more deserving than others, but with them involved in one common misery, God hath decreed to give to Christ, to be saved by him, and effectually to call and draw them to his communion by his word and Spirit, to bestow upon them true faith, justification and sanctification; and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of his Son, finally, to glorify them for the demonstration of his mercy, and for the praise of the riches of his glorious grace; as it is written, “According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Eph. i. 4, 5, 6. And elsewhere, “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Rom. viii. 30.
Art. VIII. There are not various decrees of election, but one and the same decree respecting all those, who shall be saved, both under the old and new testament: since the scripture declares the good pleasure, purpose and counsel of the divine will to be one, according to which he hath chosen us from eternity, both to grace and to glory, to salvation and the way of salvation, which he hath ordained that we should walk therein.
Art. IX. This election was not founded upon foreseen faith, and the obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality or disposition in man, as the pre-requisite, cause or condition on which it depended; but men are chosen to faith and to the obedience of faith, holiness, &c., therefore election is the fountain of every saving good; from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself, as its fruits and effects, according to that of the apostle. “He hath chosen us (not because we were) but that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in love.” Eph. i. 4.
Art. X. The good pleasure of God is the sole cause of this gracious election; which doth not consist herein, that God foreseeing all possible qualities of human actions, elected certain of these as a condition of salvation; but that he was pleased out of the common mass of sinners to adopt some certain persons as a peculiar people to himself, as it is written, “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,” &c. “It was said (namely to Rebecca) the elder shall serve the younger; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Rom. ix. 11, 12, 13. “And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” Acts xiii. 48.
