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…

Be it so, that men are not shut up in enmity against Christ till they have the light: For, how could it be otherwise, seeing to be an enemy to the light, and to hate the light, are but one thing, though expressed under different phrases. What is this to the purpose? Say they are not condemned till then; I say nor then neither; 1. Unless they continue finally therein: for were not the very Elect sometimes strangers and enemies? Rom. 5-10. Col. 1. 12. Be it so, hatred of the light goeth before condemnation, therefore the consideration of this hatred goes before Gods purpose to condemn them. If this Logic likes you, like this also: Faith, repentance, and good works, go before salvation; therefore they are before Gods purpose to save them whom he saves. But, whereas you seem to denote, that after a certain continuance in hatred of the light, a mans case is desperate, which you seem to signify by a phrase of shutting up; besides that it is nothing at all to the present purpose, but matter of another question, I shall believe it, when I find your self, or any man else, to prove it: In the mean time I continue as I am, and rest contented with the ⟨p. 126⟩reasons formerly mentioned for the disproving of it. Undoubtedly, by the seed of the serpent, cannot be meant all men fallen and corrupted in Adam by original sin, for they are expressly proposed in opposition to the seed of the woman: Gen. 3. 15. Herein I concur with you, but I concur not with you in the description of the seed of the serpent; for that agrees to all, even to the Elect, as well as to the Reprobate: before the time comes, that God hath appointed for their effectual calling; for till then, they have the Image of the old serpent (as you call it) stamped upon them: for they are in blindness of mind and hardness of heart, which undoubtedly are the chief works of the devil, which Christ came into the world to loose. Their will is to do the lusts of the devil, for the devil works in them, and being taken in his snare, they are led captive by him to do his will; yea Paul himself had an hatred of the light, and loved darkness above it. But assure your self, no hatred of the light, except it be final, is the cause why our Saviour shuts any man under condemnation. I verily thought with my self (saith St.