Unconditional Election

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Subsection

Reformed vs. Aquinas

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Order of Contents

Articles  3
Book  1
Quote  1
Christ’s Intercession: Not the Cause
Historical Theology  1
Latin  1


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Articles

1600’s

Rutherford, Samuel

Rutherford’s Examination of Arminianism: the Tables of Contents with Excerpts from Every Chapter  tr. Charles Johnson & Travis Fentiman  (1638-1642; 1668; RBO, 2019), ch. 14

section 3, ‘Whether the Arminians rightly deny there to be any certainty of our salvation?  We deny against the same.’, pp. 115-16

section 4, ‘Whether or not a greater certainty is required by us than that which the nature of a free act itself bears?  We affirm against the Remonstrants.’, pp. 117-18

ch. 3, ‘On Election’  in Examination of Arminianism  tr. by AI by Monergism  (1639-1642; Utrecht, 1668; 2024)

1. Whether election to salvation is two-fold; on the one hand indefinite and general, and on the other hand definite and special?  We deny against the Arminians.

2. Whether election is of certain singular, definite persons?  We affirm against the Arminians.

3. Whether election is revocable and incomplete for those who for a time believe, and complete and irrevocable for those whom God foreknew to be believing finally?  We deny against the Arminians.

4. Whether the election of this one rather than that one to glory is only from the absolute good pleasure [of God]?  Explained and affirmed against the Arminians.

5. Whether faith is a consequence of election?  We affirm against the Remonstrants.

6. Whether election to glory is done from all eternity?  We affirm against the Remonstrants.

7. What that good pleasure of God consists in which Paul speaks of in Rom. 9?  Explained and proven against the Arminians.

8. Whether each and every mortal is either elect or reprobate?  We affirm against the Arminians.

9. Whether Christ is the meritorious cause of election?  We deny against the Arminians.

10. Whether, because God absolutely destined to eternal glory, Christ cannot therefore merit it?  We deny against the Arminians.

11. Whether the promise of some conditional good can be subordinated by an immutable decree in such a way that that good which is promised is destined absolutely?  We affirm against the Remonstrants.

12. Whether or not faith may at once be a required condition in a formal way and the thing which is promised and indeclinably brought about in us by God?  We affirm against the Remonstrants.

13. Whether we invert the natural order because we state that the man who is to be created is the object of predestination?  We deny against the Remonstrants.

14. Whether carefulness, fear, and caution in the use of means are in disagreement with absolute election to glory?  We deny against the Remonstrants.

15. Whether the number of elect is precisely determined?  We affirm against the Arminians.

Turretin, Francis – Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr.  (1679–1685; P&R, 1992), vol. 1, 4th Topic

10. ‘Is Christ the cause and foundation of election?  We deny against the Arminians and Lutherans.’ 350

11. ‘Is election made from the foresight of faith, or works; or from the grace of God alone?  The former we deny; the latter we affirm.’ 355

12. ‘Is the election of certain men to salvation constant and immutable?  We affirm against the Remonstrants.’ 365


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Book

1600’s

Taylor, Francis – God’s Glory in Man’s Happiness, with the Freeness of his Grace in Electing Us, Together with Many Arminian Objections Answered  Buy  227 pp.

Taylor was a Westminster divine.


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Quote

1600’s

Johannes Hoornbeek

‘Theological Disputation on Faith’  tr. Onku with AI  (Leiden: Johann Elsevir, 1661), Things Annexed  Latin

“5. Predestination does not depend on any external cause, reason or condition, but proceeds purely from the will of the one predestinating.”


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Christ’s Intercession is Not the Cause of Election

Quote

1600’s

Amandus Polanus

‘Analytical Theses on Colossians, containing the Exordium of the Epistle’, pt. 1 (on Col. 1:1-11)  $3 Download  tr. Jonathan Tomes  (Basel: Johannes Schroeter, 1601)

“I have followed this method in the Theses on the secret of eternal Predestination, in which I considered primarily the efficient cause of Election and Reprobation with utmost diligence and faith.  However, I could not escape the foul calumnies of detractors and some unreasonable people.

For when I have shown from the Gospel of Jesus Christ that the decree of eternal election must be distinguished from our eternal salvation as a cause from its effect, and that the means leading us to that eternal salvation, among which are faith in Christ and His merit, are efficient causes of eternal salvation, but not the decree of election, some have dared, prompted by weakness or perhaps ignorance combined with a malicious intent, to affirm that I have taught that we are not saved by faith in Christ and that the merit of Christ is not the cause of our eternal salvation.

But I give thanks to my God, who deigns to gradually make me conformed to the image of His Son, for enduring calumnies for the sake of heavenly truth; and I persuade myself that it is Christian to be ill-spoken of when you believe rightly and teach and do well.”


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Historical Theology

On Aquinas & the Reformed

Johnson, Charles – ‘Thomas & TULIP’  (2020)  20 paragraphs  at Reformed Theology Delatinized

“This article will address the claim that Thomas Aquinas held to an Augustinian doctrine of predestination essentially compatible with that of the Reformed Churches, showing in what ways Thomas’s doctrine is compatible with the doctrine of the Reformed Churches and important ways in which it differs.”


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Latin Article

1600’s

Rutherford, Samuel – ch. 3, ‘On Election’  in The Examination of Arminianism  ed. Matthew Nethenus  (1639-1643; Utrecht, 1668), pp. 238-76

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Related Pages

The Doctrines of Grace

The Decrees of God

Infralapsarianism & Supralapsarianism

Total Depravity

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints