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…

For by your rule you profess, that the inclusion of some within the covenant of grace, and the exclusion of others, depends not upon any indifference in the things offered or given, but only on the condition whereupon they are offered or given; manifestly implying thereby, that the same things are given to them that are without the covenant, and to them that are within; but the difference is only in the condition whereupon they are given.

For by your rule you professe, that the inclusion of some within the covenant of grace, and the exclusion of others, depends not upon any indifference in the things offered or given, but onely on the condition whereupon they are offered or given; manifestly implying thereby, that the same things are given to them that are without the covenant, and to them that are within; but the difference is onely in the condition whereupon they are given.

But if your rule run thus, it is not the helps offered or given, that include a man within the Covenant of grace, but the condition whereupon the grace it self is given. Hereby you manifest that they within the Covenant of grace, and they without are distinguished, not only by the condition, whereupon that which they have is given, but also by the things themselves which are given them: for as much as only the helps of grace are given to the one, to wit, to them that are without the covenant, but not only helps of grace, but grace it self is given to the other, which serves directly contrary to your rule here given: not to speak of the miserable confusion that like a Leprosy seizeth upon your manner of expression, and which you hold up in the beginning of your next section. But before I come to the scanning thereof, let me tell you of your dis-junctive phrase, as when you said, offered or given; this is very ill-accommodated to the helps of grace, if you mean helps outward, such as the Gospel; for the Gospel where it is preached, there it is not only offered, but hoc ipso given.

But if your rule run thus, it is not the helps offered or given, that include a man within the Covenant of grace, but the condition whereupon the grace it self is given. Hereby you manifest that they within the Covenant of grace, and they without are distinguished, not onely by the condition, whereupon that which they have is given, but also by the things themselves which are given them: for as much as onely the helps of grace are given to the one, to wit, to them that are without the covenant, but not only helps of grace, but grace it self is given to the other, which serves directly contrary to your rule here given: not to speak of the miserable confusion that like a Leprosie seizeth upon your manner of expression, and which you hold up in the beginning of your next section. But before I come to the scanning thereof, let mee tell you of your dis-junctive phrase, as when you said, offered or given; this is very ill-accommodated to the helps of grace, if you meane helpes outward, such as the Gospel; for the Gospel where it is preached, there it is not onely offered, but hoc ipso given.