Part 8 (2/2)
Hence we shall treat in four distinct articles, (1) Of the universality of G.o.d's will to save; (2) Of the divine _voluntas salvifica_ as the will to give sufficient graces to all adult human beings without exception; (3) Of predestination, and (4) Of reprobation.
Article 1. The Universality Of G.o.d's Will To Save
Although G.o.d's will to save all men is practically identical with His will to redeem all,(465) a formal distinction must be drawn between the two, (a) because there is a difference in the Scriptural proofs by which either is supported, and (b) because the latter involves the fate of the fallen angels, while the former suggests a question peculiar to itself, _viz._ the fate of unbaptized children.
*Thesis I: G.o.d sincerely wills the salvation, not only of the predestined, but of all the faithful without exception.*
This proposition embodies an article of faith.
Proof. Its chief opponents are the Calvinists and the Jansenists, who heretically maintain that G.o.d wills to save none but the predestined.
Against Calvin the Tridentine Council defined: ”If any one saith that the grace of justification is attained only by those who are predestined unto life, but that all others who are called, are called indeed, but receive not grace, as being, by the divine power, predestined unto evil; let him be anathema.”(466)
The teaching of Jansenius that Christ died exclusively for the predestined,(467) was censured as ”heretical” by Pope Innocent X. Hence it is of faith that Christ died for others besides the predestined. Who are these ”others”? As the Church obliges all her children to pray: ”[Christ]
descended from heaven for us men and for our salvation,”(468) it is certain that at least all the faithful are included in the saving will of G.o.d. We say, ”at least all the faithful,” because in matter of fact the divine _voluntas salvifica_ extends to all the descendants of Adam, as we shall show further on.(469)
a) Holy Scripture positively declares in a number of pa.s.sages that G.o.d wills the salvation of all believers, whether predestined or not. Jesus Himself says in regard to the Jews: Matth. XXIII, 37: ”Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I (_volui_) have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not (_noluisti_).” Two facts are stated in this text: (1) Our Lord's earnest desire to save the Jewish people, anciently through the instrumentality of the prophets, and now in His own person; (2) the refusal of the Jews to be saved. Of those who believe in Christ under the New Covenant we read in the Gospel of St. John (III, 16): ”G.o.d so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him(470) may not perish, but may have life everlasting.” However, since many who believe in Christ do actually perish,(471) the divine _voluntas salvifica_, in principle, extends not only to the predestined, but to all the faithful, _i.e._ to all who have received the sacrament of Baptism.
b) The teaching of the Fathers can be gathered from the quotations given under Thesis II, _infra_.
c) The theological argument may be briefly summarized as follows: G.o.d's will to save is co-extensive with the grace of adoptive sons.h.i.+p (_filiatio adoptiva_), which is imparted either by Baptism or by perfect charity.
Now, some who were once in the state of grace are eternally lost.
Consequently, G.o.d also wills the salvation of those among the faithful who do not actually attain to salvation and who are, therefore, not predestined.
*Thesis II: G.o.d wills to save every human being.*
This proposition is _fidei proxima saltem_.
Proof. The existence of original sin is no reason why G.o.d should exclude some men from the benefits of the atonement, as was alleged by the Calvinistic ”Infralapsarians.” Our thesis is so solidly grounded on Scripture and Tradition that some theologians unhesitatingly call it an article of faith.
a) We shall confine the Scriptural demonstration to two cla.s.sical pa.s.sages, Wisd. XI, 24 sq. and 1 Tim. II, 1 sqq.
a) The Book of Wisdom, after extolling G.o.d's omnipotence, says of His mercy: ”But thou hast mercy upon all, because thou canst do all things, and overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance. For thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made.... Thou sparest all, because they are thine, O Lord, who lovest souls.”(472)
In this text the mercy of G.o.d is described as universal. _Misereris omnium, parcis omnibus_. This universality is based (1) on His omnipotence (_quia omnia potes_), which is unlimited. His mercy, being equally boundless, must therefore include all men without exception. The universality of G.o.d's mercy is based (2) on His universal over-lords.h.i.+p and dominion (_quoniam tua sunt; diligis omnia quae fecisti_). As there is no creature that does not belong to G.o.d, so there is no man whom He does not love and to whom He does not show mercy. The universality of G.o.d's mercy in the pa.s.sage quoted is based (3) on His love for souls (_qui amas animas_). Wherever there is an immortal soul (be it in child or adult, Christian, pagan or Jew), G.o.d is at work to save it. Consequently the divine _voluntas salvifica_ is universal, not only in a moral, but in the physical sense of the term, that is, it embraces all the descendants of Adam.
) 1 Tim. II, 2 sqq.: ”I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men.... For this is good and acceptable in the sight of G.o.d our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one G.o.d, and one mediator of G.o.d and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a redemption for all.”(473)
The Apostle commands us to pray ”for all men,” because this practice is ”good and acceptable in the sight of G.o.d.” Why is it good and acceptable?
Because G.o.d ”will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” In other words, G.o.d's will to save is universal.
The question arises: Is the universality of the divine _voluntas salvifica_, as inculcated by St. Paul, merely moral, or is it physical, admitting of no exceptions? The answer may be found in the threefold reason given by the Apostle: the oneness of G.o.d, the mediators.h.i.+p of Christ, and the universality of the Redemption. (1) ”For there is [but]
one G.o.d.”(474) As truly, therefore, as G.o.d is the G.o.d of all men without exception, is each and every man included in the divine _voluntas salvifica_. (2) ”There is [but] ... one mediator of G.o.d and men, the man Christ Jesus.” The human nature which Christ a.s.sumed in the Incarnation is common to all men. Hence, whoever is a man, has Jesus Christ for his mediator.(475) (3) Christ ”gave himself a redemption [_i.e._ died] for all.” That is to say, G.o.d's will to save is co-extensive with His will to redeem. The latter is universal,(476) consequently also the former.(477)
b) The Fathers and early ecclesiastical writers were wont to base their teaching in this matter on the above-quoted texts, and clearly intimated that they regarded the truth therein set forth as divinely revealed.
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