Reprobation and God's Love

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Background:
http://theologicalmeditations.blogspot.com/2016/09/john-bunyan-16281688-on-reprobation-and.html

The author notes (boldface my own):
"The Reformed scholastics generally distinguish between preterition and pre-damnation in God’s eternal decree touching the non-elect. By the term “reprobation” above, Bunyan clearly has in mind the notion of simple preterition (negative reprobation), or the divine decree not to grant certain blessings, such as faith, to the non-elect. He’s not dealing with God’s purpose to give the non-elect over to damnation on account of sin (i.e. pre-damnation). Pre-damnation is always on account of sin (even in William Twisse’s supralapsarian construct), and so is conditional, but preterition is unconditional, and is therefore a simple passing-by."

Is he accurately summarizing Twisse here?

 

[MW]

Is he accurately summarizing Twisse here?

Patrick, the word "pre-damnation" creates confusion. If it means the determination to damn is conditional on sin, then it is false, because Twisse maintained the decrees themselves are absolute and unconditional, including the decree of reprobation. If it means the unconditional determination is to damn men on account of their sin, then it is true, because damnation is for sin. The word, "pre-damnation," should be dropped; and the proper term, "damnation," should be adopted.

Here is Twisse, Riches of God's Love, 5-6 (spelling and punctuation standardised):

In like sort, if I am demanded whether God did decree, of the mere pleasure of his will, to refuse to give grace and glory unto some, and to inflict upon them damnation. To this I cannot answer at once, there being a fallacy in the demand. But distinguish them: I answer and say, that, as touching the point of denying grace, God doth that of his mere pleasure; but as touching the denial of glory, and the inflicting of damnation, he doth not decree to do these of mere pleasure, but rather merely for sin, to wit, for their infidelity and impenitency, and all the bitter fruits that shall proceed from them. So that reprobation, according to our tenet rightly stated, is the decree of God partly to deny unto some, and that of his mere pleasure, the grace of faith and repentance, for the curing of that infidelity and hardness of heart, which is natural unto all, and partly to deprive them of glory, and to inflict damnation upon them, not of his mere pleasure, but merely for their final continuance in sin, to wit, in infidelity and impenitency, and all the fruits that proceed therehence.

This is the same doctrine in substance which is taught by the Westminster Confession of Faith, 3.7, and the Larger Catechism, answer 13.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Thank you, Rev. Winzer. Very informative. I obviously need to take up Twisse in my studies now.

 

[MW]

I obviously need to take up Twisse in my studies now.

Highly recommended, and easily accessible now in text at eebo tcp; but be ready for some brain strains.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

You may download The Riches of God's Love, along with several other works by William Twisse, at the below link:

http://digitalpuritan.net/william-twisse/

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

I have the volume now along with his Treatise of Mr Cottons Doubts Concerning Predestination. OCR'd them for searching and indexing, too.