The Doctrine of Decrees, Foreordination, Predestination and Election: as Held by Presbyterians, and Taught in Their Confession of Faith, Explained and Illustrated

The Doctrine Of Decrees, Foreordination, Predestination And Election: As Held By Presbyterians, And Taught In Their Confession Of Faith, Explained And Illustrated by Alfred Bryant. This work defends Presbyterian, Calvinistic doctrines of divine decrees, foreordination, predestination, and election. It argues that God sovereignly ordains all that comes to pass while not being the author of sin, by distinguishing between efficacious and permissive decrees and by distinguishing creation and providence as the channels through which God executes his will. The treatise emphasizes the harmony between Scripture and the Confession of Faith, and asserts that human free agency and the contingency of second causes remain intact within God’s overarching sovereignty. It presents election as God’s gracious choosing, not a barrier to salvation, and contends that the Bible teaches both the universality of grace and the particularity of salvation, including the salvation of infants and the possibility of salvation for all who repent and believe. The author cites Scripture, confessional standards, and testimony from notable Presbyterian theologians to defend a non-fatalistic, pastoral view of predestination and providence.