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 pray consider, why was Christ ordained, and to what end, before the world was? Was he not ordained to be incarnate in ¹the womb of the Virgin, and to be a Lamb for a burnt offering, to make satisfaction for sins? And was it possible that this ordination could have course without consideration of the creation and fall? And though this be confessed, yet will it not here hence follow, that the decree of creation and permission of mans fall, was before the decree of the incarnation of the Son of God: which alone, as I conceive, casteth some mens inventions upon the platform of a new course. And consequently it will not follow, that, in this case, the consideration of creation and fall should precede as motives to God to send his Son: For first, I say, the considerations hereof are not all precedent, but conjunct and concomitant, like as are the decrees. Secondly, if they did precede, yet should they not precede as motives. Good or evil works are fit motives, I confess, of election and reprobation, if it were possible their considerations could precede the one or the other: But creation and fall are no fit motives of ordaining Christ, (for they were found in Angels as well as in men) though the consideration of them could precede this ordination. 2. Election is as expressly said to be before the foundation of the world, as the ordination of Christ. And was not reprobation in opposition to election in the same moment of time and nature also? Doth not election connotate reprobation? But it will be said that this phrase, before the world, signifies not any measure of duration when that work was done, but a negation of any consideration had of the creation or fall. This seems a very strange construction; therefore it deserves to be discussed.

I pray consider, why was Christ ordained, and to what end, before the world was? Was he not ordained to be incarnate in ¹the womb of the Virgin, and to be a Lambe for a burnt offering, to make satisfaction for sins? And was it possible that this ordination could have course without consideration of the creation and fall? And though this be confessed, yet will it not here hence follow, that the decree of creation and permission of mans fall, was before the decree of the incarnation of the Sonne of God: which alone, as I conceive, casteth some mens inventions upon the platforme of a new course. And consequently it will not follow, that, in this case, the consideration of creation and fall should precede as motives to God to send his Sonne: For first, I say, the considerations hereof are not all precedent, but conjunct and concomitant, like as are the decrees. Secondly, if they did precede, yet should they not precede as motives. Good or evill workes are fit motives, I confesse, of election and reprobation, if it were possible their considerations could precede the one or the other: But creation and fall are no fit motives of ordaining Christ, (for they were found in Angels as well as in men) though the consideration of them could precede this ordination. 2. Election is as expresly said to be before the foundation of the world, as the ordination of Christ. And was not reprobation in opposition to election in the same moment of time and nature also? Doth not election connotate reprobation? But it will be said that this phrase, before the world, signifies not any measure of duration when that worke was done, but a negation of any consideration had of the creation or fall. This seems a very strange construction; therefore it deserves to be discussed.