¶ I knowe I am misreported, that I make God to be the author of sinne; but that is not true, as it shall plainlie appeare. But I onlie indeuour by my doctrine, to shew how the scriptures must be vnderstood, when they seeme so to affirme: Also what Augustine ment, who said, that God bendeth the wils of men aswell vnto good, as vnto euill: And in like maner, how Zuinglius & Oecolampadius, and other great learned men, professors of the Gospell, must be vnderstood, when they seeme to auouch the same.
The .xvij. Chapter. Whether God be the Author of sinne; out of the second booke of Sam. the 16. chapter, verse 22. Looke in Iud. 3, 9. and 9, 24. and 2. Sam, 2, 27. and 1. Kings. 22, 21. and In Rom. 1. 23.
IT remaineth now, that we intreate of the question; 1 Whether God be the author of sinne? For aswell the curse of Semei, 2 as the defiling of Dauids concubins, 3 may séeme at the first vew to procéed from God. For as touching the curse, Dauid him selfe said, that it came from God. And as touching the adulterie of Dauids concubins, it was spoken by Nathan vnder the person of God. Wherefore it may verie well be called in controuersie, whether God be the author of sinne. 4 And trulie there are verie manie and strong arguments of both sides: a good part of them I will recite, vnto the which all the rest may be referred. God can not trulie & rightlie be said to be the cause of sinne. Excellent is the sentence of Augustine, in his booke of 83. questions; God is not the author of anie thing, whereby a man becommeth the woorse: But no man doubteth that men are the woorse through sinne, Therfore God can not properlie be called the author of sinne. It is not likelie, that God will deforme man: artificers desire to adorne their works. Further, God him selfe generallie in the scripture professeth him selfe a reuenger of sinnes. If he be a reuenger, he is no author; for then he should punish his owne. If he were trulie the cause of sinne, he should condemne that which he made, which thing is absurd. Thirdlie it is said, that He loueth those things which he made, and hateth nothing that he hath made. But he testifieth that he did hate sinne, therefore he dooth not inforce to sinne. To hate and to loue are contrarie; wherefore both can not be spoken of one thing, at one and the selfe same time. If he hate sinne, then he loueth it not; but if so be it were of God, it should be beloued: for God loueth those things which he made. If God were the cause of sinne, he in the bringing foorth of sinne, should sinne; he that stealeth, is a théefe; he that committeth murther, is a manqueller: but far be it from God, that he should be either said to sinne, or to be a sinner. What is else to sinne, but to straie from the right end? But God is infinite, and can not be lead awaie from the end by another greater force. He is not ignorant, that he can straie from the end; for he is most wise. And that he him selfe should cause others to sinne, it séemeth to be absurd.
Let vs consider what is doone among these naturall things created by God. There be manie efficient causes; it séemeth that euerie efficient cause coueteth to make that like vnto it selfe, whereabout it worketh. Fire, if it take hold vpon wood, so worketh, as those things, wherevpon it worketh, may be made like vnto it selfe; a man dooth procreate a man. Thus in things created doo agents worke; whie shall we not saie, that in Gods dooings, his indeuour is to make like vnto him selfe; and that therefore he sinneth not? The holie scriptures teach vs the same; they bring in lawes which stirre vp good works, but sinnes at no time. If God should prouoke sinne, or would it to be doone, he should séem to be an hypocrite; he should closlie and secretlie doo another thing, than he openlie pretendeth. Ieremie spake of false prophets; 5 They ranne, but I sent them not; they prophesied, and I spake not with them; namelie, that they should speake this thing. Oseas saith; 6 Thy saluation, ô Israel, is of me, thy perdition is of thy selfe. But no man is ignorant that sinne is the cause of perdition. If perdition were of Israel, then sinne also: but saluation, and whatsoeuer goeth before saluation, is of God. If saluation and perdition, being the effects, be thus distinguished; the causes also must be distinguished, the one to be of God, and the other of man. Sin shall procéed of men, and vertues of God. More manifest is that which is written in the eight chapter of Iohn, where Christ speaking of the diuell, saith; 7 When he speaketh lies, he speaketh of his owne: if of his owne, he hath no néed to be stirred vp of another. And againe, 8 This is the condemnation of man, that light came into the world, but they loued darkenes more. Iames testifieth, 9 that God tempteth no man. But by temptation, men are prouoked vnto sin: wherefore if God were the cause of sin, it might not be said, that he tempteth not anie man. It is concupiscence whereby we be tempted, and that is not of God, but of the world.