1) God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by
the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and
unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to
pass;a yet so as thereby is God neither the
author of sin nor hath fellowship with any
therein;b nor is violence offered to the will
of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second
causes taken away, but rather established;c in
which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and
faithfulness in accomplishing his decree.d
(a Isaiah
46:10, Ephesians
1:11, Hebrews
6:17, Romans
9:15,18; b James
1:13, 1 John
1:5; c Acts
4:27,28, John
19:11; d Numbers
23:19, Ephesians
1:3-5)
2) Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to
pass, upon all supposed conditions,e yet hath
he not decreed anything, because he foresaw it as future, or as
that which would come to pass upon such
conditions.f
(e Acts
15:18; f Romans
9:11,13,16,18)
3) By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his
glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to
eternal life through Jesus Christ,g to the
praise of his glorious grace;h others being
left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the
praise of his glorious justice.i
(g 1
Timothy 5:21, Matthew
25:34; h Ephesians 1:5,6;
i Romans
9:22,23, Jude
4)
4) These angels and men thus predestinated and
foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and
their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either
increased or diminished.j
(j 2
Timothy 2:19, John
13:18)
5) Those of mankind that are predestinated to 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,k
without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause
moving him thereunto.l
(k Ephesians 1:4,9,11, Romans 8:30, 2
Timothy 1:9, 1
Thessalonians 5:9; l Romans 9:13,16, Ephesians 2:5,12)
6) As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he
hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will,
foreordained all the means thereunto;m
wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are
redeemed by Christ,n are effectually called
unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season, are
justified, adopted, sanctified,o and kept by
his power through faith unto salvation;p
neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called,
justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect
only.q
(m 1 Peter
1:2, 2
Thessalonians 2:13; n 1 Thessalonians 5:9,10;
o Romans 8:30, 2
Thessalonians 2:13; p 1
Peter 1:5; q John
10:26, John
17:9, John
6:64)
7) The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination
is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men
attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding
obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual
vocation, be assured of their eternal
election;r so shall this doctrine afford matter
of praise,s reverence, and admiration of God,
and of humility,t diligence, and abundant
consolation to all that sincerely obey the
gospel.u
(r 1
Thessalonians 1:4,5, 2 Peter
1:10; s Ephesians 1:6, Romans
11:33; t Romans
11:5,6,20; u Luke
10:20)