Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
CHAPTER XXIII.05
A Refutation Of The Calumnies Generally, But Unjustly, Urged Against This Doctrine - Reading 05
XI. Wherefore some people falsely and wickedly charge
God with a violation of equal justice, because, in his predestination,
he observes not the same uniform course of proceeding
towards all. If he finds all guilty, they say, let him punish all
alike; if innocent, let him withhold the rigour of justice from all.
But they deal with him just as if either mercy were forbidden
him, or, when he chooses to show mercy, he were constrained
wholly to renounce justice. What is it that they require?
If all are guilty, that they shall all suffer the same punishment.
We confess the guilt to be common, but we say, that some are
relieved by Divine mercy. They say, Let it relieve all. But
we reply, Justice requires that he should likewise show himself
to be a just judge in the infliction of punishment. When
they object to this, what is it but attempting to deprive God of
the opportunity to manifest his mercy, or to grant it to him, at
least, on the condition that he wholly abandon his justice?
Wherefore there is the greatest propriety in these observations
of Augustine: “The whole mass of mankind having fallen into
condemnation in the first man, the vessels that are formed from
it to honour, are not vessels of personal righteousness, but of
Divine mercy; and the formation of others to dishonour, is to
be attributed, not to iniquity, but to the Divine decree,” &c.
While God rewards those whom he rejects with deserved punishment,
and to those whom he calls, freely gives undeserved grace,
he is liable to no accusation, but may be compared to a creditor,
who has power to release one, and enforce his demands on another.
The Lord, therefore, may give grace to whom he will, because
he is merciful, and yet not give it to all, because he is a just
judge; may manifest his free grace, by giving to some what
they never deserve, while, by not giving to all, he declares the
demerit of all. For when Paul says, that “God hath concluded
all under sin, that he might have mercy upon all,” [512] [513]
XII. Another argument often urged to overthrow predestination
is, that its establishment would destroy all solicitude
and exertion for rectitude of conduct. For who can hear,
they say, that either life or death is appointed for him by God’s
eternal and immutable decree, without immediately concluding
that it is of no importance how he conducts himself; since no
action of his can in any respect either impede or promote the
predestination of God? Thus all will abandon themselves to
despair, and run into every excess to which their licentious
propensities may lead them. And truly this objection is not
altogether destitute of truth; for there are many impure persons
who bespatter the doctrine of predestination with these vile blasphemies,
and with this pretext elude all admonitions and reproofs:
God knows what he has determined to do with us:
if he has decreed our salvation, he will bring us to it in his
own time; if he has destined us to death, it will be in vain for
us to strive against it. But the Scripture, while it inculcates
superior awe and reverence of mind in the consideration of so
great a mystery, instructs the godly in a very different conclusion,
and fully refutes the wicked and unreasonable inferences
of these persons. For the design of what it contains
respecting predestination is, not that, being excited to presumption,
we may attempt, with nefarious temerity, to scrutinize the
inaccessible secrets of God, but rather that, being humbled and
dejected, we may learn to tremble at his justice and admire his
mercy. At this object believers will aim. But the impure
cavils of the wicked are justly restrained by Paul. They
profess to go on securely in their vices; because if they are of
the number of the elect, such conduct will not prevent their
being finally brought into life. But Paul declares the end of
our election to be, that we may lead a holy and blameless life. [514]