proceeding from the Father and the Son q. GOD CHAP. III. Of God's Eternal Decree. OD from all eternity did, by the most wife and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pafs a: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of fin b, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of fecond caufes taken away, but rather established c. ther) full of grace and truth, v. 18. No man hath feen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him. John xv. 26.But when the Com. forter is come, whom I will fend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. Gal. iv. 6. And because ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. I. a Eph. i. 11. In whom alfo we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated according to the purpofe of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will. Rom.xi.33.O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out! Heb. vi. 17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promife the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it by an oath. Rom. ix. 15. For he faith to Mofes, I will have mercy on whom I will have me, cy, and I will have compaffion on whom I will have compaffion. v. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. man. II. Al b James i. 13. Let no man fay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any V. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variablenefs, neither fhadow of turning. 1 John i. 5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. c Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counfel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and flain. Mat. xvii. 12. But I fay unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they lifted: likewife fhall alfo the Son of man fuffer of them. Acts iv. 27. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jefus, whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Ifrael were gathered together. v. 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counfel determined before to be done. John xix. 11. Jefus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee C from II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pafs upon all fuppofed conditions d; yet hath he not decreed any thing because he forefaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon fuch conditions e. III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, fome men and angels ƒ are predeftinated unto everlafting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death g. IV. These angels and men, thus predeftinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is fo certain and definite, that it cannot be either increafed or diminished h. V. Those from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater fin. Prov. xvi. 33. The lot is caft into the lap; but the whole difpofing thereof is of the Lord. II. d Acts xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Sam. xxiii. 11. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy fervant hath heard? O Lord God of Ifrael, I beseech thee, tell thy fervant. And the Lord faid, He will come down. v. 12. Then faid David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul ? And the Lord faid, they will deliver thee up. Mat. xi. 21. Wo unto thee Chorazin, wo unto thee Bethfaida : for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in fackcloth and afhes. v. 23. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, fhalt be brought down to hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. e Rom. ix. II. For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpofe of God according to election might ftand, not of works, but of him that calleth. v. 13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Efau have I hated. v. 16. So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that fheweth mercy. v. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. III. f1 Tim. v. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect angels, that thou obferve these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Mat. xxv. 41. Then fhall he fay alfo to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. g Rom. ix. 22. What if God, willing to fhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-fuffering the veffels of wrath fitted to deftruction. v. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the veffels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? Eph. i. 5. Having predeftinated us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Chrift to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, v. 6. To the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himfelf: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. IV. b 2 Tim. ii. 19. Nevertheless the V. Those of mankind that are predeftinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the fecret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chofen in Chrift, unto everlafting glory i, out of his mere free grace and love, without any forefight of faith, or good works, or perfeverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto k; and all to the praise of his glorious grace l.. VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore-ordained all the means thereunto m. Wherefore they who are elected the foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this feal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. John xiii. 18. I fpeak not of you all; I know whom I have chofen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me, hath lift up his heel against me. V. i Eph. i. 4. According as he hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we fhould be holy, and without blame before him in love: v. 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleafure, which he hath purposed in himfelf: v. 11. In whom alfo we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated according to the purpofe of him, who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will. Rom. viii. 30. Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he alfo called: and whom he called, them he alfo justified and whom he justified, them he alfo glorified. 2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath faved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus, before the world began. 1 Theff. v. 9. For being God hath not appointed us to wrath; but to obtain falvation by our Lord Jefus Chrift. k Rom. ix. 11, 13. 16. (See letter e immediately foregoing,) Eph. i. 4. 9. (See letter i immediately foregoing,) / Eph. i. 6. To the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. v. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory, who firft trufted in Chrift. VI. m 1 Pet. i. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through fanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Eph. i. 4. According as he hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love: v. 5. Having predeftinated us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Chrift to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Eph. ii. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 2 Theff. ii. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chofen you to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Theff. Chap. III. being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ n, are effectually called unto faith in Chrift, by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, fanctified, o, and kept by his power through faith unto falvation p. Neither are any other redeemed by Chrift, effectually called, juftified, adopted, fanctified and faved, but the elect only q. VII. The rest of mankind, God was pleafed, according to the unfearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or with-holdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his fovereign power over his creatures, to pafs by, and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their fin, to the praise of his glorious juftice r. n 1 Theff. v.9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain falvation by our Lord Jefus Chrift. v. 10. Who died for us, that whether we wake or fleep, we fhould live together with him. Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. .Rom. viii. 30. Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he alfo juftified: and whom he justified, then he also glorified. Eph. i. 5. Have ing predeftinated us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Chrift to himself, according to the good pleafure of his will. 2 Theff. ii. 13.E .But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chofen you to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. the p 1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by power of God through faith unto falvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 9 John xvii. 9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou haft given me, for they are thine. Rom. viii. 28. And we VIII. The know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpofe, &c. (to the end of the chapter.) John vi. 64. But there are fome of you that believe not. For Jefus knew from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who fhould betray him. v. 65. And he faid, Therefore faid I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. John x. 26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my fheep, as I faid unto you. John viii. 47. He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 1 John ii. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifeft, that they were not all of us. VII. r Mat. xi. 25. At that time Jefus anfwered and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou haft hid thefe things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes, v. 26. Even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight. Rom. ix. 17. For the Scripture faith unto Pha raoh, VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predeftination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be affured of their eternal election t. So fhall this doctrine afford matter of praife, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant confolation to all that fincerely obey the gospel w. raoh, Even for this fame purpofe have I raised thee up, that I might fhew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. v. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. v. 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the fame Jump to make one veffel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? V. 22. What if God, willing to fhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-fuffering the veffels of wrath fitted to deftruction? 2 Tim. ii. 19. Neverthelefs, the foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this feal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And Let v. every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. 20. But in a great houfe, there are not only veffels of gold and of filver, but alfo of wood, and of earth; and fome to honour, and fome to difhonour. Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lafcivioufnefs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Christ. 1 Pet. ii. 8. And a ftone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which ftumble at the word, being difobedient, whereunto alfo they were appointed. CHAP. VIII. Rom. ix. 20. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? fhall the thing formed fay to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Rom. xi. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of God! how unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out! Deut. xxix. 29. The fecret things belong unto the Lord our God: but thofe things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. t 2 Pet, i. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election fure for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. v Eph. i. 6. To the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. Rom. xi. 33. (fee letter immediately foregoing.) w Rom. xi. 5. Even fo then at this prefent time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. v. 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwife work is no more work. v. 20. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou ftandett by faith. Be not high minded, but fear. 2 Pet. i. 10. (See letter t im mediately |