A64003:211
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.
But now, let us consider the interpretation and accommodation of this place, to the plea devised by you: The reason, you say, why men loved darkness rather than light, is, because men chose rather to cleave to their sinful estates, and ways of darkness, than to follow the light of the means of grace, which might have brought them on to believe in Christ. It is great pity that by our own phrasiologies we should raise unto our selves a mist, whereby we should be the more unable to discern the truth of God. Suppose the Paraphrase were both sound in it self, and congruous to the Text; yet give way, I pray, to such a question in the second place, What was the reason that they chose rather to cleave to their sinful estates, and ways of darkness, than to follow the light of the means of grace? If you answer any thing but that of our Saviour, Joh. 12. 39. Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah saith again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand ⟨p. 88⟩with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them; I will not cease to pursue you, until you come to this; and withal, put you to give a reason, why you should not take hold of this answer of our Saviour Joh. 12. 39. as of that Joh. 3. 19. especially, considering that if a question were moved, Why some chose rather to follow the light of the means of grace, than to cleave to their sinful estates, and ways of darkness? I doubt not but you would forth with answer, Because God had mercy on them, and gave them hearts to know Christ, and to believe in him, 1 Joh. 5. 20. Phil. 1. 29. And seeing God doth not show the like favour to others, to show them the like mercy, which is, in Scripture phrase, to harden, Rom. 9. 18. and Rom. 11. 7. or, not to give hearts to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear,