Jerome Zanchius on God's providence
According to one biography:
"Jerome Zanchius was an Italian Protestant (1516-1590). Though of noble birth, Zanchius was orphaned by death of his parents at an early age. He entered an Augustinian Order of Regular Canons in 1531. He attended Peter Vermigli's lectures on Romans; Vermigli would be influential in English Reformed thought, coming to England at Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's invitation...In 1567, he became a Professor of Divinity at the University of Heidelberg, joing Zacharius Ursinus. Lutheran dominance in Heidelberg would drive him from there. The issues were the Lord's Supper, Predestination, and Free Will. He took at Pastorate at Neustadt an der Haardt in 1578 where he laboured until his death in 1590."
Some quotes from Zanchius' Confession of the Christian Religion (1562):
"VI. That God is not the author of sins which are committed in the world.
And hereupon we also know and confess that although many offenses are committed in the world by men, God in the meantime [is] guiding all things (Acts 17:28). Yet the same cannot be imputed to God, nor to His providence, for He indeed moveth all things and ministereth strength by His providence unto everyone to work, but yet He instilleth not that corruption to any whereby they work amiss (1 John 2:16). As therefore the earth yielding her sap as well to ill trees as to good, yet is not to be blamed because an ill tree makes ill fruit. So much less may God rightly be said to be either the cause or the author of our sins, although by the hand of His providence He beareth, upholdeth, ordereth and guideth even the wicked (Heb. 1:3). 'In Him (saith the apostle) we live, we move, and have our being' (Acts 17:28); namely, we are moved of Him such as we are, except He by His grace do make us otherwise" (Zanchius).
Psalm 105:25 says that God TURNED their hearts to hate His people. Is hating God's people sin? Of course. God TURNED, God CAUSED them to hate His people. Can it get any clearer? Zanchius vainly tries to explain away God's absolute sovereignty.