Part I Protheoria: Remaining dissent from Dordrecht — six heads; easy consociation

So that if any consensus of the Brethren with the Quinquarticularian Theologians remains, the dissent from the men of Dordrecht consists chiefly in these: (1) In phrase, where Lutherans speak of election or reprobation (yet not from Luther) as from foresight of faith, or from foresight of unbelief — although the Formula of Concord did not distinguish πρόγνωσις from προορισμός, as Peucer long ago observed in the Confession set out by Hospinian. (2) In reviewing the order of the Decrees; namely with a conditional Decree set first — concerning the salvation of all, redemption, calling to faith, and so on — provided they are not wanting to it. (3) In the object of Christ's Death, which is all and every human being, elect as well as reprobate. (4) In asserting the mode of the operation of Grace, which with respect to all is even internal, and efficacious from God's side, yet which men resist and against which they set an obstacle — although elsewhere they confess the impotence of Free Will for the work of Conversion.

(5) In the asserted possible apostasy of the saints, which the Reformed also do not deny if the saints are considered in themselves: yet the same Brethren deny it if they are considered elect according to God's infallible foresight. (6) Finally in the Reformed sentence now and then twisted or taken in a sinister sense, and in the Predestinarian Heresy affixed to them — such as was once affixed to Augustine, to Gottschalk, and to those of like mind (ὁμοδόξοις). But once that inequity of judgments and suspicions is hereafter ordered to be of no force, in the remaining things that leave a difference either in phrase, or in the method of conceiving the Decrees, or in the mode of the matter, or its extent, or its circumstances — the substance being safe on both sides (for example Christ's Death, or preventing and confirming Grace, or justifying Faith, or Holy Baptism), overturned by the common Adversaries of Protestants — easy association will follow. Nor will anything be wanting to the complement of either party's vows, except the longed-for peace, that God the perfecter of all may complete it — who daily also fills even what is beyond oath and beyond hope, as I may speak with the Lyric poet.