John Davenant (1572–1641) and the Cause of Predestination

A prime and eternal cause cannot depend upon the self-same temporal causes which are thereby caused. If therefore predestination be the prime and eternal cause from whence Peter’s faith, repentance and perseverance were derived, his foreseen faith, repentance and perseverance cannot, in any good sense, be imagined antecendent causes, merits, conditions or motives unto the Divine predestination.

John Davenant, Animadversions … Upon a Treatise Entitled: Gods ’Love to Mankind (Cambridge: Roger Daniel, 1641), 9.