s notched and toothed, would do poor work with it. Hence it is
that a wicked man cannot but err and sin continually, because, being
impelled by divine power, he is not allowed to remain idle, but wills,
desires, and acts according to what he is (_velit, cupiat, faciat
taliter, qualis ipse est_)." (E. 255; St. L. 1834.) "For although God
does not make sin, still He ceases not to form and to multiply a nature
which, the Spirit having been withdrawn is corrupted by sin, just as
when a carpenter makes statues of rotten wood. Thus men become what
their nature is, God creating and forming them of such nature." (E. 254;
St. L. 1833.)

Though God works all things in all things the wickedness of an action
flows from the sinful nature of the creature. Luther: "Whoever would
have any understanding of such matters, let him consider that God works
evil in us, _i.e._, through us, not by any fault of His, but through our
own fault. For since we are by nature evil, while God is good, and since
He impels us to action according to the nature of His omnipotence, He,
who Himself is good, cannot do otherwise than do evil with an evil
instrument, although, according to His wisdom, He causes this evil to
turn out unto His own glory and to our salvation." (E. 257; St. L.
1837.) "For this is what we assert and contend, that, when God works
without the grace of His Spirit [in His majesty, outside of Word and
Sacrament], He works all in all, even in the wicked; for He alone moves
all things, which He alone has created, and drives and impels all things
by virtue of His omnipotence, which they [the created things] cannot
escape or change, but necessarily follow and obey, according to the
power which God has given to each of them--such is the manner in which
all, even wicked, things cooperate with Him. Furthermore, when He acts
by the Spirit of Grace in those whom He has made righteous, _i.e._, in
His own kingdom, He in like manner impels and moves them; and, being new
creatures, they follow and cooperate with Him; or rather, as Paul says,
they are led by Him." (E. 317; St. L. 1908.) "For we say that, without
the grace of God, man still remains under the general omnipotence of
God, who does, moves, impels all things, so that they take their course
necessarily and without fail, but that what man, so impelled, does, is
nothing, _i.e._, avails nothing before God, and is accounted nothing but
sin." (E. 315; St. L. 1906.)

Though everything occurs as Go