s, or Remonstrants, as they are also called, are
distinguished from the Socinians, by admitting that contingent
events, such as the determinations and actions of men, are foreseen
by God; but they also deny absolute and unconditional election, and
maintain, that whatever God has decreed respecting men, is founded
on the foresight of their conduct. Having foreseen, without any
decree, that Adam would involve himself and his posterity in sin and
its consequences, he purposed to send his Son to die for them all,
and to give them sufficient grace to improve the means of salvation;
and knowing beforehand who would believe and persevere to the end,
and who would not, he chose the former to eternal life, and left the
latter in a state of condemnation. There is, however, a diversity of
opinion among the holders of this general system; and some of them
coincide with Socinians, in maintaining, that the decrees of God
respecting men are not eternal, but are made in time; that men are
elected to eternal life after they have believed, and that, if they
fall into a state of unbelief and impenitence, the sentence or
decree is reversed.

In opposition to these systems, our Confession teaches that God made
choice of, and predestined a certain and definite number of
individuals to everlasting life; that he predestined them unto life
before the foundation of the world was laid; that in so doing, he
acted according to his sovereign will, and was not influenced by the
foresight of their faith or good works, or perseverance in either of
them; and that this purpose is immutable, it being impossible that
any of the elect should perish. That these doctrines are in
accordance with Scripture may be easily evinced.

1. God made choice of, and predestined, a certain and definite
number of individuals to everlasting life. According to the
Socinians, God predestined to eternal life, not any particular
individuals of mankind, but a certain sort or description of men;
not persons, but characters. The Scripture, however, clearly teaches
that God made choice of a certain determinate number of persons from
among the rest of the human race, and ordained them to eternal life.
It is said, "The Lord knows them that are his." 2 Timothy 2:19. He
perfectly knows how many, and who in particular, his elect are.
Hence their names are said to be enrolled in a book, called the Book
of Life; for it is the book in which are registered the names of all
the individuals of mankind who were chosen to everlasting life. A
person's name is that whereby he is known and distinguished from
others; when, therefore, their names are said to be written in a
book, it intimates that God has an exact knowledge of all the
individuals whom he has chosen.

2. God predestined these individuals to life from eternity.
According to Socinians, and some Arminians, as has been already
noticed, special election only takes place in time, when persons
actually believe and obey the gospel. But an election in time is at
direct variance with the doctrine of Scripture. It is said
(Ephesians 1:4), "God has chosen us in him before the foundation of
the world," and this emphatic phrase is evidently expressive of
eternity. Thus Paul addresses the Thessalonian Christians, "God has
from the beginning chosen you to salvation." 2 Thessalonians 2:13.
That the phrase "from the beginning" denotes eternity, is evident
from Proverbs 8:23, where Christ is introduced saying, "I was set up
from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth was."
That the phrase "from the beginning," is here equivalent to the
phrase "from everlasting," is manifest. Indeed, we cannot conceive
of any new interpretations arising in the divine mind, without
supposing the Divine Being defective in knowledge, or mutable in his
perfections, suppositions utterly incompatible with the nature of
that Being, whose name is Jehovah.

3. In making this choice, God acted from his own sovereign will, and
was not influenced by any foresight of their faith or other
qualifications. According to Arminians, God's decree respecting the
salvation of men is founded upon their foreseen faith and good
works. Thus, "the decree of God, although prior in time, is
posterior in order to the actions of men, and is dependent upon the
determination of their will. But to this opinion, so derogatory to
the supreme dominion and absolute authority of God, the doctrine of
Scripture is directly opposed. Election is ascribed to grace, to the
exclusion of works; and these two causes are represented as
incompatible and mutually destructive. 'Even so then at this present
time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if
by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more
grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise
work is no more work.'—Romans 11:5, 6. How is it possible to
reconcile with these words the opinion that the foresight of men's
good works was the cause of the election! Besides, it is worthy of
particular attention, that faith and holiness which the advocates of
conditional decrees make the causes of election, are expressly said
in Scripture to be the effects of it.—2 Thessalonians 2:13;
Ephesians 1:4. In Romans 9:10–13, Paul produces the case of Jacob
and Esau as an illustration of the subject, and traces the
predestination of individuals to happiness or misery to the
sovereignty of God, without any consideration of their works. As the
lot of the two sons of Isaac was settled prior to their personal
conduct, so the apostle signifies, that the appointment of
particular persons to salvation, depends solely upon the good
pleasure of God." That election is founded on the good pleasure of
God, and not on anything in its objects, is clearly stated, verse 16
of the same chapter: "It is not of him that wills, nor of him that
runs, but of God that shows mercy:" and also in verse 18: "Therefore
he has mercy on whom he will," etc. Were it otherwise, there would
be no shadow of objection to the doctrine. "How could men say it was
unjust, if God chose one and rejected another according to their
works? And how could any one object, as in verse 19, 'that as the
will of God could not be resisted, men were not to be blamed,' if
the decision in question did not depend on the will of God, but on
that of men? How easy for the apostle to have answered the objector,
'You are mistaken, the choice is not of God, he does not choose whom
he wills, but whom he sees will choose him! It is not his will, but
man's that decides the point.' Paul does not so answer, but
vindicates the doctrine of the divine sovereignty. The fact,
therefore, that Paul had to answer the same objections which are now
constantly urged against the doctrine of election, goes far to show
that the doctrine was his."

4. The purpose of God respecting his elect is immutable. As
Arminians hold that saints may fall from a state of grace, so they
maintain that a person who is one of the elect today, may become one
of the reprobate tomorrow. They affirm that "men may make their
election void,"—that "as they change themselves from believers to
unbelievers, so the divine determination concerning them changes."
But the Scripture expressly declares, that "the counsel of the Lord
stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." Psalm
33:11. Besides this general assurance of the immutability of his
counsel, it is affirmed that "the foundation of God stands sure,
having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his." 2 Timothy 2:19.
The purpose of God, according to election, shall stand; so that the
number of the elect can neither be increased nor diminished.

There is one circumstance connected with election that remains to be
noticed. The elect are stated to have been "chosen in Christ,"
which, indeed, is the express language of Scripture.—Ephesians 1:4.
This cannot mean that the mediatory work of Christ was the cause of
their election; for, as has been already shown, election proceeds
from the mere sovereign will of God; and the Scripture represents
the mission of our Savior as the effect of the love of God.—John
3:16. The mediation of Christ was necessary, in order that the
effects of electing love might be bestowed upon Gods chosen, in a
consistency with the rights and honor of his justice; but election
itself originated in divine sovereignty, and had no other cause than
the good pleasure of God's will.—Ephesians 1:5. The divine purpose
is one, embracing the means as well as the end; but according to our
conceptions of the operations of the divine minds the end is first
in intention, and then the means are appointed by which it is to be
carried into effect. The phrase, "chosen in Christ," signifies
therefore, we apprehend, that God had a respect to the mediation of
Christ, not as the cause of their election, but as the means by
which the purpose of election was to be executed.

SECTION 6. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has he, by
the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the
means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in
Adam, are redeemed by Christ; are effectually called unto faith in
Christ by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted,
sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation.
Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called,
justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.

Exposition of 3.6

In this section we have, first, a general statement, that, in the
divine purpose, the means and the end are inseparably connected. As
God appointed the elect to glory, so he appointed them to obtain
that glory in and through Christ, and on account of his merits
alone.—1 Thessalonians 5:9. He likewise appointed them to all those
means which are indispensably necessary to the enjoyment of that
glory; such as faith and sanctification, and perseverance therein to
the end.—2 Thessalonians 2:13. Thus, though the mediation of Christ
was not the cause of their election, yet his obedience and death
were the grand means appointed for the execution of that gracious
purpose; and though the Almighty chose no man to glory because of
his future faith and holiness, yet provision was made in the eternal
purpose of God for the faith and sanctification of all his chosen,
prior to their enjoyment of bliss. It is, therefore, a gross abuse
of the doctrine of election, for persons to expect that they shall
attain the end, while they neglect to use the appointed means. No
man acts in this manner in regard to the common affairs of life, and
to do so in matters of infinitely higher importance would be the
highest presumption and folly.

This section next states more particularly the means by which the
elect are brought to glory. They are redeemed by Christ, and his
redemption is effectually applied to them by the working of his
Spirit. In order to determine the import of the phrase "redeemed by
Christ," it is necessary to ascertain in what sense the word
redeemed is here used. The term redemption in Scripture frequently
signifies actual deliverance from sin and all its penal
consequences; but primarily and properly it means a deliverance
effected by the payment of a ransom. Hence, theologians have usually
distinguished between redemption by price, and redemption by power;
the latter coincides with actual deliverance; the former denotes the
payment of the price, by which Christ meritoriously procured the
deliverance of his people. When the Westminster Confession was
compiled, the term redemption was generally used as almost exactly
equivalent to the modern term atonement; and, of course, what was
then called general and particular redemption, corresponds to the
modern phrases, general and limited atonement. Some have contended
that in this section the term redemption is equivalent, not to the
payment of a price, but to the deliverance obtained through the
payment of a price; or, that the word redeemed is used as equivalent
to saved. But the section clearly distinguishes between the elect
being redeemed, and their being saved; and it represents their
redemption by Christ as being effected and completed previous to
their being effectually called unto faith in Christ. Their
justification, adoption, sanctification, and final salvation, are
just the blessings which constitute the deliverance obtained for
them through the death of Christ; and, therefore, their redemption
by Christ must signify, not the deliverance itself, but the payment
of the price which procured their deliverance. Their redemption by
Christ is already complete,—it was finished by Christ on the cross;
but their actual deliverance is to be effected in due
season,—namely, when they are united to Christ by faith.

In this section, then, we are taught,—1. That Christ, by his death,
did not merely render the salvation of all men possible, or bring
them into a salvable state, but purchased and secured a certain
salvation to all for whom he died.—John 17:4; Hebrews 4:12. 2. That
Christ died exclusively for the elect, and purchased redemption for
them alone; in other words, that Christ made atonement only for the
elect, and that in no sense did he die for the rest of the race. Our
Confession first asserts, positively, that the elect are redeemed by
Christ; and then, negatively, that none other are redeemed by Christ
but the elect only. If this does not affirm the doctrine of
particular redemption, or of a limited atonement, we know not what
language could express that doctrine more explicitly. It is
diametrically opposed to the system of the Arminians, who hold,
"that Jesus Christ, by his death and sufferings, made an atonement
for the sins of all mankind in general, and of every individual in
particular." It is not less opposed to the doctrine maintained by
many, that though the death of Christ had a special reference to the
elect, and, in connection with the divine purpose, infallibly
secures their salvation, yet that it has also a general reference,
and made an equal atonement for all men. The celebrated Richard
Baxter, who favored general redemption, makes the following remark
upon this and another section of our Confession—"Chapter 3 § 6, and
chapter 8 § 8, which speak against universal redemption, I
understand not of all redemption, and particularly not of the mere
bearing the punishment of man's sins, and satisfying God's justice,
but of that special redemption proper to the elect, which was
accompanied with an intention of actual application of the saving
benefits in time. If I may not be allowed this interpretation, I
must herein dissent." The language of the Confession, in my opinion,
will not admit of this interpretation; and, what is more, the Bible
is silent about this general redemption, or the general reference of
the death of Christ. The Savior himself declares, "I lay down my
life for the sheep;" and he affirms that the sheep for whom he laid
down his life are the definite number chosen by God, and given to
him in the eternal covenant, and to whom he will eventually give
eternal life.—John 10:15, 28, 29. "It is true, the Christian
religion being to be distinguished from the J