ewish in this main
point, that whereas the Jewish was restrained to Abraham's
posterity, and confined within one race and nation, the Christian
was to be preached to every creature, universal words are used
concerning the death of Christ; but as the words, 'preaching to
every creature,' and to 'all the world,' are not to be understood in
the utmost extent,—for then they have never been verified, since the
gospel has never yet, for anything that appears to us, been preached
to every nation under heaven,—but are only to be explained generally
of a commission not limited to one or more nations, none being
excluded from it; the apostles were to execute it, in going from
city to city, as they should be inwardly moved to it by the Holy
Spirit; so 'Calvinists' think, that those large words that are
applied to the death of Christ, are to be understood in the same
qualified manner; that no nation, or sort of men, are excluded from
it, and that some of all kinds and sorts shall be saved by him. And
this is to be carried no further, without an imputation on the
justice of God; for if he has received a sufficient oblation and
satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, it is not reconcilable
to justice, that all should not be saved by it, or should not at
least have the offer and promulgation of it made them; that so a
trial may be made, whether they will accept of it or not."

3. We are further taught, that salvation shall be effectually
applied by the Holy Spirit, to all those who were chosen of God, and
redeemed by Christ; and that it shall be effectually applied to them
alone. The elect are all in due time, by the power of the Spirit,
effectually called unto faith in Christ. "All that the Father gives
me shall come to me." John 6:37. "As many as were ordained to
eternal life believed." Acts 13:48. They are all justified, adopted,
sanctified, and shall be enabled to persevere in grace, and at
length their salvation shall be consummated in glory. "Whom he did
predestine, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also
justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Romans
8:30.

Thus our Confession, agreeably to Scripture, represents each of the
divine persons as acting a distinct part in the glorious work of
human redemption, and as entirely concurring in counsel and
operation. The Father chose a definite number of mankind sinners to
eternal life; the Son laid down his life for those who were chosen
in him before the foundation of the world, and obtained for them
eternal redemption, and the Holy Spirit applies the purchased
redemption to them in due season. Here all is perfect harmony. The
Son fulfills the will of the Father, and the Spirit's work is in
entire accordance with the purpose of the Father and the mediation
of the Son. But according to the scheme of general redemption, or of
universal atonement, this harmony is utterly destroyed. The Son
sheds his blood for multitudes whom the Father never purposed to
save, and the Spirit does not put forth the influence necessary to
secure the application of salvation to all for whom Christ died!

SECTION 7. The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the
unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extends or
withholds mercy as he pleases, for the glory of his sovereign power
over his creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonor and
wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.

Exposition of 3.7

This section describes what is usually called the decree of
reprobation. This term is not used in the Confession, and when it
occurs in Scripture, bears a different sense from the theological;
but for the sake of convenience, it is used to express that act of
God's will by which, when he viewed all mankind as involved in guilt
and misery, he rejected some, while he chose others. Some who allow
of personal and eternal election, deny any such thing as
reprobation. But the one unavoidably follows from the other; for the
choice of some must necessarily imply the rejection of others.
"Election and rejection are co-relative terms; and men impose upon
themselves, and imagine that they conceive what it is impossible to
conceive, when they admit election and deny reprobation.… There are
many passages of Scripture in which this doctrine is taught. We read
of some whose names are 'not written,' and who, consequently, are
opposed to those whose names are written, 'in the Book of Life;' who
are 'vessels of wrath fitted to destruction;' who were 'before of
old ordained to condemnation;' who 'stumble at the Word, being
disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed;' of persons whom
God is said to hate, while others he loves. Let any man carefully
and dispassionately read the 9th and the 11th chapters of the
Epistle to the Romans, and he will entertain no more doubt that some
are ordained to death, than that others are ordained to life."

Our Confession speaks of God's passing by some, and also ordaining
them to wrath; and we apprehend there is an important distinction
between the two. If the reason be inquired why God passed by some of
mankind sinners, while he elected others to life, it must be
resolved into the counsel of his own will, whereby he extends or
withholds mercy as he pleases. No doubt those whom God passed by
were considered as fallen and guilty creatures; but if there was sin
in them, there was sin also in those who were chosen to salvation;
we must, therefore, resolve their opposite allotment into the will
of God: "He has mercy upon whom he will have mercy, and whom he will
he hardens." Romans 9:18. As it would have been just in God to pass
by the whole of our race, and to deal with them as he did with the
angels who sinned, it must be manifest that, in electing some to
life, he did no injustice to the non-elect, whose case would have
been just as bad as it is, even supposing the others had not been
chosen at all. But if the reason be inquired why God ordained to
dishonor and wrath those whom he passed by, this must be resolved
into their own sin. In this act God appears as a judge, fixing
beforehand the punishment of the guilty; and his decree is only a
purpose of acting towards them according to the natural course of
justice. Their own sin is the procuring cause of their final ruin,
and therefore God does them no wrong. The salvation of the elect is
wholly "to the praise of his glorious grace," and the condemnation
of the non-elect is "to the praise of his glorious justice."

SECTION 8. The doctrine of this 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. So shall this doctrine afford matter of
praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,
diligence, and abundant consolation, to all that sincerely obey the
gospel.

Exposition of 3.8

The doctrine of predestination is, indeed, a high mystery—one of the
deep things of God, which our feeble intellects cannot fully
comprehend. In our inquiries about it, we ought to repress a vain
curiosity, and not attempt to be wise above what is written. But,
since the doctrine is revealed by God in his Word, it is a proper
subject for sober investigation, and ought to be published from the
pulpit and the press. Calvin justly remarks, "That those things
which the Lord has laid up in secret, we may not search; those
things which he has brought openly abroad, we may not neglect; lest
either on the one part we be condemned of vain curiosity, or on the
other part, of unthankfulness." Were this doctrine either dangerous
or useless, God would not have revealed it; and for men to attempt
to suppress it, is to arraign the wisdom of God, as though he
foresaw not the danger which they would arrogantly interpose to
prevent. "Whoever," adds Calvin, "labors to bring the doctrine of
predestination into misliking, he openly says evil of God; as though
somewhat had unadvisedly slipped from him which is hurtful to the
Church." This doctrine, however, ought to be handled with special
judgment and prudence, avoiding human speculations, and adhering to
what is plainly revealed in the Scriptures. When prudently
discussed, it will neither lead to licentiousness nor to despair;
but will eminently conduce to the knowledge, establishment, and
comfort of Christians.

It ought ever to be remembered, that no man can know his election
prior to his conversion. Wherefore, instead of prying into the
secret purpose of God, he ought to attend to his revealed will, that
by making sure his vocation, he may ascertain his election. The
order and method in which this knowledge may be attained is pointed
out by the Apostle Peter, when he exhorts Christians to "give all
diligence to make their calling and election sure." 2 Peter 1:10.
Their eternal election must remain a profound secret until it be
discovered to them by their effectual calling in time; but when they
have ascertained their calling they may thence infallibly conclude
that they were elected from eternity. Election, then, gives no
discouragement to any man in reference to obeying the calls and
embracing the offers of the gospel. The invitations of the gospel
are not addressed to men as elect, but as sinners ready to perish;
all are under the same obligation to comply with these invitations,
and the encouragement from Christ is the same to all,—"Him that
comes to me, I will in no wise cast out." And the doctrine of
election must have a sanctifying and consoling influence on all who
sincerely obey the gospel. It is calculated to inspire them with
sentiments of reverence and gratitude towards God; to humble their
souls in the dust before the eternal Sovereign; to excite them to
diligence in the discharge of duty; to afford them strong
consolation under the temptations and trials of life; and to animate
them with a lively hope of eternal glory.



4. Of Creation

SECTION 1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the
manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and
goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the
world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the
space of six days, and all very good.

Exposition of 4.1

By the word creation we are to understand the production and
formation of all things. I use two words, because creation is
twofold,—primary and secondary, or immediate and mediate. By the
former, is meant the production of something out of nothing; by the
latter, the formation of things out of pre-existing matter, but
matter naturally indisposed for such productions, and which never
could by any power of second causes have been brought into such a
form. This section teaches us—

1. That the world had a beginning. This will now be considered one
of the most obvious truths that can be stated, but it is one that
required to be confirmed by divine revelation. That the world
existed from eternity was generally maintained by the ancient
heathen philosophers. Some of them held, that not only the matter of
which the world is framed existed from eternity, but that it
subsisted in that beautiful form in which we behold it. Others
admitted that the heavens and the earth had a beginning in respect
of their present form, but maintained the eternity of the matter of
which they are composed. That the world had a beginning is the
uniform doctrine of the Scriptures.—Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2. This is
implied in the phrases, "before the foundation of the world,"
"before the world began." Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9.

According to the generally received chronology, the Mosaic creation
took place 4004 years before the birth of Christ. If, indeed, the
accounts of the Egyptians, Hindus, and Chinese, were to be credited,
we should believe that the universe has existed, in its present
form, for many millions of years; but these accounts have been
satisfactorily proved to be false. And as a strong presumption that
the world has not yet existed 6000 years, it has been often remarked
that the invention of arts, and the erection of the earliest
empires, are of no great antiquity, and can be traced back to their
origin.

2. That creation is the work of God. Often does God claim this work
as one of the peculiar glories of his Deity, to the exclusion of all
others.—Isaiah 44:24; 45:12. The work of creation, however, is
common to all the three persons of the Trinity. It is ascribed to
the Father,—1 Corinthians 8:6; to the Son,—John 1:3; to the Holy
Ghost.—Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13. All the three persons are one God. We
must not, therefore, suppose that in creation the Father is the
principal agent, and the Son and the Holy Spirit inferior agents, or
mere instruments. In all external works of Deity, each of the
persons of the Godhead equally concur.

3. That creation extends to "the world, and all things therein,
whether visible or invisible." This is expressly declared in many
passages of Scripture: "God made the world, and all things therein."
Acts 17:24. "By him were all things created that are in Heaven, and
that are in earth, visible and invisible." Colossians 1:16. This
certainly includes angels. We have no reason to think that their
creation preceded the period of the Mosaic creation; and they are
generally supposed to have been created on the first day.

4. That the world, and all things therein, were created "in the
space of six days." This, also, is the express language of
Scripture: "For in six days the Lord made Heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is." Exodus 20:11. The modern discoveries of
geologists have led them to assign an earlier origin to the
materials of which our globe is composed than the period of the six
days, commonly known by the name of the Mosaic creation; and various
theories have been adopted in order to reconcile the geological and
Mosaic records. Some have held that all the changes which have taken
place in the materials of the earth occurred either during the six
days of the Mosaic creation, or since that period; but, it is urged,
that the facts which geology establishes prove this view to be
utterly untenable. Others have held that a day of creation was not a
natural day, composed of twenty-four hours, but a period of an
indefinite length. To this it has been objected, that the sacred
historian, as if to guard against such a latitude of interpretation,
distinctly and pointedly declares of all the days, that each of them
had its "evening and morning,"—thus, it should seem, expressly
excluding any interpretation which does not imply a natural day.
Others hold that the materials of our globe were in existence, and
under the active operation of creative powers, for an indefinite
period before the creation of man, and that the inspired record,
while it gives us no information respecting the pre-existing
condition of the earth, leaves ample room for a belief that it did
pre-exist, if from any other source traces of this should be
discovered by human research. The first verse of the 1st chapter of
Genesis, in their opinion, merely assert