a spirit of error is sent from God himself, making those who refuse to obey the truth to believe a lie? According to the former view, it is said, quote, if the Prophet be deceived when he has spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet. End quote, Ezekiel 14.9. According to the latter view, he is said to have given men over to a reprobate mind, Romans 128, because he is the special author of his own just vengeance, whereas Satan is only his minister. But as in the second book, chapter 4, sections 3 and 4, in discussing the question of man's freedom, this subject will again be considered. The little that has now been said seems to be all that the occasion requires. The sum of the whole is this. Since the will of God is said to be the cause of all things, all the counsels and actions of men must be held to be governed by his providence, so that he not only exerts his power in the elect, who are guided by the Holy Spirit, but also forces the reprobate to do him service. Section 3. As I have hitherto stated only what is plainly and unambiguously taught in Scripture, those who hesitate not to stigmatize what is thus taught by the sacred oracles, had better beware what kind of censure they employ. If under a pretense of ignorance they seek the praise of modesty, what greater arrogance can be imagined than to utter one word in opposition to the authority of God, to say, for instance, quote, I think otherwise, end quote, I would not have this subject touched, end quote. But if they openly blaspheme, what will they gain by assaulting heaven? Such petulance indeed is not new. In all ages there have been wicked and profane men who rabidly assailed this branch of doctrine. But what the Spirit declared of old by the mouth of David, Psalm 51.6, they will feel by experience to be true. God will overcome when he is judged. David indirectly rebukes the infatuation of those whose license is so unbridled that from their groveling spot of earth they not only plead against God, but arrogant to themselves the right of censuring him. At the same time he briefly intimates that the blasphemies which they belch forth against heaven instead of reaching God only illustrate his justice when the mists of their kaluminies are dispersed. Even our faith, because founded on the sacred word of God, is superior to the whole world and is able, from its height, to look down upon such mists. Their first objection, that if nothing happens without the will of God he must have two contrary wills, decreeing by a secret counsel what he has openly forbidden in his law, is easily disposed of. But before I reply to it I would again remind my readers that this caval is directed not against me, but against the Holy Spirit who certainly dictated this confession to that holy man Job. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. When after being plundered by robbers he acknowledges that their injustice and mischief was a just chastisement from God. And what says the scriptures elsewhere? The sons of Eli, quote, harkened not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them, end quote, for Samuel 2.25. Another prophet also exclaims, quote, our God is in the heavens, he has done whatsoever he has pleased, end quote, Psalm 115.3. I have already shown clearly enough that God is the author of all those things which, according to these objectors, happen only by his inactive permission. He testifies that he creates light and darkness, forms good and evil, Isaiah 45.7, that no evil happens which he has not done, Amos 3.6. Let them tell me whether God exercises his judgments willingly or unwillingly. As Moses teaches that he who is accidentally killed by the blow of an axe is delivered by God into the hand of him who smites him, Deuteronomy 19.5, so the gospel by the mouth of Luke declares that Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired, quote, to do whatever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done, end quote, Acts 4.28. And in truth, if Christ was not crucified by the will of God, where is our redemption? Still, however, the will of God is not at variance with itself, it undergoes no change. He makes no pretense of not willing what he wills, but while in himself the will is won and undivided, to us it appears manifold, because from the feebleness of our intellects we cannot comprehend how, though after a different manner, he wills and wills not, the very same thing. Paul terms the calling of the Gentiles a hidden mystery and shortly after adds that therein was manifested the manifold wisdom of God, Ephesians 3.10. Since, on account of the dullness of our sense, the wisdom of God seems manifold, parentheses, or as an old interpreter rendered it, multi-form, and parentheses, are we therefore to dream of some variation in God, as if he either changed his counsel or disagreed with himself? Nay, when we cannot comprehend how God can will that to be done which he has forbid us to do, let us call to mind our imbecility, and remember that the light in which he dwells is not without cause termed inaccessible, 1 Timothy 6.16, because shrouded in darkness. Hence all pious and modest men will readily acquiesce in the sentiment of Augustine. Quote, man sometimes with a good will wishes something which God does not will, as when a good son wishes his father to live, while God wills him to die. Again it may happen that man with a bad will wishes what God wills righteously, as when a bad son wishes his father to die, and God also wills it. The former wishes what God wills not, the latter wishes what God also wills, and yet the filial affection of the former is more consonant to the good will of God, though willing differently than the unnatural affection of the latter, though willing the same thing. So much does approbation or condemnation depend on what is befitting in man, and what in God to will, and to what end the will of each has respect. For the things which God rightly wills he accomplishes by the evil wills of bad men, quote. He has said a little before that the apostate angels by the revolt and all the reprobate, as far as they themselves were concerned, did what God willed not, but in regard to his omnipotence it was impossible for them to do so, for while they act against the will of God, his will is accomplished in them. Hence he exclaims, quote, great is the work of God, exquisite in all he wills, so that in a manner wondrous and ineffable that is not done without his will which is done contrary to it, because it could not be done if he did not permit, nor does he permit it unwillingly but willingly, nor would he who is good permit evil to be done, were he not omnipotent to bring good out of evil, end quote. Section 4 In the same way is solved, or rather spontaneously vanishes another objection, Viz, if God not only uses the agency of the wicked, but also governs their councils and affections, he is the author of all their sins, and therefore men, in executing what God has decreed, are unjustly condemned, because they are obeying his will. Here will is improperly confounded with precept, though it is obvious from innumerable examples that there is the greatest difference between them. When Absalom defiled his father's bed, though God was pleased thus to avenge the adultery of David, he did not therefore enjoin an abandoned son to commit incest, unless perhaps in respect of David as David himself says of Shime's curses. For while he confesses that Shime acts by the order of God, he by no means commends the obedience as if that petulant dog had been yielding obedience to a divine command, but recognizing in his tongue the scourge of God he submits patiently to be chastised. Thus we must hold that while by means of the wicked God performs what he has secretly decreed, they are not excusable as if they were obeying his precept, which of set purpose they violate according to their lust. How these things which men do perversely are of God, and are ruled by his secret providence, is strikingly shown in the election of King Jeroboam, 1 Kings 1220, in which the rashness and infatuation of the people are severely condemned for perverting the order sanctioned by God, and profiteously revolting from the family of David. And yet we know that it was God's will that Jeroboam should be anointed. Hence the apparent contradiction in the words of Hosea, Hosea 8.4.1311. Because while God complained that the kingdom was erected without his knowledge and against his will, he elsewhere declares that he had given King Jeroboam in his anger. How shall we reconcile the two things? That Jeroboam's reign was not of God, and yet God appointed him king. In this way, the people could not revolt from the family of David without shaking off a yoke divinely imposed on them, and yet God himself was not deprived of the power of thus punishing the ingratitude of Solomon. We therefore see how God, while not willing treachery, with another view justly wills the revolt. And hence Jeroboam, by unexpectedly receiving the sacred unction, is urged to aspire to the kingdom. For this reason the sacred history says that God stirred up an enemy to deprive the son of Solomon of part of the kingdom. 1 Kings 11.23. Let the reader diligently ponder both points, how as it was the will of God that the people should be ruled by the hand of one king, their being rent into two parties was contrary to his will, and yet this same will originated the revolt. For certainly when Jeroboam, who had no such thought, is urged by the prophet verbally and by the oil of unction to hope for the kingdom, the thing was not done without the knowledge or against the will of God who had expressly commanded it. And yet the rebellion of the people is justly condemned, because it was against the will of God that they revolted from the posterity of David. For this reason it is afterwards added that when Rehoboam hotly spurned the prayers of the people, quote, the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying which the Lord spoke by a haija, end quote, 1 Kings 12.15. See how sacred unity was violated against the will of God, while at the same time with his will the ten tribes were alienated from the son of Solomon. To this might be added another similar example, Viz. The murder of the sons of Ahab, and the extermination of his whole progeny by the consent, or rather the active agency of the people. Jehu says truly, quote, there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the Lord has done that which he spake by his servant Elijah, end quote, 2 Kings 10.10. And yet with good reason he upraids the citizens of Samaria for having lent their assistance, quote, ye be righteous, behold I conspired against my master and slew him, but who slew all these, end quote. If I mistake not I have already shown clearly how the same act that once betrays the guilt of man and manifests the righteousness of God. Modest minds will always be satisfied with Augustine's answer, quote, since the Father delivered up the son, Christ his own body, and Judas his master. How, in such a case, is God just, and man guilty, but just because in the one act which they did the reasons for which they did it are different, end quote. If any are not perfectly satisfied with this explanation, Viz, that there is no concurrence between God and man when by his righteous impulse man does what he ought not to do, let them give heed to what Augustine elsewhere observes, quote, who can refrain from trembling at those judgments when God does according to his pleasure, even in the hearts of the wicked, at the same time rendering to them according to their deeds, end quote. And certainly in regard to the treachery of Judas there is just as little ground to throw the blame of the crime upon God, because he was both pleased that his son should be delivered up to death, and did deliver him, as to ascribe to Judas the praise of our redemption. Hence Augustine in another place truly observes that when God makes his scrutiny he looks not to what men could do, or to what they did, but to what they wished to do, thus taking account of their will and purpose. Those to whom this seems harsh had better consider how far their insituousness is entitled to any toleration, while on the ground of its exceeding their capacity they reject a matter which is clearly taught in Scripture, and complain of the annunciation of truths which, if they were not useful to be known, God never would have ordered his prophets and apostles to teach. Our true wisdom is to embrace with meek docility, and without reservation whatever the Holy Scriptures have delivered. Those who indulge their petulance, a petulance manifestly directed against God, are undeserving of a longer refutation.