Theological Theses · §2104 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Strang: acts not evil in themselves are all decreed, some absolutely, some respectively

As for acts that are not by their nature joined to malice, he holds that all of them can be said to be decreed and predefined by God, but again not all in the same way. Some, on his view, God decreed absolutely, others respectively.

By 'absolutely' decreed and predefined he means those that God decreed before considering our will, indeed those to which he resolved to predetermine our will. By 'respectively' he means those that God decreed would come about according to our free choice, in matters where he grants us a free option, so that we may lawfully choose this or that.

Latin

VIII. Quod spectat autem actus quibus natura sua malitia annexa non est, vult eos omnes dici posse a Deo decretos atque praedefinitos, sed rursus non omnes eadem ratione. Alios enim, juxta ipsum, Deus absolute decrevit, alios autem respective. Intelligit autem illa absolute a Deo decerni & praedefiniri, quae ante considerationem voluntatis nostrae decrevit, imo ad quae statuit voluntatem nostram praedeterminare. Respective vero, quae Deus decrevit fore secundum liberam nostram electionem, in iis in quibus liberam nobis optionem concedit, ita ut licitum sit hoc vel illud eligere.

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