Cap. 3 Obj. 13: If applicable to all, divine wisdom and power would save all

Obj. 13. If Christ's death by Divine ordination is applicable to all human beings unto salvation, then the salvation of all would be effected through this death of Christ. For God always effects and attains that end which he intends. If therefore he had ordained Christ's death for procuring the salvation of the human race, he would certainly have saved the whole human race by means of this death of Christ. Those therefore who establish that by God's own ordination Christ's death is a constituted remedy applicable to all human beings unto salvation seem to strike against Divine wisdom: For it belongs in part to a wise person to intend something he does not attain. They seem also to strike against Divine omnipotence: For it belongs to an impotent person to ordain a benefit or remedy applicable to all and each, which yet because of human malice and unbelief cannot be applied to many.

Sol. For removing these scruples it must be carefully observed that we defend only this, That there is a certain ordination or good-pleasure of the Divine will, according to which Christ's death is a satisfactory lytron so applicable for obtaining remission to all and each human being, that if they subjected themselves to the aforesaid good-pleasure and ordination, it would be applied to all and each in fact. But we do not assert or sustain this, That there is some ordination, good-pleasure or decree of the Divine will, according to which he absolutely intends or establishes to render this death of Christ efficaciously and infallibly applied to all and each. That prior ordination considered in itself suffices for this, that Christ's death may truly be said applicable to all and each human being: just as the defect of such an ordination is the reason we cannot say Christ died for the apostate angels, or that Christ's death is applicable to them in any way. These things being first tasted, I affirm that the consequence of the Major is invalid. For although Christ's death by the ordination and will of God himself is a remedy of such a kind as can be applied to any individual of human nature unto salvation, and moreover the mode of application is clearly set in sacred Scripture, namely through the performed condition of faith, yet it cannot from this be inferred that either faith itself or salvation itself is to be conferred infallibly on all and each: because it is far different to ordain Christ's death as a remedy applicable to all human beings unto salvation, and to prescribe faith as the mode or condition by whose intervention it is applied, and to establish and absolutely decree to work faith and salvation efficaciously in these or those. This later therefore cannot rightly be deduced from that prior. For as if God should create some herb endowed with such virtue that it can bring health to anyone laboring under any disease whatever, and moreover should promise that whoever used it would without doubt recover former health, someone would rightly conclude from this that this herb is by God's ordination applicable to all and each sick person as a remedy for any disease: but he would not rightly infer that all and each are to be cured infallibly by the benefit of this remedy; because to some it will not be given to find this herb, to some perhaps there will not be that mind to use it when found: So from the fact that God sent a redeemer into the world, and furnished him with such virtue and grace that he can confer remission of sins and eternal life on any human being laboring under the guilt of damnation, and moreover promised in the Gospel that whoever should believe in this redeemer would be absolved from all his sins, someone would rightly conclude that this Redeemer and his death are, God so ordaining, applicable to all sinners; but not rightly, that all sinners will be saved through his death, because to many this saving death of the redeemer is not revealed, to many it is not given to believe in him when revealed. But what is brought against this, That God always attains the end he intends, can easily be removed. For we do not defend that God by absolute will (which predetermines not only the ordination of means to the end, but the infallible event of the end) intended through Christ's death to procure in fact the salvation of all and each, but that he established, willed, ordained that the death of his Son both should be and should be held such a lytron as could be offered and applied to all and each human being. And this God has plainly attained. For all acknowledge, or ought to acknowledge, that Christ so suffered, and died, and was offered for the sins of all human beings that all to a person, none excepted, could through his death by believing obtain remission of sins and salvation. Nor does it conflict with Divine wisdom to constitute, and sometimes to confer on human beings, means ordained and applicable to some end, and meanwhile to permit many human beings to fall short of attaining that end. For by this path God attains a higher end, namely the illustration of his glory, through the demonstration of justice toward those who abuse the means ordained for procuring human salvation, and through the demonstration of his mercy toward those who by the benefit of special grace use the aforesaid means for their salvation; through the demonstration finally of his supreme Dominion, and most free liberty toward those to whom he has not even deigned to reveal the means supplied by himself unto human salvation, and by his own ordination applicable to any human beings whatever. Concerning God's omnipotence also we answer, That with our opinion in place it is in no way shaken. For we do not say that through the malice of any human beings whatever God cannot apply Christ's death to all unto salvation, which he established and ordained applicable to all; but that God, who has mercy on whom he wills, and leaves hardened whom he wills, wills not to heal this malice in all by the remedy of special grace, wills not to render Christ's death, which he made applicable to all, applied to all. And here of the one who is freed through Christ's death applied to him by the help of special grace God would rightly say, So I will; Of the one who is damned, this applicable remedy notwithstanding, application not having been made, he would also say, Take what is yours, and go. To this one I will to give what is not owed; to you I will not. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with what is mine? Here if anyone murmurs, he would deservedly hear, O human being, who are you who answer back to God?