Leaves From the
Book
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF
GOD
THE sovereignty of God is what alone gives rest to the
Christian heart in view of a world full of evil. which is gone astray from Him.
To know that after all, spite of the rebellion of the creature, things are as
absolutely in His hand as ever they were - that still with the apostle we can
adore "one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all," - this
brings, and alone brings, full relief. Still He rules over all, and where evil
cannot be turned to good, limits and forbids it: He maketh the wrath of man to
praise Him, and the remainder of wrath (what would go beyond this) He
restrains.
The shepherd-rod, the type of power exercised in love, out of
the hand to which it belongs, and become a serpent, is the vivid picture of
what we see on every side. The prince of this world is not Christ, but Satan
but it was the sign of a deliverer for Israel that Moses had but to stretch
forth his hand and take back to him what was already his, for it to become a
rod in his hand once more. For us, how sweet is this assurance the rod had not
jumped out of Moses' hand, but was cast out: and even when cast out, it was
fully under his control : so is it with the government of this world : for Him
who rules it, even disobedience works obediently Satan, meaning nothing less,
accomplishes His purposes as do the holy angels which wait around His throne.
Through all, spite of all, He yet "worketh all things after the counsel of His
own will." " He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among
the inhabitants of earth : and none can stay His handl, or say unto Him. What
doest Thou We rest, for we know Who reigns. It is not mere sovereignty, the
almighty despotism of mere will, to which we 6ow because we must, hut the
sovereignty of wisdom, holiness, and goodness, - of One in whom love is
revealed in light. How strange and saddening that in any phase of it the
sovereignty of God should be an unwelcome theme to a Christian heart! Surely,
one would say, there must be something very wrong with the state of such an
one, or with the manner of its presentation to him, or with both, for this to
he the case. Yet is it not so, that the sovereignty of God in salvation, - and
where else is the thought so simple and so necessary? - is by the large mass of
Christians perhaps a thing most vehemently denied; and even where entertained,
is entertained with coldness and suspicion. The truths of election and
predestination, while the favourite cavil in the mouths of unbelievers, are
undoubtedly, by many who receive them, received with inward shrinking, as at
most necessary, rather than really approved. And both causes named no doubt
contribute to this result.
Yet if God be (what He must be to be God,)
perfect goodness, and wisdom without fault, what could one possibly desire, but
that everything should he absolutely in His hand, plastic to and moulded by His
blessed will, working, according to plan and forethought, His eternal purpose?
It is not possible to conceive objection on the part of any, worthy of the
least respect. But this is all that predestination can at all imply. It is the
simple and necessary result of a really dlivine government, - of the supremacy
of One who lacks neither wisdom nor power, nor benevolent interest in the work
of His own hands. I know, of course, the objection that will be raised. "Open
your eyes," it will he said, "and look around!
Is the world as you see it
just what you would expect as the fruit of a wise and perfect and omnipotent
will? What of the suffering that abounds on every side? and what of the sin?
Can you say of that it is the will of God, and attribute to Him still nothing
but perfection?"
It is of course true that we find around us a very
different state of things from what we could have at all imagined from the
necessary perfection of an almighty Creator and Governor. Nor dare we ascribe
moral evil to the direct will of Him from whom it is a revolt. Nevertheless the
doctrine of predestination remains our only comfort and support in this
perplexity: to give it up would be to abandon ourselves to the despair of good
as the final goal to which all tends. If the rebellion of His creatures has
thus far thwarted the will of God, and filled the world with an unanticipated
or unavoidable confusion, who can say how this may perplex the final result? On
the other hand, complete foresight of all being His, with full power to avert
whatever will not fall into harmony with His purposes, predestination of all
things may be safely maintained. God is neither made the Author of sin, nor
compelled helplessly to admit defeat at the hands of men. And this is what
Scripture asserts as the truth of His government: "He worketh all things after
the counsel of His own will." - " Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee;
the remainder of wrath " - foreseen in its issue as not glorifying Him, - "
Thou shalt restrain." (Ps. lxxvi. io.) It may be said by some, "This is not
predestination: this is only government." But what is worthy of God to do, it
is worthy of God, - and only worthy of Him, - to determine before, or from
eternity, to do. This fore-determination, or predestination, alters in no wise
the character of what He does in its appointed time. It frees it only from the
character of after-thought, which would imply weakness and change in Him. And
thus we can say, "Known unto God are all His works from eternity
Thus,
take the worst act the world has ever seen - the crucifixion of Christ; it can
be said, Of a truth, against Thy holy Servant Jesus, whom Thou hast
anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of
Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel
determined before to be done. (Acts iv. 27, 28.) If in this act then, in
all acts whatever we are privileged to read the hand and foreordination of God;
and thus alone everywhere the darkness is no more unrelieved. The will of man
is recognized in all this, and not set aside. Certainly we are nowhere led,
from Scripture, to think of him as a mere intellectual machine, moved
necessarily by influences external to himself, but as a being free. and
responsible, though now, alas! fallen, and be come the willing slave of sin. As
to this, we shall see more directly. It is certain that in no wise are we to
think of God as determining to evil the wills of His creatures, or as involving
them, whether by (what is to them) the accident of their birth or in any other
way, in irretrievable ruin. This Scripture unites with our own consciences to
assure us of. There may be difficulties, and there are; but however even
insoluble may be the mystery, God has given us that within us which witnesses
unfailingly for Him, that mans evil and mans ruin are of himself
alone. How, spite of contrary and conflicting wills, God is yet as absolutely
"over all, and through all, and in all," "working all after the counsel of His
own will,"- this is beyond our skill to fathom. But so it is: and blessed it is
to recognize that, as the apostle witnesses, it is as "God and Father of all"
He is so. This is in fact the very web and woof of Scripture. This is what so
irresistibly appeals to us in those tears wept over impenitent Jerusalem by Him
who could pronounce its sure and approaching doom,- a doom to be executed by
the hands of men ignorant and careless of Him whose sentence they fulfilled.
This predestination extends to everything. Foresight and omnipotent will are
everywhere. Thank God they are! In the moral as in the physical universe,
nowhere can one escape from His presence, save, alas! by such an insensibility
as the mass of men have sunk into. For the Christian, it is joy unspeakable to
recognize this pervading presence, which recognized brings light into darkness,
order into disorder, peace into whatever circumstances of distress. In the
strain of triumph with which the apostle closes his development of the
Christian state in Romans viii., the basis of all is this precious doctrine.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
those that are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow,
them also He did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He
might be the First-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did
predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified;
and whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"
But this leads us to
another doctrine, closely connected with this of predestination, and suffering
the same reproach, even from those who owe their all to it. I mean, of course,
the doctrine of election. Election is so plainly taught in the word that it is
surely only the opposition of the heart to it that can account for its not
being universally received among Christians. Nor is this an election nationally
or individually to privileges or "means of grace" such as plainly Israel, and
for long the nations of Europe, have enjoyed, but to salvation; and to
salvation, not on account of foreseen holiness or faith, but through, or by
means of, these. "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you,
brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you
unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,
whereunto He called you by our gospel." (2 Thess. 2 13.) Nothing can well be
plainer than this; nothing more positive than the assertion by the same apostle
which was just now quoted of that "chain of salvation," link riveted to link,
whereby predestination issues in calling, and calling in justification, and
justification in glory. A hundred texts would fail to convince where two such
as these would. But in truth, the difficulty is not textual; it lies elsewhere.
Election involves many another truth most humbling to mans pride of
heart, and this is in a large number of cases the real hindrance. On the other
hand, it is quite true that in the conflict of minds upon a subject which has
been in controversy for centuries, the balance of truth has been very much lost
(although I could not say, equally,) by those who contended on either side;
extremes on either part have tended to throw men off into the opposite extreme.
Thus Calvinism and Arminianism, or what are commonly so called, have nearly
divided Christians between them, each refusing to recognize, for the most part,
any truth in the other. Yet each has in fact its stronghold of texts and
arguments, and its unanswerable appeals to conscience, never fairly met by the
other. The mistake has been in the supposition that what was really
strong on both sides was in necessary opposition. The fact is, that, as another
has said, in general, the strength of each lies in what it affirms; its
weakness, in what it denies. The truths of Calvinism cluster about the pole of
divine grace; those of Arminianism, about that of mans responsibility.
The world revolves upon its axis between the two.
But, upon the ground of
responsibility merely, men are lost. Hence the texts upon which Arminianism
relies have to do with the world at large, with the provision made in grace for
these, and the divine appeals to and dealings with them. An important class of
texts, however, even with regard to these, they overlook or explain away, while
they infer wrongly from their general texts as to the actual salvation of those
saved. Calvinism, on the other hand, when it treats of actual salvation, is
almost wholly right. Scripture and conscience agree here in their witness to
its truth, and the opposition made is compelled to be mainly upon another
ground, namely, the supposed bearing of this upon the case of the lost. Here
the Arminian is upon his own ground, and if the Calvinist follow him here, he
loses the strength he but now had, and Scripture and conscience turn against
him.
Let us take up first the texts upon which the Arminian relies, and
see how far they lead us, before we speak of those which may seem more to suit
our present subject.
In the first place, then, Gods love to the world
is manifested in the cross. "God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have
eternal life." It is not allowable to narrow this down to a love simply to the
elect, as has been only too often done. It is true that the elect are all
originally of the world, and that thus He loves them when dead in trespasses
and sins, and for His great love quickens them (Eph. ii. 3). But we cannot
limit His love here to this: it is out of keeping with the "whosoever" which
follows. Moreover the "world" cannot fairly be interpreted as less than the
whole of it, if we believe in the transparent honesty and accuracy of
Scripture. Gods love to the world, then, is so deep and wonderful that it
can only be measured by the gift of His Son. We dare not refuse to credit fully
what is so solemnly assured.
But this being so, it settles decisively the
meaning of Christs death being for all. "For there is one God, and one
Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom
for all;" "a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world:" these and many similar passages assure without any
doubt of full and sufficient provision for all made in the atonement.
Upon
this ground, and to give express utterance to what is in the heart of God, the
gospel is bidden to be proclaimed to "every creature." Men are assured that God
"willeth not the death of a sinner," but that on the contrary He "will have all
men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." These testimonies
are simple, and they deny that there can be any contrary decree of God
hindering the salvation of any. The Redeemers words as He wept over
Jerusalem assure us that it is mans contrary will that resists Gods
will -" How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen
gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would not!"
But this will of
man itself, what shall we make of it? Is there not after all in it, define it
as we may, some mysterious power which, spite of the fall, spite of the
corruption of nature, should yet respond to these invitations, these pleadings
of divine grace? It is clear that final condemnation is not for any sin of
another, nor yet for any depravity of nature derived from him, but for
mens own sins. They are treated not simply as a race, but individualized.
And thus the apostle teaches that the whole world is brought in guilty before
God. Conscience bears witness in the same way of these individual sins, and
refuses to put them down simply to the account of nature, Eternal judgment
according to the "deeds done" by each man "in the body," a judgment which of
course will recognize all diversity of circumstance, knowledge or ignorance of
the Masters will, will proclaim a personal difference to which "few" or
"many stripes" will answer. All this is the antipodes of a mere necessary
development of a common nature, alike therefore under like conditions. Freedom,
in some real sense, is recognized by us all, whatever our creed, as necessary
to responsibility, although it is true that we may freely deprive ourselves of
freedom, and be accountable for this. There is a confessed mystery here,
which no one can pretend to solve; but Scripture and conscience unite to assure
us that mans guilt is truly his own, and that all those tender pleadings,
admonitions, reasonings of God with man have in them a real suitability to men
in general, and are no vain show.
Mans will is nowhere inheritance
from his fathers as his "nature" is; it is something which is in Scripture and
in conscience held as his own personal, righteous accountability. It
constitutes him, we may say, a person, a man; and to men God ever addresses
Himself; as fallen creatures, born in sin and shapen in iniquity, "by nature
children of wrath," yet always and none the less proper subjects of appeal; if
destroyed finally, then self destroyed.
So the Spirit of God is
represented as striving with them,- with those who nevertheless to the last
"resist the Holy Ghost." It is of no special consequence whether we can show or
not the manner of this striving; it is enough that the word of God speaks of it
as that,- that it is that. All this shows something very different from a
simple condemnation merely, and giving up by God of all but the elect; and
whatever it prove as to man at large, something more is meant than simply to
demonstrate his ruin and helplessness, by that too which increases his
condemnation. On the contrary, when the law has proved mans
unrighteousness, and the cross that the mind of the flesh is enmity against
God, still in this very cross is it manifested that "God so loved the world
that He gave His Son," and the gospel goes out addressed to every creature.
Thus far we must needs go, then, with the Arminians, and the truth of
predestination does not conflict with this in any way. We have here simply to
inquire what is, and we can affirm that Omniscient Goodness willed it so to
be,- from eternity so willed it; did not of course desire or work the evil, but
ordained to suffer it, and in this sense that it should be. The mystery of evil
being thus suffered we accept,- do not explain, or suppose it possible to be
explained. As a fact, we know it is, and know too that God is, and that He is
against the evil. Scripture is of course in no wise responsible for it, while
it gives us, not an explanation, but such a revelation of God Himself, and in
view of it, that we can have perfect faith in Him, and leave it unexplained.
The cross has glorified Him in every attribute more wonderfully as to sin than
this could raise suspicion; while it demonstrates that not mere power could
deal with evil, the victory must be that of goodness, and in suffering.
Christ dying for the world, the testimony of Gods love to men at large,
is no vain thing because in fact all are not saved by it. It demonstrates to us
that infinite goodness from which men have to break away: that, of which He has
sworn, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from
your evil ways; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel?" (Ezek. xxxiii. i i.)
Men die because of their own will, not of Gods will; yet they die. And
men crudely ask of Gods omnipotence why He cannot convert them all. But
omnipotence itself must needs be limited by His other attributes. What Infinite
Wisdom can do I must be myself infinitely wise to know.
Let it suffice us
that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," and that full
provision has thus been made for that return of all to God to which they are
besought. The result, it is for man himself to decide.
But now as to this
result, what? Is it uncertain? Are we to conclude that because, if a man die,
he wills himself to die, that therefore if he live, it is by his own will also?
We may not argue so; for here too God has spoken, and the conscience of His
saints responds ever really to what He says.
"He was in the world, and the
world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not; He came unto His own, and
His own received Him not." Was this rejection universal? No; some received Him.
What, then, of these? "But to as many as received Him, to them gave He right
(see margin) to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name;
which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God." (Jno. i. 1013.)
Nothing can possibly be more
decisive. And this plainly covers the whole ground. It is not, of course, that
the will of man is not implied in the reception of Christ, for reception is
surely not in this case unwilling, but rather that, as the apostle tells the
Philippians, "it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do""
both.
Every description of this new birth ascribes it in the fullest to
divine and sovereign power. The very idea of "birth" implies it, for who is
aught but passive in his own birth? It is also quickening from the dead, and
"as the Father raiseth up the dead and quicken eth them, even so the Son
quickeneth whom He wilL" (Jno. v. 21.) It is a new creation; "for we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." (Eph. ii. 1o.) And this
defines the character of what is therefore truly effectual calling: "Whom He
predestinated, them He also called, and whom He called, them He also
justified."
This sovereign, gratuitous work in man, done in accordance
with that eternal counsel which all things work out, defines clearly for us
what is election. It means the gracious interference of divine love in behalf
of those who, no different from others, dead in the same sins, instead of being
given up to perish, are given to Christ to be the fruit of His blessed work,
"that He might be the first-born among many brethren." It is love, and only
love, righteously and in perfect goodness manifested in salvation only, and of
those worthy of damnation. To charge upon it the damnation of the lost is
blasphemy, however unconscious, of that in which the whole heart of God is
pouring itself out. If others remain obdurate in pride and careless unbelief,
and going on to destruction, while we, justified by faith, and having peace
with God, rejoice in hope of the glory of God, is it because we are better than
they? What Christian heart can believe this? No; it is because "God, who is
rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ." No man has found his true
level who has not come down there, and only there do we find the full and
impregnable assurance of perfect and enduring peace. "Who shall lay anything to
the charge of God's elect?" A love that found us with nothing, to indue us with
all, is a love that has in it no element of change. "For I am persuaded that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come,"- what possible cause of harm is there that is
neither a thing present nor to come? - "nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord."
Divine Righteousness in its Actings
Towards Men
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