A64003:153
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…
A treatise of Mr. Cottons clearing certain doubts concerning predestination together with an examination thereof / written by William Twice ...A treatise of Mr. Cottons clearing certaine doubts concerning predestination together with an examination thereof / written by William Twisse ...
London: printed by J.D. for Andrew Crook, 1646
AN EXAMINATION of a Treatise written by Master Cotton, for the clea… › QUESTION •.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. In the first act of positive Reprobation, that I do not acknowledge any unwillingness at all in God to reward the men of this world with life, upon any condition whatsoever.
1. In the first act of positive Reprobation, that I doe not acknowledge any unwillingnesse at all in God to reward the men of this world with life, upon any condition whatsoever.
2. In the second act of positive Reprobation, that I do conceive the decree of Reprobation to be conversant about the world, not as considered in massa primitus corrupta, as in the first fall of Adam; but as afterwards voluntarily falling from the means, either of grace in the second Adam, or of the knowledge of God in nature, by some acts of careless or wilful disobedience.
2. In the second act of positive Reprobation, that I doe conceive the decree of Reprobation to be conversant about the world, not as considered in massa primitus corrupta, as in the first fall of Adam; but as afterwards voluntarily falling from the meanes, either of grace in the second Adam, or of the knowledge of God in nature, by some acts of carelesse or wilfull disobedience.
These two things above mentioned are granted not only by 1the common consent of our Divines, but by the common consent also of all Christians, as I conceive, whether Papists or Arminians: yet observe, I pray, as touching the second, that sin is apparently made the cause only of condemnation, but not of Gods purpose; whereas hitherto you have carried the matter so, as if sin were the cause not only of condemnation, but also of Reprobation; as much as to say, of Gods purpose to condemn. But to say, that God for sin did purpose to condemn for sin, is so harsh an expression, that in all my reading I never found any adventure thereupon. Come we to your proper opinion: You do not acknowledge any unwillingness in God to reward the men of this world with life, upon any condition whatsoever. I know no reason why you should conceive any of our Divines to differ from you in this, although you had spoken out your meaning never so plainly and fully: not only denying unwillingness, but