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…

3 As for dogs and swine, we are forbidden to give our holy things, or to cast our pearls before them at all. And therefore are we not to trouble our selves, in considering to what end this doctrine is to be preached unto them. And yet, as for the testifications proposed as proper unto them, it is nothing so; for not to them only, but to carnal Christians also do such belong, yea, to the very Children of God also; to wit, That God is just in all that cometh on them, and his ways equal. As when after Davids foul sins in the matter of Uriah, the sword pursued his house, and Absalom defiled his fathers concubines, and he was driven to fly from Jerusalem, and Shimei meeting him on the way cursed him, &c. And, I pray you, what unregenerate man throughout the world doth not love the cursed ways of sin, in some kind or other, though not in all kinds? And no marvel, for vice is like a pike in a pond, it devours both virtue and lesser vices: One vice is opposite to another, and not only unto virtue: And therefore, no marvel if no man be found vicious in all kinds.

3 As for dogs and swine, wee are forbidden to give our holy things, or to cast our pearles before them at all. And therefore are wee not to trouble our selves, in considering to what end this doctrine is to be preached unto them. And yet, as for the testifications proposed as proper unto them, it is nothing so; for not to them only, but to carnall Christians also doe such belong, yea, to the very Children of God also; to wit, That God is just in all that cometh on them, and his wayes equall. As when after Davids foule sinnes in the matter of Uriah, the sword pursued his house, and Absolon defiled his fathers concubines, and hee was driven to flie from Jerusalem, and Shimei meeting him on the way cursed him, &c. And, I pray you, what unregenerate man throughout the world doth not love the cursed wayes of sin, in some kind or other, though not in all kinds? And no marvell, for vice is like a pike in a pond, it devoures both vertue and lesser vices: One vice is opposite to another, and not onely unto vertue: And therefore, no mervaile if no man be found vicious in all kinds.

4 As for the Lutheran and Arminian, you profess, that this Tenet of yours removes such stumbling blocks out of their way, as have hitherto turned them out of the way of truth and peace. But what these stumbling blocks are, which you have removed, I know not. It seems this hath been a chief inducement unto you, to decline from that which you confess to be the most received opinion of our Church, and to shape unto your self a new form of opinion different from that which is received, (if not to remove some stumbling blocks out of your own way.) Now, if it be so, the fairest course had been to have expressed what these offences are; Secondly, how our most received Tenet doth either cast them in tho way of others, or at least doth not remove them; and thirdly, to show how by this opinion of yours they are removed: But none of these have been performed by you.