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…

As for the fault you mention of the Gentiles, was it not common to the Elect as well as to the Reprobates? What saith Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 12. 2. Ye know ye were Gentiles, and were carried away unto dumb Idols, even as ye were led. Yet the Romans for above a hundred years had no Images, as Varro testifies, saying, That then the Gods were worshipped castius, more chastely, and that they who brought in Images, timorem ademerunt, errorem auxerunt, took away the fear of God, and increased the error concerning the nature of God: Yet in these days of Image-worship, thousands were from Idols turned to serve the living God, 1 Thess. 1. 8. in those former days not one that we read of.

As for the fault you mention of the Gentiles, was it not common to the Elect as well as to the Reprobates? What saith Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 12. 2. Yee know yee were Gentiles, and were carryed away unto dumb Idols, even as ye were led. Yet the Romans for above a hundred years had no Images, as Varro testifies, saying, That then the Gods were worshipped castius, more chastly, and that they who brought in Images, timorem ademerunt, errorem auxerunt, took away the feare of God, and increased the errour concerning the nature of God: Yet in these dayes of Image-worship, thousands were from Idols turned to serve the living God, 1 Thess. 1. 8. in those former daies not one that we read of.

We come to the Jews; be it so, that they were worse then Pilate, yet many of them in despite of their sins were converted unto Christ; I say, of them that crucified him, and preferred a murderer before him; Pilate was not: at least we have a record of the conversion of the one, Acts 2. none of the other. Yea Saul breathing nothing but wrath and fury against the Church of God, as Ferox scelerum—Quia prima provenerant; being heartened with the blood of Stephen, as with a cup of sweet Wine, was converted unto Christ, when many a moral, quiet, peaceable, and nothing factious Jew, had not the mercy showed him that Saul had. They abused (you say) their talents and means of grace, in a worse manner then could be excused (yet who worse then Saul or Manasseh) by any necessity or impotency of corrupt nature. But who I pray, goes about to excuse them this way? we certainly excuse them not,