Two Dissertations · §386 · John Davenant

Cap. IV Arg. 7 Sol: do not bind whole praedestinatio to the execution τρόπος — Major not universal

So in both praeordinations mercy and justice shine — in the decree to make certain persons believers, and in the decree that promises and gives those believers eternal life; in the decree not to have mercy so far as to soften some and inspire faith, and in the decree that damns the same hardened unbelievers. Adversaries should not bind the whole reason of predestination to the latter τρόπος; it turns most properly on the former. With that premised: the Major is not universal. Not every τρόπος in which mercy toward some and justice toward others appears is that unique predestination whose depth Scripture so celebrates — though in predestination properly taken, by which some are destined to life by special grace and others left in death by their own demerit, mercy and justice play their parts most clearly.

Latin

Cum igitur in utraque praeordinatione elucescat misericordia ac justitia Divina; hoc est, tam in ea qua Deus decrevit singulares quasdam personas facere credentes, quam in ea altera qua eisdem credentibus vitam aeternam promittit et praestat; tam in ea qua decrevit quarundam personarum non misereri eousque ut easdem emolliat, fidemque illis inspiret; quam in ea qua eosdem obduratos et incredulos damnat: non debuerunt adversarii ad posteriorem τρόπον alligare totam et integram praedestinationis rationem; quae propriissime versatur in priori. Hisce praelibatis, dico Majorem syllogismi propositi non esse universalem. Nam omnis τρόπος in quo apparet erga alios misericordia, erga alios justitia Dei, non est illa unica praedestinatio cujus inscrutabilem profunditatem Scripturae tantopere celebrant; quamvis in ipsa praedestinatione proprie sumpta, qua alii ad vitam mediante gratia speciali destinantur, alii in morte mediante proprio demerito relinquuntur, misericordia ac justitia illustrissime agant partes suas.

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