2. Then it is considered as purchased, either actuallie or potentiallie; potentiallie, as Christ died for all; effectuallie, as it depends on our will; actuallie, he died for all. Who would receave his grace should be receaved, and who rejected should be damned.
3. As it is offered by God or accepted by us, it depends on mans will.
4. As it perseaveirs, it depends on mans will; and so they make his whole salvation to depend on his will. He elected us becaus he saw our will that we would accept grace, and died effectuallie for these whom he saw would accept grace, and that he would offer grace to such as he saw would perseveare.
(1) We say it depends upon Gods grace, and that he elected such and such to salvation when he might have condemned all.
(2) We say that Christs sacrifice was not offered for all, nor for one of the reprobats.
(3) That the effectual calling of man, when the Lord offers grace, the man may potentiallie reject, but not effectuallie; for he writts the law in his heart that he can reject it.
(4) It stands not by mans will, but by Gods grace; so the Arminians question our salvation in these poyntes, and says it depends on mans will. We say it depends on Gods grace. Our reasons are these—1. If it depend on mans will, and not on Gods grace, then Christ had not said, “I thank thee, O Father, that hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and reveiled them to babes; even so, Father, because it was thy pleasure.” 2. If our salvation dependit on our will, then grace should depend upon nature, and should be a subservient caus to nature. 3. God, who is a independent being, should become a dependent being; for, if his will dependit on man, then Gods will, who is independent, should become independent. 4. Last, it is against that action in the schooles: for actus secundus should be prestantior primo; and so they give all the glorie to man, and we give it to God; and we have the consent of all the antients, and the whole Roman Kirk, (till of new some Jesuits has risen up,) that our election depends on Gods grace.
Then the Moderatour said—We have reason to blesse the Lord for his graceous providence, that, before this errour spread very far, it hes pleased him to nippe it in the bud; and God be thanked, who hes raised up some spirits in our tyme to acquaint themselves with this errour, that they are able to refute it. I have some tymes hard that there be two very small poynts, as would seem, wherein this great errour does consist. They are like two grammarians: the ane is, whether the word Elect, or, in Latine, Electi, is nomen or participium. The question is, whether we doe believe, becaus we are chosen to faith? They say God chooses men because they believe. We say this—That we are elected comes from Gods free grace. There is ane uther word about the signification of ante and pro. They take pro, that Christ hes died, pro omnibus, for the behove and benefite of all. We say that it hes ane uther signification, vice omnium—I meane as Scripture takes it—that is, for all sortes, and if it be tane vice electorum they must be saved in whose place Christ hath died.
[Bishop of Orkney’s Submission.]
After that there was ane Letter from the Bishop of Orkney, and produced by his sone, wherein he submitted himselfe in all respects to the Assembly.