I. This Chapter treats of the Term PREDESTINATION, and its,
A. Etymology,
B. Synonymy, § 1.
C. Homonymy, whereby it denotes either,
א. Every Decree of God,
ב. Election alone,
ג. Election and Reprobation together, which sense,
α. Is Proven;
β. Is Defended against the Papists, the Lutherans, indeed, even some Reformed, § 2.
D. Amphiboly, as it is applicable both
א. To Angels, and
ב. To Men; with a Distinction noted between the Predestination of the latter and the former, § 3.
II. Of the Matter; in which Predestination’s
A. Existence is asserted, § 4.
B. Definition
א. Is related.
ב. Is expounded, with respect to its
α. Genus, in accordance with which it is
a. An Act of the Triune God
b. Not so much of the Intellect, as of the Will, which is observed against the Papists, § 6.
β. Difference, sought from
a. The Properties of this Decree,
a. Eternity, proven against the Socinians and Remonstrants, § 7.
b. Liberty ἀνυπευθύνῳ, not accountable to any other, yet not injuring any Perfection of God: from which it is concluded,
1. That sin is not the Cause of Predestionation unto Death;
2. That Christ’s Satisfaction is not the Cause of Predestination unto Life; against the Arminians and a great many Lutherans, § 8.
c. Wisdom, against those Pelagianizing, teaching an Indefinite, Incomplete, and Revocable Predestination, § 9.
d. Independence, which
1. Is explained;
2. Is proven from this, that Sacred Scripture
§. Mentions here the Good Pleasure of God as the sole Cause.
§§. Attributes to God all Discrimination of His own, not to Man.
§§§. Denies all Foreseen Good.
§§§§. Traces all the Good of Faith, etc., and the Evil of Unbelief, etc., as a Consequence of Predestination, § 10.
3. Is defended against the Origenists, Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians, Papists, Socinians, Remonstrants and Anabaptists, more recent Lutherans and the men of Saumur: whose
§. Opinion is set forth, § 11.
§§. Objections are refuted from
̸ . The Prescience, even indeed of Conformity with Christ, here attributed to God.
̸ ̸. Consideration of the Elect, as Believing, existing in Christ, and Holy.
̸ ̸ ̸. The Love of God in Election and Hatred in Reprobation.
̸ ̸ ̸ ̸. The Outcome in the Salvation of the Believing and Damnation of the Unbelieving, § 12.
e. Immutability,
1. Proven from
§. Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:11,
§§. Passages treating of Election,
§§§. Various reasonings, §13.
2. Vindicated from Objections, especially those of the Arminians and the Anabaptists, which they seek from
§. The Admonitions to Painstaking, Fear, the Confirmation of Salvation.
§§. The Warning in Revelation 22:19, compare with Exodus 32:32; Romans 9:3.
§§§. Examples of those Dying, and Fearing Reprobation.
§§§§. Consequent Absurdities, § 14.
b. The Object, which are
a. Subjectively, or materially, Men, both
1. All; even Christ Himself, concerning whose Predestination it is asked, whether it precedes or follows our own, § 15.
2. Individuals to a certain End, which
§. Is proven,
§§. Is defended against the Socinians, Anabaptists, and Remonstrants, § 16.
b. Relatively, or formally or reduplicatively, according to
1. Some, Man Created and Fallen, or certainly to be Created and to Fall, whence they are called Sublapsarians;
2. Others, Man Creatable and Liable to Fall, whence they are called Supralapsarians. It is noted according to the judgment of our AUTHOR,
§. In what thing both sides agree.
§§. The Disputation’s Lack of Weight, as concerning Method only.
§§§. That each opinion claims to have Sacred Scripture on its side, § 17.
§§§§. That Extremes are to be avoided, that
̸. All regard to Sin is excluded.
̸ ̸. That it is denied, that Creation and the Permission of the Fall are Means leading to the End of Predestination according to the intention of God.
§§§§§. That, nevertheless, the Method of the Sublapsarians is to be preferred, § 18.
c. The End;
a. The Glory of divine Justice and Mercy;
b. The Salvation or Ruin of Men, § 19.
C. A Division follows, into
א. Election; of which again is set forth
α. The Name, with its Etymology, Synonymy, and Homonymy, where the preposterous judgment of the Remonstrants is repudiated, § 20.
β. A Definition, § 21, comprehending Election’s
a. Principium and proegumenal Cause, which is God’s Gracious Good Pleasure, § 22.
b. Object,
a. Absolutely considered; which are Certain Men, not Each and Every, whether Absolutely, or Conditionally, which
1. Is Proven against all the Pelagians and Semi-Pelatians, but also against other Universalists:
2. With the Objections of these resolved, § 23.
b. Regarded more comparatively towards Reprobates; in which relation the Elect Men are,
1. Fewer, § 24.
2. Generally more Ignoble, § 25.
c. End, to which Men are destined by the electing God, which
a. Ultimate End is Heavenly and Eternal Glory:
b. But Proximate End, Saving Grace; both to be conjoined, § 26.
d. Adjunct, of Certainty, both
a. Objective, concerning which § 13, 14, and
b. Subjective, which
1. Is proven, § 27.
2. Is defended against the Papists and Remonstrants, § 28.
ב. Reprobation, of which similarly is set forth
α. The Name with its Etymology, Synonymy, and Homonymy, § 29.
β. A Definition, § 30, comprehending its
a. Principium or proegumenal Cause, namely, the Just Pleasure of God, § 31.
b. Object, which
a. Regarded in general, are some Certain and Designated Men; which, against the Patrons of Universal Election,
1. Is proven,
2. Is defended, § 32.
b. Described more comparatively, are the Greatest Number and More Noble Men; to which refer the Nations estranged from the preaching of the Gospel, and the Infants of Unbelievers, against the Pelagians and Remonstrants, § 33.
c. End, to which Men are predestinated through Reprobation; which
a. Ultimate End is Eternal Death; which is determined for the Reprobate Man,
1. As Deserved through the common Sin of Adam, which
§. Is proven,
§§. Is defended, in the prior part of § 34,
2. By God,
§. Negatively, not acknowledging, passing over:
§§. Positively, having hatred, etc., in the latter part of § 34.
b. Proximate End is Final Unbelief and Impenitence; where God is again considered,
1. Negatively, as not Illuminating, not Pitying;
2. Positively, as Blinding and Hardening, § 35.
d. Adjunct
a. Of Objective Certainty, concerning which § 13, 14;
b. Of Subjective Uncertainty of Reprobation; whence no Desperation hence follows, § 36.
D. By way of Deduction the delivered doctrine of Predestination is Commended by its
א. Sublimity,
ב. Necessity,
ג. Utility, § 37.