Chapter 023 - Predestination
God predestinates man. As Eternal Life exceeds the power of human faculty, man is directed towards it, as an arrow sent by the archer, a course the idea of which pre-exists in God. And as His idea of the order of all things to their end is called Providence, as has been said above, so the perfect course of a rational creature is called Predestination, which is not revealed to us, nor is a security given which might encourage negligence. Regarded as the act of the Predestinator, this is a part of Providence and causes nothing in the predestined; while inasmuch as the idea is in the Mind of the Predestinator, and its execution belongs to the predestined, it is called Vocation and Magnification.
God reprobates any one who is permitted by Divine Providence to fail of the end of Eternal Life, while others, by the same Providence, are supported to attain it; and as Predestination includes the Will to confer grace and glory, so in like manner Reprobation includes the Will to permit some to fall into sin, and to incur punishment and reprobation for sin.
Predestination presupposes the election and love of God; but in Him Love precedes election, the contrary of which takes place in us; for we choose what we love on account of pre-existing goodness, whereas in God it is otherwise, because His Will is the Cause of goodness.
Thus the entire effect of Predestination is due to the Goodness of God as its first reason and last end; for there is no cause for it on our part, since whatever conduces in us to Eternal Life is the effect of Predestination. This does not, however, prevent a particular effect from having a cause, and one thing being the cause of another; but that which comes after is the end of what precedes, the preceding being, so to speak, the subject of that which follows, as merit is the subject of reward.
Predestination is certain if it be referred to the intuition of the Divine Plan. For though the order of Providence is infallible, nevertheless some things happen contingently, according to the conditions of proximate causes; and in like manner the order of Predestination is certain, although its effects happen contingently; nor is free will taken away, as was explained above with reference to the Divine Knowledge and Will, which do not take away the contingent character of some things.
The number of the predestined is known to God, not only formally and in general but also materially and individually, that is, not only by knowledge but by predetermination, as is the case with the universe which He has preordained in measure; of which rational creatures are the chief because capable of attaining beatitude. It is otherwise with the number of the reprobate who are preordained by God to the good of the Elect. But the number of those who are to be saved is known to God alone.
Divine Predestination as regards its source, the act of the Predestinator, is not assisted by the prayers of the saints, but only as regards the effect, because Providence does not do away with second causes but provides the effect by their means, that thus the order of second causes may be subject to Providence. So with regard to the salvation of any one predestined by God; whatever promotes salvation in such a case falls under the order of Predestination, whether it be Prayer, or other good works, without which it would not be attained. Hence Saint Peter says: "Labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election" (2 Peter 1:10).