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…

Answ. For answer whereto I will not content my self to say, that these means are sufficient, because they suffice to leave men without excuse; only in the second place, and by accident, after, when men have neglected to make so good use of them as they might have done: but you see that God aims at other ends in the first and principal place. viz. to lead them to repentance to save their souls from the pit, as the places alleged give evident witness: and for these ends it is that these means must be acknowledged and conceived as sufficient. For else the Word of God argued an imperfection or insufficiency of such means to their proper ends. I think it safe to say, these means are sufficient, ex parte Dei, on Gods behalf, to manifest the will of God, rather to desire repentance and life, then the hardening and destruction of the Creature. And ex parte hominum, in regard of men, sufficient to enable them to the performance of such duties, in which their natural consciences would excuse them, and in which way they might the sooner find mercy, mercy vouchsafing more powerful and more effectual helps, whilst they walk according to the knowledge and helps, which they have received, and sin not against conscience, but only out of ignorance in the state of unbelief.

Answ. For answer whereto I will not content my self to say, that these means are sufficient, because they suffice to leave men without excuse; onely in the second place, and by accident, after, when men have neglected to make so good use of them as they might have done: but you see that God aimes at other ends in the first and principall place. viz. to lead them to repentance to save their soules from the pit, as the places alledged give evident witnesse: and for these ends it is that these means must bee acknowledged and conceived as sufficient. For else the Word of God argued an imperfection or insufficiency of such meanes to their proper ends. I think it safe to say, these means are sufficient, ex parte Dei, on Gods behalf, to manifest the will of God, rather to desire repentance and life, then the hardning and destruction of the Creature. And ex parte hominum, in regard of men, sufficient to inable them to the performance of such duties, in which their naturall consciences would excuse them, and in which way they might the sooner finde mercy, mercy vouchsafing more powerfull and more effectuall helps, whilest they walk according to the knowledge and helps, which they have received, and sin not against conscience, but only out of ignorance in the state of unbeleef.