II. Doctrinet ofDort (Infralapsarian).— The contro- versy with the Bemonstrants on the five points (see Arhikianibm; Rbmonstbakts) led to the clearer definition of the doctrines in question by the Synod of Dort, ^Ich revised to accept the supralapsarian view, at least in terms. See the Confettiont and Can-' out of the Synod of Dort tor the tail stai/emeDt, The fol- lowing summing up is given by Watson, tnm Scott's Synod of Dort, of the five articles which constitute the standard of what is now generally called strict Calvin- ism:
(1.) " CfPredettinatian,^AB all men have sinned hi Adiam, and have become exposed to the curse and eternal death, God would have done no injustice to any one if he had determined to leave the whole human race under sin and the curse, and to condemn them on account of sin ; according to those words of the apos- tle, * All the world is become guilty before God' (Rom. iii, 19, 28; vi, 23). That some, m time, have frith given them by God, and others have it not given, pro- ceeds firom his eternal decree; for * known unto God are all his worlu fh)m the beginning,' etc. (Acts xv, 18 ; Eph. i, 11). According to which decree he gra- ciously softens the hearts of the elect, however hard, and he bends them to believe ; but the non-elect he leaves, in hb Judgment, to their own perversity and hardness. And here, especially, a deep discrimina^ tion, at the same time both merdfhl and Just; a dis- crimination of men equally lost, opens itself to us ; or that decree of election and reprobation which is re- vealed in the word of God, which, as perverse, im- pure, and unstable persons do wrest to their own de- struction, so it affords ineffable consolation to holy and pious souls. But election is the immutable purpose of God, by which, before the foundations of the world were laid, he chose, out of the whole human race, fdl-
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en by fheir own fkolt from their primeral integrity into sin and destruction, according to tlie most free ffoodpUagur€ of his own will, and of mere grace, a cer- tain niunber of men, neither better nor worthier than others, bnt lying in the same misery with the rest, to salvation in Clirist, whom he had, even from eternity, oonstitated Mediator and head of all the elect, and the foundation of salvation ; and therefore he decreed to give them nnto him to be saved, and effectually to call and draw them into communion with him by his word and Spirit ; or he decreed himself to give unto them true faith, to justify, to sanctify, and at length power- frdly to glorify them, etc. (Eph. i, 4-6 ; Bom. viii, 80). This same election is not made from any foreseen fiuth, obedience of fidth, holiness, or any other good quality and disposition, -as ti prerequitUe cause or condition in the man who should be elected, etc. ' He hath chosen us,' not because we were, but * that we mighi be holy,* (Eph. i, 4 ; Bom. ix, 11-18 ; Acts ziii, 48). Moreover, holy Scripture doth illustrate and commend to us this etemid and free grace of our election, in this more es- pecially, that it doth testify all men not to be elected ; bnt that some are non-elect, or pasted fry, in the eter- nal election of God, whom truly God, frv>m most firee, just, iireprehensible, and immutable good pleasure, decreed to leave in the common misery into which they had, by their own fault, cast themselves ; and not to bestow on them living faith, and the grace of conver- sion ; but having been left in their own ways, and un- der just judgment, at length, not only on account of their unbelief, bnt also of all their other sins, to con- demn and eternally punish them, to the manifestation of his own justice. And this is the decree of rqnvbo' tion^ which determines that God is in no wise the au- thor of sin (which, to be thought of, is blasphemy), but a tremendous, incomprehensible, just judge and aven- ger."
(2.) ''Cfthe Death of Ckrist.'^—Vusing over, for breve's sake, what is said of the necessity of atone- ment in order to pardon, and of Christ having offered that atonement and satisfeu^on, it is added, *^This death of the Son of God is a single and most perfect sacrifice and satisfkcdon for sins, of infinite value and price, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world ; but because many who are called by the Gospel do not repent, nor believe in Christ, but per- ish in unbelief; this doth not arise from defect or in- sufficiency of the sacrifice offiBied by Christ upon the cross, bnt firom their own fiiult. God willed thatChrist, through the blood of the cross, should out of every peo- ple, tribe, nation, and language, ^ficaciousiy redeem all those, and those onfy, who were from eternity cho- sen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer on them the gift of fruth," etc.
(3.) ^* Of Man's Chrruption, etc. — ^All men are con- ceived in sin, and bom the children of wrath, indis- posed (tngite') to all saving good, prepense to evil, dead in sin, and Uie slaves of sin ; and without the regener- ating grace of the Holy Spirit, they neither are willing nor aUe to return to God, to correct their depraved na- ture, or to dispose themselves to the correction of it."