Cap. IV Arg. 9 Sol: Minor — Christ founds more than the general decree; Christianity's true foundations
On the Minor in a word: Christ is foundation of that general decree to save whosoever under the condition of faith — but not of that alone; also of other decrees by which singular persons, given by the Father to Christ before the world's foundations, will in their time be gifted grace and glory. Remonstrants should not bury those later decrees in obstinate silence and stick in the first universal one, unless they think there never was a decree in God's mind to imbue singular persons with efficacious grace and lead them by it to glory. They cry the Major plain because no salvation except in Christ — a frivolous proof. Because no benefit is decreed for us except in Christ, is every Christ-founded salvation-decree therefore our election itself? That coheres like sand without lime. They say the Minor is clear because I will save all Believers founds Christianity, salvation, and certainty. I answer: that general decree alone is not Christianity's foundation. There are others — chief among them that faith, perseverance, and whatever leads infallibly to heaven are special gifts of special grace, not contingent effects from the choice of a man not yet elected, and motives of divine election.
Latin
Ad Minorem verbo respondere sufficit; Christum esse fundamentum generalis ejus decreti de salvandis quibuscunque sub conditione fidei; sed non ejus solius, verum etiam aliorum decretorum, secundum quae singularibus personis, Christo a Patre datis ante jacta mundi fundamenta, gratia et gloria suo tempore donabitur. Non debuerunt Remonstrantes tam obstinato silentio obruere haec posteriora decreta, et in illo primo universali haerere, nisi opinentur nullum unquam fuisse decretum in mente Divina de singularibus personis efficaci gratia imbuendis, et per talem gratiam ad gloriam perducendis. Pergamus, et ea pensitemus quae ad confirmationem utriusque propositionis adducta sunt. Majorem clamant esse manifestam, quia nulla est salus vel benedictio ad salutem nisi in Christo. Frivola probatio. An quia nullum beneficium decernitur in nos conferendum nisi in Christo, idcirco quodlibet decretum ad salutem nostram spectans, cujus fundamentum est Christus, erit ipsissima nostra electio? Tam hoc cohaeret quam arena sine calce. Sed Minorem perspicuam etiam esse dicunt, quia illud unicum decretum, Ego salvabo omnes Credentes, est fundamentum Christianismi, salutis, et certitudinis de salute. Respondeo, illud unicum decretum generale non esse fundamentum Christianismi. Sunt enim alia Christianismi fundamenta, et inter alia illud praecipuum fundamentum; Fidem et perseverantiam, ac quicquid ad caelum ducit infallibiliter, esse specialia specialis gratiae dona, non autem contingentia effecta ex arbitrio hominis nondum electi nascentia, et electionis Divinae motiva.