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…

but, neither obduration is a sit means to salvation, nor salvation a sit means to obduration. Neither can it be in execution; for, in execution salvation is not found at all, but only obduration, in the men of the world you speak of. Therefore, your meaning must not be of primacy in place or order, but in principality; as much as to say, Not chiefly to harden, but chiefly to bring to repentance. But none of your Proofs come near the making of this good, as we shall see in due place. In the mean time, I disprove it thus; No wise man doth chiefly intend that which he means not to bring to pass at all: Now, God doth purpose to harden them, as your self confess, though not chiefly: but God doth not purpose to save them; for, if he did, who could hinder him? This is the foul blemish of your opinion; plainly ⟨p. 77⟩denying Gods omnipotency, as Austin long ago discoursed: and yet you swallow this with facility, though a bit as great as a Camel. I know full well Arminius his shifts to ease himself of this imputation; I would gladly be acquainted with any other mans inventions also. As for the other end, impugned by you, to wit, to leave them without excuse; that, indeed, we grant may more commodiously be accounted an end intended by God than the former: neither do you deny it to be intended by God, only you say, it is not chiefly intended by him; yet this is such a thing as God brings to pass, to wit, their unexcusablenesse; but their repentance he never brings to pass: and is it fit to say, that God chiefly intends that which shall never come to pass, as he well knows, rather than that which infallibly shall come to pass, and that by his procurement, as himself well knows? Thus I have considered what you say: Now I come to consider how well you prove what you have said. To the Gentiles (you say) 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 them that do amiss, and thereby to be brought to condemn themselves doing the same things; to lead them to repentance, to move them to seek after the Lord. Like as it were not fit to say, that God giveth us his word to this end, that he might reveal himself unto us, (for so I had rather say, than to say he reveals the knowledge of himself unto us;

but, neither obduration is a sit meanes to salvation, nor salvation a sit meanes to obduration. Neither can it be in execution; for, in execution salvation is not found at all, but onely obduration, in the men of the world you speake of. Therefore, your meaning must not be of primacy in place or order, but in principality; as much as to say, Not chiefly to harden, but chiefly to bring to repentance. But none of your Proofes come neare the making of this good, as wee shall see in due place. In the meane time, I disprove it thus; No wise man doth chiefly intend that which hee meanes not to bring to passe at all: Now, God doth purpose to harden them, as your selfe confesse, though not chiefly: but God doth not purpose to save them; for, if hee did, who could hinder him? This is the foule blemish of your opinion; plainly