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…

That is, to admonish them of their duty in turning from their wicked ways, and humbling themselves, that they may be saved. And accordingly God may be said to will it, with will of precept, not of purpose, Voluntate praecepti, non propositi; untill withal he doth effect it, by giving those drawing and effectual means, without which none can repent.

That is, to admonish them of their duty in turning from their wicked wayes, and humbling themselves, that they may bee saved. And accordingly God may be said to will it, with will of precept, not of purpose, Voluntate praecepti, non propositi; untill withall hee doth effect it, by giving those drawing and effectuall meanes, without which none can repent.

Or lastly, God may be said, by using such courses to intend, that they should repent, and so be saved, that is, that they should (Ex officio, not de facto) repent, that they might be saved. Thus to the Israelites he did, and to his Church ¹he doth even to reprobates amongst them; offer means of grace to purge them. Now by the operations of outward means, (which I think you signify) and if you thereby comprehend the inward operation of Gods Spirit also, you do not well to confound things so different under the same terms, (such ambiguity is so apt to deceive us) consists only in instruction, and admonition, and exhortation or correption. Now these whether made to turn us, Prov. 1. 23. or to gather us, Mat. 23 27. or to convince us, Joh. 16. 8, 9. are not of themselves (as you know) effectual to the conversion of any; though they are called in Scripture phrase, the drawing of us with the ⟨p. 228⟩cords of a man, and with the bonds of love,