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…

If your meaning be only to denote the precedency of such a condition of Pharaoh in sin, to Gods falling upon him, in bringing such judgements upon his back; but not a precedency to Gods purpose; I willingly concur with you herein. But then the like may be said of God concerning Esau, before he was born, to wit, that God purposed to bring such a measure of obduration and confusion upon him after such a condition of sin. But if your meaning be (as indeed hitherunto ⟨p. 187⟩the genius of your opinion drives you,) namely, that upon the foresight of some sinful condition, God did decree to bring obduration and condemnation both upon Esau and Pharaoh, as this may be said as well of one as of the other; here you will give us leave to dissent from you, considering how manifestly you are found herein to dissent from your self. For if such a foresight of sin go before Gods decree of obduration and condemnation, then God did first decree to permit that sin, before he did. decree to harden and condemn man for it, so that the permission of that sin in Gods intention, must be before obduration and condemnation, and consequently last in execution: that is, men shall first be hardened and condemned, and then suffered to commit that sin, for which they are hardened and condemned.

If your meaning bee onely to denote the precedency of such a condition of Pharaoh in sin, to Gods falling upon him, in bringing such judgements upon his back; but not a precedency to Gods purpose; I willingly concurre with you herein. But then the like may bee said of God concerning Esau, before hee was born, to wit, that God purposed to bring such a measure of obduration and confusion upon him after such a condition of sin. But if your meaning bee (as indeed hitherunto ⟨p. 187⟩the genius of your opinion drives you,) namely, that upon the foresight of some sinfull condition, God did decree to bring obduration and condemnation both upon Esau and Pharaoh, as this may bee said as well of one as of the other; here you will give us leave to dissent from you, considering how manifestly you are found herein to dissent from your self. For if such a foresight of sin goe before Gods decree of obduration and condemnation, then God did first decree to permit that sin, before hee did. decree to harden and condemne man for it, so that the permission of that sin in Gods intention, must bee before obduration and condemnation, and consequently last in execution: that is, men shall first bee hardned and condemned, and then suffered to commit that sinne, for which they are hardned and condemned.