The Judgment of Three Belgian Professors Concerning the First Article which is on Election and Reprobation [Part 1 on Election]
[Johannes Polyander; Antonius Thysius; Antonius Walaeus]
The Judgment of Three Belgian Professors Concerning the First Article which is on Election and Reprobation.
The Remonstrants’ position concerning the first part of the First Article, namely on Election.
First Thesis of the Remonstrants:
The decree or will by which God determined to save in Christ, through Christ, and because of Christ, believers who persevere in their faith and obedience of faith until the end of life, precisely as being such, is the true, only, and complete decree of election.
Hague Conference, Belgian, p. 57. Bertius, p. 62 and following.[1]
The orthodox position which we judge should be maintained in our Churches.
First Orthodox Antithesis:
Predestination to salvation is God’s eternal, most free, and immutable decree, by which, according to the gracious good pleasure of his will, he elected certain people from the entire human race (which had fallen into sin and was lost) to salvation in Christ, and determined to call them effectively through his Word and Spirit according to his election, to justify them through faith in Christ, to sanctify them, to preserve them in faith and holiness, and finally to glorify them, for the demonstration of the riches of his grace and mercy. And this is the true, only, and complete decree of election concerning certain specific individuals to be saved in Christ and through Christ.
Proof of the Antithesis:
I. That this decree of election is eternal is evident from Ephesians 1:4: “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 25:34: “Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
II. That it is most free [is evident] from: Romans 9:15: “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, ….”
And verse 18: “He has mercy on whom he wills.”
Ephesians 1:5: “Who predestined us according to the good pleasure of his will.”
And verse 11: “In Christ we have been assigned an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
III. That it is immutable [is evident from] Romans 9:11: “That God’s purpose according to election might stand.”
Romans 11:28–29: “The gifts and calling of God are such that he cannot repent of them.”
IV. That this decree is from the gracious good pleasure of God is clear from the passages cited above, namely Ephesians 1:5 and 11.
Also Romans 11:5: “A remnant has been preserved according to the election of grace.”
V. That this [decree] concerns certain individuals from the human race, who had fallen into sin and were lost, is gathered from:
Romans 9:15–16: “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.”
And verse 23: “He prepared vessels of mercy for glory.”
And verse 22: Where those passed over from the same lump are called vessels of wrath. God’s wrath toward people presupposes their sin, as the Apostle teaches in Romans 1:18: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.”
Also Ephesians 1: Where we are said to be chosen in Christ, and that happens so that we might be holy and blameless. Also [we are said to be] predestined to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. These cannot be considered without respect to sin.
As well as Romans 8:29–30 and 9:23–24, and Ephesians 1:7–9. In these passages, both our redemption through Jesus Christ and our calling to faith and repentance are directly subordinated to the decree of election, but nowhere is man’s creation in God’s image [subordinated to it].
Finally, the nature of this calling or election made in time corresponds to the purpose of election from eternity. But this calling or election made in time is from the corrupt human race. Therefore, the purpose of election from eternity was also such.
VI. That by the same decree of election he determined to call, justify, sanctify, preserve, and glorify the elect is proven from:
Romans 8:30: “Those whom he predestined, he also called; those whom he called, he also justified; those whom he justified, he also glorified.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13: “God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth, to which he called you through our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:2: They are said to be “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”
John 10:29: “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
John 17:11: “Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me.”
VII. Finally, the Apostle testifies that the purpose of this election is the demonstration of God’s grace and mercy in Romans 9:29 and Ephesians 1:5–6.
Second Thesis of the Remonstrants:
Election to salvation is manifold, namely definite and indefinite, more general and more particular; the latter is either incomplete or complete, peremptory and non-peremptory, conditional and absolute, and this [absolute election] additionally is either with respect to the Old or New Testament.
Remonstrants of Gelderland, p. 44 & 58. Against the Walachrians, p. 34 & 35 & 44. Episcopius’ Theses on the Distinction between the Old and New Testament, 6 & 7.[2]
Orthodox Antithesis 2:
That the election of certain people to salvation, both with respect to the Old and New Testament, is singular, accomplished by one and the same divine act from eternity, definite, complete, and absolute; although according to our mode of conception, and with respect to the end and various means by which the elect are destined for that end and in due time brought to it, distinct steps can be considered in [election], and they are presented in the Holy Scriptures.
Proof of the Antithesis:
I. The first part of this thesis, that this election is singular, is confirmed by the cited passages Romans 8:29–30 and 9:11.
And verses 12–13: “The older shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Romans 11:1–2: “Has God rejected his people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah? ….” From this it is evident that election in the Old and New Testament is the same, since the remnant preserved under the New Testament is of the same kind of election as that which the Apostle testifies was preserved in the time of Elijah.
II. The second part, namely that distinct steps can be considered in that singular decree, is evident from the same gradation and chain of salvation in Romans 8:29–30.
Third Thesis of the Remonstrants:
The indispensable cause (causa sine qua non) or the prerequisite condition of the election of individual persons is faith and obedience to faith, foreseen by God in those to be elected, and this election of individual persons is also according to God’s good pleasure, namely because out of many possible conditions, it pleased him to choose this condition rather than others for determining the reward of salvation and eternal life for this person rather than that one.
In the Hague Colloquy, First Article. Against the Walachrians, 4, 21. In the Offered Theses, Theses 1 & 7. Grevinchovius against Amesius, page 111, etc.[3]
Third Orthodox Antithesis:
The cause of the election of individual persons is the most free counsel and good pleasure of God’s will, by which, moved by himself alone, without any consideration of faith, obedience, or perseverance as a cause, condition, or any good quality or worthiness pre-existing in man, he willed to confer saving grace in Christ, through Christ, and because of Christ to this person rather than that one; and therefore this election was not made because of those conditions, but for the exercise of those conditions, as for the exercise of its fruits and effects.
Proof of the Antithesis:
I. That the cause of the election of individual persons is the most free counsel and good pleasure of God’s will was proven above for the First Thesis from Romans 9:11, 15, 16 and Ephesians 1:4–5, Romans 11:5–6, etc.
II. That this decree was made without any consideration of pre-existing faith, obedience, or perseverance is demonstrated, besides the passages already cited, by the following:
John 15:[16]: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.”
Acts 13:48: “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”
Romans 9:11: “Before they had done anything good or evil, that God’s purpose according to election might stand, not of works but of him who calls, it was said, …"
And verse 16: “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
Romans 11:5–6: “Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Ephesians 1:4: “We were chosen in him, … that we should be holy and blameless before him in love;” not because we were holy and blameless.
1 Peter 1:2: “Elect for the sanctification of the Spirit and for the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ.” Not, therefore, because they were already sprinkled with the blood of Christ through faith or were obedient. To these can be added those passages which demonstrate that calling is from election, and consequently also the faith to which we are called, Romans 8:29–30: “Whom he predestined, these he also called.” Romans 9:23–24, where vessels of mercy are first said to be prepared for glory, and then called.
The following passages indicate the same: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 and 2 Timothy 1:9: “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ before time began.”
The same is taught in passages where faith is asserted to be purely and entirely a gift of God, as in Ephesians 2:8 and Philippians 1:29.
Fourth Thesis of the Remonstrants:
Incomplete, conditional, and non-peremptory election is changeable, and therefore can be interrupted, revoked, and the elect can pass into the number of the reprobate, and their number can be increased and diminished.
Grevinchovius against Amesius, page 137 & 191. Remonstrants of Gelderland, Thesis 7, and in the Offered Articles, Thesis 5. Episcopius on Justification, Thesis 22, page 65.[4]
Fourth Orthodox Antithesis:
The election of individual persons to salvation, since it is, as we said above, the eternal and immutable purpose of God, can neither be revoked nor interrupted; and therefore the number of the elect is so certain and definite that it can neither be increased nor diminished: who, although they are few and a little flock compared with the multitude of the reprobate, are nevertheless said in Holy Scripture to be innumerable.
Proof of the Antithesis:
I. Holy Scripture asserts that the decree of God cannot be revoked or interrupted:
Isaiah 14:27: “The Lord of hosts has purposed, who will annul it?”
Romans 8:30: In the passage cited several times.
And Chapter 9:11: “That the purpose of God according to election might stand.”
And 11:7: “God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. What Israel seeks, it has not obtained, but the elect have obtained it.
2 Timothy 2:[19]: “The solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his.’”
II. That the number of the elect is certain and definite, and therefore can neither be increased nor diminished, is proven from:
John 10:27: “I know my sheep.”
Romans 9:27: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.”
Romans 11:7: “What Israel seeks, it has not obtained, but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were hardened.”
1 John 2:19: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that it might become clear, that not all of them were of us.”
III. Concerning the fewness and multitude of the elect, considered in different respects, Holy Scripture speaks in the following passages:
Matthew 20:16: “Few are chosen, many are called.”
Luke 12:32: “Do not fear, little flock.”
Revelation 7:9: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, … standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
Fifth Thesis of the Remonstrants:
The sense and certainty of complete, peremptory, and absolute Election cannot be had before death, and therefore no fruit of it is perceived in this life.
Fifth Orthodox Antithesis:
Although in the elect, before their effective calling, there is no sense of their election, and after that calling, due to various weaknesses, anguishes of conscience, and conflicts by which they are often tossed about in this life, that sense is sometimes weaker, more obscure, and somewhat interrupted, nevertheless they can and should be as certain of their election as of their effective calling and justification from their faith, the fruits of their faith, and the internal sealing of the Holy Spirit, and this according to the mode and measure of faith given to them by God.
Proof of the Antithesis:
I. That in the elect before their effective calling there is no sense of their election is drawn from:
Ephesians 2:3, 12: “We were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Remember that at that time you were without Christ, … having no hope and without God in the world.”
Romans 3:9: “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin.”
Verse 23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:17: “You were slaves of sin, ….”
II. That in the elect after their calling, due to various weaknesses in this life, that sense is sometimes weaker, more obscure, and somewhat interrupted, is evident from:
The complaints and lamentations of Job, Chapter 6:3ff.; of David in Psalm 31:28, Psalm 51:12 and following; and of the bride in the Song of Songs, Chapters 3 and 5:4.
III. That meanwhile the elect in this life can and should be certain of their salvation is read in:
Luke 10:20: “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
John 1:2: “As many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.”
John 4:14: “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” A similar passage is John 6:35.
John 10:27–28: “My sheep hear my voice and follow me; I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand, ….”
Romans 5:2: “Through whom,” namely Jesus Christ, “we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Verse 5: “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Verse 9: “Having now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved through him from wrath.”
Romans 8:14: “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”
Verse 35: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” And
Verse 35: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” And following to the end of the chapter.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10: “God has revealed to us through his Spirit the things that he has prepared for those who love him, ….”
2 Corinthians 1:21[–22]: “Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” To which corresponds the passage in Ephesians 1:13–14.
2 Peter 1:10: “Be diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.”
1 John 3:2: “Now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, ….”
And verse 24: “By this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”
1 John 5:9: “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God which he has testified about his Son.”
And verse 10: “He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself, ….”
And verse 11: “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, ….”
[1] These two citations, respectively, represent the Dutch version of the Hague Conference of 1611 and Petrus Bertius’ Latin version. See Schriftelicke Conferentie, gehovden in s’Gravenhaghe inden Iare 1611, tusschen sommighe Kercken-dienaren: Aengaende de Godlicke Praedestinatie metten aencleven van dien. Ter Ordonnantie vande Ed. Mog. Heeren Staten van Hollandt ende West-Vrieslandt Ghedruckt (s’Graven-Hage: Hillebrandt Jacobsz, 1612), 57ff.; Petrus Bertius, ed., Scripta Adversaria Collationis Hagiensis (Leiden: John Patius, 1615), 62ff.
[2] Schriftelicke Conferentie Tusschen de Kercken-Dienaren des Vorstendoms Geldre ende Graef-schap Zutphen, Aenghevanghen Anno 1617, ende in hare Provinciale Synode in Iunio ende Iulio Anno 1618 volbracht … (Delf : Ian Andriesz, 1618), 44 and 58; [Caspar Barlaeus], Epistola Ecclesiastarum, quos in Belgio Remonstrantes vocant, …, (Leiden, 1617), 34–35, 44; Simon Episcopius, Disputatio Theologica de Convenientia et Discrimine Veteris et Novi Testamenti (Leiden: Joannes Patius, 1616), Theses 6 and 7.
[3] Schriftelicke Conferentie, gehovden in s’Gravenhaghe inden Iare 1611, 7–8, Latin: Bertius, ed., Scripta Adversaria Collationis Hagiensis, 8–9; [Barlaeus], Epistola Ecclesiastarum, 4, 21; Acta Synodi Nationalis, In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi, Autoritate Illustr, et Praepotentum DD. Ordinum Generalium Foederati Belgii Provinciarum, Dordrechti Habitae Anno MDCXVIII et MDCXIX. Accedunt Plenissima, de Quinque Articulis, Theologorum Judicia, 2 vols (Leiden: Isaac Elzevirus, 1620), 1:113–14 [Theses 1 and 7]; William Ames and Nicholas Grevinchovius, Dissertatio Theologica de Duabus Quaestionibus Hoc Tempore controversis, Quarum, Prima Est de Reconciliatione per mortem Christi impetrata omnibus ac singulis hominibus: Altera, de Electione ex fide praevisa… (Rotterdam: Mathias Sebastianus, 1615), 111ff. [mispaginated as 119].
[4] Ames and Grevinchovius, Dissertatio Theologica, 137, 191; Schriftelicke Conferentie Tusschen, 58 [Thesis 7]; Acta Synodi Nationalis, 1:113–14 [Thesis 5]; Simon Episcopius, Collegium Disputationum Theologicarum in Academia Leydensi Privatim Institutarum (Leiden: Johannes Berewout, 1618), 65 [Thesis XX].