nition of Predeftination, that it is, the preparation of God's Benefits, whereby all are delivered, that are deliLib. 2. ad vered; and Fulgentius his definition, Predeftination is Monimum. nothing else, but the preparation of God's Works, which in his Eternal Providence he foreknew he would do, either Mercifully, or Justly.

2.

CHAP. VI.

AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE FIFTH
OPINION.

HIS Opinion obferveth, in the Decree of Predestination, an act of God's 'Understanding, and an act of his Will.

1. The act of his Understanding is his Know1. Pet. 1, ledge, in refpect of things not yet in being; call'd Fore knowledge; which foreknowledge is put by this Opinion before the act of Predeftinating, according to the Scriptures, whom he foreknew, he Predeftinated.

Rom. 8.

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2. It taketh Knowledge here properly, and without any Trope, for (that which by the Schoolmen is called) the knowledge of fimple Understanding; and that extended even to things future, contingent, and fub Hypothefi: God knowing by his infinite Underftaning infallibly, what things will follow, if this or that be done, by himself, or by a creature.

3. This knowledge is the higheft, that we can conceive in an intelligent Nature, and neceffary to any one that worketh with Wisdom; and therefore moft worthy to be attributed to the firft, highest and most wife Agent, efpecially in the first contriving, difpofing, and ordering of all things.

4. A knowledge moft neceffary for him, that muft Govern contingent events, and acts of a free Creature; if he will have any fuch, to be under his Government.

5. A knowledge confeffed and fuppofed by the defenders of the fecond, third and fourth Opinions who teach that by his knowledge, God did foreknow the fall of Adam, before he Decreed to create him, and before he Decreed to fend his Son to redeem him; for according to their Opinions, and according to Truth, God did not firft Decree to create Man, and to permit him to Fall, and then was to feek a remedy how to relieve him; but foreknew the remedy that he could ufe, if he fhould Fall, before he Decreed to permit him to Fall, or to Create him; and fo infallibly did God foreknow the finful Fall of Man, that upon this foreknowledge, he contrived the whole mystery of Chrift, and of our Redemption; notwithstanding which, the fall was not God's act, but Man's, a con. tingent act of a free Creature.

Now if this knowledge was used in one contingent thing, it might have been used in a Million; if in one free act of the firft Man, then in all the free acts of all Men; and if in that which was the occafion of God's Mercy in our redemption, then in all occafions of God's acts, that are confequent acts, even of the general Judgment, which fhall be at the laft day; for God's knowledge is infinite.

6. This knowledge of God, being previous to his Predeftinating, did not look therefore to the Mafs of Mankind as created and uncorrupted, nor to the Mass fallen and corrupted, nor to Chrift believed on only; but to thefe, and beyond all thefe, to the firft, middle and final ftate of every particular Man, and the univerfal State of all Men.

Thus

Thus much fhall fuffice at prefent, for the act of God's Understanding, of which more hereafter; let us now speak to the act of his Will.

1. To Predeftinate is the proper act of the Will of God; his Knowledge is his Counsellour, but his Will is King, and they are both himself, whỏ Ephef. 1. worketh all things according to the counsel of his Will; and to Predeftinate is the part and office of the most abfolute and perfect Knowledge and Power, which moft properly is God's, who fupremely orders all things, Choofing and Allowing what fhall be in what manner, and to what end.

Rom. 9.

Thus St. Paul fpeaks of the Will of God, as 18. 19. of the prime, and higheft, and moft univerfal caufe of things, approving or permitting all other inferiour Caufes, which because they might have been reftrained, or changed by the fupreme Cause, and were not, they are faid all at laft, to be refolved into the Will of God, as the prime Cause.

P. Ferrius

Spec.

Schol. cap.

24.

2. This will of God is abfolute, independent, having no other Caufe but his own good Pleasure: for whereas, until God makes his Decrees, all things are known but as poffible, and are yet under the pleasure of God, whether they fhall be or no, how can they poffibly be the Caufes of his Will? He understandeth them indeed, as he hath contrived them, fit to be willed, becaufe they are fit to fhew forth all his Glory, and therefore in the end he willeth them: but he could contrive other things than thefe, or fet thefe fome other way as fit to fhow forth his Glory, if he would; therefore that he willeth thefe, it is his own moft free Pleasure. Hence it plainly appears there can be no cause of Predestination in him that is Predeftinated; for feeing that the Man who is to be Predeftinated, can be thought no manner of way properly to be, but only conditionally, there can be nothing in him, which may move God to Predeftinate him

Further

Furthermore this Opinion avoideth all the inconveniences, that any of the former four do fall into; for

1. It exalteth and magnifyeth all the attributes of God, and not fome only; as his Wifdom and Knowledge, in foreknowing not only his own Works, but alfo all the Works of every free Creature, and that to every circumftance of every particular in this numberless number, and how to govern them to his Glory; and in ufing the reasonable Creature according to its Nature, in the permiffion of Sin, in the obedience or difobedience to Grace, that he may Judge the World in righteoufnefs. His Power, in Creating and Governing all things, bringing Light out of Darkness, and Happiness out of Mifery. His Goodness, in making all Good at the firft, and overcoming Evil with Goodness. His univerfal Grace and Mercy, in preparing Redemption for all Men, that had made themfelves Bond-flaves to Satan; and in providing means to apply, and to communicate this Redemption. His Truth, in that his Promises are meant to all to whom they are communicated, and performed to all that come up to the conditions required. His Justice, in Punishing all fuch as ufe not either the rectitude of their Nature, or the benefit of the Redemption offered, fincerely and conftantly. His fpecial Grace and fingular Love, in them whom he foreknew would use his Benefits, if they were granted unto them, in whofe Salvation and Glory he was fo well pleased, that he confirmed to them, by his Decree, that courfe and calling which he faw would infallibly bring. them unto it. Lefs Grace being fhewed unto them, who, God fore-knew, would, through their own infidelity, ingratitude or fecurity, fail of Salvation

* Ideò veracem Deum credens, fcio illum non aliter quàm difpofuiffe pronunciaffe, nec aliter difpofuiffe quàm pronunciavit. Tert. in Praxeam.

E

in the Good way wherein they were fet, or under the fufficient calling which they had; in as much as he could have prevented that failure of theirs, if he would, by bettering his benefits; but he ra. ther Decreed to make them Veffels of his Wrath, and Subjects for his Juftice. His Dominion and Sovereign Lordship, in that he being the Highest and Supreme Cause of all things, ordered them after his own Pleasure, making Happy whom he will, and Forfaking whom he will, finding in them caufe worthy to be Forfaken, after they have fo often Lib. 3. forfaken him. Hence Ireneus, in Wisdom the Father cap. 25. excelleth all Human and Angelical Wisdom, because he Pag. 224. is Lord, and a Fudge, and Fust, and Ruler over all: for

Fol.

he is both Good, and Merciful, and Patient, and faves whom he ought; neither is their wanting to him the Good effect of a just Judge, nor is his Wijdom diminished: for he faves whom he ought to fave, and Judges those who are worthy of Judgment. Neither is his Fuftice to be counted cruelty, confidering his foregoing, and preventing Goodness.

2. This Opinion avoideth the imputation of Stoical Fate, which the defenders of the three first cannot poffibly do, tho' they put it from them;' for they make Man's Salvation or Damnation ne ceffary, by an External and Antecedent neceffity of a Decree of God. But this Opinion, placing God's Decree after his Fore-knowledge, makes, Man's Salvation or Damnation infallibly certain to God's Knowledge, but Free and contingent to Man; God's Knowledge, as Knowledge, caufing nothing, and his Decree not altering or croffing, but ratifying that which he knew would be the work of Man, working out his own Salvation, by co-working with the Grace of God, or working his own Damnation, by forfaking his Mercy.

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3. It avoideth the accufations laid against the fourth Opinion; for it maketh the Election of God Abfolute,