strating to be, not of merits going before in written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the
ON PATIENCE. 53 a more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever.''* Whether then by the word '' world,'' the Apostle John signifies lovers of the world, the will, as it is of themselves, is therefore of the world: or whether under the name of the world he comprises heaven and earth, and all that is therein, that is the creature universally, it is plain that the will of the creature, not being that of the Creator, is of the world. For which cause to such the Lord saith, '' Ye are from beneath, I am from above: ye are of this world, I am not of this world.'"'?, And to the Apostle He saith, ''If ye were of the world, the world would love his own." But lest they should arrogate more unto themselves than their measure craved, and when He said that they were not of the world, should imagine this to be of nature, not of grace, therefore He saith, '' But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.'' It follows, that they once were of the world: for, that they might not be of the world, they were chosen out of the world.
the ungodly, but ''died for the ungodly." 7 And ere that He died, He elected the Apostles, not of course then just, but to be justified: to whom He saith, '*' I have chosen you out of the world.'"' For to whom He said, "Ye are not of the world," and then, lest they should account themselves never to have been of the world, presently added, " But I have chosen you out of the world;'' assuredly that they should not be of the world was by His own election of them conferred upon them. Wherefore, if it had been through their own righteousness, not through His grace, that they were elected, they would not have been chosen out of the world, because they would already not be of the world if already they were just. And again, if the reason why they were elected was, that they were already just, they had already first chosen the Lord. For who can be righteous but by choosing righteousness? '' But the end of the law is Christ, for righteousness is to every one that believeth. Who is made unto us wisdom of God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the
17. Now this election the Apostle demonstrating to be, not of merits going before in good works, but election of grace, saith thus:
Lord." ® He then is Himself our righteousness.
in this time a remnant by election of grace is saved. But if by grace, then is it}. no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace."'3 This is election of grace; that is, election in which through the grace of God men are elected: this, I say, is election of grace which goes before all good merits of men, For if it be to any good merits that it is given, then is it no more gratuitously given, but is paid as a debt, and consequently is not truly called grace; where °' reward," as the same Apostle saith, '' is not imputed as grace, but as debt.''4 Whereas if, that it may be true grace, that is, gratuitous, it find nothing in man to which it is due of merit, (which thing is well understood in that saying, '' Thou wilt save them for nothing,"5) then assuredly itself gives the merits, not to merits is given. Consequently it goes before even faith, from which it is that all good works begin. '' For the just," as is written, '' shall live by faith." ° But, moreover, grace not only assists the just, but also justifies the ungodly. And therefore even when it does aid the just and seems to be rendered to his merits, not even then does it cease to be grace, because that which it aids it did itself bestow. With a view therefore to this grace, which precedes all good merits of man, not only was Christ put to death by
18. Whence also the just of old, before the ._Incarnation of the Word, in this faith of
Christ, and in this true righteousness, (which thing Christ is unto us,) were justified; believing this to come which we believe come: and they themselves by grace were saved through faith, not of themselves, but by the gift of God, not of works, lest haply they should be lifted up. For their good works did not come before God's mercy, but followed it. For to them was it said, and by them written, long ere Christ was come in the flesh, ** I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will show compassion on wbom I will have compassion.''*" From which words of God the Apostle Paul, should so long after say; ''It is not therefore of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." It is also their own voice, long ere Christ was come in the flesh, '' My God, His mercy shall prevent me." * How indeed could they be aliens from the faith of Christ, by whose charity even Christ was fore-announced unto us; without the faith of Whom, not any of mortals either hath been, or is, or ever shall be able to be, righteous? 1f then, being already just, the Apostles were elected by Christ, they would have first chosen Him, that just men might be chosen, because without Him they
2 John viii. 23. 3 Rom. xi. 5, 6. 4 Rom. iv. 4. gy 5 Psalm lvi. 7, Lat. and LXX. brép rod pyPevos gacets avrovs. But Heb. and E. V. '' shall they escape by iniquity ?"
1 Rom. i. 25.
7Rom. v.6. ®8Rom. x. 4. 91 Cor. 15:40, 131; 11 Ex, xxxili. 19; Rom. ix. 15, 16,
10 Eph. ii. 8, 9. 12 Ps, lix. 10.
6 Habak. ii. 4.