Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 47:188 (Oct 1890)
Article: The Doctrine Of Predestination From Augustine To Peter Lombard (430-1160)
Author: M. S. Freeman

BSac 47:188 (Oct 1890) p. 645

The Doctrine Of Predestination From Augustine To Peter
Lombard (430-1160)

Rev. M. S. Freeman

[Note.—The following paper constituted a portion of the work of the Historical Seminary at Oberlin for the Winter Term of 1889. Martin Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin all teach a very strong doctrine of predestination, and it became a matter of importance in the studies of that Winter to know whether they had simply followed Augustine blindly, without the light of modifying ideas, or whether their view was founded upon personal thought, and thus in their minds held a closer relation to the system of evangelical truth which it was their office to present to the world. Hence the question arose whether there had been any thought upon the subject since the time of Augustine by which they might have profited,—which question the writer sought to answer in the paper here given. It is now published in the hope that, though perhaps bearing traces of an immaturity which is generally characteristic of the first fruits of independent research, it may be not without interest to a wider public. For Hincmar’s doctrine, the opportune publication of two short treatises of his against Gottschalk in the Zeitschrift fur Kirchengeschichte for 1888, afforded indispensable material.]

The doctrine of predestination was first formally set forth in the writings of Augustine during the Pelagian controversy. It was somewhat modified by the so-called semipelagian discussions. If we hope to understand the course of its development, we must have a definite knowledge of the doctrine in its original shape and the character of its first modifications. The first questions before us, then, are these: What was Augustine’s statement and understanding of the doctrine? To what extent did he carry with him the church of his time? What changes of statement and theory were introduced by the Semi-Pelagians? and what was the common doctrine of the church at the close of that period?

BSac 47:188 (Oct 1890) p. 646

According to Augustine’s doctrine of original sin, the will of man after the fall had no power to choose the good, except by the help of divine grace. All men, therefore, were not only under condemnation for their original sin in the fall, but had added to this the guilt of actual personal sin. Being thus corrupt and guilty in the most extreme degree, the whole race were justly condemned to the pains of eternal punishment. But divine grace, through Christ, interferes in behalf of some. God, by his own decree and from the secret purposes of his own will, has from eternity chosen certain definite persons out of this corrupt mass of mankind to whom he would grant his grace, enabling them to repent and exercise faith in Jesus Christ; and upon repentance and faith, these were...