All pious and modest men will readily acquiesce in the sentiment of
Augustine: "Man sometimes with a good will wishes something which God
does not will, as when a good son wishes his father to live, while God
wills him to die. Again, it may happen that man with a bad will wishes
what God wills righteously, as when a bad son wishes his father to die,
and God also wills it. The former wishes what God wills not, the latter
wishes what God also wills. And yet the filial affection of the former
is more consonant to the good will of God, though willing differently,
than the unnatural affection of the latter, though willing the same
thing; so much does approbation or condemnation depend on what it is
befitting in man, and what in God to will, and to what end the will of
each has respect. For the things which God rightly wills, he
accomplishes by the evil wills of bad men," - (Augustine, Enchiridion ad
Laurentium, chapter 101.) He had said a little before, (chaper 100) that the
apostate angels, by their revolt, and all the reprobate, as far as they
themselves were concerned, did what God willed not; but, in regard to
his omnipotence, it was impossible for them to do so: for, while they
act against the will of God, his will is accomplished in them. Hence he
exclaims, "Great is the work of God, exquisite in all he wills! so that,
in a manner wondrous and ineffable, that is not done without his will
which is done contrary to it, because it could not be done if he did not
permit; nor does he permit it unwillingly, but willingly; nor would He
who is good permit evil to be done, were he not omnipotent to bring good
out of evil," (Augustine in Psalm, 111:2)
- John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.18.2)
No comments:
Post a Comment