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 to show how short your discourse falls of making good that which you undertake to prove. And I am much deceived, if you mistake not their tenet, who make reprobation to proceed upon the consideration of the corrupt male in Adam: For, undoubtedly, their meaning hereupon is not to maintain that God did purpose to condemn all reprobates only for the sin of Adam, or for original sin drawn from him: this were a very mad conceit. But supposing that by Adams fall an impotency of doing that which is good is come upon all; as it is free for God to give grace to whom he will, and so to bring them to salvation, the purpose whereof is called Gods election; so is it enough for God to deny grace to whom he will, and thereby to expose them to condemnation: the purpose whereof in God, is that which we call Reprobation; which, as Aquinas saith, Includit voluntatem permittendi peccatum, & damnationem inferendi pro peccato. Now of this general impotency of doing good, which cleaves unto all since the fall of Adam, you take no notice at all, though herein consists the very [Greek or Hebrew] of these controversies but carry your self throughout in such manner, as if, notwithstanding that shipwreck of grace, which all humane souls made in Adam, it were still as much in mans power to obey God, as it was before; or as ⟨p. 115⟩much in mans power to rise by repentance now after he is fallen, as it was in his power to stand in his integrity, and in obedience unto God before he was fallen. Put the case all were true that you deliver in the next place, namely, that God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost proceed in the way of admonition and exhortation to turn themselves to the Lord, that iniquity might not be their ruin; yet this hinders not but that the decree of condemnation might be precedent to Gods decree of taking such a course, and permitting them to resist it. For, upon a purpose to condemn them for such a sin, he might thereupon resolve to expose them to such a sin: And if God should first decree to permit such a sin, and then decree to condemn them for it, the permission of this sin being first in intention, should by your own rule be last in execution; that is, first men should be condemned for such a sin, and afterwards they should be suffered to commit it:

but to shew how short your discourse falls of making good that which you undertake to prove. And I am much deceived, if you mistake not their tenet, who make reprobation to proceed upon the consideration of the corrupt masle in Adam: For, undoubtedly, their meaning hereupon is not to maintaine that God did purpose to condemne all reprobates only for the sin of Adam, or for originall sinne drawne from him: this were a very mad conceit. But supposing that by Adams fall an impotency of doing that which is good is come upon all; as it is free for God to give grace to whom he will, and so to bring them to salvation, the purpose whereof is called Gods election; so is it enough for God to deny grace to whom he will, and thereby to expose them to condemnation: the purpose whereof in God, is that which wee call Reprobation; which, as Aquinas saith, Includit voluntatem permittendi peccatum, & damnationem inferendi pro peccato. Now of this generall impotency of doing good, which cleaves unto all since the fall of Adam, you take no notice at all, though herein consists the very of these controversies but carry your selfe throughout in such manner, as if, notwithstanding that shipwracke of grace, which all humane soules made in Adam, it were still as much in mans power to obey God, as it was before; or as