he produceth, one from God's power. If more be damned than saved,
he erroneously concludes, [6798]the devil hath the greater sovereignty! for
what is power but to protect? and majesty consists in multitude. "If the
devil have the greater part, where is his mercy, where is his power? how is
he _Deus Optimus Maximus, misericors_? &c., where is his greatness, where
his goodness?" He proceeds, [6799]"We account him a murderer that is
accessory only, or doth not help when he can; which may not be supposed of
God without great offence, because he may do what he will, and is otherwise
accessory, and the author of sin. The nature of good is to be communicated,
God is good, and will not then be contracted in his goodness: for how is he
the father of mercy and comfort, if his good concern but a few? O envious
and unthankful men to think otherwise! [6800]Why should we pray to God that
are Gentiles, and thank him for his mercies and benefits, that hath damned
us all innocuous for Adam's offence, one man's offence, one small offence,
eating of an apple? why should we acknowledge him for our governor that
hath wholly neglected the salvation of our souls, contemned us, and sent no
prophets or instructors to teach us, as he hath done to the Hebrews?" So
Julian the apostate objects. Why should these Christians (Caelius urgeth)
reject us and appropriate God unto themselves, _Deum illum suum unicum_,
&c. But to return to our forged Caelius. At last he comes to that, he will
have those saved that never heard of, or believed in Christ, _ex puris
naturalibus_, with the Pelagians, and proves it out of Origen and others.
"They" (saith [6801]Origen) "that never heard God's word, are to be excused
for their ignorance; we may not think God will be so hard, angry, cruel or
unjust as to condemn any man _indicta causa_." They alone (he holds) are in
the state of damnation that refuse Christ's mercy and grace, when it is
offered. Many worthy Greeks and Romans, good moral honest men, that kept
the law of nature, did to others as they would be done to themselves, as
certainly saved, he concludes, as they were that lived uprightly before the
law of Moses. They were acceptable in. God's sight, as Job was, the Magi,
the queen of Sheba, Darius of Persia, Socrates, Aristides, Cato, Curius,
Tully, Seneca, and many other philosophers, upright livers, no matter of
what religion, as Cornelius, out of any nation, so that he live honestly,
call on God, trust in him,