Calvin's Institutes - Book I - Chs 17-18

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“Without certainty about God’s providence life would be unbearable.”



Regarding the “meaning of God’s ways” in chapter 17 Calvin says, the “Father’s secret plan”, “however hidden and fugitive from our point of view” as to “causes” or “justice” or “wisdom”, it is “the best-conceived order to a right end”; and he glorifyingly sees the Master’s hand in all things.

It is so reassuring to see that, “for Calvin, every man in all circumstances has dealings with God” – a proverb we would all do well in remembering.

And yet he’s quite careful to again assert our responsibility: “he who has set the limits to our life has at the same time entrusted to us its care...”

Still, even in suffering and death, or especially so, we are to take solace that, “whatever our enemy has wickedly committed against us was permitted and sent by God’s just dispensation”, for “God arms both the devil and all the wicked for the conflict...”. “The devil and the whole cohort of the wicked are completely restrained by God’s hand as by a bridle”, and “curbed and compelled to do service”. Thus, whatever happens in the universe is governed by God's incomprehensible plan.

In 17, Calvin also admirably reconciles God's "repentance" with His unchangeableness, by making allowance for our understanding of how He seems to us, as opposed to how He actually is.

 

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Chapter 18 and its subject matter is the focus of many books and tomes, and where Calvin’s apparent conflict with logic is further delineated – though I appreciate his falling back to a ‘sounder’ position of ‘manifold human mental incapacity’. It is indeed one of the more difficult aspects of God to rationally explain to those struggling with the problem of evil under an almighty, sovereign, and wholly good God.

As in many matters, Calvin looks to his mentor Augustine for help explaining the clear teachings of Scripture: “...In a wonderful ineffable manner nothing is done without God’s will, not even that which is against his will. For it would not be done if he did not permit it; yet he does not unwillingly permit it, but willingly; nor would he, being good, allow evil to be done, unless being also almighty he could make good even out of evil.”

Even more than the concept of ‘Trinity’, Calvin sees this as clearly Scriptural, yet exceeding our mental capacity and rules of logic.

“God’s will is a unity.” It “is not...at war with itself, nor does it change, nor does it pretend not to will what he wills. But even though his will is one and simple in him, it appears manifold to us because, on account of our mental incapacity, we do not grasp how in divers ways it wills and does not will something to take place.”

Calvin does seem to get a little convoluted in his simplicity, primarily from seeking to thoroughly address previous and current errant philosophies that cast a great cloud over matters he attempts to elucidate and clarify. Cornelius Van Til rightly illustrates that there is difficulty in stating Calvin’s doctrine, and 400 years of conflicts in terminology do not help our discussion.

I was taught of a difference in God’s ‘permissive’ and ‘perfect’ will. These are not acceptable to Calvin, insofar as he defines them. Calvin prefers to distinguish between ‘will’ and ‘precept’. R. C. Sproul writes of God’s 1) decretive, sovereign, or hidden will by which He ordains everything that comes to pass. God is sovereign and His will can never be frustrated. 2) His preceptive will revealed to us in laws which we can thwart. 3) God’s will of disposition – His attitude, or what pleases Him. Example: God takes no delight in the death of the wicked, yet He decrees their death.

For what it's worth, here's more interesting insights and study on the matter:
http://cspar181.uah.edu/RbS/JOB/de.html
http://www.mbrem.com/apologetics/chodge-evil.htm
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/ProblemEvil.htm
http://www.covopc.org/Problem_of_Evil.html


http://www.gnpcb.org/product/1581345674
http://www.salemreformed.org/TheProblemofEvil.html
http://www.forananswer.org/Top_Ath/Problem%20of%20Evil.htm
http://www.biblicalanswers.com/predestination/Problem%20of%20Evil.htm