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…

Quest. What think you of the Jews, are not they the Elect people of God, and yet are not they separate from Christ?

Answ. The Apostle doth not plainly affirm it, that they are separate from Christ, but with much compassion bewails it, yea, and protesteth, that he would wish himself rather separate from Christ for their sakes: The grounds of which he rendereth to be for his kindreds sake, ver. 3. for their privileges sake, ver. 4, 5.

Answ. The Apostle doth not plainly affirm it, that they are separate from Christ, but with much compassion bewailes it, yea, and protesteth, that hee would wish himself rather separate from Christ for their sakes: The grounds of which hee rendreth to bee for his kindreds sake, ver. 3. for their priviledges sake, ver. 4, 5.

This coherence I could brook well enough, only I say it is devised at pleasure: and I find it is a general course to feign ¹coherences, and sometimes only to shape thereby some conformation of the Apostles meaning to their interpretation of him. The Apostle I am sure makes none, and accordingly Ludovious Leoburgensis professeth, saying, Prorsus nova disputatio instituitur, in qua tametsi doctrinam de Justificatione alicubi repetit & intertexit, tamen duas alias materias principals tractat: videlicet, quis sit vere populus Dei, seu quae sit vera Ecclesia, & de vocatione Gentium. Judaei contendebant, se esse Ecclesiam, se esse populum; ad se solos pertinere promissiones. Paulus respondet Elector esse populos Dei. The disputation here instituted by the Apostle, is altogether new, wherein although he doth sometimes repeal and insert the Doctrine of Justification; yet he handles two other ⟨p. 274⟩