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 look to receive from you some proof that the word Hatred ¹is used in the same sense, to wit, to signify a less degree of Love, for to my judgement, it is a wild interpretation; for in this sense God might be said to hate every one of Gods elect excepting Christ, for he loves them all in a less degree ⟨p. 205⟩then he loved Christ, and one in a less degree then another, according as degrees of Love attributed to God are to be estimated, that is, not quoad affectum, (for undoubtedly there are no degrees to be found in the nature of God) but quoad affectum, and undoubtedly God allots one degree of grace to one, and another degree to another, and as he deals with them in communicating of grace, so in the communicating of Glory also. Love and hatred, undoubtedly are opposite contrarily, and not only contradictorily. And because quot modis dicitur unum oppositorum, tot modis dicitur & alterum; as love of complacency consists in delectation, so hatred opposite is of displicency or aversation. And as love of beneficence consisteth in wishing or doing good: So hatred opposite consists in wishing or doing evil to another.

I look to receive from you some proofe that the word Hatred ¹is used in the same sense, to wit, to signifie a lesse degree of Love, for to my judgement, it is a wilde interpretation; for in this sense God might bee said to hate every one of Gods elect excepting Christ, for hee loves them all in a lesse degree ⟨p. 205⟩then hee loved Christ, and one in a lesse degree then another, according as degrees of Love attributed to God are to bee estimated, that is, not quoad affectum, (for undoubtedly there are no degrees to bee found in the nature of God) but quoad affectum, and undoubtedly God alots one degree of grace to one, and another degree to another, and as hee deales with them in communicating of grace, so in the communicating of Glory also. Love and hatred, undoubtedly are opposite contrarily, and not onely contradictorily. And because quot modis dicitur unum oppositorum, tot modis dicitur & alterum; as love of complacency consists in delectation, so hatred opposite is of displicency or aversation. And as love of beneficence consisteth in wishing or doing good: So hatred opposite consists in wishing or doing evill to another.