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…

Now show me any example throughout the book of God in punishing sin with sin, answerable unto this. As if God did punish mens sinful dispositions by giving them over to bring forth the proper and congruous fruits of those sinful dispositions, Rom. 1. We read God gave the Gentiles over into a reprobate mind, to do things inconvenient, to commit horrible uncleanness. But God hereby punished not the unclean disposition, the fruits whereof were brought forth by Gods giving them over into a reprobate mind, but hereby ⟨p. 252⟩God punished their Idolatry, 2 Thess. 2. 20. We read of Gods giving men over to illusions to believe lies, hereby he did not punish their infidelity, the fruit whereof was, the believing lies, but hereby he punished their want of love to Gods truth. So when God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, to set them together by the ears, he did not hereby punish their mutual hatred one against another, but rather their joint conspiracy against the sons of Jerubbaal. I do not deny but it may be said, as Austin saith, that God hath ordained, Ut omnis inordinatus animus paena sit sibi, That every inordinate mind should be a punishment to it self; but in my judgement it is a strange liberty of speech, to say, that God doth punish a man for his covetousness, by not restraining it, but suffering it to have his course.

Now shew mee any example throughout the book of God in punishing sin with sin, answerable unto this. As if God did punish mens sinfull dispositions by giving them over to bring forth the proper and congruous fruites of those sinfull dispositions, Rom. 1. Wee read God gave the Gentiles over into a reprobate minde, to doe things inconvenient, to commit horrible uncleanenesse. But God hereby punished not the unclean disposition, the fruites whereof were brought forth by Gods giving them over into a reprobate minde, but hereby ⟨p. 252⟩God punished their Idolatry, 2 Thess. 2. 20. Wee read of Gods giving men over to illusions to beleeve lies, hereby hee did not punish their infidelity, the fruite whereof was, the beleeving lies, but hereby hee punished their want of love to Gods truth. So when God sent an evill spirit between Abimelech and the men of Sechem, to set them together by the eares, hee did not hereby punish their mutuall hatred one against another, but rather their joynt conspiracy against the sons of Jerubbaal. I doe not deny but it may bee said, as Austin saith, that God hath ordained, Ut omnis inordinatus animus paena sit sibi, That every inordinate minde should bee a punishment to it self; but in my judgement it is a strange liberty of speech, to say, that God doth punish a man for his covetousnesse, by not restraining it, but suffering it to have his course.