nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; 9 and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, and upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every i other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, he is pleased to require of them." made with hands; Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Psa. 1. 12. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. See Isa. xl. 12-17. Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Rev. iv. 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. Dan. iv. 25, 35. The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand, or say See 1 Tim. vi. 15. unto him, What doest thou? * Rom. xi. 33, 34. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Ps. cxlvii. 5. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. 'Acts. xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Prov. xv. 3. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. m Psa. cxlv. 17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Rom. vii. 12. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. n Rev. v. 12-14. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons of one substance, power, and eternity; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.o The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.? CHAPTER III.* OF GOD'S ETERNAL DECREE I. GOD from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: a yet so as thereby neither is heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth for ever and ever. III. Matt. iii. 16, 17. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my be loved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. See Eph. ii. 18. P John i. 14, 18. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.-No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. See Heb. i. 2-6; Col. i. 15-17. John xv. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. Gal. iv. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. I. a Isa. xlv. 6, 7. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him See Declaratory Statement, p. 138 b. God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.c II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions; d yet hath he not who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. xi. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Heb. vi. 17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. Psa. v. 4. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. Jas. i. 13, 14. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 1 John i. 5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. • Matt. xvii. 12. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. John xix. 11. Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Acts iv. 27, 28. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Acts xxvii. 23, 24, 34. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.-Wherefore I pray you to take some meat; for this is for your health: for there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you. II. d Acts xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Prov. xvi. 33. The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. 1 Sam. xxiii. 11, 12. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. Matt. xi. 21, 23. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.e III. By the decree of God, Ior the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death. 9 IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished. h done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. e Rom. ix. 11, 13, 15, 16, 18. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth ;)— As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.-For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.-Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. III. 1 Tim. v. 21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels. Mark viii. 38. When he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Jude 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Matt. xxv. 31, 41. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.-Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. 9 Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Rom. ix. 22, 23. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? Eph. i. 5, 6. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. IV. John x. 14-16, 27, 28. I am the good shepherd, and know my shop, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; k and all to the praise of his glorious grace. VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John xiii. 18. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. See John xvii. 2, 6, 9-12; 2 Tim. ii. 19. V. Eph. i. 4, 9, 11. According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love;-Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. viii. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 1 Thess. v. 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. *Rom. ix. 11, 13, 15, 16. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth ;)-As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.-For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Eph. i. 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. Eph. ii. 8, 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. 'Eph. i. 6, 12. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.-That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. |