Important Theological Controversies - Edwards - V - Continue Chapter III

Required reading

Remarks on Important Theological Controversies in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter III  by reading up to the paragraph beginning '30. God decrees all things, and even all sins.'

My summary

This week Edward continues to discussing the divine decrees, so we hear about:

(i) God's absolute control of all things because of his infinite power and wisdom;

(ii) how the foreknowledge of God infers a decree;

(iii) the Arminian objection that the divine decree infringes on the creature's liability;

(iv) the Arminian objection that God's decrees make God the author of sin;

(v) the perfections of God imply the free will of man.

What grabbed me

I liked how Edwards turned the Arminian objections back on the Arminians themselves, including this one: 'Their other objection is, that God’s decrees make God the author of sin. I answer, that there is no more necessity of supposing God the author of sin, on this scheme, than on the other. For if we suppose, according to my doctrine, that God has determined, from all eternity, the number and persons of those that shall perform the condition of the covenant of grace; in order to support this doctrine, there is no need of maintaining any more concerning God’s decreeing sin, than this, viz. that God has decreed that he will permit all the sin that ever comes to pass, and that upon his permitting it, it will certainly come to pass. And they hold the same thing; for they hold that God does determine beforehand to permit all the sin that does come to pass; and that he certainly knows that if he does permit it, it will come to pass. I say, they in their scheme allow both these; they allow God does permit all the sin to come to pass, that ever does come to pass; and those that allow the foreknowledge of God, do also allow the other thing, viz. that he knows concerning all the sin that ever does really come to pass, that it will come to pass upon his permitting it. So that if this be making God the author of sin, they make him so in the very same way that they charge us with doing it.'

Touché!

Next week's reading

Continue Chapter III of 'Remarks on Important Theological Controversies' by reading up to the paragraph beginning '48. Christ is often spoken of in Scripture as being by way of eminency, the elect or chosen of God.'

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.