The riches of Gods love unto the vessels of mercy, consistent with his absolute…The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute…

So that it is clear in the opinion of Austin, that to take both himself and others off from premising the foresight of Faith unto Gods election, it is sufficient to prove that Faith is the gift of God, the work of God both touching the augmentation, and touching the first introduction thereof. And thus evincing the condition of Predestination, as excluding all foresight of Faith, from the condition of Predestination, as being throughout the work of God in man, rather then taking a contrary course, as if the main [Greek or Hebrew] were, ⟨p. 4⟩what is the condition of Gods decree of Predestination, as here it is pretended and supposed. And albeit it is commonly received of all sides (as if it were without question) that Faith is the gift of God: yet we find practises on foot, for the working of a manifest innovation herein. For not to speak of their interpretations of their own meanings, as, in what sense they say God works Faith in us; it is apparent the Remonstrants now a days, do as good as profess, that Faith is not bestowed upon us for Christs sake, in as much as they deny that Christ merited Faith for us. For when the Author of the Censure passed upon the Remonstrants Confession, disputeth thus, At si hoc tantum meritus est Christus tum Christus nobis non est meritus fidem nec regenerationem: the Remonstrants in the Answer hereunto, forthwith confess it in these ¹words, Sanè ita est. Nihil ineptius, nihil vanius est quàm hoc Christi merito tribuere. Si enim Christus nobis meritus dicatur fidem & regenerationem, tum fides conditio esse non poterit, quam a peccatoribus Deus sub comminatione mortis aeternae exigeret. And by the way mark, I pray, that not any difference is put between Faith and Regeneration; manifestly signifying thereby, that as they grant it to be the work of man to believe, so we are commanded to make our selves a new heart.²

So that it is cleer in the opinion of Austin, that to take both himselfe and others off from premising the foresight of Faith unto Gods election, it is sufficient to prove that Faith is the gift of God, the work of God both touching the augmentation, and touching the first introduction thereof. And thus evincing the condition of Predestination, as excluding all foresight of Faith, from the condition of Predestination, as being throughout the work of God in man, rather then taking a contrary course, as if the main were,