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…

What you mean by these fruits you speak of, and by the ⟨p. 264⟩reaching of them forth, I am utterly to seek; neither doth ought you have formerly delivered help me in this. But in these particulars it seems you love to speak darkly; and keep your self to general terms. I know no condition proposed in the Gospel, for receiving of any benefit from Christ, but faith and repentance. But you seem to bring in gracious helps for the obtaining of faith and repentance, to be tendered unto us for Christs sake upon other conditions, I know not what; neither have. I hitherto received any ground of assurance from this your discourse, that your self know what. In the next place you seem to specify what these fruits are, as when you say, that it promiseth and offereth sufficient help to bring them to the knowledge of God, and means of grace, still keeping your self in the general, as if you feared to be understood. And I wonder not a little that your self being a man of such reputation, and much exercised in giving satisfaction, addressing your self to give satisfaction in so tender and precious points of Divinity as these, should deliver your self in so strange a language. But let us take the more pains in discussing the clouds of your Phrasiologies. When you say the grace of redemption promiseth and offereth sufficient helps; your meaning must be that the Gospel of Christ doth promise and offer this, for as much as we are acquainted with no promises of Grace but in the Gospel. Yet this phrase of expressing, used by you, is enough to trouble a Reader, who when the matter we treat of is difficult enough, might justly desire that he might not be put to other trouble, as to interpret mens expressions. Yet it may be you may think to have a ground for this out of Saint Paul, where he saith, The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all, teaching us to deny ungodliness; and by which grace he seems to mean the Gospel. Be it so, yet Saint Paul doth not call it the grace of redemption, as you do. Redemption in Scripture phrase signifies forgiveness of sins, Ephes. 1. 7. and Col. 1. 14. If this be your meaning, I find no congruity in this your affirmation. For what? will you say the Gospel preached, doth promise and offer to bring men to the knowledge of God, and means of grace?