A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 5
CHAP. 5.
Of the Kingdome of God, and ſpecially of his Decree.
The Kingdome of God hath two parts: his
Decree, (whereof Predeſtination conſiſting of
Election.
Reprobation.
Execution thereof, Chap. 6.
PSAL. 99. verſ. 1. 2. 3. 4.
1. The Lord raigneth, let the people tremble: hee ſitteth betweene the Cherubims, let the earth be moued.
2. The Lord is great in Zion, and hee is high aboue all the people.
3. Let them praiſe thy great and terrible Name: for it is holy.
4. The Kings ſtrength alſo loueth iudgement, thou doeſt eſtabliſh equitie: thou executeſt iudgement and righteouſneſſe in Iacob.
Q. VVHat learne you from theſe words, the Lord reigneth?
A. That God alone hath, and exerciſeth ſoueraigne and abſolute empire ouer all, and that hee admitteth no fellow-gouernour with him.
Q. What is the Kingdome of God?
A. It is an eternall kingdome, appointed and ruled Eſay 9. 7. Dan. 3. 33. Eſay 40. 13. Rom. 11. 34. 35. 36. Epheſ. 1. 11. Eſay 44 24. & 45. 7. 48. 11. Eph. 1. 12. 14. Pſal. 97. 5. Prou. 16. 4. Rom. 11. 36.by the counſell of his owne will.
Q. Wherewith doth he raigne and rule?
A. Principally by his owne powerful Spirit, which none can reſiſt.
Q. What end doth hee propound vntounto himſelfe in his Kingdome?
A. His owne glory.
Q. What is that, about which his Kingdome is occupied?
A. All things viſible and inuiſible.
Q. When ſhall it end?
A. Neuer: either in this world, or in the world to Pſal. 145. 13.come.
Q. What manner of Kingdome is it?
A. A righteous Kingdome.
Q. What inſtruction learne you from this, that God Pſal. 45. 7. & 97. 2.raigneth, as is aforeſaid?
A. Firſt, that therefore all Nations, and ſorts of men tremble, and ſtand in greateſt awe of him, for that he alone is able to ſaue and to deſtroy. For if men tremble vnderunder the regiment and kingly rule of men, how much more ought we to tremble vnderunder the powerfull Kingdome of God, who hath more power ouer the greateſt Monarches, then they hauehave ouer their baſeſt ſubiects?
Q. This trembling doth it ſtand only in feare?
A. No: but in Reuerence alſo, that that which we Pſal. 2.comprehend not in this kingdome with our reaſon, we reuerence and adore.
Q. What learne you thereby further?
A. That we ſubiect our ſelues to his Kingdome erected amongſt vsus; that we preſume to know nothing concerning the ſame, but that hee teacheth vsus; to will nothing but what hee commandeth, or alloweth; to louelove, hate, feare, and affect nothing but as hee requireth.
Q. What other fruites are there of his Kingdome?
A. That he ought to be magnified, becauſe hee is great, and fearfull, and yet holy, and holineſſe it ſelfe: verſ. 3.
Q. What comfort learn you from this, that God reigneth?
A. Firſt, that when we are wronged and oppreſſed by tyrannie of men, wee may hauehave our recourſe to the iuſt and righteous Iudgement of God, which is the Eccleſiaſt. 5. 7. & 3. 16. 17.righteous Iudge of the world: and that it is not in the power of any tyrant to keepe vsus from him.
Secondly, that although all the world roare and Pſal. 93. 10. 11. & 97. 1.fret, yet we ſhould not feare, becauſe the Lord is greater, and more powerfull then they all.
Q. What learne you of that, the Prophet ſaith, He is high aboue all people?
A. That which himſelfe teacheth, verſ. 5. that wee extoll him with praiſes.Pſal. 145. 12.
Q. What are the parts of his Kingdome?
A. Two:
1. His decree.—
2. The execution of his decree.
ver. 4.
Q. What is Gods decree?
A. It is an action of his moſt perfect will, whereby Epheſ. 1. 11.(from all eternity) hee hath freely determined of all things that euer hauehave been, are, or ſhall be; which maketh the thing he decreeth perfectly good.
Q. Seeing his Decree is defined by his will, what muſt we conſider therein?
A. We muſt not ſubiect it to our ſhallow and baſe Rom. 11. 33. 34.capacity, to meaſure it by our reaſon, conſidering that the wil of God, (from whence the Decree commeth) is vnſearchable.
Q. What gather you from that fourth verſe?
A. That hee hath not onelyonly decreed the things Act. 27. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 31. 32. 34. 44.themſelues, but alſo their circumſtances of place and time: ſo that they ſhall not come to paſſe in any other place or time then hee hath ordained: and then, and there they ſhall come to paſſe neceſſarily.
Q What is the Decree of God in the things he hath ordained for his glory?
A. That which is of the good or euill of men, or Angels, which is called Predeſtination.
Q. What is Predeſtination?
A. It is the Decree of God, touching the euerlaſting ſtate of men and Angels; eſpecially of men.
Q. What are the parts of Predestination?
A. Two: Election, and Reprobation.
Q. What is Gods Election of them?
A. It is his Predeſtination of certaine men and Angels Epheſ. 1. 4. 5. 1. Theſſ▪ 5. 9.to euerlaſting life, to the praiſe of his glorious grace.
Q. What is Reprobation?
A. It is his Predeſtination of certaine men and Angels 2. Pet. 2. 8. Iude 4.to deſtruction, to the praiſe of his glorious iuſtice: Rom. 9. 22.
Q. What is the cauſe why theſe are choſen, and theſe refuſed?
A. The meere will and pleaſure of God.Rom 9. 18.—21. 22.