III. History of the Doctrine. — The unanimous and unquestioned doctrine of the Church on this point tor more than four hundred years was. so far as developed into distinctness, precisely identical with that which owes its scientific form and name to Arminius (q. v.). The early lathers often expressed themselves unguard- edly, and, in so doing, sometimes laid themselves open to the charge of a leaning towards the erroneous views afterwards systematized by Pelagius (q.v.) and his co- adjutors [see Pelagianism] ; but thei, general senti- ment was soundly evangelical and capable of an enun- ciation entirely free IV every suspicion of consanguin- ity with that heresy. "In respect to predestination," says Wiggers, " the fathers before Augustine differed en- tirely from him. . . . They founded predestination upon prescience. . . . Hence the Massilians were entirely right when they maintained that Augustine's doctrine of pre- destination was contrary to the opinion of the fathers and the sen f the Church" (Auoustinism and Pelagian- ism, transL by Prof. Emerson). Justin .Martyr, [renseus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Chrysostom — all in clear and decisive statements— gave their adherence to the theory of conditional predestination, rejecting the opposite a^ false, dangerous, and utterly subversive of the divine glory. It is evident that they did not in- vestigate the >ubject in the depth to which it is requi- site for the full discussion of it to go, and that various questions, which must be put before it can be brought completely before us, they either did not put or hastily regarded as of very tittle moment ; but it is enough to dwell upon the fact that they did employ their thoughts upon it, and have so expressed themselves as to leave no doubt of the light in which it was contemplated by them. Justin, in his dialogue with Trypho, remarks. that " they who were foreknown as to become wicked, whether angels or men. did so not from any fault of ( loci, atria roc Om.c, but from their own blame;" by which observation be shows that it was his opinion that God foresaw in what manner his intelligent creat- ures would act, but that this did not affect their lib- erty, and did not diminish their guilt A little after he says more fully that "(lod created angels and men free to the practice of righteousness, having planted in the m reason, through which they knew by whom they were created and through whom they existed, when be- fore they were not. and prescribed to them a law by which they were to be judged, if they acted contrary to right reason. Wherefore we. angels and men, are through ourselves convicted as being wicked, if we do not lav hold of repentance. But if the Logos of God foretells that some angels and men would go to !"■ pun- ished, he does so because he foreknew that they would certainly Inc. .me wicked; by no means, however, be- cause (loci made them mi, h." Justin thus admits that man is wholly dependent upon (lod, deriving existence and everything which be. has from the Almighty; but he is persuaded that we were perfectly able to retain our integrity, and that, although it was foreseen that we should not do so, this did not abridge our moral power.
or fix any imputation on the Deity in consequence of our transgression. Tatian, in his oration against the Greeks an excellent work, which, although composed alter the death of .lustin. was written, in all probability, before its author had adopted the wild opinions which he defended towards the conclusion of his life ex- presses \ cry much the same sentiments avowed l.y .lus- tin. He says. •• Both men and angels were created free, so that man becoming wicked through his own fault may be deservedly punished, while a good man, who, from the right exercise of his free will, does not trans- gress the- law of (lod, is entitled to praise; that the power of the divine Logos, having in himself the knowl- edge of what was to happen, not through fate or un- avoidable necessity, but from free choice, predicted fut- ure things, condemning the wicked and praising the righteous." [renseus, in the third book of his work against heresies, has taken an opportunity to state his notions about the origin of evil. The seventy-first chap- ter of that book is entitled. " A proof that man is tree, and has power to this extent, that of himself he can
'house what i> g 1 or the contrary." Jn illustration
of this he remarks. ■■ God ga\ eto man i he power of elec- tion, as he did to the- angels. They, therefore, who do not obey are justly not found with the good, and receive deserved punishment, feci use God, having given them what was good, they did not keep it, but despised the riches of the divine mercy." The next chapter is en- titled, - A proof that some men are not good by nature and others wicked, and that what is good is within the choice of man." In treating on this subject, [renseus observes that "if the reverse were- the' case, the good woidd not merit praise nor the wicked blame, because, being merely what, without any will of the irs, they had
been made, i hey could not be considered as voluntary