# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Dezember 1856_S358
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

358 On the Doctrine of Election of Grace and Some Related Matters, etc.

and hidden will more closely, in that he distinguishes "between God as He
is preached and revealed, and God as He is hidden — that is, between
God's Word and God Himself." Compare especially, on this point, his
words on Genesis 26:9 (vol. II, p. 478 and following): "God does much
that He does not show us through His Word; He also wills much that He
does not show us through the Word, that He wills it. Thus He does not will
the death of the sinner according to the will He has revealed through the
Word; but He wills it according to the hidden, unsearchable will. Now we
are to look to the Word, and let the unsearchable will stand, concerning
which nothing has been commanded us —. But what the will effects, how,
whither, how far the will extends — this it is simply not our place to ask, to
search, to seek, or to know, but only to worship with all fear and trembling."
Deliberately he at last sets both members of the question side by side:
"If God does not will the death of the sinner, then it is our fault that we
perish or are lost —. But why the divine Majesty does not remove or alter
the deficiency of our will in all men, seeing that the will is nevertheless not
in our power or ability; or why God imputes guilt to our will, seeing that
man is nevertheless neither able nor capable of laying the will aside — this
no one is to search out or ask about. And however long you ask, you will
never find the answer, just as Paul says to the Romans, chapter 9: 'Nay but,
O man, who art thou that repliest against God?'" He had learned from the
holy apostle how to deal, as a master, with this lofty and difficult subject,
and to withstand a pitifully inexperienced adversary who sought to hunt for
glory at his expense and, with the most eloquent words of a glittering
human wisdom, to defend the whole Roman-semi-Pelagian tendency —
withstanding him through faith, which, before all else, strikes water from
the rock. He himself gives the resolution at Genesis 50 (vol. III, pp. 467
and following): "For although God has promised grace and forgiveness, as
Augustine says, He has nevertheless not promised that you will just as
surely return again after the fall — it does not lie in our power to lay hold
of grace, and you do not know whether you too could accept the
forgiveness that is offered you. Therefore one ought to fear God, who is the
enemy of both presumption and despair alike. — But if you should rely on
God's goodness and grace and knowingly and deliberately dare to
transgress His commandments, there is great danger in this, that sin might
utterly overwhelm you before you receive forgiveness in His Son. —
Therefore one must take note of this and keep it well in mind, that God has
no pleasure in sin, and that He does nothing for sin's sake. — For although
God made use of this sin of Joseph's brothers so that many people were
thereby helped, there is nevertheless danger in it, that those who are
altogether without fear might be overtaken by death and go down to hell
before they can take refuge in the mercy of God. — — Thou