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…

And this power I confess had continued in them, had they performed actual obedience according to that power, whereof by their disobedience they were deprived. Whereby you give me good ground to guess, what that opinion of yours is, (which you carry wondrous closely, (and I verily believe because of the offensive nature thereof to good men, such as your self) namely, That power to believe and repent is given to them as well without the covenant, as to them within; like as both Angels and Adam before their fall, had power to perform obedience to Gods Commands: But to them within the covenant of grace, it is given and upheld only for Christs sake; to others it is to be given and upheld only according to the covenant of work, that is, upon condition of some performance of theirs. But yet of the full portraiture of your opinion, I am to seek in some particulars: As

And this power I confesse had continued in them, had they performed actuall obedience according to that power, whereof by their disobedience they were deprived. Whereby you give mee good ground to guesse, what that opinion of yours is, (which you carry wondrous closely, (and I verily beleeve because of the offensive nature thereof to good men, such as your self) namely, That power to beleeve and repent is given to them as well without the covenant, as to them within; like as both Angels and Adam before their fall, had power to perform obedience to Gods Commands: But to them within the covenant of grace, it is given and upheld onely for Christs sake; to others it is to bee given and upheld onely according to the covenant of worke, that is, upon condition of some performance of theirs. But yet of the full pourtraiture of your opinion, I am to seek in some particulars: As

First, what the condition is upon the performance whereof they shall have power given them to believe and repent. Whatsoever you say, or give instance in, if it be a work of nature, it will necessarily follow that grace shall be possibly, at least resolved into a work of nature; then we are where we are, and still to seek how they came by power to perform that work of grace.

First, what the condition is upon the performance whereof they shall have power given them to beleeve and repent. Whatsoever you say, or give instance in, if it bee a work of nature, it will necessarily follow that grace shall bee possibly, at least resolved into a work of nature; then wee are where wee are, and still to seek how they came by power to perform that work of grace.