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…

In the New Testament, the Apostle speaks of reprobates, in case so powerful a ministry as his was, so long a time dispensed unto them, and had notwithstanding been vainly received by them, and that as yet they knew not themselves to be in Christ. Yea, the Gentiles themselves, when did God give them up to a reprobate mind? Was it not after they had disregarded the acknowledging and glorifying of God, according to the means they had received? In a word, when doth God shut up the Sons of Adam, either Jews or Gentiles, under enmity against Christ, and set forth Christ in enmity against them, thereby excluding them from atonement with him, or by him with God? Is it not after they are become the seed of the Serpent? Now, by the seed of the Serpent cannot be meant, all men fallen and corrupted in Adam by original ⟨p. 119⟩sin (though that fall was wrought by the suggestion and practice of the Serpent) for then all the seed of Adam had been shut up in enmity against Christ, and cut off from all fellowship with him their head. But by the seed of the Serpent I understand, all such men of the world, as have the image of the old Serpent stamped upon them, which is a will set to do the lusts of the devil. Saith our Saviour to the Jews, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your ¹father ye will do: or, which is all one, an hatred of the light when it cometh amongst them; and which is a character of the devil, a lover of darkness rather then light. Upon which point it is our Saviour shutteth up the men of this world under condemnation. viz. When by the hatred of the light they have drunk in the venom, and received the image of the old Serpent; till which time, men are counted the seed of Adam: Or, if they be borne in the Church the seed of Abraham, rather then the seed of the Serpent. For our Divines do wisely and justly maintain against the Anabaptists, that the seed of Abraham, as pertaining to the Covenant, are not only his spiritual seed, partakers of his faith, but also his children after the flesh, till by their careless and wilful disobedience they have excluded themselves from the Covenant of Abraham: From whence it is, that all the seed of Abraham, even the carnal seed, are scaled up by Circumcision or Baptism under the Covenant of Abraham.

In the New Testament, the Apostle speaks of reprobates, in case so powerfull a ministery as his was, so long a time dispensed unto them, and had notwithstanding been vainly received by them, and that as yet they knew not themselves to be in Christ. Yea, the Gentiles themselves, when did God give them up to a reprobate minde? Was it not after they had disregarded the acknowledging and glorifying of God, according to the meanes they had received? In a word, when doth God shut up the Sonnes of Adam, either Jewes or Gentiles, under enmitie against Christ, and set forth Christ in enmitie against them, thereby excluding them from attonement with him, or by him with God? Is it not after they are become the seed of the Serpent? Now, by the seed of the Serpent cannot be meant, all men fallen and corrupted in Adam by originall