Restraining Some, But Not Others ~

Westminster Confession, Chapter 3, Paragraph 7

7-The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.[81]

Matthew 11:25-26
The Son Gives Knowledge and Rest At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.

Romans 9:17-18, 21-22
For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: I raised you up for this reason so that I may display My power in you and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth., So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden. (Romans 9:21-22) Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction?

2 Timothy 2:19-20
Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, having this inscription: The Lord knows those who are His,, and Everyone who names the name of the Lord must turn away from unrighteousness. Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.

Jude 1:4
For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

1 Peter 2:8
and a stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over.,, They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined for this.

Instead of thinking that God has his certain elect, and then refuses those who come to him because they are not chosen. It is better to see all of humanity running as fast as they can away from God. There are none that seek God, no not one. God then in his mercy decides to stop this one and that one. He does not stop all from running away from himself, only the elect. The rest, he chooses not to restrain.