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…

That when God putteth forth the second act of positive retribution, ¹viz. the rejection of the world, or decree of their condemnation, God doth behold and consider the world, especially men of riper years, not in massa primitus corrupta, nor as newly fallen in Adam; but as voluntarily falling off, by some act of careless and wilful disobedience. To prove this, I need not produce other reasons then what I have formerly alleged in the fore-going Point; for when God did express, by his oath, his will and good pleasure to be, not for the death, but life and conversion of sinners, was it not after the fall of Adam, and all his posterity in him? then, notwithstanding the presupposall of the fall, God had not yet rejected the creature; but, as he there declareth himself, still retaineth and reserveth thoughts of peace towards them, even a desire of their conversion unto life.

That when God putteth forth the second act of positive retribution, ¹viz. the rejection of the world, or decree of their condemnation, God doth behold and consider the world, especially men of riper yeares, not in massa primitus corrupta, nor as newly fallen in Adam; but as voluntarily falling off, by some act of carelesse and wilfull disobedience. To prove this, I need not produce other reasons then what I have formerly alledged in the fone-going Point; for when God did expresse, by his oath, his will and good pleasure to be, not for the death, but life and conversion of sinners, was it not after the fall of Adam, and all his posterity in him? then, notwithstanding the presupposall of the fall, God had not yet rejected the creature; but, as hee there declareth himselfe, still retaineth and reserveth thoughts of peace towards them, even a desire of their conversion unto life.

1. 1Answ.

Again, with whom did the Lord enter into a Covenant of life and death, upon condition of obedience and disobedience? was it not with Adam only, and his posterity in his loins, in the state of innocency, by the law written in their heart? Was it not also after Adams fall renewed to all his posterity, both Jews and Gentiles? Then, yet God had not cast them away in the fall, though the fall had justly deserved it; but expecteth yet further to see how they will yet keep this renewed Covenant with him, before he