BOOK 2. FROM ETERNITY.
CHAPTER 1.
2.1.6. The Foreknowledge.
The Foreknowledge.
Of the foreknowledge of God, in this respect we read in scriptures, Christ is said to be "delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God," Acts ii. 23. And it is said of Christ's members, "The called according to his purpose, whom he did foreknow," Rom. viii. 29. And elsewhere in the same epistle, "God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew," Rom. xi. 2. And Peter writes "to the strangers, elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father," 1 Pet. i. 2. Understand, that foreknowledge is ascribed to God in respect of the creature properly; but in respect of God there is nothing past, nothing to come; all things past, and all things to come are present to him; and therefore in that sense he cannot be said to foreknow anything. Now the Lord in respect of us is said in scripture to foreknow things or persons two ways.
1. Generally, By a general knowledge, of which David speaks; "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them," Psalm cxxxix. 16.
2. Specially, By a more special foreknowledge, which is a knowledge with love and approbation; the very same which barely comprehendeth that we call election, so God's choosing is expressed by loving, "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated," Rom. ix. 13. And this is that which the apostle speaks of, "The Lord knoweth who are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19. i.e. the Lord from everlasting knoweth his with love and with approbation, "Hath God cast away his people, which he foreknew?" Rom. xi. 2. i.e., which he before loved and approved. Hence we gather, that after the project was laid, and the counsels of God were agreed upon it, then God foreknew or foresaw whom to embrace in his eternal love as his own. At one act he foreknew whom he would choose, and set apart of his own free love, to life and salvation; and here you have the cause of God's predestinating of his saints to glory, it was only the foreknowledge, and free love of God; the Lord from everlasting, and before the foundation of the world foreordained, or foreappointed, some to salvation, nothing moving him thereunto but his own good pleasure, and his own free love. This is it that in order of nature, and strictly, goes before, and is the cause of our predestination, "for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate," Rom. viii. 29. First he foreknew, and then he did predestinate; first he loved, and then he elected: first he embraced them as his own in the arms of his eternal love, and then of his free love he set them apart to life, and to salvation: hence the apostle calls it, "the election of grace," Rom. xi. 5. signifying that our election springs out of the womb of love; free love, free grace is the cause of our election.
Some object. That we are predestinated and elected according to foreknowledge, i.e. say they, according to the foreknowledge of our faith, and repentance and perseverance: but if that were Paul's foreknowledge, why then would he say. That "those whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son," Rom. viii. 29, if God did foreknow them first conformed, why did he then predestinate them to be conformed? And if that were Peter's foreknowledge, why then would he say, "That they were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, -- unto obedience:" 1 Pet. i. 3. If God did foreknow them first obedient, how then did he "foreknow them unto obedience!" I know it is a question, whether God in foresight "of belief and perseverence in faith and holiness, do choose us to salvation?" For my part I am for the negative, upon these well known grounds.
1. Because election on faith foreseen makes God to go out of himself, looking to this or that in the creature, upon which his will may be determined to elect; now this is against the all-sufficiency of God's knowledge, as if he should get knowledge from the things we know; and against the all-sufficiency of God's will, as if he must be beholden to something in us, before the business of our election can be determined.
2. Because election on faith or love foreseen, it makes God to choose us when we have chosen him, and to love us when we have loved him first? But this is contrary to scripture, "We love him, because he loved us first; and herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins," 1 John iv. 19.
3. Because election on faith foreseen, stands not with the freedom of God's will with himself, but God tells us plainly, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion," Rom. ix. 15, 16 . See Jo. Goodwin's expos. on Rom. ix. 15, 16. I know some would not have this text understood of election from eternity, but of justification, adoption, salvation, and yet they grant the truth of it to be alike, whether in reference to election, or justification: the words; "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," are one and the same with these words spoken by God to Moses, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious," Exod. xxxiii. 19. Now, to be gracious, as is confessed, properly imports a propenseness of mind and will to do some signal good without any motive or engagement thereunto from without, especially from the person or persons to whom this good is done, or intended: which is a plain argument, that "I will have mercy," is not of that kind of mercy, the exercise whereof is drawn out, or procured by anything whatsoever in those to whom it is showed, but because it pleaseth itself, or him in whom it resideth so to do; and in this respect mercy differs very little, or nothing at all from grace: the apostle exchanging Moses's words, was but his interpreter.
4. Because election on faith foreseen, is all one as to say. We are ordained to eternal life because we believe; but the scripture speaks contrary, "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed," Acts xiii. 48. And not as many as believed were ordained to eternal life.
5. Because a prime and eternal cause cannot depend upon the selfsame temporal effects which are thereby caused: now, election is the prime and eternal cause whence our faith, repentance, and perseverance were derived, and therefore our faith, repentance, and perseverance cannot be imagined antecedent causes, conditions, or motives unto the divine election.
6. Because election on faith foreseen, or election of men believing and persevering in faith and holiness unto the last gasp, brings with it many absurdities. As,
(a). This is to elect men, not considered as in the state of innocency, nor of misery, but as in a state of grace, contrary to their own tenets.
(b). This is not to bring faith, holiness, perseverance out of the gracious benefit of election, but to bring election out of the foreseen acts of believing, obeying, persevering, quite contrary to scriptures, "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love," Eph. i. 4.
(c). This were to say, that election or predestination affords no man any help at all, in the way unto eternal salvation; for how can that be the cause leading infallibly in the way into eternal life, which comes not so much as into consideration, until a man have run out his race (at least in God's foreknowledge) in faith and godliness, and be arrived at heaven's gates. Such a falsely named predestination might more truly and properly have been called a postdestination.
But I have too long stood on this controversy, and indeed it is against my design, "Which is not to minister questions, but rather edifying, which is in faith," 1 Tim. i. 4. I remember what I have read, and indeed I begin already to feel, that these controversial points will but discompose our spirits, and waste our zeal, our love, our delight in Jesus (this lovely subject and object we are a viewing) even by the interruption and diversion of our own contemplations. Not a word more in that kind.