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…

I willingly acknowledge that (as you say) we no where read in scripture of Reprobation, but of such men to whom the means of grace, or at least of the knowledge of God in some measure or other hath been offered in vain. This qualification is brought in to prevent an exception out of Rom. 1. Where the Gentiles are said to be given over into a reprobate mind; who yet had not the means of grace: But they had (you will say) the knowledge of God in some measure; you mean, the means of the knowledge of God, and these means are the world, wherein they are brought forth; for the world contains the works of God, and by them are manifested the invisible things of God, even his eternal power and Godhead. And indeed these means of the knowledge of God, all enjoy in equal measure, according to the proportion of the time of their lives. But, to discover unto you the looseness of this your discourse, I pray you consider, the sin of the Gentiles here taxed, is the transforming of the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of corruptible things; contrary unto that knowledge which they did or might attain unto by Gods works. Their judgement was their giving over into a reprobate mind, to do things inconvenient, as there it followeth. And do you think indeed, that all such Idolaters were given over into a reprobate mind to do such abominable things, as after are mentioned? Were there not found many moral men among the Heathens, which yet were reprobates as well as the most profane amongst them? Nay, what think you of them, amongst whom this sin of transforming the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of corruptible things, was not found; as Varro writes of the Romans, that for, above an hundred years they had no Images, and that in those days the Gods were worshipped more chastely; and that they who brought in ⟨p. 122⟩Images were to blame in two respects: First, because errorem auxerunt. The Second, because timorem ademerunt: and were not they, think you, given over into a reprobate mind? Lastly, be it so they were given over, are you indeed persuaded that none of these were the elect of God? Doth not the contrary appear manifestly in the Corinthians? For, were not they, as well as others, in former time carried away after dumb Idols, as they were led? 1 Cor. 12. 2. Were not they also given over into a reprobate mind?