Wesley Corpus

“God made Adam and Eve to this very purpose, that they might be tempted and led into sin. And by force of his decree, it could not otherwise be but they must sin.” (Piscatoris Disput. Praedest, Praef, p. 6) Friend.--But do not you ground God's decree on God’s foreknowledge rather than his will? Pred.--No : “God foresees nothing but what he has decreed, and his decree precedes his knowledge.” (Piscat. Disput. Praedest.) Friend.--Well, this may truly be termed a horrible decree. Pred.--“I confess it is a horrible decree; yet no one can deny but God foreknew Adam's fall, and therefore foreknew it, because he had ordained it so by his own decree.” (Calv. Inst., b. 3, c. 23, sec. 7.) Friend.--Do you believe, then, that God has by his own positive decree, not only elected some men to life, but also reprobated all the rest? Pred.--Most surely, if I believe one, I believe the other. “Many indeed (thinking to excuse God) own election, and yet deny reprobation; but this is quite silly and childish. For without reprobation, election itself cannot stand; whom God passes by, those he reprobates.” (Calv. Inst., b. 3, c. 23, sec. 1.) Friend.--Pray explain what you mean by election and reprobation. Pred.--With all my heart. “All men are not created for the same end; but some are fore-ordained to eternal life; others to eternal damnation. So according as every man was created for the one end or the other, we say he was elected or predestinated to life, or reprobated, that is, predestinated to destruction.” (Ibid., c. 21, sec. 1.) Friend.--Pray repeat your meaning. Pred.--“God hath once for all appointed, by an eternal and unchangeable decree, to whom he would give salvation, and whom he would devote to destruction.” (Ibid., sec. 7.) Friend.--Did God make any man on purpose that he might be damned? Pred.--Did not I tell you before? “God’s first constitu tion was, that some should be destined to eternal ruin; and to this end their sins were ordained, and denial of grace in order to their sins.” (Zanchius de Natura Dei, p. 553, 554.) Friend.--But is not God’s predestinating men to life or death grounded on his foreknowledge? Pred.--“So the vulgar think; that God, as he foresees every man will deserve, elects them to life, or devotes them to death and damnation.” (Calv. Inst., b. 3, c. 22, sec.