§. 1. THE Eternal God, having made Man an Intellectual and Free-agent, able to understand and choose the good, and refuse the evil; to know, 1and love, and serve his Maker, and by adhering to Him in this life of trial, to attain to the blessed sight and Enjoyment of his Glory in the life to come, hath not been wanting to furnish him with such Necessaries, without which these ends could not successfully be sought: When we had lost our Moral capacity of pleasing him, that we might enjoy him, he restoreth us to it by the wonderful work of our Redemption: In Christ he hath reconciled the world unto himself; and hath given them a general Act of Oblivion, contained in the Covenant of Grace, which nothing but mens obstinate and final unwillingness can deprive them of: To procure their Consent to this gracious Covenant, he hath committed to his Ministers the Word of Reconciliation, commanding us to beseech men, as in the stead of Christ, and as though God himself did beseech them by us, to be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. and to show them first their sin and misery, and proclaim and offer the true Remedy, and to let them know, that All things are now ready, and by pleading their duty, their necessity and their commodity; to compel them to come in, Matth. 22. 4. Luke 11. 17, 23.
§. 1. THE Eternal God, having made Man an Intellectual and Free-agent, able to understand and choose the good, and refuse the evil; to know, 1and love, and serve his Maker, and by adhering to Him in this life of tryal, to attain to the blessed sight and Enjoyment of his Glory in the life to come, hath not been wanting to furnish him with such Necessaries, without which these ends could not succesfully be sought: When we had lost our Moral capacity of pleasing him, that we might enjoy him, he restoreth us to it by the wonderful work of our Redemption: In Christ he hath reconciled the world unto himself; and hath given them a general Act of Oblivion, contained in the Covenant of Grace, which nothing but mens obstinate and final unwillingness can deprive them of: To procure their Consent to this gracious Covenant, he hath committed to his Ministers the Word of Reconciliation, commanding us to beseech men, as in the stead of Christ, and as though God himself did beseech them by us, to be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. and to shew them first their sin and misery, and proclaim and offer the true Remedy, and to let them know, that All things are now ready, and by pleading their duty, their necessity and their commodity; to compell them to come in, Matth. 22. 4. Luke 11. 17, 23.
- 1Nov•rint universi quod pr• sens opus•ulum non aggredio•, ut fidelium a• ribus prophanas aliquas vocum i•geram •ovitates, sed ut innoc•nt•r & sobrie de alt•ssimo, &c. Ockam de Sacram. Alt. prologue. In z••o domus domini, nunc persolvo d•bitum, vile quidem, sed fid•le •t puto, & ami•um quibusque •gregiis Christi tyro•ibus ▪ grave vero & importabile apostatis insipientibus: quorum priors, n• fallor, cum lachrymis forte quae ex Dei charitate pro••uunt, alii cum t•istitia, sed quae ex indignatione & pusillanimitate deprehensae co•scientiae extorquetur, illud excipient. Gildas Prologue. Excid. Habet, inquies, Britanni• Rectors, habet speculatores: Quid tu n•gando m•tire disponis? Habet, inquam habet, si non ultr•, non citra numerun: sed quia inclinati tanto pondere sunt pressi id•irco spatium respirandi non habent. Praeoccupabant igitur se mutuo talibus objectionibus, &c. Gildas ibid.Nov•rint universi quod pr• sens opus•ulum non aggredio•, ut fidelium a• ribus prophanas aliquas vocum igeram ovitates, sed ut innocntr & sobrie de altssimo, &c. Ockam de Sacram. Alt. prolog. In zo domus domini, nunc persolvo dbitum, vile quidem, sed fidle t puto, & amium quibusque gregiis Christi tyroibus grave vero & importabile apostatis insipientibus: quorum priores, n fallor, cum lachrymis forte quae ex Dei charitate prouunt, alii cum tistitia, sed quae ex indignatione & pusillanimitate deprehensae coscientiae extorquetur, illud excipient. Gildas Prolog. Excid. Habet, inquies, Britanni Rectores, habet speculatores: Quid tu ngando mtire disponis? Habet, inquam habet, si non ultr, non citra numerun: sed quia inclinati tanto pondere sunt pressi idirco spatium respirandi non habent. Praeoccupabant igitur se mutuo talibus objectionibus, &c. Gildas ibid.
