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…

And consequently when you say to the contrary, that there is an impotency, yea, an impossibility in the men of this world to come to Christ, without greater and stronger means then these be: you do directly contradict your self, neither will all the labour following, expressing your self in various phrasiologies, serve turn to free you from this contradiction, but leave men suspicious that you affirm this contradiction only in words, but the contrary potency, you maintain in deed. And because that without all tergiversation you profess, that such men have power to perform something, upon the performance whereof they might the sooner find mercy; I beseech you in the fear of God no longer to abuse your self and others in speaking thus indefinitely, but tell us plainly and particularly, what that is which (you say) Reprobates have power to perform, and upon the performance whereof they should find mercy. To confess my bold weakness, ingenuously I am persuaded you are not able to define any such particular; if you should, it will not satisfy to the full, unless withal you explicate your self, and show whether that work you speak ⟨p. 238⟩of be a work of nature, or a work of grace; If a work of grace, then an unregenerate man is not so far dead in sin, but he is able to perform a work of grace, and if he be able to perform one work of grace, why not two, why not twenty? If a work of nature only, then seeing hereupon you say he shall find mercy; you fall foul upon that which was censured in the Synod of Palestine, one thousand two hundred years ago, namely, that grace is given according unto works. If some may say on your behalf, that you do not say they shall find mercy in this case, but only that they shall the sooner find mercy: or if this like not, if any shall otherwise plead in this manner: namely, that you do not say that he shall find mercy in this case, but he might find mercy: I will bid him content himself, and expect while you warrant such Apologies, and then I doubt not, but he shall wait long enough, for I am confident you are far off from maintaining such foul collusions.

And consequently when you say to the contrary, that there is an impotency, yea, an impossibility in the men of this world to come to Christ, without greater and stronger means then these bee: you doe directly contradict your self, neither will all the labour following, expressing your selfe in various phrasiologies, serve turn to free you from this contradiction, but leave men suspitious that you affirm this contradiction onely in words, but the contrary potency, you maintain in deed. And because that without all tergiversation you professe, that such men have power to perform something, upon the performance whereof they might the sooner finde mercy; I beseech you in the feare of God no longer to abuse your self and others in speaking thus indefinitely, but tell us plainly and particularly, what that is which (you say) Reprobates have power to perform, and upon the performance whereof they should finde mercy. To confesse my bold weaknesse, ingenuously I am perswaded you are not able to define any such particular; if you should, it will not satisfie to the full, unlesse withall you explicate your self, and shew whether that work you speake