CHAPTER XXV.

Of Predestination.

1. BEcause this application of redemption is made to some certaine men, and not to all, so that it sheweth a manifest difference betweene men, in respect of the dispensation of grace; hence it doth make the predestination of God concerning men appeare to us in the first place.

2. Predestination indeed was from eternity, Eph. 1. 4. He hath chosen us before the foundations of the World were laid. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Which grace was given us before all ages. And it did also worke from the beginning of the workes of God: but it makes no inward difference in the Predestinate themselves before the actuall dispensation of this application. Eph. 2. 3. And we were by nature the children of wrath as well as others. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Thus yee were indeed. For Predestination before the application of grace doth put nothing in the persons Predestinated, but it doth lie hid only in him that doth predestinate.

3. This Predestination is the decree of God of manifesting his speciall glory in the eternall condition of men. Rom. 9. 22. 23. Willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne, he suffered with much long

suffering the vessells of wrath, prepared to destruction. And to make knowne the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared unto glory 1. Thess. 5. 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtaine mercy.

4. It is called destination: because it is a certaine determination of the order of meanes unto the end. But because God had determined this order with himselfe, before any actuall existence of things, therefore it is not simply called destination, but predestination.

5. It is called a decree: because it containes a definite sentence to be executed by certaine counsell. In the same sence also it is called a purpose, and counsell, because it propounds an end to be attained unto, as it were with an advised deliberation.

6. Hence predestination hath greatest wisdome, freedome, firmenesse, and immutability joyned with it: because these are found in all the decrees of God.

7. Therefore the reason of Predestination is unmoveable, and indissoluble, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seale. The Lord knoweth who are his. And under that respect the number of the predestinated, (not only the formall number, or number numbering (as they speake) that is, how many men at length shall be saved, and how many not: but also the materiall number or number numbred, that is, who those severall men are) is certaine with God, not only by certainty of foreknowledge, but also by certainty of order of meanes. Luc. 10. 20. Rejoyce that your names are written in the Heavens.

8. For Predestination doth not necessarily presuppose either its limit, or object as existing, but it maketh it to exist: so that by force of predestination it is ordered, that it should be. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Of Christ foreknowne before the foundations of the world were laid.

9. Hence also it depends upon no cause, reason or

outward condition, but it doth purely proceed from the will of him that predestinateth. Mat. 11. 26. Even so Father, because it pleased thee. Rom. 9. 16. 18. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy: he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.

10. Hence it is neither necessary nor agreeable to the Scriptures either to appoint any fore required quality in man, as it were the formall object of Predestination: or so to assigne any certaine condition of man, that the rest should be excluded: for it is sufficient to understand that men are the object of this decree, so that the difference of the decree doth not depend upon man, butthat differēce, which is found in men, doth follow upon the decree

11. In order of intention there is no fore-knowledge, fore-required, or ought to be presupposed unto the decree of Predestination, besides that simple intelligence which is of all possible things: because it depends not upon any reason, or eternall condition, but doth purely proceed from the will of him that doth predestinate. Eph. 1. 5. 9. He hath predestinated us according to the good pleasure of his owne will. According to his free good will which he had purposed in himselfe.

12. It is properly an act of Gods Will, whereby it is exercised about a certaine object which it determines to bring to a certaine end by certaine meanes. Eph. 1. 11. We were chosen, when we were predestinated, according to the purpose of him that worketh all things according to the pleasure of his own will.

13. This decree as it doth exist in the mind of God presupposing an act of the will is called fore knowledge: whence it comes to passe that fore-knowledge signifies as much sometime as Predestination, but lesse properly, Romans 11. 2. Hee hath not cast away his people whom hee fore-knew.

14. There is only one act of will in God properly, because all things in him are together, and nothing before

or after, and so there is only one decree about the end and meanes: but after our manner of conceiving, God in order of intention doth will the end before the meanes. Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath predestinated, those he called: although in order of execution, he willeth the meanes first before their direction to the end. 2 Thess. 2. 13. He hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification, and faith.

15. Some things are the meanes, and the end, and the causes also of other meanes. Iohn. 6. 37. Whatsoever the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that commeth to me, I will in no wise cast away, yet they are not causes of the act it selfe of Predestination, nor of all the effects of it.

16. There are some meanes which of their own nature are ordered to the end of Predestination: of which sort are all those things which pertaine to the grace revealed in the Gospell; but other things in a certaine outward respect are subjected to this order: such as are naturall good or evill things which above or beyond their nature through the over-ruling direction of grace doe worke together to our salvation.

17. Of Predestination there are two kindes, Election and Reprobation.

18. Election is the predestination of some certaine men, that the glorious grace of God may be manifested in them. Eph. 1. 4. 5. 6. He hath chosen us, he hath predestinated us to the praise of his glorious grace.

19. Election is an act of the will, which in God is only one and simple: yet after our manner of conceiving it sets forth (by Synecdoche) by divers acts.

20. The first act of election then is to will the glory of his grace in the salvation of some men. 2 Thessa. 2. 13. God hath chosed us from the beginning unto salvation.

21. The second act is to appoint some certaine men who shal be made partakers of this salvation. 2. Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knoweth who are his.

22. But the proper reason of election is in this second act, which act containes these three things in the conceaving of it, 1. Love. Rom. 9. 13. 2. Love with respect to a supernaturall and chiefe good. Ier. 31. 3. Eph. 5. 25. 3. Love with a separating from others: in which comparative manner, there is contained a certaine virtuall intention of love. Rom. 9. 13. Iohn. 17. 6. 1. Cor. 1. 27. 28.

23. The third act of election is a purpose or intention of preparing and directing those meanes by which men elected, are certainely lead through to salvation as to an end. But these meanes are properly redemption, and application of redemption, Ionh 6. 37. 2 Thess. 2. 13.

24. This third act in a speciall respect is called predestination: which is sometime in the Scriptures distinguished from election, even as it respects the elect above, Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 1. 4. & 5. Whom he did foreknow, those he also predestinated. As he hath chosen us. Who hath predestinated us. Although otherwise by a synecdoche it is used in the same sence with election.

25. Hence Predestination is sometime said to be according to his purpose. Eph. 1. 11. And his purpose according to election, Rom. 9. 11. And election also according to purpose, the counsell, and good pleasure of the Will of God, Eph. 1. 5.

26. There doth a certaine knowledge particularly accompany these acts of will in election in the mind of God, wherebyGod doth most certainly know the heires of eternall life: whence also election it selfe is called, knowledge or fore-knowledge. Rom. 8. 29. But this knowledge of God because with greatest firmnesse it retaines the distinct names of those that are to be saved, and the good things appointed for them, as if all were written in Gods Booke, therefore it is called the booke of Life. Psalme 69. 29. Revelations 3. 5. and 13. 8.

27 This election was only one in God in respect of whole Christ mystically considered, that is, of Christ, and of those who are Christ, as there was one Creation of all mankind; yet as a certaine distinction may be conceived according to reason, Christ was first elected as the Head, and then some men as members in him. Eph. 1. 4.

28. Yet Christ is not the meritorious, or impulsive cause in respect of the election of men it selfe, although it hath the reason of a cause in respect of all the effects of election, which follow the sending of Christ himselfe.

29. Christ himselfe in the first act of election as touching the worke of redemption is rightly said to be an effect, and meanes ordained to the salvation of man, as the end; as this salvation is the action of God, Iohn 17. 6. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me. Yet as this salvation is our good, Christ is not the effect, but the cause of it. So it may be rightly said in respect of the first act of election, that Christ the redeemer was the effect and subordinate meanes, but in the third act of election he is to be considered as a cause, Eph. 1. 3. He hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings, in the Heavens, in Christ.

30. Reprobation is the predestinating of some certaine men, that the glory of Gods Iustice might be manifested in them. Rom. 9. 22. 2 Thess. 2. 12. Iud. 4.

31. Three acts are to be conceived in reprobation, as before in election.

32. The first act is to will the setting forth of Iustice. Therefore the end of God in reprobation, is not properly the destruction of the Creature, but the Iustice of God, which shines forth in deformed destruction.

33. Hence is the first difference in reason betweene election and reprobation, for in election not only the glorious grace of God hath the respect of an end: but

also the salvation of men themselves: but in reprobation damnation in it selfe hath not the respect of an end, or of good.

34. The second act is to appoint those certaine men in whom this Iustice of God should be made manifest. Iude 4.

35. That act cannot properly be called election: because it is not out of love, neither doth it bring the bestowing of any good, but the privation of it: Therefore it is properly called reprobation, because it doth reject or remove those about whom it is exercised, from that love wherewith the elect are appointed to salvation. As therefore in election, there is love with discerning so in reprobation, there is seene the deniall of love with putting a difference.

36. But because this negative setting apart which is found in reprobation, doth depend upon that setting apart which is in election: hence the remote end of reprobation is the glory of that grace which is manifested in election. Rom. 9. 22. 23. He suffered the vessels of wrath, that he might make known the riches of his glory toward the vessels of mercy.

37. Because of this setting apart, whereby God will not communicate blessednesse upon some persons, he is therefore said to hate them. Rom. 9. 13. This hatred is called negative, or privative, because it denies election: but it includes a positive act whereby God would that some should be deprived of life eternall.

38. Neverthelesse in this is the second difference of reason, between election and reprobation, that th[gap] love of election, doth bestow the good on the Creatu[gap] immediatly, but the hatred of reprobation, doth only deny good, doth not bring or inflict evill, but the desert of the Creature comming between.

39. The third act of reprobation is an intention to direct those meanes whereby Iustice may be manifested in the reprobate.

40. The most proper meanes of this kind are permission of sin, and living in sin, Rom. 9. 18. [gap]2 Thess. 2. 11. 12.

41. In this act there is the third difference of reason between election and reprobation, that election is the cause, not only of salvation, but also of all those things which have the consideration of a cause unto salvation: but reprobation is not properly a cause, either of damnation, or of sin which deserves damnation, [gap] an an [gap]ecedent only.

42. Hence also followes a fourth disparity, that the very meanes have not alwayes among themselves the respect of a cause and effect: for the permission of sin is not the cause of forsaking, hardning, punishing, but sin it selfe.