The Institution of Christian Religion

There ariseth a hard question out of other places, where it is said that God boweth and draweth at his will, Satan himself and all the reprobate. For the sense of the flesh scarcely conceiveth how he working by them, should not gather some spot of their fault, yea in his common working be free from all fault, and justly condemn his ministers. Upon this was devised the distinction between Doing and Suffering: because many have thought this do•t unpossible to be dissolved: that both Satan and all the wicked are so under the hand and power of God, that he directeth their malice unto what end it pleaseth him, and useth their wicked doings to the executing of his judgements. And their modesty were peradventure excusable, whom the show of absurdity putteth in fear, if it were not so that they do wrongfully with a lying defence go about to deliver the justice of God from all unrightful blame. It seemeth to them unreasonable, that man should by the will and commandment of God be made blind, & so by and by be punished for ⟨p. 68⟩his blindness. Therefore they seek to scape by this shift, that this is done by the sufferance, but not by the will of God. But he himself plainly pronouncing that he doeth it, doeth reject that shift. As for this that men do nothing but by the secrete commandment of God, and do trouble them selves in vain with deliberating, unless he do by his secrete direction stablish that which he hath before determined, it is proved by innumerable and plain testimonies. It is certain that this which we before alleged out of the psalm, that God doeth all things that he will, belongeth to all the doings of men. If God be the certain appointer of war and peace, as it is there said, and that without exception: who dare say that men are carried causelessly with blind motion while God knoweth not of it, and sitteth still? But in special examples will be more lightsome plainness. By the first chapter of Job we know, that Satan doeth no less appear before God to receive his commandments than do the Angels which do willingly obey. In deed it is after a divers manner & for a divers end, but yet so that he can not go about any thing but with the will of God. Although there seem afterward to be added a bare sufferance of him to afflict the holy man: yet because that saying is true:¹

THere ariseth a harde question out of other places, where it is said that God boweth and draweth at his will, Satan himselfe and al the reprobate. For the sense of ye flesh scarcely conceiueth how he workyng by them, should not gather some spot of their fault, yea in his common workyng be fre from al fault, and iustly condemne his ministers. Upon this was deuised the distinctiō betwene Doing and Suffering: because many haue thought this dot vnpossible to be dissolued: that both Satan and al the wicked are so vnder the hande and power of God, that he directeth their malice vnto what ende it pleaseth hym, and vseth their wycked doinges to the executing of his iudgementes. And their modestie wer paraduenture excusable, whom the shew of absurditie putteth in feare, if it were not so that they do wrongfully with a lyeng defense go about to deliuer the iustice of God frō al vnrightfull blame. It semeth to them vnreasonable, that man shuld by the will and cōmaundement of God be made blynde, & so by and by be punished for