A treatise of Mr. Cottons clearing certain doubts concerning predestination together with an examination…A treatise of Mr. Cottons clearing certaine doubts concerning predestination together with an examination…

It is well observed by others, that those virtues which grace the Will, are more honourable than those which grace the Understanding, ¹or other parts: It is a greater honour to a Prince to be gracious and just, then to be wise and powerful; power and wisdom may be found in a vicious Prince, not grace and justice: If then grace and justice do more set forth the glory of their sovereignty, surely God (who aimeth at his highest glory) in the highest and first place, he aimed chiefly at the manifestation of his grace and justice, above the manifestation of his power and dominion.

It is well observed by others, that those vertues which grace the Will, are more honourable than those which grace the Understanding, ¹or other parts: It is a greater honour to a Prince to be gratious and just, then to bee wise and powerfull; power and wisedome may bee found in a vitious Prince, not grace and justice: If then grace and justice doe more set forth the glory of their soveraignty, surely God (who aimeth at his highest glory) in the highest and first place, he aimed chiefly at the manifestation of his grace and justice, above the manifestation of his power and dominion.

1. 1Answ.

1. First concerning the instance it self, I answer 1. It is not to be expected, I confess, that virtue should be found in a vicious ¹person; but yet Princes commonly make more account of their absoluteness, then of their virtue. 2. And the most capital crime against them, consists rather in the derogation to their power, then to their virtue. 3. And virtue is common to all; and if all were as they ought to be, what glory were it to a King to be virtuous? 2. But as for the accommodation of it, though all were granted, yet it concludes nothing. To be virtuous is honourable to a man, because he is indifferent to execute his power, in the way of vice, as well as in the way of virtue: But there is no such indifferency found in God. Gods gracious disposition ties him to do good to none, but to whom he will. Had he never made the world, nor purposed to produce any creature, he had been notwithstanding the same he now is; yea the very execution of justice in God, doth presuppose the determination of his own will: whereupon it is that Bradwardine distinguisheth between meritum aptitudinale, & meritum actual. Aptitudinale meritū is the merit of such good, as God can bestow in the way of reward, if he will; or such evil as God can inflict in the way of punishment, if he will. Actual meritum is the merit of such good or evil, as God hath determined to bestow, or inflict; Answerable hereunto Gerson professeth, that when a sin is committed, it is merely at the pleasure of God to inflict what punishment he will. And withal he professeth, that God doth actually remunerate every good work ultra condignum, and punish every evil work citra condignum; all which I hold to be Orthodox, and sound. And let me entreat and prevail with you, in this, that you will not think any thing in the nature of God to be less glorious then another, howsoever, to our apprehension, some attributes, may seem more glorious then others.