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 confess under means you comprehend, not only the book of grace, which is Gods word, but the book of Nature also, which is Gods works, the sufficiency whereof to inform either, as touching the nature of God or duty of man, we utterly deny, neither are you able to prove. And therefore you do not so well to carry it in the general, seeing as touching the specials, it is true of the one, not of the other. And in such cases the issue of generals, is rather to circumvent a simple Reader then to inform him.

I confesse under means you comprehend, not only the book of grace, which is Gods word, but the book of Nature also, which is Gods works, the sufficiency whereof to inform either, as touching the nature of God or duty of man, wee utterly deny, neither are you able to prove. And therefore you doe not so well to carry it in the general, seeing as touching the specials, it is true of the one, not of the other. And in such cases the issue of generalls, is rather to circumvent a simple Reader then to inform him.

And yet as touching that undue comparison by you made, and formerly mentioned; you do not carry it so cleanly, but that by the way you supplant your self; as when you speak of the sufficiency of the means, to the ends formerly mentioned, except they be hindered by men. For it cannot be understood of bringing a man passively to those ends, to wit, unto repentance. For man neither is nor can be merely passive in repentance, but must be active also. Nay, for ought I see, you make him passive therein, only in respect of instruction, and exhortation, which nothing hinders, but that he may be altogether active in performing repentance, if he will. Sith then repentance is the end whereto these means tend, and the means are sufficient to bring any to repentance (as you avouch) except they be hindered by men, it must necessarily follow, that man hath power by these means to attain to these ends whereto these means lead him, if he will; and consequently hath power to repent, and to obtain grace in Christ, if he will; for the means lead hereunto, namely, to the knowledge of God and grace in Christ, as your self have professed in express terms.

And yet as touching that undue comparison by you made, and formerly mentioned; you doe not carry it so cleanly, but that by the way you supplant your self; as when you speak of the sufficiency of the means, to the ends formerly mentioned, except they bee hindered by men. For it cannot bee understood of bringing a man passively to those ends, to wit, unto repentance. For man neither is nor can bee meerely passive in repentance, but must bee active also. Nay, for ought I see, you make him passive therein, onely in respect of instruction, and exhortation, which nothing hinders, but that hee may bee altogether active in performing repentance, if hee will. Sith then repentance is the end whereto these means tend, and the means are sufficient to bring any to repentance (as you avouch) except they bee hindred by men, it must necessarily follow, that man hath power by these means to attain to these ends whereto these means lead him, if hee will; and consequently hath power to repent, and to obtain grace in Christ, if hee will; for the means lead hereunto, namely, to the knowledge of God and grace in Christ, as your self have professed in expresse terms.