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 grant that to subject Esau to Jacob as a servant, is not to reprobate him, for this subjection is made in time; But reprobation, as we take it in opposition to election Ephes. 1. 4. was made before all times. It is your own phrase, to distinguish the world of mankind from the elect, as if the elect were none of the world of mankind. For the very elect themselves are subjected as servants to the elect, every one unto others: ⟨p. 179⟩though as great as Paul and Apollo, as appears by the very place, your self have now in a contrary sense alleged more then once. And who doubts that we must all serve one another through love, since Christ himself was content to wash his Disciples feet? Lastly, the yoke of Esau unto Jacob was at length shaken off, as appears by Isaacs prophecy it should be; but the yoke of subjection of all things unto the Church, shall never be shaken off.

I grant that to subject Esau to Jacob as a servant, is not to reprobate him, for this subjection is made in time; But reprobation, as wee take it in opposition to election Ephes. 1. 4. was made before all times. It is your own phrase, to distinguish the world of mankinde from the elect, as if the elect were none of the world of mankinde. For the very elect themselves are subjected as servants to the elect, every one unto others: ⟨p. 179⟩though as great as Paul and Apollo, as appeares by the very place, your self have now in a contrary sense alledged more then once. And who doubts that wee must all serve one another through love, since Christ himself was content to wash his Disciples feete? Lastly, the yoke of Esau unto Jacob was at length shaken off, as appeares by Isaacs prophesie it should bee; but the yoke of subjection of all things unto the Church, shall never bee shaken off.

But you perceive well enough that the discourse which you answer, considered this temporal preferment (which yet had course only in their seed) only in a typical manner, as that which under temporal things prefigured spiritual, and accordingly you proceed to shape your answer thereunto in that respect also. The same is this, Though God had no purpose to deal with Esau, as he dealt with Jacob: that is, to communicate glory unto him out of grace, yet he had a purpose of communicating glory unto him some other way, and what can that be, but of communicating glory unto him, not out of grace? A very strange assertion, and therefore no marvel, you spared to set it down in so many words. Only you say, that the putting him into the state of a servant, did not reprobate him, or argue a purpose to pass him by in respect of communicating life and glory unto him. Which to my judgement doth manifestly intimate that you acknowledge in God a purpose to communicate life and glory to Esau, some way or other.