oppugneth Gods Holïnep. 2 391 impotencie and want offupernaturall grace : Therefore het is (by the fame do&rind) the true and proper caufe of their finnes. z. Becaufe Removens (P) prohibens, &c. That which withdraweth or withholdeth a -thing which being dent would hinder an event, is the caufe ofthat event :' As í ex- ample ; He that cutteth a firing in which a Rorie hangeth, is the caufe of the falling ofthat lime ; and he thatwithdraw- eth a pillar which being put-to would uphold a bode , is the true caufe in mens account of the falling of that houle : But God (by their opinion) withholdeth from Reprobates that power which being granted them might keep them from fal- ling into finne : Therefore hebecometh a truemorall caufe of their finnes. whole power it is that a thing be not done, to him it is imputedwhen it is done, faithTertullian. It will not fufficeto fay, that God by withholding grace fromReprobates becometh onely an accidental) not () a proper anddire cauCe of their finnes. For a caufe is then one- y accidental) in relation to the effeEt, when the effeEt is be- fide the intention and expedition of the caufe. For example; Digging in a field is then an accidentali caufe of the findinga bag of gold, when that event is neither expeaed nor intend- ed by. the husbandman in digging. But when the effeEt is looked for and aimed at, then the caufe (though it be the caufe onely by withholding the impediment) is not acciden- tall ; as a Pilotewho withholdeth his care and skill from a fhip in a ftorm, forefeeing that by his negleEt the (hipwill be drowned, is not to be reputed an accidentali but a direft and proper caufe of the lofiI of this (hip. This being fo, it fol- loweth, that God by this a& and decree ofremoving and de- teining grace neceffary to the avoiding offinne from Repro- bates, not as one ignorant and carelcffe what will or (hall fol- low , but knowing infallibly what mifchief will follow , and determining precifely that which doth follow , namely, their impenitencie and damnation, becometh the proper and direst caufe of their finnes. (Tertull 1. r: corer. Mar- cion. c. 2 2. In cujus ma- nu eft quid né fiat, ei deputatur 6ùm jam fit. Whether
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