Whether any under Eternal Reprobation have just cause to quarrel
with God for not electing of them?
That the answer to this question may be to edification, recall
again what I have before asserted; to wit, That for a man to
be left out of God's election, and to be made a sinner, is two
things; and again, For a man to be not elect, and to be condemned
to hell-fire, is two things also. Now I say, if non-election
makes no man a sinner, and if it appoints no man to condemnation
neither, then what ground hath any reprobate to quarrel with God
for not electing of him? Nay, further, reprobation considereth him
upright, leaveth him upright, and so turneth him into the world;
what wrong doth God do him, though he hath not elected him? What
reason hath he that is left in this case to quarrel against his
Maker?
If thou say, because God hath not chosen them, as well as chosen
others: I answer, 'Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest
against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it,
Why hast thou made me thus?' (Rom 9:20). 'Behold, as the clay is
in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel,'
saith the Lord God (Jer 18:6). So then, if I should say no more but
that God is the only Lord and Creator, and that by his sovereignty
he hath power to dispose of them according to his pleasure, either
to choose or to refuse, according to the counsel of his own will,
who could object against him and be guiltless? 'He giveth not
account of any of his matters' (Job 33:13). 'And what his soul
desireth, even that he doeth' (Job 23:13).
Again, God is wiser than man, and therefore can shew a reason for
what he acts and does, both when and where at present thou seest
none. Shall God the only wise, be arraigned at the bar of thy
blind reason, and there be judged and condemned for his acts done
in eternity? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, 'or who
hath been his counsellor?' (Rom 11:34). Do you not know that he
is far more above us, than we are above our horse or mule that is
without understanding? 'Great things doeth he, which we cannot
comprehend' (Job 37:5). 'Great things and unsearchable, marvellous
things without number' (Job 5:9).
But, I say, should we take it well if our beast should call
us to account for this and the other righteous act, and judge us
unrighteous, and our acts ridiculous, and all because it sees no
reason for our so doing? Why, we are as beasts before God (Psa
73:22).
But again, to come yet more close to the point: the reprobate
quarrels with God, because he hath not elected him; well, but is
not God the master of his own love? And is not his will the only
rule of his mercy? And may he not, without he give offence to thee,
lay hold by electing love and mercy on whom himself pleaseth? Must
thy reason, nay, thy lust, be the ruler, orderer, and disposer of
his grace? 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine
own?' saith he, 'Is thine eye evil, because I am good?' (Matt
20:15).
Further, What harm doth God to any reprobate, by not electing of
him; he was, as hath been said, considered upright, so formed in
the act of creation, and so turned into the world: indeed he was
not elected, but hath that taken anything from him? No, verily,
but leaveth him in good condition: there is good, and better, and
best of all; he that is in a good estate, though others through
free grace are in a far better, hath not any cause to murmur either
with him that gave him such a place, or at him that is placed above
him. In a word, reprobation maketh no man personally a sinner,
neither doth election make any man personally righteous. It is the
consenting to sin that makes a man a sinner; and the imputation of
grace and righteousness that makes [men] gospelly and personally
just and holy.
But again, seeing it is God's act to leave some out of the bounds
of his election, it must needs be, therefore, positively good: Is
that then which is good in itself made sin unto thee? God forbid:
God doth not evil by leaving this or that man out of his electing
grace, though he choose others to eternal life, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Wherefore there is not a reprobate that hath any
cause, and therefore no just cause, to quarrel with his Maker,
for not electing of him.
And that, besides what hath been spoken, if you consider,
1. For God to elect, is an act of sovereign grace; but to pass
by, or to refuse so to do, is an act of sovereign power, not of
injustice.
2. God might therefore have chosen whether he would have elected
any, or so many or few; and also which and where he would.
3. Seeing then that all things are at his dispose, he may fasten
electing mercy where he pleaseth; and other mercy, if he will, to
whom and when he will.
4. Seeing also that the least of mercies are not deserved by the
best of sinners; men, instead of quarrelling against the God of
grace, because they have not what they list, should acknowledge
they are unworthy of their breath; and also should confess that
God may give mercy where he pleaseth, and that too, both which
or what, as also to whom, and when he will; and yet be good, and
just, and very gracious still: Nay, Job saith, 'He taketh away,
who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?' (Job
9:12).
The will of God is the rule of all righteousness, neither knoweth
he any other way by which he governeth and ordereth any of
his actions. Whatsoever God doth, it is good because he doth it;
whether it be to give grace, or to detain it; whether in choosing
or refusing. The consideration of this, made the holy men of old
ascribe righteousness to their Maker, even then when yet they
could not see the reason of his actions. They would rather stand
amazed, and wonder at the heights and depths of his unsearchable
judgments, than quarrel at the strange and most obscure of them
(Job 34:10-12, 36:3, 37:23; Jer 12:1; Rom 11:33).
God did not intend that all that ever he would do, should be known
to every man, no nor yet to the wise and prudent. It is as much
a duty sometimes to stay ourselves and wonder, and to confess our
ignorance in many things of God, as it is to do other things that
are duty without dispute. So then, let poor dust and ashes forbear
to condemn the Lord, because he goeth beyond them; and also they
should beware they speak not wickedly for him, though it be, as
they think, to justify his actions. 'The Lord is righteous in all
his ways, and holy in all his works' (Psa 145:17; Matt 11:25; 1
Cor 2:8; Job 13:6-8).[7]