On The Logical Order Of God’s Decree – Supralapsarianism
“Truth Defended: Being An Answer To An Anonymous Pamphlet[1], Entitled, Some Doctrines In The Supralapsarian Scheme Impartially Examined By The Word Of God”, John Gill (1736):
“This author [Job Burt] should have mentioned these scriptures, and commented upon them, and answered the arguments of the supralapsarians from them; in particular, Theodore Beza, in his notes upon the last of these texts, which I shall transcribe for this man’s sake; and he may try whether he is capable of answering of them. ‘Those who, by the mass, or lump, says this great man, understand mankind corrupted, don’t satisfy me in the explanation of this place: for first, it seems to me, that the phrase of informed matter, neither sufficiently agrees with mankind, either made or corrupted. Moreover, if the Apostle had considered mankind as corrupted, he would not have said, That some vessels were made to honor, and some to dishonor; but rather, that seeing all the vessels would be fit for dishonor, some were left in that dishonor, and others translated from that dishonor to honor. Lastly, if Paul had not rose to the highest degree, he had not satisfied the question objected; for it would always have been queried, whether that corruption came by change, or whether indeed, according to the purpose of God, and therefore the same difficulty would recur. I say, therefore, Paul using this most elegant simile, alludes to the creation of Adam, and rises up to the eternal purpose of God, who, before he created mankind, decreed, of his own mere will and pleasure, to manifest his glory, both in saving of some whom he knew, in a way of mercy, and in righteous judgment. And verily, unless we judge this to be the case, God will be greatly injured; because he will not be sufficiently wise, who first creates men, and looks upon them corrupt, and then appoints to what purpose he has created them; nor sufficiently powerful, if, when he has taken up a purpose concerning them, he is hindered by another, so that he obtains not what he willed; nor sufficiently constant, willingly and freely he takes up a new purpose, after his workmanship is corrupted.’”
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[1] This pamphlet was written by Job Burt.
Theodore Beza (1519-1605) was a French Reformer and successor of John Calvin. If a Hyper-Calvinist may be identified as one who stretches the teachings beyond Calvin himself, then Beza is the first among them. His developed views laid the groundwork for both seventeenth and eighteenth century Hyper-Calvinism.
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