Saint Augustine his enchiridion to Laurence, or, The chiefe and principall heads of all Christian religion a most profitable booke to all those which desire to haue a most compendious briefe of Augustines doctrine, out of Augustine himselfe, when he was old, being repurged, by the old manuscript, of many faults and vnusuall wordes, wherewith it formerly flowed.

CHAP. 97.

The question is, whether cer∣taine things which God would haue done, may bee crossed by men, that they cannot take effect.

WHērefore wee are to con∣sider how it is said of God in that which the Apostle most truely affirmed, Forasmuch as God would that al should be saued. For, seeing not all, but the most part, or greater number is not saued, it seemeth therefore that that which God wold haue done, is not done; mans will for∣sooth resisting Gods will. For, when the cause is examined, why all bee not saued, it is wont to

be aunswered, because they themselues will not haue it so. Which saying, cannot bee ex∣tended to infants, in whom ther is no power to will or nill. For, that which infants do by instinct of nature, if the same were as∣cribed to their wil, when in bap∣tisme they resist and shrinke from that water as much as they can, by that reason wee should affirme, that they were saued a∣gainst their wils. But the Lord speaketh more plainely in his Gospel talking with the wicked Citie. How often, sayth he, would I haue gathered together thy chil∣dren, euen as the henne doth her chickens, and thou wouldest not? as though Gods will were o∣uerruled by mans will, and that men being most weake of all creatures, by their vnwillingnes hindering the same, the most mightie could not accomplish that which hee desired. Where then is that his omnipotencie, whereby hee did all things in

heauen and in earth which hee would, if hee would haue brought home the lost children of Israell, and did it not? Or ra∣ther would not that Citie that hee should bringe home her Children, and yet notwith∣stānding whether shee would or noe, did not the Lorde re∣duce such of them as hee would? for as much as both in heauen and in earth, hee did not will certaine thinges and doe them, not dooing some other things which hee would haue done, but hee did whatsoeuer hee would.