A64003:192
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.
A third Reason then to prove that God purposed life to the 1world, upon condition of their obedience and repentance, is taken from the end God aimed at: As he declares himself, to offer ⟨p. 73⟩means of salvation unto the world: which is not in the first place to harden, and to leave without excuse; but to bring them to the knowledge of God and of themselves, to repentance, to the seeking after God, to the purging of themselves from sin, and to peace. To the Gentiles God gave the works of Creation and Providence, and his Law written in their hearts; to reveal the knowledge of God to them, to teach them to do the things of the Law, to judge of them that do amiss, and thereby be brought to condemn themselves doing the same things; to lead them to repentance, to move them to seek after the Lord. And thus much light Christ enlighteneth every man withal that cometh into this world. From whence also it was, that God vouchsafed heavenly dreams and visions even to the Gentiles, That he might withdraw them from their sins, and hide their pride, and save their souls from the pit. But because this light alone did not prevail with the Gentiles, as to bring them to the knowledge of God in Christ, therefore it pleased God in the fullness of time to send the preaching of the Gospel amongst them; and in the mean time, not to judge them nor condemn them for their not believing in Christ, of whom they had not heard; nor for transgressing the Law of works, which they had not received; but only for sinning against the law of nature, which was written in their hearts, and expounded to them daily by the works of Creation and Providence, and sealed up to them by particular amplification, partly by their Consciences accusing or excusing, Rom. 2. 15. partly by dreams and visions, Job 33. 15, 16.
A third Reason then to prove that God purposed life to the 1world, upon condition of their obedience and repentance, is taken from the end God aimed at: As hee declares himselfe, to offer ⟨p. 73⟩