is affirmed, to have chosen certaine men, before the foundation
of the world, that they should be holy, and obtaine everlasting life,
by the merit of Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace: any
such predestination which may be the fountaine, and cause of
grace, or glory, determining the persons, according to Gods good
pleasure, on whom they shall be, bestowed: for this doctrine,
would make the speciall grace of God, to be the sole cause, of all
the good, that is in the elect, more then the reprobates, would
make faith, the worke, and gift of God: with divers other things,
which would shew their Idol to be nothing, of no value: where∣fore
what a corrupt heresie they have substitute into the place
hereof, see Chapter the sixth.
Secondly, they denie originall sinne, and its demerit, which
being rightly understood, would easily demonstrate, that not∣withstanding,
all the labour, of the Smith, the Carpenter, and the
Painter, yet their Idol, is of its owne nature, but an unprofitable
blocke, it will discover, not onely the impotencie of doing good,
which is in our nature, but shew also, whence we have it: see
Chapter the seventh.
Thirdly, if ye will charge our humane nature, with a repug∣nancie
to the Law of God, they will maintaine, that it was also
in Adam, when he was first created, and so comes from God
himselfe: Chapter the eighth.
Fourthly, they denie the efficacie, of the merit, of the death
of Christ, both, that God intended by his death, to redeeme his
Church, or to acquire unto himselfe, an holy people, as also, that
Christ by his death, hath merited, and procured for us, grace,
faith, or righteousnesse, and power to obey God, in fulfilling the
condition of the new covenant; nay this were plainely to set up
an Arke, to breake their Dagons necke: for what praise (say
they) can be due, to our selves, for beleeving, if the blood of
Christ, hath procured God to bestow faith, upon us: increpet te
Deus ô Satan, see Chapter nine and ten.
Fiftly, if Christ will claime such a share in saving of his people,
of them that beleeve in him, they will grant, some to have salva∣tion,
quite without him, that never heard, so much as a report, of
a Saviour: and indeed in nothing, doe they advance their Idol,
neerer the throne of God, then in this blasphemie, Chapter 11.