in general, signifies a decree of God, whereby, from all eternity, he ordained such a concatenation of causes as must produce every event by a kind of necessity.

In this sense, the Turks are great predestinarians; and on this account are much more daring in battle, and willingly encounter greater dangers than they would otherwise do. See Mahometanism.

Predestination, among Christians, is used, in a more limited sense, for a judgment or decree of God, whereby he has resolved, from all eternity, to have a certain number of persons, from thence called elect; so that the rest of mankind being left in a state of impenitence, are said to be reprobated.