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…

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.

Where again, in signifying that you speak of a man in the state of unbelief, you confound, if not your self (yet) I am sure your Reader. For but erst you discoursed how men of the world are enabled by Gods Word to the performance of such duties in which their natural conscience would excuse them. Now I should think, they that enjoy the Word of God, and are thereby so enabled as you speak, are not to be accounted in the state of unbelief, which I should think is a state peculiar unto heathens, who have not so much as an outward profession of Christianity. In like sort it is your course ⟨p. 236⟩to confound the inward operation of Gods Spirit with the outward means, and comprehend them both under the terms of means and helps, which have no univocal notion common unto them. It is bad enough to hold ones self to generals; considering, that may be verified of one species which cannot be verified of another, but it is too too bad to confound those under general terms, that have no more univocation between them then creation, and exhortation.