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…

for, where is the world convinced of sin, in not believing in Christ? or, to whom? I grant, to all believers the world of unbelievers is by the Spirit of God convinced of sin, in not believing in Christ; but are they convinced hereof to themselves, and in their own consciences? I grant this also, as often as it pleaseth God to convert them by the power of his Spirit; then they are convicted of the sinful nature of their own unbelief: Yet be it granted, that an unbeliever continuing in unbelief may be, and is, sometimes convicted of the sinful nature of his unbelief; because the Apostle saith of an heretic, that he is [Greek or Hebrew] ▪ yet, that is not till after one and another admonition: nevertheless, this makes nothing for you, unless you maintain that Gods Spirit convicts them also of this, that it is in their power to believe; which power of believing you seem to attribute to a man unregenerate, though you are loath to speak plainly, in expressing so much. And you seem to intimate such an Argument as this; They sin in not believing; therefore it is in their power to believe: But you may as well infer, that we sin in not keeping Gods Law; therefore it is in our power to keep it. Or, if you dispute thus, The world is convicted of sin in not believing; therefore they have power to believe: You may as well dispute thus; The regenerate are convicted that they sin, in that their flesh lusteth ⟨p. 93⟩against the Spirit; therefore it is in their power to keep the flesh from lusting against the Spirit.

for, where is the world convinced of sinne, in not beleeving in Christ? or, to whom? I grant, to all beleevers the world of unbeleevers is by the Spirit of God convinced of sinne, in not beleeving in Christ; but are they convinced hereof to themselves, and in their owne consciences? I grant this also, as often as it pleaseth God to convert them by the power of his Spirit; then they are convicted of the sinfull nature of their owne unbeleefe: Yet be it granted, that an unbeleever continuing in unbeleefe may be, and is, sometimes convicted of the sinfull nature of his unbeleefe; because the Apostle saith of an heretique, that hee is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 ▪ yet, that is not till after one and another admonition: neverthelesse, this makes nothing for you, unlesse you maintain that Gods Spirit convicts them also of this, that it is in their power to beleeve; which power of beleeving you seeme to attribute to a man unregenerate, though you are loath to speake plainly, in expressing so much. And you seem to intimate such an Argument as this; They sinne in not beleeving; therefore it is in their power to beleeve: But you may as well inferre, that wee sinne in not keeping Gods Law; therefore it is in our power to keep it. Or, if you dispute thus, The world is convicted of sinne in not beleeving; therefore they have power to beleeve: You may as well dispute thus; The regenerate are convicted that they sinne, in that their flesh lusteth