Mr Cottons Clearing Doubts Concerning Predestination, Translations
The Engliſh of the Latine paſſages in this Treatiſe, in the ſeverall Pages thereof, that are not formerly engliſhed.
PAge 10. lin. 2, 3, 4. The Apoſtle ſaith that we are choſen in Chriſt, as in a Mediatour, by whoſe bloud ſalvation is procured for us. lin. 5. As touching the act of God chooſing. lin. 17, 18. as in the head.—The nature of an head, is not the nature of a cauſe meritorious. lin. 19, 20, 21. The Apoſtle ſaith that we are elect in Chriſt, as in a Mediatour, by whoſe bloud life is precured for us. l. 21. a meritorious cauſe. lin. 22, 23, 24. and as in an head, from whence theſe good things are derived to us. So that the reaſon of an head, is the reaſon of a meritorious cauſe, not morally, but naturally. l. 26. as in the head. l. 27. as dead and raiſed again. l. 37. Chriſt is the head of the predeſtinate.
Page 11. lin. 5, 6. The other reaſon concerning Chriſt conſidered as the head, ſeemeth to depend on theſe parts.
Page 12. l. 5. a thing being by accident. l. 28. Predeſtination puts nothing in the thing predeſtinated. l. 31. in all things.
Page 13. lin. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. By the comparing of which ſentense it appeares, that the Greek foreign is here rightly rendred, among all. It is a Greek phraſe, leſt ſome one might conceive it ought to be tranſlated, in all; to wit, in all things. We are to remember, that the Apoſtle from this verſe began to diſcourſe of Chriſts kingdom in his Church, which no man will deny, if hee doth but lightly conſider the very words themſelves: and therefore under the univerſall particle, no other thing is comprehended, but all believers of all times. Chriſt is the firſt of them that riſe again, that among all the Saints, both of them that went before and of them that came after, he might have the primacy of dignity, power, and holineſſe. that ſo among all hee might have the preheminence; not onelyonly in reſpect of men, but alſo of all angels. lin. 23, 24, 25, 26. that alwayes in every life he may be chiefe and principall: in grace and glory: in generation and reſurrection: as well in viſible as in inviſible creatures.
Page 14. lin. 17, 18, 19 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. If Chriſts predeſtination and ours be conſidered, as touching the act of God predeſtinating, ſo the one is not the cauſe of the other; for the ſame thing cannot be the cauſe of it ſelfe: but by the ſame divine act both Chriſt and we are predeſtinated; therefore the predeſtination of Chriſt is not the cauſe of our predeſtination. But if it be conſidered as touching the effect, ſeeing the effect of our predeſtination is grace and glory, and the adoption of ſonnes; ſo it is to be ſaid, that the predeſtination of Chriſt is the cauſe of our predeſtination, both the cauſe efficient and the cauſe exemplary. l. 32. firſt. l. 33. latter.
Page 15. lin. 28, 29, &c. a being by accident.
Page 16. l. 14. God only permitting them as they are evill. lin. 16, 17. not any thing comes to paſſe unleſſe God will have it come to paſſe, either by ſuffering it to come to paſſe, or himſelfe working it.
Page 21. l. 3. the reaſon whereof is derived from the reaſon of the end deſigned.
Page 26. l. 10. the reaſon of the end.
Page 27. lin. laſt thirteen. 1. Of all things which God from everlaſting did in his mind deviſe to doe, the firſt was the hypoſtaticall union of the divine Word. The ſecond was the predeſtination of all the elect. The third was the condition of the nature of things. And therefore ſupernaturals are before naturals; and the order of nature preſuppoſeth the order of grace.
2 The fore-knowledge of no future thing is in the mind of God ſuppoſed to goe before predeſtination, but all things follow from it: and ſo farforth, that God decreed nothing at all from eternity to doe, nor in time doth, he permits nothing, or intends, whether naturall or ſupernaturall, whether it be of great weight, or of leaſt weight, or of no weight, which proceeds not there-hence, and is the effect and means of the predeſtination of the elect and of Chriſt. So that all things fall under the order of the divine predeſtination, as means ordained to the glory of Chriſt and of his Saints.
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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly in generall, but in ſpeciall and individuall, are to be conſidered as the onelyonly 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 certaine, that unleſſe 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 vertue 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, God alone had been, and nothing elſe had been beſides God, neither naturall nor ſupernaturall, neither good nor evill; 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 tye the majeſty of the divine power to the weakneſſe of our apprehenſions, to deny that God could (ſuch is his abſolute power) make and ordaine the nature of things without dependance upon grace and glory, and grace without dependance upon Chriſt our Lord.
Pag. ibid. five laſt lines. Behold where, look by what reaſon Chriſt is ſaid to be Gods, and the predeſtinate are ſaid to be Chriſts; by the ſame reaſon all naturall things, whether preſent or to come, whether life or death, are ſaid to be the predeſtinates owne things: But ſo it is, that Chriſt is therefore ſaid to be Gods, and the elect are ſaid to be Chriſts, becauſe
Pag. 29. God is the end of Chriſt, and Chriſt is the end of the elect; that is, becauſe Chriſt is ordained unto God as unto the end, and the elect unto Chriſt, as unto the end: and unleſſe hee, that is, God, were the firſt end, or the manifeſtation of his glory, there ſhould be no Chriſt; and if there were no Chriſt, there ſhould be no elect: therefore altogether by the ſame reaſon, the creatures are therefore ſaid to be theirs who are elect, becauſe they are for the elect, and the elect are the ends of them; and ſo if the elect ſhould not have been, no natures of the creatures ſhould have been.
Pag. ibid. l. 9, 10, &c. He hath choſen us in him before the conſtitution of the world. Now hee ſpeaks of Chriſt man, to wit, of Chriſt the head, as Hierome expreſſeth upon that place, and it appeares moſt plainly by the text. Certainly, either I am deceived, or Saint Paul intends not that onelyonly, to wit, that God hath choſen us in Chriſt, before the true and reall conſtitution of the world, which was made in time now ſix thouſand yeares agoe. For that God had choſen us in Chriſt before the temporall creation of all things, was no great thing, nor worthy of ſo great a pen; for ſo he choſe oxen and ſtones: For he decreed them, and fore-ſaw them, before the creation of things in time, or before he made any thing in time; now before the conſtitution of the world, and from everlaſting he deviſed them, and determined to make them. Therefore Paul intends ſome higher and more divine matter; to wit, that God in his eternity, when he deviſed with himſelfe the creation of the world, even before that in order of reaſon he deviſed with himſelfe concerning the election of his elect; and even then (I ſay) he had intended and fore-ſeen Chriſt, and in him he had choſen the predeſtinate.—lin. 27, 28, &c. a moſt efficacious reaſon; Every one willing things ordinately, firſt willeth the end; and of means thoſe means which are nearer to the end: But Chriſt and the predeſtinate, and therefore all ſupernaturals are nearer to the end, that is, to the manifeſtation of the divine goodneſſe, than all naturall things; therefore ſupernaturals are willed by God before naturals; and the manifeſtation of the goodneſſe of God before them all; becauſe we conſider it as the end of all.—lin. 37. 38. After what order and manner things are determined with God.
Pag. 30. lin. 6. to 15. Thomas is of opinion, that Chriſt ſhould never have been predeſtinated if man had not ſinned. Whence it ſeemeth to follow by conſequence, that ſinne was firſt ſeen by God, and the permiſſion thereof willed, before the incarnation of the Word was willed: So that in the way of the Thomiſts, it appeares not how it can ſtand, that the firſt decree of God was the incarnation or predeſtination of the Word, if ſo be the permiſſion and fore-ſight of ſin was before it: but if Chriſt were predeſtinate before ſin was fore-ſeen, then though ſin had not been yet Chriſt ſhould have come into the world, who was predeſtinate before the fore-ſight of ſin. lin. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38. That God did firſt will the hypoſtaticall union and incarnation of the Word, before he willed the permiſſion of ſin, and before he determined to make the nature of man, and of the whole univerſe—Yet becauſe the incarnation was not willed without the conſideration of ſin, but was willed dependently upon the permiſſion of ſin, and of the nature of things, as upon the meanes; therefore it followeth not, that Chriſt ſhould come into the world if ſinne had not entred, or if the world had not at all been.—means tending to the incarnation of Chriſt.
Pag. 32. l. 20. From the greatneſſe of the remedy, take notice of the greatneſſe of the danger.
Pag 36 l 26. beyond the worthineſſe of it. l. 27. leſſe then it deſerves.
Pag 40. l. 4. who by profiting write, and by writing profit. l. 16. the maſſe not made. l. 17. made not yet corrupted. l. 18. the maſſe corrupt.
Pag. 41. lin. 23. the maſſe not yet created. l. 28. the maſſe corrupt.
Pag. 43. lin. 34, 35. God willed glory unto Peter, he willed nothing unto Judas. l. 36. God willed grace unto Peter, hee willed nothing unto Judas.
—l. 37. God would have each of them to exiſt in the corrupt maſſe.
Pag. 44. l. 2. It is ſomething to come thus farre. l. 4. will damnation unto Judas. l. 14. of every thing that is, and of every thing that is not. l. 33, 34. If God did not will glory to Judas, then God did will that hee ſhould have no glory.
Pag. 45. l. 13. to hate. l. 14. not to will grace and glory to ſome one.
Pag. 47. l. 23. as a crown of juſtice.
Pag. 51. l. 25, 26. Reprobation includes the will of ſuffering ſin, and inflicting damnation for ſin.
Pag. 53. l. 22. We know. l. 23. not onelyonly wills averſe from faith, but wills adverſe to faith. l. 29. Of the vocation of the Gentiles.
Pag. 54. l. 20. in the maſſe from the beginning corrupt.
Page 55. l. 34. in the maſſe of Adam. lin. 36, 37. to conſider,—to erre or feign. lin. 27, 28. as to come in the maſſe of Adam.
Page 56. lin. 5, 6. as ſhould be faithfull, and repent, and perſevere in faith and repentance.
Pag. 59. lin. 13, 14. Let me not live if I delight in the death of a wicked man; but I delight when a wicked man returns, that hee may live. lin. 21, 22. Becauſe our defections and our ſins lye upon us, therefore we pine away in them, and ſhould we live. lin. 24, 25, 26. Say unto them, Let me not live, ſaith the Lord, if I delight in the death of the wicked, but when the wicked returnes from his way, that hee may live. Returne ye, returne yee from your moſt evill wayes; for why ſhould yee die, O houſe of Iſreal?
Pag. 60. lin. 3, 4. by almighty facility convert, and of unwilling make them willing? lin. 38. the will of ſigne,—the will of good pleaſure; l. 39. the will of precept.
Pag. 61. l. 1. the will of purpoſe. l. 14. the will of ſign, and the will of good pleaſure.
Pag. 63. l. 18. as touching the act of God willing. l. 19. as touching the things willed.
Pag. 67. l. 20. the decrees being changed the Court of heaven had mourned. lin. 24. in a greater meaſure ſuccoured.
Pag. 68. lin. 23, 24. Not any thing comes unleſſe God will have it come to paſſe, either by ſuffering it to come to paſſe, or himſelfe working it. l. 25. ſuffers to come to paſſe, hee will have it come to paſſe.
Pag. 69. l. 11. middle knowledge. l. 21. in part. lin. 22. ſimply, or thoroughly.
Pag. 71. l. 2, 3. the pride of man is wont to ſay, If I had known it, I would have done it.
Pag. 72. l. 32. This is an hard ſaying.
Pag. 76. l. 1, 2, &c. Each part of man (the ſpirit and the heart, that is the ſuperiour and inferiour) ill diſpoſed by God, underſtand it negatively, as touching the giving of free grace, but poſitively, as touching the judgement, inclination to, and proſecution of a ſenſible good. So that God made the Kings ſpirit hard (that is, not yeelding to the requeſts made) and not giving him grace to yeeld, and working with him to the affection of ſecurity, and his own good.
Pag. 77. lin. 31, 32. by works, by writing.
Pag. 78. lin. 16, 17. How great patience ſoever God affords, who will repent unleſſe God give repentance?
Pag. 79. l. 11, 12. that they may profit ſo farre, as to performe outward repentance, that ſo their puniſhment may be the leſſe. l. 24, 25. by will of precept, by will of purpoſe or good pleaſure.
Pag. 82. l 4. that hee might afflict thee. l. 28. of duty.—by conformity to the affections of men.
Pag. 86. l. 6, 7. Fair Laverna, teach me to deceive, teach me to ſeem juſt and holy: Caſt darkneſſe over my ſins, and a cloud over my deceits.
lin. 38, 39. Liberty without grace is not liberty, but wilfulneſſe.
Pag. 89. l. 3. doe that which is juſt. l. 4. becauſe they will not.—why will they not? l. 5. we goe farre,—without prejudice of a more diligent ſearch, l. 6, 7. Either becauſe the goodneſſe of it lies hid, or becauſe 'tis ſuch as delights not. l. 8. but that, what lay hid is made known, and that is made ſweet which formerly did not delight, this is from the grace of God which ſuccoureth mens wills. l. 34, 35. averſe from true faith, but adverſe to true faith.
Pag. 94. l. 27, 28. whom no mans will reſiſts;—for of unwilling he makes them willing. l. 32, 33. the pride of man is wont to ſay, Had I known it, I would have done it.
Pag. 95. l. 5, 6. faith is the cauſe of ſalvation.—cauſe meritorious. l. 7. cauſe of damnation.—cauſes diſpoſing.
Pag. 97. l. 3. Of the vocation of Gentiles.
Pag. 99. l. 34. Juſtice of condecency.
Pag. 105. l. 29. univerſity of elect.—a world of elect. l. 30. Of the vocation of Gentiles.
Pag. 108. l. 10. the will cannot be conſtrained. lin. 15, 16. God by almighty eaſe converts men, and of unwilling makes them willing.
Pag. 109. l. 21. in the maſſe at the firſt corrupt.
Pag. 111. l. 24. of former and latter.
Pag. 114. lin. 31, 32. includes the will of ſuffering ſin, and inflicting damnation for ſin. l. 36. the criticall point.
Pag. 115. l. 33. the outward works of the Trinity are indiviſible.
Pag. 121. l. 2. ſuch as ſhould be ſaved.
Pag. 122. l 1, 2. they encreaſed the errour concerning God.—they took away the feare of God.
Pag. 125. l. 11, 12. into a mind void of all judgement. l 20. from the beginning.
Pag. 127. l. 10. of old fore-written to this judgement.
Pag. 129. l. 28. the pure maſſe. l. 29. the corrupt maſſe.
Pag. 132. l. 38. ſuits at law.
Pag. 133. lin. 31, 32, 33. moreover this metaphor is taken from hence, that Gods eternall, whereby the believers are ordained to ſalvation, is called a book.
Pag. 137. l. 24. righteouſneſſe of condecency.
Pag. 140. l. 20, 21. The love of good liking.—the love of wel-doing.
Pag. 141. l. 10. the will of the fleſh. l. 25. to an outward amendment of life.
Pag. 146. l. 11. is not liberty, but contumacy.
Pag. 147. l. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. what patience ſoever God ſhewes, yet who ſhall repent unleſſe God gives repentance.—None of theſe whom God hath not predeſtinated, doth God bring unto true and wholſome repentance, whereby man is reconciled unto God in Chriſt, whether hee affords them greater patience, or as great.—God brings to repentance; but whom? whom hee hath predeſtinated
Pag. 185. lin. 9, 10. more helped. l. 11, 12. to be able if hee would.—to will what he could. l. 13. helps or ſuccours.
Pag. 187. l. 22. as touching the act of God predeſtinating. l. 23. as touching the act of God reprobating. l. 25. as touching the act of God willing.
Pag. 191. l. 4. not by infuſing malice or naughtineſſe, but by not infuſing grace.
Pag. 193. l. 15. no man becomes moſt foule at firſt. l. 18. No old man fears God.
Pag. 195. lin. 21, 22. The ſame, as the ſame, alwayes works the ſame.
Pag. 202. l. 12. unequall heifers are not fit to plough under the ſame yoke.
Pag. 203. l. 17. by infuſing malice, but by not infuſing grace.
Pag. 205. l. 3. not as touching the affection, l. 4. but as touching the effect.
Pag. 212. l. 15. In the generall lurk many equivocations.
Pag. 224. lin. 27, 28, 29. Thou art under the wrath of God,—therefore worſhip God who is eaſie to be intreated. For upon thy prayers hee will pardon thee, and his anger will be appeaſed.
Pag. 227. l. 27. of duty, not of fact.
Pag. 229. lin. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. To God, without doubt, look how eaſie it is to doe what he will, as eaſie it is not to ſuffer that to be which he will not have to be. Unleſſe we believe this, wee muſt renounce the firſt article of our Creed, whereby wee profeſſe to believe in God the Father, who is almighty. For he is not called omnipotent, but to ſhew, that whatſoever hee will doe, that he can doe; neither can the effect of an almighty power be hindered, by the will of any creature.
Pag. 230. lin. 28, 29. Exhortation not made, but deſpiſed. l. 32. if I had known it, I would have done it;—if I had heard, I would have believed.
Pag. 232. l. 33. on Gods part,—on mans part.
Pag. 258. lin. 7, 8. O Roman, thou doſt undeſervedly ſuffer for the ſins of thine Anceſtors.
Pag. 262. lin. 31, 32. that they may profit to the outward amendment of their life, to the end that their puniſhment may be the milder.
Pag. 263. l. 24. the will of ſuffering ſin, and inflicting damnation for their ſin.
Pag. 283. lin. 31, &c. what is this that you ſay, [when they are ſaid to be given over to their luſts, they are to be underſtood, as men left by divine patience, not compelled into ſins by Gods power] as if the Apoſtle had not put both theſe together, both patience and power, when hee ſaith, But if God willing to ſhew wrath, and demonſtrate his power, ſuffered in much patience the veſſels of Gods wrath, fitted, or prepared, for deſtruction. Yet which of theſe two doe you ſay is that which is written? And the Prophet if hee ſhall erre, and ſpeake, I the Lord have deceived that Prophet: and I will ſtretch out mine arme upon him, and cut him off out of the midſt of my people Iſrael. Is this patience, or power? chooſe which you will, or confeſſe both. Yet you ſee, that the ſin of him who prophecyeth falſly, is alſo a puniſhment of ſin. And when it is ſaid, I the Lord have deceived that Prophet: will you ſay here alſo, that this is to be underſtood as if it were ſaid, I have deſerted him, that by reaſon of his merits he is ſeduced that he might erre? Be it ſo, if you will; yet after this manner he was puniſhed for his ſins, that by prophecying that which was falſe hee might ſin. But look unto that which the Prophet Micheas ſaw; to wit, The Lord ſitting upon his throne, and the whole army of heaven ſtood about him, on his right hand, and on his left: And the Lord ſaid, Who ſhall perſwade Ahab the King of Iſrael, that he may goe up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? and one ſpake on this manner, and another on that. And there came forth a Spirit, and ſtood before the Lord, and ſaid, I will perſwade him. And the Lord aid unto him, Wherewith? And he ſaid, I will goe forth, and will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. But this very thing was alſo a puniſhment of ſin; God judging, God ſending an evill Angel: That wee may more clearly underſtand, how it is ſaid in the Pſalme, that hee ſent the wrath of his indignation by evill Angels. But did God erre in this? did he judge or doe ought unjuſtly or raſhly in this? Farre be it from us ſo to think. But the Prophet ſpake not in vaine, when hee ſaid, Thy judgements are a great depth. The Apoſt be doth not cry out in vaine, when hee ſaith, O the depth of the riches of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgements, and his wayes paſt finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his Counſellour? or who firſt gave unto him, that hee might be recompenſed? And againe, in the ſame Chapter it followeth; For this cauſe God gave them over to the luſts of uncleanneſſe. You heare, that for this God gave them over; and you vainly inquire, How it is to be underſtood, that God gave them over? taking much paines to ſhew, that God gives men over in ſuch manner, by deſerting them: But after what manner ſoever God gives them over, for this cauſe God gave them over: For this hee deſerted them. And you ſee Gods giving of them over, what kind of deſertion ſoever it be, and after what manner ſoever you underſtand the things which followed hereupon. For the Apoſtles care was to ſhew, how great a puniſhment it is, to be given over of God to the luſts of uncleanneſſe, whether by forſaking them, or after what other manner ſoever; whether explicable or inexplicable, whereby God doth this, who is both good and juſt in an unſpeakable manner.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Twisse, Mr Cottons Clearing Doubts Concerning Predestination (1646)