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…

2 Now I come to the Apostles Text, wherewith this Argument is backed, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. All are yours, and ye Christs, and Christ Gods: that is, say you, The world for the Church, and the Church for Christ, and Christ for God: thereby giving us to understand, That God first intended his glory, for which are all things; and then Christ, for whom the Church is; and then the Church, for which the world is; and then the world last of all. But, I pray you, consider whether this Interpretation, and Collection thereupon, be not more superficiary than sound: First, when he saith, All are yours, is the world only to be understood by all? Is not the world expressly named but as a member of this universal? Are not Paul, Apollos, and Cephas also joined with it; together with life, and death, and things present, and things to come, and jointly comprehended under the word all? Verse 21. Let no man rejoice in men, for all things are yours, Verse 22. Whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death; whether ⟨p. 23⟩they be things present, or things to come, even all are yours, 23. And ye Christs, and Christ Gods. As he was persuaded, Rom. 8. 38. That neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, should be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord; and therefore we need not fear them: So here he goes further, and tells us, that all are put, as it were, in subjection unto us, to work for our good; and therefore we should not rejoice in them, but rather in Christ, and in God, who hath wrought this, and ordered all this for our good, through the merits of Christ: not only Apostles and Pastors, but even the very Angels also, who pitch their tent about us, and have charge given them, to keep us in all our ways; and all of them are sent forth for the good of them that are heirs of salvation: Yet this subjection is only of a spiritual and gracious nature, nothing prejudicing their advancement above them whom they thus serve in love; and that for this their service performed for Gods sake, to whom rather they are in subjection then unto us;

2 Now I come to the Apostles Text, wherewith this Argument is backt,