CHAPTER XVIII. The Abuse of Predestination. CHURCH OF ENGLAND. So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfal, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlesness of the most unclean living no less perilous than desperation. Art. 17. CALVIN. When miserable man endeavours to force his way into the secret recesses of divine wisdom, and to penetrate even to the highest eternity, that he may discover what is determined concerning him at the tribunal of God; then he precipitates himself to be absorbed in the profound of an unfathomable gulf then he entangles himself in numberless and inextricable snares; then he sinks himself in an abyss of total darkness. For it is right that the folly of the human mind should be thus punished with horrible destruction, when it attempts by its own ability to rise to the summit of divine wisdom. This temptation is the more fatal, because there is no other to which men in general have a stronger propensity. For there is scarcely a person to be found whose mind is not sometimes struck with this thought, Whence can you obtain salvation, but from the election of God? and what revelation have you received of election? If this has CALVIN. once impressed a man, it either perpetually excruciates the unhapy being with dreadful torments, or altogether stupifies him with astonishment. Indeed, I should desire no stronger argument to prove how extremely erroneous the conceptions of such persons are, respecting predestination, than experience itself; since no error can affect the mind, more pestilent than such as disturbs the conscience, and destroys its peace and tranquillity towards God. Therefore, if we dread shipwreck, let us anxiously beware of this rock, on which none ever strike without being destroyed. But though the discussion of predestination may be compared to a dangerous ocean, yet in traversing over it the navigation is sa and secure, and I will also add pleasant, unless any one freely wishes to expose himself to danger. For as those who, in order to gain an assurance of their election, examine into the eternal counsel of God without the word, plunge themselves into a fatal abyss; so they who investigate it in a regular and orderly manner as it is contained in the word, derive from such inquiry the benefit of peculiar consolation.Institut. l. 3. c. 24. s. 4. In attempting to explain away this part of the 17th Article, his lordship gives us another definition of Predestination somewhat different from that already cited from him. "What is this sentence of God's Predestination? It cannot be the sentence of Predestination we have been considering, by which God purposed and decreed to save all who shall believe and obey the gospel." p. 267. But his lordship has not advanced the shadow of an argument to show that the word Predestination, in this part of the Article, ought to be understood in a different sense from what it bears in the be. ginning of it. And the meaning of it there is too clear to need any further elucidation. But whoever peruses his lordship's treatise with an expectation of finding its assertions supported by clear proofs, and its positions established by solid arguments, will meet with little but disappointment. CHAPTER XIX. The Use of the Promises. CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God. Art. 17. CALVIN. For though faith in election animates us to call upon God, yet it would be preposterous to obtrude it upon him when we pray, or to stipulate this condition: O Lord, if I am elected, hear me; since it is his pleasure that we should be satisfied with his promises, Two things are chiefly to and make no further inbe respected, in every good quiries whether he will be and godly man's prayer; propitious to our prayers. his own necessity, and the This prudence will extriglory of Almighty God. cate us from many snares, Necessity belongeth either if we know how to make out wardly to the body, or a right use of what has inwardly to the soul; which been rightly written; but part of man [i. e. the soul], we must not inconsiderately because it is much more apply to various purposes, precious and excellent than what ought to be restricted the other, therefore we to the object particularly ought, first of all, to crave designed.-Institut. l. 3. c. such things as properly be- 24. §. 5. |