de aeterna et salvifica electorum filiorum Dei prsedestinatioiie Deo gloria sua omnis solids tribuitui', quod videlicet raera et gratuita niisericordia in Christo (absque omnibus nostris mentis aut bonis operibus) salvos nos faciat, secundum voluntatis suae propositum.
Eph. i. 5 sq Falsuni igitur est et cum verbo Dei pugnat,
cum docetur, quod non sola Dei misericordia, et unicum sanctissi- nium Chrlsti meritum, verum etiam aliquid in nobis causa sit elec- tionis divinae, propter quod nos Deus ad vitam aeternam praedesti- naverit. Non enim tantum antequam aliquid boni faceremus, verum etiam priusquam nasceremur, imo ante jacta fundamenta mundi elegit nos Deus in Christo. Ut secundum electionem pro- positum Dei maneret, non ex operibus, sed ex vocante, dictum est ei : Major serviet minori. Rom. 9, [11.] " ^
As to the perseverance of the saints, it is said, " Cum etiam electio nostra ad vitam aeternam non virtutibus aut justitia nostra, sed solo Christi merito, et benigna coelestis Patris voluntate nita- tur, qui seipsum negare non potest (cum in voluntate et essentia sua sit immutabilis), earn ob causam, quando fiHi ipsius obedien- tiam non praestant, sed in peccata labuntur, per verbum eos ad poenitentiam revocat, et Spiritus Sanctus per verbum vult in iis effi- cax esse, ut in viam redeant, et vitam emendent." ^ The older Lutheran theologians adhered to this doctrine. Hutter ^ asks, " Siccine ergo electi non possunt excidere gratia Dei ? Immo vero possunt ; sed ita, ut per veram poenitentiam et fidem sese rursus virtute Spiritus Sancti ad Deum convertant et ad vitam re- deant. Nisi enim redirent, non essent in numero electorum."
But if all men since the fall are in a state of spiritual death, ut- terly unable to do anything to secure the grace of God, or to give that grace, when offered, a saving effect ; if election is not a mere general purpose to save those who believe, but a purpose to save |)articular individuals ; if that purpose is of God's mere good pleas- ure, and not founded upon anything actual or foreseen in its ob- jects ; if, moreover, it is the cause of salvation, and renders the salvation of its objects certain ; then it would seem inevitably to follow, that although the judicial reason why the non-elect fail of salvation is their own sin, yet the reason why they, and not oth- ers equally guilty are left to suffer the penalty of their sins, is to be found in the sovereignty of God. " Even so. Father ; for so it seemed good in thy sight." This, however, the Lutherans of that day could not admit ; and therefore, with what Guoricke calls
1 XI. Ixxxvii., Ixxxviii., Base, p. 821. ^ xi. Ixxv; Ihid. p. 817.
8 Compendium Locorum Tkeclorjicum, loc xiii- qu. 30; ^yittenbe^g, 1650, p. 159.
'724 PART III. Ch. XIV. — vocation.
" gottlicli nothwendiger Verstandes-Inconsequenz " ^ (a divinely necessitated logical inconsistency), they rejected that consequence of their avowed principles. In this illogical position the theologi- ans of the Lutheran Church could not remain, and therefore, since Gerhard (who died A. D. 1637), they have adopted the moi'e con- sistent scheme which has already been exhibited. According to that scheme, God sincerely not only desires, but purposes the salvation of all men ; He makes abundant provision for the salvation of all ; sends grace and truth to all, which grace and truth become cer- tainly efficacious, unless resisted. Those whom God foresees will not resist, He elects to eternal life ; those whom He foresees will resist unto the end. He foreordains to eternal death.
Reformed Church.
The experience of the Reformed Church conformed to that of the Lutheran, in so far as that the same defection from the original confessional doctrines occurred in both. As the followers of Me- lancthon adopted the theory of synergism, or of the cooperation of the sinner in his own regeneration, on which cooperation his fate de- pended, substantially the same view was adopted by the Remon- strants or Arminians within the pale of the Reformed Church. The departure of the Remonstrants from the principles of the Reformation, as to original sin, grace, ability, the satisfaction of Christ, justification and faith, was far more serious than that which occurred among the Lutherans. Another marked difference be- tween the two cases is, that the synergistic controversy resulted in a modification of the Lutheran scheme of doctrine whicli became general and permanent ; wdiereas the Remonstrants or Arminians formed a distinct ecclesiastical organization outside of the Reformed churches Avhich adhered to the Reformed faith. The peculiar doc- trines of the Remonstrants, both as to sin and as to grace, were stated above ; ^ and also those of the Evangelical or Wesleyan Armin- ians.^ The decision of the Synod of Dort, condemnatory of the Ar- minian doctrines, was unanimous. That Synod included delegates from all the Reformed churches except that of France, whose del- egates were prevented from attending by an order from the King. The established churches of England and Scotland, as well as those of Holland, Germany, and Switzerland were represented. The judgment of the Synod was therefore the judgment of the Reformed Church. In accordance with the acknowledged Sym-
1 Kirchengeschichte, Per. vii. B. cap. ii. § 203, 6th edit. Leipzig, 1846, vol. iii. p. 419.
2 Pages 327, 328. 8 pages 329, 330.