HUGH BINNING
Of Predestination (II)
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will." ? Eph. 1:11.
"What if God, willing to shew his
wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the
vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; and that he might make known the riches
of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory." ?
Rom, 9:22, 23.
In the creation of the world, it pleased the Lord, after all
things were framed and disposed, to make one creature to rule over all; and to
him he gave the most excellent nature, and privileges beyond the rest; so that
it may appear that he had made all things for man, and man immediately for his
own glory. As man was the chief of the works of his hands, so we may, according
to the Scriptures, conceive that he was chiefly minded in the counsels of his
heart. And that, as in the execution of his purpose in creating the world, man
had the pre-eminence assigned unto him, and all seemed subordinate unto him;
so, in the Lord's purposes concerning the world, his purpose about man has the
pre-eminence. He, indeed, has resolved to declare the glory of his name in this
world; therefore the heavens and the firmament are made preachers of that
glory, Psal. 19:1,2,&c. But in a special manner, his majesty's glorious
name is manifested in man, and about man. He hath set man, as it were, in the
centre or midst of the creation, that all the creatures might direct or bring
in their praises unto him, to be offered up in his and their name, to the Lord
their Maker, by him, as the common mouth of the world; and the Lord hath chosen
this creature above all the creatures, for the more solemn and glorious
declaration of himself in his special properties.
Therefore, we should
gather our thoughts in this business, to hear from the Lord what his thoughts
are towards us; for, certainly, the right understanding of his everlasting
counsel touching the eternal state of man, is of singular virtue to conform us
to the praise of his name, and establish us in faith and confidence.
Predestination is a mystery, indeed, into which we should not curiously and
boldly inquire beyond what is revealed; for then a soul must needs lose itself
in that depth of wisdom, and perish in the search of unsearchableness. And thus
the word speaks in Scripture of this subject, intimating to us, that it is
rather to be admired than conceived; and that there ought to he some ignorance
of these secrets, which, conjoined with faith and reverence, is more learned
than any curious knowledge. But withal, we must open our eyes upon so much
light as God reveals of these secrets, knowing that the light of the word is a
saving, refreshing light, not confounding, as is his inaccessible light of
secret glory. As far as it pleaseth his majesty to open his mouth, let us not
close our ears, but open them also to his instruction, knowing, that as he will
withhold no necessary thing for our salvation, so he will reveal nothing but
what is profitable. This is the best bond of sobriety and humble wisdom, to
learn what he teacheth us; but when he makes an end of teaching, to desire no
more learning. It is humility to seek no more, and it is true wisdom to be
content with no less. There is much weakness in our conceiving of divine
things. We shape and form them in our minds according to a mould of our own
experience or invention, and cannot conceive of them as they are in themselves.
If we should speak properly, there are not counsels and purposes in God, but
one entire counsel and resolution concerning all things which are in time, by
which he hath disposed all in their several times, seasons, conditions, and
orders.
But because we have many thoughts, about many things, so we cannot
well conceive of God but in likeness to ourselves; and therefore, the
Scripture, condescending to our weakness, speaks so. 'How many are thy precious
thoughts towards me,' saith David; and yet, indeed, there is but one thought of
him, and us, and all, which one thought is of so much virtue, that it is
equivalent to an infinite number of thoughts concerning infinite objects. The
Lord hath from everlasting conceived one purpose of manifesting his own glory
in such several ways; and this is the head-spring of all that befalls
creatures, men, and angels. But because, in the execution of this purpose,
there is a certain order, and succession, and variety, therefore men do
ordinarily fancy such or such a frame and order in the Lord's mind and purpose.
And as the astronomers do cut and carve in their imagination cycles, orbs, and
epicycles in the heavens, because of the various and different appearances and
motions of stars in them, whereas it may be, really, there is but one celestial
body in which all these various lights and motions do appear, so do men fancy
unto themselves an order in the Lord's decree, according to the phenomena or
appearances of his works in the world; whereas, it is one purpose and decree,
which in its infinite compass comprehends all these varieties and orders
together.
This much we may indeed lawfully conceive of his decree, that
there is an exact correspondence and suitableness between his majesty's purpose
and execution, and that he is a wise Lord, 'wonderful in counsel, and excellent
in working,' having some great plot and design before his eyes, which he
intends to effect, and which is, as it were, the great light and sun of this
firmament, unto which, by that same wonderful counsel, all other things are
subordinate; and so in the working it shall appear exactly as his counsel did
delineate and contrive it. There is no man so empty or shallow, but he hath
some great design and purpose which he chiefly aims at; shall we not then
conceive, that the Lord, who instructs every man to this discretion, and
teaches him, (Isa. 28:26,) is himself wise in his counsel, and hath some grand
project before him in all this fabric of the world, and the upholding of it
since it was made? Certainly he hath. And if you ask what it is, the wise man
will teach you in general ? 'He made all things for himself, yea, even the
wicked for the day of evil,' Prov. 16:4. Here, then, is his great design and
purpose, ? to glorify himself, ? to manifest his own name to men and angels.
Now, his name comprehends wisdom, goodness, power, mercy, and justice. The
first three he declares in all the works of his hands. All are well done and
wisely done. The excellency of the work shows the wonderful counsellor and the
wise contriver. The goodness of any creature in its kind, declares the
inexhausted spring of a self-being from whom it proceeds; and the bringing all
these out of nothing, and upholding them, is a glorious declaration of his
power. But yet, in all the works of his hands, there is nothing found to
manifest his glorious mercy and justice, upon which are the flower and garland
of his attributes, and unto which wisdom and power seem to be subservient.
Therefore his majesty, in that one entire purpose of his own glory, resolves to
manifest his wrath and his mercy upon men and angels, subjects capable of it;
which two attributes are as the poles about which all the wheels of election
and reprobation turn as you see in that place, Rom. 9:22, 23. Let this then be
established as the end of all his works, as it is designed in his counsel, and
nothing else. It is not the creature, nor any thing in the creature, which is
first in his mind, but himself, and therefore of him, and for him, are all
things. Here they have their rise, and thither they return, even to the ocean
of God's eternal glory, from whence all did spring. The right establishing of
this will help us to conceive aright of his counsel of predestination.
It
is a common cavil of carnal reason, how can the Lord reject so many persons,
and fore-ordain them to destruction? It seems most contrary to his goodness and
wisdom, to have such an end of eternal predestination before him, in the
creating of so many, to make men for nothing, but to damn them. Here carnal
reason, which is enmity to God, triumphs; but consider, I say, that this is not
the Lord's end and chief design, to destroy men. Even as it is not his
majesty's first look, or furthest reach, to give unto others eternal life; so
it is not his prime intent to sink them into eternal death, as if that were his
pleasure and delight. No, indeed! Neither is the creature's happiness nor its
misery that which first moves him, or is most desired of him, but himself only,
and he cannot move out of himself to any business, but he must return it unto
himself. Therefore the wise preacher expresses it well, 'He made all for
himself, even the wicked for the day of evil.' It was not his great end of
creating wicked men to damn them, or creating righteous men to save them, but
both are for a further and higher end, ? for himself and his own glory. All
seem to agree about this, that the great end of all the Lord's counsels and
decrees is his own glory, to be manifested on men and angels; and that this
must be first in his mind; not that there is first or last with him, but to
speak after the manner of men. If he had many thoughts, as we have, this would
be his first thought; and in this one purpose this end is chiefly aimed at, and
all other things are by the Lord's counsel subordinate to this, as means to
compass that.
But as concerning the order of these means, and consequently
of his majesty's purpose about them, men, by examining his majesty according to
the creature's rules, or according to sense, bring him down far below his own
infinite greatness. Some conceive that that was first, as it were, in his mind
which is first done. Looking upon the execution of his purpose in the works of
his power, they imagine, that as he first created man righteous, so this was
his first thought concerning man, to create man for the glory of his goodness
and power, without any particular determination as yet of his end. And I
conceive, this is the thought of the multitude of people. They think God was
disappointed in his work, when they hear he created such a glorious creature
that is now become so miserable. They cannot believe that his majesty had all
this sin and misery determined with him when he purposed to create him, but
look upon the emergent of man's fall into sin and misery as a surprise to his
majesty; ? as if he had meant another thing in creating him, and so was, upon
this occasion of man's sin, driven to a new consultation about the helping of
the business, and making the best out of it that might be. Thus 'through
wisdom' the world knows not God. They think God altogether like themselves, and
so liken him to the builder of a house, who set nothing before him in doing so,
but to build it after that manner for his own ends; but then being surprised
with the fall and ruin of it, takes a new advisement, and builds it up again
upon another and a surer foundation.
But because they cannot say, that God
takes any new advisements in time, but must confess that all his counsels are
everlasting concerning all the works of his hands, therefore they bring in
foreknowledge to smooth their irreligious conceit of God; as if the Lord, upon
his purpose of creating man, had foreseen what should befall him, and so
purposed to permit it to be so, that out of it he might erect some glorious
fabric of mercy and justice upon the ruins of man. And that little or nothing
may be left to the absolute sovereign will of God, to which the Scripture
ascribes all things, they must again imagine, that upon his purpose of sending
Christ to save sinners, he is yet undetermined about the particular end of
particular men, but watches on the tower of foreknowledge to espy what they
will do, whether men will believe on his Son or not, whether they will
persevere in faith or not; and according to his observation of their doings, so
he applies his own will to carve out their reward or portion of life or death.
These are even the thoughts which are inbred in your breasts by nature. That
which the learned call Arminianism is nothing else but the carnal reason of
men's hearts, which is enmity to God. It is that very disputation which Paul in
this chapter exclaims against, 'Who art thou, O man, that disputest?' But
certainly, all this contrivance is nothing beseeming the wisdom or sovereignty
of God, but reflects upon both; upon his wisdom, that he should have thoughts
of creating the most noble of his creatures, and yet be in suspense about the
end of the creature, and have that in uncertainty what way his glory shall
indeed be manifested by it. Is it not the first and chief thought of every wise
man, what he intends and aims at in his work, and according to the measure and
reach of his wisdom, so he reaches further in his end and purpose?
Shall we
then conceive the only wise God so far to have mistaken himself, as to do that
which no wise man would do? He who is of such an infinite reach of wisdom and
understanding, to fall upon the thoughts of making such an excellent creature,
and yet to lie in suspense within himself about the eternal estate of it, and
to be in a waiting posture what way his glory should be manifested by it;
whether in a way of simple goodness only, or in a way of justice, or in a way
of mercy, till he should foresee, off the tower of foreknowledge, how that
creature should behave itself. Our text speaks not thus; for in the place,
(Eph. 1) we have the Lord, in his eternal purpose, carving out to such and such
particular persons 'an inheritance,' and 'adoption of children,' for that great
end 'of the glory of his grace,' ver. 11, and 5, 6. And predestination falls
out, not according to our carriage, but according to the purpose of him who
'works all things' that he works, 'after the counsel of his own will,' without
consulting our will, And if you inquire what are these 'all things,' certainly
we must take it simply for all things that are at all, or have any real being:
his power, his hand must be in it, and that according to his own counsel,
without respect had to the creature's will, according to his own good pleasure,
ver. 5,11. He had no sooner a thought of working and making man, but this
purpose was in it, to make such men to the praise of his glorious grace, and to
fore-ordain them to an inheritance, and others to make or fit them for
destruction, as the text, Rom. 9:22, bears.
Herein the great and
unsearchable wisdom of God appears to be a great depth, that when he hath a
thought of making such a vessel, he hath this purpose in the bosom of it, what
use it shall be for, whether for honour or dishonour; and accordingly, in his
counsel, he prepares it either to glory or destruction, and in time makes it
fit for its use, either by sin or grace. Here is the depth that cannot be
sounded by mortal men. 'O the depth of the riches both of his wisdom and
knowledge! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!'
The whole tenor of the Scriptures shows that his majesty was not surprised and
taken at unawares by Adam's fall, but that it fell out according to the
determinate counsel of his will. If he knew it, and suffered it to be,
certainly he permitted it, because he willed it should be so; and why may he
not determine that in his holy counsel which his wisdom can disabuse to the
most glorious end that can be? Why may not he decree such a fall, who out of
man's ruins can erect such a glorious throne for his grace and justice to
triumph into? It is more for the glory of his infinite wisdom, to bring good,
and such a good out of evil, than only to permit that good should be. Then such
doctrine is repugnant to the Lord's absolute power and sovereignty, which is
Paul's sanctuary, whither he flies unto as a sure refuge, from the stroke or
blast of carnal reason. 'Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same
lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?' ver. 21. Hath not
the Lord more absolute dominion over us, than the potter hath over the clay,
for the potter made not the clay, but the Lord hath made us of nothing? so that
simply and absolutely we are his, and not our own, and so he hath an absolute
right to make any use of us he pleases, without consulting our wills and
deservings.
Can any man quarrel him for preparing him to destruction,
seeing he owes nothing to any man, but may do with his own what he pleases?
What if God, willing to make known his power, and justice, and wrath, have
fitted and prepared some vessels for destruction, with which in time he bears
much, and forbears long, using much patience towards them, ver. 22. Can any man
challenge him for it? And what if God, willing to make known the riches of his
grace, have prepared some vessels to glory, shall any man's eye be evil because
he is good? ver. 23. Shall man be left to be his own disposer, and the shaper
of his own fortune? Sure it was not so with Esau and Jacob: they were alike in
the womb. If there was any prerogative, Esau the eldest had it, ? they had done
neither good nor evil. What difference was then between them to cast the
balance of his will? Can you imagine any? Indeed carnal reason will say that
God foreknew what they would do, and so he chose or rejected them. But, why
doth not the apostle answer thus unto that objection of unrighteousness in God?
ver. 14. It had been ready and plain. But rather he opposes the will and
calling of God, to all works past or to come. He gives no answer but this, 'he
will have mercy because he will have mercy;' that is the supreme rule of
righteousness, and hitherto must we flee, as the surest anchor of our hope and
stability. Our salvation depends not on our willing or running, on our
resolving or doing, but upon this primitive good pleasure and will of God, on
which hangs our willing and running and obtaining. It is certainly an unorderly
order, to flee unto that in men, for the cause of God's eternal counsels, which
only flows from his eternal counsel, Eph. 1:4. Hath he chosen us because he did
foreknow that we would be holy, and without blame, as men think? Or hath he not
rather chosen us to be holy and without blame? He cannot behold any good or
evil in the creatures, till his will pass a sentence upon it; for from whence
should it come?
Seeing then this order and contrivance of God's purpose is
but feigned, it seems to some that the very contrary method were more suitable
even to the rules of wisdom. You know what is first in men's intention is last
in execution. The end is first in their mind, then the means to compass that
end. But in practice again, men fall first upon the means, and by them come at
length to attain their end; therefore those who would have that first, as it
were, in God's mind, which he doth first, do even cross common rules of reason
in human affairs. It would seem then, say some, that this method might do well;
that what is last in his execution, was first in his purpose, and by him
intended as the end of what he doth first, and so some do rank his decrees;
that he had first a thought of glorifying man, and to attain this end he
purposed to give him grace, and for this purpose to suffer him to fall, and for
all to create him. But we must not look thus upon it either. It were a foolish
and ridiculous counsel, unbeseeming the poor wisdom of man, to purpose the
glorifying of man whom he had not yet determined to create.
Therefore we
should always have it in our mind that the great end and project of all is the
glory of his mercy and justice upon men; and this we may conceive is first in
order, neither men's life nor death, but God's glory to be manifested upon men.
Now, to attain this glorious end, with one inclination or determination of his
will, not to be distinguished or severed, he condescends upon all that is done
in time, as one complete and entire mean of glorifying himself, so that one of
them is not before another in his mind, but altogether. For attaining this, he
purposes to create man. He ordains the fall of all men into a state of sin and
misery; and some of those, upon whom he had resolved to show his mercy, he
gives them to Christ to be redeemed, and restored by grace; others, he
fore-ordains them to destruction; and all this at once, without any such order
as we imagine. Now though he intend all this at once and together, yet it doth
not hence follow that all these must be executed together. As when a man
intends to build a house for his own accommodation, there are many things in
the house upon which he hath not several purposes; but yet they must be
severally, and in some order done. First the foundation laid; then the walls
raised; then the roof put on; yet be did not intend the foundation to be for
the walls, or the walls for the roof, but altogether for himself. Even so the
Lord purposes to glorify his mercy and justice upon a certain number of
persons, and for this end to give them a being, to govern their falling into
misery, to raise some out of it by a Mediator, and to leave some into it to
destruction; and all this as one entire mean to illustrate his glorious mercy
and justice.
But these things themselves must be done not all at once, but
one before another, either as their own nature requires, or as he pleases. The
very nature of the thing requires that man be created before he sin; that he
sin and fall before a Mediator suffer for his sin; that he have a being before
he have a glorious being; and that he have a sinful and miserable being, before
he have this glorious and gracious being which may manifest the grace and mercy
of God. But it is the pleasure of the Lord that determines in what time and
order Christ shall suffer, either before or after the conversion of sinners, or
whether sinners shall be presently instated in glory, and perfectly delivered
from all sin at their first conversion, or only in part during this life.
Seeing then this was his majesty's purpose, to make so many vessels of honour,
upon whom he might glorify the riches of his grace and mercy; and so many
'vessels of wrath,' upon whom he might show the power of his anger; you may
think what needed all this business of man's redemption. Might not God have
either preserved so many as he had appointed to glory from falling into sin and
misery; or at least have freely pardoned their sin without any satisfaction;
and out of the exceeding riches of his mercy and power, have as well not
imputed sin to them at all, as imputed their sins to Christ, who was not
guilty? What needed his giving so many to the Son, and the Son's receiving
them?
What needed these mysteries of incarnation, of redemption, seeing he
might have done all this simply without so much pains and expense? Why did he
choose this way? Indeed, that is the wonder; and if there were no more end for
it, but to confound mortality that dare ask him what he doth, it is enough.
Should he be called down to the bar of human reason, to give an account of his
matters? 'Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or, being his counsellor, hath
taught him,' that is in the depths of his unsearchable understanding, that he
chose to go this round, and to compass his end by such a strange circuit of
means, when he might have done it simply and directly without so much pains?
Yet it is not so hidden, but he hath revealed as much as may satisfy or silence
all flesh. For we must consider, that his great project is not simply to
manifest the glory of his goodness, but of his gracious and merciful goodness,
the most tender and excellent of all; and therefore man must be miserable,
sinful, and vile, that the riches of his grace may appear in choosing and
saving such persons. But that it may appear also how excellent he could make
man, and how vain all created perfections are, being left to themselves,
therefore he first made man righteous, and being fallen into sin and misery, he
might straightway have restored him without more ado. But his purpose was to
give an exact demonstration of mercy, tempered and mixed with justice; and
therefore he finds out the satisfaction in his eternal counsel, 'I have found a
ransom.' And so he chooses Jesus Christ to be the head of these chosen souls,
in whom they might be again restored unto eternal life. And these souls, he, in
his everlasting purpose, gives over to the Son to be redeemed, and these the
Son receives. And thus the glory of mercy and justice shines most brightly,
yea, more brightly, than if he had at first pardoned. O how doth his love and
mercy appear, that he will transfer our sins upon his holy Son, and accept that
redemption for us; and his justice, that a redemption and price he must have,
even from his Son, when once he comes in the stead of sinners! And in this
point do the songs of eternity concentre.