Reprobation Asserted, John Bunyan

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WHY, then, is the Gospel offered them? Well, that there is such a thing as eternal reprobation I have showed you, also what this eternal reprobation is I have opened unto you; and shall now show you also that though these reprobates will infallibly perish, which God not only foresaw, but foredetermined to suffer them most assuredly to do so, yet there is reason, great reason, why the Gospel, and so the grace of God thereby, should be tendered, and that in general terms, to them as well as others.

But before I come to lay the reasons before you I must mind you afresh of these particulars:

2. That the foreknowledge of God that the reprobate would perish makes no man a sinner.

3. That God?s infallibly determining upon the damnation of him that perisheth makes no man a sinner.

4. God?s patience and long-suffering and forbearance until the reprobate fits himself for eternal destruction makes no man a sinner.

So, then, God may reprobate, may suffer the reprobate to sin, may foredetermine his infallible damnation, through the preconsideration of him in sin, and may also forbear to work that effectual work in his soul that would infallibly bring him out of this condition, and yet neither be the author, contriver, nor means of man?s sin and misery.

Again, God may infallibly foresee that this reprobate, when he hath sinned, will be an unreasonable opposer of his own salvation, and may also determine to suffer him to sin and be thus unreasonable to the end. yet be gracious, yea, very gracious, if he offer him life, and that only upon reasonable terms, which yet he denieth to close with.

1. Because not God, but sin, hath made him unreasonable, without which, reasonable terms had. done his work for him; for reasonable terms are the most equal and righteous terms that can be propounded between parties at difference; yea the terms that most suiteth and agreeth with a reasonable creature, such as man; nay, reasonable terms are, for terms, the most apt to work with that man whose reason is brought into and held captive by very sense itself.

2. God goeth yet further: he addeth promises of mercy, as those that are inseparable to the terms he offereth, even to pour forth his Spirit unto them: "Turn at my reproof, and behold I will pour forth of my Spirit unto you, and incline your ear; come unto me, hear, and your soul shall live."

Now, then, to the question itself ? to wit, that seeing it is impossible the reprobate should be saved, seeing also this is infallibly foreseen of God, and seeing also that God hath beforehand determined to suffer it so to be, yet I shall show you it is requisite, yea, very requisite, that he should both will and command that the Gospel, and so grace in the general tenders thereof, should be proffered unto them

And that, first, to show that this reprobation doth not in itself make any man absolutely incapable of salvation; for if God had intended that by the act of reprobation the persons therein concerned should also by that only act have been made incapable of everlasting life, then this act must also have tied up all the means from them that tendeth to that end, or at least have debarred the Gospel?s being offered to them by God?s command for that intent; otherwise who is there but would have charged the Holy One as guilty of guile and worthy of blame for commanding that the Gospel of grace and salvation should be offered unto this or that man, whom yet he hath made incapable to receive it by his act of reprobation? Wherefore this very thing ? to wit, that the Gospel is yet to be tendered to those eternally reprobated ? showeth that it is not simply the act of God?s reprobation, but sin, that incapacitateth the creature of life everlasting; which sin is no branch of this reprobation, as is evident, because the elect and reprobate are both alike defiled therewith.

Secondly. God also showeth by this that the reprobate doth not perish for want of the offers of salvation, (though he hath offended God,) and that upon most righteous terms, according to what is written: "As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but that the wicked turn from his wicked way and live. Turn unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts." So, then, here lieth the point between God and the reprobate, (I mean the reprobate since he hath sinned:) God is willing to save him upon reasonable terms, but not upon terms above reason; but no reasonable terms will down with the reprobate, therefore he must perish for his unreasonableness.

That God is willing to save even those that perish for ever is apparent, both from the consideration of the goodness of his nature, of man?s being his creature, and indeed in a miserable state. But, I say, as I have also said already, there is a great difference between his being willing to save them through their complying with these his reasonable terms, and his being resolved to save them whether they, as men, will close therewith or no; so only he saveth the elect themselves, even; according to the riches of his grace, even according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus working effectually in them what the Gospel, as a condition, calleth for from them. And hence it is that he is said to give faith, (yea the most holy faith, for that is the faith of God?s elect,) to give repentance, to give a new heart, to give his fear, even that fear that may keep them for ever from everlasting ruin, still engaging his mercy and goodness to follow them all the days of their lives, that they may dwell. in the house of the Lord for ever; and as another Scripture saith, "Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God."

But, I say, his denying to do thus for every man in the world cannot properly be said to be because he is not heartily willing they should close with the tenders of the grace held forth in the Gospel and live. Wherefore you must consider that there is a distinction to be put between God?s denying grace on reasonable terms and denying it absolutely, and also that there is a difference between his withholding further grace and of hindering men from closing with the grace at present offered; also that God may withhold much when he taketh away nothing, yea, take away much when once abused, and yet be just and righteous still. Further, God may deny to do this or that absolutely, when yet he hath promised to do not only that, but more, conditionally. Which things considered, you may with ease conclude that he may be willing to save those not. elect upon reasonable terms, though not without them.

It is no unrighteousness in God to offer grace unto the world, though but on those terms only that they are also foreseen by him infallibly to reject, both because to reject it is unreasonable, especially the terms being so reasonable as to believe the truth and live, and also because it is grace and mercy in God so much as once to offer means of reconciliation to a sinner, he being the offender, but the Lord the God offended, they being but dust and ashes, he the heavenly Majesty. If God, when man had broke the law, had yet with all severity kept the world to-the utmost condition of it, had he then been unjust? had he injured man at all? was not every tittle of the law reasonable, both in the first and second table? How much more, then, is he merciful and gracious even in but mentioning terms of reconciliation, especially seeing he is also willing so to condescend if they will believe his word and receive the love of the truth! Though the reprobate then doth voluntarily and against all strength of reason run him-. self upon the rocks of eternal misery, and split himself thereon, he perisheth in his own corruption by rejecting terms of life.

Objection. 1. But the reprobate is not now in a capacity to fulfill these reasonable terms.

Answer. But, I say, suppose it should be granted, is it because reprobation made him incapable, or sin? Not reprobation, but sin; if sin, then before he quarrel let him consider the case aright., where, in the result, he will find sin, being consented to by his voluntary mind, hath thus disabled him, and because, I say, it was sin by his voluntary consent that. did it, let him quarrel with himself for consenting so as to make himself incapable to close with reasonable terms, yea, with those terms because reasonable, therefore most suitable (as terms) for him, notwithstanding his wickedness. And I say again, forasmuch as. these reasonable terms have annexed unto them, as their inseparable companions, such wonderful mercy and grace, as indeed there is, let even them that perish yet justify God, yea, cry, "His goodness endureth for ever," though they, through the wretchedness of their hearts, get no benefit by it.

Thirdly. God may will and command that his Gospel, and so the grace thereof, be tendered to those that shall never be saved, (besides what hath been said,) to show to all spectators what an enemy sin, being once embraced, is to the salvation of man. Sin, without the tenders of the grace of the Gospel, could never have appeared so exceeding sinful as by that it both hath and doth: "If I had not come and spoken unto them," saith Christ, "they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin." As sins that oppose the law are discovered by the law that is, by the goodness, and justness, and holiness of the law so the sins that oppose the Gospel are made manifest by that, even by the love, and mercy, and forgiveness of the Gospel. ("If he that despised Moses?s law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God?") Who could have thought that sin would have opposed that which is just, but especially mercy and grace, had we not seen it with our eyes? And how could we have seen it to purpose had not God left some to themselves? Here indeed is sin made manifest: "For all he had done so many miracles amongst them," (to wit, to persuade them to mercy,) "yet they believed him not." Sin, where it reigneth, is a mortal enemy to the soul; it blinds the eyes, holds the hands, ties the legs, and stops the ears, and makes the heart implacable to resist the Savior of souls. That man will neither obey the law nor the Gospel who is left unto his sin; which also God is willing should be discovered and made manifest, though it cost the damnation of some: "For this very purpose," saith God to Pharaoh, "have I raised thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be declared in all the earth." For God, by raising up Pharaoh to his kingdom and suffering him to walk to the height according as his sin did prompt him forward, showed unto all beholders what a dreadful thing sin is, and that without the special assistance of his Holy Spirit sin would neither be charmed by law nor Gospel. This reason, though it be no profit unto those that are damned, yet it is for the honor of God and the good of those he hath chosen.

It is for the honor of God, even for the honor of his power and mercy, for his power is now discovered indeed, when nothing can tame sin but that; and his mercy is here seen indeed, because that doth engage him to do it. Read Romans 9:22, 23.

Fourthly. God commandeth that the tender of the Gospel, and the grace thereof, be in general offered to all, that means thereby might be sufficiently provided for the elect, both to beget them to faith and to maintain it in them to the end, in what place, or state, or condition soever they are. God, through the operation of his manifold wisdom, hath an end, and an end in his acts and doings amongst the children of men, and so in that he commandeth that his Gospel be tendered to all ? an end, I say, to leave the damned without excuse and to provide sufficiency of means for the gathering all. his elect. "Oh that God would speak," saith Zophar, "and open his mouth against thee, and show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is!" For though God worketh with and upon the elect otherwise than with and upon the reprobate, yet he worketh with and upon the elect with and by the same word he commandeth should be held forth and offered to the reprobate. Now the text thus running in most free and universal terms, the elect then hearing thereof, do, through the mighty power of God, close in with the tenders therein held forth, and are saved. Thus that word that was offered to the reprobate Jews, and by them most fiercely rejected, even that word became yet effectual to the chosen, and they were sawed thereby. "They gladly received, the word, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect; God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew." The word shall accomplish the thing for which God hat, h sent it, even the salvation of the few that are chosen, when tendered to all, though rejected by most, through the rebellion of their hearts.

Objection. 2. But if God hath elected, as you have said, what. need he lay a foundation so general for the begetting faith in his chosen particulars, seeing the same Spirit that worketh in them by such means could also work in them by other, even by a word, excluding the most, in the first tenders thereof, amongst men?

Answer. I told you before that though this be a principal reason of the general tenders of the grace of the Gospel, yet it is not all the reason why the tender should be so general as the three former reasons show.

But again, in the bowels of God?s decree of election is contained the means that are also ordained for the effectual bringing of those elected to that glory for which they were fore-appointed, even to gather together in one all the children of God; "whereupon he called you," saith Paul, "by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." God?s decree of election, then, destroyeth not the means which his wisdom hath prepared; it rather establisheth, yea, ordains and establisheth it; and maketh that means which in the outward sign is indefinite and general effectual to this and that man, through a special and particular application; thus that Christ that in general was offered to all is by a special act of faith applied to Paul in particular: "He loved me and gave himself for me."

Further. As the design of the heavenly Majesty is to bring his elect to glory by means, so by the means thus universal and general as most behooveful and fit, if we consider not only the way it doth please him to work with some of his chosen, in order to this their glory, but also the trials, temptations, and other calamities they must go through thereto.

1. Touching hits working with some, how Invisible is it to those in whose souls it is yet begun! How is the word buried under the clods of their hearts for months, yea, years together! Only thus much is discovered thereof: it showeth the soul its sin, the which it doth also so aggravate and apply to the conscience (Jesus still refraining, like Joseph, to make himself known to his brethren) that were there not general tenders of mercy, and that to the worst of sinners, they would soon miscarry and perish as do the sons of perdition. But by these the Lord upholdeth and helpeth them, that they stand when others fall for ever.

2. And so likewise for their trials, temptations and other calamities, because God will not bring them to heaven without, but by them, therefore he hath also provided a word so large as to lie fair for the support of the soul in all conditions, that it may not die for thirst.

3. I might add also in this place that their imperfect state after grace received doth call for such a word, yea, many other things which might be named, which God, only wise, hath thought fit should accompany us to the ship, yea, in the sea, to our desired haven.

Fifthly. God willeth and commandeth the Gospel should be offered to all, that thereby distinguishing love, as to an inward and spiritual work, might the: more appear to be indeed the fruit of special and peculiar love. For in that the Gospel is tendered to all in general when yet but some do receive it, yea, and seeing these some are as unable, unwilling, and by nature as much averse thereto as those that refuse it, and perish, it is evident that something more of heaven and the operation of the Spirit of God doth accompany the word thus tendered for their life and salvation that enjoy it; not now as a word barely tendered, but backed by the strength of heaven: "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God! ? even we who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead." This provoketh to distinguishing admiration, yea, and also to a love like that which hath fastened on the called, the preserved, and the glorified: "He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord." Now are the sacrifices bound even to the horns of the altar, with a "Lord, how is it that thou shouldst manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world? He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me, for they were too strong for me."

For thus the elect considereth: Though we all came alike into the world and are the children of wrath by nature, yea, though we have alike so weakened ourselves by sin that the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint, being altogether gone out of the way, and every one become altogether unprofitable, both to God and ourselves, yet that God should open mine eyes, convert my soul, give me faith, forgive my sins, raise me, when I fall, fetch me again when I am gone astray ? this is wonderful! Yea, that he should prepare eternal mansions for me, and also keep me by his blessed and mighty power for that; and that in a way of believing, which without his assistance I am in no way able to perform ? that he should do this notwithstanding my sins, though I had no righteousness, yea, that he should do it according to the riches of his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ our Lord, even according to an everlasting covenant of grace, which yet the greatest part of the world are void of, and will for ever miss and fall short of! Besides, that he should mollify my heart, break it, and then delight in it, put his fear in it, and then look to me, and keep me as the apple of his eye; yea, resolve to guide me with his counsel, and then receive me to glory! Further, that all this should be the effect of unthought-of, undeserved, and undesired love ? that the Lord should think on this before he made the world, and sufficiently ordain the means before he had laid the foundation of the hills, ? for this he is worthy to be praised; yea, "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord; praise ye the Lord."

Objection 3. But you have said before that the reprobate is also blessed with many Gospel mercies, as with the knowledge of Christ, faith, light, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the tastes or relish of the powers of the world to come; if so, then what should be the reason that yet he perisheth? Is it because the grace that he receiveth differeth from the grace that the elect are saved by? If they differ, where lieth the difference? Whether in the nature, or in the degree, or in the management thereof?

Answer. To this objection I might answer many things, but for brevity take this reply:

1. That a non-elect may travel very far both in the knowledge, faith, light, and sweetness of Jesus Christ, and may also attain to the partaking of the Holy Ghost; yea, and by the very operation of these things also escape the pollution of the world and become a visible saint, join in church communion and be as chief amongst the, very elect themselves. This the Scriptures everywhere do show us.

The question then is Whether the elect and reprobate receive a differing grace? To which I answer, Yes, in some respects, both as to the nature thereof and also the degree.

1. The faith that the chosen are blessed with, it goeth under another name than any faith besides, even the faith of God?s elect, as of a faith belonging to them only, of which none others do partake; which faith also, for the nature of it, is called faith most holy, to show it goes beyond all other, and can be fitly matched nowhere else but with their most blessed faith who infallibly attain eternal glory; even like precious faith with us, saith Peter, with his elect companions. And so of other things. For if this be true that they differ in their faith, they must needs therewith differ in, ether things; for faith, being the mother of grace, produceth all the rest according to its own nature to wit, love that abounds, that never fails, and that is never contented till it attain the resurrection of the dead, etc.

They differ as to their nature in this: the faith, and hope, and love that the chosen receive, it is that which floweth from election itself; he hath blessed us according as he hath chosen us, even with those graces he set apart for us when he in. eternity did appoint us to life before the foundation of the world; which grace, because the decree in itself is most absolute and infallible, they also, that they may completely answer the end, will do the work infallibly likewise, still through the management of Christ: "I have prayed that thy faith fail not."

But secondly. As they differ in nature, they differ also in degree; for though it be true that the reprobate is blessed with grace, yet this is also as true, that the elect are blessed with more grace; it is the privilege only of those that are chosen, to be blessed with [all] spiritual blessings, and to have [all] the good pleasure of the goodness of God fulfilled in and upon them. Those who are blessed with [all] spiritual blessings must needs be blessed with eternal life; and those in whom the Lord not only works all his good pleasure, but fulfilleth all the good pleasure of his goodness upon them, they must needs be preserved to his heavenly kingdom; but none of the non-elect have these things conferred upon them; therefore the grace bestowed upon the one doth differ both in nature and degree from the other.

Thirdly. There is a difference as to the management also; the reprobate is principal for the management of the grace he receiveth, but Jesus Christ is principal for the management of the grace the elect receiveth. When I say principal, I mean chief; for though the reprobate is to have the greatest hand in the management of what mercy and goodness the Lord bestoweth on him, yet not so as that the Lord will not help him at all; nay, contrariwise, he will, if first the reprobate do truly the duty that lieth on him: "If thou do well, shalt thou not be accepted? But if not well, behold sin lieth at the door." Thus it was also with Saul, who was rejected of God upon this account. And I say, as to the elect themselves, though Jesus Christ our blessed Savior be chief as to the management of the grace bestowed on his chosen, yet not so as that he quite excludeth them from striving according to his working which worketh in them mightily; nay, contrariwise, if those who in truth are elect shall yet be remiss and do wickedly, they shall feel the stroke of God?s rod, it may be till their bones do break. But because the work doth not lie at their door to manage as chief, but at Christ?s, therefore though he may perform his work with much bitterness and grief to them, yet he, being engaged as the principal, will perform that which concerneth them, even until the day (the coming) of Jesus Christ.

The elect are always under eternal mercy, but those not elect always under eternal justice; for you must consider this: there is eternal mercy and eternal justice, and there is present mercy and present justice. So, then, for a man to be in a state of mercy, it may be either a state of mercy present or both present and eternal also. And so, again, for a man to be in a state under justice, it may be understood either of present justice only or of both present and eternal also.

That this may yet further be opened I shall somewhat enlarge. I begin with present mercy and present justice. That which I call present mercy is that; faith, light, knowledge and state of the good word of God that a man may have and perish. This is called in Scripture "believing for awhile, during for awhile, and rejoicing in the light for a season." Now I call this mercy, both because none (as men) can deserve it, and also because the proper end thereof is to do good to those that have it. But I call it present mercy, because those that are only blessed with that may sin it away and perish; as did some of the Galatians, Hebrews, Alexandrians, with the Asians, and others. But yet observe again, I do not call this present mercy because God hath determined it shall last but awhile absolutely, but because it is possible for man to lose it, yea, determined he shall, conditionally.

Again. As to present justice, it is that which lasteth but awhile also; and as present mercy is properly the portion of those left out of God?s election, so present justice chiefly hath to do with God?s beloved, who yet at that time are also under eternal mercy. This is that justice that afflicted Job, David, Heman, and the godly, who notwithstanding do infallibly attain, by virtue of this mercy, eternal life and glory. I call this justice, because in some sense God dealeth with his children according to the quality of their transgression; and I call it also present justice, because though the hand of God for the present be never so heavy on those that are his by election, yet it lasteth but awhile; wherefore though this indeed be called wrath: yet this is but a little wrath ? wroth for a moment, time, or season. "In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer."

Thus you! see there is present mercy and present justice; also that the elect may be under present justice when the rest may be under present mercy.

Again. As there is present mercy and present justice, so there is eternal mercy and. eternal justice; and I say, as the elect may be under present justice when the non-elect may be under present mercy, so the elect at that time are also under eternal mercy, but the other under eternal justice.

That the elect are under eternal mercy, and that when under present justice, is evident from what hath been said before ? namely, from their being chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, as also from the consideration of their sound conversion and safe preservation quite through this wicked world, even safe unto eternal life; as he also saith by the prophet Jeremiah: "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee;" and hence it is that he calleth the elect his sheep, his children, and people, and that before conversion; for though none of them as yet were his children by calling, yet were they his according to election.

Now the elect being under this eternal grace and mercy, they must needs be under it before present justice seizeth upon them, while it seizeth them and also continueth with them longer than present justice can, it being from everlasting to everlasting. This being so, here is the reason why no sin, nor yet temptation of the enemy, with any other evil, can hurt or destroy those thus elect of God; yea, this is that which maketh even those things that in themselves are the very bane of men, yet prove very much for good to those within this purpose; and as David saith, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted;" and again, "For when we are judged of the Lord we are chastened, that we should not be condemned with the world." Now afflictions, etc., in themselves are not only fruitless and unprofitable, but, being unsanctified, are destructive: "I smote him, and he went on frowardly;" but now eternal mercy, working with this or that affliction, makes it profitable to the chosen: "I have seen his ways, and will heal him, and will restore comfort to him and to his mourners;" as he saith in another place, "Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law." For eternal mercy doth not look on those who are the elect and chosen of God as poor sinful creatures only, but also as the generation whom the Lord hath blessed, in whom he hath designed to magnify his name to the utmost by pardoning the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage, having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, wherein also he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Wherefore, I say, the elect, as they do also receive that grace and mercy that may be sinned away, so they have that grace and mercy which cannot be lost and that sin cannot deprive. them of even mercy that abounds and goeth beyond all sin; such mercy as hath engaged the power of God, the intercession of Christ, and the communication of the blessed Spirit of adoption; which Spirit also engageth the heart, directs it into the love of God, that it may not depart from God after that rate as the reprobates do. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, (saith God,) that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but will put my fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from me."

But now I say, God?s dealing with the non-elect is far otherwise, they being under the consideration of eternal justice, even then when in the enjoyment of present grace and mercy. And hence it is that as to their standing before the God of heaven they are counted dogs, and sows, and devils, even then when before the elect of God themselves they are counted saints and brethren: "The dog is returned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." And the reason is, because notwithstanding all their show before the world their old nature and. corruptions do still bear sway within, which in time also, according to the ordinary judgment of God, is suffered so to show itself that they are visible to saints that are elect, as was the case of Simon Magus and that wicked apostate Judas, who went out from us, "but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they should no doubt have continued with us; but they went out from us, that it might be manifest they were not all of us:" they were not elect as we, nor were they sanctified as the elect of God themselves; wherefore eternal justice counts them the sons of perdition when under their profession. And I say, they being under this eternal justice, it must needs haw to do with them in the midst of their profession; and because also it is much offended with them for conniving with their lusts, it taketh away from them, and that most righteously, those gifts and graces, and benefits and privileges that present mercy gave them; and not only so, but cuts them off for their iniquity, and layeth them under wrath for ever. "They have forsaken the right way, (saith God,) they have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor; these are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."

1. That there is present grace and present mercy, eternal grace and eternal mercy.

2. That the elect are under eternal mercy, and that when under present justice; and that the reprobate is under eternal justice, and that when under present mercy.

3. Thus you see again that the non-elect perish by reason of sin, notwithstanding present mercy, because of eternal justice; and that the elect are preserved from the death (though they sin and are obnoxious to the strokes of present justice) by reason of eternal mercy. What shall we say, then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid; "He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion."

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