330、为了清楚表明普遍意义上所理解的预定论信仰何等有害，我需要重申并证实这四个命题。
①除了去天堂，任何预定都违背无限的神性之爱。我在《圣爱与圣智》一书已经说明，耶和华或主是神性之爱，祂是无限的，并且是一切生命的存在或本质，人是照着神的形像、按着神的样式被造的。由于主照着那形像、按着那样式在子宫里面形成每个人，如前所示（328节），所以可推知，主是所有人的天父，人们是祂的属灵孩子。在圣言中，耶和华或主就被如此称呼的，人们同样是被如此称呼的；因为主说：
不要称呼地上的人为父。因为只有一位是你们的父，就是在天上的父。（马太福音23:9）
这意味着，唯独祂是生命方面的父，世上的父仅仅是生命覆盖物，也就是肉体方面的父。这就是为何在天上，除了主之外，没有人被称为父。没有败坏这生命的人，经上就说他们是祂的儿子，从祂生的，这一点也可从圣言中的许多经文明显看出来。
由此可见，神性之爱在每个人里面，无论恶人还是善人；因此，主作为神性之爱，对待人们必如同世上的慈父对待自己的儿女，并且更是无限如此，因为神性之爱是无限的。此外，祂不可能从任何人那里退出，因为每个人的生命都来自祂。表面上看，祂似乎从恶人那里退出；实际上是恶人从祂那里退出，而祂出于爱仍在引领他们。所以主说：
你们祈求，就给你们；寻找，就寻见；叩门，就给你们开门。因为凡祈求的，就得着；寻找的，就寻见；叩门的，就给他开门。你们中间哪一个人，儿子向他求饼，反给他石头呢？你们虽然不好，尚且知道拿好东西给儿女，何况你们在天上的父，岂不更把好东西给求祂的人吗？（马太福音7:7-11）
又：
祂叫日头照好人，也照歹人，降雨给义人，也给不义的人。（马太福音5:46）
此外，在教会，人们都认识到，主愿意拯救所有人，不愿一人死亡。这一切表明，除了去天堂，任何预定都违背神性之爱。
②除了去天堂，任何预定都违背无限的神性智慧。神性之爱通过其神性智慧提供了每个人能够得救的方法；因此，说除了去天堂还有别的预定，就是在说神性之爱不能提供得救的方法。然而，如前所示，所有人都有方法，这些方法来自无限的圣治。但之所以有些人并未得救，是因为神性之爱想要人在自己里面感受天堂的快乐和幸福；要不然，这对人来说不是天堂；并且除非在人看来，他的思考和意愿来自他自己，否则这种感受是不可能的。没有这种表象，就没有什么东西能归给他，他也不会是一个人。这就是圣治的目的，圣治就是源于神性之爱的神性智慧的产物。
但这不会废去这一真理：所有人都被预定上天堂，没有人被预定下地狱。然而，若缺乏得救的方法，该真理就会被废去。不过，我在前面（326，329节）说明，每个人都被赋予得救的方法，并且天堂具有这种性质：凡生活良善的人，无论属于哪种宗教，都在那里有一席之地。人就像产出各种果实的地，正是由于这种能力，地才成为地。地产出坏果子的事实并不废去它产出好果子的能力；但如果这地只能产出坏果子，这种能力就会被废去。人也像一个本身会使光线变得多样化的物体；如果这物体只呈现出令人讨厌的色彩，那不是光的原因，因为光线也能被改变为迷人的色彩。
③只有那些生在教会的人才能得救是一种愚蠢疯狂的异端邪说。那些出生在教会之外的人和那些出生在教会之内的人都是一样的人，他们来自同一个天上源头，同样是活着的不朽灵魂。他们也有宗教信仰，这宗教信仰使得他们承认有一位神，承认他们要过良善的生活；凡承认神、过着良善生活的人，都在自己的层级上变得属灵，并得救，如前所示（326节）。有人可能会说，这些人没有受洗；但除了那些受属灵的洗，也就是重生的人外，洗礼拯救不了任何人；因为洗礼是重生的一个标志和纪念。
有人可能还会说，他们不认识主，没有主就没有救恩。但没有人会因为认识主而得救，人得救乃因他照主的诫命生活。此外，凡承认神的人都认识主，因为主是天地之神，如祂自己所教导的（马太福音28:18等）。特别是，比起基督徒，在教会之外的人更是持有神为一个人的观念；那些持有神为一个人的观念，并且过着良善生活的人，都被主接纳。和基督徒不同，这些人还承认神在位格和本质上都为一。他们也在生活中思想神，因为他们视恶为反对神的罪；那些如此行的人就是在生活中思想神。基督徒从圣言获得其宗教的诫命，但很少有人从圣言实际提取任何生活的诫命。
天主教徒不读圣言，处于与仁分离之信的新教徒则不关心圣言所说关于生活的话，只关心它所说关于信的话。然而，整部圣言无非是生活的教义。基督教只存在于欧洲；伊斯兰教和异教则存在于亚洲，印度，非洲和美洲；这些地区的全球人口是基督教地区人口的十倍还多；在基督教地区，只有极少数人将宗教融入生活。那么，还有比相信只有后者得救，而前者受到诅咒，并且人获得天堂凭的是出身而非生活更疯狂的吗？这就是为何主说：
我告诉你们，从东从西，将有许多人来，在天国里与亚伯拉罕，以撒，雅各一同坐席；惟有本国的子民，竟被赶出去。（马太福音8:11-12）
④人类当中有人因预定而受到诅咒，这是一种残忍的异端邪说。相信为爱本身和怜悯本身的主允许如此众多的人为地狱而生，或大量的人生来受到诅咒，注定在劫难逃，也就是生为魔鬼和撒旦，是残忍的。相信祂不会以其神性智慧确保那些过着良善生活，并承认神的人不会被投入永恒的火焰和折磨之中，是残忍的。然而，主是所有人的创造者和救主。唯独祂引领所有人，不愿一人死亡；因此，相信并认为在祂的亲自指引和看顾之下，如此众多的民族和人民因预定而作为猎物被交给魔鬼，是残忍的。
330. To show, however, how harmful a belief in predestination is as it is commonly understood, we must restate these four propositions and confirm them.
FIRST, that any predestination other than a predestination to heaven is contrary to Divine love, which is infinite: In our treatise Divine Love and Wisdom we demonstrated that Jehovah or the Lord is Divine love, that He is infinite, the being underlying all life, and that man was created into the image of God, according to the likeness of God.
Because, then, every person is formed in the womb by the Lord into that image, according to that likeness, as we demonstrated as well, it follows that the Lord is the heavenly Father of all people, and that people are His spiritual children. Jehovah or the Lord is also referred to as such in the Word, and people are referred to as such there. Therefore the Lord says,
Do not call your father on earth your father, for one is your Father, He who is in heaven. (Matthew 23:9)
This means that as regards our life, He alone is our Father, and that our father on earth is our father only as regards the clothing of our life, namely the body. Consequently in heaven only the Lord is called father.
It is apparent also from many places in the Word that people who do not invert that life are called the Lord's children and are said to be born of Him.
[2] It can be seen from this that Divine love is present in every person, in an evil one as well as in a good one, and consequently that the Lord, being Divine love, cannot deal with them other than as a father on earth with his children, but infinitely more so, because Divine love is infinite. It can be seen, too, that it is not possible for the Lord to depart from anyone, because everyone's life comes from Him. It appears as though he departs from evil people, but it is the evil people who depart, even though out of love He continues to guide them. Therefore the Lord says,
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.... what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:7-11)
And elsewhere:
... He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)
People in the church know also that the Lord wills the salvation of all, and no one's death.
It can be seen from this that any predestination other than a predestination to heaven is contrary to Divine love.
[3] SECOND, that any predestination other than a predestination to heaven is contrary to Divine wisdom, which is infinite: It is through Divine wisdom that Divine love provides the means which make it possible for every person to be saved. Consequently to say that there is some other predestination than a predestination to heaven is to say that Divine love cannot provide the means to make salvation possible, even though the means exist for all, as we showed above, and these means issue from Divine providence, which is infinite.
The reason some people are nevertheless not saved is that Divine love wills that a person feel the felicity and blessedness of heaven in himself, for heaven would otherwise not be heaven to him; and this cannot be the case unless it appears to the person that he thinks and wills of himself, for without that appearance nothing would be assignable to him, nor would he be human. This is the object of Divine providence, which is the providence of Divine wisdom from Divine love.
[4] Still, this does not take away the truth that all people are predestined for heaven and no one for hell. But if the means of salvation were to be lacking, it would take it away. However, as we demonstrated above, everyone is provided the means of salvation, and heaven is such that all people of every religion whatever who live rightly have a place there.
A person is like earth, which produces fruits of every kind, a capability that makes earth earth. The fact that it produces harmful fruits too does not take away its ability to produce also good ones. But it would take it away if it could produce only harmful ones.
Again, a person is like an object which variegates rays of light in it. If it produces only unpleasant colors, the light is not to blame. Rays of light can also be variegated into pleasing colors.
[5] THIRD, that the idea that only those people born in the church are saved is an insane heresy: People born outside the church are just as much human beings as those born in it, being from the same heavenly origin, with equally living and immortal souls. They have religion, too, on which account they acknowledge that there is a God and that they must live rightly; and as we showed above, anyone who acknowledges God and lives rightly becomes spiritual in his own degree and is saved.
People say that people born outside the church have not been baptized, but baptism saves only those who are washed spiritually, which is to say, regenerated, for it is of this that baptism serves as a sign and memorial.
[6] People say, too, that the Lord is not known to people born outside the church, and that without the Lord there is no salvation. But no one is saved because the Lord is known to him, but because he lives according to the Lord's precepts. Moreover, the Lord is known to everyone who acknowledges God, for the Lord is God of heaven and earth, as He Himself teaches in Matthew 28:18 1and elsewhere. In addition, people who are outside the church have an idea of God as human more than Christians, and people who have an idea of God as human and live rightly are accepted by the Lord. They also acknowledge God to be one in person and essence, unlike Christians. And furthermore, they think about God in their life, for they regard evils as sins against God, and people who do this think about God in their life.
[7] From the Word Christians have the precepts of religion, but few take from it any precepts for their life. Roman Catholics do not read it, and Protestants caught up in faith apart from charity pay no attention to matters in it which relate to life, but only to those relating to faith. And yet the whole Word is nothing but a doctrine for life.
Christianity exists only in Europe. Islam and heathendom are found in Asia, the Indies, Africa, and America, and the human race in those parts of the globe is ten times more numerous than the human race in the Christian part of the world. And few in that world place religion in life.
What, then, is more insane than to believe that only Christians are saved, and those others condemned? Or that a person gains heaven by virtue of his birth and not his life?
Therefore the Lord says,
I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out... . (Matthew 8:11-12)
[8] FOURTH, that the idea that some members of the human race have been damned by predestination is a cruel heresy: For it is cruel to believe that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, would allow so great a multitude of people to be born for hell, or that so many millions are damned and cursed at birth, so as to be devils and satanic spirits from birth, and that the Lord does not provide with His Divine wisdom a way to keep people who live rightly and acknowledge God from being cast into everlasting fire and torment.
Yet the Lord is the Creator and Savior of all people, and He Himself alone leads them and wills no one's death. It is cruel, therefore, to believe and think that so great a multitude of nations and peoples under his care and sight should, by predestination, be handed over to the devil as spoil.
Footnotes:
1. "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.' "
330. To show how vicious belief in predestination is, at least as predestination is commonly understood, I need to pick up these four propositions and support them.
(a) Any predestination but predestination to heaven is contrary to divine love, which is infinite. I explained in the book on Divine Love and Wisdom that Jehovah or the Lord is divine love and that this love is infinite and is the essential reality of all life, as well as that we are created in the image of God after the likeness of God. Since (as already noted [328]) we are all formed by the Lord in the womb in this image after this likeness, it follows that the Lord is the heavenly Father of us all and that we are his spiritual children. "Father" is in fact what Jehovah or the Lord is called in the Word, and "children" is what we are called in the Word. So it says, "Do not call your father on earth your father, for one is your Father, the one who is in heaven" (Matthew 23:9). This means that he alone is our Father in respect to our life, while our earthly fathers are fathers only as to the clothing of life, the body. This is why no one is called father in heaven but the Lord. We can also see in many passages of the Word that we are called his children and are said to have been born from him if we have not inverted that life.
[2] We can tell from this that divine love is in all of us, the evil and the good alike, and that therefore the Lord who is divine love must treat us with as much love as an earthly father treats his children--with infinitely more love, in fact, because divine love is infinite. Further, he can never withdraw from anyone, because everyone's life comes from him. It does seem as though he withdraws from evil people, but it is the evil who are withdrawing: he is still lovingly leading them. So the Lord says, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. Who among you will give a stone if his son asks him for bread? If then you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask him?" (Matthew 7:7-11); and again, "Because he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). It is also recognized in the church that the Lord intends the salvation of all and the death of none.
This enables us to see that predestination to anything but heaven is contrary to divine love.
[3] (b) Any predestination but predestination to heaven is contrary to divine wisdom, which is infinite. It is through its divine wisdom that divine love provides the means by which we can all be saved; so to say that there is a predestination to anywhere but heaven is to say that divine love cannot provide the means of salvation. Yet we all do have the means, as just explained, and these come from divine providence, which is infinite.
The reason some of us are not saved is that divine love wants us to feel heaven's happiness and bliss in ourselves. Otherwise it would not be heaven for us; and this feeling cannot happen unless it seems to us that we are thinking and intending on our own. If it were not for this appearance, nothing could be given to us, and we would not be human. This is the reason for divine providence, which is the result of divine wisdom stemming from divine love.
[4] Still, this does not negate the truth that we are all predestined to heaven, and none to hell. This truth would be negated, though, if the means of salvation were lacking. However, I have already shown [326, 329] that we are all given the means of salvation, and that the nature of heaven is to provide a place there for all who lead good lives, no matter what their religion may be.
We are like the earth. It brings forth all kinds of fruit: this ability is what makes it the earth. The fact that it brings forth bad fruit does not negate its ability to bring forth good fruit; though it would negate it if it could bring forth only bad fruit. We are also like an object that changes the light rays that strike it. If we offer only ugly colors, that is not the fault of the light. The light rays can also be changed into attractive colors.
[5] (c) It is an insane heresy to believe that only those born in the church are saved. People born outside the church are just as human as people born within it. They come from the same heavenly source. They are equally living and immortal souls. They have religions as well, religions that enable them to believe that God exists and that they should lead good lives; and all of them who do believe in God and lead good lives become spiritual on their own level and are saved, as already noted [326].
Someone could point out that they have not been baptized. But baptism saves only people who have been spiritually washed, that is, regenerated. Baptism serves as a symbol and reminder of this.
[6] Someone could point out that they do not know the Lord, and that apart from the Lord there is no salvation. But no one is saved because of knowing about the Lord. We are saved because we live by his commandments. Further, the Lord is known to everyone who believes in God because the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, as he tells us in Matthew 28:18 and elsewhere.
Particularly, people outside the church have more of a concept of a personal God than Christians do; and people who have a concept of a personal God and lead good lives are accepted by the Lord. Unlike Christians, they believe in God as one in both person and essence. Further, they think about God as they lead their lives. They treat evils as sins against God; and people who do this are thinking about God as they lead their lives.
Christians get the commandments of their religion from the Word, but not many of them actually take any commandments of life from it.
[7] Catholics do not read it, and Protestants who believe in faith separated from charity pay no attention to what it says about life, only to what it says about faith. Yet the whole Word is nothing but a theology of life.
Christianity is found only in Europe. Islam and other non-Christian religions are found in Asia, the Indies, Africa, and America; and there are ten times as many people in these latter parts of the world as there are in the Christian part of the world--and relatively few of these latter people make their religion a matter of their lives. What could be more insane than to believe that these and only these individuals are saved, and that the others are damned, that heaven is ours by right of birth and not by conduct of life? That is why the Lord says, "I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens, while the children of the kingdom will be thrown out" (Matthew 8:11-12).
[8] (d) It is a cruel heresy to believe that any member of the human race is damned by predestination. It is cruel, that is, to believe that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, would allow such a vast number of people to be born for hell, or that so many millions would be born damned and doomed, that is, born devils and satans. It is cruel to believe that in his divine wisdom the Lord would not make sure that people who lead good lives and believe in God would not be cast into the flames and into eternal torment. After all, the Lord is the Creator and Savior of us all. He alone is leading us, and he does not want anyone to die; so it is cruel to believe and think that such a multitude of nations and people are by predestination being handed over to the devil as prey under the Lord's own guidance and oversight.
330. In order that it may be apparent how harmful is the belief in predestination as generally understood, these four propositions must be taken up and established. First: Any predestination except to heaven is contrary to the Divine Love, which is infinite. It has been shown in the treatise, THE DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM, that Jehovah or the Lord is Divine Love, and that the Divine Love is infinite 1and the Being (Esse) of all life, and also that man was created in the image according to the likeness of God. Since also everyone is formed in the womb in that image according to that likeness by the Lord, as has also been shown, it follows that the Lord is the heavenly Father of all men, and that men are His spiritual children. So is Jehovah or the Lord called in the Word, and so also are men; and therefore He says:
Call no father (A.V. man) your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, who is in the heavens (A.V. heaven). Matthew 23:9
By this is meant that He alone is the Father as to life, and that the earthly father is father only as to the covering of life, which is the body. Therefore in heaven no other than the Lord is called Father. That men who do not pervert that life are said to be His sons and to be born of Him is also clear from many passages in the Word.
[2] Hence it may be evident that the Divine Love is in every man, both the wicked and the good; consequently that the Lord who is Divine Love cannot act otherwise than as a father on earth acts towards his children, and infinitely more so, because the Divine Love is infinite; and also that He cannot withdraw from anyone because the life of everyone is derived from Him. He appears to withdraw from the wicked; but it is the wicked who withdraw, while He from love still leads them. Therefore the Lord says:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. ...
What man is there of you, who if his son ask bread will give him a stone? ...
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask Him? Matthew 7:7-11;
and elsewhere,
He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45.
Moreover, it is well known in the Church that the Lord desires the salvation of all, and the death of no one. Hence it may be seen that any predestination except to heaven is contrary to the Divine Love.
[3] Second: Any predestination except to heaven is contrary to the Divine Wisdom, which is infinite. The Divine Love through its Divine Wisdom provides the means by which every man may be saved; and therefore to say that there is any predestination except to heaven is to say that the Divine Love cannot provide the means by which salvation may be effected. Nevertheless, as has been shown above, all have the means, and these are from the Divine Providence, which is infinite. However, there are some who are not saved, because the Divine Love desires that man should feel in himself the happiness and the blessedness of heaven, for otherwise it would not be heaven to him, and this cannot take place unless it appears to man that he thinks and wills from himself. For without this appearance nothing would be appropriated to him nor would he be a man. For this reason there is the Divine Providence, which is of the Divine Wisdom from the Divine Love.
[4] This, however, does not deny the truth that all are predestined to heaven and no one to hell; but it would deny it if the means of salvation were wanting. But it has been shown above that the means of salvation have been provided for everyone, and that heaven is such that all who live well, of whatever religion they may be, have a place there. Man is like the earth which produces fruits of every kind, and it is by virtue of this power that the earth is the earth. The fact that it produces evil fruits does not deny its power to produce good fruits also, but it would if it only had the power to produce evil fruits. Again, man is like an object which variegates in itself the rays of light. If the object only presents colours that are not pleasing, the light is not the cause of this, for its rays may be variegated to produce pleasing colours.
[5] Third: It is a foolish heresy that only those are saved who are born within the Church. Those who are born outside the Church are men as well as those born within it, being of the same heavenly origin, and are equally living and immortal souls. They also have a form of religion from which they acknowledge that there is a God, and that they ought to live well; and he who acknowledges God and lives well becomes spiritual in his own degree and is saved, as was shown above. It is urged that these have not been baptised; but baptism does not save any except those who are spiritually washed, that is, regenerated, for baptism is a sign and a memorial of this.
[6] It is also urged that the Lord is not known to them, and that without the Lord there is no salvation. Salvation, however, does not come to anyone because the Lord is known to him, but because he lives according to the Lord's commandments; and the Lord is known to everyone who acknowledges God, for the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, as He Himself teaches (Matthew 28:18, and elsewhere). Moreover, those who are outside the Church have a clearer idea of God as a Man than Christians have; and those who have the idea of God as a Man and live well are accepted by the Lord. They also acknowledge God as one in Person and in Essence, which Christians do not. They also think of God in their life; for they regard evils as sins against God, and those who do this think of God in their life. Christians derive their precepts of religion from the Word, but few of them draw any precepts of life from it.
[7] Roman Catholics do not read the Word; and Protestants who are in faith separated from charity pay no attention to those things in the Word which relate to life, but only to those which relate to faith: and yet the whole Word is nothing else than the doctrine of life. Christianity prevails only in Europe; Mohammedanism and Gentilism prevail in Asia, the Indies, Africa and America, and the population in these parts of the globe is ten times more numerous than in the Christian part; and in the Christian part there are but few who place religion in the life. What then is more foolish than to believe that only these latter are saved and the former are condemned, and that a man gains heaven by his birth and not by his life? Therefore the Lord says:
I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out. Matthew 8:11-12.
[8] Fourth: It is a cruel heresy that any of the human race are condemned by predestination. For it is cruel to believe that the Lord, who is Love itself and Mercy itself, suffers so great a multitude of men to be born for hell, or so many myriads of myriads to be born condemned and doomed, that is, to be born devils and satans; and that He does not from His Divine Wisdom provide that those who live well and acknowledge God should not be cast into everlasting fire and torment. The Lord is ever the Creator and Saviour of all; and He alone leads all and desires the death of no one. It is therefore cruel to believe and think that so great a multitude of nations and peoples under His auspices and oversight should be handed over as prey to the devil by predestination.
Footnotes:
1. Original Edition has "ille" and not "Ille."
330. To make clear how pernicious the belief in predestination is as generally understood these four propositions must be taken up and established. First: Any predestination except to heaven is contrary to the Divine love, which is infinite. That Jehovah or the Lord is Divine love, and that He is infinite and the Being (Esse) of all life, and that man was created into the image of God after the likeness of God, has been shown in the work on The Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom. And as every man is formed by the Lord in the womb into that image after that likeness (as has also been shown), it follows that the Lord is the heavenly Father of all men, and that men are His spiritual children. Thus is Jehovah or the Lord called in the Word, and men likewise; for He says:-
Call no man your father upon the earth, for One is your Father, who is in the heavens (Matthew 23:9);
which means that He alone is the Father in respect to the life; and that the earthly father is the father only in respect to the life's covering, which is the body; therefore in heaven no father is mentioned except the Lord. That men who do not pervert that life are said to be His sons and to be born of Him is also evident from many passages in the Word.
[2] Thus it can be seen that the Divine love is in every man, both the evil and the good; consequently that the Lord who is Divine love can not act towards them otherwise than as a father on the earth acts towards his children, and infinitely more so, because the Divine love is infinite; and again, that He cannot withdraw from any one because every one's life is from Him. He appears to withdraw from the evil; but the evil withdraw from Him, while He from love still leads them. So the Lord says:-
Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. What man is there of you who if his son ask for a loaf will give him a stone? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask Him? (Matthew 7:7-11).
And elsewhere that
He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:46).
Moreover, it is admitted in the church that the Lord wills the salvation of all, and the death of no one. All this shows that any predestination except to heaven is contrary to the Divine love.
[3] Secondly: Any predestination except to heaven is contrary to the Divine wisdom, which is infinite. The Divine love through its Divine wisdom provides the means whereby every man can be saved; consequently to say that there is any predestination except to heaven is to say that the Divine love is unable to provide the means by which there is salvation. Nevertheless, as has been shown above, all have the means, and they are from the Divine providence, which is infinite. But the reason why there are some that are not saved is that the Divine love wills that man should feel in himself the happiness and blessedness of heaven, since otherwise it would not be heaven to him; and this is impossible unless man's thinking and willing is made to appear to him to be from himself. For without this appearance nothing could be appropriated to him, nor would he be a man. This is the purpose of the Divine providence, which is of the Divine wisdom from the Divine love.
[4] But this does not invalidate the truth that all are predestined to heaven and none to hell; and yet it would if the means of salvation were lacking. But that means of salvation have been provided for every one, and that heaven is such that all who live well, of whatever religion they may be, have a place there, has been shown above. Man is like the earth, which produces fruits of every kind, and it is because of this power that the earth is the earth; and that it produces bad fruits also does not preclude its ability to produce good fruits also, but this would be precluded if the earth had never had the ability to produce any thing except bad fruits. Again, man is like an object that variegates in itself the rays of light; if the object presents nothing but disagreeable colors the light is not the cause, for rays of light are also capable of being variegated in pleasing colors.
[5] Thirdly: That only those born within the church are saved is an insane heresy. Those born out of the church are men equally with those born within it, they are from the same heavenly origin, and are equally living and immortal souls. They also have a religion from which they acknowledge that there is a God, and that they must live rightly; and he who acknowledges God and lives rightly becomes spiritual in his degree and is saved, as has been shown above. It may be said that such have not been baptized; but baptizing saves none except those that are spiritually washed, that is, regenerated; for baptism is for a sign and a memorial of this.
[6] Such, it may be said, have no knowledge of the Lord, and without the Lord there is no salvation. But no one is saved for the reason that the Lord is known to him, but because he lives in accordance with the Lord's commandments; and the Lord is known to every one who acknowledges God, for He is the God of heaven and earth, as He Himself teaches (Matthew 28:18, and elsewhere). Furthermore, those outside of the church have the idea of God as a man more than Christians have; and those that have the idea of God as a man and live well are accepted by the Lord. Such also acknowledge God as one in person and essence, as Christians do not. They also think of God in their life, for they make evils to be sins against God; and those who do this think of God in their life. Christians have the precepts of religion from the Word, but there are few who draw from it any precepts of life.
[7] The Papists do not read it; and the Reformed, who are in faith separated from charity, pay no attention to what relates to life in it, but only to what relates to faith; and yet the whole Word is nothing but a doctrine of life. Christianity exists only in Europe; Mohammedanism and Gentilism exist in Asia, in the Indies, in Africa and America, and the human race in those parts of the globe is ten times more numerous than in the Christian portion; and in the latter there are few who place religion in life. What more insane belief, then, can there be than to hold that only these latter are saved and the former are damned, and that man gains heaven by his birth and not by his life? Therefore the Lord says:-
I say unto you that many shall come from the east and west, and shall recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out (Matthew 8:11-12).
[8] Fourthly: That any of the human race are damned by predestination is a cruel heresy. For it is cruel to believe that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, suffers so immense a multitude of men to be born for hell, or so many myriads of myriads to be born condemned and doomed, that is, born devils and satans, and that He does not from His Divine wisdom provide that those who live well and acknowledge God shall not be cast into eternal fire and torment. And yet He is the Lord, the Creator and Saviour of all, and He alone leads all and wills not the death of any. It is therefore cruel to believe and think that so great a multitude of nations and peoples under His auspices and oversight have been handed over by predestination as a prey to the devil.
330. Sed ut appareat quam damnosa est fides praedestinationis communiter intellectae, quatuor illa argumenta reassumenda sunt et confirmanda. PRIMUM. Quod Praedestinatio alia quam ad coelum sit contra Divinum Amorem, qui infinitus. Quod Jehovah seu Dominus sit Divinus Amor, et quod ille infinitus sit, et Esse omnis vitae; tum quod homo creatus sit in imaginem Dei secundum similitudinem Dei, in Transactione de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA, demonstratum est: et quia omnis homo formatur in utero in illam imaginem secundum illam similitudinem a Domino, ut quoque demonstratum est, sequitur quod Dominus sit coelestis Pater omnium hominum, et quod homines sint spirituales filii Ipsius; ita etiam Jehovah seu Dominus vocatur in Verbo, et ita homines vocantur ibi; quare dicit, 1"Patrem vestrum ne vocetis patrem vestrum in terra, unus namque est Pater vester, qui in coelis est," Matthaeus 23:9 ; per quod intelligitur quod solus sit Pater quoad vitam, et quod pater in terra sit solum pater quoad indumentum vitae, quod est corpus, quare in Coelo non alius nominatur Pater quam Dominus: quod homines filii dicantur et nati ab Ipso, qui non vitam illam invertunt, patet etiam 2a multis locis in Verbo.
[2] Inde constare potest, quod Divinus Amor sit in omni homine tam malo quam bono, consequenter quod Dominus qui est Divinus Amor, non aliter possit agere cum illis, quam sicut pater in terra cum suis liberis, ac infinite magis, quia Divinus Amor est infinitus; tum quod a nullo recedere possit, quia vita cujusvis est ab Ipso: apparet sicut recedat a malis, sed mali recedunt, at usque ex amore ducit illos: quare Dominus dicit, 3"Petite et dabitur vobis, quaerite et invenietis, pulsate et aperietur vobis: quis est vestrum homo, qui si filius ejus petierit panem, num lapidem dabit illi: si igitur vos qui mali estis, nostis bona dona dare filiis vestris, quanto magis Pater vester qui in coelis, dabit bona petentibus Ipsum," Matthaeus 7:7-11: et alibi, "Quod solem suum exoriri faciat super malos et bonos, ac pluviam mittat super justos et injustos," Matthaeus 5:45. Notum etiam est in Ecclesia, quod Dominus omnium salutem velit, et nullius mortem. Ex his videri potest, quod Praedestinatio alia quam ad Coelum sit contra Divinum Amorem.
[3] SECUNDUM. Quod Praedestinatio alia quam ad Coelum sit contra Divinam Sapientiam, quae infinita. Divinus Amor per Divinam suam Sapientiam providet media, per quae unusquisque homo salvari potest; quare dicere quod praedestinatio alia sit quam ad coelum, est dicere quod non providere possit media, per quae salvatio, cum tamen omnibus sunt media, ut supra ostensum est, et haec sunt ex Divina Providentia, quae infinita est. Quod autem sint qui non salvantur, est causa quia Divinus Amor vult ut homo felicitatem et beatudinem coeli sentiat in se, nam alioquin non foret ei coelum; et hoc non fieri potest, nisi ut appareat homini quod cogitet et velit ex se, absque illa enim apparentia nihil ei appropriaretur, nec foret homo; propter hoc est Divina Providentia, quae est Divinae Sapientiae ex Divino Amore.
[4] Sed hoc non tollit veritatem, quod omnes praedestinati sint ad Coelum et nullus ad infernum; at si media salvationis deessent, tolleret; quod autem media salvationis unicuivis provisa sint, et quod coelum tale sit, ut omnes ex quacunque religione sint, qui bene vivunt, locum ibi habeant, supra demonstratum est. Est homo sicut terra, quae producit omnis generis fructus, ex qua facultate terra est terra; quod etiam producat malos fructus, non tollit quin etiam producere possit bonos, at tolleret si non potuisset producere nisi quam malos. Homo etiam est sicut objectum, quod lucis radios in se variegat; si modo sistit colores inamaenos, non est lux in causa; possunt etiam lucis radii variegari in colores amaenos.
[5] TERTIUM. Quod salventur illi soli, qui intra Ecclesiam nati sunt, sit haeresis insana. Sunt illi qui extra Ecclesiam nati sunt aeque homines ut illi qui intra illam, ex simili origine coelesti, aeque animae viventes et immortales; est illis quoque religio, ex qua agnoscunt quod Deus sit, et quod bene vivendum sit, et qui agnoscit Deum, et bene vivit, fit spiritualis in suo gradu, et salvatur, ut supra ostensum est. Dicitur quod non sint baptizati, sed baptizatio non alios salvat, quam qui spiritualiter lavantur, hoc est, regenerantur, baptismus enim est in signum et memoriale ejus.
[6] Quod Dominus illis non notus sit, et absque Domino nulla salus; at nulla alicui salus est propterea, quod ei Dominus notus sit, sed quod vivat secundum praecepta Ipsius; ac notus est cuivis qui agnoscit Deum, nam Dominus est Deus Coeli et terrae, ut Ipse docet Matthaeus 28:18; et alibi; et praeterea illi qui extra Ecclesiam sunt, ideam de Deo ut Homine, plus quam Christiani, habent, et illi, quibus idea de Deo ut Homine est, et bene vivunt, acceptantur a Domino; agnoscunt etiam Deum unum persona et essentia, secus ac Christiani: et quoque cogitant de Deo in vita sua, mala enim faciunt peccata contra Deum, et qui hoc faciunt, illi cogitant de Deo in vita sua.
[7] Praecepta religionis sunt Christianis ex Verbo, sed pauci sunt qui aliqua praecepta vitae inde hauriunt; Pontificii non legunt illud; et Reformati qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, non attendunt ad illa ibi quae concernunt vitam, sed solum quae fidem, et usque totum Verbum non est nisi quam Doctrina vitae. Christianismus est modo in Europa; Mahumedismus et Gentilismus est in Asia, Indiis, Africa et America, et Genus humanum in his Partibus Orbis decies excedit multitudine id genus humanum quod in Parte Orbis Christiani est, et in hac sunt pauci, qui religionem in vita ponunt: quid itaque insanius est credere, quam quod hi solum salventur, et illi condemnentur, et quod coelum sit homini ex nativitate, et non ex vita: quare dicit Dominus, "Dico vobis, quod multi ab Oriente et Occidente venient et accumbent cum Abrahamo, Isaco et Jacobo in Regno coelorum; filii vero Regni ejicientur," Matthaeus 8:11-12.
[8] QUARTUM. Quod aliqui ex humano genere ex praedestinato damnati sint, sit haeresis crudelis. Crudele enim est credere, quod Dominus, qui est ipse Amor et ipsa Misericordia, patiatur ut tam ingens multitudo hominum nascatur ad Infernum, seu quod tot myriades myriadum nascantur damnati et devoti, hoc est, quod nascantur diaboli et satanae; et quod non ex Divina sua Sapientia provideat, ne illi qui bene vivunt et agnoscunt Deum, in ignem et cruciatum aeternum conjiciantur: est usque Dominus omnium Creator et Salvator, et Ipse Solus ducit omnes, ac nullius mortem vult; quare crudele est credere et cogitare, quod tanta multitudo gentium et populorum sub auspicio et sub intuitu Ipsius ex praedestinato traderetur diabolo in praedam.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: dicit
2 Prima editio: etiam
3 Prima editio: dicit