Canons of Dort, Head 1: Of Divine Predestination (Unconditional Election)
Source: Canons of the Synod of Dort (1618-1619) (Head 1) · creed
As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice if He had left them all to perish. That some receive the gift of faith from God, and others do not receive it, proceeds from God's eternal decree of election — not from any foreseen faith or works, but from the good pleasure of His will alone.
Witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15)
- manuscript_tradition: Rufinus of Aquileia, Commentary on the Apostles' Creed (c. AD 404)
- manuscript_tradition: Pirminius, De singulis libris canonicis scarapsus (c. AD 750) — earliest received form
- translation: Latin (Symbolum Apostolicum) — Western Church
- citation_tradition: Cited by every major catechism since 8th century
- republication: CCEL — Creeds of Christendom (Schaff)