The Sum of Christian Religion

which end they have, when as they execute the commandment of God either general or special, being moved by the cogitation of this commandment, whether they have or have not any knowledge of the counsel and purpose of God, why he commandeth this or that thing to be done. And the action of creatures is evil, when both them selves are evil, as also when being forsaken and not corrected by God, they do a thing without his commandment, or not to that end, as thereby to obey him. Wherefore that work, the working and doing whereof is ascribed by the Scripture both to God and to a corrupt & evil creature, must needs be good in respect of God, & evil in respect of the creature: neither what is evil in that work, may be attributed to God, neither what is good, unto the corrupt creature, but by an accident. So the afflicting or wasting of the Jews was in subject and matter one and the same work, which both God would, ordained, and wrought, & the Assyrians: yet in consideration and respect it was not the same, but most diverse. For in respect of God, purposing by this means to punish the sins of the Jews, it was the proper and most holy work of God: in respect of the Assyrians, who were both wicked, cruel, ravenous, and bent not upon the will of God, which they were ignorant of, but on the fulfilling of their own rapacity & hatred, against the Law of God, it was wicked robbery, the proper work of the Assyrians (as it is expressly showed, Jsay. 10.7. &c.) which God neither would, nor intended, nor wrought in the Assyrians. Wherefore neither the proper work of the Assyrians can be attributed to God, nor the proper work of God unto the Assyrians, but by an accident, because namely in one and the same loss and waste, which God brought upon the Jews by the Assyrians, the unjust work of the Assyrians did, by an accident, concur with the most just work of God. Even as a judge is not therefore made a thief, nor a thief made a judge, because a just judge putteth to death a robber, by an evil executioner & a thief; but one and the same slaughter is a just punishment, in respect of the judge, and murder in ⟨p. 413⟩respect of the executioner being a thief. So a Captain lawfully waging war, and laying waste the country of his enemies, doth well: but the wicked soldiers, who fulfil therein and follow their own lusts, sin.

which end they haue, when as they execute the commandement of God either generall or speciall, being moued by the cogitation of this commandement, whether they haue or haue not any knowledge of the counsell and purpose of God, why hee commaundeth this or that thing to be done. And the action of creatures is euil, when both thē selues are euil, as also when being forsaken and not corrected by God, they do a thing without his cōmandement, or not to that end, as thereby to obay him. Wherfore that worke, the working and dooing whereof is ascribed by the Scripture both to God and to a corrupt & euill creature, must needs be good in respect of God, & euill in respect of the creature: neither what is euill in that woorke, may bee attributed to God, neither what is good, vnto the corrupt creature, but by an accident. So the afflicting or wasting of the Iewes was in subiect and matter one and the same worke, which both God would, ordeined, and wrought, & the Assyrians: yet in consideration and respect it was not the same, but most diuerse. For in respect of God, purposing by this meanes to punish the sins of the Iewes, it was the proper and most holy woorke of God: in respect of the Assyrians, who were both wicked, cruell, rauenous, and bent not vpon the will of God, which they were ignorant of, but on the fulfilling of their owne rapacity & hatred, against the Law of God, it was wicked robberie, the proper woorke of the Assyrians (as it is expressely shewed,