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…

In fine, you add a new qualification of the way to find mercy the sooner, and that is, not to sin against conscience, but only of ignorance, and withal by the coherence imply, that even reprobates and unregenerate persons have power to keep themselves from sinning against their conscience, and so to keep themselves as to sin only through ignorance. Whence it manifestly followeth, that in such a case of performance which you esteem possible, either the conscience of a natural man shall not convict him of nay sin, or convicting him of sin, shall not convict him, that he ought to repent of it.

In fine, you adde a new qualification of the way to finde mercy the sooner, and that is, not to sin against conscience, but onely of ignorance, and withall by the coherence imply, that even reprobates and unregenerate persons have power to keep themselves from sinning against their conscience, and so to keep themselves as to sin onely through ignorance. Whence it manifestly followeth, that in such a case of performance which you esteem possible, either the conscience of a naturall man shall not convict him of nay sin, or convicting him of sin, shall not convict him, that hee ought to repent of it.

Or lastly, it followeth, that he hath power to repent. The two first are unreasonable; to affirm the last, is to contradict your self, having lately professed, that God deprives all save his Elect of those helps and means, without which none can repent. And truly it seems, in denying the power of repenting unto the world, you did not well consider what you delivered; for the face of your Discourse seems to lead to the contrary, namely, to the maintaining that it is in the power of a natural man to repent though he be in the state of unbelief.

Or lastly, it followeth, that hee hath power to repent. The two first are unreasonable; to affirm the last, is to contradict your self, having lately professed, that God deprives all save his Elect of those helps and means, without which none can repent. And truely it seems, in denying the power of repenting unto the world, you did not well consider what you delivered; for the face of your Discourse seems to lead to the contrary, namely, to the maintaining that it is in the power of a naturall man to repent though hee bee in the state of unbeleefe.