Wesley Corpus

4. Your fundamental principle is this: “God from eternity ordained whatsoever should come to pass.” But from this single position undeniably follows every assertion hereafter mentioned. It remains therefore only that you choose which you please (for one you must choose) of these three things: Either, (1.) To equivocate, evade the question, and prevaricate without end; or, (2.) To swallow all these assertions together, and honestly to avow them; or, (3.) To renounce them all together, and believe in Christ, the Saviour of all. FRIEND.--SIR, I have heard that you make God the author of all sin, and the destroyer of the greater part of mankind without mercy. PREDESTINARIAN.--I deny it; I only say, “God did from all eternity unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.” (Assembly’s Catechism, chap. 3.) Friend.--Do you make no exception ? Pred.--No, surely; for “nothing is more absurd than to think anything at all is done but by the ordination of God.” (Calvin’s Institutes, book I., chap. 16, sect. 3.) Friend.--Do you extend this to the actions of men? Pred.--Without doubt: “Every action and motion of every creature is so governed by the hidden counsel of God, that nothing can come to pass, but what was ordained by him.” (Ibid., sect. 3.) Friend.--But what then becomes of the wills of men? Pred.--“The wills of men are so governed by the will of God, that they are carried on straight to the mark which he has fore-ordained.” (Ibid., sect. 8.) Friend.--I suppose you mean the permissive will of God? Pred.--No : I mean, “all things come to pass by the efficacious and irresistible will of God.” (Twissi Vindicia Gratiae Potestatis & Providentia Dei. Editio Jensoniana, par. 3, p. 19.) Friend.--Why, then, all men must do just what they do? Pred.-True: “It is impossible that anything should ever : : c : . be done, but that to which God impels the will of man.” (Ibid., p. 19.) Friend.--But does not this imply the necessity of all events? Pred.--“I will not scruple to own that the will of God lays a necessity on all things, and that every thing he wills neces sarily comes to pass.” (Calvin’s Inst., b. 3, c. 24, sec. 8.) Friend.--Does sin then necessarily come to pass? Pred.--Undoubtedly : For “the almighty power of God extends itself to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men.” (Assembly’s Catechism, c.