A Golden Chain

This their forged devise of foreseen works, I. Paul doth show to be plainly counterfeit, when as he saith, that the Ephesians were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid: and that not because he did foresee that they would be holy, but that they might be holy and unblameable before God with love. And 2. v. 10. he saith, they were created to good works in Christ, that they might walk therein. In which places, good works they are made effects of predestination; but the effect foreseen cannot be the cause of his cause: for that every cause, in the order both of nature and ⟨p. 152⟩knowledge, doth go before his effect. II. Tit. 3.5. Not of works which we have done, but according to his mercy did God elect and save us. III. God in electing us, did not regard any thing out of himself, but in himself did he elect us. Eph. 1.4. and 9. Therefore did he not regard future works. IV. Some of the popish schoolmen confess, that Predestination doth put nothing in the party predestinated, in respect of him, for which God did predestinate him. Thom. 1. primae. quest. 23. art. 2. V. Election is only on Gods mercy. Rom. 9.16. VI. God saw no grace in man, but that which he himself must bestow upon him: whence it is apparent, that in election the beginning thereof proceedeth from grace. VII. Seeing there is nothing either above God, or greater then God, it must needs be impious to assign any cause of his will, either out of, or above his majesty: and therefore that his foreknowledge of faith & works should be accounted the impulsive cause of his decree, concerning mans salvation, we do rightly deny.