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…

as by saying, that, Election is Gods purpose to save them that believe and repent; Reprobation Gods purpose to damn them that do not believe and repent: as if there were no other purpose of God, revealed in Gods word, then these; no decree of showing mercy to whom he will, by giving faith and repentance; no ⟨p. 52⟩decree of hardening whom he will, by denying it. Again, when I say, God doth purpose to reward every man according to his works, let us understand it aright; for indeed there neither is, nor can be any such formal decree of God, and of an indefinite nature: as if God in priority of nature or reason did make such a decree, not knowing as yet what would be the works of each man in particular: for of such a decree there can be no correspondent execution, distinct from the execution of particular and definite decrees, concerning all men in particular, as I have already showed in ransacking the absurd order of Gods decrees devised by Arminians, to no other end but to catch the simple; there being ¹no common sense nor sobriety in them throughout. Besides this, if when God is conceived to make such a decree God did know particularly the works of all, then there is no reason to conceive that he made any such indefinite decree; but rather that the decree to save or damn every one in particular according to his works, well known to him in that very instant, not of duration only, but of nature and reason. But God did in the same moment foreknow all the particular works of every man, as already I have made manifest, in ransacking the Arminian order of Gods decrees. But the denomination of such an indefinite decree, as to reward every man according to his works, ariseth from the consideration of other definite decrees in God: As for example, God did decree to have mercy on Peter, in giving him faith and repentance, and accordingly to save him; and so of every one of Gods Elect, of ripe years: On the contrary, God did decree to deny to Judas the grace of faith and repentance; which is as much as to say, that God decreed to permit him to continue finally in sin, and accordingly to damn him; and so every one of the Reprobates: Whence it followeth, that it is true to affirm, that God decreed to reward every one of ripe years according to their works;

as by saying, that, Election is Gods purpose to save them that beleeve and repent; Reprobation Gods purpose to damne them that doe not beleeve and repent: as if there were no other purpose of God, revealed in Gods word, then these; no decree of shewing mercy to whom hee will, by giving faith and repentance; no