CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

3. There are those who refine it more subtly, and that is, That God did foresee who would believe and persevere therein to Death, and such are peremptorily chosen to Eternal Life, not that their Faith or Perseverance is any merit or moving Cause, but a Conditio sine quâ non, without which God would not choose such to happiness, so that (say they) it's not for any intrinsical. Dignity or excellent worth in Faith, but because of the many possible ways and means to Salvation; God appoints this way of believing rather then another, and thus the Arminians, Only they acknowledge Holiness of Life, and Obedience to God to be thus a Condition foreseen as well as Faith, though they would seem utterly to deny it.

3. There are those who refine it more subtlely, and that is, That God did foresee who would beleeve and persevere therein to Death, and such are peremptorily chosen to Eternall Life, not that their Faith or Perseverance is any merit or moving Cause, but a Conditio sine quâ non, without which God would not choose such to happinesse, so that (say they) it's not for any intrinsecall. Dignity or excellent worth in Faith, but because of the many possible waies and means to Salvation; God appoints this way of beleeving rather then another, and thus the Arminians, Only they acknowledge Holinesse of Life, and Obedience to God to be thus a Condition foreseen as well as Faith, though they would seem utterly to deny it.

4. There are the Lutherans, and they indeed hold Faith fore-seen as a Condition in our Election; Only they say, It's not considered as a merit, or a Cause, no, nor as a work, but as an Instrument apprehending Christs merits, and therefore make Election to be by Faith, in the same sense as we are justified by Faith; Hence they deny Holiness or Obedience to be a condition ingredient to Election, because Christ is not laid hold upon by that as by Faith, although herein they contradict themselves, because they acknowledge not Faith singly as so, but Perseverance in Faith to be ⟨p. 538⟩the Condition, and that must be necessarily looked upon as a work, not as an Instrument receiving Christ; But the Orthodox they affirm consonantly to Scripture, and suitably to the Glory of Gods Grace, That God did from all Eternity choose some men out of that corrupt mass in which all were, to Eternal Glory, and by the same Act did prepare and appoint all those means which would effectually produce the same, So that this Election is the Original and Fountain of all Spiritual mercies: because Elected, Christ is appointed a Mediator: Because Elected, they are called and enabled to believe in time, So that we deny there are two Elections, One to Glory, another to Grace; But God by the same single Act doth will both, and therefore that there is not the same Reason of Election, and of Justification or Salvation, for these being Acts done in time do require Faith and Holiness, as antecedent, but Election being an Act of God from all Eternity cannot presuppose any thing in us.