OF THE DECREE OF
REJECTION,
OF SOME
ANGELS, AND OF SOME MEN
John Gill
I make use of the word
"rejection" in this article, partly because it is a scriptural phrase
and ascribed to God, and partly because it is that act of God which gives the name of reprobate to any; and is the foundation of that
character, "reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath
rejected them", #Jer 6:30 and stands opposed to election, #1Sa 15:26 10:24
but chiefly because the other word reprobation, through wrong and frightful
ideas being affixed to it, carries in it with many a sound harsh and
disagreeable; or otherwise they are of the same signification,
and no amendment is made in the doctrine or sense of it, by using the one
instead of the other. This doctrine of rejecting some angels and some men from
the divine favour, is spoken of but sparingly in scripture, yet clearly and
plainly; though chiefly left to be concluded from that of election, and from
whence it most naturally and rationally follows. I shall begin with,
1. The rejection of some of
the angels, which consists of two parts:
1a. A non-election, or preterition
of them, a passing over them or passing by them, when others were chosen; and
which may be concluded from the choice of others; for if
some were elect, others must be non-elect; if some were chosen, others were
not; if some were taken, others must be passed by and left: that some of them
are elect is certain, they are expressly called "elect angels", #1Ti
5:21 and consequently are distinguished from others who are not elected; or
otherwise the title and character of "elect" must be insignificant
and impertinent. Both these were considered alike, upon an
equal foot, when the one were elected, and the other not; they were viewed as
not yet created and fallen, but as lying in the pure mass of creatureship or
creability; God saw in his power what creatures of this kind he could produce
into being, as he also saw in his will whom he would; and of those he could and
would create, he determined to choose some and leave others, and both for his own glory; for they could not be considered as fallen
creatures, or in the corrupt mass, since the elect angels never fell; and the
moment they were elected, the others were passed by or rejected; and so must be
under the same consideration; and consequently the election of the one, and the
rejection of the other, must be wholly owing to the sovereign will of God: both
these were brought into being as God determined they should,
and are equally his creatures, #Ps 104:4 and were both made pure and holy
creatures, angels of light, bright morning stars, shining in the purity and
holiness of their nature; for such were Satan and his angels in their original
creation; the devil, our Lord says, "abode not in the truth", #Joh
8:44 which implies that he had been in the truth, though he continued not in
it; in his allegiance and fidelity to God his creator; in
his integrity, purity, and holiness, as a creature of veracity; but framing
lies, he became the father of them. What he was in, but abode not in, is the
"first estate", of integrity, innocence, and happiness, in which he
was created, but kept it not, #Jude 1:6. To some angels God decreed to give,
and did give grace to confirm them in the state in which they were created; these are the elect angels, who are said to be
"mighty", and to "excel in strength"; not only in natural,
but in spiritual strength. To others he decreed not to give confirming grace,
but to deny it to them; and which he was not obliged to give, it being what
could not be challenged by the laws and dues of creation, and was mere favour
to those on whom it was bestowed; wherefore the others were left to the mutability of their will, which is that weakness and folly the
angels were chargeable with in their creation state, #Job 4:18 hence of their
own freewill they sinned and fell, and left their habitation, #2Pe 2:4 Jude 1:6
what their sin was by which they fell, will be considered in course, when we
come to the fall of Adam, and of theirs; this leads on to observe the other
part of the decree respecting them.
1b. The appointment of them to
wrath and damnation; in this they were viewed as sinful, fallen creatures; this
decree is meant by their being "reserved in everlasting chains under
darkness, unto the judgment of the great day", #Jude 1:6 2Pe 2:4 for by
chains are meant the purposes and decrees of God, by which they are bound and held fast, and from which they cannot loose themselves; and as
the decrees of God are called "mountains of brass", #Zec 6:1 so they
may be called chains of iron and brass for the same reasons; namely, their
firmness, mutability, and duration; they are "everlasting" chains,
and in these they are reserved under darkness; meaning either the state of
darkness in which they are, being deprived of that light and knowledge
they had; and also being under horror and black despair, without the least
gleam of the light of joy and comfort; or that state of darkness to which they
are appointed and reserved, even that "blackness of darkness" to
which the wandering stars, as these may be said to be, are reserved, #Jude 1:13
and moreover they are appointed and reserved "to the judgment of the great
day", to the great day of the last judgment; when they
will be brought forth in chains before the judgment seat of Christ, and will
have their final sentence passed and executed on them, which as yet seems not to
have been done, #Mt 8:29 then will Christ sit on the throne of judgment, and
saints will stand by, together with the good angels, as approvers of the
righteous sentence: and therefore saints are said to "judge angels", as well as the world of the ungodly, #1Co 6:2,3 that is, the
evil angels, to which judgment they are appointed by the decree of God; and to
endure eternal wrath and damnation; signified by "everlasting fire,
prepared", in the decrees and purposes of God, "for the devil and his
angels", #Mt 25:41. I proceed to,
2. The
decree concerning the rejection of some of the sons of men. It may be observed,
that we can hear and read of the non-election and rejection of angels, and of
their preordination to condemnation and wrath, with very little emotion of
mind: the devils may be cast down to hell, to be everlastingly damned, and be
appointed thereunto, and it gives no great concern; no hard thoughts against
God arise, no charge of cruelty, want of kindness to his
creatures and offspring, and of injustice to them; but if anything of this kind
is hinted at, with respect to any of the apostate sons of Adam, presently there
is an outcry against it; and all the above things are suggested. What is the
reason of this difference? It can be only this, that the latter comes nearer
home, and more nearly affects us; it is partiality to ourselves, our nature, and race, to which this is owing; otherwise, far
greater severity, if it may be so called, is exercised on fallen angels, than
on fallen man; for God has not spared one of the angels that sinned, provided
no saviour for them, nor so much as given them the means of grace; but
consigned them all over at once to everlasting wrath and ruin: whereas, not
only a Saviour is provided for fallen men, and means of grace
allowed them, but thousands, and ten thousands, millions and millions of them
are saved, by the abundant mercy and grace of God, through Christ. But to go
on,
2a. First, I shall prove that
there is a non-election, or rejection of some of the sons of men, when others
were chosen; and, indeed, from the election of some, may fairly be inferred, the non-election of others. Common sense tells us,
that of persons or things, if some are chosen, others must be left: if there is
a remnant of the sons of men, according to the election of grace, then there
are others not included in it, which are left unchosen, and are called the
rest. "The election", that is, elect men, "hath obtained
it", righteousness and eternal life; "and the rest were
blinded", #Ro 11:5,7. Our Lord says, "I speak not
of you all; I know whom I have chosen", #Joh 13:18 plainly intimating,
that all were not chosen, and it is certain one was not, and whom he calls
"the son of perdition"; one, not only deserving of it, but appointed
to it; for though chosen to an office, as an apostle, yet not to grace and
glory, #Joh 17:12 and how many such there be, no man can pretend to say; but it
is evident there are some, and who are generally described
by negative characters; as not known by God and Christ; the elect are God's
people, whom he knows; they are elect, according to his foreknowledge; which
carries in it love and affection to them; but of others Christ says, "I
never knew you"; he knew them by his omniscience, but not with such
knowledge as he knows the elect of God; he never knew them as the
objects of his Father's love, and his own; he never knew them as the objects of
his Father's choice, and his own; he never knew them in the gift of his Father
to him, #Mt 7:23 hence they are represented as "not" loved, which is
meant by being hated: "Esau have I hated"; that is, had not loved
him, as he had Jacob; for it cannot be understood of positive hatred, for God
hates none of his creatures, as such, only as workers of
iniquity; but of negative hatred, or of not loving him; which, in comparison of
the love he bore to Jacob, might be called hatred: in which sense the word is
used in #Lu 14:26. Moreover, they are spoken of as "not" being given
to Christ; for if there are some that are "given" to him "out of
the world", then there must be a world which are not given, and for whom
he has not so much concern as even to pray for them, #Joh
17:6,9 they are frequently described, as not having their names written, and
not to be found written in the Lamb's book of life, #Re 13:8 17:8 20:15. Now as
election is signified by the writing of names in the book of life, non-election
is expressed by not writing the names of some there; and if those whose names
are written there, are the elect, then those whose names are not written these, but are left out, must be non-elect: to which
may be added, that our Lord says of these persons, "Ye are not of my
sheep", and gives this as a reason why they believed not in him, #Joh
10:26. But the goats he will place on his left hand, pass sentence of
condemnation on them, and send them into everlasting punishment, #Mt
25:33,41,46.
Moreover, from the effects of
election not having place in some persons, it may be concluded, that there are
such who are non-elect. The effectual calling is a certain fruit and effect of
election; "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called", #Ro 8:30
not only externally, but internally, with an holy and heavenly calling, to
grace here, and glory hereafter. But are all called in this
manner? No; there are some who have not so much as the outward call by the
ministry of the word, have not the external means of grace; but as they sin
without law, perish without it, #Ro 10:14 2:12. Those who are chosen, are
predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ; they are chosen to
holiness, and through sanctification of the Spirit. But are all
made like to Christ, and conformed to his image? do not many bear the image of
Satan, imitate him, and do his lusts? are all men made holy, or have they the
sanctification of the Spirit? Whom God predestinates he justifies, by the
righteousness of his Son. But are all men justified? No; for though he
justifies some of all sorts and nations; as the circumcised Jews by faith, and
the uncircumcised Gentiles through faith, yet not every
individual; yea, there is a world that will be condemned, and consequently not
predestinated to life, #1Co 11:32. They that are chosen, are predestinated to
the adoption of children, and enjoy both the grace and inheritance of children.
But are all children and heirs? is there not such a distinction among men, as
children of God, and children of the devil; between whom there is, and will be, an eternal difference? #1Jo 3:10 and therefore
there must be an election, and a non-election among them. Moreover, whom God
has predestinated, or chosen to life and happiness, these he glorifies, #Ro
8:30 they obtain the glory of Christ, which his Father has given him for them,
and to which they are chosen and called, #Joh 17:22 2Th 2:13,14. But are all
glorified? do not some go into perdition, even into
everlasting punishment? and therefore must be considered as non-elect, #Re 17:8
Mt 25:46. To all which may be added, that those that are given to Christ, which
is but another phrase for being chosen in him; these, he says, shall come to
him, and he will in no wise cast them out; yea, that they are his sheep, whom
he must bring to his Father, to himself, to his fold, to grace and glory, #Joh
6:37 10:16. But are there not some whom Christ will drive
away from him, and to then, say, "Depart from me, ye cursed into
everlasting fire", #Mt 7:23 25:41. All this put together most clearly and
fully proves, that there are some who are not chosen of God, but rejected by
him.
2b. Secondly,
The parts of this decree, concerning the rejection of men, are commonly said to
be preterition and pre-damnation.
2b1.
Preterition is God's passing by some men, when he chose
others: and
in this act, or part of the decree, men are
considered
as in the pure mass of creatureship, or
creability;
in which state they are found, when passed by or
rejected, and
in which they are left, even just as they are
found,
nothing put into them; but were left in the pure
mass, as they
lay, and so no injury done them; nor is God to
be
charged with any injustice towards them: in this act sin
comes not
into consideration, as it does in a following one;
for in this
men are considered as not created, and so not
fallen; but
as unborn, and having done neither good nor
evil, #Ro
9:11. And this is a pure act of sovereignty in
God,
and to his sovereign will it is to be ascribed; who has
the same
sovereign power, and greater, than the potter has
over his
clay, to make one vessel to honour, and another to
dishonour,
#Ro 9:19,20,22. This being expressed, as before
observed, by
negative phrases, is, by some, called negative
2b2.
Pre-damnation is God's appointment, or preordination of men
to
condemnation for sin; and is what is spoken of in
#Jude 1:4.
"There are certain men crept in unawares, who
were
before of old ordained to this condemnation"; and who are
described by
the following characters, "ungodly men, turning
the grace of
God into lasciviousness, and denying the only
Lord God, and,
or even our Lord Jesus Christ"; which, when
observed, is
sufficient to clear this decree of God from the
charge
of cruelty and injustice: and this, by some, is
called,
positive reprobation. The word krima, translated
"condemnation",
in the above quoted text, some render
"judgment",
and interpret it of judicial blindness and
hardness of
heart; which appeared in the persons embracing
and
spreading false and pernicious doctrines spoken of; and
this is,
indeed, what they are foreordained, or appointed
to, as a
punishment of former sins; for this hardness, &c.
presupposes
former sins, and an obstinate continued course
in them;
either against the light and law of nature, which
they
like not to walk according to, and therefore God gives
them up, pursuant
to his decree, to a reprobate mind, to do
things not
convenient, #Ro 1:24,28 or against divine
revelation,
precepts, counsels, and admonitions, like Israel
of old,
hearkening not to the voice of the Lord, in his
word,
nor paying any regard to his instructions; and
therefore he
gives them up, as he determined to do, to their
own hearts'
lusts, and to walk in their own counsels,
#Ps 81:11,12
and this is the sense of the word in
#Joh 9:39.
God hardens some mens' hearts, as he did
Pharaoh's,
and he wills to harden them, or he hardens them
according to
his decreeing will; "Whom he will he hardeneth",
#Ro 9:18 this
he does not by any positive act, by infusing
hardness and
blindness into the hearts of men; which is
contrary to
his purity and holiness, and would make him the
author
of sin; but by leaving men to their natural blindness
and hardness
of heart; for the understanding is naturally
darkened; and
there is a natural blindness, hardness, and
callousness of
heart, through the corruption of nature, and
which is
increased by habits of sinning; men are in
darkness,
and choose to walk in it; and therefore God, as he
decreed,
gives them up to their own wills and desires, and
to Satan, the
god of the world, they choose to follow, and
to be led
captive by, who blinds their minds yet more and
more, lest
light should break in unto them, #Eph 4:18
#Ps
82:5 2Co 4:4 and also God may be said to harden and
blind, by
denying them that grace which can only cure them of
their
hardness and blindness, and which he, of his free favour,
gives to his
chosen ones, #Eze 36:26,27 but is not
obliged to
give it to any; and because he gives it not, he
is
said to hide, as he determined to hide, the things of his
grace from the
wise and prudent, even because it so seemed
good in his
sight, #Mt 11:25,26. Hence this blindness,
hardness,
insensibility, and stupidity, are represented as
following
upon non-election; not as the immediate effect of
it,
but as consequences of it; and such as neither judgments
nor mercies
can remove; and bring persons to a right sense
of sin, and
repentance for it, #Ro 11:7-10. The sin and
fall of Adam
having brought him into a state of infidelity,
in which God
has concluded him: and he does not think fit to
give
to every man that grace which can only cure him of his
unbelief, and
without which, and unless almighty power and
grace go
along with the means they have, they cannot
believe;
whereby the decrees, predictions, and declarations
of God are
fulfilled in them, #Joh 12:37-40 yea, as
Christ
is said to be set, or appointed, "for the fall of
many in
Israel", #Lu 2:34 so many are appointed to
stumble at
the Word, at him, the Stone of stumbling, and
Rock of
offence, being children of disobedience, and left as
such; when,
to those who are a chosen generation, he is a
precious
cornerstone, and they believe in him, and are
saved by him,
#1Pe 2:7-9 hence we read of some, who,
because they
received not the love of the truth, that they
might be
saved, to them are sent by God strong
delusions,
and they are given up to believe a lie, that they
might
be damned; not that God infuses any delusion or deceit
into them,
but because of their disbelief of, and disrespect
to him and
his Word, he suffers their corruptions to break
forth and
prevail, not giving restraining grace to them; so
that they
become a prey to them that lie in wait to deceive;
and
being easy and credulous, they believe lies spoken in
hypocrisy;
which issue in their damnation; while others,
beloved of
the Lord, and chosen from the beginning to
salvation,
obtain the glory of Christ, #2Th 2:10-14. But
though all
this is a most certain truth, and is contained in
the
decree we are speaking of, yet condemnation, or
everlasting
punishment, seems to be meant in the passage
quoted; or,
however, this is what some men are foreordained
unto.
Some
will have it, that this refers to something
forewritten,
as they choose to render the word; to some
prophecy concerning
the condemnation of those persons, and
particularly
to that of Enoch, #Jude 1:14,15 but it is not
certain that
prophecy was ever written; besides, a
prophecy,
or prediction, of anything future, is founded
upon an
antecedent predetermination and appointment; God
foretells by
his prophets what will be, because he has
determined it
shall be; if, therefore, the condemnation of
those persons
was foretold in any written prophecy, it was
because
God had decreed it should come upon them, or they be
brought into
it. It seems to have the same sense with God's
appointing
men unto wrath; which, though not in so many
words
expressed, is manifestly implied; as when the apostle
says,
"God hath not appointed us to wrath", who yet were
children
of wrath, and deserving of it as others; "but to
obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ": it suggests,
that though
he had not appointed them, yet he had appointed
others to
wrath, and who are therefore called "vessels of
wrath, fitted
for destruction", by their own sins and
transgressions,
#1Th 5:9 Ro 9:22. With which agrees what is
said of some
wicked men, who are "reserved" in the purposes
and decrees
of God, "to the day of destruction"; in
consequence
of which, "they shall be brought to the day of
wrath",
which God has appointed for the execution of his
wrath;
and hence the casting of the fury of his wrath, in
all the
dreadful instances of it, is called "the portion of
a wicked man
from God, and the heritage appointed; unto him
of God",
#Job 21:30 20:23-29 and this is the sense of
#Pr 16:4 for
the meaning of the text is not, nor is it our
sense
of it, as some misrepresent it, as if God made man to damn
him; we say
no such thing, nor does the text; our sentiment
is, that God made
man neither to damn nor save him; but he
made him for
his own glory, and he will be glorified in him,
in one way or
another: nor that he made man wicked, in order
to
damn him; for God made man upright; men made themselves
wicked by
their own inventions; which are the cause of
damnation:
but the true sense of the passage is, that "the
Lord hath
made", that is, has appointed "all things for
himself",
for his own glory: and should it be objected, that
the
wicked could not be for his glory, it is added, "Yea,
even the
wicked for the day of evil"; that is, he has
appointed the
wicked for the day of evil, to suffer justly
for their
sins, to the illustration of the glory of his
justice.
2c. Thirdly,
The causes of this act.
2c1. The
efficient cause is God; it is the Lord, that makes all
things for
his own glory, and the wicked for the day of
evil;
it is God that appoints to wrath, and foreordains to
condemnation;
what if "God willing to show his wrath", &c.
#Pr 16:4 1Th
5:9 Ro 9:22. And,
2c1a. It is
an act of his sovereignty, who does what he pleases
in
heaven and in earth; he does according to his will in the
armies of the
heavens, and among the inhabitants of the
earth; as he
does all things, so this, according to the
counsel of his
will; for though it is sovereign, it is not
in such sense
arbitrary as to be without reason and wisdom;
it
is a wise counsel of his, for his own glory. The
objector,
introduced by the apostle, supposes this, that it
is an act of
his sovereign will; and therefore says, "Why
does he yet
find fault? for who hath resisted his will?" and
which the
apostle denies not, but reasons upon it, and
2c1b. It is
agreeable to his justice: the same apostle treating
on this
subject asks, "Is there unrighteousness with God?"
that is, to
love one and hate another, to choose one and not
another,
before they were born, or had done good or evil;
and he
answers, "God forbid"; since in his act of passing by
one, when he
chose another, he left him as he found him,
without
putting, or supposing, any iniquity in him; without
any charge of
any sin or laying him under a necessity to
commit
any. In the act of pre-damnation, he considers him as
a sinner, and
foreordains him to punishment for his sins;
and if it is
no injustice in God to punish men for sin, it
cannot be
unjust in him to determine to punish for it: if
the judgments
of God on antichrist are true and righteous,
and
display his holiness and justice, it cannot be
unrighteous
in him to decree to inflict these judgments on
him, and his
followers, here and hereafter: if it is a
righteous
thing with God to render tribulation to them that
trouble his
people, and so to them that commit any other
sin,
it must be agreeable to his justice to appoint them to
indignation
and wrath, tribulation and anguish; even every
soul of man
that does evil, if he pleases.
2c1c. Nor is
this act contrary to his goodness; all persons and
things
are his own, and he may do with them as he pleases,
without an
impeachment of this or any other perfection of
his; "Is
thine eye evil", says he, "because I am good?"
#Mt 20:15.
What distinguishing grace and goodness has been
exercised
towards fallen man, when no degree of sparing
mercy
was shown to fallen angels! and what goodness has been
laid up, and
wrought out, for many of the sons of Adam,
though others
have been rejected! and even on them that are
rejected,
what riches of providential goodness have been,
and are
bestowed on them, in the most plentiful and liberal
manner!
with what lenity, patience, forbearance, and
"longsuffering",
has God "endured the vessels of wrath,
fitted to
destruction", fitted by themselves! #Ro 2:4 9:22.
This act of
God is neither contrary to the mercy, nor to the
wisdom of
God, nor to the truth and sincerity of God, in his
promises,
declarations, calls, &c. nor to the holiness and
justice of
God; as I have elsewhere {1} made abundantly to
appear.
2c2. The
moving, or impulsive cause of God's making such a
decree,
by which he has rejected some of the race of Adam
from his
favour, is not sin, but the good pleasure of his
will: sin is
the meritorious cause of eternal death, wrath,
and
damnation; wrath is revealed from heaven against all
unrighteousness
and ungodliness of men, and comes upon the
children
of disobedience, whom God leaves in it; the wages,
or demerit of
sin, is death, even death eternal: but then it
is not the
impulsive cause of the decree itself; not of
preterition,
because that, as election, was before good or
evil were
done, and irrespective of either; nor of
pre-damnation,
God, indeed, damns no man but for sin; nor
did he decree
to damn any but for sin; but yet, though sin
is the cause
of damnation and death, the thing decreed, it
is not the
cause of the decree itself: it is the cause of
the thing
willed, but not the moving cause of God's will;
for
nothing out of God can move his will; if it could, the
will of God
would be dependent on the will and actions of
men; whereas,
his purpose, whether with respect to election
or rejection,
stands not on the works and will of men, but
on his own
will and pleasure: besides, if sin was the cause
of
the decree itself, or of God's will to reject men, then
all would be
rejected, since all fell in Adam; all are under
sin, all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
all are, by
nature, children of wrath, and deserving of it:
what then
could move God to choose one and reject another,
but
his sovereign goodwill and pleasure? that then is the
sole moving
and impulsive cause of such a decree; when we
have searched
the scriptures most thoroughly, and employed
our reasoning
powers to the highest pitch, and racked our
invention to
the uttermost; no other cause of God's
procedure
in this affair can be assigned, but what Christ
has
expressed; "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in
thy
sight"; as to hide the things of his grace and gospel
from some,
and reveal them to others; so to decree and
determine within
himself, to act in this manner,
2c3. The
final cause, or end of this decree, is his own glory;
this is the
ultimate end of all his decrees and
appointments,
and so of this, appointing the wicked for the
day
of evil; it was for this purpose he raised up Pharaoh,
and decreed
all he did concerning him, that he might show
his power in
him, his sovereignty and dominion over him, and
that his name
and glory might be declared throughout all the
earth: and
the same view he has with respect to all the
vessels
of wrath, namely, to show his wrath, and to make his
power known,
in their destruction, which is of themselves;
it is not the
death and damnation of the sinner, in which he
delights not,
that is his ultimate end; it is his own glory,
the glory of
his perfections, and particularly the glory of
his
justice and holiness, #Pr 16:4 Ro 9:17,22.
2d. Fourthly, The date of this
decree is as ancient as eternity itself; wicked men are "before of
old", said to be "ordained to condemnation", #Jude 1:4. Some who
would have the word rendered, "before written", as already observed,
suppose the text refers to a written prophecy, concerning
the condemnation of those men, and that regard is had to a parallel place in
#2Pe 2:1-3. So Grotius. But if Jude had that in his view, he would never have
said that they were "of old", a long time ago, before written, and
prophesied of; since, according to the common calculation, that epistle of
Peter was written in the same year that this of Jude's was: the date of election and rejection must be the same; Esau was hated, as
early as Jacob was loved, or rejected when he was chosen; and both were done
before they were born. If men were chosen from the beginning, that is, from
eternity to salvation; then those that were not chosen, or not ordained to
eternal life, were foreordained as early to condemnation; and so is the Syriac
version of the text in Jude, "were from the beginning
ordained"; the same date that is given of election in #2Th 2:13. And,
indeed, there can be no new decree, appointment, or purpose, made by God in
time; if the decree of election was from eternity, that of rejection must be so
too; since there cannot be one without the other; if some were chosen before
the foundation of the world, others must be left, or passed by, as early; and,
indeed, those whose names are left out of the book of life,
are expressly said to be "not written in the book of life, from the
foundation of the world", #Re 17:8. And from the whole,
2e. Fifthly, The properties of
this decree will appear to be much the same with those of the decree of
election, and need be but just mentioned: as,
2e1. That it
is an eternal decree of God. This did not arise in
the mind of
God in time, as no new act does, but was made
before the
foundation of the world.
2e2.
That it is free and sovereign, owing to his own will and
pleasure, not
moved to it by anything out of himself; "He
hath mercy on
whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he
hardeneth",
#Ro 9:18 and so he determined to do.
2e3.
It is immutable and irrevocable; is it expressed by a
decree, a
preordination? all the decrees of God are
unalterable,
there is an immutability in his counsel, let it
be concerning
what it may. Is it expressed by a writing or a
forewriting,
as in #Jude 1:4? It is such a writing as ever
remains
in full force. Did Pilate say, "what I have written,
I have
written", signifying it should remain without any
alteration?
#Joh 19:22. Then it may be concluded, that what
God has
written shall remain, and never be revoked; for he
is in one
mind, and none can turn him.
2e4. It is of
particular persons; it does not merely respect
events,
characters, and actions; but the persons of men; as
they are
persons who are chosen in Christ, and appointed,
not to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by him; so they are
persons
who are foreordained to condemnation, whose names
are left out
of the book of life, while others are written
in it.
2e5. It is a
most just and righteous decree; and no other but
such
can be made by God, who is righteous in all his ways,
and holy in
all his works.
{1} See my
book, The Cause of God and Truth, part 3. chap. 1, 2.