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…

If God offer (say you) and give it, to wit, [grace] though never so small, even as a grain of mustard seed, and promiseth to uphold it freely for Christs sake, and not according to our ⟨p. 269⟩works, it is a covenant of grace. But if he offer and give never so many helps, and means, and gifts, and uphold them according to the works of the creature, it is still a covenant of works, as it was to the Angels that fell, and to Adam. Here you continue your former confusion; for pretending to maintain the difference between them within, and them without the covenant of grace, as depending merely upon the condition, whereupon things are given; you notwithstanding this, make a difference also in the things given. For the one thing, given to them within the covenant of grace, you seem to make grace it self, though perhaps as small as a grain of mustard seed, and not only helps of grace; but the things given to them without the Covenant, are only gracious helps and means. And withal you deal not fairly in the expression of that which you intend; for you do not make it plainly appear, that you put a difference between the things given (lest you should contradict your self, for you place the difference only in the condition whereupon the thing given, is given) but that which is given to them within the covenant of grace you formerly expressed by the relative [it], which made me in doubt whether I should refer it to grace it self; or to the helps of grace; yet forthwith on the other side running again to helps, you do not style them helps of grace, as before you did, which doth manifestly distinguish helps of grace, from grace it self, but you call them gracious helps and means, and not contented with that, you add gifts also, as if your purpose were not to distinguish them from grace in the other member of the comparison mentioned, but rather to confound them therewith. Which I confess sorts best with your rule, which placeth the difference only in the condition of the things given, and not in the things given themselves. And this is further confirmed by the instance given in Angels and Adam, where you plainly give us to understand, that by gracious helps and means, and gifts given them, you understand the Image of God;

If God offer (say you) and give it, to wit, [grace] though never so small, even as a grain of mustard seed, and promiseth to uphold it freely for Christs sake, and not according to our ⟨p. 269⟩