Antidote Against Arminianism, Discourse · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the Fifth Property of the Divine Decree, it is Diſcriminating.
THE Fifth Property of the Divine Decree, it is Diſcriminating and Particular, not Univerſal or General.
Reaſon 1. The Firſt Argument is, The Notation of the Word (Election) confutes the Univerſality of it: There can be no choice made, where all are taken and nothing is left; that cannot in any good Senſe be called Election, which is equally Extended unto all Individuals. He doth not elect, that doth not prefer ſome before others: God did not chooſe all the Thirty two Thouſand Iſraelites (that were with Gideon) but only the Three Hundred that lapped, to ſave Iſrael by out of the Hands of Midian, Judg. 7.3,7. and God did not chuſe all the Nations, but only Iſrael to be a ſpecial People to himſelf, above all People that were upon the Earth, Deut. 7.6. It muſt therefore be Diſcriminating, and a making of ſome to differ from others, He cannot be ſaid to chooſe, that takes all.
Reaſon 2. The Second Argument. The Scripture ſpeaks expreſly that only few are choſen, Mat. 20.16. though many be called. It is only a little Flock, Luke 12.32. and but one of a Tribe and two of a Family, Jer. 3.14. Have not I (ſaith Chriſt) choſen you out of the World, John 15.19. and the Lord calls Paul a choſen Veſſel unto him, Acts 9.15. & 22.14. as a ſpecial (not common) Favour vouchſaſed to him, and how ill it ſounds in the Ears of a Goſpel ſpirit to ſay, that Pharaoh and Judas were Elected, as well as Paul and Barnabas; and that Simon Magus was elected as well as Simon Peter; all which a General Election (the Arminian Hypotheſis) moſt Neceſſarily aſſerteth. How can thoſe Reprobate Silver pieces be (in any good Senſe) termed choſen Veſſels (as Paul was) to know God's Will, and ſee the Juſt One.
Reaſon 3. The Third Argument. If Elections be general under a Condition of believing, than Pilate, Caiaphas and Judas were elected under that Condition, and ſo God is brought in to ſpeak after this Manner; I have appointed to ſave Pilate, Caiaphas and Judas, if they will believe in the Death of Chriſt; but if they ſhall believe, Chriſt ſhall not be crucified, for thoſe are the very Men appointed by my determinate Counſel to put Chriſt to Death, Acts 2.23. and 4.28. Before that was done (according to this Hypotheſis) thoſe Men might have believed, and ſo God's Decree about Chriſt's Death, ſhould not have been abſolute, but depending upon a Condition which thoſe Men might have fulfilled, to wit, Believing in Chriſt's Death; which had they done, they had believed in ſomething, that would not have been at all: Thus Carnal Reaſon beſpatters Divine Wiſdom.
Reaſon 4. The Fourth Argument. How can it be ſafely ſaid, that God ever intended the Salvation of any others, but of thoſe who are or ſhall be effectually ſaved? Otherwiſe God's Will would be fruſtrate, to wit, his Will of Intention, and the Will of Man would anticipate the Will of God; contrary to theſe Scriptures, God doth in Heaven and on Earth whatſoever pleaſeth him, Pſal. 115.3. and Job knew that God could do every thing that he willeth, Job 42.2. and no Man can reſiſt the Will of God, Rom. 9.19.
Reaſon 5. The Fifth Argument. The Apoſtle (that was ſingularly taught of God) ſheweth, that there is this Difference betwixt Man and Man founded in the Breaſt of God, that ſome are choſen to Life, and therefore ſhall moſt certainly obtain it; others are refuſed, and left in a periſhing Condition, which they ſhall as certainly not eſcape, Rom. 11.7. The Election obtaineth it, but the reſt are blinded: The Difference is of God, according to the purpoſe of Election, not as of him that foreſees Faith or Works, but as of him that gives both: Thus were Jacob and Eſau diſcriminated the One from the Other, Rom. 9.11.
Conſectaries.1. It is Diſtinguiſhing Love that our Potter hath made us Men and Women, not Toads or Loathſom Creatures: Much more Chriſtians, and not left in that periſhing State.
2. 'Tis the Will of God that ſome be Poor and others Rich, &c. So here, that ſome be Veſſels of Honour and others of Diſhonour.
3. Chriſt rais'd not all up that were Dead, but Lazarus, &c. nor all that were born blind, but him in John 9. Bleſs God, for raiſing thee up from Death, and healing thy Blindneſs, and not others.