Cap. 7 Quartum Rat. 5: predestination requires special saving regard—Scotus / Malderus
Ratio 5. From divine predestination we take a fifth reason. Given the predestination of certain persons before the world’s foundations, Christ’s will in offering himself must include a special regard for producing their salvation efficaciously by the merit of his passion. Whether we place election before or after the decree of the passion (as we understand the order), this stands: in Christ’s will—whether about to suffer or already suffering—there was an efficacious, singular intention to save these elect (or to-be-elect) efficaciously. His will never fails to conform to the Father’s. So it is incredible (as Suarez notes, On 3, disp. 41, §2, p. 615) that he offered his merits one way for those he knew the Father had chosen and another way for the rest, when he saw the Father’s will that they—and not others—be saved infallibly, and conformed himself to that will in all things. Isaiah 53:10 points here: “The will of the Lord shall be directed in his hand.” Election to eternal life from God’s free will is executed through Christ’s merits; therefore the Redeemer specially and efficaciously destined his meritorious death for these elect to be redeemed and saved infallibly, and offered it to the Father. Scotus puts it well (Book 3, dist. 19, p. 74): Christ foresaw his passion offered to the Father for the predestinate and elect, and so offered it efficaciously in effect; the whole Trinity accepted it efficaciously for them, and for no others was it efficaciously offered or accepted from eternity. By efficacious offering and acceptance he means offering joined to an absolute purpose to save those for whom it was so offered and accepted. Malderus, Bishop of Antwerp, on this argument rejects those who think Christ died equally for all as to efficacy, and concludes (p. 137) that, given predestination, Christ by his death conferred far more on these predestinate than on others.
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Rat. 5. A Praedestinatione Divina quintam nostram rationem sumemus: Posita siquidem praedestinatione certarum personarum ante jacta mundi fundamenta, necesse est ponere in voluntate Christi seipsum offerentis specialem quendam intuitum & respectum ad salutem eorundem merito suae passionis efficaciter producendam. Nam sive praeponamus electionem Divinam (secundum nostrum intelligendi modum) ipsius passionis decreto, sive postponamus, semper tamen illud firmum manebit, in voluntate Christi, sive passuri, sive patientis, de hisce, sive electis, sive eligendis, efficaciter salvandis fuisse efficacem quandam & singularem intentionem. Christi siquidem voluntas nunquam non conformat se Paternae voluntati. Incredibile ergo est (ut recte Suarez annotavit, In 3. disp. 41. §. 2. pag. 615.) eum aliter obtulisse Christum merita sua pro illis, quos sciebat a Patre electos, quam pro aliis, cum videret voluntatem Patris ut illi infallibiliter salvarentur, & non alii: cui voluntati ipse se in omnibus conformavit. Huc spectant verba Prophetae a nobis modo allata, Esai. liii. 10. Voluntas Domini in manu ejus dirigetur. Electio ergo quorundam ad vitam aeternam, quae est ex gratuita voluntate Dei, habet executionem suam per merita Christi: atque idcirco non est dubitandum, meritoriam Christi mortem fuisse ab ipso Redemtore hisce electis infallibiliter redimendis & servandis specialiter & efficaciter destinatam, atque Patri oblatam. Praeclarum est illud Scoti in hanc sententiam, Lib. 3. dist. 19. pag. 74. Christus praevidit passionem suam Patri offerendam pro praedestinatis & electis, & sic eam efficaciter obtulit in effectu, totaque Trinitas pro eis sic eam efficaciter acceptavit, & pro nullis aliis fuit efficaciter oblata, aut ab aeterno acceptata. Per efficacem oblationem & acceptationem nihil aliud intelligit quam oblationem & acceptationem conjunctam cum absoluto proposito servandi illos pro quibus hunc in modum oblata fuit & acceptata. Malderus Episcopus Antuerpiensis hoc argumento nixus rejicit contrariam illorum sententiam, qui opinantur Christum quoad efficaciam aeque esse mortuum pro omnibus, ac concludit, Supposita praedestinatione illud sequi, Christum hisce praedestinatis longe plus sua morte quam aliis contulisse, pag. 137.