Orthodox Creed · Chapter 9

Of Predestination and Election

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1. The Decrees of God are founded on Infinite Wisdom, and situate in Eternity,^a and are Crowned with Infallibility as to the Event.^b Now Predestination unto Life, is the everlasting Purpose of God:^c whereby before the Foundation of the World was laid, he hath constantly Decreed in his Counsel secret to us,^d to deliver from Curse and Damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ,^e and bring them to everlasting Salvation, as Vessels made to Honour,^f through Jesus Christ, whom he Elected before the Foundation of the World,^g and is called God’s Elect, in whom his Soul delighteth;^h being the Lamb fore-ordained,ⁱ and so Predestinated unto the Superlative Glory of the Hypostatical Union.^j And this not for any foreseen Holiness in his Humane Nature (sith all that did flow out of the Hypostatical Union) being Elected of meer Grace, as are all the Members of his Mystical Body.^k And God the Father gave this his Elected and Beloved Son, for a Covenant to the People, and said, That his Covenant shall stand fast with him; and his Seed shall endure for ever.^l And albeit God the Father be the Efficient Cause of all good Things he intended to us,^m yet Christ is the Meriting Cause of all those good Things God intended to us in Election, (viz.) Repentance, Faith, and sincere Obedience to all God’s Commandments.ⁿ And so God the Father, that He might bring about the Eternal Salvation of his Elect, chose the Man Christ, with respect to his Humane Nature, out of the fallen lump of Mankind,^o which in the fulness of Time, he made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem those that were under it;^p that we might receive the Adoption of Sons.^q And though Christ came from Adam, as Eve did,^r yet not by Adam as Cain did,^s viz. by natural Propagation. Therefore without any stain of Sin,^t and this second Adam being by God’s Eternal Decree, excepted out of the first Covenant, as being neither God the Father, who was justly offended; nor yet sinful Adam, who had offended him in breaking of it. —— Therefore Christ the Second Adam was a fit Mediator between God and Man, to reconcile both in himself,^u by the shedding and sprinkling of his Blood, according to God’s Eternal Purpose in Electing of Christ, and of all that do, or shall believe in him; which Eternal Election, or Covenant-Transaction between the Father and Son,^v is very consistent with his revealed Will, in the Gospel.^w For we ought not to oppose the Grace of God in Electing of us, nor yet the Grace of the Son in Dying for all Men (and so for us); nor yet the Grace of the Holy Ghost in propounding the Gospel, and persuading us to believe it:^x For until we do believe, the effects of God’s displeasure are not taken from us; for the Wrath of God abideth on all them that do not believe in Christ;^y for the actual declaration in the Court of Conscience, is by Faith as an Instrument,^z (not for Faith as a Meriting Cause): for Christ is the Meriting Cause of eternal Life to all that believe, but not of God’s Will to give eternal Life to them, nor yet of God’s Decree to save us,^aa albeit we are chosen in Christ before the Foundation of the World. Now Faith is necessary as the way of our Salvation, as an Instrumental Cause:^bb but the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ, is necessary as a Meriting Cause of our Salvation;^cc therefore God’s Eternal Decree doth not oppose his revealed Will in the Gospel,^dd it being but one, not two divers or contrary Wills. For his Decree as King, decreeth the Event, or what shall be done infallibly; but his Command as a Law-giver,^ee sheweth not what shall be done, but what is the duty of Man to do, and leave undone: Therefore God hath (we believe) decreed, that Faith as the means, and Salvation as the end, shall be joyned together, that where one is, the other must be also:^ff for it is written, He that believeth, shall be saved.^gg Also, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.^hh Now here is a great Mystery indeed, for God so administreth his absolute Decree, that he leaveth as much place for an Efficacious Conditional-Dispensation,ⁱⁱ as if the Decree it self were conditional.

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