VE R.q., gods Eledion. 51 againftpredeftination, which is thedecreeof meanes, wherebythe cho- fenofGod (hall infallibly be brought to life. Now the firft part ofthe reafon thus limited, is falfe:Such whom Godfaveth, fuch hedoth fore- fee them in his Decree ofelecting them to falvation ; for this taketh a- way all predeftinationofmeanes, ferving to bringthe Elea to life, and prefuppofeth falfly, that God cannot choofeany to life, whom he doth not findeor forefee as actually fittedthen whenhe doth choofe them whereas he may choofe, though never founfit for the end, if having chofen us hecan make us fit; for our unfitneffe for the prefent, to the end, dothnot make us unfit for Gods election : as for example, I may choofe apen to write,'which neverfo faulty for the prefent, andunfitto write with, while I know I can mend it, and make it fit for this purpofe. I anfwer thirdly; Evenofthe decree ofElection, this is true, ifright- ly taken, viZ; Suchwhom God faveth in time, Such he eleéìed to fal- vation, fuch nowwhen he was inelecting them ; this is falfe : Such he elated, to wit, becomming fuch throughhis election, this is true : The firft prefuppofeth in Gods fore-knowledge an antecedencyoffaith be- fore the act ofelating : The latter, a concomitancie offaith, in the per- fon chofen to falvation, and thatby force ofGods eleeîing. Forelation doth choofe men as well tomeanes, as to the end ; and thefe decrees, though diverfly named, and in our conceits different, yet they are one thing inGod. Tothe third I anfwer ; That the firft part isfalfe ; for itprefuppofeth that whatfoever is a caufe, or an antecedent to life, mutt be an antece- dent going before election to life : It isnot neceffary thatall which is required to life, fhould be required toelection unto life : Say I have twenty pounds a yeere, which I may give to any I (hail choofe, and that my will is none (hall have my Land,but he (hall pay forty fhillings ayeere, tothe die ofcertaine poore whom I fhall defigne ; having many good friends, I choofe one amongft them all, who (hall have my Land, paying to filch poore I name forty fhillings a yeere. In this example, his paying forty fhillings yeerely, is a'condition on which he hath the Land, not any condition moving me to choofe him before others, to have my Land : So God choofeth fuch to falva- tion, upon condition they beleeve ; this condition belongeth not tothe actionof God choofing, butto the terminus to life,towhich wearecho- fen. Would they prove that God doth choofe to life on faith, they fhould reafon thus. Vponwhat conditionGodofferethlife, upon that bechoofeth. But on conditionof ourfaith,he offereth to cheap us with thiseternaR elellion, Ergo. But we fee the fecond part ofthis reafon would be evidently falle ; for in what Gofpel is it written,Beleeve,and thouJhaltbe ele/led ? Laftly, I anfwer, that we cannot gather the decree ofGod within himfelfe, by promife or threatning ; for then we might truely gather, that Godbath decreed the eternal!death ofall man-kinde,but on finning,in F 2 the 3. Anfwered
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