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…

Pag. 28. 3. There is no other providence in God preceding predestination, to wit, from which providence proceed things natural, and some other effects supernatural; but there is one only providence, and that is predestination, from which all things throughout proceed, without all exception. So that according to this conclusion, the whole universe, as it comprehends things natural and supernatural, things good and evil, substances and accidents, and all ways throughout of being and working, not only in general, but in special and individual, are to be considered as the only total object of divine predestination; so that not any one thing is without the breadth of its object, and which falls not under that act of predestination.

Pag. 28. 3. There is no other providence in God preceding predestination, to wit, from which providence proceed things naturall, and some other effects supernaturall; but there is one onely providence, and that is predestination, from which all things throughout proceed, without all exception. So that according to this conclusion, the whole universe, as it comprehends things naturall and supernaturall, things good and evill, substances and accidents, and all wayes throughout of being and working, not onely in generall, but in speciall and individuall, are to be considered as the onely totall object of divine predestination; so that not any one thing is without the breadth of its object, and which falls not under that act of predestination.

4. If there had not been a predestination of Gods elect, nothing at all had been in the nature of things. Therefore I hold this as certain, that unless Christ had been to come into the world, there had been no predestination of the elect made by God; and if no predestination had been, by virtue whereof all things follow, there should have been neither heaven, nor earth, nor other elements, nor living things, nor men, nor angels, nor sins, nor devils, nor reprobates; and last of all, that I may conclude in one word, ⟨image 137⟩God alone had been, and nothing else had been besides God, neither natural nor supernatural, neither good nor evil; we speak according to the common law and order of things, and according to those ends which probably we conceive God to have had in the making of creatures. For our purpose is not at all so to tie the majesty of the divine power to the weakness of our apprehensions, to deny that God could (such is his absolute power) make and ordain the nature of things without dependence upon grace and glory, and grace without dependence upon Christ our Lord.