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I must preach the Gospel of Christ, and this I cannot now do without speaking of election. Dallimore, Whitefield, II, p. 41
For my part I cannot see how true humbleness of mind can be attained without a knowledge of [the doctrine of election]; and though I will not say, that every one who denies election is a bad man, yet I will say, with that sweet singer, Mr. Trail, it is a very bad sign: such a one, whoever he be, I think cannot truly know himself; for, if we deny election, we must, partly at least, glory in ourselves; but our redemption is so ordered, that no flesh should glory in the Divine presence; and hence it is, that the pride of man opposes this doctrine, because, according to this doctrine, and no other, "he that glories must glory only in the Lord. Haykin, ed., Revived Puritan, pp. 97-98
some things are sins and punishment of sin simultaneously, some are sins and the cause of sin, but others are sins and the cause and punishment of sin.The Sentences, Book 2, Distinction 36, C1
she was formed not from just any part of his body, but from his side, so that it should be shown that she was created for the partnership of love, lest, if perhaps she had been made from his head, she should be perceived as set over man in domination; or if from his feet, as if subject to him in servitudeThe Sentences, Book 2, Dist 18, Ch 2
Here [is stated] according to what reprobation is considered. Similarly, God's reprobation, by which he has reprobated some from eternity by not electing them, is considered according to two things, of which he foreknows one, but does not prepare it, that is, iniquity; the other he foreknows and prepares, namely eternal punishment.The Sentences, Book 1, Dist 40
We make our election sure by making our calling sure: "God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification." By the streams we come at last to the fountain. If we find the stream of sanctification running in our souls, we may by this come to the springhead of election. I do not look up into the secret of God's purpose, yet I may know I am elected by the shining of sanctifying grace in my soul. Whosoever he be that can find the word of God transcribed and copied out into his heart may undeniably conclude he is elected of God.
It is true that God, before the foundation of the world, fully determined with Himself whom to choose to salvation by grace, to which also He ordained them, and whom to pass by and leave in their sins, for which He determined in His just wrath to condemn them. But who these be is a secret which even the elect themselves cannot know until they be effectually called—nay, nor being called, until by some experience and proofs of their faith and holiness, they do understand the witness of the Spirit, which testifies to their spirits that they are the children of God and do make their calling and election, which was always sure in God, sure to themselves.
God did choose some rather than others out of His mere good pleasure. There was no cause, motive, or condition in the party chosen moving the Lord to choose Him and pass by others. But whereas God might have utterly rejected all, of His free grace and mercy He had compassion on some. Thus, the apostle teacheth that he did predestinate us according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph. 1:5). If He had chosen some (as Peter, for example) because He foresaw they would be good and die in the faith and had refused others (as Judas) because He foresaw they would be wicked and obstinate despisers of His gospel, this had not been an act of grace; it had not set forth the glory of that attribute but rather of His distributive justice.
Election indeed is first in order of divine acting—God chooses before we believe, yet faith is first in our acting—we must believe before we can know we be elected; yea, by believing we know it. The husbandman knows it is spring by the sprouting of the grass, though he hath no [astronomy] to know the position of the heavens; thou mayest know thou art elect as surely by a work of grace in thee as if thou hadst stood by God's elbow when He writ thy name in the Book of Life. It had been presumption for David to have thought he should have been king till Samuel anointed him, but then none at all.
Election, I say, is expressed to us by all that God means to bestow upon us actually to eternity, forever and ever, which He "hath prepared for them that love him"; so the phrase is (1 Cor. 2:9). And verse 12: "We have received…the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God"—that is, given us when He first set His heart upon us. My brethren, when God first began to love you, He gave you all that He ever meant to give you in the lump, and eternity of time is that in which He is retailing of it out.
The counsel of God concerning election is secret. The minister knows not who are the objects of it and therefore must preach to all, according to his commission. The Lord deals in this as in the matter of lots. Saul was foreappointed to be king, yet all Israel must come together and lots must be cast on the whole nation, as if the person were yet undesigned (1 Sam. 9:16; 10:20–21). The falling of the lot was wholly contingent as to men; another might have been taken as well as he it fell upon. But the Lord disposed it and casts it on the right person (Prov. 16:33). So, touching the gospel: it is sent to a place where, perhaps, but one or very few elect persons are, and those only shall be taken by it; and yet it must be published to the whole city promiscuously.Practical Discourses
being a doctrine of so great importance, be not indifferent about it. Put yourself on the trial touching your interest in it and bring forth your evidences for it. Observe what are the properties of God's elect, and see if they stand on your side. Practical Discourses
Heaven was made at the beginning of the world, but election was before. Practical Discourses
Election is absolute. In this are two things of great import— irrevocableness and independency. The decree is irrevocable on God's part, and independent as to human performances. The Lord will not go back from His to save His people, nor shall their unworthiness or averseness make void or hinder His most gracious intendment. And hence those various expressions of the same thing— namely, predestinate, ordain, prepare, appoint—have nothing subjoined that is like a conditional. There is, indeed, a kind of conditions, or rather qualifications, that must and always do precede the final completement of election, as "repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," which, therefore, may be called conditionals of salvation, but not so to election.
Our election passively is God's actively. God's eternal purpose [is] to reconcile us. But how should this be made sure unto our hearts without their believing and considering that God has eternal purposes about that matter?
The marvel of marvels is not that God, in His infinite love, has not elected all this guilty race to be saved, but that He has elected any.
the term faith is taken in three ways, namely for that by which one believes, and it is a virtue; also, for that by which one believers, and it is not a virtue; also, for that which is believed, which is different from that by which one believes.The Sentences, Book 3, Dist 23, C3
it was not a nature that took on a person, nor a person a person, but a person a nature.The Sentences, Book 3, Dist 5, Chapter 1
in that first state, he had the power to die and the power not to die; and this was the first immortality of the human body, namely the power not to die. But in his second state, after sin, he had the power to die and no power not to die, because in this state it is a necessity to die. In his third state, he shall have the power not to die and no power to die, because to that state pertains the impossibility of dying; this will be from grace, not from nature.The Sentences, Book 2, Dist 19, Ch 1
man was made in the image and likeness of God in respect to his mind, by which he excels irrational creatures; in his image, however, according to memory, intelligence, and love; in his likeness according to innocence and justice, which are naturally in the rational mind.The Sentences, Book 2, Dist 16, Ch3
if it is asked for what is the rational creature created, answer: to praise God, to serve him, to enjoy him. By these things the creature profits, not God.The Sentences, Book 2, Dist 1.
As God prepared some for punishment from eternity, so he prepared others for glory.The Sentences Book 1, Dist 47
Here is stated what the effect of predestination is. For the effect of predestination is that grace by which we are justified in the present and are assisted to live rightly and to persevere in the good, and also the grace by which we are blessed in the future.The Sentences, Book 1, Dist 40
He predestined those whom he elected, but he reprobated the rest, that is, he foreknew that they would sin to eternal death.The Sentences, Book 1, Dist.39
As to the objection which they make from the Gospel (John 15:26), we respond as follows: Although in that text Truth says that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, he does not add alone, and so he does not deny that the Spirit proceeds also from himself. But he names the Father alone, "because he usually refers to the Father even that which is his own," because he has it from the Father.The Sentences, Book 1, D-XI, Ch1
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