Appello evangelium for the true doctrine of the divine predestination concorded with the orthodox doctrine of Gods free-grace and mans free-will / by John Plaifere ... ; hereunto is added Dr. Chr. Potter his owne vindication in a letter to Mr. V. touching the same points.

CHAP. IV. The fourth Opinion.

THe Fourth Opinion is of Melanchton, Hemingius and the Lutherans that fol∣low

the Augustan Confession, and for∣mulam concordiae; The Remonstrants, or Arminians and many Papists, &c.

1. That God decreed to create Man, to permit him to fall, and to send Christ to re∣deeme the World, &c. as in the third Opinion was said.

2. That hee made a generall conditionall decree of Predestination, under the condition of Faith, and Perseverance; And a speciall absolute decree of electing those to life, whom he foreknew would believe and persevere under the meanes and aides of Grace, Faith and Perseverance, and a speciall absolute decree of condemning them, whom he foresaw to abide impenitent in their sins.

This Opinion was condemned in the late Synod at Dort. I mislike it for these reasons:

1. Because a generall conditionall Prede∣stination is none at all.

2. Because the decree of speciall Election of such as believe (no better declared than thus) seemeth to make men choose God first, rather than God to choose men.

3. Because it maketh the decrees of ju∣stification and condemnation to bee the same with the decree of Election and Re∣probation, which must be distinguished, as they are Rom. 8. 29.

4. Because it presenteth no more Grace given by God to the Elect, than to the reprobate, neither greater cause of thank∣fulnesse.

Yet this Opinion doth well to enlarge the objects of Gods foreknowledge, and to extend it, not onely to the fall of the first man, but even to Christ to be manifest∣ed in the flesh, and believed on in the World, yea even to the last end of all men, persevering either in Faith or Un∣beliefe. Agreeing with the Scriptures that buildeth Election upon foreknowledge at large, simply and properly taken, Rom. 8. 29. & 11. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 1, 2. and promiseth salva∣tion to the believer, but, persevering to the end.

Thus have wee seene foure Opinions:

The Transition to the fifth.

Seeing then none of these foure give full satisfaction, though some pieces of Truth be found in every one of them, yet joyned with some inconvenience: It were a work worth the labour to gather that truth out of them all, that might avoyd all inconve∣niences, the thing which I desire to doe, by the light of Gods Holy Spirit and Word.

1. So conceiving the order of Divine Predestination, as that wee set not forth onely some one or two of the Divine attri∣butes and properties, but preserve and present them all:

• His Dominion and Power, as the first Opinion would.
• His Mercy and Justice, as the second Opinion would.
• His Truth and speciall Grace, as the third Opinion would.
• His Wisdome and foreknowledge, as the fourth Opinion would.

And yet to acknowledge his judgements unsearchable, &c. as the Apostle would, Rom. 11. 33.

2. So conceiving it as may agree with the holy Scripture expounded literally & with∣out Tropes, in the greatest Propriety, and by the light of the most, the plainest, the most fundamentall places and principles therein.

3. So conceiving it as that the order in Grace doth not subvert the order in na∣ture, but that wee confesse the Wisedome of God so to worke his Will, as yet hee preserveth the nature, freedome and properties of the Creature, in which hee worketh.

4. Lastly, conceiving it so, as that God

may both save the World, in mercy, and judge the World in righteousnesse.