§ 10. How unmeet then are they for Pardon and Salvation that hate Conviction and Reproof, and Rail at him as a Railer at them, that doth but call them to Repentance? That think he heinously injureth them that showeth them by the clearest light of Evidence, that they need Repentance? What is Repentance but the actual healing of a sinful Soul? The returning Prodigal when he repenteth cometh to himself, and then cometh home to his Father: He that was lost is then found; and he that was dead is made alive: And is he meet for a Physicians help, that would not be cured, but hateth health? Is this a reasonable and thankful requital for all the wonders of Love and Mercy manifested to lost and miserable Sinners, in the great work of Mans Redemption? Shall we put Christ to be our Accuser, and to say, I came from Heaven, and condescended to deepest Humiliation, to heal these Sinners, and they would not be healed? Without their consent I was Incarnate, Obeyed, Suffered, Died, and Conquered Death by my Resurrection: Before they desired it I gave them the Gospel, and the offers of Free Grace, and sent them Messengers to beseech them to be reconciled to God: But it was not meet that I should be Theirs, that would not be Mine, and save them that would not consent to be saved: To make them willing, which is a Moral change, I used most undeniable Reasons, and Means as Moral Causes: I set Heaven before them in my Promises, and Hell in Threatenings: I convinced them of the Evil of Sin, and of the Misery of unconverted Sinners, and of the Vanity of all that can be set against the Mercies and Hopes which I set before them, and of all other Remedies without my Grace: And yet unless I would by Omnipotency heal them, they would not be healed. However God use the way of unresistible Omnipotency on some▪ and will not be frustrate in his Design of the Saving of his Elect, nor leave ⟨p. 4⟩the Event of his Grace to the uncertain Determination of the Will of Man, yet those will be found unexcuseable that wilfully go on and perish, after all the sapiential moral Methods, Reasons, Persuasions, Mercies and Patience, warning and Corrections, that were used as tending to their Cure.
§ 10. How unmeet then are they for Pardon and Salvation that hate Conviction and Reproof, and Rail at him as a Railer at them, that doth but call them to Repentance? That think he heinously injureth them that sheweth them by the clearest light of Evidence, that they need Repentance? What is Repentance but the actual healing of a sinful Soul? The returning Prodigal when he repenteth cometh to himself, and then cometh home to his Father: He that was lost is then found; and he that was dead is made alive: And is he meet for a Physicians help, that would not be cured, but hateth health? Is this a reasonable and thankful requital for all the wonders of Love and Mercy manifested to lost and miserable Sinners, in the great work of Mans Redemption? Shall we put Christ to be our Accuser, and to say, I came from Heaven, and condescended to deepest Humiliation, to heal these Sinners, and they would not be healed? Without their consent I was Incarnate, Obeyed, Suffered, Died, and Conquered Death by my Resurrection: Before they desired it I gave them the Gospel, and the offers of Free Grace, and sent them Messengers to beseech them to be reconciled to God: But it was not meet that I should be Theirs, that would not be Mine, and save them that would not consent to be saved: To make them willing, which is a Moral change, I used most undeniable Reasons, and Means as Moral Causes: I set Heaven before them in my Promises, and Hell in Threatnings: I convinced them of the Evil of Sin, and of the Misery of unconverted Sinners, and of the Vanity of all that can be set against the Mercies and Hopes which I set before them, and of all other Remedies without my Grace: And yet unless I would by Omnipotency heal them, they would not be healed. However God use the way of unresistible Omnipotency on some▪ and will not be frustrate in his Design of the Saving of his Elect, nor leave ⟨p. 4⟩the Event of his Grace to the uncertain Determination of the Will of Man, yet those will be found unexcuseable that wilfully go on and perish, after all the sapiential moral Methods, Reasons, Perswasions, Mercies and Patience, warning and Corrections, that were used as tending to their Cure.
