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VERA..
gods
L7effáon.
prove
incur
underftandings,
that
we doe
things
in
particular, ac-
cording to generali conceptions within our minde.
7. That
which maketh God choofe perlons to
life
which are not
eligible
,
is
not
to
be admitted
:
But
an
abfolute election without
any forefight
of
Faith doth fo.
8.
The
Scriptures fay we are predeftinated and
elated
according to
foreknowledge,Fly
lufls
of
youth,
¿c.
The
reafons
for the denying part
are many
:
To
leave fuch named
before, which
are
common to
this queftion
alfo.
r.
This
eleftion on faith
fore
-
feene,
maketh
God
goe out
of
him
-
felfe, looking
to
this
or that
in
the
creature, upon which
his
will may
be determined
to cleft.
Now
this
is
againft
the
all
-
fufficiency
of
God;
for
as
if
he fhould
get knowledge from things
as
we doe,
it
were
an
imperfeftion
in
his
knowledge
; fo in his
will,
if
he muff be
beholding
to fomething
in
us,
before it
can be
determined
:
Befides,
it maketh
God intrinfecally changed,now
in
fufpenfe touching
that
whereinafter,
on fome
fight,
he
commeth
to be
fully determined.
I
will choofe this
man,
if
fo
be he
will
beleeve; I
will upon
fore-fight
of
my condition
abfolutely choofe him.
a.
That
election
of
perfons, which
hath
annexed
to
it a decree, pre-
paring
faith and juftification
for the
perfons
that
are
elected, that
is
of
men unbeleeving
:
Thofe who
being elected are predeftinated to have
faithwrought
in
them;thofe
are confidered
without faith,as nowthey
are
elefted,Fem.8.39.Thefe
foure and five verfes
of
this
Chapter.
3.
If
God
decree
to
cleft
none till he
doth
fee
them
beleeving
with
perfeverance, then he
doth
decree
to
give faith and
perfeverance,before
he
doth
decree
to
take,
or
ordaine
to
life. But
this
is
abfurd, for God
fhould
decree
to that,by which
as a
meane he
commeth to
eleék;before
he fhould decree
to cleft. Let the cifrminians tell
us
what
is
Gods
end
indecreeing
to
give
thisman faith
and perfeverance,
if
not that
he may
choofe
him
to
life.
If
he
have this end
in
decreeing
to give faith,
he
mutt needes intend
the
election
ofthis
perfon,before
he decree
to worke
in
him effeftuallyfaith, with perfeverance
:
Befide,
the Scripturefaith,
festal
as were
ordained
to
life
belayed.
ç.
That
which maketh God
choofe
us,
when
we have
ehofen him,
and
loveus,when
we have loved him firft,is contrary
to
Scripture
:
But
if
God
choofe us, when
now we have
held
the faith
and
love
of
him
to
the
laft
moment,he
doth
choofe
us
after
we have
chofen him.
5.
Chrifi
faith, we heare
or
beleeve, becaufe we are
fheepe ;
This
faith, we
are
fheepe
or cleft,
and
ordained to
life
becaufe
we beleeve.
6.
From this ver
fe
:
That
to which any aftion
tendeth,
as
an
effeft,
that
is
after
the aftion it
felfe
:
But this
eternal'
election
tendeth to this,
that
we fhould be
pure in
love.
'7.
That
which ftandeth not with the freedome
of
Gods
will,
yea,
of
his
meere will within himfelfe,
that
is
not to
be indured
in
election
:
But a
condition qualifying
the
perfon, maketh
Gods
election
notmcerely from
his
will.
F
8, "riad;
49