men were converted to the Christian religi on, and were brought into fellowship and fociety with the Chriftians, not by the power of their own free will, but in confequence of electing grace; and therefore Caecilius upbraids them as coveting the Christian fect, and joining themselves to it, non fpontaneos, not of their own accord, fed electos, but being the elect. 3. What farther confirms this, that the doctrine of predeftination was then received among the Chriftians is, that Caecilius goes an to charge the Chriftian bypothesis with making God unjuft; fince he must punish men not for what they voluntarily do, but for what they cannot help, for that which is allotted and determined for them to do; which contains the whole ftrength of what is now objected to the doctrine of abfolute reprobation, and what it was of old charged with, even in the apoftles times, What shall we fay then? Is there unrighteousness with God? 4. The latter part of Octavius's reply is indeed produced by the Arminians, as militating against the abfolute decrees of God, but without any juft reafon, fince there is nothing in it that is inconfiftent with them. We readily own that God can and does foreknow whatever is or fhall be; and that ac w Rom. ix. 14. cording cording to the qualities of men he determines their fates, the iffues of things, their falvation or damnation; for we fay, that God decreed to damn no man but for fin, and that he appointed none to falvation but through fanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Or in other words, that God foreknowing the faith and repentance of his elect, because he had determined to give them to them, he appoints them to falvation, through them as means; and foreknowing the fin, final impenitence, and unbelief of the reft, he appoints them to damnation; though these things are to be confidered not as caufes of predeftination, quoad actum volentis, with refpect to the will of God; but quoad res volitas, with respect to the things willed. Dr. Twife, who well understood this controverfy, and was an able defender of the abfolute decrees of God, agrees with every thing that Octavius here fays: "As to that of Minutius Foelix, fays he *, we deny that God doth fortem in hominibus punire, non voluntatem. We do not fay, Genitura plectitur, we say, that in every one who is punished by God, ingenii natura punitur, we confess, that fatum illud eft, quod de unoquoque Deus fatus eft, and that, pro meritis & fingulorum qualitatibus etiam fata determinat." * Riches of God's Grace against Hord. par. 1, p. 54. C NUMB. Rena NUMB. V. IRENAEUS. A. D. 180. y Renaeus was a difciple of Polycarp, and an auditor of Papias, who were both difciples of the apostle John, he was first a prefbyter under Pothinus, bishop of Lyons in France, and when he died, who fuffered martyrdom about A. D. 178. he fucceeded him as bishop of that place, and became a martyr about A. D. 198. He wrote five books against the herefies of the Valentinians and Gnofticks, which remain to this day, from whence may be gathered his fenfe concerning the decrees of God. And, 1. It is evident, that he believed that all things are predetermined by God, and are over-ruled by him for the good of his church and people; yea, that even the fall of man is used to their advantage, for he says, that "God has fhown the greatness of his mind in the apoftafy of man, for man is taught by it, Deo quidem magnanimitatem praeftante in apoftafia hominis, homine autem erudito per eam; as the prophet fays, Thy backfliding fhall reform thee. Prefiniente Deo omnia ad hominis perfectionem, God predeter y Vid. Fabricii Bibl. Graec. 1. 5. c. 1. p. 66. mining all things for the perfection of man, and for the bringing about and manifestation of his difpofitions, that goodness may be fhewn, and righteoufnefs perfected, and the church be conformed to the image of his fon, and at length become a perfect man, and by fuch things be made ripe to fee God, and enjoy him." 2. He afferts a preparation of happiness for fome, and of punishment for others, upon the prefcience or foreknowledge of God, his words are thefe ; " Deus autem omnia praefciens utrifque aptas praeparavit habitationes, &c. God foreknowing all things, has prepared for both fuitable habitations; for them, who feek after the light of incorruptibility, and run unto it, he bountifully gives that light which they defire; but for others that defpife it, and turn themselves from it, and avoid it, and as it were blinding their own felves, he hath prepared darkness fitting for fuch who are against the light, and for those who shun being subject to it, he has provided proper punithment." "Tis true, he puts this upon the prefcience of God foreknowing the different characters and actions of men; and therefore Voffius, and Dr. Whitby, from him, have produced this paffage, with others, to prove, that the fa b Ib. 1. 4. c. 76. p. 423. Hift. Pelag. 1. 6. thef. 8. p. 542. Difcourfe on the Five Points, p. 101. Ed. 2. 100. C 2 thers 01.3 thers before Austin held, that God predeftinated men to life from a prefcience that they would live pioufly; but I think it may very well be understood, in a fenfe entirely confiftent with the doctrine of predeftination, as maintained by us; for we readily own, that God foreknew who would live piously, and seek after the light of life, because he determined to give them that grace which fhould enable them fo to do, and therefore prepared manfions of light and glory for them; and to use Irenaeus's own phrafe, benigne donans, of his own grace and goodness liberally and bountifully gives that light unto them which they defire, and he has prepared for them. On the other hand, he foreknew who would despise, and shun the light, and blind themfelves yet more and more; because he determined to leave them to themselves, to their native blindness, darkness, and ignorance, which they love, and accordingly prepared regions of darknefs, as a proper punishment for them. For, 3. He fpeaks of a certain number of perfons chofen to eternal life, and of God's giving up others to, and leaving them in their unbelief, in much fuch language as we usually do. Treating of the doctrine of the refurrection he has thefe words, "God is not fo poor and indigent as not to give to L. 2. c. 62. inter Fragment. Graec. ad calcem. |