A Golden Chain

Object. VII. If God did elect some, and reject others, he must needs ⟨p. 171⟩be [[Greek or Hebrew]] a respectre of persons. Ans. I. One is said then to accept, or have respect of persons, when as he by some circumstances inherent in the person, is moved to do this or that. Now, as for God, he did upon his mere pleasure elect some, and reject others eternally, not moved or urged thereunto by any thing whatsoever, out of himself. II. He is debtor to none, but may by good right do with his creatures what seemeth good unto him in his own eyes. III. It is one thing with God to accept of persons, and another to make choice of men. This if we should not grant, it would follow that God must be deemed blame-worthy, because he made not all his creatures most glorious Angels.

Obiect. VII. If God did elect some, and reiect others, he must needes ⟨p. 171⟩be [〈non-Latin alphabet〉] a respecter of persons. Ans. I. One is said then to accept, or haue respect of persons, when as he by some circumstances inherent in the person, is mooued to doe this or that. Now, as for God, he did vpon his meere pleasure elect some, and reiect others eternally, not mooued or vrged thereunto by any thing whatsoeuer, out of himselfe. II. He is debter to none, but may by good right doe with his creatures what seemeth good vnto him in his owne eyes. III. It is one thing with God to accept of persons, and another to make choice of men. This if we should not graunt, it would follow that God must be deemed blame-worthie, because he made not all his creatures most glorious Angels.

Object. VIII. If God decreed to reject certain men, then did he hate his creature. Answ. God decreed to reject his creature and workmanship, not because he hated it, but because he appointed it to hatred. And it is one thing to hate, and another to appoint to hatred. And indeed God doth not actually hate any thing, but for sin. That saying of Augustine to Simplicius is fit for this purpose. When God maketh the wicked, whom he doth not justify, vessels of wrath, he doth it not to hate that which he made: for in that he made them vessels, they have their use, namely, that by their pains to which they were ordained, the vessels of honour might reap profit. God therefore doth not hate them, in that they are men, or vessels, neither any thing that he made in them by creation, or ordination. For God hateth nothing which he hath made. But in as much as he made them vessels of destruction, he did it to instruct others. As for their impiety, which he never made, that he hateth utterly. As therefore a judge hateth theft in a man, but he doth not hate his punishment that he is sent to work in the mines. For the thief doth the first, the judge the latter: so God, whereas of the company of them which perish, he maketh vessels of perdition, he doth not therefore hate that which he doth, that is, the condemnation of those which perish in their due punishment for sin.