Of the redemption of mankind three bookes wherein the controuersie of the vniuersalitie of redemption and grace by Christ, and of his death for all men, is largely handled. Hereunto is annexed a treatise of Gods predestination in one booke. Written in Latin by Iacob Kimedoncius D. and professor of Diuinitie at Heidelberge, and translated into English by Hugh Ince preacher of the word of God.

CHAP. XVIII. Whether God hath predestinated the infidelitie of the reprobates, and sinnes in generall.

ANd these things of the effectes of reprobation. But here further the question was wont to be asked, i. Whethetr

reprobates, as they are said to be predestinated to suffer damna∣tion for sins, so also be predestinated to sins thēselues, infidelitie and others, whereby they draw damnation vpon themselues, or no? And generally, whether God predestinated any man to sin? Some men surely feare not to auouch it, as not repugnant vnto the trueth, nor inconuenient. Of which opinion is An∣selme, Bishop of Canterbury, who was famous in the yeere 1060. for he boldlie affirmeth, that there is a predestination not only of good things, but may be said also to be of euill things after a sort because euill things are not done, vnlesse God doe permit them. Whereupon (saith he) after this sorte it is not in∣conuenient, that God hath predestinated euill things, while he correcteth not euill men, and their euill workes: but he is said more specially to foreknowe and predestinate good things, be∣cause he maketh them both to be, and to be good: but in euill things he causeth onely that they essentially be, and not that they be euill.

Contrariwise, Fulgentius in his first booke to Moni∣mus, (where plentifully, and of purpose hee handleth this question) defineth, that the good and righteous God fore∣knew surely the sinnes of men, (because nothing that was to come, could be hid from him) yet that he predestinated no man to sinne. This opinion he confirmeth by the definition of pre∣destination, which in his iudgement is nothing else, than the preparation of the workes of God: or the mercifull and iust disposition of a diuine worke that should come to passe. Seeing therefore that iniquitie pertaineth not to the worke of God, which he knoweth how to punish, and not to commit; it will follow of the definition already brought, that a man is not predestinated of God to commit sinnes. Hee bringeth also his reason: That sinners should be vniustly punished of God, if by his will they should sinne, as being predestinated of him to sinne. Further, he citeth Augustine and Prosper to be of the same minde. For Augustine in that notable worke, that hee wrote of the predestination of Saints, chap. 10. distinguishing betweene Gods foreknowledge and Predestination, saith: Predestination cannot be without foreknowledge: but fore∣knowledge

may bee without predestination. For by predestina∣tion God foreknew the things that he would do: but he was able to foreknow euen the things that he doth not, as all sinnes. For albeit some things are so sinnes, that they be also punishments of sinnes: yet here sinne belongeth not to God, but iudgement. The same man vnto the Articles falsely laid to his charge, (when the Pelagians spitefully traduced the doctrine of pre∣destination) as though hee would make God the author of sinnes: refuting that detestable and abominable blasphemy at large, thus writeth: The Lords predestination is neuer with∣out goodnes, neuer without iustice for all the waies of the Lord are mercie and trueth. And the holy deitie liked not to prepare the adulteries of matrones, and the deflouring of maidens, but to condemne them, nor to appoint them, but to punish them. And in the same place: Gods predestination hath not stirred vp, moued, or caused the falls of them that perish, nor the ma∣lice of wicked men, nor the iniquities of sinners, but he hath al∣together predestinated his iudgement, whereby he will render to euery one as he hath done, be it good or euill: which iudge∣ment should not be, if men should sinne by the will of God. Also, There is no predestination of God for the transgression of the law, and the committing of any kinde of sinne. It is sufficient to know that the standing of things bee of him, and that the ruines of things bee not of him: neither doth it follow, (as they that obiect such things, suppose) that God hath taken away re∣pentance from them, to whom he hath not giuen it: and that he hath throwne them downe, whom he hath not lifted vp: see∣ing it is one thing to make guiltie an innocent person, (which is farre from God) another thing not to haue pardoned a wic∣ked man, which belongeth to the desart of a sinner. Againe, The rule of this matter in question must surely bee maintained, (which is cleere by diuine testimonies) that sinners in their owne euils are foreknowne onely: but punishment is predesti∣nated for them. Hereunto Prosper a learned and godly man consenteth: The infidelitie of such as beleeue not the Gospell is not bred of Gods predestination. For God is the author of good things, and not of euill. And in his answere to the 15. ob∣iection:

God only foreknew, and did not also predestinate those things, which should not haue from him the cause of their wor∣king. To the same purpose did the Councell of Araus. deter∣mine in their last canon.

And as for Anselme he disagreeth not so much in sense, as in words from the things, which these fathers write & iudge: seeing hee vsed the word predestination in a more generall signification, for preordination: making it all one to prede∣stinate, and to decree that a thing should be. And now, there is nothing at all done, that the Lord is vnwilling with all: yet so that we know, that good things are done by his assistance and working, euill things are permitted, he giuing them ouer, and ordaining and directing them to such good ends, as it pleaseth him. And this is it that Fulgentius also writeth, that God surely is not the author of euill thoughts, yet that he is the ordainer of euill wils, and that he doth not cease to worke some good of the euill worke of euery euill man.

[Obiection.] Some man may say, that the elect are predestinate not onely to glorie but also to righteousnesse, to wit, to faith and good workes. Therefore also that the reprobates may seeme to be predestinate both to sinne and to punishment.

[Answere.] Answ. Election and reprobation doe agree in this, that as election is the preparation of glory, so reprobation is the preparation of punishment: but they differ, that election im∣porteth the preparation of faith and good workes, whereby a man commeth to glorie: but reprobation doth not import a preparation of sinnes, whereby a man commeth to punish∣ment. Wherefore this onely followeth, seeing the elect are predestinated to faith and repentance, that they may be holie and blameles before God, that the reprobates are not prede∣stinated to the same grace.

[Obiection.] But, the hardening of reprobates is predestinated of God. And that is sinne. Therefore some sinne is predestinated of God.

[Answere.] The answere to this obiection is manifest by those things that haue been spoken. For the hardening of reprobates is so sinne, that withall it is also the punishment of sinne: and it so

faire forth pertaineth to Gods predestination, because it is not farre from the working of it. For those things that bee so sinnes, that withall they be also punishments of sins, in them not sinne, but Gods iudgement pertaineth to Gods predesti∣nation, as I haue shewed out of Augustine.

Notes

• Anselme. lib. de Concord. gra. & lib. ••ib.
• Fulgent. lib. 1. ad Mon.
• Sinnes are fore∣knowne, but not predesti∣nate to be done, yet pu∣nishment for ••••••e, is prede∣stinate of God.
• Aug. de pred. san••••. cap. 10. How pred••sti∣nation and foreknow∣ledge differ.
• How predesti∣nation & fore∣knowledge differ.
• Art. 7.8 9. & quibusdam. seq.
• Aug. Hypog∣nost. 6.
• Ad 14. obiect. Gallorum. Why infidelity commeth not of predestina∣tion.
• Marke this.
• Lib. 1. ad Mon.
• Thom. in 9. ad Rom. lect. 1.
• How election and reproba∣tion agree and differ.