Fulton Confession of Faith/Chapter III

1. God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever come to pass;^[1] yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;^[2] nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established;^[3] in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.^[4]

Fulton Footnote: This clearly distinguishes between God's attitude to sin and his attitude and relation to holiness. A failure to make this distinction has been a fruitful source of division and distress of our holy cause, and a failure to so distinguish between God's permissive and overruling decree of sin and his causative decree of holiness will ever cause distress and confusion among our people. This distinction is expressed in the last clause of Section 4, of Chapter V: "Which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends; yet so as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God." etc. Chapter IV., last part of Section 1: "Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to seduce Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who without any compulsion did willfully transgress the law of their creation and the command given unto them in eating the forbidden fruit, which God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory." We believe that God is perfect in wisdom and knowledge, knowing all things both good and evil from the beginning that would take place in time. That he is a Perfect Sovereign over all things, and that he absolutely and causatively predestinated all his works of creation and eternal salvation of his elect.

2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions,^[5] yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.^[6]

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestined, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ,^[7] to the praise of His glorious grace;^[8] others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.^[9]

4. These angels and men thus predestined and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.^[10]

5. Those of mankind that are predestined to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love,^[11] without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.^[12]

Fulton Footnote: We understand that the words "without any other thing in the creature as a condition," etc., deny that the cause of election exists in the subject of salvation.

6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so He hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto;^[13] wherefore they who are elect, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,^[14] are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,^[15] and kept by His power through faith unto salvation;^[16] neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.^[17]

Fulton Footnote: We do not understand the words "all the means thereunto" include other means than those especially set out in this section. "Redeemed by Christ," "effectually called," "by his spirit," etc.

7. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yeilding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election;^[18] so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,^[19] reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,^[20] diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.^[21]

Scripture References

1. Isa 46:10; Eph 1:11; Heb 6:17; Ro 9:15,18.
2. Jas 1:13; 1Jn 1:5.
3. Ac 4:27-28; Jn 19:11.
4. Nu. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5.
5. Acts 15:18.
6. Ro 9:11,13,16,18.
7. 1Ti 5:21; Mt 25:34.
8. Eph 1:5-6.
9. Ro 9:22-23; Jude 4.
10. 2Ti 2:19; Jn 13:18.
11. Eph 1:4,9,11; Ro 8:30; 2Ti 1:9; 1Th 5:9.
12. Ro 9:13,16; Eph 2:5,12.
13. 1Pe 1:2; 2Th 2:13.
14. 1Th 5:9-10.
15. Ro 8:30; 2Th 2:13.
16. 1Pe 1:5.
17. Jn 10:26; 17:9; 6:64.
18. 1Th 1:4-5; 2Pe 1:10.
19. Eph 1:6; Ro 11:33.
20. Ro. 11:5-6,20.
21. Lk 10:20.