Where then, does one find this sentence located in this chapter of Calvin’s ‘Constitutions’? Nearby at least. And indeed so, it is found nearby, though not immediately in sequence with the aforesaid passage. It is found namely, several good paragraphs of in depth thinking of Calvin’s, further, in 23/6. With the context therefore represented by three dots, a true representation of Calvin’s intentions becomes all the more difficult. Unfortunately for example, Bob Ryan’s dotted omission leaves this conclusion to the first passage ‘quoted’ by Bob Ryan, out.
In 23/2 Calvin writes, “… everything which He (God) wills, must be held to be righteous by the mere fact of His willing it. Therefore, when it is asked why,the Lord did so, we must answer, Because, He, pleased. But if you proceed further,to ask why He pleased, you ask for something greater and more sublime than the will of God, and nothing such can be found. Let human temerity then be quiet, and cease to inquire after what exists not, lest perhaps it fails to find what does exist (the righteous pleasure of God, namely, GE). … Against the audacity of the wicked, who hesitate not to blaspheme, God will sufficiently defend Himself by His own righteousness, without our assistance, when depriving their consciences of all means of evasion He shall hold them under conviction, and make them feel their guilt.”
Now this sufficiently explains those words so resented and protested against by Calvin’s enemies, “(God) orders all things by his counsel and decree in such a manner, that some men are born devoted from the womb to certain death, that his Name be glorified in their destruction. ....” (23/6b)
Calvin’s statement is so represented by his foes as if God, ordered and decreed some men to certain death. Although I do not differ with the net result all implications and complications involved considered, that this is so, this is not what Calvin said.
(GE: God in the beginning told man, if he would eat of the tree, he would die – because he would have sinned. Since by one man death came over all men, all men born, are, sinners, and are born, sinners, “devoted from the womb to certain death”. Only for the grace of God some men like burning stumps are plucked from the fire.)
Throughout, Calvin held to God’s Eternal Purpose, “That his Name be glorified in their destruction ....”. I find that ‘sublime’; Calvin’s enemies find that, offensive. Would God’s Name be glorified in the preservation of the Godless then? Then why blame God that His Name should be glorified in their destruction? Would the perpetuation of sin be the better option for God – better than His own will and pleasing, better than, “God’s order(ing) all things by his counsel and decree in such a manner, that some men, are born devoted from the womb to certain death”?
It isn’t God who – according to Bob Ryan – so ‘devotes some men’; it is they –according to Calvin– that themselves, are thus devoted.
Beveridge renders this sentence from Paragraph 6,
“Since the arrangement of all things is in the hand of God, since to Him belongs the disposal of life and death, He arranges all things by His sovereign counsel, in such a way that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death, and are to glorify Him by their destruction.”
Are not all men doomed from the womb to certain death having been born sinners and guilty, that is, “devoted to death”, through their own sinfulness? Is not death the wages of sin? Does not Paul say so? Then why blame Calvin as if he teaches the doctrine of devils, for saying only what the Word of God declares to be true and certain?
But we must find the context that Bob Ryan silenced with having left out at least three paragraphs in between 2 and 6, having given no indication of having done so, shrewdly pretending those initial malicious ‘quotes’ of his are of the same nature than Calvin’s statements in 6.
Calvin introduces our sentence of concern, saying, “All must admit that Solomon says, “The Lord has made all things for Himself; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil” (Prov16:4). Now, since the arrangement of all things is in the hand of God …”.
The enemies of OSAS and Calvin don’t fight him or his word; they fight God and His Word, by denouncing Calvin for teaching just this, that “The Lord has made the wicked for the day of evil.”
Unimaginable though it may seem they cannot go farther than that in their blasphemy, they in fact do. They decline the full Word that says “The Lord has made all things for Himself; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil”. Has the Lord made “the day of evil”? – has He appointed the day of judgement? Or will the day per adventure turn up by itself, or will the Lord make it of His own will? Then do the wicked choose if they will meet that day or simply might by-pass it as if they could side-step God? Only because God willed it, only “He pleased to”, shall the wicked face the day of evil. The will of God from the beginning has destined them to it. They enter the judgment of condemnation not willingly, but because God willed that the reward of sin is death. The wicked by God’s choice have no choice; they “shall die”, in their sins. Only because “for Himself”, and only because it “pleased Him”, has the Lord made the day of evil and the evil for the day of evil.
… God chooses whom he will as his children ... while he rejects and reprobates others … to be continued.