Page 51 - Absolute Predestination With Observations On The Divine Attributes

argument, in brief, amounts to this: they who are not saved from sin must
unavoidably perish, but the reprobate are not saved from sin (for they have
neither will nor power to save themselves, and God, though He certainly can,
yet He certainly will not save them), therefore their perdition is unavoidable.

Nor does it follow, from hence, that God forces the reprobate into sin, and
thereby into misery, against their wills, but that, in consequence of their natural
depravity (which it is not the Divine pleasure to deliver them out of, neither is

He bound to do it, nor are they themselves so much as desirous that He would),
they are voluntarily biassed and inclined to evil; nay, which is worse still, they
hug and value their spiritual chains, and even greedily pursue the paths of sin,

which lead to the chambers of death. Thus God does not (as we are slanderously
reported to affirm) compel the wicked to sin, as the rider spurs forward an
unwilling horse; God only says in effect that tremendous word, "Let them

alone" (Matt. 15.14). He need but slacken the reins of providential restraint and
withhold the influence of saving grace, and apostate man will too soon, and too
surely, of his own accord, "fall by his iniquity"; he will presently be, spiritually
speaking, a felo de se, and, without any other efficiency, lay violent hands on

his own soul. So that though the condemnation of the reprobate is unavoidable,
yet the necessity of it is so far from making them mere machines or involuntary
agents, that it does not in the least interfere with the rational freedom of their

wills, nor serve to render them less inexcusable.

POSITION 7.—The punishment of the non-elect was not the ultimate end of their

creation, but the glory of God. It is frequently objected to us that, according to
our view of predestination, "God makes some persons on purpose to damn
them," but this we never advanced; nay, we utterly reject it as equally unworthy

of God to do and of a rational being to suppose. The grand, principal end,
proposed by the Deity to Himself in His formation of all things, and of mankind
in particular, was the manifestation and display of His own glorious attributes.
His ultimate scope in the creation of the elect is to evidence and make known by

their salvation the unsearchable riches of His power and wisdom, mercy and
love, and the creation of the non-elect is for the display of His justice, power,
sovereignty, holiness and truth. So that nothing can be more certain than the

declaration of the text we have frequently had occasion to cite, "The Lord hath
made all things for Himself, even the wicked for the day of evil" (Prov. 16.). On
one hand, the "vessels of wrath are fitted for destruction," in order that God may

"show His wrath and make His power known," and manifest the greatness of
His patience and longsuffering (Rom. 9.32). On the other hand, He afore
prepared the elect to salvation, that on them He might demonstrate "the riches of