Neither. Both are denied in the same breath as the decree is stated: God is not the author of sin, and no one's will is forced.

It goes further on the second point: the liberty of second causes is not taken away but established. In other words the confession thinks its own doctrine is what makes real human choosing possible, not what threatens it. Whether that holds together is the argument; what the document says is not in doubt.

When you're tempted, don't say, 'God is tempting me.' God can't be tempted by evil, and he doesn't tempt anyone.

James 1:13

Confession 3.1

No. He knows everything that could happen, but nothing is decreed on the basis of foreseeing it.

This paragraph exists to close off a specific compromise: that God looked ahead, saw who would believe, and chose them on that basis. The confession rejects it, because that would make God's decision depend on ours and put the creature first in the order.

Confession 3.2

They are left to act in their sin, to their just condemnation. The elect are predestined to eternal life through Jesus Christ; of the rest it says only that they are left alone.

The wording is deliberate, and it is not Westminster's, which says foreordained to everlasting death. Nobody here is said to be ordained to sin. What is described is God not intervening, and the condemnation is called just because it falls on what those people actually did.

What if God, wanting to show his anger and make his power clear, patiently put up with people who deserved destruction?

And what if he did this to show how incredibly rich his kindness is to those he's prepared for honor and glory?

Romans 9:22-23

Confession 3.3

Free grace and love alone, in Christ, before the foundation of the world - with no foresight of faith, good works, or anything in the person as a condition moving God to it.

The phrase "or any other thing in the creature" is deliberately exhaustive. The confession is closing every door through which a reason on our side might be introduced, including ones nobody had thought of yet.

Even before the world began, God chose us in Christ to be set apart and blameless in his eyes, because of his love.

He decided ahead of time to adopt us as his own children through Jesus, because that's what he wanted and it made him happy.

Ephesians 1:4-5

Confession 3.5

No. It is certain and definite, and can be neither increased nor diminished.

It follows from what has already been said rather than adding anything new. A decree that could be revised would not be the unchangeable decree the chapter opened with.

Confession 3.4

No. The confession says nobody else is redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified or saved.

This is the sentence that makes the doctrine a system rather than a preference. Election, the death of Christ, the call and the keeping are all given the same scope, so any one of them can be traced back to the others. It is the same claim as Christ certainly and effectually applying redemption to everyone he obtained it for.

But you don't believe me because you're not my sheep.

John 10:26

Confession 3.6

Yes. Those chosen for salvation are equally chosen to be called, justified, adopted, sanctified and kept - by Christ, through faith.

This is the answer to the obvious objection that if the outcome is settled, nothing anyone does matters. The confession decrees the route along with the destination, which means preaching, faith and perseverance are how the decree happens rather than decoration on top of it.

Confession 3.6

With special prudence and care, so that people attend to God's will revealed in his word and, obeying it, may be assured of their election from the certainty of their calling.

It is unusual for a confession to give instructions on how to teach its own doctrine, and it tells you they knew the damage this one can do. The direction is to reason from the evidence of a changed life back to election, and never to go looking for a decree first.

Confession 3.7