Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 34
JOHN 17.12.
But the Son of Perdition.
AND thus of our Saviours general profeſſion, that he had ſafely and entirely kept all thoſe that were beſtowed upon him by his Father; Thoſe whom thou gaveſt me I kept, and none of them is loſt.
Proceed we now to his particular exception of Judas; but the ſon of perdition; none of them is loſt, but the ſon of perdition.
How, and upon what account Judas is excepted here from the reſt of the Apoſtles, you may remember I have ſhewed you fully heretofore. And therefore I ſhall touch no more at the Exception. But I ſhall faſten on the appellation that is given him who is excepted here: The ſon of perdition.
Now he is called the ſon of perdition, not only to imply that he was a loſt creature, as conſidered in himſelf; but more then ſo, that he was deſtinated and appointed to be loſt in the eternal Counſel and Decree of God, that he deſigned him to deſtruction. A manner of Expreſſion very uſual with the Hebrews, as Calvin and ſome others after him obſerve upon the Text. Now this our Saviour mentions, not to lay the fault of the deſtruction of this wretched man on Gods Decree, or to take it off from Judas; But to make it to appear, that though he were a loſt creature, yet the election of the Lord remained firm, and ſtood unalterable notwithſtanding: For he was not elected, but reprobated and appointed to perdition.
This being the intention of the phraſe, the Obſervation clearly offered to us here is this.
DOCTRINE. That God in his Eternal Counſel and Decree hath appointed and deſigned ſome certain ſpecial perſons to deſtruction.
This was the caſe of Judas in my Text; he was Perditioni deſtinatus ac devotus, deſtinated and devoted to perdition: And therefore when he was deſtroyed and loſt, the Holy Ghoſt obſerveth of him, that he went to his own place, Act. 1.25. that is to Hell, the place which was appointed for him from Eternity: And therefore Bildad ſpeaks of ſome whom God hath caſt away, Job 8.4. And Job of ſome who are reſerved to deſtruction, Job 21.31. The Wiſe man tells us that God hath made the wicked for the day of evil, Prov. 16.4. The Lord made all things for himſelf, his own glory; yea, even the wicked for the glory of his Juſtice to be declared and manifeſted on them in the evil day, the day which is ſo to them: That is, the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men, as the Apoſtle Peter calls it, 2 Epiſt. 3.7. to which day they are reſerved, as the ſame Apoſtle ſpeaks; you muſt conceive it in the everlaſting purpoſe and decree of God, 1 Pet. 2.9. As there are veſſels of mercy ordained to glory, ſo there are veſſels of wrath prepared to deſtruction, Rom. 9.22. Not only by their own miſdeeds, but in ſome ſence by the decree of God. Meritoriouſly indeed and in deſert they are prepared for it only by themſelves, and by their own ſins. But in deſign they are prepared for it alſo by the Counſel and the fore-appointment of the Lord. And this indeed is ſpecially intended in the place. Or elſe wherefore doth the Apoſtle for clearing of the Juſtice of the Lord in this particular, fly to his foreign, his abſolute and ſoveraign power, which he hath over all his creatures, to beſtow them at his pleaſure, either to wrath, or to ſalvation: Even as the Potter is at liberty to mould his clay, to what ſhape and to what uſe he pleaſes, either to honour or to diſhonour. The anſwer had been ready and at hand, if God had had no finger in the buſineſs, in preparing men to wrath, no not ſo much as by determination and decree, Paul need not have ſaid he did it by his abſolute and Soveraign power. No, if it had been ſo, he might have ſaid, God did it not all, he prepared them not at all, ordained them not at all, but they prepared themſelves to wrath and to deſtruction. But this he could not ſay; for it were quite againſt the ſaying of the holy Ghoſt, Iude 4. where he makes mention of ſome certain men, who were before of old ordained to condemnation. Not only fitted for it by themſelves, but preordained to it by another, and that is God. Yea the Apoſtle Paul doth clearly and expreſly intimate that God appointeth ſome to wrath, in that memorable place to this purpoſe, 1 Theſ. 5.9. where ſtirring up the Theſſalonians to exemplary holineſs of life, he quickens them with the conſideration of the high preferment which he and they and others had in that which is indeed the richeſt and the choiceſt mercy of the Lord, For God hath not appointed us to wrath. Others he hath; but this is our prerogative that God hath not appointed us to wrath, (as he hath done many others,) but to obtain ſalvation through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. So that the Point is plain you ſee, that God in his Eternal Counſel and Decree, hath appointed and deſigned, &c.
To open this a little to you, that ſo you may the more diſtinctly underſtand it, you muſt know, that there are two parts or acts of the decree of God, in reference to theſe whom he appointeth to deſtruction; viz. a negative, and a poſitive act.
The firſt of theſe, the negative act, is nothing elſe but preterition, non-election, Paſſing by, and not electing ſome particular and ſpecial men to that beatitude and glory which others are appointed to. This is that will of God, by which he hath determined not to ſave them, but even to leave them in their loſt condition, that they may periſh everlaſtingly. Now this, my brethren, is expreſly and apparently implyed and included in election. For when God chooſes ſome, it follows evidently, that there are other ſome remaining, on which that act of chooſing doth not paſs. When David went to fight againſt Goliah, he choſe him five ſmooth ſtones out of the brook; Who doth not preſently conceive that he refuſed other ſome? If all be taken, it is no election: ſo that election carries in it the firſt act of reprobation, preterition, paſſing by. When ſome are choſen, there are other ſome refuſed; when ſome are taken, there are others left.
2. But now there is another act of the decree of God in reference to thoſe whom he appointeth to deſtruction, which we have called a poſitive act. For as God leaves men, in the firſt place, in their ſins, and in their loſt condition, and doth not chooſe them to ſalvation: So in the ſecond place, he reſolveth with himſelf to condemn them and to deſtroy them for the ſin in which he leaves them, and ſo to glorifie his Juſtice in them. And this is that which ſome have ſtiled predamnation, damnation in the purpoſe and decree of God. For it is one thing to decree the condemnation of ſuch as are not choſen to ſalvation: and it is another thing actually to condemn them, by executing the decree upon them. Now of this ſecond act of the decree of God it is that we ſpeak in the concluſion we are handling, That God in his Eternal Counſel and Decree hath appointed and deſigned ſome certain ſpecial perſons to deſtruction.
But you will ask me, Why hath God done ſo? What is the reaſon of this Act of his? What doth induce him to ordain men to deſtruction?
Firſt, I will ſhew you what is not the reaſon; And in the next place I will ſhew you what it is.
The ſins of men are not the reaſon why God ordains men to deſtruction; they are the cauſe indeed why he deſtroyes them, but not why he ordaines them to deſtruction. Its true, ſin is conſidered in this ſecond act of reprobation, which we have ſtiled predamnation. For as the Lord condemns men for their ſins, in the great and dreadful day, ſo he accordingly decrees from everlaſting to condemn them for their ſins. He doth in time, as he decrees from all eternity; Juſt ſo and no otherwiſe. But mark it my beloved, however ſin be thought upon in the decree, yet it is not the moving cauſe of the decree, but only of the execution of it. And as it is not the fore-ſight of faith and holineſs upon the one ſide that inclineth God to chooſe men: ſo on the other ſide it is not the foreſight of infidelity and diſobedience that inclines him to reject them and appoint them to damnation. Indeed God damns men for their ſins, yea he decrees to damn men for their ſins; but yet it is not for their ſins that he decrees it. Sin is the Cauſe, and is conſidered as the cauſe of the accompliſhment of the decree: but not of the decree it ſelf.
But if ſin be not the reaſon then why God appoints men to deſtruction, what is the reaſon then?
Truly there is no reaſon out of God, no moving or impulſive cauſe of the decree out of his own boſome. His foreign is the only reaſon why he appointeth ſome to wrath, and others to ſalvation: the pleaſure of his own will. He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 9.18. And therefore the Apoſtle in that very Chapter concludeth the decree of God, both of election, and of reprobation, to be abſolutely free from any motive or inducement out of God himſelf, becauſe it paſſed upon the children, Iacob and Eſau being yet unborn, having neither done good or evil, as you may ſee at large, Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. For the children being not yet born, that the purpoſe of God according to election might ſtand, not of works but of him that calleth, it was ſaid, The elder ſhall ſerve the yonger, &c. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, that is to chooſe him; and Eſau have I hated, to reject him. And conſequently neither election not rejection was of works, not of any thing in them, ſeeing it took hold upon them before they had a being in the world.
Yea but it will be ſaid perhaps, though they were yet unborn, and though they had done neither good nor evil, yet God fore-knew, and God foreſaw they would be born, and that in time they would do good or evil, and ſo accordingly he moulded his decree, electing him whom he foreſaw would do good, rejecting him whom he foreſaw would do evil.
But how then was it not of works, if it were of works foreſeen of the one ſide or the other? will works foreſeen ſtand better with the freeneſs of the purpoſe and decree of God, then preſent works or works in being? Not a whit. And therefore this is cleerly and apparently the force of the Apoſtles reaſon. The decree of God is free, and not of works: it is not cauſed by any thing that man doth: For it took hold of Iacob and of Eſau, being yet unborn, before they had done either good or evil, or were conſidered doing good or evil as a motive or inducement to prevail with God to chooſe the one or to refuſe the other.
So then you ſee the reaſon of the point. Some certain men God appointeth to perdition. Why? becauſe he will, becauſe it is his pleaſure ſo to do.
Object. But you will ſay perhaps, This is very hard meaſure, that God ſhould preordain men to deſtruction, upon this account becauſe he will.
Sol.And is it not as hard meaſure, that the Creator ſhould not be allowed to have his will upon his creature? If you could make a thing of nothing, you would look to have the free diſpoſal of it at your own pleaſure. Nay, my beloved, to uſe the inſtance the Apoſtle gives, the Potter looks to have the free diſpoſal of his clay, and of the ſelf ſame Lump to make one Veſſel to an honourable, another to a ſordid uſe. Or if he pleaſe, as ſoon as he hath finiſhed them, to daſh the one to ſhivers, and to ſave the other. If any ask a reaſon of him, it is enough for him to ſay that he doth this becauſe he will, becauſe it is his pleaſure ſo to do. He made it, and he may deſtroy it; And yet he gives but form to what he makes, he works on matter made before by God. But God creates a thing of nothing; he gives it form and matter too; and why may not he diſpoſe it as he will? Why ſhould not his authority and power be yielded and allowed to be as great upon the creature which he makes of nothing, as the Potters on the clay which he could never make?
And yet what ever Gods decree concerning any man may be, which he reſerveth in his own breaſt and boſome, he never damneth or deſtroyes a man till he deſerve it. The Potter breaks a veſſell it may be for no fault at all, but to ſatisfie his fancy, or to manifeſt his power, and to ſhew what he can do. But God the great Creator of the world, doth never ſo with any creature; if he daſh any man to pieces, it is becauſe he hath deſerved it very juſtly by his ſins. If he condemn him, there is a meritorious cauſe. And he may truly ſay to ſuch a perſon, Thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf.
But in the ſecond place it will be ſaid perhaps by ſome, Object. If this be ſo that God in his Eternal Counſel and Decree, hath apointed and diſigned ſome certain ſpecial perſons to deſtruction, it is in vain for ſuch to hear and pray, and uſe the means of attaining to ſalvation. They were as good to fit ſtill and do nothing: for all will be to no purpoſe. If they be reprobated, they muſt be deſtroyed: the Counſell of the Lord muſt ſtand.
If they be reprobated? But who are reprobated, can they tell?Sol. Haſt thou known the mind of the Lord? Art thou aſſured that thou art reprobated and appointed to deſtruction? If ſo indeed, there were ſome colour for thee to neglect the means of attainment to ſalvation. But know, my brethren, that it is impoſſible for any man to be infallibly aſſured of his reprobation without immediate revelation, as perhaps Saul was. Its true, he may be ſure of his election: never of his reprobation. The Scripture urges and perſwades men to aſſure the one, never to aſſure the other. It giveth marks and evidences of the one; it gives no evidences of the other. Indeed the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt (where it is found) follows after of reprobation: but who is able to determine whether he be guilty of this ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, or no? As for my own part, I am confident that God hath ordered matters ſo, that no man ſhall be able to determine that he is rejected by him; And that to this intent, that all men may be held in diligent attendance on the means of reconciliation and attonement with him, not knowing what the iſſue and event may be. And what then? wilt thou take that to be certain which is very doubtfull, and on ſo weak a ground as this, neglect and ſlight the means, which may for ought thou knoweſt, be powerfull to the ſalvation of thy pretious ſoul for ever? Wilt thou conclude thou art rejected, and do as if this reſolution were infallible, when yet it is apparently a moſt uncertain thing, of which thou canſt not be aſſured? When the decree concerning reprobation is a ſecret and a doubtfull thing; and the command requiring thee to make thy calling and election ſure is a plain and certain thing: wilt thou neglect the precept and command that lies before thee, and walk by the decree that is obſcure and hidden from thee?
Shouldſt thou not rather reaſon in the caſe in hand, as Merchants and Adventurers in worldly things are wont to do? Perhaps the Lord may have a bleſſing yet in ſtore for me; Once I am ſure he hath required me to uſe the means, and therefore though there be ſome hazard in it, I will not be behind in my endeavour; at his command I will let down the net. Even ſo perhaps the Lord may have appointed me to life and glory: once I am ſure he hath commanded me to uſe the means of attaining to ſalvation: And therefore though I know not what the iſſue and event may be, I will attend upon them, be carefull in the uſe and practice of them, to the utmoſt of my power. I know, if I neglect them, I muſt periſh: if I uſe them, I may live eternally: And therefore I will rather give all diligence to make my calling and election ſure, then thus adventure my immortal ſoul upon ſuch hazzard and uncertainty as this. And who can tell but that the Lord may yet be gracious that my ſoul may live?
Ʋſe. 1 Is it ſo that God in his eternal Counſel and Decree hath appointed and deſigned, &c. hence then it follows that all men are not choſen to ſalvation; And conſequently they are very much deceived, who hold and teach that God in his Decree, hath not perfectly preciſely pitched on any ſpecial individual men, appointing them to life and glory: But that he hath elected all upon condition that they repent, believe and perſevere in holineſs and grace unto the end. And on the other ſide, that he rejecteth no man abſolutely from ſalvation, but (as their own expreſſion is) ſuſpenſo manet animo, ſi forte reſipiſcant, The Lord ſuſpendeth his determination, expecting their repentance that they may be ſaved.
A Doctrine evidently croſſing with the truth which we have plentifully proved and confirmed from the Scripture, that there is a particular and ſpecial reprobation, and therefore cannot be an univerſal election. Now that you may not be miſled in this particular, or drawn to think that God hath choſen all men to ſalvation on condition, leaving it wholly to themſelves and to their own free wils, either to ratifie it, or infringe it; ſo making his decree like a Noveriut univerſi, If men believe not, perſevere not, then the election muſt be void. Otherwiſe, if they believe and continue to the end, it muſt remain in full power, ſtrength and vertue. I ſay, that this corrupt opinion (which is ſo confidently vented now adayes) may not take with any of you, I ſhall lay down ſome arguments againſt it, and anſwer others that are brought for it.
This univerſal and conditional election overthrows the end of God, all which he aims in all his Counſels and Decrees, and in all his diſpenſations, viz. the glory of his free grace. This was that which the Lord had in his eye when he appointed men to glory, even that he might make known the riches of his own glory, on thoſe which he prepared to glory, as you have it, Rom. 9.22. Now how ſhall he attain this end by chooſing all men to Salvation, if they will themſelves? how is the glory of his mercy magnified and advanced? where is the freeneſs of his grace more to one man then another? ſince he doth alike for all, electeth all alike to glory and ſalvation; prepareth heaven no more for one man then another: ſo that if any man be ſaved, he may thank himſelf, he may glory in himſelf, and not in God. And therefore it is very notable that the Apoſtle making this the end of the decree of God, viz. the glory of his grace, withall diſcovers that he electeth men to life, not according to their wills, as they will either chooſe it, or refuſe it, but according to his own, Eph. 1.5, 6. Having predeſtinated us by Jeſus Chriſt, to the praiſe of the glory of his grace. How ſo? according to the pleaſure of his will. To ſhew that he works freely in the buſineſs without impulſion or provocation from external cauſes. And ſo he muſt if he will atttain his end. If it be to the glory of his grace, it muſt be according to the pleaſure of his will. So afterwards, ver. 11, 12. We are predeſtinated that we ſhould be to the glory of his grace. And to this end we are predeſtinated according to his purpoſe who worketh all things after the Counſel of his own will. If he will glorifie his grace in this buſineſs, we muſt be ſaved according to his will and pleaſure, and not according to our own. His will muſt have the firſt and greateſt ſtroke in this mercy.
This univerſal and conditional election, as it overthrows Gods end, Ʋſe. 2 ſo it hinders our duty. It cannot chooſe but wonderfully cool and dead our hearts in rendring thankfulneſs to God, when we conſider with our ſelves that he hath done no more for us in this buſineſs of election and ſalvation then he hath for all the world. Our Saviour Chriſt endeavouring to quicken his Diſciples to thanskgiving, ſhews them the priviledge and the preferment which they had in the mercy of the Lord, Mat. 11.25. and 13.16, 17. And the ſame courſe the Prophet David takes with Iſrael, Pſal. 147.19, 20. He ſhewed his word to Jacob, his ſtatutes and his judgements to Iſrael. He dealt not ſo with other Nations, and therefore you are ſpecially engaged to praiſe the Lord. And certainly that ſoul ſhall find it ſelf moſt quickned and enlarged to the praiſes of the Lord, that ſees his ſpecial and peculiar favour to it ſelf, which millions are rejected from. Oh, will the ſoul conſider with it ſelf in ſuch a caſe, Why hath God pitched on me neglecting others? whence was it that he took me into his decree? what did he ſee in me, more then in thoſe whom he laid by? why he did chooſe me? In our elections who are men (beloved) there is ſomething ſtill that carries and inclines us to a choice. Some fitneſs in the object of it, ſome relation to our ſelves, ſome motive or inducement that prevails upon us. But now my brethren, we are all alike to God in the act of his election; we lay together in the ſame corrupted Maſs, all weltring in the ſame blood, and tumbling in the ſame gore; and when he came to chooſe a little number in compariſon of thoſe he left, Oh what a mercy was it that he ſhould pitch on thee and me! which if he had not done, we had been loſt for ever. Truly, my brethren, did we ſit down and weigh it well in our adviſed and deliberate thoughts, it would tranſport and carry us beyond our ſelves. It would make us to break out with the Apoſtle, Eph. 1.3, 4. Bleſſed be God who hath choſen us: us who deſerved no more then others, who were no fitter for his choice then others. And yet us, when he hath rejected others. Oh bleſſed be the Lord for this mercy. But now, my brethren, none of this, if all be choſen to ſalvation with this condition that they will accept it, they may have it if they will; The damned reprobate in hell by this account hath as much reaſon to be thankfull as the triumphant Saint in heaven. Why, may this wretched Catiffe ſay, God did as much for me as him; only indeed I did not ſo much for my ſelf. And may the glorified Saint in heaven ſay, The Lord hath done as much for thoſe in hell, as ever he hath done for me. He hath elected them as well as me, and he hath aſſiſted them as much as me; for he is to all alike; only they have not uſed their own free-wills as well as I have done; and this is the only cauſe that they are damned, and I am ſaved. And therefore I wil ever thank my ſelf and not God. At leaſt I have no greater cauſe to think him, then the damned have. If there be any difference between them and me, it is not God that made it, but my ſelf. God did for them and me alike. And that they are not in the ſame condition with me, the only reaſon is, becauſe we did not for ourſelves alike. And therefore they are every way as much obliged and bound to God as I am.
Ʋſe. 3 This univerſal and conditional election doth in ſome reſpect ſet up man above God. God for his own part chooſeth all men to ſalvation, he would have all men to be ſaved. How comes it then to paſs, whence is it that they are not ſaved? Becauſe they will not themſelves. God will, and they will not; who carries it in this buſineſs? Their will takes place, and not Gods. The will of God you ſee, by this opinion, is ordered and diſpoſed by the will of man. He chooſeth all men on condition; but his final reſolution and abſolute determination is ſuſpended upon the operation of the will of man; He is at liberty to make it good, or make it void at his pleaſure: If he will be ſaved, he may; if not, he muſt be damned, though God for his part have ordained him to ſalvation. What is this but to make God in ſome reſpect an underling to man? to make the will of God ſubſervient to the will of man, which is a moſt blaſphemous derogation. Indeed by this opinion the Lord doth not ſo much in the buſineſs of election and ſalvation as man doth. God chooſeth man upon condition if he do thus and thus; but man is he that ſtrikes the ſtroke, and that makes it all ſure: So that he elects himſelf much more then God doth; Whereas our Saviour ſaith to his Diſciples, you have not choſen me; but I have choſen you, John 15.6. Not you me by your deſerts and the good uſe of your free will; but I you of my free favour.
I ſhall add no other arguments againſt univerſal conditional election: But proceed to anſwer ſuch as the aſſertors of it bring for it.
Object. They confidently urge that place of the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 2.4. God will have all men to be ſaved: therefore he electeth all, appointeth all men to ſalvation.
Sol. But what if we ſhould underſtand it, not of his will of Counſel and Decree, but of his will of Precept and Command. God will have all men to be ſaved, that is, he wlleth and commandeth all men to repent and to believe the Goſpel, that they may be ſaved.
Or if we underſtand it of his Will of Counſel and Decree, that he appointeth all men to ſalvation, the meaning is not ſingula generum, but genera ſingulorum. Not all men univerſally without exception, but ſome of all ſorts, of all callings, of all Nations, ſome of all. A manner of expreſſion very uſual, as I might give you divers inſtances out of the Scripture: It is ſaid that all Judea went to John the Baptiſt and were baptized of him in Iordan, that is, ſome of all parts; That Chriſt healed all diſeaſes, that is, ſome of all kinds. So in the place forealledged, God will have all men to be ſaved, that is, ſome of all ſorts. And this was neceſſary to be urged in oppoſition to the Iews, to check their folly and preſumption, who in a kind of envious pride, reſtrained election and ſalvation to themſelves alone, as if no other people ſhould be ſaved but they: And in ſavour of the Gentiles, over whom the Iews inſulted as a rejected and a loſt people, forbad the Goſpel to be preached to them, would not endure to hear of turning to the Gentiles: Therefore to check the one, and cheer the other, as the condition of the times required, the Apoſtle tells them, God will have all men to be ſaved, as well the Gentiles as the Iews without exception.
3. Or if he would have all men to be ſaved, of all ſorts and of all Nations, How is it that they are not ſaved? for who hath reſiſted his will? Aſſuredly, my Brethren, if God would have all men to be ſaved, all men univerſally, it is becauſe he cannot ſave them, that they are not ſaved. The only cauſe why any one doth not what he deſires and wills to do, is becauſe there is a failing in his power; and were it not for want of this, there is no one in the world but would bring his will to paſs. And therefore to affirm that God deſires and wills that all men ſhould be ſaved without exception, and that the reaſon why he doth not ſave them, is the obſtinacy and perverſeneſs of their wills, by which they finally reſiſt the work of grace, and hinder God from doing his deſire and will upon them, is to make God too weak for man, who hath the better of him in the conteſtation: which is blaſphemous.
It is objected further, If God elect not all men to ſalvation, he is partial, ſince Object. 2 all were in the ſame condition.
To this I anſwer, why ſhould he not be partial, if you will call it ſo,Sol. in the diſpoſal of a free gift, preferring one before another? Why ſhould he not do with his own what he pleaſes? this is not matter of debt, or matter of juſtice, but matter of mercy. Suppoſe he chooſe a few, what is he therefore bound to chooſe all? Indeed he is not bound to chooſe any.
But if he chooſe a few only, and leave the reſt who are incomparably the Object. 3 greater number, to periſh in eternal flames and torments, though he be not partial, it may be thought that he is cruel.
To this I anſwer,Sol. That he is infinitely unutterably merciful that he chooſes any ſoul out of the corrupted maſs, takes ſuch a loathſome and polluted creature to himſelf. And that he leaves the reſt in that forlorn condition whereunto they brought themſelves, and from which he is no way bound to free them, he is manifeſtly juſt; and if he be but juſt, he is not cruel.
Yea, but he doth not only leave them in their ſins, but determines to condemn them for their ſins in the pit of Hell for ever. And is not this a piece of juſtice to condemn them for their ſins? Do not their ſins deſerve the Condemnation? So that if you look one way, he is merciful; and if you look the other, he is juſt: and if you lay them both together, mercy triumpheth over juſtice. The Lord is infinitely gracious that any are appointed to ſalvation; and he had been but righteous if all had been appointed to deſtruction. True, he rejecteth more then he electeth; but mercy is more glorious in electing one, then juſtice in rejecting all. For juſtice doth but take them as it finds them, but mercy makes them what it finds them not. There is a cauſe of juſtice in the creature; there is no cauſe at all of mercy. When God rejecteth men, he determines to condemn them for their ſin & diſobedience; but when he electeth them, he determines not to ſave them for their grace and their obedience. Somewhat moveth him to damn, nothing without him moveth him to ſave; ſo that if any be appointed to ſalvation, if all be not appointed to deſtruction, his mercy hath the hand upon his juſtice.
Object. Yea, but God hath received a ranſom and a price for all: So that if all be not deſigned by him to glory and ſalvation, he muſt be unjuſt to take the price of their deliverance from deſtruction, and all the while to appoint them to deſtruction. How can this agree together?
Sol.To this I anſwer, God hath received a price for all indeed, a price of worth enough for all, but not intended to be paid for all, neither by him the giver, nor by Chriſt the ſufferer: So that in property of ſpeech the Lord hath not received a ranſom for any reprobate: Chriſt paid it not for any ſuch; he prays not for the world, and much leſs doth he pay for them; the Father took it not for any ſuch, but only for his own Elect, who ſhall aſſuredly be made partakers of the glory purchaſed by is unto all Eternity.
There are many more objections, but ſome are frivolous, and ſome blaſphemous; the thoughts of men will work without meaſure, and without end upon ſuch points as theſe are. But I muſt ſilence all of them with that of the Apoſtle in the ſame caſe, Rom. 9.20. Nay, but O man, who art thou that replyeſt, anſwereſt again, diſputeſt againſt God! All the objections that are made almoſt againſt the point in hand, are againſt God too: againſt his mercy, juſtice, power, &c. If you have any thing to ſay for God, it is worth the hearkning to; otherwiſe you have your anſwer, Who art thou that diſputeſt againſt God? do but conſider, who art thou?
Ʋſe. 2 Is it ſo, that God in his Eternal, &c. How ſhould this make us to admire at the tranſcendent riches of his grace, and love to us, whom he hath choſen to ſalvation! Paul makes it an eſpecial aim of God in his Decree of Reprobation, To ſhew the riches of his glory on the veſſels of mercy, Rom. 9.23. And if we weigh it well, we ſhall eaſily diſcern that it doth ſtrangely heighten the exceeding love of God. Had he ordained all men to ſalvation, even ſo his mercy had been out of meaſure great. But that he hath ordained any of us to ſalvation, when on the contrary he hath ordained ſo many millions to deſtruction, whoſe ſtate in Nature was no worſe then ours, whoſe ſtrength in nature was as great as ours, to exempt them from damnation, whoſe care to be reconciled was no leſs then ours, till God was pleaſed in mercy to prevent us; how ſhould this ſweeten the favour of the Lord to us in this reſpect, and even raviſh us with admiration of his free grace! The Lord delights to amplifie his love by this, He took not Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham, Heb. 2.16. Was not Eſau Jacobs brother? ſaith the Lord; Yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Eſau. Mal. 1.2, 3. Whoſe ſoul that hath taſted of it, can chooſe but be amazed at it? Hath God preferred me before Angels? before ſo many thouſands in the world? Oh the unſearchable depth of his love to me! How doth it paſs all knowledge!