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…

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. ⟨p. 143⟩Again, Mr. Moulin, being very orthodox in the point of Election, as you are, varieth from us, as you do, in the point of Reprobation; maintaining, Reprobation to be instituted upon the foresight of mans final impenitency, in his Anatome Arminianismi. Corvinus an Arminian, hath taken him to task in a work of his, and is never a whit the more forward to concur with us in the point of Election, because Moulin concurs with them in the point of Reprobation. Nay, what do Papists say about Durham, by occasion of our complying with them, but this, They need not comply with us, for we come fast enough forwards to comply with them. And more then this, I have already showed, that this tempering (or corrupting rather) of the doctrine of Reprobation, maketh a fair way for the utter overthrowing of that which you call the sound and comfortable doctrine of Election. Forasmuch, as look by what reason you maintain the foresight of small impenitency and infidelity to go before Reprobation, as it signifies the punishing with everlasting death; by the same reason it will appear, that the foresight of final perseverance in faith, repentance, and good works, must necessarily go before Election, as it signifies Gods decree of rewarding with everlasting life. In which notion alone, election or the decree of salvation, is contrarily opposite to reprobation, or the decree of condemnation.

4 As for the Lutheran and Arminian, you professe, 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 seemes this hath been a chiefe inducement unto you, to decline from that which you confesse to be the most received opinion of our Church, and to shape unto your selfe a new forme of opinion different from that which is received, (if not to remove some stumbling blocks out of your owne 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 shew how by this opinion of yours they are removed: But none of these have been performed by you.