Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Section 20
SECT. XX. The old Reconciling Doctrine of Auguſtine, Proſper and Fulgentius. And firſt Proſper ad Gallorum Qu.
660. IT is a ſtrange thing to me that when Pelagius, Julian, Fauſtus, &c. thought Auguſtine a Noveliſt, and (as Uſher aſſerteth) would have faſtned the title of Predeſtination-Hereticks on his followers, and almoſt all confeſs, that Auguſtine was, if not the firſt, yet the moſt notable publick Vindicator of abſolute Predeſtination and Grace, yet the Judgement of Auſtin, with his Diſciples Proſper and Fulgentius, doth not ſerve turn to quiet, if not to end theſe controverſies, among thoſe who profeſs to be their followers! when as they have ſo copiouſly and plainly written upon the caſe!
661. I intreat the Reader that is inclining to any extreams, but to read …over firſt thoſe ſhort anſwers of Proſper ad Capitul… Gallorum and ad Objectiones Vincent. And moſt of the Sententiae de Capit. I ſhall think it worthy my labour to recite, to force them on the Readers obſervation, and let him ſee the higheſt old Doctrine of Gods Decrees.
Sent. 1. Whoever ſaith, that by Gods Predeſtination, as by fatal neceſſity, men compelled into ſins, are conſtrained to death, is not a Catholick. For Gods Predeſtination doth by no means make men bad, nor is the cauſe of any mans ſin.
Sent. ſup. 2. He that ſaith, that the Grace of Baptiſm received doth not take away Original ſin from them that are not predeſtinated to life, is not a Catholick. For the Sacrament of Baptiſm, by which all ſins He meaneth that thoſe that ſincerely covenanted with God in Baptiſm, were truly pardoned, though he thought ſome of them fell away and periſhed.are blotted out, is true even in them who will not remain in the truth, and for them that are not predeſtinated unto life.
Sent. ſup. 3. He that ſaith, that they that are not predeſtinated to life, though they were in Chriſt regenerated by Baptiſm, and have lived piouſly and juſtly, it profitteth them nothing, but they are ſo long reſerved till they fall to ruine, and they are not taken out of this life till this happen to them, as if the ruine of ſuch men were to be referred to Gods conſtitution, is not a Catholick. For God doth not therefore prolong the time of any mans age, that by long living he ſhould fall to ruine; and in his long living, fall from the right …aith: ſeeing long life is to be numbered with the gifts of God, by which a man ſhould be better and not worſe.
Sent. ſup. 4. He that ſaith, that all are not called to Grace, if he ſpeak of ſuch as Chriſt is not declared to, is not to be reprehended—
Sent. ſup. 5. He that ſaith, that they that are called, are not equally called, but ſome that they might believe, and ſome that they might not believe, as if to any man the Vocation were the cauſe of his not believing, ſaith not right. For though faith be not but by Gods Gift, and Mans Will, yet Infidelity is by mans will alone.
Sent. 6. He that ſaith, that Pree-will in Man is Nothing, but it's Gods predeſtination which worketh in men, whether it be to good or to evil, is not a Catholick: For Gods Grace doth not aboliſh mans choice (or free-will) but perfecteth it; and revoketh and reduceth it into the way from error, that that which was bad by its own liberty, may by the operation of Gods Spirit be made right. And Gods predeſtination is alwayes in Good; which knoweth how either to pardon with the praiſe of mercy, or puniſh with the praiſe of Juſtice, the ſin which is committed by mans will alone.
Sent. 7. He that ſaith, that God for this cauſe giveth not Perſeverance to ſome of his Children whom he regenerated in Chriſt, to whom he gave faith, hope and Love, becauſe by Gods fore-knowledge and predeſtination they were not differenced from the maſs of perdition: If he mean that God endowed theſe men in Goodneſs, but would not have them remain in it, and that he was the cauſe of their t…rning away, he judgeth contrary to the Juſtice of God. For though Gods Omnipotence could have given the grace of ſtanding to them that will fall, yet his grace doth not firſt forſake them, before they have forſaken it. And becauſe he foreſaw that they would do this by a Voluntary deſertion, therefore he had them not in the Election of Predeſtination.
Sent. 8. He that ſaith, that God would not have all men ſaved; but a certain number that are predeſtinate, ſpeaketh hardlier of the altitude of Gods unſearchable grace, than he ſhould ſpeak; Who would have all men to be ſaved, and to come to the acknowledgement of the truth; and fulfilleth the purpoſe of his will on them, whom being foreknown he predeſtinated, and being predeſtinate he called, being called he juſtified, and being juſtified he glorified. Loſing nothing of the fulneſs of the Gentiles, and of all the ſeed of Iſrael, for whom the eternal Kingdom was prepared in Chriſt before the foundation of the World. For all the World, is choſen out of all the World; And out of all men, all men are adopted—So that they that are ſaved are therefore ſaved, becauſe God would have them ſaved: and they that periſh, do periſh becauſe they deſerve to periſh.
Sent. 9. He that ſaith, that our Saviour was not Crucified for the Redemption of the whole World, looketh not to the Virtue of the Sacrament (that is, Sacrifice) but to the part (or participation) of the unbelievers: When as the blood of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, is the Price of the whole World. From which Price they are Aliens who being either delighted in their Captivity, will not be redeemed; or when they are redeemed return again to the ſame Captivity: For the Word of the Lord falleth not, nor is the redemption of the World evacuated: For though the World in the veſſels of wrath knew not God, yet the World in the veſſels of mercy knew him. Which God without their preceding Merits, took out of the power of darkneſs, and tranſlated into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love.
Sent. 10. He that ſaith, that God ſubſtracteth from ſome the preaching of the Goſpel, leſt perceiving the preaching of the Goſpel they ſhould be ſaved, may decline the envy of the objection by the pa…onage of our Saviour himſelf, who would not work Miracles with ſome, that he ſaith would have believed had they ſeen them: And he forbad his Apoſtles to preach to ſome people; and now ſuffereth ſome Nations to live without his Grace—
Sent. 11. He that ſaith, that God by his Power compelleth men to ſin, is deſervedly reprehended: For God, who is the Author of Juſtice and Goodneſs, and all whoſe Statutes and Commands are againſt ſin, is not to be thought to compell any to ſin, and precipitate them from innocency into crimes: But if there be any of ſo profound impiety, as that they are reckoned to be beyond the remedy of correction, they receive not an increaſe of their iniquity from God, but are made … by themſelves: becauſe they deſerved to be left of God, and given up to themſelves and to deceivers, for their former ſins: that ſo their ſin ſhould be a puniſhment of their ſin.
Sent. 12. He that ſaith, that obedience is withdrawn from ſome that are called and live piouſly and righteouſly, that they may ceaſe to obey, doth think ill of Gods Goodneſs and Juſtice, as ſeeming to conſtrain the godly to ungodlineſs, and to take away good mens innocency from them; When as He is the Giver and Keeper of godlineſs and innocency: He therefore that adhereth to God, is acted by the Spirit of God; but he that departeth from God, doth fall from his obedience (or ceaſe it) by his own will.
Sent. 13. He that ſaith, that ſome men are not made by God to this end that they might obtain eternal life, but that they might be the ornaments of their times, and for the good of others, would ſpeak better if he ſaid, that God who is the Creator of all men, maketh not them in vain, who he foreſeeth will not be partakers of life eternal: Becauſe even in bad men, nature is Gods good work, and Juſtice in their damnation is laudable. But he cannot well be blamed that ſaith, that even by the condition of ſuch the World is adorned *But not by their ſin i… ſelf., and that thoſe that hurt themſelves by their own iniquity, are born for the good of others: For the multitude of the ungodly though innumerable is not diſgraceful (or a deformity) to the World, or unprofitable to the Kingdom of God, ſeeing that by their propagation cometh the generation that is to be regenerate; and by tolerating and loving them, Gods people become the more illuſtrious.—
Sent. 14. He that ſaith, that they that believe not the preaching of the Goſpel, are unbelievers by Gods predeſtination, and that God ſo decreed, that they that believe not be unbelievers by his appointment (or decree) is not a Catholick: For as Faith which worketh by Love is Gods gift, ſo unbelief is none of Gods conſtitution: Becauſe God knoweth how to ordain Puniſhment for ſin, but not ſin it ſelf. And it followeth not, that what he remitteth not, he committeth: The predeſtinate therefore liveth by the faith which is given him: The non-predeſtinate periſh by Voluntary and not conſtrained infidelity.
Sent. 15. He that ſaith, that Foreknowledge is the ſame with predeſtination, doubtleſs in our good works, conjoyneth (or mixeth) thoſe two: For what we have of Gods gift, and is ſaid to be foreknown, muſt needs be predeſtinate: And what is ſaid to be predeſtinate, muſt needs be foreknown. But in our evil works, only the foreknowledge of God muſt be underſtood. Becauſe as he foreknew and predeſtinated, the things which he doth himſelf, and giveth us to do: ſo he FOREKNEW ONLY and DID NOT PREDESTINATE the things which he neither doth himſelf, nor requireth us to do.