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…

All this while have I maintained, the safeness of that exposition ¹which interpreteth Gods hatred of Esau, of a less degree of love, and the same word is also used in the same sense; But yet so understand me, I conceive this less degree of Love, to have somewhat in it of the true nature of Hatred. For as the nature of Love standeth in affecting communion with one, and communicating good unto him: So likewise the nature of hatred stands in the contrary to this, either in affecting separation from one, or inflicting evil on him, or at least in not vouchsafing communion, or communicating good unto him. So is a man said to hate his brother, that will not vouchsafe him such an office of brotherly communion, as that he will communicate a kindly reproof to him for his sin.

All this while have I maintained, the safenesse of that exposition ¹which interpreteth Gods hatred of Esau, of a lesse degree of love, and the same word is also used in the same sense; But yet so understand mee, I conceive this lesse degree of Love, to have somewhat in it of the true nature of Hatred. For as the nature of Love standeth in affecting communion with one, and communicating good unto him: So likewise the nature of hatred stands in the contrary to this, either in affecting separation from one, or inflicting evill on him, or at least in not vouchsafing communion, or communicating good unto him. So is a man said to hate his brother, that will not vouchsafe him such an office of brotherly communion, as that hee will communicate a kindly reproofe to him for his sin.

1. 1Answer.

Now I would easily grant, that before Esau had done good or evil, God so hated him, as that he did not communicate to him that fellowship with Christ, which by Gods election and donation the members of the body have with him their head in Gods account, even before the world was. Neither did God vouchsafe that plentiful communication of his free grace unto him, as might in time by a real actual power draw him to Christ and to live by him: Yea God was pleased to set him in a state further remote, and separate from him then his elect brother: Even in the estate of a servant to the elect: and in stead of communicating free grace, he purposed to deal with him rather according to his works, by a covenant of Justice; For both these are implied in Gods putting of Esau into the state of a servant.