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…

2. As touching the second act, either you must profess that no Infants perish in original sin; or you must, according to your Tenet, consider them only in massa primitus corrupta; for as much as they, dying before they came to the use of reason, were never guilty of any voluntary falling off 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. As for their opinion, who think the consideration of all men in massa Adae sufficient to justify God in decreeing the condemnation of all, I take it to be a very rude and undigested conceit; for undoubtedly, if the consideration of sin be at all prerequired to the decree of condemnation, it must be the consideration rather of that sin for which they are chiefly damned: For, shall the consideration of that sin only, which deserves the least degree of damnation, justify God in the decreeing the greatest degree of condemnation? what colour of justice is found in this? Shall the consideration of telling an officious lye, justify a Magistrate in decreeing to inflict such a punishment as is due only to high treason? I say rather, that God considers none in massa Adae, before they are in massa Adae; for thus to consider, is not considerare, but errare, or finger; which we cannot decently attribute to God: but God considered all men tanquam in massa Adae futuros; and as many as should dye in infancy, God considered them in no other state of sin, tanquam futuros, but in ⟨p. 56⟩that. As for as many as should survive to the use of reason, God considered them, tanquam futuros, not only in massa Adae, but guilty of their own personal transgressions; and whom he so considered, and withal as finally persevering therein, all them he decreed to damn. So likewise whom he considered tanquam fideles futuros, & resipiscentiam acturos, & in fide & resipiscentia perseveraturos, he decreed to save. But take heed that herehence you infer not, Therefore fore-sight of perseverance in sin was the cause or prerequisite of Reprobation; lest you be driven by just proportion to confess, that fore-sight of faith also and perseverance therein was the cause, or prerequisite at least, of Election.

2. As touching the second act, either you must professe that no Infants perish in originall sinne; or you must, according to your Tenet, consider them onely in massa primitus corrupta; for as much as they, dying before they came to the use of reason, were never guilty of any voluntary falling off 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. As for their opinion, who thinke the consideration of all men in massa Adae sufficient to justifie God in decreeing the condemnation of all, I take it to be a very rude and undigested conceit; for undoubtedly, if the consideration of sinne be at all prerequired to the decree of condemnation, it must bee the consideration rather of that sinne for which they are chiefly damned: For, shall the consideration of that sinne onely, which deserves the least degree of damnation, justifie God in the decreeing the greatest degree of condemnation? what colour of justice is found in this? Shall the consideration of telling an officious lye, justifie a Magistrate in decreeing to inflict such a punishment as is due onely to high treason? I say rather, that God considers none in massa Adae, before they are in massa Adae; for thus to consider, is not considerare, but errare, or fingere; which wee cannot decently attribute to God: but God considered all men tanquam in massa Adae futuros; and as many as should dye in infancy, God considered them in no other state of sinne, tanquam futuros, but in