Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

Resp. Here is deceitful ambiguity in the words [instruments] and [useth.] Properly an Instrument is an efficient cause moved by the principal to an effect above its proper virtue. And so a sinner in and by the Act of sinning is no Instrument of God. For God moveth him not to that Act as specified or circumstantiated so as is prohibited; And being not at all so moved by him (as David to murder Uriah, and to vitiate his Wife) he is not properly thus his Instrument. But sometimes the word Instrument signifieth a presupposed Agent, whose Action another can improve to his own ends: As the wind and water are improperly called the Millers Instruments of turning his Mill; and the spring and poise are the Clock-makers Instruments of moving his Clock or Watch; and a Mastiff Dog is my Instrument to keep away Thieves; and a Greyhound is my Instrument to kill a Hare, and a Ferret to catch a Rabbit, and a Hawk to catch a Partridge, &c. And yet we cause not at all the Nature or Motion of the Wind, or Water (but we can hinder the Water,) nor the nisus of the spring, nor the gravitation of the poise (but set the recipients so as that the effect shall be done as we would have it:) nor cause we the fierceness of the Mastiff, the inclination or motion of the greyhound, ferret, hawk, &c. but only tie them up and let them loose as our ends require. ⟨p. 108⟩But zeal maketh some men deride that God should be said to be no more the cause of sinning; and they cannot allow him the skill of every dull Artificer, or at least a will to use it, without willing and causing the thing which he forbiddeth.

Resp. Here is deceitful ambiguity in the words [instruments] and [useth.] Properly an Instrument is an efficient cause moved by the principal to an effect above its proper virtue. And so a sinner in and by the Act of sinning is no Instrument of God. For God moveth him not to that Act as specified or circumstantiated so as is prohibited; And being not at all so moved by him (as David to murder Urias, and to vitiate his Wife) he is not properly thus his Instrument. But sometimes the word Instrument signifieth a presupposed Agent, whose Action another can improve to his own ends: As the wind and water are improperly called the Millers Instruments of turning his Mill; and the spring and poise are the Clock-makers Instruments of moving his Clock or Watch; and a Mastiff Dog is my Instrument to keep away Thieves; and a Greyhound is my Instrument to kill a Hare, and a Ferret to catch a Rabbet, and a Hawke to catch a Partridge, &c. And yet we cause not at all the Nature or Motion of the Wind, or Water (but we can hinder the Water,) nor the nisus of the spring, nor the gravitation of the poise (but set the recipients so as that the effect shall be done as we would have it:) nor cause we the fierceness of the Mastiff, the inclination or motion of the greyhound, ferret, hawk, &c. but only tye them up and let them loose as our ends require.