The journal of Monsr. de Saint Amour doctor of Sorbonne,: containing a full account of all the transactions both in France and at Rome, concerning the five famous propositions controverted between the Jansenists and the Molinists, from the beginning of that affair till the Popes decision. / Faithfully rendred out of French. ; A like display of the Romish state, court, interests, policies, &c. and the mighty influences of the Jesuites in that church, and many other Christian states, being not hitherto extant.

II. PROPOSITION.

Predestination is of God only, both because the Scripture affirmes the same, and S. Paul teaches as much mani∣festly in this and divers other places, as because it de∣pends not upon natural principles, being wholly divine and spiritual, and depending onely upon the free pro∣mise which God hath made to us.

ANSWER.

Predestination is from God alone, because no∣thing hath preceded in Eternity God's will prede∣stinating and reprobating. Therefore no efficient cause of it can be assign'd besides the divine VVill. It is written in the 9 h. chapter to the Romans, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. Which place I understand in the same sense as S. Augustin, S. Thomas and the Master of the sentences under∣stood it. And predestination is here taken abso∣lutely, not for it effects; neither is Free-will there∣fore destroy'd but operates in its time and place freely, meritoriously and without coaction, as I speak clearly concerning the same in my said VVri∣ting, so farre as the scantnesse of the time permit∣ted. Nor do I deny that the goodnesse of God, who hath purposed to shew mercy or not to shew mercy, as I have noted in my Tract, is the cause why God predestinates or reprobates. And lastly I do not reject the use of Free-will which serves to the obtaining of sanctifying grace, when God gives the same to the predestinate, to the end that using it well he may merit glory.

VVhich being so, it may be truely said that pre∣destination depends onely upon the promises which God hath made to us. Nor will there be any con∣tradiction in this, although predestination should be taken here for its effects which draw their original and their force from the merits of Jesus Christ, which grace conferres upon us in consequence of the Promises made to those that believe in him. What I say concerning the promises, we learn out of the 11th. and 36th. chapter of Ezekiel, the 32d. of Jeremiah and many places of S Paul's Epistles: and S. Peter teaches us that all things which apper∣tain to life and godliness are promised and given us by the almighty power of God; so that good works themselves are part of the promises which God hath made to us. I will give you an heart of flesh (saith the Prophet) and will take away the heart of stone, and will cause you to do, &c.

He hath given us a strong assurance of his promi∣ses. God is become our debtor because he hath pleased to make his promise to us. VVe have there∣fore in the H. Scripture a most ample witnesse of the Divine promises. Yet do not these promises destroy Free-will or hinder from concurring meri∣toriously to good works. S. Augustin in the third Treatise upon S. John is of this opinion; That life Eternal is given us onely by grace: which would be false, if S. Augustine's words were not consider'd with reference to the original of this life, because they would take away meritorious works. And S. Paul, Life Eternal is a grace of God, and grace for grace. VVhich place he understands and expounds, as the grace which God hath done us in Electing us to eternal life, being the cause of the grace which he doth us in giving us good works which may merit the same. This opinion therefore doth not exclude Free-will, which, as I said before, is establish'd in my Treatise, much lesse good works, but rather includes and requires above all things both Free-will and good VVorks.