"■7.^
hols of that Church, the Synod decided, (1.) Tliat " all mankind sinned in Adam and became exposed to the curse and eternal death. That God would have done no injustice to any one, if He had determined to leave the whole human race under sin and the curse." ^ (2.) " That God out (jf the human race, fallen by their fault into sin and destruction, accordin-r to the most free good l)leasure of his own will, and of mere grace, chose a certain num- ber of men, neither better nor worthier than others, .... to salvation in Christ." ^ (3.) That this decree to elect "a certain number" to eternal life, involves of necessity and according to the teaching of Scripture, a purpose to pass by, and leave those not elected to suffer the just punishment of their sins.^ (4.) That God out of infinite and unmerited love sent his Son " efficacious- ly to redeem " all those " who were from eternity chosen unto salvation and given to Him by the Father." * (5.) That Christ makes satisfaction for us, being " made sin and a curse iipon the cross for us, or in our stead," and that " this death of the Son of God is a single and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sins, of infinite value and })i*ice abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world." ^ "The promise of the Gospel is, that who- soever believeth in Christ crucified shall not perish, but have eternal life. Which promise ought to be announced and proposed, promiscuously and indiscriminately, to all nations and men to whom God, in his good pleasure, hath sent the Gospel, with the command to repent and believe." ^ "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 insufficiency of the sacrifice offered by Christ upon the cross, but from their own fault." '^ This general invitation or call is perfectly sincere on the part of God ; " for sincerely and most truly God shows in his Word what is pleasing to Him ; namely, that they who are called should come to Him. And He sincerely promises to all who come to Him, and believe, the peace of their souls and eternal life." ^ That some do come and are converted, " is not to be as- cribed to man, as if he distinguished himself by free-will from others furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conver- sion (which the proud heresy of Pelagius states) but to God, wdio, as He chose his own people in Christ from eternity, so He eflpec- tually calls them in time."^ " This regeneration is declared in the
1 Chapter i. art. 1. 2 Chapter i. art. 7. 8 Chapter i. art 15.
* Chapter ii. art. 8. 6 Chapter ii. art 3. « Chapter ii. art 5.
» Chapter ii. art 6. 8 Chapter iii. art 9. » Chapter iii. art 10
726 PART m. Ch. XIV. - vocation.
Scriptures to be a new creation, a resurrection from the dead, a giving of life which God without us (that is, without our concur- rence) worketh in us. And this is by no means effected by the doctrine alone sounding without, by moral suasion, or by such a mode of operation, that after the operation of God (as far as He is concerned) it should remain in the power of man, to be regen- erated or not regenerated, converted or not converted ; but it is manifestly an operation supernatural, at the same time most pow- erful, most sweet, wonderful, secret, ineffable in its power, accord- ing to Scripture (which is inspired by the author of this operation) not less than, or inferior to, creation, or the resurrection of the dead." ^ " This grace God owes to no man." He who receives it must render everlasting thanks ; he who does not receive it, either cares not for spiritual things, and rests satisfied with himself, or, secure, he vainly boasts that he has that which he has not.^ " This divine grace of regeneration does not act upon men like stocks and trees, or take away the properties of his will, or vio- lently compel it while unwilling ; but it spiritually quickens (vivi- fies), heals, corrects, and sweetly, and at the same time powerfully inclines it." ^ " Those whom God, according to his purpose, calletii to fellowship of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and regenerates by his Holy Spirit, He indeed sets free from the dominion and slavery of sin, but not entirely in this life from the flesh and the body of sin."* Because of these remains of sin, believers, if left to them- selves, would fall away, " but God is faithful, who confirms them in the grace once mercifully conferred upon them, and powerfully preserves them in the same even unto the end." ^
Hypothetical Universalism.
A class of theologians in the Reformed Church who did not agree with the Remonstrants against whom the decisions of the Synod of Dort, sustained by all branches of the Reformed body, were directed, wei'e still unable to side with the great mass of their brethren. The most distinguished of these theologians were Amy- raut. La Place, and Cappellus. Their views have already been briefly stated in the sections treating of mediate imputation ; and of the order of decrees and of the design of redemption. These de- partures from the accepted doctrines of the Reformed Church pro- duced protracted agitation, not in France only but also in Holland
1 Chapter iii. art. 12. 2 Chapter iii. art. 15.
* Chapter iii. art. 6. * Chapter v. art. 1.
s Clupter V. art 3. See Niemeyer, CoUecHo Cbnfessionum, Leipzig, 1840, pp. 693-710.