Venema

We are told moreover that the ungodly enjoy much earthly prosperity and honor.

(1) This we admit is true, but those are blessings not in reality but only in appearance. They are not enjoyed along with a good conscience and with the favor fellowship of God, in which man’s highest happiness consists, and do not tend to a beneficial result.

(2) Their enjoyment of these things is owing to the long-suffering of God, who would thus excite and lead them to repentance (Rom. ii.4), and thus manifests his singular goodness in willing not death but the life of the sinner.

(3) They enjoy these blessings either on account of the virtues of those who have gone before them, whose posterity God, in the exercise of his goodness, thus blesses, or on account of their own services to the community of which they form a part or to the church. For they may sometimes confer some favors on the church or the state–favors which God who is a very bountiful rewarder never allows to pass without some mark of his approbation.

Hermann Venema, Institutes of Theology, trans., by Alex W. Brown, (Andover: W.F. Draper Brothers, 1853), 417.

Polhill:

1) Now then, how far doth God will the salvation of all? Surely thus far, that if they believe they shall be saved. No divine can deny it, especially seeing Christ himself hath laid it down so positively, “This is the will of him that sent me, saith he, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life,” (John vi. 40). Wherefore, if God will the salvation of all men thus far, that if they believe they shall be saved; then Christ died for all men thus far, that if they believe they shall be saved. But you will say, that promise, Whosoever believes shall be saved, is but voluntas signi, and not voluntas beneplacitii, which is the adequate measure of Christ’s death. Unto which I answer; If that promise be voluntas signi, what doth it signify? What but God’s will? What will but that good pleasure of his, that whosoever believes shall be saved? How else is the sign of the true God a true sign? Whence is that universal connexion betwixt faith and salvation? is it not a plain efflux or product from the decree of God? Doth not that evidently import a decree, that whosoever believes shall be saved? Surely it cannot be a false sign; wherefore, so far God’s will of salvation extends to all men, and consequently so far Christ’s death extends to them.” Edward Polhill, “The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees,” in The Works of Edward Polhill (Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1998), 164.

2) 1. Let us distinguish the decrees of God: some of them are merely productive of truths, others are definitive of things which shall actually exist. The first are accomplished in connexions, the last in events. To clear it by scripture instances: the decree, that David should be king of Israel, was definitive of a thing; but the decree, that if Saul obeyed, his kingdom should have continued, (1 Sam. xiii. 13,) is but productive of a truth. The decree that David should not be delivered up by the men of Keilah, was definitive of a thins; but the decree, that if he had staid there they would have delivered him up, (1 Sam. xuiii. 12,) was but productive of a truth. The decree, that Jerusalem should be burnt with fire, was definitive of a thing; but the decree, that if Zedekiah did go forth to the king of Babylon it should not be burnt, (Jer xxxviii.17,) was but productive of a truth. Moreover, that there are decrees definitive of things, is proved by the events; that there are decrees productive of truths, is proved by the connexions; if there be no such connexions, how is the Scripture verified? but if there be, how are these things connected? There is no natural connexion between Saul’s obedience and his crown; David’s stay, and the Keilites treachery; Zedekiah’s out-going, and Jerusalem’s firing: wherefore these connexions do flow out of God’s decrees as productive of truths. Now, to apply this distinction to our present purpose: The decree of damning the reprobate for final sin is definitive of a thing; but the decree imported in the general promise, is but productive of a truth, viz., That there is an universal connexion between faith and salvation; such a connexion, that reprobates themselves, if believers, should be saved. Now these two decrees may very well stand together; for decrees definitive of events, contradict not decrees productive of truths, unless the event in the one decree contradict the truth in the other. Wherefore if (which is not) there were a decree of damning reprobates, whether they did believe or not, it could not stand with the general promise; for the event of that decree would contradict the truth of the promise. But the decree (such as indeed it is) or damning reprobates for final sin, may well consist with the general promise; for the event of that decree no way crosses the truth of the promise. Reprobates are damned for final sin, that is the event of one decree; and reprobates, if believers, shall be saved; that is the truth of another: both which may well consist together.

2. Let us distinguish the objects of these decrees; the objects stand not under the same qualifications as to both of them. The decree of salvation upon gospel terms respect a men as lapsed sinners; but the decree of everlasting damnation respects them as final sinners; and so there is no inconsistency between them. so there is no inconsistency between them. Thus much, by way of answer to the objection: yet withal, before I pass on to the next thing, suffer me a little to stand and adore the stupendous abyss of the divine decrees. The elect arrive at heaven, yet by the way see hell flaming in the threatening: the reprobate sink to hell, yet by the way see heaven opening in the promise. The elect cannot live and die in sin, gut they will be sub gladio; the reprobates cannot repent and return, but they will be sub corona. Tremble, work and watch O saints, for the Holy One thunders out from heaven in that sacred sentence, “If you live after the flesh you shall die.” Repent, return and believe, O sinners! for the divine philanthropy woos you in those real undissembled offers of mercy, “Whosoever believes shall be saved; Whosoever forsakes his sins shall find mercy.” Here, O here, is polupoikilos sophia, the manifold wisdom of God; a fit reserve for the apocalypse of the judgement day, whose clear light will display these wonderful consistencies before men and angels. Edward Polhill, “The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees,” in The Works of Edward Polhill (Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1998), 131-132.

Credit to Tony for the find.

[Note: the footnote value and content is reproduced here exactly as found in the original]

Robertson:

God’s commitment to maintain a universal witness to the whole of humanity through the ordering of creation later plays a significant role in the missionary mandate of the apostle Paul. In establishing that the gospel should be proclaimed among all nations, he appeals to the universal witness borne by God through creation (cf. Rom. 10:18 in its reference to Ps. 19:4). The world-wide scope of the testimony of creation provides the foundation for the universal proclamation of the gospel. The God who has commissioned the witness of himself to the ends of the earth through creation also has shown himself to be “Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon him” (Rom. 10:12).

This universal witness of the ordering of creation roots deeply in the covenanting word to Noah. By the provisions of the Noahic covenant God committed himself to a course of universal testimony. Creation’s witness of grace toward sinful man still provides the platform from which the universal proclamation of the gospel should be launched.¹⁸

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¹⁸ II Pet. 3:3-10 also appears to establish its base for the universal proclamation of the gospel on the covenant with Noah. Sinners may mock the word of new covenant prophecy concerning a consummating judgment (vv. 3, 4). But Noah’s flood indicates the certainty of God’s ultimate intentions (vv. 5, 6). As “by the word of God” (to tou theou logo) the world first came into being, so “by the same word” (to auto logo) the present universe is being sustained for the judgment of fire (vv. 5, 7). The reference to the “same word” refers broadly to the word of God which had been manifested so powerfully at creation. But it also appears to refer more specifically to the covenanting word spoken to Noah. On the basis of this post-diluvian word, the earth continues to be maintained to the present.

The longsuffering of God, who does not wish any to perish (v. 9), manifests itself in the context of this covenanting word that God will maintain the whole of creation until the judgment of fire (vv. 7, 10). In the cosmic context of these verses, describing the purposes of God respecting the whole of creation (vv. 6, 7), the “desire” of God that “all” should come to repentance should be interpreted universally. The fact that God may “desire” what he has not explicitly “decreed” simply must be taken as one of those areas of God’s purposes that cannot be comprehended by the finite mind. The context would not favor the limitation of this desire to the “elect,” despite the possibility that “longsuffering to you” could be interpreted as meaning longsuffering to the believing recipients of Peter’s letter. The point of the text is not that God is longsuffering toward the elect, not willing that any of the elect should perish. The present delay of judgment on the world indicates his longsuffering to the whole of humanity, despite the fact that ultimately not all shall be saved. Cf. John Murray and N. B. Stonehouse, The Free Offer of the Gospel (Phillipsburg, n.d.) pp. 21-26.

Source: O. Palmer Roberson, The Christ of the Covenants (Phillipsburg: NJ.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1980), 122-123

Credit to Tony for the find.

Hermann Venema:

1) (2) God wishes his laws to be obeyed, and therefore wishes also his creatures to be incited in every way to the keeping of them. This purpose is greatly served by the prospect of rewards. But justice loves and demands these rewards. Hermann Venema, Institutes of Theology, trans., by Alex W. Brown, (Andover: W.F. Draper Brothers, 1853), 172.

2) 6. It is the will of God that those to whom the proposition of the Gospel is made should receive that declaration and apply it to themselves. Now this proposition, i.e., “he that believeth shall be saved,” is made indiscriminately to all, even to those who do not believe and who are not saved, and therefore according to the will of God it has reference to all whom it is made. If this be not admitted then we cannot hold that God seriously wills that all men should receive the proposition made to them. If, however, he does so will, then it must have reference to all who read or hear it, and this purpose by which he has ordained a connexion between faith and salvation must be general. We are aware, indeed, that there is a particular connection which has reference only to the elect; yet this proposition is made to all without distinction. For it would be absurd to suppose that God says to all believe and ye shall be saved and yet that he does not will that they should believe and be saved. But we have have said the offer is made to all by those who preach the gospel, who, though they know not who are elected and who are reprobate, yet proclaim the offer in the universal terms in which it is made in Scripture. If however it be said that, although the proposition be addressed to all, there is not a general purpose on the part of God and that he does not will that those who are not elected should believe that the proposition applies to them, what is this but treating them with mockery? Is this not, on God’s part, a representation or unfolding of his will different from what his will really is? But the simplicity and the truth of God forbid us believing that he would do so. Our Lord expressly says to Jerusalem “how often I would have gathered thy children together… and ye would not,” Matt. xxiii.37. God says of his vineyard “wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes,” Is. v.4. If therefore we would not impugn the sincerity of God we must hold that there is a general decree by which he has purposed to save them that believe.

7. Scripture assures us that the love of God towards men as such is universal–that he has “no pleasure in the death of him who dieth”–that is, “will have all men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth”–that is, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” Ezek. xviii.32; 1 Tim. ii.4; 2 Pet. iii.9. From these passages we infer that there is a general will or purpose of God held forth in the gospel by which he has linked together faith and salvation without excluding any man, and declares that it is agreeable to him that all should believe and live. If this be denied and that, according to his good pleasure, the proposition “he that believeth shall be saved” should not apply to them. What becomes, in this case, of his universal love? What are we to make of the passages in which he declares that he willith not the death of the sinner, that he will have all men to be saved? Hermann Venema, Institutes of Theology, trans., by Alex W. Brown, (Andover: W.F. Draper Brothers, 1853), 305-306.

[Note: Venema’s use of ‘conditional decree’ language functions in the same way as we have seen it work in men such as Davenant.]