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…

Yet do not hereupon fall into the contrary extreme, as to think that then the decree of Salvation and Damnation precedes the foresight of faith on the one side, or of final impenitency on the other; though such delusions have had their course, and passed in the world a long time; and all for want of a little Logic, in discerning the right order in intention of the means tending to a certain end: For, both creation and permission of sin in Adam, and final perseverance in sin, and damnation for sin, are but joint means tending to one end; to wit, the glory of God, in the way of justice vindicative: and consequently the intention of all those means is at once, neither before nor after other, howsoever they are not at once in execution, (which perhaps is the rock of offence whereat many stumble ere they are aware:) As for example, To the curing of a disease a Physician discerneth that many operations are necessarily requisite, these are at once intended, the nature of the disease bespeaking them all; but they are not, nor cannot be executed at once: The like may be said of all other proceedings, according to the order of media and finis. So on the other side, creation, permission of sin, deliverance from sin by the grace of faith and repentance, and finally salvation, are all but joint means tending to one and the same end; to wit, the glory of God in the way of mercy mixed with justice; and consequently, all at once in intention, though not all at once in execution. But to disprove that which here you affirm, as if some wilful disobedience, in Gods fore-sight, was before the decree of condemnation, I dispute thus, according to your own rules; If the fore-sight of disobedience did precede the decree of condemnation, then God did first decree to permit ⟨p. 57⟩this disobedience, before he did decree to damn any man for it: which is as much as to say, Mans disobedience was first in Gods intention; and consequently, it must be last in execution: that is, men must first be damned for their disobedience, before God permits them to become disobedient. But let us consider your grounds, in the next place.

Yet doe not hereupon fall into the contrary extreme, as to thinke that then the decree of Salvation and Damnation precedes the foresight of faith on the one side, or of finall impenitency on the other; though such delusions have had their course, and passed in the world a long time; and all for want of a little Logick, in discerning the right order in intention of the meanes tending to a certaine end: For, both creation and permission of sinne in Adam, and finall perseverance in sinne, and damnation for sinne, are but joynt meanes tending to one end; to wit, the glory of God, in the way of justice vindicative: and consequently the intention of all those meanes is at once, neither before nor after other, howsoever they are not at once in execution, (which perhaps is the rock of offence whereat many stumble ere they are aware:) As for example, To the curing of a disease a Physician discerneth that many operations are necessarily requisite, these are at once intended, the nature of the disease bespeaking them all; but they are not, nor cannot be executed at once: The like may bee said of all other proceedings, according to the order of media and finis. So on the other side, creation, permission of sin, deliverance from sinne by the grace of faith and repentance, and finally salvation, are all but joynt meanes tending to one and the same end; to wit, the glory of God in the way of mercy mixt with justice; and consequently, all at once in intention, though not all at once in execution. But to disprove that which here you affirme, as if some wilfull disobedience, in Gods fore-sight, was before the decree of condemnation, I dispute thus, according to your owne rules; If the fore-sight of disobedience did precede the decree of condemnation, then God did first decree to permit