A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 73 (Question 20 cont.)
SERMON LXXIII.
2. WE now proceed to the conſideration of the ſorts of Predeſtination, which are two, viz. Election, and Reprobation. The former whereof is here expreſly pointed to, and the latter is implied, and both of which are clearly held forth in the Scripture; and are neceſſarily inſerted from the ends which men are Predeſtinated unto.
BEFORE I come to treat of them ſeverally, I ſhall obſerve ſomething about them conjunctly. And here, two things may be ſpoken to,
1. To make it appear that both of theſe are contained in the decree of Predeſtination.
2. To make ſome general Obſervations on them.
1. IT will be evident that both of theſe are comprized in the decree of Predeſtination, if we obſerve theſe things,
1. IF the virtue of Chriſt's obedience be not applied …an a ſat…ion, but only to ſome, them as there a diſtant a of men, and a ſe…cration and between there is the eternal de…rce. What is in God's providence effected in t… me, was to tai…ed in the bowels of the de…rce from ever…y. God, in his …e…y works after the … of his purpoſe and by what is do…e in time, we come to know what was into dod in the days of eternity. And in the preſent affair it is certain, that the application of Chriſt's Redemption depends abſolutely on God, and is the work of his Holy Spirit. Hence that, Joh. 6.…7. All that the father giveth me, ſhall come to me: and him that c…eth to …. I will in no wiſe caſt out. If Chriſt had only purchaſed a Redemption for all, and offered it accordingly, and left it to man's liberty to accept or refuſe it, there were no force in this argument, but it is far otherwiſe God hath not ſ…on meet hitherto, to publiſh theſe glad tidings every where, and we may be ſure that he interds: of their ſalvation for if he deſigned the end, he would have deſigned the means. Hence that, 2 Cor. 4.3. But if our Goſpel be hid, it is hit to th…re that are lost. And where this Goſpel doth come, all do not cordially entertain and comply with in. And altho man's enmity and obſtinacy be the blamearle cauſe of it, and is ſo charged, Joh, 5.…0. And ye wil not came to me that ye might have life. Yet if the reaſon of the difference, or why ſome do, and others do not, be ſought for, we may trace it up higher, and find it to be in the divine pleaſure. Hence that in Rom. 9.16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy. And in Deut. 29.2, 3, 4. And all this will finally iſſue in his purpoſe, according to Rom. 8.28.
2. THE Election of ſome only inſers the Reprobation of others. There are three things contained in this Argument,
1. THAT there are ſome Elected. That there is a decree of election, is ſo poſitively and frequently aſſerted in Scripture, that very few have had the impudence directly to deny, but rather ſeek to corrupt the doctrine of it. We are told of God's eled. Mat. 24.22, 31. Tu. 1.1. Of the election, referring to a company, Rom, 11.5, 7. Of our being choſen, &c. Eph. 1.4. and this cannot be …ationally applied to any thing but an e…nal purpoſing of their ſalvation.
2. THAT there are but ſome Elected. That this election is of perſons, and not of qualifications, is ſo evident in the word of God, that there is no r…on of juſtly calling it in queſtion; a…d may be afterwards more fully evidenced. Now theſe Elect are not all, and therefore they can be but ſome: that there are but ſome reſtored, we have before obſerved and proved, and that will infer this concluſion according to the foregoing argument; but the Goſpel alſo puts a clear diſtinction between the elect and the reſt. Rom. 11.7. What then? Iſrael hath not obtained that which be ſeeketh for, but the election hath … it, and the reſt were blinded. We therefore read in Act. 1….28. Nor will all the evaſion uſed, take off the force of the inference.
3. THAT it have a plainly ſail…es, that thy who are not …ded are Reprobated. This i… that which carnal minds are unwilling … receive, but the argument is undeniable. Election in the propriety of the notion of it, is a chaſing of ſome, with a leaving of othe…, and with at this there is no proper election for it all be taken, and none refuſed, in what ſenſe can it be called a choice? Now th… dereliction, or leaving of men muſt noth… infer at leaſt a negative Reprobation; for it plainly ſaith, that God would not app… theſe to ſalvation by Chriſt. But …e… this, if we remember that, in the decree, God hath appointed all his creatures to the … unto which they certainly and without … arrive at laſt, and then conſider that the… are but ſome that he hath ordained to … and left out the reſt, they muſt needs th… be ordained to ſomething elſe, and that invincibly infers a poſitive Reprobation; and this diſtinction is to be gathered from the in, 1 Theſ. 5.9. For God hath not appoint… as to wrath: but to obtain ſalvation by … Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
3. THIS n…fold decree of Election and … probation plainly appears from the conſider … of the divine Attributes which God aims … advancing of in and by mankind. Theſe … his revenging Juſtice, and his rich Go… That he hath ſuch a deſign, hath form… been made to appear, and is plain from … ſolemn Text, Rom. 9.22, 23. What if God … to ſhew his wrath, and make his power … endared with much long ſuffering the veſ… of wrath fitted to deſtruction: And that he … make known the riches of his glory on the … of mercy, which he hath afore prepared … glory? There muſt therefore be veſ… … both theſe, or ſubjects who are to be … ments of them: otherwiſe this deſign … fail. If then, God had ſuch a purpoſe as … is from eternity, as we are told he had, … did accordingly deſign who ſhould be the monuments of each of them, then there … an act in the decree concerning them … which in reſpect to the one of them is ri… ly called Election, and in regard to the … as properly termed Reprobation. For if … events do not fall out ſortaitouſly, but according to God's fore-ordination, it muſt nee… ſo. We read, Jud. 4. There are certian … crept in unawares, who were before of old … dained to this condemnation. Prov. 16.4. … Lord hath made all things for himſelf: … even the wicked for the day of evil. And it were not thus, God would be at an … tainly about the event, whether theſe … butes ſhould obtain the glory aimed … be diſappointed of it.
4. IF there are ſome veſſels deputed for h… and others for diſhonour, then there are … two decrees. That there is ſuch a deputation we may ſafely infer from the Apostles compariſon in, 2 Tim. 2.20. But in agrees houſe there are not only veſſels of gold, and if ſelver, but alſo of wood and of earth; and ſome to …our, and ſome to diſhonour. For tho' Allegorical Scriptures are to be cautiouſly uſed, and not over-ſtrained, yet doubtleſs they are written for ſome purpoſe, and that which is the main ſcope of them is to be inferred from them. Now the apoſtle had in v…r. 19. been ſpeaking of the foundation on which our ſalvation is built, viz. God's ſore knowledge, which infers his purpoſe, as hath been before evinced: here therefore by this compariſon be illuſtrates the difference that is put between them, in reſpect of the ends they are to ſerve to; noting that all are not appointed for that honour that ſome are, but to diſho…r, and it ſeems to arm at the ſame thing which he more expreſly illuſtrates in, Rom. 2.21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of … ſame lamp to make one veſſel to h…n…ur, and another unto diſhonour? Now this depu…tion neceſſarily infers theſe decrees; for in what other ſenſe can we ſuppoſe them to be ſo deputed? and as the uſe is vaſtly diffe …, ſo we may well aſſign divers articles in the decree about them.
5. THE conſideration of the two places which God hath prepared for the everlaſting abode of … ſ…cts of men, will clear the doctrine of thoſe decrees. That mankind ſhall finally … divided into two companies, the one whereof ſhall have their eternal abode in …, and the other ſhall be in Hell for … a ſoleme Scripture truth: and this … would infer the truth before us, upon a due weighing of it; but it will yet … manifeſt, when we conſider that theſe places were fore-prepared for theſe uſes; in which we are alſo confirmed by full Scripture …inony. Of the preparation of them we may read, Math. 25.34, 41. Then ſhall the … ſay unto them on his right hand, Come ye … of my father, inb…rit the kindom pre… for you from the foundation of the world. … ſhall be ſay alſo unto them on the left hand, … from me ye curſed, into everlasting fire, … for the devil and his angels. Iſal. 30. ult. … is ordained of old: yea, for the king impropered, be hath made it deep and large: … thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of brimſtone doth kin… In both which places we are given to … and, that the preparation principally …ed is that which was in the eternal …ſed and purpoſe of God; tho' it alſo i…des that which is done about it in the … of efficiency; and it is to be obſerved, … there are alſo pointed the ſubjects for … they were prepared; and can we ſup… that God would prepare them for ſuch … and not intend to occupy them according And how can we frame a conception … minds of his purpoſe ſo to occupy … without the reſpect to the ſubjects …ed for them? for God doth nothing in vain; and if he purpoſe any thing, he doth it unchangeably, and will therefore give being to it: for all theſe reaſons then we are obliged to believe firmly that there are ſuch decrees as theſe comprized in Predeſtination.
II. IT follows now that we make ſome general obſervations on them. There are ſome things to be taken notice of that are neceſſary to be well pondered, in order to our right conception of theſe decrees; and they are theſe that follow,
1. THAT Election and Reprobation have no dependance upon any foreſight of good or evil in the creature. Mans curiouſity would fain be prying into divice ſecrets, and muſt be latished in the reaſon of the vaſt difference which is put between theſe and thoſe; that this ſhould be choſen, and that paſt by: and man's pride will not ſuffer him to reſt ſatisfy'd in the ſovereignty of God, or allow him that his will ſhould be the ſupream cauſe of all things; hence, they muſt find the reaſon in the creature himſelf: and becauſe the creature had no being when this decree paſt, they therefore will have it to run upon the conſideration of God's foreſight of what men will afterwards be, whereupon God determines their everlaſting ſtate accordingly: and ſo they make this foreſight antecedent to, and the cauſe of, Election and Reprobation: pretending hereby to ſalve the honour of God's Juſtice, and free him from the imputation of partiality and cruelty: whereas mean while they go about to rob him of his God head, by ſetting themſelves againſt his ſovereignty, and under-mining his all-efficiency. God's fore ſight cannot ſee any future thing, but what his own decreeing will hath made future. There is nothing left in the nature of fallen man that makes him worthy of, or diſpoſed to receive the grace of God: nor any thing more in one than another; the beſt diſpoſition being full of enmity. Rom. 7.8. Good natur'd perſons ſometimes do moſt ſlight the offers of the Goſpel, when the moſt unhewn and refractory are won to the obedience of faith. If any believe on Chriſt and are ſaved, it is not of themſelves, but the gift of God. Eph 2.8. For by grace are ye ſaved, through faith, and that not of your ſelves: it is the gift of God. And God can, and frequently doth apply this to the chief of ſinners, when he paſſeth by others. Nor indeed have all the means of grace allowed them, but multitudes live and die without any offer of ſalvation by Chriſt made unto them: and there can be no other reaſon rendred why theſe offers are made to ſome, and not to others, but God's meer pleaſure. Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord did not ſet his love upon you nor chooſe you, becauſe ye were more in number than any people (for ye were the feweſt of all people.) But becauſe the Lord loved you. The Apostle therefore ſets himſelf directly to oppoſe this opinion, by introducing the example of Jacob and Eſau, Rom. 9.11, 12.
2. THAT Gods love to ſome was not the cauſe of their Election, nor was his hatred of others the cauſe of their Reprobation. This may ſeem myſterious at the firſt glance, but, if well conſidered, it will appear to be a great truth. We aſcribe love and hatred to God according to the manner of men, not that there are affections or paſſions properly in him, but becauſe of the various effects of his will in the works of his efficiency, upon the ſubjects in which they are wrought; love and hatred preſome an object, and ſomething that is in it which renders it either lovely or hateful; and that is either good or evil; but we obſerved in the former, that God had no eye to either of theſe in his paſſing of theſe acts; becauſe there was no ſuch thing in the creature to look upon, it neither having exiſtence or futurity antecedent to this decree. When therefore Election is ſet forth by love, and Reprobation by hatred, it is by a metonymy, in as much as theſe are conſequent thereupon. Rom. 9.13. The elected are deſigned to partake in God's love, the reprobate to feel the effects of his diſpleaſure, which is called hatred: There is indeed an infinite good will of God in his electing any, and hence he is ſaid to love them from eternity. Jer. 31.3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, ſaying, Tea, I have loved thee with an everlaſting love. But this love did not move him to elect them, but this election did freely and voluntarily reſolve to love them; ſo that this love did not procure their election; but it had its riſe and original in the election. God did not elect them becauſe he loved them, but he loved them in electing them. God's love and hatred do moſt eminently appear in the ſalvation of ſome, and the damnation of others, and this belongs to the execution of the decrees of election, and reprobation; and muſt therefore needs preſuppoſe them. God, in the intention of the means for the exaltation of the glory of his Juſtice and Mercy, did ſecretly purpoſe to permit ſome to fall into ſin, and damn them for it; and to reſtore others by Chriſt, and beſtow eternal life upon them, which intention of God, is interpretatively called his love and hatred; becauſe ſuch contrary effects do follow upon them.
3. THAT Election and Reprobation are acts of God's good pleaſure, or his own infinite ſciſlove. The truth is, there is nothing that we can think of, wherein the holy ſovereignty of God doth more eminently appear than in theſe decrees: and here is the higheſt cauſe, that can poſſibly be aſſigned to them. When we have run things up to the divine will, we have gone as high as we can. It is the prerogative of God to do what he will, and he can do no wrong in his ſo doing: if he pleaſeth himſelf, there is no ſecond being hath any cauſe to be diſpleaſed. It is a flower of his crown, and he will not part with it. Iſai. 42.8. I am the Lord, that is my Name, and my glory will I not give to another. All God's works are voluntary, he is a … workman, and hath an end in them all, … is ultimately his own glory, beyond which … was impoſſible that he ſhould have a …eſp… nor any other equal unto it. In the adva… ment of this glory on and by reaſou… creatures, he has an eye and reſpect to theſe precious Attributes of Juſtice and G… which he would have theſe to be the … ments; and accordingly in his unſearcha… wiſdom, he contrived the way in which … might be brought about, ſo as that … might ſhine forth in greateſt luſtre, for … he laid out an order of means, and ſix…d … purpoſe concerning theſe things, is … he determined the Inſtances of the one … the other; which determination, with … to the advancement of his Grace, is ca… Election. and that which refers to reve… Juſtice, is called Reprobation: now … this he acted his meer pleaſure; as there doth by the lump of clay that is before … to work upon.
4. THAT Election is no act of mercy, with is R…probation any act of juſtice. The … of conſidering this, hath created many … judices in the minds of men, whiles, … have been at a loſs about the concep… the right cauſe, and have perplexed … ſelves in enquiring, where is the juſt… … the latter; and the only way to … theſe prejudices is to reduce them to … proper head. It is true, theſe dec… for their laſt end, the illuſtration … two glorious Attributes of God; as we … obſerved: but though theſe are ill… by them, yet they are not exerted in …. They were not the impulſive cauſe of … making theſe decrees; He was not … thereto by the influence of them. … ſuppoſeth a miſerable object, the … whereof moves it to pity, and pround … relieve it. Reverging Juſtice, ſupp… guilty creature, that hath made it … n…xious to wrath, the provocation of … ſt…rs it up to take vengeance: where … creature conſidered as the object of … decrees, was neither miſerable not … but only poſſible. Beſi1des, theſe decr… fixed on the perſons that are the ſubject … each: now mercy might have been as … exalted in the ſalvation of Judas as of … and juſtice might as well have triump… the ruine of Jacob as of Eſan: ſo that … could not move God rather to election nor juſtice engage him rather to re… Judas: where the condition was on all … alike, nothing but Sovereignty could … mine.
5. ELECTION is no act of rewarding … goodneſs, nor Reprobation of puniſhing … ſinfulneſs. God doth not beſtow any … penſe upon men by electing them; nor … he inflict any penalty on them by reſ… them. We formerly took notice that … decrees appertain to the immanent ac… God, and therefore the creature is no … a…cted by them; whereas rewards and …iſhments are tranſient acts, and terminate … the creature which is the ſubject of them. …ſides, it is to be well minded, that rewards and penalties, do preſuppoſe ſome tranſaction …de between God and the creature, in which theſe are promiſed or threatned on the ſuppoſition of ſomething going before; and muſt be referred either to the Covenant of Works, or to the Goſpel Covenant; whereas theſe Covenants do belong to the means in and by which God brings about his purpoſes concerning men; and ſo are referred to the …ation of the decree; and therefore not punniſhed in the conſtitution of it: not indeed could … upon the creature before it …d a being, and … was not come under the terms of either of th…ſe Covenants.
6. THAT Election as not an … of bleſſing; … i… Reprobation an ac… of curſing. This will be evident from the ſame reaſon with the former, viz. becauſe theſe are tranſient-acts, leaving an impr…i…: on the creature, which the decree doth not. But beſides …t, it may be farther inferred, becauſe, on this ſuppoſal, every elect perſon ſhould be a…lly a bleſſed are always, and every reprobate a curſed potion, immediately upon the paſſing of the decree; but ſo it is not: this is very evident; The …allen Angels were reprobate before their ſall, but they were …p…o…ſed but upon their fall; Multitudes of mankind were reprobated before the ap…cy, but the curſe came in upon it; it … contained in the threat…ing, which did up …e place till ſin had brought them …er it, and if man had not ſinned, it had never come upon them. Man in his primitive … a probationer for felicity, and was act…y neither happy nor miſerable, till by his own act he determined the caſe concerning himſelf; and there are many elect, v…re for the preſent accurſed. Paul was ſo, when a Phariſee, and a perſecutor of Chriſt, though then he was a choſen veſſel; and … …ſians were before their converſion c…ren of wrath even as others, Eph. 2.3. … ſentence of death, which is the curſe of the law, lies upon all men, till they are p… out from it by the effectual application of the grace of God to them.
7. THAT Election is no act of juſtification, … is Reprobation an act of condemention. In the purſuit of theſe decrees, men do arrive at one of theſe in the concluſion; but theſe …ences do not paſs upon them in and by the decrees: Theſe are ſorinſecal acts, they captain in them a ſentence paſſing upon the c…ture, upon the trial of his cauſe, and f…ding him either clear or guilty, whereas … had done nothing at all, when theſe de… were enacted. The Angels were made …y, but neither were the ſtanding Angels j…ied, nor Devils condemned, till upon the trial of their obedience, ſome proved this fidelity and were acquitted, others f…ll into rebellion, and were for that condemned. Jude 6. And as to mankind, as they were made upright, in purſuance of the decree, ſo there was no ſentence paſt upon them till they had been proved; and when they fell under the curſe, they were all condemned to death, Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man ſ…n e…tred into the world, and death by ſin: and ſo death hath paſted upon all men, for that all have ſinned: the elect as well as the reprobate; and the juſtification of ſome comes in upon their believing in Chriſt. Rom. 5.1. and as long as they continue in unbelief they are under condemnation. Job. 3.18, 26. not are they removed from it by the decree, but by the grace which is conſequent upon it.
8. THE decree of Election and Reprobation are without r…eal, they are f…r… fi…d, im… table decrees: They are poſitive and not ſuppoſitive; there are indeed connections in them, i. e. there is the means connected to the end inſeparably: but theſe are all ratified and not in ſuſpenſe: ſo that the doctrine which tells us that a man may be an elect veſſel to day, and a reprobate tomorrow, is ſubverſive of the decree, and doth as much as to ſay, that there is neither Election nor Reprobation; for a decree to be mutable, is for it not to be an abſolute decree; the reaſons why men reverſe theirs, are incompatible with the divine nature. We read, 2 Tim. 2.19. Nevertheleſs, the foundation of God ſlandeth ſure, having this ſeal, the Lord know…th th…m that are his. And we may ſee the reaſon of it in, Mal. 3.6. For I am the Lord, I change not: therefore ye ſons of Jacob are not conſumed. And Job 23.13. But he is of one mind, and who can turn him; and what his ſ…ul deſireth that he doth.
9. THAT the Elect and Reprobate do all come under the ſecond act of Predeſtination. We formerly obſerved, that in our conception there are two parts or acts in the decree, the former in the determining of the end, the latter, the aſſigning of the means by which it is brougt about; now in both theſe this ſecond is always intervening between the decree and the execution of it, i. e. the end is come at by the means, and in no other way: all the elect therefore, as they do fill in Adam, whereby they become ſubjects ſtanding in need of mercy, ſo they riſe again by Chriſt, and are brought unto faith in him, and ſanctification, and none are ſaved in any other way. All the reprobate are fallen into ſin, are juſtly condemned for it, live and die in it without repentance, or believing in Chriſt, and ſo are puniſhed with eternal death for it, in which way, juſtice hath its triumph; becauſe they are found wilful ſinners.
USE. LET us by the conſideration of theſe things be led to the adoration of the ſpotleſs Sovereignty of God, in the determination of the affairs of the creature. We may look into other notions, till we have run our ſelves into atheiſm or blaſphemy, but never arrive at any ſatisfaction in this point. God will have all his creatures to know that he is their Lord; and till we come with Job to acknowledge that he can do every thing, we are not in the frame that becomes us but when we are wrought up into this, we are then fit to lie at the footſtool of the throne of Grace, and in an hopeful way to partake in his ſaving mercy, being hereby fitted to acknowledge our whole ſalvation to be owing to his meer good pleaſure, and accordingly to return the whole glory and praiſe of it unto him.
[JUNE 12. 1694.]