Antidote Against Arminianism, Discourse · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the Properties, and Firſt Eternal.
Eternal Property.THis Divine Decree hath various Properties, as, Firſt, Eternal; which is thus proved.
Reaſon 1.The Firſt Reaſon is, God's Internal and Imminent Acts are the ſame with his Eſſence, ſuch an Act is the Divine Decree; and therefore as God's Eſſence is Eternal, ſo his Decree muſt be Eternal alſo: Quicquid eſt in Deo, eſt Deus. Now the Decree is God's decreeing, becauſe whatſoever is in God is God; it is God himſelf by one Eternal Act, decreeing and determining whatſoever ſhould come, unto the Praiſe of his own Glory.
Reaſon 2.The Second Reaſon is taken from the Simplicity of God, which is God conſidered as one meer and perfect Act, without any Compoſition or Succeſſion; there cannot be in God Aliud et aliud; there can be no more a New Thought, a New Intent, or a New Prupoſe in God, then there can be a New God. Whatever God think: Whatever God purpoſes, he always purpoſed, and ever doth and ill purpoſe; as he cannot know any thing de Novo, neither can he intend any thing de Novo; for his Name is [I Am]Exod. 3.14. and takes not New Counſels, as Man doth; and ſo draws up (pro re natâ) New Determinations.
Reaſon 3.The Third Reaſon is taken from Chriſt. If Chriſt was the Lamb ſlain from the Foundation of the World (as he is called, Rev. 13.8.) then Predeſtination to Life muſt needs be before Time, becauſe Chriſt is the Foundation of Election, we are Elected in him, Eph. 1.4,5. and predeſtinated v. 5. by him. Chriſt is the Means. Now the End cannot be of a latter Date and Determination, than the Means to that End: They have Relation each to other. And if Chriſt be the Eternal Purpoſe of the Father, then the Act of Electing in Chriſt muſt needs be his Eternal Purpoſe.
Reaſon 4.The Fourth Reaſon. The Scripture expreſly proves it, ſaying, It was before the World, 2 Tim. 1.9. Tit. 1.2. and before the Foundation of the World, Eph. 1.4. and it was an Eternal Purpoſe which he purpoſed in Chriſt, Eph. 3.11. ſo that we lay from all Eternity in the Womb of our Father, before the time we came into our Mother's Womb.
Reaſon 5.The Fifth Reaſon. It is the Royal Prerogative of the great Jehovah, to order as well as appoint, things that are coming and that ſhall come, which the Vanities (or Idols) of the Gentiles cannot doe, Iſa. 44.7. and none can appoint God the Time, Jer. 50.44. Hence Time is ſaid to Travel with thoſe Eternal Decrees of God, and brings forth the Accompliſhent of them in their proper Seaſon: The Decree will bring forth, Zeph. 2.2. and it is big-belly'd till then: Every Thing hath its Accompliſhment in Time, which was decreed to fall out from all Eternity.
Reaſon 6.The Sixth Reaſon. If Humane Concernments have this Encomium, that theſe are Antient Things, as 1 Chron. 4.22. How much more the Divine Decree, which is not the Work of Yeſterday, [foreign] of old ordained, Jude 4. If the Negative Part of Predeſtination, then much more the poſitive part: God's purpoſe of loving Jacob, as well as hating Eſau; was before they had done either Good or Evil.
Object. Some Object, ſaying, We grant God's Preſcience, or Fore-knowledge to be Eternal, but not his Predeſtination; that Choice or Election God mentions 1 Cor. 1.27,28,29. muſt be a Temporal, not Eternal Election.
Anſw. 1. I Anſwer, Firſt, This Preſcience or Foreknowledge of Things that [may] come to paſs, doth goe before the Decree of Predeſtination; thus the Apoſtle ranks them Rom. 8.29,30. but the Fore-knowledge of things that [Shall] come to paſs, muſt follow the Decree. For things muſt firſt be decreed, and then foreſeen in that Being which they have in the Decree. In this latter Sence, Preſcience preſuppoſes Predeſtination. Known unto God are all his Works from the Beginning of the World, Acts 15.18. God hath not an Imperfect, but a Thorough Fore-knowledge of all future Things (both concerning the Terminum a quo, & Terminum ad quem; the Means and the End) not only as they may be, but alſo as they ſhall be by his Divine Determination.
Anſw. 2. Praeſcience, or Fore-knowledge, is taken for God's Love from Eternity, [foreign] quos praeamavit, whom he fore-loved: So Zanchy reads it, Whom he fore-knew, not only with the knowledge of Obſervation, but with the knowledge of Approbation alſo; he fore-knew them to be his: So it is Predeſtination it ſelf, or foreign, Rom. 11.2. ut ſupra, pag. 5. and to grant an Eternal Preſcience without an Eternal Predeſtination, is to break the Links of that Golden Chain in Rom. 8.29,30.
Anſw. 3. The Lutherans grant a Predeſtination Eternal to the Elect only, but to the Non Elect only a Praeſcience or Naked Fore-ſight (without any Prae-ordination) leaſt they ſhould make God the Author of the Creatures Sin and Ruine: But theſe Men fear where no Fear is, for the worſt Evil Act that ever was in the World (to wit, the Murdering of [the Prince of Glory] Jeſus Chriſt) did not only fall under the Foreknowledge of God, but alſo under his Determinate Counſel, Acts 2.23. & 4.28. 'twas not barely fore-known, but unchangeably determined.
Anſw. 4. Though it be granted, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of an Election or Choice Temporal, in that 1 Cor. 1.27, &c. yet that ſignifies no more but our Vocation; and Temporal Reprobation intimates no more than Men's Obduration; the Accompliſhment of both which is granted to be in Time, ſo may not be conſounded with this Eternal Decree of God, but are Fruits and Effects of it.
Conſectaries.1. Hath God given us a Room, in his Heart before we did any Good to him, even from all Eternity; then how ſhould we give God a Room (yea, the beſt Room) in our Hearts, who never did evil to us?
2. Is God's Love Eternal [a parte ante] then Satan cannot get beyond, or betwixt this Love of God and us, for it was before the World was, and ſo before Satan was.
3. Auſtine tells a curious Fool (that ask'd what God did before the World was made) that he made Hell for ſuch as him: But this teaches us, that God was chooſing us to himſelf before the World began: Oh wonderful!
4. If ſo, then thy Saintſhip and Sufferings have Eternal Glory wrap'd up in them; all this Comfort is loſt in the contrary Doctrine.