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…

As touching Vocation; 1. we acknowledge with you, and you with us, the freeness of Gods efficacious grace bestowed on some, and denied to others, and herein magnified; that whereas God might have bestowed it on others, and not on them, he hath bestowed it on them, and not on others; yea, on them who are ⟨p. 137⟩but few in comparison, permitting a far greater multitude of others, and which is especially to be considered, though you are not willing to take notice of it: Like as God hath mercy on some in giving them this efficacious grace we speak of, merely according to the good pleasure of his own will; so he hardens others, denying them the same grace, and that merely according to the good pleasure of his own will. And thus the freeness of his grace is magnified towards the elect, by his severity and freeness of his will in denying it unto others: whereas you so carry it, as if the freeness of his grace to the one, were magnified in respect of his justice toward the world of mankind, in dealing with them according to their works; which is a plausible speech, and of common course usually admitted, but utterly void of truth. The truth being this: That like as God, in inflicting damnation on men, doth not proceed according to the mere pleasure of his own will, but according to the works of men; so, in denying grace efficacious, he doth not proceed according to the works of men, but merely according to the good pleasure of his own will. For, the Apostle plainly professeth in this case, that look how he hath mercy on whom he will; so likewise he hardens whom he will. And to clear the truth in this point (because as many as vary from the truth of God in this point, are not very prone to hear on this ear) let us consider, that justice hath different acceptions. In a common notion it is no otherwise taken then for justitia condecentiae, as the Schoolmen call it. Thus, whatsoever God doth is an act of Gods justice, whether it be an act of power, as in making the world out of nothing, or an act of liberality, in doing good to the creature without cause, or an act of mercy in pardoning sin; all these are acts of justice in this sense. The meaning whereof is no more but this: In all these actions God doth no other thing then what himself hath lawful power to do.

As touching Vocation; 1. we acknowledge with you, and you with us, the freenesse of Gods efficacious grace bestowed on some, and denyed to others, and herein magnified; that whereas God might have bestowed it on others, and not on them, he hath bestowed it on them, and not on others; yea, on them who are