The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
The election of particular perſons in reſpect of faith foreſeene is confuted. It is prooued that men are not elected for faith, but to faith.
OVt of the great abundance of places which the holy Scripture doth ſupply to vsus, we wil tithe and chooſe out ſome that are moſt cleare and moſt weighty.
I. Saint Paul to the Epheſians, Chapter 1. verſ. 3.4. hath theſe words, God hath bleſſed vsus with all ſpirituall bleſsings in heauenly places in Chriſt, according as he hath choſen vsus in him, before the foundation of the world. The Apoſtle doth plainely enough teach, that ſpirituall bleſſings, and therefore faith, are giuen vsus according to the eternall election, & as we were elected. Whence it followeth, that election is neceſſarily before theſe bleſſings, both in order and time. So hee that ſaith, that the Souldiers receiued their donatiue and beneuolence, as it ſeemed good to their Generall, doth manifeſtly ſay, that firſt it ſeemed good to the Generall before it was done, and that the certaine and abſolute will of the Generall went before this largeſſe and gift. Neither are thoſe words of leſſe moment which follow: He elected vsus in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, that we ſhould be holy and without blame before him, in louelove. You ſee that we are elected to holineſſe, and not from holineſſe, or for holineſſe; and if we be elected to holineſſe, then alſo are we elected to faith, wherein our holineſſe chiefly conſiſts. It cannot be denyed that faith is a part of our holines, vnleſſe by him, who alſo denieth, that incredulity in the prophane is a part of their prophaneneſſe and vice: For by faith we are not onelyonly ſanctified efficiently, but alſo formally; no otherwiſe then the wall is formally whited by the white colour. And if the Arminians could get it granted, that the holineſſe which is ſpoken of here, doth conſiſt onelyonly in charity, yet they would effect nothing, nor would it euer the leſſe be proued out of this place, that we are choſen to faith; for he that is elected to charity, is neceſſarily elected to faith, which begets charity, Gal. 5.6. Nor is it credible, that any one is elected to one part of holineſſe, and not to the other.
Being beate therefore from hence, they ſeeke other refuges. Arnoldus. p. 66. by elect, would hauehave they that are called to be vnderſtood; as if election and calling were the ſame thing: but many are called, few are choſen, Matth. 20. Therefore among theſe elect (if Arnoldus be beleeued) there will be many reprobates; neither will this election be oppoſed to reprobation. The ſame man, pag. 142. doth contend, that theſe elect are the faithfull, which is falſe in that ſenſe he takes it, to wit, that they are conſidered as being already faithfull, when they are elected: For how can they that are conſidered as being faithfull, be elected to holineſſe, ſeeing in that they are faithfull, they are already holy? Paul indeede ſpeakes to the Epheſians, whom hee calleth faithfull and bleſſed: but not, if now they were faithfull and bleſſed, they were therefore faithfull before they were elected.
This good man therefore hath deuiſed another ſubtilty, and would hauehave Paul to ſpeake not of the election of particular perſons, but of the election, whereby any one people is elected to the calling, by the Goſpell. If this be true, it muſt needes be, that among the elect, before the foundation of the world, there were many reprobates: But the following words doe not admit this interpretation; for the Apoſtle ſaith, we are elected, that we ſhould be without blame, in louelove. He will hauehave vsus to be elect, that we might endeauour to holineſſe and good workes: Now good workes are of particular men, and not of a Nation; neither by the elect can here be vnderſtood, the nations admitted into the couenant, ſeeing Saint Paul includes himſelfe in this number, Hath choſen vsus in Chriſt, &c. Arnoldus himſelfe doth ſufficiently declare how little he truſts to this expoſition, while hee ioynes another which ouerthrowes this: He ſaith, that here it is ſpoken of the election to glory, and therefore by holineſſe, would hauehave ſaluation vnderſtood: But the Apoſtle doth fitly preuent this ſtarting hole; for hee addes, that we might be holy and blameleſſe; but to be blameleſſe is a vertue, and not ſaluation it ſelfe: Then alſo Paul expounds, how wee are holy, to wit in charity, nor in the fruition and enioying of glory. He vnderſtands the dueties of charity which are exerciſed in this life, vntounto which to be exhorted after this life is needeleſſe. Finally, by their ſo various and diuers expoſitions, which ouerthrow one another, they doe ſufficiently confeſſe, that they hauehave nothing wherein they may be conſtant: And becauſe they cannot maſter vsus by the weight of their expoſitions, they endeauour to ouerwhelme vsus by the multitude of them.
It is of ſmall importance, that from this word foreign, that is, blameleſſe, they gather, that it is ſpoken of the perfection after this life: For the Apoſtle will hauehave vsus to be blameleſſe, euen in this life, as, Philippians 2.15. Where he commands vsus to be foreign, blameleſſe, and harmeleſſe, in the midſt of a crooked and peruerſe generation. Certainly, when the Apoſtle ſaith, that we might be blameleſſe in charity; it is manifeſt, that he doth not ſpeake of the Saints enioying glory, where there is no place for reprehenſion, nor for exhortation, to the duties of charitie. There is no little force in the following verſe: He predeſtinated vsus to the adoption of children, by Ieſus Chriſt. Out of this place I thus reaſon: Thoſe whom God predeſtinated to adoption, he hath predeſtinated alſo to the ſpirit of adoption, to be giuen them, and this is nothing elſe but to predeſtinate them to faith; for the ſpirit of adoption is it that beareth witneſſe in our hearts, that we are the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8. and this teſtimony is faith it ſelfe. It is true indeede, that God appointeth no man to adoption, but whom God conſidereth, as one that by his gift will be faithfull; but the ſame may alſo be ſaid of thoſe that are appointed to faith, which is appointed to none but whom God conſidereth as one that will be faithfull: And ſurely they are groſely deceiued, who thinke that the faithfull are appointed to the adoption of children, ſeeing in that they are faithfull, they are already children: This Saint Iohn teacheth, chapter 1. To them that beleeued, he gaue this prerogatiue, to be the ſonnes of God.
II. Agreeable to this place are alſo many other, 1 Cor. 7.25. I hauehave obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull, not becauſe he conſidered me as already faithfull, Iohn 15.16. I hauehave choſen you, that you ſhould bring forth fruit: therefore he did not chooſe vsus, conſidered as already faithfull, and therefore as already bearing fruit. Should wee imagine, that Chriſt ſpeakes here onelyonly of the election of the Apoſtles to their Apoſtleſhip? I thinke there is none of ſo impudent a face, who can deny that the ſame thing may be ſpoken of any of the elect, whereof there is none whom God hath not elected, that hee might be godly and good: euen as alſo there is no man, who is not of a ſhameleſſe countenance, who will deny that all the following documents and leſſons, doe belong to all the faithfull: Theſe things I commend you, that you louelove one another: If the world hate you, you know that it hath hated me firſh, &c.
III. Not vnlike this, is that which the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Theſ. 2.13. God hath choſen you to ſaluation by ſanctification of the ſpirit, and beleefe of the truth. He ſaith that we are elected to obtaine ſaluation by faith, not for faith, and ſo faith is after election, and a certaine medium, or middle thing, betweene election and ſaluation.
IV. The words of Ananias to S. Paul, Act 22.14. are conſonant to this; God hath choſen thee, that thou ſhouldſt know his will; by which knowledge, faith and aſſent to the Goſpell is vnderſtood: for Saint Paul was not elected more to know the Goſpell, then to beleeue the Goſpell: Paul therefore was elected to beieeue, and ſo his election was before his faith.
V. The ſame Apoſtle, 1 Theſſa. 1.3. praiſing the faith and charitie of the Theſſalonians, doth fetch the cauſe of theſe vertues from election it ſelfe: Remembring without ceaſing your worke of faith, and labour of lone, as knowing that you are elected of God.
Here the Arminians doe willingly ſtumble in a plaine way: for by Election they will hauehave Calling to be vnderſtood; which if it be true, the reprobates themſelues will be elected, as being alſo called. Then alſo Saint Paul is deluded, as if hee were not in his right minde: For what neede Paul tell the Theſſalonians, that he knew they were called by the Goſpell, ſeeing Saint Paul himſelfe preached the Goſpell to them? He were a ridiculous Grammarian, who ſhould tell his Schollers that he had taught; I know you hauehave learned Grammer. Arnoldus, pag. 66. doth ſuſpect that the word, foreign, knowing, is to be referred to the Theſſalonians themſelues. But the good man hath dealt too negligently here, for he doth not ſee, that by this meanes, the Greeke ſpeech would be made incongruous and not agreeing, for then it muſt hauehave beene read foreign, that it might agree with foreign, which is in the former verſe. But diſtruſting this expoſition, he hath ſmelt out that by the word election, excellency ought to be vnderſtood, which truely is an intollerable licenſe; ſeeing election differeth from excellency by the whole praedicament; for election is an action, excellency is a quality, or a relation. Surely if it be lawfull to bring ſuch portents and monſters of interpretation, what will there be in the holy Scripture, which may not be deluded or depraued? Let Arnoldus bring another place, where Excellency is vnderſtood by the word Election: For although he that is elected, may be taken for him that excelleth, yet you ſhall neuer finde Election to be ſo taken for Excellency. Neither ought it to ſeeme a maruaile that Paul ſaith, he knew of the election of the Theſſalonians; for God might reueile that to him concerning the Teſſalonians, which he reuealed concerning the Corinthians, Acts 18.10. I hauehave much people in this citie. Or if that doth not pleaſe, it may be ſaid, that Saint Paul, when he ſaw the Goſpell receiued by the Theſſalonians, with very great ioy and much fruite, eaſily perſwaded himſelfe that many of that people belonged to the election of God.
VI. The ſame Apoſtle, in the beginning of his Epiſtle to Titus, calleth himſelfe, the Apoſtle, according to the faith of Gods elect. It is plaine, that faith is ſaid to be of the elect, becauſe it is peculiar to the elect, or elſe it were not rightly adorned with this elogy & commendation, and that by the confeſſion of Vorſtius himſelfe: Collat. cum piſcat. Sect. 118.Faith (ſaith hee) is called the faith of the elect of God, Titus 1. becauſe faith is a proper marke of the elect, &c. But why is faith peculiar to the elect? is it becauſe as many as hauehave true faith are elected by God? But the Arminians deny this; for they write of the Apoſtaſie of the Saints, and thinke that the moſt holy men may fall away. It remaines therefore, that faith is ſaid to be of the elect, which God giueth to the elect, and which is a fruit of election.
The Arminians auoid this dart and argument, by ſaying, that by the name of faith, is vnderſtood doctrine: But they doe not well auoid it ſo, for the doctrine of the Goſpell is not peculiar to the elect, neither can it be called the doctrine of the elect, ſeeing it is preached alſo to wicked and prophane men Here therefore we may ſee the Apoſtle and Arminius to be ſtriuing together: Saint Paul ſaith, Faith is of the elect: Arnold p. 186. Fides non eſt praciſe electorum, ſed electio ſidelium.Armintus on the contrary part ſaith, that election is of them that are faithfull, and who are conſidered as already beleeuing.
With like licentious liberty, doe they abuſe the word, of the elect, by which they will hauehave thoſe that are called, and are holy to be vnderſtood: But after what manner? Seeing that according to Arminius, among them that are called, and holy, there are many reprobates; the elect therefore, by this meanes ſhall be reprobates. Is the Scripture thus to be deluded? But let vsus ſee other places.
VII. Noteable are the words of Chriſt. Luk. 10 20. Reioyce, that your names are written in Heauen. Chriſt ſpeaketh to men that were liuing, & who had not yet perſeuered in the faith to the end: Yet notwithſtanding, their names were already written in Heauen, their ſaluation was determined by the certaine purpoſe of God: Their election therefore, was before their perſeuerance in faith, contrary to which is the opinion of Arminius, who will hauehave perſeuerance in faith, to goe before election, and will hauehave vsus to be elected for faith fore-ſeene.
And if election be not peremptory, & immutable, but after finall perſeuerance, as the Arminians would hauehave it, then we muſt ſay, that the names of the Apoſtles, who did then firſt enter the race of Chriſtian profeſſion, were ſo written in Heauen, that yet it was in the power of the Apoſtles to fall away from the faith and ſo to be reprobated; And therefore they could bring it to paſſe, that Chriſt ſhould lie: See to what the audacity of theſe innouators doth come. Furthermore, that that is ſaid in the Scripture to be written in Heauen & before God, which is appointed & determined by his eternall counſell, we hauehave proued in the former Chapter; where we hauehave reiected that vnſauory and raſh interpretation of the Arminians; we will hauehave the writing of our names in heauen, to be nothing elſe then to be accounted the children of God, by the preſent ſtate of righteouſneſſe, and that for no other argument, then becauſe they will hauehave it ſo.
VIII. S. Paul. Epheſ. 2.8. By grace ye are ſaued through faith: He doth not ſay, that they are ſaued for faith fore-ſeen, but by faith, as by the meanes to ſaluation: And if God doth not ſaue vsus for faith fore ſeen, he neither wil ſaue vsus for faith fore-ſeen, nor doth he elect vsus for faith fore-ſeen: For to elect, is to be willing to ſaue.
IX. The ſame words, By grace ye are ſaued through faith, do plainly ſay, that faith is the meanes to ſaluation: & if ſaluation be the end, and faith the meanes, it muſt needs be that God thoght of giuing ſaluation to Peter & Paul before he thoght of giuing them faith, wherby they ſhould come to ſaluation: for the end is firſt in the intent before the means: ſo habitatiō is intended before building, life before foode, health before phiſick. With what face therfore dare the Armint. ſay, that God had decreed to giuegive Peter and Paul faith, before he had decreed to giuegive them ſaluation.
X. But here Arminius hath laid aſide ſhame, and doth deny that ſaluation is Gods end; but hee ſaith, that ſaluation and faith are the gifts of God, tied together by the will of God in this order, that faith ſhould goe before ſaluation, in reſpect of God the giuer, and in the thing it ſelfe. Theſe are the words of Arminius, which are cited and allowed by the Arminians, in their anſwere to the Epiſtle to the Walachrians. Pag. 93. But beſides that, I had rather beleeue Saint Paul, teaching that we are ſaued by God, through faith. Arminius himſelfe doth ſeeme to me to grant the ſame thing, while he doth deny it: For it is not likely, that God is willing, that faith ſhould goe before the obtaining of ſaluation, vnleſſe becauſe he will giuegive and beſtow ſaith vntounto ſaluation. Now that which helpeth to obtaine ſaluation, is the meanes by which we come to ſaluation, as to the end. Greuinchouius following him, Pag. 12. doth deny that God intended the ſaluation of certaine men in particular, as an end. And Pag. 124. We hauehave ſaid (ſaith he) that faith is to be conſidered two manner of waies, eyther as it is preſcribed and to be performed, or as it is already performed: As it is to be performed, it is not the meanes, but the condition, and the thing required: But as it is performed, it is the meanes to man, by which he doth obtaine ſaluation, promiſed vnderunder the condition of faith. The Reader ſhall obſerue his excellent wit. This man will hauehave faith, then, to be the meanes to ſaluation, when it is performed, that is, when faith ceaſeth: For the Arminians then thinke faith to be performed, when one hath perſeuered in faith to the end; at which time viſion and ſight ſucceedeth to faith ceaſing. Therefore (if Arminius be beleeued) ſaith will then beginne to be the meanes of ſaluation, when it is not faith: Then alſo that ſaying, that faith performed, is the meanes for man, not for God, is very weake: For faith is the meanes for a man to come to ſaluation, for no other cauſe, then becauſe God willeth and cauſeth that man ſhould come to ſaluation by faith: So he that ſaith, that foode is the meanes for a man to liue, ſaith alſo that it is the meanes that God doth vſe for the ſuſtentation of mans life.
XI. It is of no ſmall importance that the Apoſtle in the ſame place, calleth faith the gift of God: By grace ye are ſaued through faith, Epheſ. 2.8.and that not of your ſelues, it is the gift of God: For the Apoſtle will not hauehave ſaluation alone to be the gift of God, but alſo faith: For he that giueth the end, giueth alſo the meanes; as hee that giues vsus life, giues vsus alſo meanes to maintaine our life. So Philip. 1.19. It is giuen to you for Chriſt, that is, in that which concerneth Chriſt, not onelyonly to beleeue on him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake: Therefore to beleeue in Chriſt, is the gift of God. Wherefore we are not rightly ſaid to be elected by God for faith fore-ſeene, ſeeing God himſelfe giues faith: For God is not ſaid (vnleſſe it be very vnproperly) to fore-ſee thoſe things which he himſelfe determined to doe. Hee would not be thought to hauehave a ſound braine, who ſhould ſay that God fore-ſaw the Sunne would be round or ſhining, for God himſelfe turned it into roundneſſe, and put the light into it. How greatly the Arminians erre here, and that it followes of their doctrine, that faith is not the gift of God, although ſometimes they ſpeake otherwiſe, ſhall be ſeene in the right place.
XII. Thither alſo belong the words which are in the eleuenth verſe of the firſt chapter. Epheſ. 1.11.Being predeſtinated according to the purpoſe of him who worketh all things after the counfell of his owne will. If God hath predeſtinated any one to ſaluation, he worketh alſo all things which are neceſſary to the execution of that decree, and if all things, then alſo faith: Faith therefore, is ſomething after predeſtination, for it is a part of the execution of that decree.
XIII. There is a noteable place, Acts 13.48. foreign: They beleeued as many as were ordained to eternall life. While Paul preached to the men of Antiochia, ſome beleeued, ſome refuſed the Goſpell: Saint Luke brings this cauſe why they did not beleeue, to wit, the ordination and decree of God. Election therefore is before faith, becauſe the election of God, is the cauſe why men beleeue. According to Arminius, Saint Luke ought to hauehave ſpoken thus: And as many as beleeued were elected by God, in reward of their faith: But contrariewiſe hee ſaith, they beleeued, becauſe they were elected.
Socinus, and after him Arminius, doe depraue and corrupt this place with very great wickedneſſe. For by, foreign, they that were ordained, they vnderſtand, they that were diſpoſed, prepared and inclined, or well affected: as if Luke had writ foreign. Certainely a bold euaſion, and an interpretation without colour and example: For neyther the Scripture, nor any man, that I know, euer tooke the word foreign, in this ſence. To which purpoſe when many examples may be heaped vp, yet they are moſt fit which are taken out of the booke of the Acts it ſelfe, that it may appeare in what ſence Saint Luke doth alwaies take this word, Chap. 15.2. foreign, they decreed or determined that Paul ſhould goe vp. And Acts 28.23. foreign, when they had appointed him a day. So Saint Paul, Rom. 13.1. foreign. The powers that are, are ordained, or appointed by God. So S. Chriſoſt. Hom. 30. vponupon the Acts doth interpret this place of the Acts, as many as were ordained to ſaluation, where he rendreth, foreign, ordained, foreign, ſeuered by God, and fore-determined. Then alſo, although the word were ambiguous, reaſon it ſelfe would conuince this: For none of the vnregenerate can be well diſpoſed, or well affected to eternall life: But all theſe men of Antiochia, before they beleeued the Goſpell, were vnregenerate, therefore they were ill diſpoſed to the obtaining of ſaluation. Let the ſchoole and followers of Arminius tell me, what diſpoſition was in the theefe who was crucified with Chriſt, to beleeue before he did beleeue: Or in the Apoſtle Paul, when like a wolfe he did rage againſt the flocke of Chriſt, and ſwelling with Phariſaicall pride, was a moſt eager maintainer of righteouſneſſe by the Law; yea alſo common ſence doth abhorre that kinde of ſpeaking which they deuiſe: For wee are not wont to ſay, that one is well diſpoſed, or prone, or well affected to bleſſedneſſe, but to vertue. This inclination muſt be to doe ſomething, and not to enioy or obtaine ſomething. So one may be ſaid, to be inclined to the exerciſe of his body, but not to health; to the combat, not to the reward or victory: Or if any one pleaſe to take the word diſpoſitum, diſpoſed, for cupido, deſire, there is no man who is not diſpoſed to ſaluation.
It is not for nothing, that the Greeke hath not the word, foreign, ſimply and alone, but foreign, as many as were appointed: By which preterpluperfect tenſe is plainely ſignified, not a preſent diſpoſition, but an ordination that went before.
It is to no purpoſe, that they therefore gather, that by thoſe that are ordained, are vnderſtood, thoſe that are diſpoſed, becauſe in that place, they are oppoſed to them that are vnworthy. For Luke here makes no oppoſition, nor if he did, would it any thing hinder vsus, who know that by the very election to faith and ſaluation, men are made worthy, and therefore alſo we are oppoſed to thoſe that are vnworthy. In the meane time let the Reader iudge, what, and how wicked a doctrine this is, which doth make men to be worthy, before they beleeue, and that ſome are found among Infidels, who are worthy of ſaluation.
XIV. Marke 13.22. Falſe Chriſts and falſe Prophets ſhall ariſe, and ſhall ſhew ſignes and wonders, to ſeduce, if it were poſsible, the very elect. There is an foreign, a cauſe and reaſon of it giuen in the word Elect: For the cauſe is noted, why ſome cannot be finally deceiued, to wit, becauſe they are elected. Election, therefore, is before perſeuerance in faith to the end, as being the cauſe of perſeuerance: And that which is the cauſe of perſeuerance in faith, is the cauſe of faith. That which is the cauſe why one doth alwaies beleeue, is the cauſe why hee doth beleeue: Therefore the opinion of Arminius doth fall to the ground, by which he determineth, that not onelyonly faith, but alſo perſeuerance in faith, is before election. and that God in electing doth conſider it as a condition already performed and fulfilled.
XV. The words of the Apoſtle ought not to be omitted, 2. Tim. 1.9. He hath ſaued vsus, and called vsus with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, which was giuen vsus in Chriſt Ieſus, before the world beganne. Theſe words ſeem to me to be diametrically, & directly contrary to Arminianiſme: For the Apoſtle doth not onelyonly deny, that we are ſaued for the fore-ſeeing of workes, but alſo he brings the eternall decree of God, to exclude the reſpect of workes. But if God hath not elected vsus for the foreſeeing of workes; then certainly, not for the fore-ſeeing of faith, which doth beget and effect workes: And if God hath not elected any one for the fore-ſeeing of faith, then certainely, not for the right vſing of grace, nor for the obedience of faith, for as much as this vſing and this obedience, is manifeſtly a worke: Neither is it any doubt, but that to embrace the Goſpell by faith, is a kinde of worke and action of the will.
XVI. What? Arnold cont Gomarum. Pag. 4…. Arminius dicit ip…um credere in Chriſtum nobis in iuſtitiam imputari, non vt infirumentum & P. 35. dicet fidem eſtimati pro …edien i… & op…re. Vorſt. Cat. Error on Siber. P. 41. Fides nobis ad iuſtitiam … putatur formal…er. Bretius Epiſt. ad Sabr. P. 69. 70. Non eſt in…ptum dicere cum Deus ipſe …d aicat, no… habitu ſen qualitate inherente iuſtificari. Idem dicit Vorſt. Cat. Err…rum Sibr. P. 61. & 54. Impiutper paenetentiam iuſtificatur.That Arminius doth acknowledge faith not onelyonly to be an action, and therefore aworke, but doth alſo contend, that faith is imputed for righteouſneſſe, not as an inſtrument, that is, not as it apprehendeth Chriſt, but as it is a worke and an action? The words of Arminius, are reported by the Walachrian brethren, in their Epiſtle, and they are theſe: Faith is imputed for righteouſneſſe, not as it is an inſtrument, but as it is an action, although it be by him, whom it apprehendeth. Neither doe the Arminians in their anſwere deny it, but doe willingly acknowledge that theſe are Arminius his words, and Pag. 87. they doe defend him. The ſame men in the page going before, doe confeſſe that Peter Bertius, a man of ſpeciall name amongſt the Arminians, is of opinion, That the very act of faith, is imputed to vsus for righteouſneſſe in a proper ſenſe, and therefore that we are iuſtified by faith, as by an inherent qualitie; which vlcer I doe not touch here: But I onelyonly take that which makes for the preſent matter, to wit, ſeeing that faith it ſelfe, is not onelyonly an action and a worke, but that alſo according to the minde of the Arminians, wee are iuſtified by faith, in as much as it is an action and a worke, and an inherent vertue; it is plaine, that the fore-ſeeing of faith is excluded, by that very eternall good pleaſure of God, which the Apoſtle vſeth to exclude the foreſeeing of workes, ſeeing that faith it ſelfe, is alſo a worke and an action; yea, and doth iuſtifie, as it is an action, if Arminius be beleeued.
XVII. Hitherto pertaines that which is ſaid, Rom. 9.11. The purpoſe of God, which is according to election, not of workes, but of him that calleth: becauſe faith it ſelfe is a worke, and doth iuſtifie as it is a worke (as the Arminians will hauehave it) and to vſe grace aright, is with them to worke.
XVIII. The Scripture ſpeaketh of the decree of election, as of a certaine & immutable decree. 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, and hath this ſeale, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And Romanes 9. That the purpoſe of God, which is according to election might ſtand. And Iohn, 10.28. I giuegive to my ſheepe eternall life, and they ſhall neuer periſh, neither ſhall any man plucke them out of my hand. And chap. 6.37. All that the father giueth me, ſhall come to me: whereunto adde that which is, Mark. 13. that the elect cannot be deceiued. Did Pilate thinke it was an vnlawfull thing to change the title of the croſſe, which was written by him; and will it be a thing worthy the maieſty and wiſedome of God, to cancell thoſe things he writ, and hauing changed his opinion, to wipe out thoſe which hee had ſet into the white regiſter of the elect? Hee therefore doth not thinke well of God, and doth ſubuert the doctrine of the Goſpell, who will hauehave the decree of the election of men to be mutable, and reuocable, and to depend on mans will. We hauehave heard that Greuinchouius doth deny the decree of election, to be peremptory and abſolute, while we liue here. And the whole Schoole of Arminius, doth cry out with one voyce, that the number of the elect is not certaine and determined by the election and will of God: But if the number of the elect be not certaine by the will of God, then neither is election it ſelfe certaine. And ſurely, they iuſtly make election mutable, who make it to depend on mans will: for they will hauehave election to reſt on faith fore-ſeene, and faith it ſelfe to depend on mans free-will. Indeede they ſay, that preuenting and accompanying grace, is neceſſary to be…eeue; but the vſe of this grace, they will hauehave to be in the power of mans will, which alwaies hath this liberty, that it may vſe that grace, or not vſe it. And we ſhall ſee in his place, that the Arminians teach, that the grace of God is not the totall cauſe of faith, but onelyonly a cauſe in part.
Finally, you may eueryevery where finde, that election is made by the purpoſe and good pleaſure of God, and for his meere grace, as 2 Tim. 1.19. Epheſ. 1. ve. 5.6. and 11. Rom 9.15. and 11. ver. 3. But I finde no where that any one is elected for faith fore-ſeene; neither doe the Arminians proue it any otherwiſe, but by conſequences farre fetched, which we will examine in their place and order.