PREDESTINARIAN, a person who adheres to the doctrine of absolute predestination. See PREDESTINATION, (Encycl.)
St Augustin is looked on as the founder of the sect of Predestinarians, he being the first of the fathers that seems to have asserted the doctrine in such express terms; though the Janseists and Jesuits are still greatly divided about the real doctrine of St Augustin in this article, each interpreting him consistently with their own scheme.
Father Sirmond contends for an ancient sect of Predestinarians, or Predestinationists, Predestiniani, contemporary with St Augustin himself, and who had their rise in Africa, in the monastery of Adrumetum, from a misunderstanding of St Augustin's doctrine. Hence they were led into a notion, that God not only predestinated the wicked to eternal punishment, but also to the guilt and transgression for which they are punished; and that thus both the good and bad actions of all men were determined from eternity by a divine decree, and fixed by an inevitable necessity.
It is added, that the opinion spread thence throughout the Gauls; where one of them, a priest, named Lucidus, was condemned by Faustus bishop of Rheggio, and his sentence was confirmed by two councils.
However, the existence of this Predestinarian sect has been denied by many learned men, particularly the president Mauguin, and considered as an invention of the Semi-pelagians, designed to decry the followers of Augustin, by attributing to him unjustly this dangerous and pernicious error. Nor does it appear, though there might have been persons who embraced the Predestinarian opinions, that the abettors of them ever formed themselves into a sect.
The doctrine was again broached in the ninth century by Godeschalcus, a Benedictine; who, as Hinemar, in a letter to pope Nicolas, says, maintained with the ancient Predestinarians, who had been already anathematized, that God predestinated some to eternal life, and others to eternal death; that God did not will all people to be saved; that Jesus Christ did not die for all, but only the elect, or those that are saved, &c.
This doctrine was again condemned in a synod held at Mentz, A. D. 848, and by a council at Quiercy, A. D. 849; in consequence of which Godeschalcus was treated with the utmost barbarity, and compelled to burn with his own hands the justification of his opinion, which he had presented to the council at Mentz. He was then cast into prison, where he died in the year 868 or 869, maintaining with his last breath the doctrine for which he had suffered.
The decrees of the former council were confirmed in a new council which met at Quiercy, A. D. 853, but they were declared null by a council assembled at Valence, A. D. 855; and the decrees of this council were confirmed by the council of Langres in the year 859, and in 860 by the council of Toul.
This controversy was revived in the 16th century by Calvin, who maintained, that the everlasting condition of mankind in a future world was determined from all eternity; and that God, in predestinating from all eternity one part of mankind to everlasting happiness, and another to endless misery, was led to make this
distinction by no other motive than his own good pleasure and free will. This opinion was, in a very short time, propagated through all the reformed churches, by the writings of Calvin, and by the ministry of his disciples; and in some places was inserted in the national creeds and confessions, and thus made a public article of faith.
The unhappy controversy, which took its rise from this doctrine, was opened at Strasburg, in the year 1560, by Jerome Zanchius, an Italian ecclesiastic, who was particularly attached to the sentiments of Calvin, and carried on in a manner that contributed very much to exasperate the passions and foment the discord of the contending parties.
The Predestinarian opinions have been maintained by considerable numbers, both in Popish and Protestant countries; and in our own country in particular, they have had many zealous advocates.
We shall here observe, that they have undergone a kind of relaxation by those who have been denominated Baxterians, from the famous nonconformist minister, Mr Richard Baxter, of the last century. The Baxterians have endeavoured to strike into a middle path between Calvinism and Arminianism, and to unite both these schemes. They profess to believe in the doctrines of election, effectual calling, and other tenets of Calvinism; and, consequently suppose, that a certain number, determined upon in the divine counsels, will infallibly be saved. This they think necessary to secure the ends of Christ's interposition. But then, on the other hand, they reject the doctrine of reprobation, and admit, that our blessed Lord, in a certain sense, died for all; and that such a portion of grace is allotted to every man, as renders it his own fault if he doth not attain to eternal happiness. If he improves the common grace given to all mankind, this will be followed by that special grace which will end in his final acceptance and salvation. Whether the Baxterians are of opinion, that any, besides the elect, will actually make such a right use of common grace as to obtain the other and at length come to heaven, we cannot assuredly say. There may possibly be a difference of sentiment upon the subject, according as they approach nearer to Calvinism or Arminianism.