Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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the parables of Christ (Matt. 13:11; John 12:39, 40). In the Consensus
Genevensis (Niemeyer, p. 251), he says that the fall was ordained by
the admirable counsel of God (admirabili Dei consilio fuisse
ordinatum). Beza understood Calvin correctly.
ft831 He gives his view of the primitive state in Inst. I. ch. XV. § 8: “God
has furnished the soul of man with a mind capable of discerning good
from evil, and just from unjust; and of discovering, by the light of
reason, what ought to be pursued or avoided: whence the philosophers
called this directing faculty to< hJgemoniko>n, the principal or governing
part. To this he hath annexed the will, on which depends the choice.
The primitive condition of man was ennobled with those eminent
faculties; he possessed reason, understanding, prudence, and judgment,
not only for the government of his life on earth, but to enable him to
ascend even to God and eternal felicity. To these were added choice, to
direct the appetites, and regulate all the organic motions, so that the
will was entirely conformed to the government of reason. In this
integrity man was endued with free will, by which, if he had chosen, he
might have obtained eternal life. For here it would be unreasonable to
introduce the question respecting the secret predestination of God,
because we are not discussing what might possibly have happened or
not, but what was the real nature of man. Adam, therefore, could have
stood if he would, since he fell merely by his own will; but because his
will was flexible to either side, and he was not endued with constancy
to persevere, therefore he so easily fell. Yet his choice of good and evil
was free; and not only so, but his mind and will were possessed of
consummate rectitude, and all his organic parts were rightly disposed
to obedience, till destroying himself he corrupted all his excellencies.”
ft832 “Lapsus est enim primus homo, quia Dominus ita expedire censuerat;
cur censuerit, nos latet. Certum tamen est non aliter censuisse, nisi
quia videbat, nominis sui gloriam inde merito illustrari. Unde
mentionem gloriae Dei audis, illic justitiam cogita. Justum enim esse
oportet quod laudem meretur. CADIT IGITUR HOMO, DEI PROVIDENTIA
SIC ORDINANTE, SED SUO VITIO CADIT …. Propria ergo malitia, quam
acceperat a Domino puam naturam corrupit; sua ruina totam
posteritatem in exitium secum attraxit.” Inst. III. ch. XXIII. § 8 (vol.
II. p. 705). In his reply to Castellio Opera, IX. 294) he says: Praevidit
Deus lapsum Adae: penes ipsum facultas erat prohibendi: noluit. Cur