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…

Now let any sober man judge, whether in this case the will of God be more to give life, than to inflict death; more passing upon the salvation of the creature, than upon his eternal condemnation? Could you prove, that God doth will at all the salvation of any other save his Elect, I would forthwith grant he wills it seriously: I should think it no less than blasphemy to think, that God doth either will, or swear, or covenant, or do that which he doth, not seriously; as blasphemy consists in attributing that to God which doth not become him. I nothing doubt but that if all and every one should believe and repent, all and every one should be saved: and none other thing hitherto have you so much as adventured to prove, in this particular whereupon now we are. But then, it behoves you to look unto it, on the other side, how you clear your self from blasphemy in the same kind, while you maintain that God doth will the salvation of those which shall never be saved: which not in my judgement only, but in the judgement of Austin, of old, doth mainly trench upon Gods omnipotency; for, if he would save them, but doth not, he is hindered and resisted by somewhat; and, consequently, his will is not omnipotent, nor irresistible. And more than this, here-hence it will follow, that either God continues still to will their salvation, even after they are damned, or else God is changed. And if these be not blasphemies, and foul ones too, I know not what is blasphemy. I know not what you mean by, slighting the salvation of mankind; but, sure I am, it is your own opinion, that in case man slights the working out of his salvation, God is so far from willing his salvation, that he hath unretractably decreed his everlasting condemnation. As for the salvation of mankind, this being an indefinite speech, we are ready with your self to maintain, that God hath peremptorily decreed (to wit) the salvation of his Elect; and it is not fair to make use of indefinite speeches, the truth whereof ⟨p. 104⟩is confessed on all hands, by prejudice of an indefinite truth to draw your Readers to the embracing of your definite Tenet, which is void of truth. And can it be denied by you, that God from everlasting hath decreed the condemnation of them, whose salvation you would not have us think he slighteth?

Now let any sober man judge, whether in this case the will of God be more to give life, than to inflict death; more passing upon the salvation of the creature, than upon his eternall condemnation? Could you prove, that God doth will at all the salvation of any other save his Elect, I would forthwith grant hee wills it seriously: I should thinke it no lesse than blasphemy to thinke, that God doth either will, or sweare, or covenant, or doe that which hee doth, not seriously; as blasphemy consists in attributing that to God which doth not become him. I nothing doubt but that if all and every one should beleeve and repent, all and every one should be saved: and none other thing hitherto have you so much as adventured to prove, in this particular whereupon now we are. But then, it behoves you to look unto it, on the other side, how you cleare your selfe from blasphemy in the same kind, while you maintain that God doth will the salvation of those which shall never be saved: which not in my judgement only, but in the judgement of Austin, of old, doth mainly trench upon Gods omnipotency; for, if hee would save them, but doth not, hee is hindered and resisted by somewhat; and, consequently, his will is not omnipotent, nor irresistible. And more than this, here-hence it will follow, that either God continues still to will their salvation, even after they are damned, or else God is changed. And if these be not blasphemies, and foule ones too, I know not what is blasphemy. I know not what you meane by, slighting the salvation of mankind; but, sure I am, it is your own opinion, that in case man slights the working out of his salvation, God is so farre from willing his salvation, that hee hath unretractably decreed his everlasting condemnation. As for the salvation of mankind, this being an indefinite speech, wee are ready with your selfe to maintaine, that God hath peremptorily decreed (to wit) the salvation of his Elect; and it is not faire to make use of indefinite speeches, the truth whereof