tell particular Men they are truly Penitent having reserved that to be declared at the last judgment Besides every Man must have true Faith before he can be pardoned Faith and Repentance being the conditions of Pardon But no Man must believe his sins are pardoned before they are pardoned since that were plainly to believe a falshood Quest. But since all doubting of the Pardon of our Sins and the Favour of God implies distrust how will it stand with Faith in God Ans. The belief that our Sins are pardoned implies our trust and confidence of two things One is of God's Power and Fidelity in fulfilling his Promises The other is of sufficiency of our own care in performing his Terms Now Faith implies trust and confidence only in the former of these Quest. Is Faith only a confidence and trust in God not in our selves and implies a good opinion only of his Power and Faithfulness but not of our own fitness Ans. Yes and so of Abraham it is said when he believed That he gave glory to God Rom. 4. 20. His Faith consisted as the Apostle notes in what regarded him he being counted righteous for believing that what God had promised he was fully able to perform verse 21. When once Men have the greatest assurance of those Divine Properties they are said to have the greatest Faith though at the same time they think meanly and are most distrustful of themselves So the good Centurion was having such confidence in Christ's Power that he thought a word of his mouth would recover his Son without giving him the trouble to come in person and at the same time thinking so meanly of himself that he judged his house unworthy to receive him And of this Christ declares I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Matth. 8. 8 10. Quest. I perceive 't is no part of any Man's Faith to believe his sins are pardoned nor of Infidelity to doubt of it But though such doubts are not the sin of Infidelity against God yet are they not always sinful and blame-worthy upon some other account Ans. No but oft-times expressions of virtue and serve to recommend us the more to God as being acts of humility and self-abasement of modesty and poverty of Spirit which set no Man further off but bring him nearer and interest him the more in his favour The fearful humble Publican who durst not presume on any favour but with dejected eyes stood afar off went home justified of God rather than the proud Pharisee who justified himself Upon which our Saviour adds that every one who exalts himself shall be abased and every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted Luke 18. 10. to 15. God is nigh saith the Psalmist to the broken of heart and contrite of spirit Psal. 34. 18. He dwells with the contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the contrite ones Isaiah 57. 15. He looks to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at his word Isaiah 66. 2. to lift up those that humble themselves in his sight James 4. 10. and to bless the poor in spirit Matth. 5. 3. Indeed dejection sadness and tormenting fears are a backner of good endeavours and accuse God as if he were an hard uncomfortable Master very difficult to please and Religion as if it were a sowre melancholy service so that faithful hearts must not affect or harbour fear to these degrees But when they maintain a comfortable hope 't is generally more commendable to lean to the side of humble fear than of arrogant self-flattery to be too lowly and modest rather than too presumptuous and boasting Quest. And is it not more safe too Ans. Yes fear begets care whereas security slackens watchfulness and abates endeavour And therefore the Apostle advises those who would expect to stand not to think highly but fear Rom. 11 20. and to work out their salvation with fear Phil. 2. 12 13. And he was a wise Man that said Happy is he that feareth always but he that hardneth his heart against fear shall fall into mischief Prov. 28. 14. The wisest and the best way generally is to be fully assured of what concerns God but fearful and jealous of what depends upon our selves Quest. But have not some good Men great confidence of God's favour And since that is the priviledge of the most consummate Saints and gives the greatest peace and joy in God and comfort in believing which the Scripture speaks of must it not be a most justifiable as it is really a most blessed and desirable thing Ans. Yes if their confidence is not beyond their grounds and under this comfortable assurance of their present claim to Happiness they preserve an humble sense of their own defects and unworthiness and a fear of their falling from it by afterfailures And this comfortable assurance is vouchsafed to some extraordinary good Souls as their special priviledge as fears and doubts are continued to others for their exercise And different Persons are either indulged more happy injoyment from God or so exercised as to make them more acceptable and dear to him both these ways Quest. You have said enough to explain the nature and to set off the excellency and usefulness of Faith. But lest after we have taken the pains to walk by it it should fail all our expectations in the end pray show me something of the certainty of it Ans. That depends on the Authority of Jesus Christ who is the Author of our Faith. And all must needs be true that he Says and sure that he Promises because he is the true Messiah or the Christ of God who was to come as his Great Prophet to make known his mind unto the World. CHAP. II. That Jesus is the Christ from Ancient Prophecies The Contents Among those Prophecies which prove Jesus to be the Christ First Some prescribe the time of his coming This they mark out by the nearness of such notable Occurrences and Revolutions as would fall under all Mens observation And by fixing the very Year he should appear in Accordingly there was a general expectation of him at that time His coming not put off beyond the time appointed for the sins of the People An account why the Jews who read these clear Notes of the time in their own Prophets are not convinced by them Secondly Others assign man peculiar and visible Notes whereby he may be demonstratively pointed out from all other Men. As 1. His being born of a Virgin. This in some sense spoken of a Virgin of that time but principally of Messiah and then only fully accomplished when Jesus came This cleared from exceptions 2. His having the Spirit of Miracles resting on him 3. His Death with the particular manner and circumstances of it And his returning to Life again 4. His putting an end to the Jewish Sacrifices and Mosaick Covenant and bringing in a New one and a better to
of David and upon his kingdom to order and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever verse 6 7. Now this Person whose Title and Character is Wonderful The mighty God The everlasting Father The Prince of Peace and whose government on the throne of David was to be perpetually increasing is plainly no other but Messiah And he being the Person promised by Isaiah to be born of a Virgin that Prophecy however answered in some parts before could never be fulfilled and accomplished but in him Quest. But you said before it had respect to the Virgins Son of that time and was in part effected then And if it must still be meant of Christ and made good in him again some hundreds of Years after this makes the same words to be designed for several meanings yea such as must be verified at far distant times which seems a strange thing Ans. This is most usual in the Scriptures and especially in Prophecies which are often spoken of one Person next in view and near at hand in whom they are fulfilled in part but of another further off who though he lies hid till he is shown by the event is yet the Person chiefly meant whereof the other was only a Figure or Type and in whom they are fully to be accomplished Thus God's Promise to David 2 Sam. 7. 12 c. Of setting up his seed for ever after him and saying I will be his Father and he shall be my Son though it were spoken immediately and in part of Solomon as is most apparent yet was chiefly intended and fully made good in Christ. And the words of David about God 's not leaving his soul in hell c. Psal. 16. 8 9 10. though seemingly spoken and in part verified of his own Person were yet meant and fully accomplished in Christ's Resurrection whereto S. Peter applies them Act. 2. 29 c. And so when God said unto him Thou art my son and I will give thee the Heathen Psal. 2. 7 8. which had its full effect in Christ according to S. Paul's interpretation Act. 13. 33. And the same S. Matthew assures us of the Virgins Son which though it might have some regard to a Child of that time yet was then only fulfilled when Christ came Matth. 1. 21 22 23. Quest. But if this Virgins bearing a Son be meant of Christ How could it be given to Achaz and the House of Judah for a sign since he was then afar off and not to come till long after that Generation Ans. Because it was meant of another too who was to be conceived at that very time and would prove a sign to them And as this inferiour accomplishment would be a sign of this answerable Deliverance in that Age so would the miraculous Birth of Christ when it should more eminently fulfil this Prophecy be a much more illustrious sign of an incomparably greater to their Successors And this also answers the end of its being given here for a sign which is not limited to any Person or Time but indefinite to the House of David Hear says the Prophet not O! Ahaz but O! house of David c. verse 13 14. Besides in Ahaz's time the Faith of Christ's being born of a Virgin whilst only promised would give it the virtue of a sign as well as the sight of it when performed The end of it was to assure them that the Kings of Syria and Israel should not prevail against them verse 4 7 9 10. And this if they believed it 't was apt to do as an argument from God's intending for them a greater kindness to his readiness in performing a less for sending Messiah to be born of a Virgin and to be God with us must argue a greater power and kindness than would suffice to work this deliverance from these invading Princes And after all it is not unusual in the Scriptures to beget Faith and confidence by such signs as are remote and far off as God did to Moses Exod. 3. 12. and to Hezekiah and the Jews Isaiah 37. 30. Quest. By this I perceive this Prophecy of a Virgin bearing a Son was intended of Messiah But was it fulfilled in Jesus when he came Ans. Yes most miraculously For his Mother that bare him was a pure Virgin as appeared both from her own account and Joseph's her reputed Husband both Persons of known Integrity and unquestionable Credit And when after her espousal Joseph doubted of her Chastity because she was found with Child before their coming together an Angel is dispatched from Heaven to clear her Honour and to assure him that what was conceived in her was not any Humane Production but of the Holy Ghost Matth. 1. 18 19 20. The Holy Ghost as another Angel explained it to her self coming upon her and the power of the Highest overshadowing her when she objected the impossibility of her being a Mother because she was a pure maid Luke 1. 34 35. All which was so unquestionable and notoriously made out to the Apostles and Primitive Christians their greatest Enemies finding no pretence to cavil and start doubts upon it that they universally and firmly believed it and thought it a point of so great account as to deserve a place and make one Article in that short Summary and Abridgment of Christian Faith called the Apostles Creed For in that one thing we profess to believe concerning Jesus is That being conceived by the Holy Ghost he was born of the Virgin Mary Quest. No wonder it found a place there for it is a sign not more strange than convincing being of it self alone sufficient to prove Jesus to be the Christ since in this he has no Competitors the like I think being never known or pretended of any other Man. But besides this are there not other notable things set down by the Prophets as belonging to him which may serve still further to discover him Ans. Yes Secondly That an extraordinary Spirit not only of Wisdom and Goodness but also of Might or miraculous Power should not only descend now and then by fits but make a settled abode and rest upon him Concerning the branch that shall grow out of the root of Jesse says the Prophet the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding the Spirit of counsel and might the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord Isaiah 11. 1 2. And when once the former Prophecies had pointed out the exact Year and place of his appearing this sign of it self had been enough to discover him For being thus extraordinary not only for Wisdom and Piety but also for Might and miraculous Power when any would survey all the Men in Bethlehem in search of Messiah at the prefixed time he infinitely above all others must needs draw all Mens Eyes to him Quest. Are there any more things still belonging to him which confirm the same Ans. Yes Thirdly That he should be
own death and the strange kind of it by hanging after the Roman way upon a Cross which was not only most accidental but most improbable since if he was taken off at all it was not like to be by Roman but Jewish malice He foretold also that Judas one of his own Disciples should betray him and that before he was given up to Satan to enter into him or Judas himself 't is like ever thought of any such thing nay he knew it says S. John from the very beginning John 6. 64 70 71. And that Peter should deny him yea and that just thrice before the Cock crew twice Mark 14. 30. whereas those three occasions of his denial were then not only in themselves most uncertain but at the same time Peter made so sure of his not denying him at all that he confidently said he would rather die with him than do it in any wise Verse 31. To these I might add his Prediction of the Bloody persecutions of his Disciples the unhappy success of false Prophets the continuance of his Church and Religion though ever and anon groaning under most heavy Sufferings to the worlds end with many others Quest. Is this Prediction of future Contingencies a work peculiar to the All-seeing God and above the skill of all infernal Spirits Ans. Yes and thence 't is called Divination as manifesting the Divinity of a Being And accordingly herein God challenges all the pretended Gods of the Heathens saying Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that you are Gods Isaiah 41. 23. And this the Devils plainly manifest themselves unable to do by the Ambiguity of their Oracles when they are consulted in these cases For not knowing what will be the event of things they use artifice in words and frame Responses of such doubtful construction as are liable to be turned both ways and so equally capable of being verified by all events Such was the noted Answer of the Devil at â— elphos cited by Cicero from Ennius which he is said to have given to Pyrrhus King of Epirus when he consulted him about the issue of the War with the Romans Aio te AEacida Romanos vincere posse Which according to the different ways Men should begin the construction was equally good Latin and would be equally true whether he should conquer the Romans or they should conquer him And such also was that other Answer which he cites from Herodotus said to be given to Croesus King of Lydia when he went against Cyrus Croesus Halym penetrans magnam pervertet opum vim That is if he passed the River Halys against Cyrus he should consume a vast Wealth and waste a great Domination which would be very true whether it fell out to be theirs or his own These studiously uncertain and ambiguous Answers are a plain sign the Demon was at a non-plus Besides that future Contingencies are out of the reach and foresight of impure Spirits is plain because those causes are whereon such futurities depend For they are wrapt up in the free-will of Men which the Devils cannot force but only tempt and in the Counsel and Providence of Almighty God whose early determinations are hid from them and are a secret locked up in his own Breast Quest. But have not Demons oft foretold such futurities as when Spurinna the Augur by the Diabolical signs in the Sacrifice could warn Julius Caesar of his danger such a day if he went into the Senate-House Ans. That the Demon might easily foretel when the time and place and persons and other circumstances of the Murder had been resolved on among themselves and he had been present and principally influenced their Debates in all their Consults Such Predictions are but like a seasonable discovery made by some of the Conspirators Quest. But what say you to Predictions of more remote things as yet unconcerted among the immediate Actors and to their foretelling the success of attempts or expeditions or other futurities of contingent nature which the Demons often revealed to their Prophets both by Oracles entrails of Sacrifices feeding of Pullen and other ways in use among Heathen Diviners Ans. When they ventured at these it was not with certainty and assurance as infallible understandings but only by guesses and conjectures from the appearances of things their preparations and probabilities as politick observers wherein they can go far by reason of their great knowledge and experience And when they were put to Answer on these points if they were more distrustful of the issue they gave ambiguous and uncertain Answers capable of being verified by all events which would be a sure reserve for their errors as in the case of Croesus and Pyrrhus But if the event seemed more likely and they were presuming and bold enough to Answer plainly then since the effect would several times hit as well as sometimes miss they hoped all would be expounded in their favour and their mistakes salved by the Candor and Devotion of their Worshippers Quest. But do not you think Demons can speak of some such futurities in plain Speech and there too with certainty and assurance Ans. Yes some events are put into their hands when any Persons are delivered to them either for their trial as Job or for their punishment as Ahab And after such delivery they may foretel these events as depending upon themselves Thus might Satan easily have foretold the Invaâ—ions of the Chaldeans and Sabeans upon Job's Oxen and Camels after he had gained God's Licence and Judas's Treason after he was delivered up to him to enter into him And thus might they in the Gentile Divinations foretel cures of Diseases whereof by God's Commission they had been the Inflictors seeming then to cure where they only ceased to kill as Tertullian says To predict such things as are left to their Power and Ministry to accomplish requires no more skill than to know before-hand what they intend to do and what are their own Decrees and Purposes But 't is beyond the fore-sight of any Demons to foretel such remote Contingencies before the abandoning of Persons as God doth frequently in the Holy Scriptures declaring the most accidental things which shall happen to Men yet unborn or the most free and voluntary which shall be done by them And as the Blessed Jesus did and his Apostles after him by his Spirit foretelling what should befal the whole Nation of the Jews both young and old after almost forty Years and what should happen to his own Church in remote Ages and what should be not only the temptations and trials but the most contingent carriage and free actions of good Men who were in God's Protection and whom the impure Spirits could only tempt not govern as is plain among many others in that of Peter's thrice denying and the Apostles forsaking him Quest. But the famed Oracles of the Sibyls from which Virgil transcribed some
appropriated to it without that separate Honour and visible Reverence which is due to them is to unhallow and prophane him which he says in Ezekiel the Priests did when they put no difference between the holy and prophane Ezek. 22. 26. Our great and matchless Creator must have a distinguishing respect and honour visibly paid him in our outward behaviour And when in Gifts and Presents some would shew visible neglect and dishonour of him he complained they did not treat him as a Great and Dreadful King adding that herein their undutifulness might evidently appear because they durst not go so to pay respect to any Temporal Governour or Superiour Mal. 1. 8 13 14. But though this hatred of External irreverence be one thing implied in it yet is it but the outside of God's Holiness And therefore no Man must ever think to content him by Ceremonious Formalities as being extreme nice and scrupulously careful about the Place the Garb the Posture or other decent Dress or circumstance of his Worship and Service except at the same time he shun all sin and wickedness which affront him most of all and bear the directest opposition to his Holiness As this without the other is Spiritual ill Breeding and Clownish Rusticity so is the other without it mere Form and Complement and an empty unprofitable Ceremony Quest. If this Holy God is so irreconcileably set against sin sure he can never be the Author of it Ans. No let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither doth he tempt or incite any man to it James 1. 13. The Devil tempts us who is called the Tempter in the Scriptures Matth. 4. 3. And wicked men who are his Instruments And our own Lusts most of all when they draw us away and intice us to evil as S. James says James 1. 14. But as for the most Holy God the concern he has about our sins is in no wise to decree or help them on but only to forbid and punish them He has no pleasure in wickedness or as the Septuagint translate it he doth not will it Psal. 5. 4. Quest. But doth not God himself say That he had hardned Pharaoh's heart and the heart of his servants Exod. 10. 1. and Chap. 14. 4 17. and is it not also said that he moved David to number Israel and Judah 2 Sam. 24. 1. Ans. Yes but God did these not by way of positive influence and efficiency as a concurrent cause but only by withdrawing his Grace and leaving Men to be hardned by their own Lusts and by evil Spirits And thus of Pharaoh 't is said that he hardned his own heart Exod. 8. 15 32. and of David that Satan moved him to number the people 1 Chron. 21. 1. Quest. But doth not his withdrawing of his Grace show a willingness to have sin take place and that although he is loth to do it himself yet he is free Men should be hardned by others Ans. No 't is only when he is put to it as a Wise and upright Judge in way of Justice For he never withdraws his Grace and thereby leaves Men to their own Lusts and malignant Spirits till they have first made a forfeiture of it by reiterated repulses and affronts or some high provocations Thus in the Story of Pharaoh in Exodus except what is said Chap. 7 13. he bardned Pharaoh's heart which as the Learned note may as well be rendred Pharaoh's heart was hardned as the same word is rendred verse 22. God is not said thus to harden Pharaoh's heart and send all his plagues upon his heart chap. 9. 12 14. till Pharaoh had several times wickedly disobeyed and wilfully hardned his own heart chap. 8. 15 32. And when 't is said that God moved David to number the people 't is added that their sins had provoked him to Anger which made him give him up to it 2 Sam. 24. 1. God's Grace and Holy Spirit is always repulsed and driven away before he recals it from Men and thereby gives them up to an evil Lust or an infernal Spirit to harden and work in them Quest. What say you when God threatens Men with Spiritual Blindness that they shall look on without seeing and hear without understanding Isaiah 6. 9. Which Judgment S. Paul testifies was befallen the unbelieving Jews Rom. 11. 7 25. As our Lord himself also noted Matth. 13. 14 15. Ans. Not that he instils into them any errors or pushes and precipitates them on to any wicked act without opening their Eyes But only that he leaves them to their own violent and blind prejudices which will neither let them hear nor see any thing that makes against them and withdraws clear means of knowledge after they have long slighted and abused them as our Saviour did from the blinded Jews therefore as he says speaking to them in Paxables because seeing they saw not and hearing they heard not that is they would not be made to see and hear by plain Speeches Matth. 13. 13. This infliction of Spiritual blindness S. Paul in the case of the Romans calls giving up to a reprobate sense Rom. 1. 28. Whereto God then gave them up when they of themselves having already gone far in wickedness contracting it he justly left them to it Whilst they knew God they gave him no due glory and acknowledgment and thereupon he gaue them over to a reprobate mind verse 21 28. Their reprobate sense verse 28. was the woful consequent of their own foul lusts and precontracted foolishness noted verse 21 23 25 26. God did not leave them till they had first by false worship and filthy practices not only deserted but driven him and his enlightening Spirit away from them Quest. But what say you to Ahab's case did not God himself deceive him Ans. No but only left him to be deceived by a wicked Spirit and that not till Ahab had sold himself to work wickedness and thereby most justly deserved to be deserted by him The wicked Spirits though they have will enough to hurt us yet are held in Chains and Fetters and are not let loose or in power to work their wills till they have God's Licence And therefore when the good Angels from their several earthly charges return back to God to make their reports some wicked ones as 't is represented in the Story of Job still croud in among them to gain Commissions either for trial or punishment and see who will be delivered into their hands Thus Satan did when he obtained power against Job for a trial of his patience Job 1. 6. And thus on another set day when God publickly decreed the fall of Ahab an evil Spirit presents himself and voluntarily offers to be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets to encourage him to his fall at Ramoth Gilead in deserved punishment of his wickedness And God not only foretels that Ahab would hear him but bids him
Jewish Doctors note the Power of a destroying Angel on such as have not received the initiatory Rite of Circumcision answerable whereto is that old tradition among them that God exempted their Nation from the Power of the Angel of death to which he subjected the rest of the World when he chose them for his own People and gave them the Law. Or when being once enter'd they either burst out of it themselves or by just excommunication which as our Lord says brings Men back into the state of the Heathen are cast out into the World again For then the Devils obtain more Power over them as S. Paul notes saying of those that grow turbulent in the Church and oppose themselves that they are taken captive by him 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. and calling excommunication a delivering over unto Satan as it throws them out into his Territory and within the verge of his Dominion 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Yea probably their attempts are more greedy and violent upon those who for a while were rescued out of their hands than on others who were held always under them And accordingly in the Parable of the unclean Spirit we are told that if being once driven out of a man he find him empty and naked of Guards and so fit to be made a prey again he takes with him seven Spirits worse than himself when he seeks to enter into him the second time Matth. 12. 43 44 45. 2 Pet. 2. 20. Quest. Would you note any thing else that is like to provoke God to abandon and give us up to these deluding Spirits Ans. Yes to omit others buying and selling of the Truth or acting for Gain against God and a good Conscience When Men forsake God or a good way or thing not out of sincere convictions but secular interests and for worldly gain then doth the Devil enter and take possession of them For his great way is to open the Door by a golden Key and by the offers of gain to get admission And thus he enter'd into Judas taking possession of him by thirty pieces of silver which he preferred before his Master Luk. 22. 3 4 5. And into Ananias getting him into his Power and filling his heart by a desire of keeping the price of his land to himself Act. 5. 3. When Men once put themselves into Satan's hands by putting away a good conscience and professing or acting against convictions they are in the ready way as S. Paul says to make shipwrack of the right Faith and fall under a delusion of their understandings 2 Tim. 1. 19. Quest. But doth not God himself do more than suffer and give way to sin by leaving them to their own Lusts or to Satan as you say to push them on when he talks of giving men a spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8 10. Isaiah 6. 10. Is not that something positive of his inflicting Ans. 'T is like it is a sending a sluggishness of thought or a dulness and drowsiness of apprehension on them Not such as makes them quite unable to apprehend but only like a drowsie Man more listless heavy and slow in it 'T is eyes wherewith they should not see and ears wherewith they should not hear that is such wherewith they would not because they could not do it easily Rom. 11. 8. Such abatement of intellectual perspicacity and power God sometimes threatens to obdurate sinners saying he will smite them with madness or blindness or astonishment and stupidity of heart Deut. 28. 28. And this is very just thus to impair the perfection of our minds as well as the health and strength of our Bodies in punishment of our sins For both these being his gratuitous and undeserved gifts are reversible in what measure he pleases And he never withdraws them in his wrath from contumacious sinners but on forfeiture and high provocations when they have winked long against the Light and would not see with quick and clear senses It is all in way of Justice and Judicial Process so that there is nothing but what shows a Holy a Just and Good God too in all this Quest. But if God so irreconcileably hates sin why doth he not employ his Power to keep it out Were it not easie for an Almighty God to prevent sin in the World if he would Ans. It is not fit he should make it impossible by putting it out of our power to chuse it And as for such ways as infer no force upon our wills but consist with our free and rewardable avoidance of sin he has not been wanting in them which is all that is to be expected on his part Quest. Why to ease both himself and us of the evil of sin might not God make it impossible and put it out of our power to chuse it Ans. Because that is inconsistent with our Natures who having Flesh as well as Spirit must needs be free to Evil as well as Good. It would leave nothing in us to be commended or rewarded when we do abstain from it there being no thanks due to any Man for omitting what he was utterly incapable to act To make sin impossible is to offer violence to our free and reasonable Natures and to set aside all Laws all Censure and reward of Actions Which no reason will expect a Holy God should do who looks not only at his own Power and Holiness but at the displaying of his Governing-Justice too and the Freedom and Liberty of his Creatures and will take such ways to keep out sin as best comport with all these So that an utter incapacity for it is no way of hindring us free and rewardable Creatures who are not to be irresistably forced and compelled but drawn and persuaded Quest. And has God done all that can reasonably be expected that way to prevent sin Ans. Yes he has given his own Son to die a cruel Death thereby to purchase Mercy for all that truly repent of their sins he has plainly showed and forbid all sin that no Person need be ignorant of it he has threatned it with the most insupportable punishments that all may be afraid to come near it he offers the most incomparable rewards to all that will overcome it and promises the aid of an unconquerable Spirit and Grace to enable all who will strive as they ought to prevail against it In summ having stupendiously brought about by the meritorious Death of his own Son that Mercy should be offered to all Men to pardon and Grace to extirpate and abolish sin he has left nothing wanting but their own wills to perfect the conquest of it And he has done all that for them and set all those things before them which should not force their wills indeed but bend and persuade them to resolve upon such conquest And that is all which ought to be done with free Creatures whose wills are not to be forced but won and persuaded towards its exclusion So that if after