For this also must be observed: that the voice of the law is sounded only over those who neither feel nor acknowledge their sin (as Paul says in Rom 3.20, “By the law is the knowledge of sin”). So too, the word of grace comes only to those who, feeling their sin, are afflicted and tempted to despair. Thus it is, that in all law words, you see sin charged by showing us what we ought to do. In all words of promise, on the other hand, you see intimated the misery which sinners labour under (that is, those who are to be raised up from their dejection by them). As here, the word, ‘I would not have the death of a sinner,’ expressly names death and the sinner — the very evil which is felt, as well as the very man who feels it. But in this word, ‘Love God with all your heart,’ what is pointed out is the good we owe, not the evil we feel, that we may be brought to acknowledge how incapable we are of doing that good.
SECT. 27. Eze. 18.23 negatives Freewill, instead of proving it.
So then, nothing could have been more unaptly adduced in support of Freewill, than this passage from Ezekiel; which even fights against it most lustily. For in this, it is implied how Freewill is affected, and what it is able to do when sin has been discovered, and when the matter is now to turn itself to God. It is implied in this, I say, that it could do nothing but fall into a still worse state, adding desperation and impenitence to its other sins, unless God presently comes to its succour, and recalls and raises it up 370 by his word of promise. For God’s eagerness in promising grace to restore and raise up the sinner, is a very mighty and trustworthy argument, that Freewill of herself cannot help but fall from bad to worse— and as the Scripture says, “to the deepest hell.” 371
Do you think that God is so light-minded as to thus fluently pour out words of promise, when they are not necessary to our salvation — for the mere pleasure of talking? You see from this fact, then, that not only do all law words stand opposed to Freewill, but even all words of promise utterly confute it. In other words, the whole Scripture is at war with it. So that this saying, ‘I would not have the death of a sinner,’ has no other object, as you perceive, than that of preaching and offering divine mercy throughout the world; 372 which none but those who have been afflicted and harassed to death, receive with joy and gratitude. These do so, because the law has already fulfilled its office in them, by teaching the knowledge of sin; while those who have not yet experienced this office of the law, and who neither acknowledge their sin, nor feel their death, despise the mercy promised in that word. 373
SECT. 28. How far God may be said to bewail the death He produces.
But, as to why some are touched by the law and others are not, 374 so that the former take in the grace offered, and the latter despise it, this is another question, and one that is not treated by Ezekiel in this place. He speaks of God’s preached and offered mercy, not of His secret and awful will, by the counsel of which he ordains whom and what sort of persons He wills to be made capable of receiving, and to become actual participants of his preached and offered mercy. This will of God is not the object of our researches, but of our reverent adoration. It is by far the most venerable secret of the divine majesty, which He keeps locked up in his own bosom, and which is much more religiously 375 prohibited to us, than the Corycian caves are prohibited to the countless multitude.
When Diatribe now cavillingly asks whether ‘the holy Lord bewails that death of his people, which he produces in them himself? — a suggestion too absurd to be entertained,’ I answer (as I have already done) that we must argue in one way concerning God, or the will of God, insofar as His will is proclaimed to us, revealed, offered for our acceptance, and made the ground of worship; and argue in another way, concerning God insofar as he is unproclaimed, unrevealed, unoffered, and unworshipped.
So far as God hides himself, and chooses to be unknown by us, we can have nothing to do with him. Here is the true application of that saying, ‘What is above us, is nothing to us,’ And lest anyone suppose this is my distinction, let him know that I follow Paul, who writes to the Thessalonians concerning Antichrist (2Thes 2.4), that “he would exalt himself above all that is proclaimed by God, and that is worshipped.” 376 This plainly intimates that a man might be exalted above God, so far as he is proclaimed and worshipped — that is, above that word and worship by which God is made known to us, and maintains intercourse with us. But if God is regarded not as He is an object of worship, and as He is proclaimed, but as He is in his own nature and majesty, then nothing can be exalted above Him, but everything is under His powerful hand.
God must be reserved to himself, then, so far as He is regarded in the majesty of his own nature. For in this regard, we can have nothing to do with him; nor is it in this regard that He wills to be dealt with by us. But so far as He is clothed with his word, and displayed to us by it — that word by which He has offered himself to our acceptance; that word which is his glory and beauty, and with which the Psalmist celebrates him as clothed — so far, and only so far, we transact with Him. In this regard, we affirm that the holy God does not bewail that death of his people which He himself works in them; but He bewails that death which He finds in his people and is taking pains to remove. For this is what the proclaimed God is about, even taking away sin and death, that we may be saved. For “He has sent his word and healed them.” 377
But the God which is hidden in the majesty of his own nature, neither bewails nor takes away death; but works life and death, and all things in all things. 378 For when acting in this character, He does not bound himself by his word, but has reserved to himself the most perfect freedom in the exercise of his dominion over all things.
But Diatribe beguiles herself through her ignorance, making no distinction between the proclaimed God, and the hidden God; that is, between the word of God, and God himself. God does many things which he has not shown us in his word.
He also wills many things which he has not shown us that he wills, in his word. For instance, he does not will the death of a sinner — not according to his word, truly — but he wills it according to that inscrutable will of his. Now, our business is to look at his word, and to leave that inscrutable will of his to itself: for we must be directed in our path by that word, and not by that inscrutable will. Indeed, who could direct himself by that inscrutable and inaccessible will? It is enough for us to barely know that there is a certain inscrutable will in God.
What that will wills, why it so wills, and how far it so wills, are matters which it is altogether unlawful for us to inquire into, to wish for knowledge about, to trouble ourselves with, or to approach even with our touch. In these matters, we have only to adore and to fear. So then, it is rightly said, ‘If God does not will death, we must impute it to our own will that we perish;’ — rightly, I say, if you speak of the proclaimed God. For he would have all men to be saved, 1Tim 2.4 coming, as he does, with his word of
